He was happy to put on his gear:
Out on the field:
In action:
While Robert practiced, Esther gathered up the players' siblings and started her own soccer practice. And now, I give you, Coach Esther Burlington:Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Robert's soccer debut
Robert began team soccer today.
He was happy to put on his gear:
Out on the field:
In action:
While Robert practiced, Esther gathered up the players' siblings and started her own soccer practice. And now, I give you, Coach Esther Burlington:
He was happy to put on his gear:
Out on the field: In action: While Robert practiced, Esther gathered up the players' siblings and started her own soccer practice. And now, I give you, Coach Esther Burlington:
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
potty talk quotes and more
"Well, mom, aliens have alien goop that comes out of them. Alien poop is red and it smells like cherries!"-Esther.
"Yum!"- Robert
"No Robert- you can't eat it because all people in the whole earth are allergic to it. Aliens have blood that is grey. Well, grey and blue and it smells disgusting like DI-A-REE-UH!!"
"Mom, God follows us everywhere in the moon right? And the moon goes everywhere with you no matter what car you are driving in."- Esther
"Well, Esther, God is everywhere."-me
"Oh, so God is in toilets. . . and even in the pipes?"(giggles)- Esther
"That's what it looks like in my head. I can see it in my head. Boy, I wish I could get inside of my head and look at it!"- Robert
"Gum! Down! Uh-oh! Crackee! Gum!! Ball! Mama! Gum! Gum! Gum! Daddeee!"- CC
"Yum!"- Robert
"No Robert- you can't eat it because all people in the whole earth are allergic to it. Aliens have blood that is grey. Well, grey and blue and it smells disgusting like DI-A-REE-UH!!"
"Mom, God follows us everywhere in the moon right? And the moon goes everywhere with you no matter what car you are driving in."- Esther
"Well, Esther, God is everywhere."-me
"Oh, so God is in toilets. . . and even in the pipes?"(giggles)- Esther
"That's what it looks like in my head. I can see it in my head. Boy, I wish I could get inside of my head and look at it!"- Robert
"Gum! Down! Uh-oh! Crackee! Gum!! Ball! Mama! Gum! Gum! Gum! Daddeee!"- CC
Monday, September 7, 2009
Journey to Maine-the final entry (post #200!!!)
Our final stop was at the home of the Revs. Patti and Dickie Downing in Wilmington, Delaware. What a handsome couple!
Patti took us on a tour of her two parishes: Trinity Church (below)
and the super duper historic Old Swedes' church. A museum is housed at the latter along with the oldest pulpit in the United States! Does that make Patti the most amazing preacher in the United States? Probably. Robert and Esther get a close up view of the pulpit.
The sign explaining the pulpit's history.
Old Swede's cemetery and museum.
Old Swedes bell tower.
The coolest thing that day was when Patti let the kids ring the bell. Here Robert is ringing inside while we watch outside:Actually, the best thing that day was the FABULOUS lamb kebabs that Dickie grilled for dinner that night. Sadly, I have no picture of that. Thank you Dickie and Patti for hosting the Burlington family in your beautiful home. We love you!
Though many claimed that we must be crazy, we drove the WHOLE WAY from Wilmington to Atlanta the next day totalling about 14 hours. The kids were AWESOME on the drive, we didn't run into much traffic and thanks to Granny and Papaw's van, the video time was plentiful. Which brings me to one final thank you.
Mom and dad- THANK YOU for lending us your super awesome whipped up Honda Odyssey with the DVD and GPS hook-up. It made our trip very smooth and pleasant. I still don't know why you didn't leave our van unlocked in a parking lot with the keys in the ignition while we were gone. Oh yeah- you were to busy detailing it and removing stains that even the guys at Cactus Carwash claimed wouldn't come out. THANK YOU for cleaning up my old Sienna. She was proud to see us at the end of our journey.
With no more posts to write about our vacation, I think I have to face facts. Summer is over. No more vacation for now. Good thing it's Labor Day!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Levain Bakery- I salute you!
