Schwank Family Fundraiser

So taking 7 people on a vacation includes a lot of figuring out, a lot of diapers, internet searches, excitement, anxiety and, well, money.  My kids are beside themselves with the idea of Las Vegas...lights and action, the desert and--the best part--Brad and Carrie's wedding!
So we are fundraising to help buy our tickets...by the end of August.
Heres what we've got--three options...
Buy my prints!  I have beautiful, unique images from home and abroad that are printed matted and ready to frame.  Each image is signed and titled (by yours truly!) and prints that are 5x7 or larger are limited and numbered.  Many of my older prints are actual hand printed in the darkroom--yes thats right, we're talking film here!  The truth is my selection is SO varied that I can't possibly show you all the images...but keep in mind some of the possibilites--
Ireland
Northern Ireland
Paris
Prague
Terezin
San Francisco
Wyoming
New Orleans

Visit FB to see options...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15589&id=133232700054814

Send me a note and ask for something..did you see an image of mine on Facebook that you would love in your home?  Just ask...I'll anwser!
emily@raincliffsphotography.com
Prints make a wonderful holiday gift--get ahead of of your shopping and get your friends and family something special.
Here are the "my kids want to see the desert" special print prices.
2x3 print matted 5x7--$10
5x7 print matted 8x10 $17
5x7 print matted 11x14 $ 22
8x10 print matted 11x14 $27

Larger prints available, please inquire...  And YES I ship anywhere in the world, just add $3.00.

OR
are you local? ... consider hiring me for a portrait session--special "we need plane tickets" rate of $125... go ahead and purchase the session now and we can set it for when ever you wish, now or in the lovely Indiana Fall.
(Makes an amazing gift for family--do you know someone with a new baby?  Hire me as a gift and be a hero!)

Visit my work blog for details on my sessions...
http://www.raincliffsphotography.blogspot.com/

OR

Did you know that my darling husband is not only adorable and makes awesome bread but is the computer guy of computer guys... so the heres the "can't wait to see Brad and Carrie tie the knot" pricing...
buy his time, $20 a hour... you can purchase time in $ 20 increments to use when that time comes... and it always comes...
no computer job too big or too small,
Computers un-crashed
Viruses removed
Data recovered
Network connections made

 Visit his facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Indianapolis-IN/Christopher-Schwank-IT-Guy/137300792975563

Yes we take paypal, checks or cash for any of the above...

Help us fund our first family of SEVEN vacation... we would appreciate it.  Every $10 adds up.

I hate three.

I really hate three. Three is like 15, but utterly without simple logic, like not drinking Drain-o. Three is perverse, complicated and volatile. "I want a butter samwhich" says Fra, ""cut, like this" He makes sawing motions. "Okay" says, I, "hang on, while I get..." "No. NONONO! NO!" yells Fra. "I want a samwhich, like this, a SAMWHICH!" As if saying louder and flinging himself to the floor will make it happen faster.

"you a kooky head" says the small Demon from Hell glaring up from it's spot sprawled on the kitchen floor.

I take deep breathes, ignore him and make his butter sandwhich.

"I want cookies" It snarls. "I want pink milk"
"Here is you sandwhich, I say, "what do you say?"
"Thank you mama" says adorable little Fra climbing up in his chair.
"No. NONONONO! I want it cut LIKE THIS." Sawing motions, arm waving and he throws a piece of bread at me.
"Okay, Time out"
I carry him to his room. "You a poopy, kooky head " Says the Demon, baring his teeth.
Three minutes later. "Would you like to eat?"
"OoooooKAY!" He says, happy and climbs up and takes a miniscule bite.
"My tummy is full now. Lets play shop"

wordless Wednesday

Laugh until you can't breathe

This week I need to give a shout out to my mama friends.  Funnily enough some of my mama friends aren't mamas, but hey, Mama Friends has such good ring to it.
I love going out with just my husband, I love going out with us as a couple with another couples or a group, but I LOVE going out with my girlfriends.  I love getting all dolled up and meeting in a smoky bar, a table full of women who have gotten pretty-ed up just for themselves and nobody else. We sit a table and are obnoxiously loud and belligerent.  We swear. We laugh at our children or our partners or ourselves.  We say the word, Booby, frequently.  We mock men in crocs  (Sara and Kate, you know what I mean).  We drink a little too much and eat tacos in the rain.
My Mama friends are partnered or singled, some have kids, some don't.  It doesn't mattered.  We talk about serious things and we have each others back.  We sympathize and empathize.  And we laugh and laugh until the next morning my throat is sore and my head is sore and I don't mind at all and would do it again in a second.
Today, I lift my champagne bottle, er, glass to my girlfriends.  You are the best.

