Yum Yum Fun? Not So Much

The Snoopy Sno Cone Machine brings back such memories. Who as a kid didn’t have one; yum yum fun is what it’s all about. 

 

She is so excited!

Well kiss my ass Snoopy Sno Cone Machine!

What you don’t know from your childhood (or your parents didn’t let on) is that it is a giant pain in the ass.

It took me forever to get the ice shaver and the handle to lock together. For the record, I am quite adept at putting things together (I seriously considered a career in engineering). I had to call my husband in to do it before the SPCA was called for animal cruelty.

Then there’s no flavor packet in the box. It is very likely that one of the Kraus kids (I’m not mentioning which one) took it. When I received the Sno Cone Machine (yes, it is mine), the package was sealed. (I know because I wanted to check it out one night and I couldn’t get it open and was too lazy to go get a pair of scissors.) There are three sno cone hungry kids jonesing in front of me, so I improvised by melting a freeze pop.

It is successfully put together, ice inserted, we are ready for some frozen treats…not so fast. I distinctly remember the commercial and all the kids were having a grand old time making their sno cones without any adults, not possible! LIES, all LIES!!!

I don’t remember it being that difficult; it was 30 or so years ago but still. In order to keep from an inmate uprising, I need to crank out the sno cones. A frosty treat shouldn’t cause so much sweat (or sore muscles).

 

This is only during the first one...oh the pain!

Half way through the second one, I said, “I hope you like them because I don’t think you’re ever going to get another.” For the love of all that’s holy, am I ever going to finish?

 

What seems like endless cranking only yields a miniscule amounts of snow

Finally all three were made and I threw that vile dog house into the sink and stomped out of the kitchen. If they ask to use it again, I might bark at them.

Stella put using the Snoopy Sno Cone Machine on her “Summer To-Do” list, well it’s done!

My sister and I jointly had the Snoopy Sno Cone Machine, but before she was able to enjoy them I had an Ice Bird. For a long time my husband wasn't sure what I was talking about. Well, I found it! Who out there had an Ice Bird?

I've Got a Message for You

 There have been a few messages left lately. Here's a few of them (with translation).

Teddy sent me this email after he was sent back to bed. We had already gotten up twice. For the record, the girls need to gain weight, he doesn't. I was pretty impressed with his spelling skills considering he's going into first grade in the fall.

You do you give the girls snacks when they get up and why not me it is not even and is not even I get mad.

Stella got mad at Maizie (again) and wrote her this note. She then wrote her an apology note.

You made me feel bad so you should just shut up.

Stella found a pack of index cards and has been drawing on them. That's all well and good, but she is taping them onto the living room wall (and she's not using a small piece of tape).

The Stella gallery along with an installation on the wall by Maizie.

For more stories go to The Mommyhood Chronicles
 

Summer Fun

SUMMER FUN...so far!

Beach trips

Gee's pool

Uncle Tommy's pool

Polish Festival

The new pool at Beckwith Gardens

Trip for ice cream

Fireworks

A rare Daddy sighting at the beach

Cupcakes in a hammock

A spider bite

Checking out some cows

Watching them get milked (me trying not to throw up from the smell)

What else does our summer have in store for us?

Some Polish Fun

Saturday we went to the Polish festival at Our Lady of Czenstochwa in Coventry. We love it there. Once I mention that we are going, Teddy can’t stand the wait, he LOVES it. All day he was asking when we were leaving.

Teddy asked me earlier in the day if I was Polish and I said I wasn’t, he said, “Are they going to let you in?” I assured him they would.

It comes time to leave and for one of the first times, I walk outside and all three kids are sitting in the car waiting to leave.  We are off!

All the food choices, what to eat first? As soon as we get there the kids settle on strawberry shortcakes. 

Strawberry shortcakes to start off the evening

I get myself a beer and a doughboy (I’d been waiting for that doughboy all week).

A beer and doughboy for me

We finish those and we’re off to the kiddie tent. The first thing the girls decided to do is take a chance with the grab bags. Really? What good is going to come out of this? Some of the grab bags had ribbons in them and if you got one of those you won one of the “big” prizes on the table. Maizie hands over her two tickets and as she’s putting her hand in, I told her to “go deep”. She didn’t and pretty much ended up with bupkus.

Stella hands over her tickets and I also told her to “go deep”; she listened. She shoved her arm way into that grab bag box and when she opened her bag there wasn’t just a second prize ribbon, but a first prize ribbon. I was afraid Maizie was going to lose her shit but she didn’t, she gave Stella a hug. Stella got to pick from some of the toys on the table and she of course picked the doll. She was one happy little girl.

Stella and her big prize...later named Rose Posie Kraus

We went on to play more game and the kids collected redemption tickets. Since we lost track of who collected what (and since Stella had the most and didn’t want a scene) we pooled them together. When the girls heard they could get hair accessories for their tickets, you would have thought they hit the jackpot. Teddy opted for a pinwheel, a pencil and an eraser, he said he didn't need hair accessories.

Once over in the adult game tent, I won a whopping twenty five cents playing Plinko; or should I say I lost seventy five cents playing. 

My winnings from Plinko

While we were in there, it started…the band. That’s when the music overtook him. Once Teddy hears a polka, he can’t keep himself still, he MUST dance.

Time to eat. The line wasn’t too long by festival standards. 

The food line, when we left it was around the building

We were looking at the menu and decided on two Polish samplers (hold the kapusta), one for Ted and one for the kids to share (we weren’t sure how much of it they were going to eat). 

It wasn't a hard decision

A Polish sampler with rye, of course

I just wanted a kielbasa. Teddy was nervous about trying a galumpki, but I told him if he liked them I would learn to make them.

There was a run on pierogies; they even went into Sunday’s supply. We finally got our food and sat down to eat. Well who knew the one shoveling the food into her mouth would be Maizie. She ate half of Ted’s food and was bouncing in her seat as she ate it. That is a RARE sight.

Maizie slamming Ted's food

Teddy and Stella putting away their's

Since everyone liked them, I will now need to learn how to make galumpkis (which my uncle says is easy). Teddy said, “How will you be able to make them if you’re not Polish?” I told him, “I’m not Italian but I make a pretty good gravy don’t I?” So in the near future I will be experimenting with Polish cuisine, I just wish cabbage didn’t smell so bad (when cooked and after eaten).

What do you have after you eat your fill of Polish food? Ice cream, of course. So back to the dessert stand we go. It's funny going to OLC with my husband, because he knows so many people there.

Ice cream for dessert

Happy kids (except for the sun in their eyes)

We had three very happy kids and they can't wait until next year.