Another book lover

Tonight as we were helping Sim wind down for bed, he kept signing “book, book, book,” so Michael was going to read to him.  I handed him a book to read.  Sim took a look at it and tried to push it out of Michael’s hand.  When Michael persisted and tried to read it to him, Sim began signing “book, book, book” again and started getting weepy – lip out, beginnings of a sob in his voice.  He seemed to be looking at something, so I checked, and there was a book there that Michael had read him earlier.  I handed them that one, and Sim settled happily in to have Michael read it to him. 

Picky about his literature at the age of 13 months…

Performance

Today, Hannah had a performance with her choir, which is a part of Northwest Girlchoir.  The performance was at what they called  a  “friendraiser,” consisting of a silent auction, lunch, and performance by 3 of the NWGC choirs.  There were two of the younger choirs and then one ensemble from one of the high school choirs. 

Since Sim isn’t the best guest for luncheons and silent auctions (only because he’d like to get down and help himself to everything), we decided that Michael would stay home with the younger kids and I’d go watch Hannah sing.  And have lunch.  And bid on things. 

Unfortunately, I was outbid on the things that I wanted, but I did manage to drive the prices up, so I suppose that’s helpful for the fundraising part of the event.  The lunch was good, and the singing was excellent.  Northwest Girlchoir does a fantastic job of teaching girls to sing, and the older ensemble sang so beautifully …the younger kids were great, too, although certainly not as well-trained yet.  However, in Hannah’s age group there are probably close to 50 girls, and they all sang together, with expression, and very well, which I chalk up to the very great talents of their director.  It’s always fun to see them perform.

***

There were some unintentionally amusing things about the event, too, which I have to share, of course.

1.  I was sitting front and center (having gotten there quite early and selected a good seat), and when I took my place after bidding and getting food, I introduced myself to the moms across from me, who also had girls Hannah’s age singing.  We chatted about how wonderful their choir director is and about various other things.  Then a young woman sat down next to me.  She and I exchanged names and she asked what brought me there. 

Me:  I have a daughter in the choir.

Helen:  What?!  You look so young!  How old is your daughter?

Me:  Six. 

H:  Really?!?  No, you really look too young!

Me:  Thank you.

H:  I mean, I wouldn’t think you’re older than 28!

[Of course, it’s not completely unheard-of for a 28-year-old to have a six-year-old, but that didn’t seem like a necessary point to argue.]

Me:  Thank you, I’m actually 32.

H:  Really?!?  I guess I’m not that far off, but you look so young!

Heheh.  I’m just hoping it wasn’t because I had a ketchup stain on my shirt or something. 

2.  When the girls came in for their performance, they began filing into the risers on the stage.   They looked out at the auditorium filled with tables and people, and several of them had expressions that seemed to bode imminent throwing up.  I suddenly wondered whether that had happened ever and WHAT would one do…Happily, nobody did throw up, but for a few moments, it looked like it might happen. 

3.  At the end of the performance, all the choirs sang a song together, and the applause was loud and long.  There were several girls from Hannah’s choir who were standing on the stage, bowing, and holding their hands over their ears. 

***

Hannah loves Girlchoir.  She loves the rehearsals, she loves her teacher, she loves the singing, she loves the games they play.  She had a fabulous time at this performance and is looking forward with eager anticipation to the next performances. 

Naomi is counting the days until she turns four and can join the youngest choir.  Well, I guess that’s not completely accurate.  Naomi isn’t as practical as that yet, but she does know that once she’s four, she’ll join the choir, and it seems to be the only thing she wants for her birthday. 

Chocolate Chip Scones

Some of you may be familiar with chocolate chip scones.  Others of you may never have had them, and for that, I’m sorry.  They’re awesome.  I’m not talking about any chocolate chip scones, I’m talking about the chocolate chip scones.  Michael and I both make them, but Michael’s are the best.  I’m not sure what his secret is, but his are better than mine.  It’s just true, although he does try to deny it.  I’m not upset about it – I’m happy to have him make scones for me.  And when he’s not available, mine are an acceptable (although definitely inferior) substitute. 

We’ve adapted a recipe from Biscuits and Scones, by Elizabeth Alston.  She’s got some other good stuff in there, too.  Michael made something called an apple slump or grunt or slouch or grouch or something last weekend, and it was divine. 

I’ll give you the recipe, then tell you how we do it.

Simple Sweet Scones

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

8 T (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut up

1/4 cup granulated sugar (use 1/3 cup for slightly sweeter scones)

2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 425.  Put flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl; stir to mix well.

Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers, until the mixture looks like fine granules.  Add sugar; toss to mix.

Add milk and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.  Form dough into a ball, put onto a lightly floured board, and give 10 to 12 kneads.

