In the Hive

Karl had to write a poem for language arts class, I really like it! I Am... I am the eldest maple tree, towering high above the thick forest canopy; I wonder what it is like for who get to live life, not to merely observe; I hear the chitter-chatter of the green woods’ wonderful creatures below; I see the miracle of life from the highest view, above the sheltered woods; I want to explore beyond my branches and into the bush; I am the eldest maple tree, towering high above the thick forest canopy. I pretend to exist on the lush forest’s turf, below the songbirds as they trill their tunes; I feel the dank earth under my roots, bringing the forest’s sustenance to my leaves; I touch the rolling gusts, as they stream low and graceful over the valley; I worry that some day the gales shall strip my fronds away; I cry to think that one morn, my emerald leaves won’t caress the rays of the rising Sun; I am the eldest maple tree, towering high above the thick forest canopy. I understand that I sh...

It has been a busy week! Last weekend we painted and rearranged our bedroom and got some new furniture for it! This week I am working at the Hershey Quilt show! While I was at the show yesterday Karl made a triple layer cake!! This is the first time he has tried a triple layer cake and the first time he has iced and decorated a cake on his own! We think it came out great!! He wanted to make a red velvet cake, but we did not have enough red dye. He used green dye to see if the cake would come out green, it did not, it came out brown! The blue dye turned the cream cheese frosting a very pretty robin's egg color. It tasted great! Thomas was out taking pictures in the garden, can you spot the bee in flight in the snapdragon shot?

I teased my friend Karen that my bee balm is taller than her! Karl is a bit taller than her at 5'4", and now it is outgrowing him too!

People have always said Thomas and Karl were my "twins." I came across their second grade photos and posted them below. They really did look alike at that stage of their lives! Thomas in kindergarten: Karl in second grade: Thomas in second grade:

Karl's turned 13 on June 25th. We made his birthday cake last night. He loves carrot cake! I posted the recipe below, the cake was excellent. Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients 2 cups sugar 1 cup canola oil 4 large eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon salt 4 cups finely grated peeled carrots 1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped Maple-Cream Cheese Icing 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ½ cups powdered sugar ½ cup pure maple syrup 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract Method Cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; beat until blended. Stir in carrots and walnuts. Divide batter betwee...

Peanut Butter Cookies Source: Bake or Break Recipes (3 dozen) 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup chunky peanut butter ¾ cup granulated sugar , (plus more for sprinkling cookies)* ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup peanut butter chips Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add sugar and brown sugar, beating until smooth. Add egg, mixing well. Add milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Leave several inches between cookies. Lightly indent the tops of the cookies with a fork. Do not overly flatten cookies. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with sugar. Bake for 10...

Karl was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society last night! Congratulations Karl!

Karl was excited to see a Singer Machine in the quilt shop window yesterday. His National History Day project is about Isaac Singer! -- Honeybee Quilter on the road.

Karl and I are in State College for the GeoBee. We saw lots of things on the way here. There was even a dead wolf on the road - eww. We went through lots of mountains and by Bald Eagle State Park. And we went by Electric Avenue ... Anyone else remember that song from the 80's? -- Honeybee Quilter posting from my iPhone.

The email notice to our group about the Bears in Farmhouse group album had Karl holding my quilt on it!

Andrew and Karl competed yesterday in the regionals stage of National History Day 2009. Karl ended up winning first place for his video on Isaac Singer and Andrew and his group won 2nd place for their video on Eva Peron. Both of the boys will now compete at the state level at Millersville University this May!

We just got the letter today that Karl scored in the top 100 students in Pennsylvania and will compete in the state bee competition. This year we will be headed to Penn State University in State College, Pa instead of Shippensburg University.

I was going to work at the quilt shop today, but Karl called me and reminded me he is participating in the Spelling Bee today!  I will have to work on my sample for the shop here and walk over to the bee this afternoon!  Good Luck, Karl!

Karl won the school geography bee for the 4th year in a row!  Congratulations Karl! Next, he takes the test for the state competition.  If he scores in the top 100 scores in Pennsylvania, he moves on to the state contest. Last year he tied for 5th place in the state!

I just got done making some apricot sandwich cookies, I have not made this in a while, but AJ requested them.  I have been really busy in the past two weeks and have not got to posting that much.  I still have to upload the pictures from Andrew's christmas concert and our christmas tree expedition.  See more photos of our week below! Michael had a birthday on December 11! Karl had his Christmas concert this past Thursday!

I have not gotten much quilting done lately!  Karl qualified for the PA State Geography Bee in Shippensburg, Pa.  that look place this week.  15,000 kids in grades 4-8 compete in schools across Pennsylvania and if you win your school geography bee, you take a written test and the top 100 kids scores in your state move on to the state bee.   At the first round of the state bee, Karl and 22 other kids scored perfect scores.  There was then a tie-breaker round because only the top 10 kids move on to the final round.  Karl got perfect scores through the tie-breaker round and was one of the 10 finalists to move on to the last round.  He did well, but got eliminated with another boy when there were 6 kids left.  He was happy that he made it further this year in the competition (last year he did not make it to the final 10) and is anxious to try again next year!