Melodie's Birthday Party

We had a sunny day for your birthday party.

Ready. Waiting.

Where is everyone?

Here they are! Let the party begin.

Presents!

new books!

new glasses!

your favorite swinging style

Two is a big one. So many changes begin at two. You are already talking in full sentences adding new words every day. You are developing your independence and opinions quickly. You tell me what you want to wear in the morning, what you want to eat, and when and what you want to play. You also command that I wear my hair in a ponytail (this is a must for you). You love taking care of babies (there are several) and dogies (there are more than several). You love to dance and play music. You love, love to eat apples.

Two years ago...

One year ago...

Sweet, sweet Melodie. We love your dearly.

It's a new year, but I still have a lot of pictures to share from 2011. Most months I take hundreds of pictures. It is very time consuming to select the ones I want to share here and then to actually upload them. I am finding that sharing the pictures via a slide show is a fast and easy way to get pictures from the files to the blog.

One of my favorite activities to do with the kiddos is making art. What's even more fun is to take pictures of them making art. Here is a little art making session from when we were all home for the holidays. A sunny quiet morning is a perfect setting. Click on the image for larger viewing.

Recipe: BBQ Sauce

I have been wanting to add recipes to the blog for a long time now and this year I will finally do that. I have a long list of recipes to add, but today I will start with what I made last night for the first time - this super good BBQ sauce (found on epicurious.com). This will definitely become a staple, something to add to the routine. Both Miles and Melodie love it. I served it with steamed broccoli.

Sheila's New Barbecue Sauce:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Prepare the barbecue sauce ahead of time: Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, to heat through and to blend the flavors, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not boil. Strain to remove the garlic. Cool to room temperature. (Makes 3 cups.) Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 weeks.

2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

3. Using a sharp knife, separate the chicken wings at the joint. Set aside.

4. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and toss well with 1 1/2 cups of the sauce. Lay the pieces in a single layer on 2 or 3 baking sheets (do not overcrowd them). Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, basting once or twice with additional sauce. Serve the wings on a platter and sprinkle with the scallions.