Throwdown with Bobby Flay is a Burlington family favorite tv show. Bobby travels around the country to challenge cooks who are the best at what they do. On the chocolate chip cookie Throwdown he visits Levain bakery in Manhatten. Check it out yourself here: http://www.levainbakery.com/He challenges them to a throwdown and loses the competition. Ever since watching this episode I felt the need to make some of their cookies myself. They don't publish their recipes but copycats abound. I chose a recipe and went for it.
The resulting cookies were huge, perfectly textured and yummy. Next time I will change the recipe slightly by adding a little more salt or perhaps some ground coffee. The kids helped me make them!
Robert is sooooo very happy with the enormity of the cookie.
CC too.
Directions
Robert is sooooo very happy with the enormity of the cookie. 
CC too.
Want to try the recipe? (from Levain Bakery Copycat Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies (**Yield- 1 dozen cookies)
Ingredients
2 sticks ‘cold and cubed’ unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar – not packed too hard. Just spoon it in the cup(s) and press down lightly when full, sweeping off any extra that runs over.
2 eggs
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups AP flour – Spoon and Sweep method. (feel the dough, it should be moist, kind of like cold cookie dough in a tube.. but not super sticky, so you can portion the cookies with your hands)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4-1 teaspoon baking powder ( I don’t fill the tsp fully, hence the 3/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I usually use half semisweet and half milk chocolate AND, a little birdy told me they use Guittard) 1 cup walnuts (Toast the nuts for more flavor, if desired and/or use any kind of nut you like. I love macadamias in these)
2 sticks ‘cold and cubed’ unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar – not packed too hard. Just spoon it in the cup(s) and press down lightly when full, sweeping off any extra that runs over.
2 eggs
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups AP flour – Spoon and Sweep method. (feel the dough, it should be moist, kind of like cold cookie dough in a tube.. but not super sticky, so you can portion the cookies with your hands)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4-1 teaspoon baking powder ( I don’t fill the tsp fully, hence the 3/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I usually use half semisweet and half milk chocolate AND, a little birdy told me they use Guittard) 1 cup walnuts (Toast the nuts for more flavor, if desired and/or use any kind of nut you like. I love macadamias in these)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time.. and beat until well incorporated.
2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chunks and nuts.
3. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 12 equal portions, **about 4 oz each..
4. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven 16-23 minutes depending on how gooey and raw’ish you like the middles (I bake mine at 375 for 18-20 minutes, as I prefer a less raw interior), until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat, in an airtight container. To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time.. and beat until well incorporated.
2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chunks and nuts.
3. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 12 equal portions, **about 4 oz each..
4. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven 16-23 minutes depending on how gooey and raw’ish you like the middles (I bake mine at 375 for 18-20 minutes, as I prefer a less raw interior), until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat, in an airtight container. To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
A Letter hunt
CC, Esther and I met up with our friends Beth, Paul and Jack Frilingos and Erin, Baikal and Rybolt Miller last Wednesday. Beth suggested that we all go for a "Letter hunt." We brought our cameras and snacks to Piedmont Park to do just that.
Zs proved elusive until we noticed some on Rybolt's shirt.
I found this W. :)
A tree 'v'.
Paul discovered 'U' on his own shirt.
Esther found this 'N' and took many of the following photos upon discovering letters all around. 
Snack time. Major kudos to Erin who brought enough snacks for an army and which mostly ended up feeding my army.
Paul, Esther, Rybolt and Baikal on a two-sided swing.
An F.
Beth and Paul investigate a sign for letters.
Esther's 'C'.
Beth brought some great alphabet-themed books which she read to an attentive audience.
Clever Baikal finds an 'x' in the bathroom.
Aha- an 'r'!
Thanks Beth, Erin and chitlins for a fun and educational morning!
Zs proved elusive until we noticed some on Rybolt's shirt.
I found this W. :)
A tree 'v'.
Paul discovered 'U' on his own shirt.
Esther found this 'N' and took many of the following photos upon discovering letters all around. 
Snack time. Major kudos to Erin who brought enough snacks for an army and which mostly ended up feeding my army.
