I was taught one more lesson in the differences between girls and boys tonight.

Audrey and Colin were in the bathtub. When I finished shampooing their hair I gave Audrey two small plastic dolls with accompanying plastic accessories and another handful of toys to Colin.

While cleaning up in the next room I can hear Colin repeatedly making a fake screaming sound, "Ahhhhhhh" (high pitch to low pitch) followed by his own hysterical laughter. After a few minutes of this I am curious so I sneak in and watch as Colin lifts one plastic doll to a ledge in the bathtub and lets her free fall headfirst into the water, simultaneously adding her screaming side effects. Following the tragedy he throws back his head back and laughs...

Audrey meanwhile is just trying to squeeze her little doll into a tiny pink dress.

What is a family blog if it is not for bragging about your family? Greg made blueberry muffins before he left for work this morning. All I had to do was pull them out of the oven. I'm feeling a little guilty that he didn't get to enjoy one but it was a yummy treat for the kids and I. Thank you, Greg.

In the middle of errands the kids and I splurged on McDonald's for lunch today. Five minutes into her happiest meal of the week Audrey says, "Mom, I don't like the fries at our house but I do like the fries from McDonald's."


I know exactly what she's talking about so after a chuckle I explain just why these salty golden bits of heaven taste better than our oven baked substitutes at home. Hot Oil.

Audrey is very aware of one type of oil. I make an effort to give her and Colin a teaspoonful of cod liver oil each morning. What? I'm not awful, it's lemon flavored.

Audrey considers the frying process for a few minutes and says something along the lines of how McDonald's oil must be better than our oil too...

Our little guy is two! Although I can still remember our first days together very vividly they feel like they were a lifetime ago rather than a short two years. Perhaps it's because we've know him for so much longer.


We celebrated Colin's birthday last Saturday with a family party. Kristin and Alan brought the kids down from Milwaukee for the afternoon. Colin likes playing with his cousins and was excited when I told him they were coming. Anna, who is six, is probably Colin's favorite cousin. She's always looking out for him and making sure he has whatever he needs or wants. She'll play trains with him for as long as he wants (which I can verify is usually a very long time) and she's an excellent track builder.

Audrey helped me pick out a Thomas the train cake from the grocery store during the week. I started to order one for Colin but was blown away when I realized that it was going to cost over 20 dollars. Greg kept Colin corralled upstairs while Audrey and I set to work making a train cake on Saturday morning. With a beginner cake decorating set and some ideas from the Wilton website, a pile of candy and cookies and cupcakes and buckets of frosting - we did it! I think Colin was just as pleased with my creation as he'd have been with the Thomas cake.