Happy Birthday Sweetheart

No, that is not TJ, but isn't it amazing, the resemblance? That is a picture of Sweetheart at around age 2. Today he turns one year older.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart.

Since he is working all day today (12 hours) we celebrated yesterday. Bud and Rachel came over for a late lunch/early dinner. Sweetheart spent ALL day cleaning out my van. I mean DEEP cleaning. He took out all the seats and shampooed the carpets. They look brand new. I am gonna share a little secret with you...shhhh, you can't tell anyone I told you. When you trade in a car that has horrible stains on the carpeting that you know will not come out with a good shampooing, the detailer makes it like NEW. How?? Spray paint. Yep. Spray paint. I was very sceptical but Sweetheart assured me it works...he runs a car dealership...and you know what?? I can not tell where he painted. It works great.Of course, I wouldn't try this on HUGE stains (though I think detailers do this), but on the few stubborn ones in my van, it covered wonderfully.Since it was Memorial Day and we were celebrating Sweetheart's birthday, I decided to make him a pie. What is more American than pie?? Apple would have been great, but cherry is his all time favorite. I found the perfect recipe, and started making the crust. I am without a Kitchen Aide, so I used muscle....it worked just fine.Then I followed the recipe for the cherry filling. It all came together perfectly.I baked it for the exact right amount of time...It was beautiful. Now let me tell you that crust is the BEST I have ever had!! BY FAR! and the filling tasted wonderful too, BUUUUT (you knew there would be a but), it was pretty running. It never firmed all the way up. I must have done something wrong along the way. The taste was no different and since it was just family, I did not suffer any shame. I will definitely use that pie crust recipe and practice on different fillings. That same post has a peach pie recipe that looks great. How's that sound Niki? I promise I will practice first. I am so excited...I get to meet Niki in about 6 weeks!!! Anyway, back to the cherry soup pie (really it was not that bad) I will backtrack and figure out what I did or didn't do that made it wrong. I am wondering if I misunderstood the tapioca instructions....does the tapioca go on the bottom of the pie crust only, or do you put some in the actual filling? Hmmmm. I WILL perfect the fruit pie!!TJ spent a huge chunk of his day banging the same nail in the same hole over and over again. I love this picture of the 3 boys. TJ still pounding that same nail, saying "I'm building a wall!", and Bud helping Zach find something. Just before my grown kids got here yesterday, Zach asked if they could run in the sprinkler with the kids next door. I told him no because TJ was on his way. Zach ran out the door yelling "We can't right now cause our Grandson is coming!" He refers to TJ as his grandson all the time!Charlotte got the building bug too. She fashioned the letters TJ out of wood using scrap wood and a hammer and nails. Kyle spent alot of his day playing basketball with friends down the street and working on re organizing his DVD's or CD's...I'm not sure which ones. Sweetheart and Bud worked on the hydraulic piece that keeps the hatch on the back of their van from falling shut. They were able to fix it which will help immensely when Rachel is loading and unloading groceries. Forever, it has taken 2 people. One to hold the hatch open (it is heavy!) and one to load/unload. She usually uses the side door. What a pain. Well it is fixed!! I think Sweetheart would do just about anything for that girl....she keeps him in grape soda. I never buy it for him, but she brings it to him. She brought him FOUR 2 liter bottles yesterday! Yep...he will take care of his supplier! I hope you had a peace-filled, family-filled, memory-filled Memorial Day!