The Absence of Solitude

Old Ironsides

Our first stop as we entered Boston was to visit the USS Constitution. It is the oldest commissioned warship in the world. The Navy is even planning on taking her out to sea for the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812; the war where the ship received the nickname, "Old Ironsides" when the British cannonballs bounced off the ship's hull. 

We were able to get into the last tour and once we got on the ship, Simon was heaven. He kept talking about it being a pirate ship. He would tell Jillian how pirates would steal treasure and hide it on the ship. It was pretty comical. He also wanted to shoot one of the cannons so badly. In the picture below with him next to the cannon, he is actually saying, "KABOOM!" 

The other ship is a decommissioned war ship called the USS Cassin Young. Ethan was really impressed by this one. We missed the last tour for it and all week he kept asking if we could go back but we never made it. 

We were able to visit the USS Constitution Museum right next door and the kids enjoyed looking at all the model ships, trying out some of the jobs of sailors, and pretending to sleep in the hammocks. It was a great little tour and history lesson for all of us and a good way to start the trip for the kids! After we left the shipyard we headed to the hotel but not without a stop at the nearest Chick-fil-A for dinner and Sonic for a slush. :) 

 

The North Bridge

We just got back from a trip to Boston and I will be posting about our adventure just as soon as I get through the mountain of laundry that followed me home and the many, many pictures I took over the last few days. But there is one thing that I thought I would post about today. 

On the last couple of trips we have taken (Philadelphia and D.C.) there seems to be one moment or place that stands out and makes me overcome with emotion. For Boston, it was the North Bridge in Concord, MA. 

Obviously, it is a reproduction of the original bridge over the Concord River and is nothing spectacular. However, this was the site where the first official battle of the Revolutionary War took place. This was where Paul Revere was sent to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming. There is a monument to the Minute Men at one end of the bridge with Ralph Waldo Emerson's first stanza of the poem, "Concord Hymn" and after reading that is when I got a little lump in my throat. I am sure many of you know the last line:

"...And fired the shot heard round the world." It was surreal that right on these very grounds where I stood was the start of freedom for generations to come. And for that I am so very grateful to live where I live. 

Sweet Treats

Chocolate Chex Mix

• 8 cups Chocolate Chex cereal
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, MINI size
• 1 cup MINIATURE marshmallows
• 1/2 cup caramel bits 
• 1/2 cup MILK chocolate baking chips 
• 1/2 cup vanilla (white) chocolate baking chips
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt

Directions

1. In large microwavable bowl, measure cereal; set aside. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.
2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour caramel mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave on High 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes. Break into bite-sized pieces.
3. Make sure Chex mixture is cool to the touch (so candy doesn't melt.) Evenly sprinkle mini peanut butter cups candy and miniature marshmallows over Chex mixture.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave caramel baking bits and cream uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle over snack. Repeat with milk chocolate baking chips. Repeat again with vanilla (white) baking chips. Quickly sprinkle coarse salt over all while candy drizzles are still wet.
5. Refrigerate until set. Break apart and store in tightly covered container. Perfect for gift giving.

 

Love Potion Drink

• 1 (12-ounce) can pink lemonade concentrate
• 4 cups raspberry sherbet
• 1 (12-ounce) can of lemon/lime soda 

Preparation

1. In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water.

2. In a blender, combine the sherbet with 4 cups of the lemonade mixture; mix until combined. Pour into individual glasses. Add the soda, stir gently and serve.

Sugar Cookie Bars

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Spray jelly roll pan (15x10x1) with cooking spray.
3. In your mixer cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
4. With mixer on low, add in your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Mix until just combined.
6. Press dough evenly into your prepared pan. (Dough will be sticky. I floured my hands to press it into the pan.)
7. Bake for 20 minutes until edges begin to golden.
8. Cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 16 oz. powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Adjust milk and powdered sugar to get to desired consistency.

 

Valentine Celebrations

We had a fun Valentine's Day. The children were all so excited to see if they would get heart-attacked and receive a few little surprises. Of course they did and we celebrated in other ways too, including:

• A pink breakfast of strawberry milk, apple slices, and pink heart shaped pancakes
• I packed Ethan and Lauren a red lunch...it was not the most healthful lunch with all the Red40 dye.
• Simon, Jillian and I made treats to deliver to friends and people I visit teach.
• We made sugar cookies for FHE treats on Monday night. They were a new recipe and one I will be making again because they were SO easy!
• We exchanged Valentine cards with classmates and friends.
• The mailbox was stuffed with Valentine cards from family. Thank you! They loved opening them all!
• We all had our fair share of sweet treats and the sugar crash was not fun with a 2 and 4 year old!
• And finally we had heart shaped pizza for dinner with fruit and a special Love Potion drink. Ethan told me I was the only one who should be drinking love potion and he would pass on it. :) He did end up drinking a bit of it because it was super yummy...pink lemonade, raspberry sherbet, and Sprite.

It was a good day for everyone and I love all the fun things we were able to do to celebrate this lovely holiday! The kids always love to have that extra special attention and I love doing these silly little things for them once in a while.

I will post some of the yummy recipes we made tomorrow...

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Valentine's Day

Aunt Jenny sent the kids all a little Valentine tattoo. Lauren ran upstairs to put hers on with Ethan and when she came back downstairs, I saw that she put it not on her hand or arm, but on her cheek! When I told her they don't immediately wash off she kind of freaked out and got a little embarrassed (hence the watery eyes). I wanted to laugh but I knew that would just hurt her feelings. Man, her placement just cracked me up! She left it on all afternoon but decided she didn't want to wear it to school on her face so she scrubbed it off last night. 

Happy Valentine's Day! We love you all!

Lauren's story

This paper came home yesterday in Lauren's folder. It made me laugh.

Ok, so in case you can't read first grade inventive spelling, here is the translation:

"Once there was a germ. His name was Phil. He lived in a planet called planet Booger. And one day he turned colors. That meant he was sick. But he was a germ, germs don't get sick. The next day he was better. That was weird. The end!"

 

Seriously though, I think us talking about germs around here lately is maybe where she got her ideas. In the last week we have had discussions about getting pink eye and not touching faces, washing hands at school before lunch because there is a stomach virus going around the school, covering mouths when coughing because we don't want to get a cold, too. 'Tis the season for sickness and first grade papers about germs!?!