Free Range Kids

Children, like chickens, deserve a life outside the cage. The overprotected life is stunting and stifling, not to mention boring for all concerned.

My husband sent me this article, and I found myself compelled to share it.  But first, a little background.  We are planning out next building project, the treehouse.  We believe that our children, whose lives are dictated by the rules of adults deserve a place that is their own, a magical place, above our heads.  We also believe our children should be strong and independent, solve their own arguments, learn to stand up for themselves, learn to be confident. 
We let our oldest two children go to the park by themselves.  One block down, sometimes if I stand in front of my house I can actually see them.  They are 9 and 6.  People think we are crazy.  Strangers I meet at the park comment on it.  One block down.  Yes I could be afraid, but what good is that? Statistics show me that my children are more like to be hurt or molested or stolen with someone I know, somewhere safe, like their own home.  They must be strong and go into the world bravely and intelligently.  They need to learn that they can leave and then come back and we will be here, waiting to hear about the adventure.

Read the article.  Tell me what you think.

http://www.treehousebydesign.com/blog/2008/04/formula-for-childs-success-trust.html

So what's for Dinner?

I hate meal planning.  I love to cook, but meal planning sends me over the edge.  Finding something we all like to eat, that contains the proper food groups, doesn't take two hours to make and I have all the supplies for, geez, why is that so hard.  I guess because there are alot of us and only one of me and because sometimes it is just hard to come up with good ideas.  Right now, I am already trying to plan the next few days..any ideas?
Me, I'm at a loss.
Thinking about investing in this book
ttp://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Week-Leisurely-Weekend-WeekDAY/dp/0811821285
recommended by a wise mama-friend.
Maybe it will help, but for tonight.  Pasta and red sauce, my "I'm at loss, go to meal"

Champagne Thursday

When my husband and I were married (some time ago) we ended up with a couple of cases of champagne left.  For the next 6 months or so we had Champagne Thursdays, we would hang at my mom's with my mom and step-dad, pop a bottle of champagne and drink it.  It was a great tradition, one that led to much laughter and is still fondly remembered by all.

I know alot of people do grateful Mondays or that sort of thing, well, this is my version.  Every Thursday I will (virtually) lift my glass to ONE thing.  It can be very hard for me to pick one thing of anything, but I will do my best.

This Thursday I lift my glass to April.  I love April.  I know, I know, the cruelest month.  poor misunderstood Eliot.  But why is April cruel? In there lies my love of April.

APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering	5
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers

In case you didn't get it, this is all about rebirth.  

In April, Christians have their Easter, Pagans have their Easter, too, sans Jesus.  Earth has her Easter, with a madcap display of blooming and growth and sunny days and sudden storms.  Everything that has died is born again, 

You gave me hyacinths first a year ago;	35
'They called me the hyacinth girl.'
—Yet when we came back, late, from the Hyacinth garden,
Your arms full, and your hair wet, I could not
Speak, and my eyes failed, I was neither
Living nor dead, and I knew nothing,	40
Looking into the heart of light, the silence.

It is true that every year I read The Wasteland , every April I torture my poor DH and kids by reading sections outloud, but this Spring I am especially grateful for April.  I am especially aware of my rebirth.  
The strength and beauty of women's bodies are so amazing, knowing this time last year I was growing two little healthy people in me, causing my own body such considerable distress and now I can run and play with all my children, I can garden and clean and sleep and see my toes, and they do not look like sausages.  The fear I held to is gone, replaced with the relentless tiger love that I have for all my children, not just my littlest two.

