It's crrraaaaaazy! again...

So as we were biking to school, our buddy showed up again.  Of course we had to stop to say 'hi'. 

Illïus points out the way Crazy is chillin' and with a laughter states that "CrazyFrog is glad to see us again."

The test

As I sit outside my professors classroom, nervously flipping between scribbled notes in preparation for my test, I fish up a pencil and an tiny... well used... eraser. 

All my racing thoughts just stopped as I sat there staring at this miniscule thing.  I was literally halted in my tracks of frantic memorizing.  My second oldest son Liam who lived here in Sweden for almost 2 years had left this earser behind.   What  joy it was to find it in that very tuff academic moment.  On it was a small but noticable smiley face...

A loss of words.

A smiling heart.

A grateful and proud mother.

I went and took that 40 question science test and did just fine.  I'd like to think it was due to this oh-so-timely-sign of family.

Thanks Liam for helping me ace my test.

What mouse bit the cake?

Xavier, did you touch the cake?

-No

-Are you sure?      A long pause

-Yes

-So you didn't steal any chocolate cake?

-No

-Xavier, go look at your face in the bathroom please.

Xavier runs into the bathroom and comes back after moment.

-I didn't do it.

-Now you sound like someone we read about. Who is it that talks like that?

Xavier gets the book 'No David'.

-Sorry mom.

I laugh.  -It's okay honey.  Just don't do it again, ask first.

It's crrraaaaaazy!

Winter finally dropped in on Nyköping, Sweden about a month ago.  Studded bicycle tires, lights, helmets and reflector vests for all is a given.  That is the easy part.  Having Anïas, Illïus and Xavier and myself getting dressed and ready in our tiiiiny hallway - that is the hard part.

As we huff and puff to get ready, one tends to overheat and step on eachother.  Tired and stuffed like winter padded sausages, the kids were sent outside one by one.  In the end I am the only one left, feeling like i just went for a jog.

As I mutter to myself over the cramped dilemma of the hallway, my attention turns to the kids outside as I hear their large group cheer and a chorus of laughter and excited voices.

To them the hussle of the morning has already been forgotten as they are greeted by their favorite apartement maintenance man that ALWAYS takes time for them.  I hear them all laugh, sharing a heartfelt moment.  All too often one meet people, young and old, without taking time or interest in creating a genuine meeting.  This man is very special, because he is one of the very few I have met in Sweden that takes time to actively meet people around him with great interest.  If one would ask Anïas, Illïus and Xavier what they think about this man Per it would be:  He is sooooo nice, always stops to say hi, is very cool, has the biggest coolest trucks which makes him awesome.

The cause of  the cheerful commotion is this new snowplow, with a big, ooooold, stinky and worn CrazyFrog on the roof.  This mans coolness factor just shot to the stars.  The kids talked about this beat-up old frog on the truck, all the way to school, and I am sure their classmates now know all about it. 

It's the small things that makes life beautiful.  I am grateful to witness how simple it can be to share a joyous moment.

The Cake does not lie

When we got home from school, Illïus was the first one to pick up our mail.  He skimmed through it the way us parents do, and pulled out a Valentines day flyer.  As he scurried off into the kitchen I could hear him say "This is good, we have to make one.  Let me check what we have in the cabinet."

Now Illïus can't read yet, but he clearly read the flyer. His index finger was tracing the text as he announced:

Chocolate love cake (recepie at the bottom)

• One needs eggs, flour, sugar, salt and lots of butter.

Diving into the cabinet and fridge he pulled out all that he needed to make his interpretation of the recepie, and proclaims to the household  'TIME TO MAKE CAKE'.

Who can refuse baking time after that kind of displayed vigor and statement. So here it is good folk. Illïus and his Chocolate love cake, with the assistance of Xavier. Enjoy!

-This is the one! You don't need to tell me what to do.  I already read it.

-Yeah, he already read it mama.  We are going to make it.

-I will get the butter now.  You can get the cookie cutter now for the cake.

-Which one do we use?  I'll put all of them on the table... wow, too much stuff on the table!

-This is sticky mama.  It doesn't feel like butter.

-The cake will be happy now mama when it doesn't get stuck...

-Wow, look at that egg... it hopped in super fast...

Illïus laughs out loud at Xavier and the egg.

-Ok Xavier, I hold this like this  -pause-  and then you poor not too fast.

-Ok

This was the hard part to just be an innocent bystander and not actually participating in this project.  Great fun.

-Scoop more, scoooooop Xavier scoop...

-Ok

-Hey mama, I am doing it... 

-Yes you are honey, you are doing it!

-I want to do like plants vs. zombies and make the dough go splat.... hahahhaaa!

-No honey, you keep that spatula in check!

-Ok mama, I won't be 'clazy'

-That's my cookie!

-Wow! They made this cake themselves. It looks amazing.

-We make the best cake!

-yeah!

So in the end, the cake was served with happy love to their older brother Anïas and dad Jeffrey.  We always have an extra piece for our older brothers Duncan and Liam who live in the States. 

Chocolate love cake
150g butter
1 dl cacao powder
100g dark chocolate (we just used 0.5dl more cacao)
3 eggs
2 dl sugar
2 1/2 dl flour
1/2 tsp bakingpowder

150 degrees celsius
Blend sugar, eggs, melted butter and cakao together.
Blend in flour and bakingpowder. 
Shake baby, whip baby and stir.  Finished

Keep it in the oven in the middle until it is not jiggly or soft.  it took about 50 minutes for this cake that is about 2 inches tall.

Good luck and happy munching.