To make triangular scones, cut dough in half.  Knead each half lightly into a ball and turn smooth side up.  Pat or roll into a 6-inch circle.  Cut each circle into 6 or 8 wedges.  Place wedges on an ungreased cookie sheet – slightly apart for crisp sides, touching for soft sides. 

Bake about 12 minutes, or until medium brown on top.  Put on a linen or cotton dish towel on a wire rack; cover loosely with the cloth and cool completely before serving. 

Ingredients changes:  we use whole wheat pastry flour and rice milk.  Also, you might have noticed that, for a recipe for chocolate chip scones, this one is surprisingly lacking in…chocolate chips.  We add 1/2 cup chocolate chips when the sugar is added.  Sometimes, because of the whole wheat flour, more milk is needed, too. 

Method changes:  we use a food processor.  I’m sorry.  It’s not the most authentic way to do it, but we need to make scones here, and we’ve got limited time, so we don’t rub the butter in with our fingers.   We’ve done it before, we can claim to know how, but it takes a long time.  The kids, actually, enjoy rubbing the butter in with their fingers, and I’m all for letting them do it on occasion, but usually that takes even longer, so we usually just do the food processor.  But don’t, for the love of chocolate chip scones, neglect to take it OUT of the food processor and put it in a bowl before you add the chips.  Otherwise, you will get chocolate little bitsy bits scones, and that’s not the same.

ALSO…we do not let the scones cool to room temperature before beginning to enjoy them unless it’s completely unavoidable.  Chocolate chip scones are delicious when warm.  We do let them cool enough that they don’t burn our fingers or mouths, though. 

I hope you’ll try these sometime.  They really are excellent.  They make a fantastic dessert when you don’t want something too sweet, and they can be enjoyed really any time…I should know. 

More words

“Bu – ckle”

“Ti – ger”

Feeternail angst

Hannah and Naomi hate having their toenails clipped – Naomi calls them feeternails most of the time.  I think they’re ticklish and it’s hard to avoid any tickling when you’re clipping nails.  In any case, they dislike it intensely, and I’ve had to tell them that their toenails have to be clipped or they’ll get so long they’ll wear holes in their socks and have trouble wearing their shoes comfortably.

Today as I was putting Sim down for his nap, I heard some weeping from Naomi’s room, where she was in Quiet Time.  Weeping can mean any number of things, so I thanked God that Sim was pretty much asleep and that Naomi wasn’t crying loudly enough to wake him up, and went to see what was happening. 

“My big toenail [she used the right term this time] made a hole in my sock!” she wailed when I asked what the matter was.

I tried to explain that these were just old socks, that it wasn’t her toenail – I had only clipped them earlier in the week.

“But there’s a hole!”

Apparently, stating that toenails could make holes in socks was translated in Naomi’s mind to mean that toenails are the only things that make holes in socks.  Who knows what kids’ minds will do with things?

I tried to point out that the hole is underneath, where she walks on the toe, not on top where the nail is.  That had no effect.  Remember, this is the little girl who believes that other children can fly off the carousel.  Who even knows what damage long feeternails can do?

I finally got her calmed down and reminded that she has more socks and that nobody is upset with her for the hole in her sock.  For good measure, I threw in that she should ask Dada (when he gets home) whether he ever gets holes in his socks.  Just between us, the answer is yes.  Although it’s not usually from his feeternails. 

Another two syllable word

We've added potty. Since this is Sim's favorite thing to talk about, I guess it's not too surprising. He won't always say it on request, though, he picks his moments.

Cute things my children do.

A couple of weeks ago, Sim learned to say Uh-oh. It is so cute. I try to get him to say it all the time, because I love how he says it. Perhaps I should attempt to record it before he starts saying it differently.

I don't know if that counts as his first word with two different syllables. Is Uh-oh a word? Anyway, yesterday he learned to say tiger. That one is pretty darn cute, too. Then he started saying Daddy, instead of Dada.

I'm not sure I can survive the level of cuteness in the house at this point.

****
Recently, Hannah lamented, "I don't know why we have to wait so long for another baby!"

"But Sim's still a baby, Hannah."

"But if you got a baby in your belly now, it would be a long time before the baby came out."

"You're right, but he'd still be pretty young. What would we do with two babies?"

"Three babies, you mean. I want you to have twins."

****
This conversation occured today after Michael's parents departed.

H: You know, Grandma doesn't have any brothers. Why not?
Me: Well, sometimes God sends brothers and sometimes he doesn't.
H: Yeah, he only sent her sisters. We're lucky, because we have Sim.
N: Yeah, we're lucky because we have Simeon.
Me: Sisters are good, too.
N: Yeah, but we're lucky, because God gave us Simeon.

Fortunately, there is enough angst at various times from various children to keep me from going into permanent cuteness overload.