Running out of time!

Gah! There is so much left to do and no time to do it!

We still need to
-Paint wrapping paper
-Build gingerbread houses
-Drive around in our jammies and look at Christmas lights while drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music
-Go to Clifton Mills
-Play more charades (sp?) - If you have little kids and have not done this you need to, you will laugh the whole time.
-Finish baking and candymaking
-Deliver baked goods to neighbors

Better get cracking. I can't believe Christmas is this week!

New Territory

I am done with my Christmas shopping and have moved on to baking and menu planning.

This year my parents will be coming to our house for Christmas which is a first. I have several things that I must make according to tradition. Peanut butter bon bons, coconut bon bons, PB blossoms, cut outs, and Oreo truffles to name a few. There are also a number of traditional savory things I need to prepare like raw beef and onions, a spinach breakfast dish, and rosemary Parmesan shortbread with cranberry sauce.

In my family we have no traditional Christmas eve meal or Christmas dinner meal. My mom just made what she felt like making, whether it was ham, turkey, beef, lasagna, or baked potatoes. I am still deciding on Christmas dinner (maybe ham?) but for Christmas eve we will be having prime rib.

This year I will be cooking with two new ingredients I have never used before. Chestnuts and ox tails. Not together mind you. The chestnuts are for a new cookie recipe I'm trying that is on Smitten Kitchen's website. The ox tails are used in a recipe for prime rib found on Steamy Kitchen.

Willow and Pottery? How about no?

Our nine year wedding anniversary is November 23rd and we are celebrating early and going out to dinner on the 22nd all by ourselves. I am very excited to spend an hour or two alone with my hubby.

Did you know that the traditional nine year anniversary gift is willow and/or pottery? You didn't? Yeah, me neither. I'm bucking the system. Today I bought an Xbox360 Bundle with Kinect their new motion video game system. I am going to give it to Jer tonight because I can't keep secrets from him. I'm busting with anticipation and I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees it.

Oh, and now Santa has to buy Kinectimals for Ava.

Baby it's cold outside

- Is it wrong that I want snowshoes for Christmas?
- I'm not actually going to ask for them because if I do we won't get enough snow for me to use them.
- Plus, my husband would need some too or else I'd have to go alone and that's no fun
- My eyes opened at 5:00am this morning.
- First thing I did was look outside to see if it had snowed, it hadn't
- Beef stew and beer bread for dinner tonight!
- I need to buy paint for my living room, I'm itching to complete another room after helping Stacey tear apart her kitchen the other day
- I'm getting very excited for the holidays
- I have a very good start on my Christmas shopping
- My children are obsessed with Mario and Luigi and all of the other characters from Super Mario Bros
- I found Luigi and Toad costumes at Meijer for $2 and they pretty much live in them when we're at home
- We decided not to give the girls Ds's at this time, too much money
- After seeing Anne's post about Hobby Lobby I am jonesing to go and buy Christmas garlands.

Beer for dinner!

Ok, well, not exactly. I don't drink the stuff, I think it's nasty. However I love to cook with it. Here are two of my favorite beer based recipes and I love them together. This is probably my favorite cold weather meal. It's also great left over. I prefer the bread toasted after the first day, it's fantastic with real butter. My hubby drinks Newcastle usually but I prefer to cook with Killians Irish Red if we have it, that's what I used in the photos below.

Beef stew: Here are the veggies I like in my stew. Of course you have the obvious: carrots, potatoes, and onion, but I like a different twang. I like the peppery zip that turnips add (they're on the left, the white veggie under the carrots and potatoes). I also like the sweetness of parsnips (that's the ivory chunks in the center). Last but not least I love the meatiness and the texture of portabella mushrooms (that pile is two caps, I don't remove the ribbing because I am too lazy and I like the dark color anyway).I use plain old stew meat, pre-cut and trimmed. I mix about 1/4 cup of flour with black pepper, salt, and some Old World seasoning from Penzeys. Throw the meat in the bag and shake away until coated.