Paul, Esther, Rybolt and Baikal on a two-sided swing.
An F.
Beth and Paul investigate a sign for letters.
Esther's 'C'.
Beth brought some great alphabet-themed books which she read to an attentive audience.
Clever Baikal finds an 'x' in the bathroom.
Aha- an 'r'!
Thanks Beth, Erin and chitlins for a fun and educational morning!Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Camp Maine
Camp Maine consisted first and foremost of a planned and consistent schedule. I feel like the schedule provided structure for the kids (which my kids really need) and calm for the adults. We adults didn't have to scramble for something to occupy the kids, we just referenced the schedule. :)
As mentioned previously, Anna drew up our weekly schedule on posterboard which we then posted in a prominent place in our cottage.
Every day went something like this: dress, breakfast, go to the park, morning activity, lunch, book time, rest time, afternoon activity, cocktail hour, dinner, wind down for bed, books and bed time.
Morning and afternoon activities were pre-planned events such as: lobstering with Dan Remick, a trip to the Nubble Light, a trip to the library, craft time, beach time or the kid fave: Nonnie's Cooking School.
Every day went something like this: dress, breakfast, go to the park, morning activity, lunch, book time, rest time, afternoon activity, cocktail hour, dinner, wind down for bed, books and bed time.Morning and afternoon activities were pre-planned events such as: lobstering with Dan Remick, a trip to the Nubble Light, a trip to the library, craft time, beach time or the kid fave: Nonnie's Cooking School. The chef in charge of Nonnie's Cooking School: Nonnie herself.
Annie Atsaves, Robert and Esther crush some graham crackers for a crust on a S'more pie.
S'more pie. Other recipes prepared included blueberry soup (Robert's favorite) and pasta (which fed the adults later.) Nonnie, have I forgotten any of the dishes you made? 
BTW, my kids are still talking about the sign on the kitchen wall at Nonnie's Cooking School. It reads, "Try it! You'll like it!"
Annie Atsaves, Robert and Esther crush some graham crackers for a crust on a S'more pie.S'more pie. Other recipes prepared included blueberry soup (Robert's favorite) and pasta (which fed the adults later.) Nonnie, have I forgotten any of the dishes you made? BTW, my kids are still talking about the sign on the kitchen wall at Nonnie's Cooking School. It reads, "Try it! You'll like it!" My mom embroidered t-shirts for the campers (Robert, Esther, CC and Rebecca) and the head counselor.
As the campers completed different activities, they earned Camp Maine badges that I colored and ironed onto the back of their Camp Maine t-shirts. Here is the back of Robert's t-shirt. NCS stands for Nonnie's Cooking School, which they did twice.
Anna and Esther are painting t-shirts here during craft time.
Esther's shirt.
Jen beads a necklace during another craft time. Who had more fun? The adults or the kids? 
With the addition of the craft badge, the t-shirts ended up looking like this:
Grampy does a craft of his own with the kids. :)
Anything can be a Camp Maine activity- even chess!
One morning we visited the Old York Village museums including the oldest prison in the United States. Here, the kids stand in front of the first schoolhouse in York. 
As the campers completed different activities, they earned Camp Maine badges that I colored and ironed onto the back of their Camp Maine t-shirts. Here is the back of Robert's t-shirt. NCS stands for Nonnie's Cooking School, which they did twice.Anna and Esther are painting t-shirts here during craft time.
Esther's shirt. Jen beads a necklace during another craft time. Who had more fun? The adults or the kids? 
With the addition of the craft badge, the t-shirts ended up looking like this:Grampy does a craft of his own with the kids. :)
Anything can be a Camp Maine activity- even chess!
One morning we visited the Old York Village museums including the oldest prison in the United States. Here, the kids stand in front of the first schoolhouse in York. 
The best part of Camp Maine was gathering craft materials. We used some outdoor materials like pine needles to paint with. Wine corks worked well too. Some materials simply had to be purchased at a local craft store which caused the most significant discovery of the trip: There is a Michael's in nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire! Maybe I could be a full-time Mainer. . . .
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