It's a Baking Sunday

This was actually a couple of Sundays ago... but I never was able to finish the page to get it posted, so I am finishing it now. The Sunday started out with the idea I had to make homemade pecan Carmel rolls. A friend of mine had posted some wonderful pictures and step-by-step instructions on her website... and I thought "I could do that" So Gracie, Zach and I were off for an adventure to make from scratch homemade Carmel rolls. I have made rolls before, but mind you it has been several, several years and at the time I had the little girl hands and my dear Grandma Sohre had the big girl hands. Amazingly I still remember some of her tricks and the way she did things. I miss those days of spending the whole day with Grandma making rolls, and of course I miss eating them! Hopefully this adventure can happen again in the Malecek home and I can pass onto my kids the treasure of making homemade rolls!

Gracie is my biggest helper. She will bring the big chair over from the dining room table all on her own and start digging into the utensil drawer. She has learned that Zach's high chair is on wheels and she can push him over to where she is to join in the fun. As you can see Zach is enjoying himself as well discovering the joy of kitchen gadgets!

It's time for Gracie to be in the highchair and actually help out.

She has learned that the best part is always sampling and licking the spoon!

Now for the prize we are trying to create.

I think I need to learn how to dissolve yeast a little better, because they didn't rise the best... but hey this is my first time by myself... so I am learning.

Rolls that are fresh from the oven. Remember these are Carmel rolls......so on to flipping them over and ta da... don't they look yummy?
Of course we had to share with Grandma Betty and Grandpa Joe so we dish up a few servings. Grandma Betty has given up sweets and rolls for lent...

but we got her to cheat a little (don't tell)!
Gracie eating her 1st homemade Carmel roll along with her dolly.

Zach will get to eat his later in the liquid breastmilk form.

So there was our Baking Sunday Adventure.

We hope we made your taste buds water!

Downloading the Camera

I was just downloading my pictures today and thought I would post some of the cute ones. Well, to be truthful they are all CUTE, but I cannot post them all. We have been enjoying the warm weather as I have said in earlier posts. I can't wait until we get a playground/swing set up out on the yard so Gracie and Zach can have more activities to do outside. Little Zach finally tuckered himself out in the Jumper!!! It's about time. This guy can jump forever.

Lots of fun in the Exersaucer.


We just started feeding Zach some solids, well about 2 weeks ago, but just in the last few days has he really took a liking for it and I think more is now going inside his tummy instead of on bib on the outside.

My cute little Gracie.

My cute little Zach showing off his tongue. He does this a lot lately... sticking out his tongue and blowing bubbles.

Both my cute little kids - it is a challenge to get them to both look at me at the same time to snap the shot... so I treasure these photos when they are both looking... not crying... not rolling over... not being naughty.

Play time with Daddy.

A visit to Great-Grandma Summers. She thought Zach was a handsome little guy.
I came to the realization the other day that my kids will not both be in diapers together forever (I hope!)... and I should treasure these moments of having two little bottoms in Pampers and Huggies! They are adorable. So here is some of the sights that Marty and I experience every evening as we get ready for the bath tub. I took some of bare bottoms too... which of course are also adorable, but not appropriate for blogging. I know, someday they both are going say "Mom, why did you ever take these pictures? I can't believe you did that."

1st Tooth

Mr. Zachariah has gotten his first tooth. I was in the process of popping through about 1 1/2 weeks ago, but this last weekend it thought it would show itself off. It is the bottom right. The bottom left is going to be coming shortly. We can see the white under the gum. Zach says "Dad... bring on the pork chops!".

Today was my day off from work and since the temps outside are so lovely we went to Ramsey park in Redwood and went for a walk. Me and the two kids in the double stroller. Gracie got to enjoy herself at the playground on the slide. She sure has grown and become more brave since last summer. She even went down the big slides by herself and of course cried when it was time to go. It is hard to believe last week on Tuesday we had a snow storm and now today I was at the park with the kids. Gotta love the great outdoors. Last evening after supper the kids and I and Grandma Betty went for a walk down the gravel road too. It is times like this that I wish I didn't have to go to work all day or that I had an outside job.

I hope every one else is enjoying the weather.

Our Entertaining Little Zach

Zach loves his Jonny-Jump-Up. He can go for what seems like forever without taking a break. You would think those little legs would get tuckered out, but oh no... they just a keep on jumping. In this clip his Big Sister is also helping him out.

You will need sound for this one. Marty can really get Zach going with his giggles and laugh.