Deceptively Delicious

I recently bought the book Deceptively Delicous by Jessica Seinfeld (wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld). Let me just say, I'm practically giddy over the results I've had with getting my EXTREMELY picky child (J7) to eat veggies without even knowing it.

Jessica talks about adding veggie and fruit purees to everyday kid fare ... thus deceiving your kids into eating food that is good for them. I knew that in theory this could work and had even thought of it a time or two, but I was still very cautious and unsure that it could work for my children (esp. J7 with all of his weird food issues). However, it is working quite well and not one of my children is wise to my plan. For example, the past few days I've been hiding carrots and squash in my children's much-loved ketchup ... which tonight J7 actually ate by the spoonfuls, obviously oblivious to my sneaky add-ins. (I love the part where he is "obviously oblivious" ... I'm discovering that there are times when deception can be wonderfully fun!)

Okay, enough of my shameless plug for this cookbook. Like I mentioned, I'm practically giddy with joy!

4-H Ice Cream!

Louisiana 4-H is 100 years old! It all began in 1908 in rural Avoyelles Parish where 4-H in our state began with a Corn Club. Today, Louisiana is one of only a few states where 4-H is a co-curricular activity and is present in every parish. For 100 years Louisiana’s youth have been given opportunities to become positive, productive, capable and compassionate citizens in their communities through the largest youth organization in the world known as 4-H.

So in honor of the centennial birthday celebration, Blue Bell ice cream has a special 4-H flavor! How wild is that?!? It is call Centennial Cupcake, and is a cake batter flavored ice cream with bits of yellow cake, chocolate icing and four-leaf clover sprinkles mixed right into the ice cream. And let me just say for the record that it tastes pretty awesome! (Of course, those of us with any sense already know that Blue Bell makes the very yummiest ice cream ... by far!)

For those of you in Louisiana, be sure to buy it when you see it in your stores. A portion of the sales of Blue Bell's Centennial Cupcake flavor will be used to promote 4-H educational programs!

J4's New Hairdo

J4 had longish hair. It was slightly past her shoulders, so that it was a nice length for a ponytail, but not too long if left down. This was the way I kept her hair ... the way I liked it just as soon as she had enough hair for me to start pulling up. She loved bows and ponytails and pigtails just as much as I loved playing with her hair. We were both happy ... or so I thought.

Then she turned 4 and something happened. Suddenly, little miss J4 didn't want me pulling her hair up into ponytails. She would take out barrettes. She stopped being as cooperative when I was trying to brush her hair. That hair was always hanging in her face and getting things (like food or playdough) in it. Washing it was a chore too.

So, I had it cut. I was nervous that I wouldn't like it short, but I think it is quite cute. I was even more nervous that J4 wouldn't like it. But it turns out that J4 loves her new bob, too (even though she isn't smiling in these pictures). When Pam (our beautician) twirled J4 around to look in the mirror the first time, she squealed and put her hands up to her face and gasped, "Oh, my goodness! I look great!"





These pics were taken the night she was in the Miss Paw Princess beauty pageant to support the local schools. Even though she didn't take home the crown, I thought she was incredibly cute ... esp. sporting that cute new hairdo.