Memory capacity of a 1-year old

On the way from the airport to my friend's house, I asked her whether she thought her one-year-old would remember me from Christmas. Ha! When we arrived, she started giggling immediately and came right over to me, ready to be picked up and tickled. What a great greeting! Silly Girl, who is 5, seemed equally pleased. We had time to read a few books share a few giggles before she had to go to bed.

Éclair Cake

I was reminded last night that I promised a friend that I would post the recipe for Eclair cake. Well, it's 4:30 in the morning and I can't get back to sleep, so I decided to work on my blog. This recipe came to me from Silly Girl's grandma.

Éclair Cake

1/2 cup Butter
1 cup Water
1 cup Flour
4 Eggs
8 oz pkg. Cream Cheese (room temp)
3 cups Milk
2 sm. pkg. Vanilla pudding
1 pint Whipping Cream
Chocolate Syrup (I use Hershey's)

Preheat oven to 400F.
Melt butter in water until boiling. Add flour. Add eggs one at a time. Spread in greased 11x15 pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

Blend cream cheese; slowly add milk. Add pudding mix. Spread over cooled crust.

Whip cream and spread over pudding layer. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

After years of making this in my 11x15" pan (like the Pampered Chef Bar pan), I discovered that Silly Girl's family uses a 9x13" pan. Feel free to try that. I've found that I prefer the thinner crust.

This one works quite well with sugar free pudding, and if you do that, the dessert is sugar free provided you leave off the chocolate syrup. There are some sugar-free chocolate syrups out there, but I've not tried any of them.

Silly Girl

It's been quite awhile since I last posted an entry! I've been away playing in California where I visited my dear friend MEJ and her family, which gained a new member while I was there! My favorite 4-year old (Silly Girl) now has a baby sister (no nickname yet). I spent quite a bit of time with Silly Girl while I was there, and thought you might enjoy these soundbites:

Silly Girl's most common statement...
"Oh Holly....you're funny"
Me: I get that a lot

At church on Sunday...
Me: Listen to the organ -- they're playing Christmas music!
SG: Where's "Jingle Bells"? It's my favorite!

SG's 2nd most common statement...
SG: I'm hungry
Me: What do you want?
SG: I dunno
Me: When you figure that out, let me know.

7:45 on Monday morning. I was up, showered, and ready to load the car. SG was still asleep. I walked into her room and quietly asked:
"Who wants to go to Disneyland?"
SG: I DO! -- I was just taking a little rest.

As we left exited the freeway for Harbor Blvd near Disney, I decided to beat SG to the punch...
Me: Are we there yet?
SG: Do you see the Mickey & Friends parking garage?
Me: No
SG: Then we are NOT there yet.

We rode the Matterhorn after the sun went down...
Me Wow! that's scarier in the dark!
SG: I was NOT SCARED!

Here are some pics from Disneyland. We met up with my neighbors there, and Silly Girl was instantly enamored of their 12-year old.

Waiting in the Haunted Mansion line:



Post Splash Mountain (note the water line on SG's skirt)


All three girls posing with the Mouse:


New sister

Giggle for a Monday

Here is a conversion between my favorite 4-year old (Silly Girl) and her mother:

Silly Girl: Mom.... Mom! I'm hungry!
Mom: What would you like to eat?
Silly Girl: I dunno...do you know mommy?
Mom: No, I don't know.
Silly Girl: Yes you do... you're a mommy!