Protection from Television

My brother Jake always practices safe television watching.

Though the helmet is so big you can't see the tv if you're standing behind him.

Free at Last!!

Congratulations to my youngest brother Jake!! He graduated from high school this month and is now a real adult.


Except to me he will always be a toddler and not an adult. I hope he doesn't mind.

(Jake on a cake)

(He's the bearded one in the middle)

(Me and Jake)

(Jemily)

And of course we had a party:

(Because nothing says party like a giant fake snake head)

(Nancie and Jemily on the ATV)

Bakery Love

One of my earliest memories was walking to the local bakery with my mom and getting a cupcake shaped like a Sesame Street character. 

After having lived in the black hole of South Jersey for twenty years, I think my mom and I had given up on the dream of finding a real bakery. Living in the Philly suburbs for all of her life (until the Jersey move) kind of spoiled my mom for good sweets. I know that's why she was so excited when I discovered a good bakery down the street from my house in Morton. 

They even make the Sesame Street Cupcakes of my childhood:

(These are from my birthday March past)

(I found this frog cupcake for my sister's birthday; she loves fondant)

Cakes and cupcakes like these just beat the crap out of supermarket cakes. I'd actually stopped eating a lot of cakes because everyone seems to just get them from the grocery store. Not many people make their own cakes or get them from a bakery....even birthdays celebrated at my office in Philly depended on greasy, heavy cakes from Superfresh. 

Not super. Or fresh.

I'm normally not a person who can't stop eating sweets, but these cupcakes are so good that I can't help it. Having them around is dangerous!

(Jake loves the Cookie Monster)

Instruction Manual

I was looking through some old photos for something Thanksgiving appropriate. Instead I found this:

My brother Jake found my Knitting for Dummies book and modified it as a joke (poor kid has my sense of humour). I wonder if any of it could actually be applicable....

Happy almost-December and may your loved ones be easier to deal with than the thumb gusset of a glove.

He's Not Heavy; He's My Brother

Besides being extremely cute and able to grow a full beard by the age of 16, my little brother Jake is quite helpful around the house. Well, he doesn't live at my house, but every now and then I can get him to come by and help out with things (some physically demanding and some not). During my Insane Summer of Work Travel, Jake and his girlfriend Emily (Jemily, collectively) were sweet enough to drive me to the airport at 4am. Two. Weeks. In. A. Row. Saints, they are.

Yesterday, Jake was back to help me take out my air conditioner and put the storm door in.  It takes him 10 minutes to do something that would take me 2 hours and lots of swearing to accomplish. And, of course, he even brings his giant purple van, known as "The Tank", to haul away said air conditioner to be stored in my parents' basement until next summer.

(He walks through doors too)

In the process of moving things around, I was stupid enough to accidentally break one of the legs on one of my antique end tables. It was bad. But who is going to save the day and fix it? Jake, of course!