Mieke is learning to snap her fingers. She practices not stop and now she has it! Very pleased that she can actually make a sound. She's tired so hard that the middle finger on her right hand had a huge blister on it for a week. Of course she flips everyone off showing it off! Daddy had a little discussion about that with her.

Last weekend was Prom at Hudson High School. Jelena asked an underclassman, Andy, who happens to be an immigrant from Bosnia. (Love that we have little mini cultural exchanges like this.) So here they are, at the walk-through: Sorry, we couldn't get a better shot.

Jelena looked fabulous and Andy looked really sharp. His mom was the driver and provided flowers.

Of course not to be upstaged, Mieke had to princess up for the evening.

Matt and I took Mieke to the circus. The kids tickets are "free" but you pay $15 for the adults. Watching the circus is always a look into a completely unique culture. Every performer has at least 4 duties: perform as a main stage act, assist in another act, perform in a second act and finally, take tickets and try to sell you the $20 gizmos your children will meltdown over. "Please, please, I will never ever ask for anything ever again!!! You have to get me THAT!" And that's how you pay for their "free" ticket.

One of the acts was mini-bike riders riding inside a steel ball cage. At one time there were three mini bikes at once in the thing. Wild.

Of course at intermission you could ride a pony or an elephant for $5. So if you indulged your child, which we did not, you could easily spend $70 a kid. All because you got a free ticket!

We tried this Pintrest viral recipe last night ---YUM!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping
1 cup butter softened but not melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon

Mix everything together but the melted butter. Stir butter slowly in and pour into a 9x13 inch greased pan.

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over top of cake. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes. until toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

While warm, drizzle glaze over the cake.

The Wee One

The Wee One. Full of spunk, mischief, determination and energy. This photo is her true personality. "I dare you!" Perched atop Uncle Tom's old skate board. She has no clue how to operate it but she can balance on top of it.

Parenting this Wee One is a challenge to our traditional views on child-rearing. Matt and I have had to completely change our approach. We also shut the TV off for the last 2 weeks. HUGE improvement in behavior. Still Mieke. Still a strong personality. Still a challenge. But less combative.

Matt and I are celebrating our seventh anniversary today! What a wonderful time we have had. I would do it all again, honey! Looking forward to the future!!

The Switch!

I am making the switch. From Xanga to Blog Spot. Time for a change.

Watch for future postings.....
Julie