Heat some olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a dutch oven and add the meat, brown on all sides, but don't stress about it. The butter/oil will make a roux in the bottom of the pot, mix it around a bit and add a bottle of beer and a can of tomato sauce. Stir a little to mix it all in and then add all of your veggies. Now add enough beef broth to almost cover your veggies. Give it one final stir and put on the cover. When it starts to boil turn the heat down so you've got a nice gentle simmer.

Give it a good 2-3 hours, stirring whenever you remember to. When you're ready to eat check the consistency. If it's too thick or thin you can add more broth to thin or remove some liquid to a bowl and add corn starch, mix and add the paste back into the pot, bring to a boil and stir. It'll thicken up, repeat if needed. Mine usually doesn't need any adjustments but if you're veggie amount is off you may need to. No biggie. Ta-Da! Beef stew!

Now for the bread!

I can not stress enough how easy and delicious this is. I got the recipe from Cook's Country magazine and the only thing I do differently is use a stronger beer than they suggest. The only thing bad about this recipe is that the cheese is very expensive. It's in the fancy cheese section of the grocery store and it's usually about $9 for 8oz. In our house this bread is a special treat.

Beer-Batter Cheese Bread
8 oz Gruyere cheese (1/2 shredded, and half cut into small cubes)
3 c all purpose flour
3 T sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bottle of beer (they say light bodied, I say Killians)
4 T melted butter (they say unsalted, I say bring it)

Preheat to 375. Grease a loaf pan. Combine dry ingredients, stir in beer, and mix. Pour into loaf pan, spread to corners. Drizzle melted butter over the top. Bake until deep golden brown, check with a toothpick but make sure you're not in a cheese pocket, 45-50 minutes. They say cool completely. I say serve warm so the cheese is a little gooey and butter melts when you spread it.

Enjoy your beer based dinner!

Momma wants a kindle

Oh baby I've got it bad.

I love to read and I am especially fond of historical fiction. When I read something of that genre I am constantly on wikipedia researching people, places, and events to see how they compare with the authors portrayal in the story. This is one of the biggest reasons I want a kindle. Did you know that you can search wiki while in the middle of reading? How cool is that? So the next time I'm reading about a particular battle in the civil war or a historical figure I can check it out on wiki, see some photo's, and go back to reading.

I've entertained purchasing a kindle in the past but always thought it was too expensive. However, now there is a $139, non 3G, option. Perfect. $139 is still a chunk of change but it's not ridiculous. I have already started a wish list of all the ebooks I want.

Santa better deliver.

To DS or not to DS, that is the question

Lily is a video gamer. She loves playing by herself with Ava in the background as a coach. She loves playing with friends. Her favorite however, is playing a team game with her Dad. They beat Super Mario Brothers for the Wii together and still play it often. They are now working on Super Mario Brothers Galaxy 2 for the Wii. She can hold her own when Jer and I play Smash Brothers and she can navigate any game after about 5 minutes of us helping her figure it out. She has even opened all the race tracks on Mario Kart Wii.

For Christmas this year I thought I'd give her my old DS Lite and a couple games geared for her age group as well as a Mario game that she has already played on the wii, like Super Mario Brothers.

After doing some research I found out that if you have two Ds's they can share games and communicate wirelessly. How cool is that? So my kids in the back seat or kid and husband can be playing the same game together on their little hand helds. I love it. 8 hour car rides will be much less painful.

Buuuuut... I only have one old Ds. I'll have to buy another one at $129. Ouch. And here's the thing. Ava loves to watch video games but plays them less than her sister. If I don't buy her one I run the risk of having a Christmas morning meltdown on my hands and that whole wireless function? all for nothing.

I thought about scrapping the whole DS idea but I keep coming back to it for Lily. She would love it, and it could grow with her. I know it's a toy that I will not be ready to throw out in a year due to uselessness.

I guess my Christmas budget is just going to have to stretch a little further.

Interview with a five year old - The Ava edition

Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Pink

Q: Favorite food?
A: Skyline (kids Psghetti Special, chocolate milk, oreos)

Q: Favorite veggie?
A: Brussels sprouts and turnips, I can't decide.

