Mary, Mary quite contrary

My first real garden.

I've not had much luck in the past as far as planting things and actually having them grow goes.  In fact, I planted flower seeds a couple of weeks ago and there's no sign of life.  This is sad seeing as how I'm the daughter of a doctorate trained horticulturist.

We'll just have to see what happens.

I'm optimistic.  Scott is realistic.

He Crawls!

And, like that he's off...

Life is opening up for this kid.  He went from playing fetch with himself (his most favorite game) to discovering amazing things like doorstops, cabinets, and the toilet in just a couple of days.    I saw a look of pure joy on his face last night when he discovered our towel drawer in the kitchen while I was making dinner.  I'm exited for him.

This Day

This privilege called "motherhood" just keeps getting better and better!  This last year of being a mother has been the best yet.  I love being the mother of two much better than being the mother of one.  It's made us all better.  Not every woman has this opportunity, and I am so glad I do.

Just look at these two kids.

I call them cherubs when they're especially naughty.

Hunger Games

There is a little competition brewing for our biannual Roper family reunion - a death match if you will.  A rice crispy treat death match.  Scary? Yummy?  I'm not sure, but I do know I'm in it to win it.  I don't LOVE rice crispy treats, but who remembers Rice Crispy Treat cereal?  Seriously delicious.

There are good cooks among the Roper clan, so I've got some tough competition.  Recipes are being gathered, pinned, tried, and posted, like here and here.  Sweets definitely aren't my strength as far as culinary skills go because I have a husband with an iron will who won't generally eat them, so I don't make dessert much.  A handful of dark chocolate chips every night, and I'm good to go.  But, I've been thinking about this little competition for a while and I've got some good ideas.  Ideas that I will post to make the other cousins very scared indeed.  And they should be after this first try...

I present Cinnamon Bun Rice Crispy Treats.

The bottom layer is just the rice crispy treat recipe off the side of the box of cereal, except that I browned the butter first and added a teaspoon of cinnamon.  The top layer is this browned butter cream cheese frosting.

I tell you what... these were go-od!

I think next time I might add a sprinkling of cinnamon chips on top...