Baking with the Boys

This morning Matthew and Stephen helped me bake. I had a box of cake mix that had been sitting around in the pantry for the better part of a year. I don't know how long that stuff lasts before the baking powder in it becomes inactive, but I thought it was time to use it up. So I decided to make a Valentine's Day treat for all my boys.

The twins voted for cupcakes over a regular layer cake. I measured the water and oil and let them take turns pouring the liquids and the eggs into the cake mix. They like to stand on a kitchen chair and watch the mixer turn round.

I baked the cupcakes while the boys were napping this afternoon. The first thing Stephen said when he came downstairs was, "I could smell the cupcakes in my room!"

"You're a good cooker, Mama," Matthew declared. He compliments my cooking even when I'm serving him only buttered toast or a bowl of Cheerios. It's nice to have someone so easy to please.

As we were driving to pick up Tab at work this afternoon, I reminded Daniel that he would be spending Wednesday at St. Ann's school. I told him he might see Becky, one of our neighbors, there. She's in kindergarten, and the kindergarteners and first graders have lunch and recess together.

"Remember, you have to obey the teacher," I said.

"Do what the other kids do," Stephen chimed in, helpfully.

"Raise your hand to ask a question," offered Matthew.

"Play nice with the other kids."

"If one of them hurts you, tell the teacher."

"I know that," snapped Daniel.

As we drove onto campus, I told the boys to keep their eyes open. "Maybe we'll see the red-tailed hawk again, guys. Now's the time of year to look for him, before the leaves come out on the trees."

I scanned the bare branches, but didn't see the bird. While we were waiting for Tab in the parking lot, I read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to the boys. I happened to look up from the book just as the hawk landed on a nearby tree. He sat there, looking very lordly as he surveyed the students and other people walking on the paths below his branch.

I hoped Tab would come out in time to see the hawk. When I had told him last week that we'd seen the bird, he said that it has been living on campus for nearly two years, but that he himself had never seen it.

When Tab emerged from the building, the hawk was still there. I told the boys to run up to meet him and point it out to him.

"But quietly! No shouting or screaming because it might fly away."

Once Tab saw where the hawk was, he and the boys crossed the green to get a better look at it. I got out of the car and met them beneath the tree. We had a perfect view of the hawk. It was about 35 feet up and seemed unfazed by the boys running around at the base of the tree.

"He's pretty comfortable around people, isn't he? Well, I guess living here, he's gotten used to it."

The university campus is really an ideal spot for a hawk. There are many tall trees and a plentiful food supply of squirrels and pigeons. I remember back when I worked on campus, I found the squirrels particularly annoying. I couldn't eat my lunch outside without being harassed by two or three of them looking for a handout. Once a bold squirrel even dashed up and stole half my sandwich, which was sitting on top of my lunchbag. Bring on the predators!

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