Q Least favorite food?
A: pink cabbage and also meatballs (pink cabbage = red cabbage)

Q: Favorite show?
A: Shark Tales

Q: Favorite game?
A: don't have one

Q: Favorite book?
A: Mistletoe

Q: What will you be when you grow up?
A: a vet

Q: Will you have babies?
A: Yes, only one. I will name her Daisy.

Q: Will you get married?
A: Yes, I'm going to marry Daddy

Q: Where will you live?
A: Wisconsin, I'm going to be neighbors with Grandma and Grandpa

Q: Who is your best friend?
A: Austin

Q: What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
A: Fight him

Q: What about Mom?
A: Cook

Q: What does Dad do for work?
A: Digs for dinosaur bones I think.

Q: How about Mom?
A: Takes care of us.

Q: What did Mom do before you were born?
A: I don't know, a photographer?

Interview with a 5 year old - The Lily edition

Q: What is your favorite color
A: purple and grey

Q: Favorite food?
A: Meatballs and spaghetti

Q: Least favorite food?
A: mac and cheese

Q: Favorite veggie?
A: Brussels sprouts

Q: Favorite show?
A: Tom and Jerry

Q: Favorite game?
A: Red game (Super Mario Bros Wii)

Q: Favorite book?
A: That Christmas mouse one. (A Magical Christmas)

Q: What will you be when you grow up?
A: A Doctor

Q: Will you have babies?
A: No

Q: Will you get married?
A: No

Q: Where will you live?
A: Ohio

Q: Who is your very best friend?
A: Johnathon (preschool friend)

Q: What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
A: Play video games

Q: What about with Momma?
A: Cook

Q: What does Daddy do for work?
A: Meet new friends

Q: How about Mom?
A: Stays home with us. And also shops.

Q: What about before you were born?
A: She married Daddy

My fast, easy, healthy soup recipe

This soup is a staple in our house. I make it often during the cooler months, usually on the weekend. It's great with grilled cheese , bonus points if you add tomato slices to your grilled cheese and sprinkle the buttered side with Parmesan cheese before you grill it. If you've never tried the Parmesan cheese thing, please give it a try, you're missing out.


Here it is all prettied up, garnished with garlic infused olive oil, cracked black pepper, and shaved Parmesan cheese. It's so pretty, isn't it?

Here it is all dumped in the pot, just before I took the blender to it. If you don't have an immersion blender I highly recommend them. They make quick work of this soup and you save on dirty dishes, score.

White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Basil

2 16oz cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed

2 C chicken broth/stock

1 C your favorite marinara sauce

2 large cloves of garlic, minced (I use jarred)

5-6 leaves of fresh basil*

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary*

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

* If you don't have fresh herbs use about a tsp of Italian seasoning

Puree everything in a blender (or use an immersion blender right in the pot). Bring to a simmer. Cook 4-5 minutes. Serve with whatever garnish you choose.

Some day I am going to mix it up and substitute black beans, salsa, lime juice, cumin, and cilantro and then serve it with sour cream and quesadillas. The original is so good that I never stray from it.

Apple Pie Baked in a Brown Paper Bag

Picture taken straight out of the oven, I had just cut the hole into the top of the bag.

This is a recipe my mom got out of the newspaper years and years ago. They sell them at The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, WI and it's now famous because it beat Bobby Flay's apple pie on the Food Network.

It's easy to make, there are no crazy tricks. The apple part is pretty much the same as every other apple pie recipe out there. It has a sugar cookie like top crust, though it's not really a crust and you bake it in a paper bag that's been stapled shut. The bag does not catch on fire, I promise. The first few minutes in the oven it smells like it may burst into flames but it's never happened to me. Promise. So that's it. Try one today, and if you really want the full WI experience you'll eat your slice of pie with a nice slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Apple Pie Baked in a Brown Paper Bag

(Pie)

2 1/2 pounds apples

1/2 C sugar

2 T flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 unbaked pie shell

2 T lemon juice

(Topping)

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C flour

1/2 C butter

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl. Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples. Toss to coat. Spoon into pastry shell and drizzle lemon juice over the apples. Preheat oven to 425

Make Topping: Combine sugar and flour in a bowl and cut in butter until you have fully incorporated the butter and are left with pea sized lumps. Form into a ball, divide into fourths, squish each one into a thin disk shape and cover the pie as best you can, it won't be perfect.

