Cupcake War

So, let me tell you the tale of the cupcake wars. 

Long, long ago (yesterday) there were two clashing factions (Me vs. G'pa).  Faction Minecraft Cupcake(MC) wanted nothing more than to turn out 24 cupcakes for a young boy for his birthday celebration.  Faction I-like-green-fondant(ILGF) wanted nothing more than to thwart Faction Minecraft Cupcake.

Faction MC needed extra space to work on the aforementioned cupcakes so she spread out on one end of the dining room table, far, far away from Faction ILGF.  Thinking said cupcakes were perfectly safe from roving bands of Faction ILGF, Faction MC set to work rolling out green fondant.  Faction ILGF asked  what Faction MC was doing and cautiously Faction MC replied.  (Faction MC is wary of Faction ILGF at all times around food.)  Twice Faction ILGF started to pull the table cloth towards his end and twice Faction MC stopped the potential land grab.  Faction MC finally decided a large paper clip was necessary to keep her side from going over a cliff.

Faction MC decided to lob Faction ILGF a chocolate bar to  distract them from possible incursion into Faction MC territory.  But, alas, Faction MC needed ammunition.  Quickly (10 seconds people) Faction MC hurried to get said ammo.  Arriving back to lock and load distraction candy bar Faction MC found Faction ILGF with a mouthful of green fondant.

NOOOOOOooooooo!!!

This act of war required Faction ILGF to stand up, reached clear across the table, grab fondant and sit down within 10 seconds.  Who knew at almost 89 Faction ILGF had it in him.  And, to add insult to the attack, Faction ILGF spit out green fondant and said, "This tastes terrible!".  Seriously?

All was not lost.  Faction MC hurled a salvo distraction and it worked.  Damage was complete with regards to the green fondant but Faction MC had a backup batch.  The day was not lost. 

Ask And Ye Shall Receive!

Jim call us while we were in the car yesterday. 
Jim suggested lunch but I said I was too busy.
We said our goodbyes and hung up.
Grandpa asked where Jim went.
What?
Why can't [we] do lunch with Jim?
Uh...
Called Jim back.
A voila!  Lunch with Jim.

A little Mexican food.

And another bite....

Practically Twins!

Okay, so you know how twins will:

1.  Run in opposite directions just when it is least convenient?
2.  Talk at the same time so you don't understand either of them?
3.  Conspire for maximum mayhem?
4.  Want completely different snacks?
5.  Be so completely adorable you can't help but smile?

Grandpa made a fast friend and cohort!

My 88 year old toddler with HIS friend, Little A a 2 year old toddler.



Trip to Ikea. International Relations Still Intact!

When I thought about going to Ikea I thought

maybe Grandpa would like the variety

in each of the departments.  Or, he might

like how bright and colorful things

are displayed.

Nope.

 

Grandpa liked the Swedish Meatballs

with mashed potatoes and the

Lingonberry drink.

He was so set on eating that

I couldn't get him to smile or

even look at me.

 

There were also a lot of little kids (3 and under) there.

Steve flirted with all of them and made me

stop periodically so he could chat

with one.  The mother's were

very nice about it.

 

It was a good day for International Relations!

Main Street Burger

Some foods have gotten too complicated

for Steve.  Sandwiches and burgers

top the list.  He dismantles them

and then isn't always sure

what to do with the

pieces.

 

 

Tuesday

Bob and Andrew

were in town and they

wanted to try Main Street Burgers.

I was praying there would be something

Steve would eat without me having to feed him.

 

Steve saw a hot dog on the menu he wanted to try!

Yay!  I ordered a Caprese burger with balsamic

and frest mozzarella. Mmmmmm...

Steve ate most of his food. Saw

mine and ate 1/3 of

my burger.

 

Life is good.

 

Andrew finding a drink option from the
100 listed.

Bob was faster at it.

 

Grandpa was happy to be with
his boys!! (and me)



A Mall Visit

Hey Grandpa!  How's that Pepsi? 

Good.

Are you going to share your Haagen-Das

Strawberry Ice Cream?

I don't think so.

Gone.

I Hear It's Good For Your (Ear) Skin!

 

Me:  Hey Grandpa, how is the bagel

and cream cheese?

 

 Grandpa:  It's strawberry.

Me:  Right.  Strawberry cream cheese

on your cinnamon raisin bagel.

Grandpa:  It's good. 

Me:  What did you get one your ear?

Grandpa:  Nothing. Nothing there.

Me:  Um, I think you have cream cheese

on, oh, in, your ear.

Grandpa:  It's okay. Leave it.

Me:  Hahaha. 

 

 

I Bought the Healthy Stuff

Guess who bought all the

not-quite-as-healthy

stuff?

 

Yup.

