I have taken the twins on some college visits! We went on an overnight trip and saw three colleges, though one of them was a self-guided tour because we couldn’t find a regular tour that worked with our schedule. We all felt that the self-guided tour was almost useless. We had THOUGHT that a self-guided tour, where we walk around and read little paragraphs the Admissions office has composed, would be as good as a tour led by a perky student the Admissions office has hired to say things the Admissions office has composed, but for some reason it absolutely was not. We came away with almost no impression of the college at all. Well, now we know not to bother with self-guided tours—and we can go back another time for a regular tour.
I think the biggest accomplishment was just DOING ANY TOURS AT ALL. It is so hard to get started! With each kid after the first one, I resolved to get started on tours EARLIER—like, spring of junior year. Yet each time, here I am in late summer, barely begun. And very soon it will be fall of their senior year, and they will be too busy to take days off for college visits! I wring the hands.
Part of the issue is that Paul usually does quite a few of the college tours (he has most Fridays off during the summer, so that’s when he took Rob/William on tours), but he has been significantly affected by his kidney-stone issues for over a month now. Which reminds me to update you: he has had his second kidney-stone surgery, which went SO MUCH BETTER than the first one. Just for starters, this time we knew what to expect from the whole process, so this time his blood pressure at the hospital was at reasonable “nervous about impending medical procedure / feel uncomfortable in hospital smock and leg-squeezing things” levels rather than “so um do you take anything for high blood pressure? are you feeling okay right now? let’s just leave that cuff on and try again in a few minutes, okay?” levels. Also, the first procedure removed the stone that was hurting him, so this time he went into it well-rested, well-fed, etc. And finally: THIS time he didn’t come out of anesthesia to hear that it was NOT all over and there would have to be ANOTHER SURGERY. That was not good for morale.
Another medical update: the cat with kidney issues has lost his meow. We looked it up online and found that cats can and do get Cat Laryngitis. Let’s see if I can post this little video of me asking the cat in my Talking To Cats voice if he has cat laryngitis:
Oh! and I wanted to ask you about your favorite things to bake for bake sales. Henry’s theater group is going to have a concession stand at each performance, and they’d like contributions from the families. I’m curious to know what you personally like to make for bake sales, but I am also hugely hoping that we have in our midst people who have volunteered at bake-sale tables and KNOW WHAT SELLS WELL. I am also planning to donate some pre-packaged manufactured items (snack-packs of Oreos, snack-size bags of chips, that kind of thing), since I know it can be difficult/impossible for people with food allergies to buy things from bake sales.
One important thing to know is that the concessions stand will be OUTDOORS in SUMMER HEAT, so I don’t want to make anything TOO MELTY. I’m going to go right ahead and make things with chocolate chips in them; but for example I have a recipe for yummy bars that have a thick layer of chocolate/butterscotch on top, and those would just be a MESS, so I will not make those.
I’m happy to hear that people and cats are feeling better, although I have to say, I had a start when you said the cat had lost his meow! I feared the worst. I was going to suggest Scotcheroos for the bake sale, but they have a thick layer of chocolate/butterscotch on top so, um, I will have to rethink.
Lemon bars? Everybody seems to love those and they are pretty easy to make. Pineapple upside down cake? Another crowd pleaser in my world.
Your cat is so cute 😻
Also I had a cat many years ago who sounded like that his entire life!
Yay for a successful second surgery and for starting the college search process.
Are the twins planning to attend the same college? Or will they purposely attend separate ones (for specific subject concentrations or regional preferences or whatever)?
I asked them about that, and they both seem to be neither trying nor trying-not to go to the same college. Elizabeth has a slight negative feeling about it but doesn’t really care since they’re planning on completely different majors; Edward seems utterly neutral, but I suspect he would be glad if they went to the same school.
Fascinating! I had half wondered if there is any advantage in having them at the same place. But… Probably not a whole lot of two-for-the-price-of-one deals regarding college tuition, I bet. (Although honestly I have no idea. Maybe that is a thing!) And even transportation costs would probably not make a huge deal (unless one twin attended college in their hometown and the other went somewhere across the globe).