Slide pie into a clean brown paper bag (store logos are fine) on a cookie sheet. Fold open end over twice and secure with paper clips or staples.

Bake at 425 for one hour. After removing from the oven immediately cut away the top of the bag. If you don't it will get mushy.

How did this happen?

The ladies are five years old.

It just doesn't seem right. I have been reminiscing and looking at baby photos. I'm stuck in that in-between place where it feels like yesterday and yet I can't remember a time before them either. That saying, "the days are long but the years are short" is ringing true.

Looking back I have an ache in my heart for Lily's fat rolls and chubby cheeks and for Ava's bird call laugh as well as for all of those firsts. Gone forever but thankfully caught in pictures and video.

On the other hand I see all of the bottles, diapers, sleepless nights, and baby gates that come with being a parent of twins and I am glad that we are beyond them.

So here I sit in the post baby years, feeling conflicted. Wishing on one hand that there could have been more babies for us, but on the other hand excited to start the school years and slowly get back more of myself and my husband.

Yep, I'm "that" mom

Here's the deal you group of Mommies in perfectly pressed khaki's, full make up and snobby accents. You with your children in fancy clothes that you keep trying to adjust and make sure remain clean. You with your matching fancy coffee's and your perfectly formed circle that's close enough to the playground should little Hannah need you but not close enough that you may get dirty. I am not a bump on a log. I do not care if I look silly. I am able to laugh at myself. I love to make people laugh, even at my own expense, especially my children. I try not to take myself too seriously.

So when I am at the playground I play with my kids. I play tag and race around and pretend to be the monster or the dragon or whatever the hell my kids want me to be. And you know what? They love it. You know what else? YOUR kids love it. That's why they come over and ask if they can play with us and then end up crying when we leave. You may want to try it sometime, actually playing with your kids. It's kind of awesome. Of course you and your children may have to get a little dirty. You'll probably have to wear different shoes, too.

Once you've mastered playing with your children at parks you can move on to more crazy stuff. I suggest shopping cart races down small hills in big box parking lots, while half of the onlookers look at you like you should be in jail and the other half looks at you like they wish they could try it. Or beat boxing at the grocery store while your kids play the Quaker Oatmeal drums. Or perhaps you could let Dad in on the fun and ambush him with silly string when he gets out of the car after work. This is especially fun because he will be unarmed. However, I will let you know that silly string on a 90 degree day has a certain suck factor in the clean up department.

If none of these things interest you, playground Mommy, just go ahead and stay in your circle with your fancy coffee and snobbery. But be advised, when I say "heads up!" I'm only giving you half a second to get out of the way of the Frisbee, and if it hits you in the head I will totally laugh.

Lentils!

While living in CO I purchased a cookbook which was to become one of my favorite cookbooks of all time, Southern Living Slow Cooker Recipes. In that cookbook was a recipe that normally I would have just flipped right past but for some reason caught my eye. The recipe was Spanish Style Lentils and Rice, and that recipe started my infatuation with lentils. Yeah, I know you're sitting there going, "Lentils? Seriously?" But hang on a second. They're cheap, they're good for you, and most importantly my family loves them.

So, here you go, my family's favorite lentil recipes. Try one and you may be surprised.

Spanish Style Lentils and Rice

*This is great used in place of taco meat.

1 c dried lentils

1 c uncooked brown rice

1 onion chopped

1 green pepper chopped

2 cans chicken broth

1 can ro-tel

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Soak lentils for 8 hours, drain and rinse. You really do have to check them thoroughly, they are a product that isn't messed with in any way. Occasionally you may find a rock.

Add rice and next 8 ingredients. Cook on low for 4 hours or until tender. Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

*I find that my "new" crock pot cooks too high, even on low. Watch the time on this, it will be done faster than 4 hours if you use a "new" crock pot.

