Five-year-old stories, pictures, and cake recipe

I love this picture, even though it's super blurry--but just look at Jethro's face! What a cute kid. He's all about being five. Takes it very seriously. One day he told me that he hadn't had breakfast with Brett, and then Hazel said that they had, so I got after him about telling the truth, and made him stand in the corner, and he said, "I'm not a five-year-old." I said, "What do you mean, you're not a five-year-old, you had your birthday," and he said, "But I wasn't honest." (Which reminds me of something else he said. While I was getting dressed he put Ethne on the couch and she fell off, and I really got after him because I've told him not to, anyway, he was sad and he said, "I wish I still lived in heaven," and I asked him why, and he said, "Cause I'm mean." ahhh--make me feel like an ogre mom! (p.s. I didn't tell him he was mean. I probably did say though that it's not nice to let your sister fall on her noggin.) He's kindof a sensitive guy.)
And yesterday Hazel was saying something about going to the library, cause Jethro had gone that day at school, and Jethro explained to her that she can't go to the library, cause she's not in kindergarten, and he is, cause he's five and she's three, and he's five and she's three, and he's five and she's only three (yes, it went on and on).
And yesterday I was having Jethro and Hazel fold the small rags and bibs from the laundry, and Jethro was showing Hazel how to do it (he'd done it before, but not Hazel). So he showed her carefully how to do it, and then he said, "Now, we'll start over and show you again until you know how to do it, so you can be kindof like a five-year-old."
Also, if I tell him he did a good job or was a good helper or a good brother, he says, "Yeah, cause I'm a five-year-old." It's quite the thing on his mind.

Oh, such very beautiful girls.
And this one's so funny and cute looking these days--I just can't get enough of her.









Thanks for all the well-wishes on my birthday. Here's the recipe for the cake. If you like Almond Joys, you're going to love it. Here's my try at a tantalizing picture. ;)






















Almond Joy Cake:
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups white sugar
25 large marshmallows
14 oz. flaked coconut
1/2 cup butter
2 cups chocolate chips
3 oz. (or so) slivered almonds

This is for a 9X13 chocolate cake. I always make a devil's food cake, but feel free to make one from a box---it's not as if that's the important part anyway.
1. In saucepan combine half the can of milk (3/4 cup) and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Bring to rapid boil. Quickly remove from heat and add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in coconut. Pour mixture over cake.
2. In saucepan combine remaining sugar (1 cup) and remaining milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add butter and chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Mix in almonds. Pour on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. (Or not. Because if you serve it sooner than that, it will be warm and gooey and delicious.)



Oh, and we went geocaching tonight (I wanted to go on my birthday but it was too late) and we found the cache totally because of Jethro! He said, we should look under the rock--and we turned it over, and lo and behold!