I am so curious about this whole experience. Do you have any preference about which colleges they should choose? And/or have you already had preferences for some colleges over others your kids looked at, and how have you handled that when discussing schools with your kids? And I think you mentioned that the twins might be considering the same school their older brother attended – is that a pro or a con for anyone? Have any of your kids been more or less interested in the college search than others? Are there things that are easier this time around or are there things that are just as difficult? I’m sorry – this is a lot of questions!
Good to know RE: self guided tours. My oldest got to visit one (ONE!) college before C19 shut everything down. (That’s also where she ended up going, and it’s fine, but I do often wonder where she’d have ended up if we’d been able to tour others.) My younger kid is starting her junior year and as of now wants to go to the local university in our town. I’m hoping to get in a few tours at other schools, just so she can see what else is out there. (Fly little bird!)
BAKE SALES! I love a good bake sale. These salted butter rice Krispy treats are my secret dessert weapon. They are SO good, and mostly allergen friendly (I think) and I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like them. https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/11/salted-brown-butter-crispy-treats/
These sprinkle cookies are tasty and also VERY FUN. I like to match the colors of the sprinkles to the event (red green white for Christmas, or a team’s colors for a tailgate, etc)
https://simplybeautifuleating.com/2019/08/14/lemon-sprinkle-cookies/
Ooh, I was going to say rice krispie treats went over really well at our bake sale last year, but yours sound even better! Yum!
Smitten kitchen! Browned butter blondies. They’re great because melted butter so you don’t hace to wait for room temp/softening. Scale them up. Mess around with add ins.
Co-sign the salted browned butter rice krispie treats!
I’m totally going to use this Sprinkle cookie idea and buy sprinkles to that match my daughter’s school colors!
At a concession stand, I’m put off by those big messy brownies and bars that just feel like *too much* while mingling. I’d like something small I can munch on a little at a time and/or share with kids. Little baggies of tiny cookies (like the mini Oreos you mentioned but also homemade ones that size) would be appealing, cups of popcorn with M&Ms (even a snack size bag of them on top), donut holes.
For big items, I want something easy to eat that won’t melt or crumble or be loud. Rice Krispie Treats are popular but I’d be extra enticed if they were on fat popsicle sticks. A couple of mini cupcakes stacked in a cup with a spoon. Candy Kabobs (Google for pictures) are always so colorful and cute and would be heat friendly.
I was going to suggest turtle bars but they have a huge layer of milk chocolate on the top.
Lindsay’s comment about little baggies made me think of puppy chow. I’ve bought it twice to adult parties and everyone loves it. It’s delicious but not something adults to think to make. Another plus is that it is so easy to make as long as you have a large bowl to stir it together.
Came on here to suggest Candy Kabobs too! :)
As an allergy mom, I LOVE the idea of prepackaged treats. We usually skip bake sales entirely since my allergic kid is too high risk to eat anything from someone else’s kitchen (due to cross contamination risk), so my other kids miss out too since it seems really crappy to let only 2 of 3 get something. What a great idea!!
I find it fascinating that your first four kids seem to all be on the touring four year colleges and making clear plans for the future as seniors in high school track. Isn’t it traditional to have at least one who is euphemistically “on their own path?” No real insight here, except that you have great kids? (Not that the kids who ARE on their own path aren’t great too…like I said, this is a comment completely lacking in insight)
I think it’s more that Paul and I both went to college, and our siblings went to college and our parents all went to college, so we are just sort of…moving forward as if the plan is that they will at least try college, almost in the same way we assumed they would go to high school. Though my HOPE is that we’re leaving wiggle-room when we talk about it / plan for it, and remembering to mention other options. I think Henry is our Most Likely To Go His Own Path kid: so far he does not seem at all academically inclined, nor does he have a job in mind of the sort that would require a degree (all three of his brothers want to be software engineers, which puts them firmly on the college path). We have started talking with him about things such as culinary school, or I could picture him getting some sort of general liberal arts degree at a Follow Your Own Path type of school.
I turn to Smitten Kitchen for almost everything of this type. I would usually say the whole lemon bars in her first cookbook but actually I’m not 100% sure they would hold up well outside for hours without gloop issues.