Herbed Lentils and Rice

Recipe found here... http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Herbed-Lentils-and-Rice/Detail.aspx

I have made many variations of this recipe, added chicken, added ground bison, changed the swiss cheese for cheddar. Very good served with chicken, pork, or fish. Also good reheated. This is a staple in our house.

Dal Makhani

Recipe found here... http://steamykitchen.com/10989-indian-dal-nirvana.html

My kids go nuts for this! We eat this with a green salad and steamed rice, clean plates all around. Easy to prepare and cheap!

Christmas is coming, time to buy useless toys

When you have children born in the few months leading up to Christmas you have the special treat of buying birthday gifts just as the Christmas toys are being put on the shelf.

Let's take a look at some of the wonderful toys introduced for the 2010 Christmas season shall we?

1. Sing-a-ma-jigs. The mouth is unnerving. My kids would probably love these. They will not be under the tree.

http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-R4761-The-Sing-A-Ma-Jigs-Teal/dp/B00388L7VC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1284572594&sr=1-1

2. Squinkies. The ladies told me these are not cool and they don't want them. I'm going to try to get that in writing.

http://www.amazon.com/Blip-Toys-37004-Squinkies-Playhouse/dp/B003LQVTUK/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1284573271&sr=1-24

3. Zoobles. I like the colors, they're cute, and cheap at least. I guess LPS was getting old.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoobles-20029955-Undersea-Play-Set/dp/B0038OMQ48/ref=pd_sbs_t_3

4. Video Barbie Girl. You have to see a picture of her straight on. She should be called Tracheotomy Barbie.

http://www.amazon.com/Mattel-R4093-Barbie-Video-Girl/dp/B0037UR206/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1284573574&sr=1-16

5. Whimzy Platinum Pony Carousel Playset. So all of your little animals can ride on a bigger animal.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4109574

6. Polly Pocket Cutants. Mix an animal with an inanimate object and there you go.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4382813

7. Lalaloopsy Doll. Proof that a good gimmick and a cute toy is really all you need.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4102322

8. Baby Alive. Is it me or do you cringe while walking past them when they all start moving and making noise?

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4102267

9. Kung Zhu. Because boys need to have their own cool Zhu's

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4033531

10. No explanation needed.

http://www.reborn-baby.com/berenguer-anya-doll.html

They might be giants

No seriously, my family might be giants.

Okay maybe that's a stretch ( ha!) but given my post the other day about how hard it is to find clothes for my husband and myself, and an incident at Kohls yesterday, I am beginning to wonder.

The girls and I went to Kohls for some deal hunting. I got a ton of cheap stuff. Spent $93, saved $260. I'll take it. Anyway, while we were walking and shopping Ava says Mom, my foot hurts. I look down at her foot and there is rubbed in blood all over the inside of her foot. Her new sandals gave her a blister, surprise surprise. Every pair of summer shoes she has had gives her a blister. It's not the shoes it's her. Ava has this

http://www.hopkinsortho.org/femoral_anteversion.html

and it makes her shoes rub on her feet.

The remainder of the shopping trip she sat in the stroller part of our cart with her shoes off. We went home and got her bandaged up, got some socks and real shoes on, and headed out to look for new shoes at Meijer. I found some Sketchers that I thought were cute, well-made, and not overly obnoxious. I grabbed a 12 for Ava and a 13 for Lil. As they were walking around I did the push on your toe and wiggle test. Holy Shit, these shoes are almost too small. Luckily they had the next size up for Lil, and all was well.

We ended up walking out with a size 13 for Ava and a 1 for Lil. I can't even believe how much they've grown. Their summer sandals that I bought in late Spring were a 11 and a 12. I don't think they've ever skipped a whole size.

I am not ready for them to be this big. Kindergarten is looming...

Dress your husband in corduroy and denim

In the past I have been caught in the middle between clothes that I like and what I see other mommies wearing. To make matters worse I am tall and have freakishly long arms and legs, and ribs that protrude (especially on the left). Add in the fact that I don't have a million dollars to have my clothing custom made or altered and it makes shopping a bit difficult for me. I find myself scouring racks at Target looking for that one size medium T shirt that was cut wrong, with the freakishly long arms. If you've ever been shopping with me you understand.