April, thank you for reminding me of the rebirth of my body and my heart and my soul.

Spring

Paddy loves Hummus.

Recently I had a funny discussion with my sister about the hilarious food we ate as kids.  Mac and cheese with fish sticks.  Hot dogs, baked beans and potato chips, fried baloney, taco salad, lasagna;  we were products of the 70's.  Our parents had parties where they put out little wooden bowls of peanuts and cashews and the adults all played Pinochle and drank vermouth.
There is a certain comfort in those processed food, it isn't like my mom didn't work hard to give us good food, she made homemade applesauce so delicious I hold all others I eat up to it, they all fall short.  She baked bread and cookies and cakes.  It was different time and we were that sort of family, the kind with banana seat bikes and a van.
I am pretty sure I didn't eat a black olive until I was 20, about the same time I had hummus, a rather repulsive looking mass on the side of my plate at Korey's Mediterranean restaurant. At that time, Greek food was, well, all Greek to me...and I had no idea what to order, let alone, what it was.  My love affair with hummus started that day, and as our children grew old enough to eat "real food" it was always comment on, with the sad exception of Asher, who is more particular with taste buds, that "your kids will eat anything"  Our boys love hummus, Emmet will eat it with crackers or bread or baby carrots, so will Fra, but he prefers pretzel sticks.  Today I offered Paddy some on a saltine.  It went over quite well.  Although, it must be admitted, he loves fish sticks, too.

Why I love baseball.

I love baseball.  It doesn't even make sense for me to love baseball, I don't like sports.  But I love baseball. I love it because my family is from Chicago, and baseball is sorta a religion there.  

There is a loyalty to baseball, like my Grandfather's faithful devotion to Cubs, he would never swear or shout, good or bad games.  He would smile or shake his head.
 There is always next year, you know.
 There is a sentimentality to baseball, that makes great movies like "Field of Dreams" and "The Natural" that people like my mom watch over and over until they can quote whole sections.
 I love the sun to hot on my face and a beer in a paper cup watching a farm team. I love being able to see the players faces, the way they spit and scuff, the fights, the squints, the little hand gestures.  I swear I don't have a freakin' clue what they are talking about, but, hell, the ball goes up and I'm on my feet with rest of them, yelling.

I don't like sports.  Really.  

But I love a sweaty little kid smell and a sprinkle of freckles under a baseball cap and opening day circled big in red on the calender.

"The one constant through all the years has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past...It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. "

In all the world, my nest is best.

One of the great gifts of parenthood is learning to care (less) about what everyone else thinks.  I find it impossible to fully let go of my insecurities, but as time goes on, I realzing that pleasing the people who I love, the people who love me and myself are the ones that matter.  Everyone else, well, why are you passing judgement on me? 
Lately I've been thinking alot about my home.  We have a great home.  It is loud and often messy.  It has tall ceilings and alot of light.  It has a big yard and a nice new kitchen.  It is in an amazing neighborhood with a great park near by.  We are house proud.  And there are alot of people out there who think we are nuts.  Heres why, we are at the tail end of a renovation project that will turn our two bedroom house into three bedrooms.  Yep, you read that right, 7 people, 2 bedrooms.  Soon, it will be 7 people , 3 bedrooms, Girl's room, Boy's room and parents room (in which the Twins will remain a little longer.).
No, we don't feel cramped.  No, we don't drive each other crazy.  And no, we don't feel we are depriving our children.  They like sharing rooms.  Yes, it's true.  They giggle in bed every night and we have to tell them to be quiet.  And while it is true, I will like the day it is my Dh's and I' s room only, I was reminding of the sweetness of my luck last night as I opened our bedroom door to go to bed and I could smell the unique scent that is baby, not stinky, but the almost feral and completely wonderful.
It is much more trendy to live in small house these days, most people call it downsizing or rightsizing.  For us it wasn't trendy, it was a choice made for many reasons, but mostly...because this is our place.  This is our home.  You don't understand, but we do.

Go Dawgs!