Failing that I love the chocolate chip cookies of the toe the type that need to chill in the fridge for a couple of days before baking (SK also has a good recipe for those although I use quite a niche one from an old blog). I wonder if cookie sandwiches would also go down a treat in that context.
I think something snack-like or salty will do well at a bake sale since so much of what is at a bake sale is just so sweet. Chex mix, flavored popcorn, that kind of thing. Also drinks might be popular if it’s outside and hot.
My go-to for outside in the heat treats is snickerdoodles, which are more interesting than plain sugar cookies but still indifferent to heat. Smitten Kitchen has a great recipe for spicy caramel popcorn that is just delicious, but I would probably go mild on the spice because no matter how you label it, someone will be shocked that it’s spicy (sort of Salt Brownies II)
We did a couple of self-guided tourns because SOMEONE thought “Hey! There’s an opening on a tour at time/date! Go register!” implied “ya know, whenever you get around to it.” But ours were when college was in session, and I think that helped because at one school, a (masked!) student saw us looking at a map and asked if she could help us find something, and at the other school, students did dramatic demonstrations of impatience with people standing off to the side of a path, looking at a map (it’s Sunday, you’re not late to class).
I wonder how meringues would do in the heat? I’m not actually sure, but I love the recipe at Gimme Some Oven, with mini chocolate chips. I make them small so they’re bite sized, and bonus, they’re gluten free! A friend with celiac was thrilled when she asked about the ingredients: “I can have those!” You could put a few in a baggie and then they’d be more portable.
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chocolate-chip-meringue-cookies/
Meringues only set up properly on really dry days, and will get gummy in humid air. They’re a better treat for winter.
Another vote for Rice Krispy Treats! If you’re feeling especially industrious you can sprinkle fun sprinkles and other toppings on them before you cut them into bars which gives them a nice pop of fun. You can also make “Krispie” treats out of any breakfast cereal and I have seen kids fight openly to buy them when they’re made out of lucky charms!
I think for bake sales the best selling things are recognizable food that isn’t oversized – so small cupcakes, small brownies without nuts, chocolate chip cookies, things like that. People want to anticipate what the thing they buy are going to taste like, and they like to play it safe. My tastiest treats don’t sell nearly as well as the standard stuff!
I grew up in the midwest and I know that perhaps my suggestion is regional. Also, I’m not sure of your baking skill. But by far the biggest seller of any bake sale was a pie. I think an apple pie would be great in the heat.
If that is a no-go, how about baggies of carmel corn (with or without peanuts)? Both seem to have a serious fall vibe to me.
I have baked for and worked at many, many bake sales and in my experience the number one seller is “worms and dirt” cupcakes. Cupcakes with chocolate frosting, sprinkled with oreo cookie crumbs, and then topped with gummy worms. Close second: cupcakes with blue frosting and decorated with swedish fish. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with candy on cupcakes. Now, I don’t know about the heat, but that’s my definite experience.
I’m the type of person who prefers savory foods, so I just want to second the Chex mix and various popcorn suggestions. I’m also wondering if you’d consider doing a post on financial aid and what you’ve learned? I think you did one when Rob was heading to college, and there was some good advice from commenters, but what have you learned since? I’d be so grateful to know as college starts to loom on the horizon for my kids!
The best selling product at my own summer outdoor theater work was shave ice. Perhaps a cooler of popsicles would be a good moneymaker for them?
I don’t have specific treats to suggest, but the concession stand at the school musical had homemade treats that someone brought in little goody bags (like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QH4YRJF/) and it was so much nicer than plastic wrap or ziploc bags – made the treats look very professional and easier to handle by the kids running the stand. I got some for next time, but haven’t had a chance to try them yet.
And as to the twins-at-same-college thing, my hope for mine is that they either end up at the same school (very unlikely) or that they end up at schools whose start/end schedules are not exaaaaaactly the same, for ease of logistics. We are at the beginning of junior year, so just starting the list-making and not yet much for touring. But soon, I hope.
I’m clearly weird because I am the only person to comment on how lovely it was to hear your actual, real life (cat) voice.
I had the same thought 😊
I laughed once I started reading the comments as I was also going to suggest Rice Krispie treats with various mix-ins (m&ms, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows).