A few years ago a friend introduced me to The Buckle; a wonderful store at the mall. After you regain consciousness from the price of a pair of jeans and try some on you will realize that your ass really is amazing. You will feel wonderful about your body and you will happily shell out $100 for a pair of "makes my ass look good" jeans. Then you'll go home and you'll gingerly tell your husband how much you just spent on a pair of jeans. After he regains consciousness, and you show him how great your ass looks, he will beg you to go and buy more. And so it goes.

I am anxious for fall. It is by far my favorite season, followed by winter. I did some shopping while B was here and I got a nice gift certificate from Jer for my birthday for The Buckle and put it to good use on new fall/winter clothes. I was showing Jer what I bought and he told me he was no longer cool enough to be seen with me.

For those who don't know my husband, he is incredibly neat and polished ALL THE TIME. The man irons everything he wears, I am not exaggerating. In fact, I bought him a fancy new iron for Father's Day and he was giddy. He will not wear a T shirt that has a wrinkle. He can't leave his shirt un-tucked, he will die, surely. Mostly he wears business casual clothing when he's not at work, button down shirts, khaki shorts. If we go fishing, camping, or hiking he can relax the standards. I tease him constantly but at least I never have to iron.

I asked Jer what kind of clothes he needed for fall so I can start shopping for him (he hates shopping, I love it, it works out well). He told me he wants cool clothes, so he can be cool like me. I thought surely I can find him something that is comparable without being silly and I hit my favorite online stores. This is going to be extremely difficult.

http://www.buckle.com/styleandtrends/outfit_detail.jsp?bmUID=iFJ13gd&N=42+2294

Can you seriously imagine Jer in this outfit and keep a straight face?

http://www.buckle.com/styleandtrends/outfit_detail.jsp?bmUID=iFJ144x&N=42+2296

Not only does my husbands personality make this a tall order, but his actual size is extremely difficult to fit. He's 6'6", 34x36 pant, and a 16 1/2 36x37 shirt. Not too mention that all of the "cool" men's styles are wrinkled and unkempt looking, if I buy him one of those shirts he will iron and starch it, tuck it in, and all will be lost.

What does your husband wear?

An experiment

There was a recipe for Peking Roast in Heloise's column last week that the original Heloise printed in the 60's after obtaining the recipe from a Chinese cook at a hotel where she stayed. It struck me as so odd and slightly unsettling that I am making it tonight. Here is the recipe more or less.

Peking Roast

Buy any 3-5 lbs roast, cut makes no difference. Make small slits all over the roast and insert cloves of garlic and slices of onion into the slits. Next, place in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of vinegar, make sure the vinegar runs into all of the slits. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Remove from vinegar and brown on all sides until almost burnt. Then transfer to a heavy non-reactive pot and cover with two cups of strong brewed coffee and one cup water. Cook 4-6 hours on the stove top, making sure that the pot doesn't boil dry. Season with salt and pepper 20 minutes before serving.

I will let you all know how this turns out. I can't even wrap my brain around this to even have a guess as to how this will taste. But Heloise swears in the column that you could serve this to the queen of England if she should show up at your door tonight.

Update: The Queen of England would not be impressed. The meat was good with some soy sauce on it, otherwise too bland. If I make it again I will highly season it.

Wrong

We went to National Night Out last night for the first time and had a blast. We will definitely make sure to go next year as well. We took the girls in the fire departments' smoke house which is something I did when I was a kid. They freaked a little when the smoke started which is to be expected but I think it made a big impression on them.

Free events sure do bring out everyone in town. I saw more toddlers with no shoes, dirty clothes, and Mohawks than I have all summer. I swear that I heard calls for "Sissy!" and "Pawpaw!" all evening. Next year I think the police should stand at the entrance with a list of the counties most wanted, I'm fairly sure they would nab a few meth heads.

