Foil and Dog Water

This last weekend was pretty boring, I was still sick and recovering and Rory was coming down with whatever I had.  But not a dull moment really considering the kids are constantly into things.  Quinn (somehow?!) got my roll of aluminum foil and ran into the front room... moments later I heard a weird crinkle-crackle noise coming from that room... I ran in there to see Quinn running around in circles trailing behind my roll of aluminum foil.  I had no idea I had that much left on the roll... Of course he was having a blast and cried when I took it away.  

Another favorite of Quinn's is the dog water.  He likes to dip his cracker in the dog water or put his hand in it and lick his hand off.  Lately if I don't get to him in time he'll start softly splashing in it until I hear what he's doing, and I yell "Quinn!  Get out of the dog water" and then the splashing gets louder and he starts laughing by the time I grab him and put the dog water up, again.

The other day Ronin was filling in some of his "I'm a big brother" book I bought him when Quinn was born, and one of the pages asks you to draw what your mother looked like pregnant...  keep in mine that Rory drew the big one on the right (Ronin drew a line through it so we'd know he didn't draw it) and then Ronin drew the one on the left...

At first glance it looks a little R rated, but I assure you it's better than that-- So the "blobs" up-top is my bra, and the "blob" down below is the "bump" that is the baby.  That's what Ronin told me.  At least I look a lot thinner when Ronin drew me pregnant...

And here is our family photo- I love that Quinn has a belly-button and I have a heart necklace :)

He says Daddy and he have big belly's because that's the only way he knows how to draw them.

Ronin and I are starting to plan his big 5th birthday party - Mad Scientist Party!  So I let him play with some of the test tube alien slime, hand boiler and some Mad Scientist glasses we got for decorations- he's been having fun testing everything out.

Glasses + Hand Boiler = Mad Scientist

Ronin went to his second Rock Climbing class yesterday, he nearly went to the top!  He got his rope behind his back though and got a little scared when he couldn't come back down until he had someone help him put it at his belly again.  That didn't seem to stop him, he was anxious to try it again on a harder wall, didn't get as far, but it's good exercise!

Ronin's 2nd climb!  The orange line is just a "goal" to reach and then go past.

Not too much else going on... here's a picture and video of Quinn from this week...

He loves the bath and the pool- he's a water boy for sure!

I love how eager he is to get in the tub!

Have a great weekend :)

C

P.S.

Here's the Oreo cake recipe Ronin made for Christmas: 
(website: http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/oreo-cake/ )

Oreo Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix {with or without pudding}
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For the Oreo Buttercream

1 stick salted butter – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
3-4 tablespoons very cold milk
25 Oreo cookies chopped

Directions:

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottoms of (2) 9 inch round cake pans with parchment and grease pans thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mix, salt vanilla, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and divide batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for 25-35 minutes, rotating pans half way through baking the baking time. Bake until the top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake for at least 30 minutes before inverting. Allow cake to cool completely on wire rack.

For the Oreo Buttercream

1. Cream the butters in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract and combine well.
2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one tablespoon at a time, combining well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Fold in chopped Oreo Cookies and frost your cooled cake layers.