Norma Walton, Baking for Breakfast

Baking for breakfast...

My youngest son decided this weekend that he was making cake...at 7:45 am...before having any breakfast.  My oldest daughter immediately joined in the fun and decided she was going to make something as well...something different from him.  Soon all four kids were baking in the morning. By 9 am we had brownies and lemon cake in the oven and butter cream frosting awaiting their completion.

The kitchen is a fabulous creative space for interested kids.  It was a pleasure to watch them do everything themselves and then enjoy the result for a few days thereafter.

They did eat their breakfast before digging into the sweets, but digging into the sweets was definitely an incentive for eating their breakfast.

Now if only I could get them to clean their rooms with the same enthusiasm...

Norma Walton, Rare One on One Time

Spending time one on one with any of my children is a rare pleasure.  Usually all five of us are doing something together and it is loud, chaotic and eventful.

But on Sunday night, Conor and I were out doing some work together and I had a marvelous time just soaking in his personality.  He is a great storyteller and has a sharp sense of humour.  I thoroughly enjoyed his company.

We were in Bradford and we came upon a gaggle of geese - about 200 of them - nesting in a pond. When we stopped to take photos, a few of them flew up in the sky but most of them just hung out in the pond.  Their migration pattern is no doubt confused given the winter thaws followed by winter freezes we've been experiencing.  The environment was harsh but they seemed content.

It was very interesting to see them all there together, and to experience it with my youngest son.