Sunny Lemon Tinas

Although this post is ultimately about a new dessert favorite at the OP, it could have just as easily been about the end of our summer of hippy-hair love in the form of new haircuts:

– We is rockin' our new look everyone!

Alternatively it could have also been about the haircuts and what my boys get up to when I ask them to "smile for the camera", although I think we've covered this one before: 

– 'Dis IS my really big smile!
– Mine too!

Cute pics (and odd pics) aside, this post really is about a dessert. 

Of course, it's not just any dessert and it's certainly not every day (or any day?) that I've taken the time to come up with a custom order to suit an occasion. In this case however, a special dessert was warranted* and I wasn't able to find a recipe for "Sunny Lemon Tinas" anywhere.

I had a pretty good idea what a Sunny Lemon Tina would look like, but couldn't find a recipe that fit the bill so I cobbled a few things together, made a few changes here and there and voilà! 

In my opinion the cookie part of the recipe by itself is really very good, but in the opinion of my boys it's the sunny lemon part that makes this dessert worthwhile: 

– These some serious cookies everyone.

– Om, nom, nom. I maybe say more later but is too busy enjoying new dessert
right now to make official statement. I trust my "om, nom, nom" will suffice for now.

- L.

*The "No singing!" ban has been lifted of late and has been replaced with things like "More singing!" and even specific requests for songs. "Frère Jacques" is currently at the top of the charts at the OP – and whether it's en Français or in English, it's a bonafide hit.

And yes, of course there's some new OP video to back it up. It's not like I made up the phrase "Sunny Lemon Tinas" after all. Non-French speaking children everywhere have been extolling the virtues of those "sunny lemon tinas" ever since "Frère Jacques" first appeared on the scene.

• • • • • • •

PS. This post wouldn't be right without a recipe (especially after all the hype!) so here it is. As always, click to embiggen (and/or right click and open image in new window to print).

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

The boys kicked off the celebration by donning some festive mustaches after lunch: 

Which they got a pretty big kick out of:

Of course it was only a matter of time before Nate "went there": 

You did see that coming, right?

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

- L.

PS. Lots of fun stuff coming up. I think it's safe to say we did St. Patrick proud this year.

Who else?

Who else but this guy could make eating a biscuit designed to dissolve in the mouth... 

... look like he's attempting to break rocks with his teeth instead?

Why, it's Nate – the boy with a thousand faces, of course!

And perhaps it's because these sorts of overly-emotive yet hilarious moments happen quite often, but I didn't even notice he was making a funny face until much later. I was just trying to take some cute shots of that sweet curl sticking up on top of his head.

- L.