Gee.... What happened to that rainy Monday we had? I looked at the internet weather, and it said there was an advisory. I was hoping for a morning T-storm or something. Nope. One of those "bad air" advisories. Don't go outside because it could be bad for your health. OK. Got lots to do inside. (Although CJ still had water camp today. Lots of water, she said.)
RJ2 is keeping her wake up-and-play schedule, beginning some time after 6 a.m. Today, she went for the kitchen chalkboard and wrote out the alphabet, erasing tonight's dinner plans. That was OK, because CJ was integrally involved in dinner--
Spaghetti sauce is definitely her specialty, and she cooked up a fresh batch today. While she was chopping, sauteing and simmering, I started in on a new cookie recipe.
It's a Family Fun recipe for Orange Cornmeal Crisps. It's not a very appetizing name for a dessert cookie, but that it's mostly made with cornmeal--masa harina--is appealing as a gluten-free treat (with some modifications). RJ2 helped me juice the orange for the glaze.
Fresh zest, too, of course. The smell was incredible! Had to toss in a pinch of cloves.
And now, freshly glazed, they don't even look like cookies. They have been transformed into something that looks like an orange-glazed Grands biscuit! Having tasted one, I can tell you that the glaze is definitely needed. The cookie itself has very little sugar, and cornmeal needs a kick in some direction. They are all bagged up and ready to take to the beach next week!
We have more cookies to make, but, as has been the case this week, we've run out of supplies. I told RJ2 that we would have to make a store stop. [Remember, repetition of concept is good.] Today, we went to Kroger! I gave her the option to go back to Wal-Mart or try Food Lion, but she said Kroger, even though she almost immediately added that she didn't want to go shopping.
Kroger is tough. It's a very large store. She doesn't like the echoey sound in there, and they play music, too. We made it into the vestibule and we stayed there for quite awhile today. She said something about covering her ears. I said that would be OK. She still couldn't take the step inside. She knew, though, that there would be a donut at the end of the shopping visit. Two summers ago, I shopped with both girls in the morning, and they would be treated to donuts at the end of the trip. I reminded RJ2 about that a day or so ago; she remembered!
Eventually, some kids went through the vestibule doors, and their mom said Hi! to me. I said Hi! as she passed through, and then I realized I was alone in the vestibule! RJ2 had walked in and was waiting for ME to join HER! We made our way to aisle 9 (again!) and got some sugars and chocolate chips for baking tomorrow. Then, rather than push the limits in going for cream cheese and limes--the outer extremes of the store--I said, "Let's check out." She said, "Let's go get a donut!" Hardly slaying the dragon, but at least we made our presence known.
All the laundry is done, thanks to CJ, and we will start some packing tomorrow. The house has a million things to be picked up, but, oh well. I have taken the house expander out of the attic. We'll get that plugged in and....
What's that you say? Expander? Don't you have one?? It works on the same principle as one of those jumpy castles, only it blows up your home so you can house more people than you generally have on a regular capacity day. We'll have 16 people soon. Hope the expander survived the winter OK. (Repairing leaks is no picnic!) Maybe there's an Independence Day sale coming up and you can get a good deal.
Wow, almost Thursday already. Time to go do something useful, like sleep, maybe....
RJ2 is keeping her wake up-and-play schedule, beginning some time after 6 a.m. Today, she went for the kitchen chalkboard and wrote out the alphabet, erasing tonight's dinner plans. That was OK, because CJ was integrally involved in dinner--
Spaghetti sauce is definitely her specialty, and she cooked up a fresh batch today. While she was chopping, sauteing and simmering, I started in on a new cookie recipe.
It's a Family Fun recipe for Orange Cornmeal Crisps. It's not a very appetizing name for a dessert cookie, but that it's mostly made with cornmeal--masa harina--is appealing as a gluten-free treat (with some modifications). RJ2 helped me juice the orange for the glaze.
Fresh zest, too, of course. The smell was incredible! Had to toss in a pinch of cloves.
And now, freshly glazed, they don't even look like cookies. They have been transformed into something that looks like an orange-glazed Grands biscuit! Having tasted one, I can tell you that the glaze is definitely needed. The cookie itself has very little sugar, and cornmeal needs a kick in some direction. They are all bagged up and ready to take to the beach next week!
We have more cookies to make, but, as has been the case this week, we've run out of supplies. I told RJ2 that we would have to make a store stop. [Remember, repetition of concept is good.] Today, we went to Kroger! I gave her the option to go back to Wal-Mart or try Food Lion, but she said Kroger, even though she almost immediately added that she didn't want to go shopping.
Kroger is tough. It's a very large store. She doesn't like the echoey sound in there, and they play music, too. We made it into the vestibule and we stayed there for quite awhile today. She said something about covering her ears. I said that would be OK. She still couldn't take the step inside. She knew, though, that there would be a donut at the end of the shopping visit. Two summers ago, I shopped with both girls in the morning, and they would be treated to donuts at the end of the trip. I reminded RJ2 about that a day or so ago; she remembered!
Eventually, some kids went through the vestibule doors, and their mom said Hi! to me. I said Hi! as she passed through, and then I realized I was alone in the vestibule! RJ2 had walked in and was waiting for ME to join HER! We made our way to aisle 9 (again!) and got some sugars and chocolate chips for baking tomorrow. Then, rather than push the limits in going for cream cheese and limes--the outer extremes of the store--I said, "Let's check out." She said, "Let's go get a donut!" Hardly slaying the dragon, but at least we made our presence known.
All the laundry is done, thanks to CJ, and we will start some packing tomorrow. The house has a million things to be picked up, but, oh well. I have taken the house expander out of the attic. We'll get that plugged in and....
What's that you say? Expander? Don't you have one?? It works on the same principle as one of those jumpy castles, only it blows up your home so you can house more people than you generally have on a regular capacity day. We'll have 16 people soon. Hope the expander survived the winter OK. (Repairing leaks is no picnic!) Maybe there's an Independence Day sale coming up and you can get a good deal.
Wow, almost Thursday already. Time to go do something useful, like sleep, maybe....
Comments
Glad you got a toe in the door at Kroger! You are really stepping out!