Sleeping Beauty

So Brighton's best friend Macey loves, Loves, LOVES Sleeping Beauty. She especially loves the song "Once Upon a Dream". She only knows 3 lines or so, so you can constantly hear her singing "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam." She sings said lines so much in fact that now, Miss Brighton, who has never watched Sleeping Beauty, walks around singing "I know you, Iiiiiiii knnnnoooowwww you"! Sometimes Macey can even get Brighton to dance with her, as she did while we were climbing in Trieste on Friday.

It's a good thing these three get along - it makes our lives so much easier! Here Macey's trying to figure out what's so great about the paved road that has Brighton laying on it.

What one does, all 3 do. Carden came over and had to see what all the fuss was about.

Lil Helpers

Brighton always comes running when she hears us emptying the dishwasher. It's her chore to hand us all the silverware and even some of the plates. I try to get her to only hand me the plastic plates, but since she's such a big girl (duh, Mommy) she hands me all the plates. No accidents or broken plates yet, fingers crossed it stays that way. This day our friend Carden was over and he wanted to help, too. Notice Brighton's little pig tails. This was the first day I ever tried to do her hair and she looks pretty cute. But, after about 3 hours she usually pulls the rubber bands out, hands them to me, and says "I done." So, it's a work in progress.

Favorite New Toy

She loves helping mommy water her plants!

This is quite possibly the best money I've ever spent! Brighton would spend ALL day playing in the water if I let her!

Bubbles!!!

What's the summer without some bubbles?

No girls allowed!

Okay fine, you can come in!

Fully clothed, bathing suit or in a diaper, B loves to play in water!

Running through the sprinkler

I'm a pro-walker!

Shoot - maybe not

This is what happens when...

This is what happens every Thursday when the kind Italian produce guy at the market thinks you and your friends Macie & Carden are so cute that he gives you all the free cherries and strawberries you can shove in your mouth.

And this is what happens when your grandma sends you a pretty pink dress for Easter, but your mommy puts it in the front pocket of the suitcase when you move from your hotel room to your new house and doesn't find it again until she's unpacking from the beach trip you just took Memorial Day weekend. Oops. Sorry Grandma Nelson!

Testers Needed

Alright, so I made this bread about a year ago thinking it would be awesome! I'm not a grapefruit lover, but Tom likes it, so I figured he'd like it too. Well, I made it and was disappointed. BUT, maybe some of you more creative chefs can come up with a way to make this a yummy treat for everyone! Maybe I didn't like it because I don't love grapefruit, or maybe the peel was extremely blah cause the fruit wasn't in season and totally ripe - I dunno. Either way, if you try it and love, or hate it, let me know! I'd love to hear your results!

GRAPEFRUIT BEAKFAST BREAD

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup milk

2 Tbs grated grapefruit peel

1/3 cup grapefruit juice, divided

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325˚. Grease loaf pan. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until well combined. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour mixture to bowl alternately with milk. Stir in grated grapefruit peel and 4 tablespoons juice. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine remaining grapefruit juice with confectioners’ sugar. Remove bread from pan. Poke holes in bread with a fork. Pour glaze over bread.