 

#groceryshoppingwith87yroldtoddler

Hole in the Great Wall Gang

There is a little hole in the wall

Chinese place we go to

have awesome salt baked

ribs and wings.

A-mazing.

 

Grandpa loves the

hot and sour soup

with a

Tsingtao.



Thanks Great Wall

in Willow Glen!

My 87 Year Old Toddler or Naughty Grandpa

I couldn't capture pictures of Grandpa's antics yesterday.  But I listed them for you!

1.  Didn't want to brush his teeth because he was going to eat a cookie.
          (Never did get a morning brushing in but I made him wait for the cookie until 10.)
2.  I gave him 6 oz of Coke to go with that cookie.  Walked back in the room and his glass was
          empty and upside down.  (I should have looked harder then.)
3.  At 11 I came in to do some physical therapy with him and couldn't find the stretch band.
          Found the band and the Coke (the liquid!) in the side table drawer.  Just so you know that
          drawer is water (Coke) tight.
4.  I had to wash the stretch band so we did work with a balloon ... which he popped.  We worked
          with the soccer ball next.  He couldn't pop that.
5.  We had grilled cheese and soup for lunch ... and so did the cats once Grandpa shared.  Blek.
6.  He took off his new fish socks after lunch and put one under the cushions on the couch.  I
            found it this morning.
7.  After dinner I gave him a cup of strawberry ice cream.  While I was taking something to the
            garage he asked Lauren for a cookie which she gave him.  I came back in and asked if he
            wanted anything else and he said, "A cookie.".  I gave him two.  Lauren came back through
            and told me she had already given him two.  Doh.
8.  Wanted to negotiate bedtime routine.  It took 30 minutes to get him down.

This morning I was laughing about yesterday.

Cookie Monster In Retirement

Scene:  After lunch.  Grandpa has finished eating.  I gave him 2 Milano

for dessert.  I leave the room to clean up.

 

Me:  Grandpa, do you want another cookie?

Grandpa:  No, I'm good.

Me: (taking the bag) Uh, there are no more cookies in here.

Grandpa:  Really?

Me:  Did you eat the other two cookies?

Grandpa:  I don't think so.

Me:  Hmmmm.

 

 

As you an CLEARLY see he has
the bag in hand. Finger prints
available upon request.

Why unfold the top when you can
rip it to get to the cookies faster?

A Little Lunch

We walked around downtown SJ and found a Johnny Rockets.  Steve wanted a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake.

 I couldn't believe he drank the entire shake!

Older people can't learn ... um, about that.

Someone said recently (and this is an exact quote), "Older people can't learn.".  She is a narrow-minded so-and-so.  I would like every person over the age of, oh, say, 65 to give her a call with what you learned today ... this week ... heck, let's go with this month!

Here is what Steve is learning.

First step to learning how to use a new unweighted
big grip fork?  Give the guy learning his favorite
dessert.  CHEESECAKE!

Second step.  Don't get your hands in the way
while he scarfs down said cheesecake!

And then give him a palate cleansing bowl of
applesauce.
Looks like learning to me.

A Little Mexican Dish ... and Dessert

Grandpa was seriously in the mood for a Modela, aWet Burrito and a Casadia.

Oh, and an ice cream sandwich while reading the newspaper.

Feelin' Costco

Here's the thing about Costco... ready?  It's big....  You can't leave mad.  Can't.  No way. 

Steve and I went to Costco on Tuesday for about an hour and a half.  Steve very happily pushed the cart around stopping periodically to look at some new product or an old one he hadn't had in a while.  Here's what Steve found:

Blue Moon Beer - An entire case.  Yup.  Beer makes this man happy.  He's almost 88 and if beer is what makes him smile so be it.

Exotic Tea - Jasmine Honey, Organic Earl Grey, Breakfast Blend (all in very cute silk pouches) - This is the other beverage of choice for Steve.  He loves a hot cup of tea once or twice a day.

Highland Meadows Organic Beef Jerky - This was less for him and more for Jim.  Steve saw it and said Jim would love it, so, we bought it.  Simple gifts from the heart .. or the stomach.

Raspberries - We bought the big package and I was thinking I was going to have to make sorbet out of half of them at least.  We got them home and Steve had about a quarter of them for lunch and another good handful for breakfast.  Yum.  Not enough left for sorbet now.

Hot Dog and Soda - It was only 11 and Steve thought of lunch and asked for a hot dog.  Of course you can.  Why?  Because, "I do what I want!".

It was an excellent day to be alive.

Um, Yes, I do want seafood, thank you.

Steve and I went grocery shopping.  I let him pick dinner.  Can I just say my food budget is bust for the rest of the month!  King crab legs and wild caught salmon are not cheap.  But, oh, are they so good....

Brown butter Salmon
with Capers



Steve enjoying seafood and herbal tea



And, it's good!