Mostly, I am not a sports fan.  Oh I love a baseball game, especially live, I love my kids soccer games,  well, I like soccer...but really see no point at all to football. Basketball season usually comes and goes and I don't notice.  Except this year when in the NCAA a little university called Butler slowly gained speed and power until this past weekend when they beat Michigan to play in the final game, tonight.  Now my sister went to Butler, lots of friends did, we live not two miles from the pretty campus... so you know we were supporting them.  A small Cinderella team, kinda like the movie Hoosiers.
So I'm talking to my sister in Belfast today, (She put a tenner on Butler) and she is on holiday this week(for Easter) and she is eating "American Food" all day in celebration of Butler.  And I think, well...thats a great idea, so we did too.  Hopefully our own way of supporting them will help...go Bulldogs!  And as my sister said...may you each have the heart of a lion and courage of three men.

Our All American Meal.

Hotdogs.

Beans

Waffle Fries

Emmet's plate

Alice had her first pickle and she loved it and devoured it.

Paddy didn't.

Wordless Wednesday

Today

Have you ever seen those people who dive off cliffs? They are always in some sort of exotic location, with blue-green water below them...never scared or uncertain, they just put their arms out, take a deep breath and dive right off-swoosh.


Yup, thats my life. Every morning I wake up on the edge of that cliff, toes curled over the edge, arms out ready to leap. Only in my ears isn't the sound of wind and surf but Fra's demands for "some!" (food), the babies crying or cooing, the big kids fighting or giggling. The day spills out before me, laundry and dishes, breastfeeding, bottles, toast and eggs and cereal on the floor. Maybe the park, maybe we'll make cookies, play trucks, check my email(is anyone out there?), call my mom,my husband, contemplate the bills(deep breathing, )grocery list, more laundry, peanut butter, jam, apples, the sound track of my day is five voices asking questions, demands, delights...

I wonder about those divers, don't sometimes they want to turn back? Don't they sometimes say, "Not today. I'm too scared, too tired, too selfish." Do they always dive? Do they just say, "Screw it, I'm here anyways, might as well jump."

Yeah, I guess thats me.

Waking up on the edge of the cliff, toes curled over the edge, taking two seconds to savor the sweetness of the air and the light, then - deep breath and arms out, I leap.

Donut Day

I've been neglecting the blog....

so heres a little pic for now...

Valentine's day candy heart.

It is Shove Tuesday!

From Wiki

Shrove Tuesday is a term commonly known in English-speaking countries associated with the United Kingdom and its Anglican traditions, especially Canada, Ireland,Australia^[1], New Zealand, and parts of the United States^[2] for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Christian season of fasting and prayer called Lent.

The word shrove is the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of confession and doing penance. During the week before Lent, sometimes called Shrovetide in English, Christians were expected to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season of turning to God. Shrove Tuesday was the last day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, and noted in histories dating back to 1000 AD. The popular celebratory aspect of the day had developed long before the Protestant Reformation, and was associated with releasing high spirits before the somber season of Lent. It is analogous to the continuing Carnival tradition associated with Mardi Gras (and its various names in different countries) that continued separately in European Catholic countries.

In the United States, the term "Shrove Tuesday" is less widely known outside of people who observe the liturgical traditions of the Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic Churches.^[3][4] Because of the increase in many immigrant populations and traditions since the 19th century, and the rise of highly publicized festivals,Mardi Gras has become more familiar as the designation for that day.

In the United Kingdom and many other countries, the day is often known as Pancake Day. Making and eating such foods was considered a last feast with ingredients such as sugar, fat and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent.

Tonight we will have Crepes(instead of pancakes)...yum!  The batter is made and I'll blog about it then.  In some cultures your would also have or instead have hotcross buns.  I love a holiday with food association. 

