If the Shoe Fits

If it’s a day ending in “Y,” Mila is a fan. If it’s a day ending in “candy,” she’s OMG SO EXCITED LET’S DO THIS.

Easter is going to have to fight Halloween for best Tiny Human holiday and it’s going to be quite the battle. The costumes and general lack of effort in order to get candy are the reasons Halloween might still win, but it’s going to be close. When they’re done battling it out, Mila will be off in the corner happily munching her way through chocolate and Skittles and Smarties and whatever you have. She’s not picky. Is it candy? Because that’s her only requirement.

And, thus, Mila woke up Easter morning ready to destroy the world. Except, this is Mila we’re talking about, so she was cool with sleeping until 9:00 and THEN destroying the world.

Alexis isn’t that chill. I think she may have been sitting outside the door where Mila was sleeping so that she could instigate egg hunting the very second Mila thought about being awake. Mila wasn’t done opening her eyes before Alexis magically appeared and was all, “LET’S GO FIND EGGS, MILA!”

Which, okay. It worked. Mila was pretty excited about it and vice versa.

“Find” is a strong word, though. I apparently lack the genetic makeup required to create humans who can find their noses on their own faces, so the Easter Bunny basically sets eggs in plain view and then wonders how it is possible that the girls still don’t see them. THE EGGS ARE RIGHT THERE. IN FRONT OF YOU. RIGHT THERE.

I’m going to have a t-shirt made that says that. It will still apply decades from now when the girls are hiding eggs for their own kids. THE EGGS ARE RIGHT THERE.

Once Mila managed to collect the eggs in her room and all around the house, she plopped herself on the living room floor and started taking inventory. She opened egg after egg, looked around the room, and declared, “This is MY M&Ms” or “This is MY chocolate” or “This is MY candies.”

And it was in that moment that I realized just how perfect her name is for her. It’s Mila with the emphasis on the MY MY MY MY MIIIIIINE.

Arroz con Leche

"Hey. I made Arroz con Leche," I called through the closed door. Nerd Girl has been spending her entire spring break with her face buried in books, so luring her out seemed like a good idea.

"WHAT? YOU can make Arroz con Leche?" she replied.

I HAVE FAILED MY CHILD. Okay, maybe. I don't actually know why she was so incredulous. Did she not know it was a thing that could be made? Or did her doubt come from the fact that I was the one who made it? I am not sure and she's not telling.

I'll take that as a sign that it's been too long since I last made it. I used to make it all the time, but stopped I suppose because the recipe I had often ended in burnt milk all over the stove. I have since adapted from the recipe I got from my host mother in Spain (I was an exchange student in high school) to a version that's less challenging.

And by "challenging" I mean I dare walk away from the stove. The original version I made ended up boiling over basically every time.

Anyway, if you fast forward to the part where Alexis ate a giant bowl of Arroz con Leche, she declared, "You should make this more. It's really good."

She's a tween, folks. That's high praise coming from the tween crowd.

Arroz con Leche

1 cup rice
2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon peel
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup milk (I use nonfat, but it's even better with 2% or whole)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon

1. Cook that rice! Precooking it in water seems to be the exact trick it takes to keep from making a mess all over the kitchen. Place the rice and water in a large saucepan and boil over medium heat until the water is mostly evaporated. Stir occasionally so you keep things from sticking.

2. When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork then dump in the cinnamon sticks, lemon peel, evaporated milk, and other milk. Stir well and keep that medium heat going. Allow it to simmer for about ten minutes then add the sugar. Keep stirring, by the way.

3. It's done when the rice is al dente and the milk thickens to a runny pudding consistency.

4. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until cooled. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Serve with ground cinnamon.

And I Quote

"Is there a boy people or a girl people inside the bunny?"