IHOP Free Pancake Day

Gabriel had his first dentist appointment today. Our hygienist Coral was very excited to share this special day with our special guy.

We celebrated this day afterwards by going out to IHOP for Free Pancake Day. Daddy only stayed for 15 minutes, which made this another benchmark day for me. I survived a meal with the three kids alone in a restaurant. I think time of day makes a difference. By evening time, the kids are ready for bed, not a restaurant experience.

Our snow is slowly melting, so after a carb-packed meal of free pancakes, I thought we could enjoy the sunshine and play in the snow.

That didn't last long. Here are my footprints of me running after kids running away. Children have a tendency to not listen to Mommy when they are tired or whacked-out on pancake carbs. (Wow, I can run. It's a talent I don't share, only in case of emergency.)

Once my mischievous children were down for their naps, I went back outside to shovel the snow which is quickly turning into slush. See how the cement drive is drying off quickly? It's all in my plan to fight the snow and have the drive clear and dry by the time the workers come on Thursday to work on our small house repairs. Mwah, ha ha ha. (Rubbing hands devilishly).

Darn, after all this work was done, I then remembered that it is to snow more on Thursday. Bah.

After all of that hard work of chasing kids, naps, shoveling the snow the kids put back on the drive, checking on frozen drain spouts and an ice-covered driveway, it's nice to see our boots drying in the warm sun. (Note my Dr. Marten sprinting boots.)

Then it's time to enjoy "Bunny Cafe". A nice cozy snack of hot cocoa and a granola bar at the shop where the rabbit's eyes are freakishly large.

My kitchen projects for the day. Our usual whole wheat bread on the left, and my experiment for the day, Carrot Thyme Bread. A horrible reminder of the elevation of this town. I follow a recipe as written and I am rewarded with this concave lump of aromatic heaven. It may not make a nice sandwich bread, but I'll broil with butter, or maybe even with parmesan and garlic, or even make croutons. I refuse to toss it out as a loss!