Saturday Morning Smoothies

So the snow storm that has hit midwest hit Indianapolis on Friday afternoon, sending everyone scurrying for shelter and closing the place I work part time.  Friday night off and my darling husbands suggests I go out for drink with my friend, another mama (of twins and a 7 month old). From where we live we can easliy walk into Broad Ripple, even in the snow.  A night like this calls for just the right venue, we knew it was either OPT's or The Alley Cat. OPT's was bound to be filled with sports fanatics and since neither of us could give a damn about football, the Cat it was.  Plus, the food is way better.  But you'd never guess it...I promise, I'll add pictures sometime...but the Alley Cat is a local's dive, a hidden gem halfway down a grimy alley, it is where you end your night, staggering and giggling(if you are a happy drunk, like me).  Since we were there at 8:30,(absurdly early for Cat goers), we easily snagged a table, got adult beverages and I order some supper.  Anyone who has hung out in BR for any length of time can tell you about The Alley Cat hamburgers, Ahh, I wish I had brought my camera, huge, juicy and yum.  Like ohmygodyum and all falling apart and you are looking like a complete pig and it is That Good that you don't care.  Nobody else in the place cares either, because unless they are interlopers,(so who cares what they think) they have experienced the metaphysical joy of the Alley Cat hamburger.  With bacon.  And Cheese.  And Everything on it. And a side of gorgeous onion rings fried to a turn.  I think I'm drooling right now thinking about it.

Wordless Wednesday 2/3/10

Snack Time

After a week of cold temps and sick kids, I was able to walk to the store with Twins and Fra.  It is a brisk and blowy day, but still very nice for walking.

 The way memory is triggered by smell is amazing to me, suddenly while we were walking, I was struck by scent and memory.  The cold, damp air, the smell of diesel and winter.  It smelled just like Belfast, but I was standing at the corner of College and Westfield.  It isn't actually a nice smell, but it brings back such nice memories of visiting my sister that it is a comforting smell.  I suppose the Belfast smell is why I let Fra buy powered sugar donuts at the drugstore, my sister would approve of him getting a sweet, and thats what he picked. They were the Hostess ones, you know, Donettes, that slays me.  He ate one on the way home...

And one with lunch, along with his bread and butter, hummus and pretzel sticks and green apple slices...all his choice.  Then he went to nap, singing  "Oh no, I can't sleep.  Oh Mommy, come on.  I can't sleep."  He did sleep, though.

It's my party and I'll eat if I want to...

So it was my birthday and I love food.  On my actual birthday, we ordered take-away chinese.  Mmmmm, for both sodium, fat, fried-ness and cost, we hardly ever order chinese.  But on birthdays none of that count.  We ordered from Side Wok Cafe, in Broad Ripple.  In our opinion they are far and away the BEST take-away chinese food, in fact I think they rival some of the fancier, sit down restaurant.  Their soup(Hot and Sour is our fav) is full of fresh mushrooms and tofu, none of that wrinkly rehydrated stuff.  It is hot and spicy and garlicy.  The egg rolls have nice crunchy vegetables and are fried perfectly.  The Pu Pu platter is yum good and huge.

As you can see, we had an extravagantly large spread...so much in fact that we just had left-overs for dinner, with a little white rice and steamed veggies.  Yum.

They don't have a website...but heres a link with their address, phone and a strange and poorly scanned version of their menu.  Check them out.

Yum.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/40/442315/restaurant/Broad-Ripple/Side-Wok-Cafe-Indianapolis

Wordless Wednesday

Okay, so it's Thursday...but I was really distracted by the SOTU last night...

Comfort Food

Today I had two sick kids, so going out to the grocery shop was not in the plan...supper tonight...Crepes and Hash browns.  It was my first go round with hash browns and while they weren't pretty, they tasted great.  Crepes , I am an old hat at...I've been making them since I was a kid...and they were wonderful...we had jam and syrup and sugar on the table for seasoning.  Yum.

         1 cup all-purpose flour

         2 eggs

         1/2 cup milk

         1/2 cup water

         1/4 teaspoon salt

         2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side

Baking + Facebook = ?

These days I try to bake cookies instead of buy them, that way I know what's going in there, it is often cheaper, it is relaxing and makes the house smell good...plus freshly baked cookies just make you feel loved.  Even if you are the one baking and eating them!

For years I used the TollHouse recipe, but lately have been sorta disillusioned with it...so went to Chris' favorite, Fanny Farmer.  Made a batch last week and they were just awesome...armed with my chips and beaters set out to whip them up again...

Brown and white sugar...