The “worms and dirt” idea – I never had it as a cupcake but they used to have little plastic cups filled with chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos, & the worms and we called those “dirt cups”. They were pretty popular.
Am I the only one who is REALLY craving a rice krispie treat after reading the comments?
For bake sales I like to do super-familiar treats that are special in some way- like M and M cookies but BIG, rice krispie treats cut huge or with sprinkles mixed in, Fruit Loop treats made in krispies style. The best seller I’ve ever had is when I looked up an image that matches with the theme of the event, printed it and stuck it into a cute cupcake frosted in the school colors- you can just plop the cupcake into a plastic cup so it stays neat-ish. Pretzel rods dipped in colored chocolate wafers and rolled in sprinkles are usually a good bet, too.
Your cat is super cute! I didn’t know cat laryngitis was a thing. I had a cat who was like that from birth and we always called it his silent scream.
I don’t have experience with bake sales but everyone I’ve fed these s’mores cookies to (apart from my spouse and kid, who don’t like chocolate OR toasted marshmallows, seriously, how) have said they’re amazing. Plus they really do look appealing with the cute little mini-marshmallows and bits of chocolate bar sticking out. And the graham cracker cookie? Even the spouse and kid like it. I use vegan marshmallows so I don’t let them dry out, but otherwise I make this exactly as written: https://scientificallysweet.com/soft-smores-cookies/
Another allergy mom here. Love the idea of packaged snacks and candy kabobs. One of my kiddos is allergic to dairy and egg, but I make treats all the time to bring to gatherings so I know she can have a treat safely too. One of my favorite food bloggers is Nora Cooks. Her vegan baking recipes have turned out great for me. A dairy free rice krispy treat would be easy and tastes just as good as the conventional ones. This recipe is vegan, but even just subbing vegan butter like Country Crock plant butter while using traditional gelatin based marshmallows would work for allergy families. https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-rice-krispie-treats/
Cat meows (or lack thereof) are so funny, aren’t they? One of the two kittens we have right now has the teeniest little squeak meow, like he’ll be opening his mouth to make a mighty noise (in his mind) and what comes out is “……………eek! eek!”. My sister’s cat sounds *exactly* like a seagull, so much so that I thought a bird had somehow gotten inside the first time I cat sat for them. And our oldest cat, Tigger, has a fairly normal voice except sometimes late at night, when he turns into the most mournful, existential dread filled, sad kitty ever and wanders the house yowling “Oh my godddd, I’m trapppppped here with them. What the flufffffffffffff. WOE IS UPON ME”
We had a cat that just had a little squeak, maybe like your “eek! eek!” and once at the vet’s office a fellow cat owner heard our Bliz squeaking away and insisted that it was a kitten in the carrier. She did not believe me that it was a 10 year old cat until I turned the carrier around and she got a glimpse of our obviously mature little squeaker!
Rice Krispie Treats are always big sellers. You can also do with other cereals like people have said above…my friend makes them with generic fruit loop cereal and people go crazy for them, or with cocoa Krispies.
Rice Krispie treats sell well because they’re familiar and sturdy. Chocolate anything sells well, even pretzel rods dipped in chocolate and covered with sprinkles. That’s an easy go-to for cooler days. I would probably send brownie bites from a Ghirardelli box mix, or chocolate crinkles since they’re made with cocoa powder. If for any reason you don’t want to bake, those grocery bakery soft cookies with frosting and sprinkles are always snapped up at these. They’re impervious to weather and kids always want them.
These Rice Krispies with Golden Grahams are perfection and fly anytime I have offered a choice of baked goods!
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/golden-rice-krispies-treats.html
The above are made with brown butter, but I will say that Rice Krispies made with margarine are a nice dairy-free treat for those who cannot partake.
Another suggestion, based on my own bake sale experience and not necessarily relevant to this particular shindig: I have made dog treats for bake sales and those things fly off the card tables. It’s really sweet to see kids passing on getting themselves something and instead handing over a crumpled dollar bill to make their pets happy.
Crazy off topic— is your wooden chair behind the Kitty Chair made by Tell City?
Oh! I don’t know! It was a Goodwill find. I turned it over but I don’t see any stamps/markings on it.
Oh, you and your kitty! I love silent kitty meows. It always tickles me. :)