Butter and vanilla, then whip it...(whip, whip it real good...)

add your sugars...I have an ancient (but reliable) handmixer, so sometimes this is a challenge

and your eggs...

then slowly your flour, baking soda, salt...

My old reliable...(this was actually a wedding gift...11 years ago),

somewhere around this time go on and check your Facebook page, update your status, see what your friends are up to...

Hmmm add chips...these are milk chocolate because I'm out of my standards, normally I do one third white chocolate, one third milk chocolate( not semi-sweet), one third butterscotch...hmmm, thats the best...but this should be pretty good, too.

Like everyone's friend, Julia Child, I , too, believe in butter.  Butter is practically perfect in everyway and yes, I still grease my pans and cookie sheets with it.  (Okay, okay, my cookie sheet is old, but it works great and has one of those air pocket systems...)

Mmmmm, look at those lovely little balls of dough... in they go!  10-12 minutes at 375 degrees...

Smells so good, Ding,ding,ding... let's take a peek...

WHAT THE HELL?

Blech!

This is like like the third time this month that while doubling the recipe I DIDN'T DOUBLE THE DAMN FLOUR!  Arrrgh.  (Oh yeah, I stopped in the middle of the mixing and got distracted and checked my freakin' FaceBook page and...)  Thats when I forgot to add that extra flour.  Bah.  Gak. Pshaw.

Luckily I added the flour now to the rest and they taste great.  The are still not quite as pretty as sometimes, but pretty darn good.

And the kids and Chris and my mom think the over-sugared ones are tasty, too.  So what did we learn today...

Baking + Facebook=messed up cookies.

So- what are we about?

Who are we...two people in love and 5 awesome kids 9 and under.  So why a food blog, seems like we should be handing out parenting advice, right?  Ha.  Well, in our house, it's all about the food...we like to cook it, we like to grow it...Chris really wants some chickens so we can eat them, oh...I mean the eggs.  Of course. We have always loved food and cooking but somewhere, about 5 or so years ago, we began really thinking about cooking, thinking about food, and what goes into our food.  Realizing that eating was so much more than just yum, but should be mmmm, yum,yum, or even ohmygodthatsgood, mmm, YUM.  That sustenance should not just feed the belly, but the whole body...that canned corn isn't the same as frozen and frozen isn't the same as fresh.  That a meal should refresh the heart and the body.  What do we have to work with? Our oldest who is a mostly vegetarian and mostly only eats white food, two boys who will eat everything, and the twins who are just learning to eat...I love to bake and am still afraid of cooking fish and Chris is a better cook, but not as good at grilled cheese.
Plus, yeah...we love to eat.  We love to garden, we love to see farms and gardens...so we begin to document the days of wine and roses and mac and cheese and peanut butter and ...well we'll have to see where it takes us.
This is our journey to feed our children and to feed our souls.

Sunday Coffee Cake

Most Sundays Chris makes us coffee cake. I love this recipe, it isn't too sweet, it has a nice cake texture, almost a bread. Perfect for mornings and spontanous tea parties, like this one, today...

Here's what Chris has to say about it...


It is from Fanny Farmer (p.600 in our copy: the Bantam Ed., 1983; Revised 12th Ed.).



Quick Coffee Cake ("Simple to make, good to eat")


1 cup sugar
1-3/4 cups white flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp butter (1/2 stick) (I usually use unsalted, but either is OK)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar mixed with 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375F (190C)
Butter an 8-inch square cake pan

Mix sugar, flour & baking powder in a large bowl Work in butter with your hand or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal Add the egg & milk and blend Spoon into the pan Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture evenly over the top Bake for 20 minutes

note: I usually add about 1 tsp vanilla with the egg & milk
note: In our oven it usually takes 25-28 minutes
note: Sometimes I'll include about 1/2 tsp cinnamon with the dry ingredients
note: Sometimes I will put in 1/2 the batter, lightly sprinkle some cinn/sugar, then put on remaining batter & top as usual...makes a nice layered effect

The Art of the Cheerio

Seems fitting in a blog about foods and family, that our first post be about the greatest finger food ever invented for babies. Cheerios.