But one thing bothered me more than the rest, so much so that I'm still thinking about it today. There was a big kid, maybe 18 or so, but just huge, that obviously had special needs of some sort. He was with what I assume was his family and being led through the crowd towering over everyone. His hair was not combed and he had on a black T shirt with huge lettering that said DORK. I suppose if my child wanted to wear a shirt that said DORK on it I would allow it, but this kid didn't look like he was verbal at all. I am still trying to figure out why you would do that to a kid with special needs.

A lesson in pronunciation

according to my children...

apricot = africot
that's why = thatwise
McDonalds = Old McDonalds
Cracker Barrel = Wheel Barrel
Raspberry = Rozberry (Lily)
Grandma and Grandpa = Grampa and Grampa (Ava)
Something = someking (Ava)

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

or something.

Every once in awhile I go through a spurt where I am completely uninterested in the computer and all things Internet. Of course I still check my email but everything else just gets to be too much.

The weather has been beautiful and we've been outside for the better part of the day, every day for weeks. The inside of my house is low on the totem pole of stuff that's important to me right now. We completed two rooms (1/2 bath, foyer) and almost completed the dining room, now we have switched our focus to the yard.

I had 4yds of dirt delivered and regraded the backyard/side yard, and fixed a downspout issue while Jer was in TX a few weeks ago. We put in two new flower beds and edged them with brick. We had one and a half tons of flag stone delivered last week for our new patio. A neighbor offered to give us her pergola for free if we would take it down for her, so now we are working on digging the holes for that and reassembling it over the patio area. When that is up we'll lay all the stone.

I have been planting peonies, astilbe, gladiolus bulbs, dahlias, re blooming day lilies, freesia, and pink bleeding hearts. I started the spinach (which is doing nicely), and the lettuce tape (which isn't doing shit). The veggies and plants I've started from seed are doing nicely and are almost ready to transplant. I chopped out three shrubs that my neighbor and her husband have been trying to kill for years, and as payment got some plants that had grown amongst the chaos.

I need to go to Joanns and get fabric to make a cushion for the side porch swing. I also need to buy the dwarf blueberry bushes I've had my eye on since January.

So much to do, so much to do....

Advertising works

My kids watch TV and I like it. Summon a policeman.

Their favorite channel is Sprout and 99% of their TV watching is that channel. Unfortunately, unlike The Disney Channel or PBS, Sprout has commercials. Most of those commercials are those infomercial product things, like The Snuggie. I knew it was becoming a problem around Christmas when we were making out Christmas lists and they both wanted The Touch and Brush on their list. It's an automatic toothpaste dispenser. I probably would have wanted one of those too at their age. Needless to say Santa didn't deliver.

Yesterday as I was cleaning the bathroom Ava came in to use the facilities. She asked what I was doing and I explained myself. She looked at me with a very serious face and proceeded to tell me that steam was the best way to clean. After a small discussion about the wonders of advertising she went back to playing Barbies, probably still thinking that steam is the best way to clean.

And me? Yeah, I just finished placing an order for two Pillow Pets. So there.

It's a pillow, and a pet. It's a pillow pet!

Bring on the commercials, I'll get my wallet.

Escape Artist Hound

We were in WI for the last week due to a death in the family. Marty spent that time at the kennel.

Jer went to pick him up when we got home on Sunday and relayed the following story.

Jer- So I walked into the little office thing and nobody was there so I flipped the light switch om the wall to let them know I was waiting. I was starting to get pissed cause I had been waiting for almost five minutes and then I hear clickety clickety click coming down the hallway. I turned and here comes the hound walking from the back room, alone. He freaks out and attacks me as per usual. Nobody comes, it's just him. So I start thinking what the hell, are there cameras in here or something that they knew to let him out?

A minute later the lady comes out and takes Marty by the collar all exasperated saying "Oh you dog, come on, back in you go" and takes Marty back into the kennels. She then comes back into the office and asks me who I'm picking up. When I tell her Marty she laughs and says that he has been escaping. Somehow he gets through two gates with latches and nobody knows how he does it.

I guess nobody can keep this hound down. Maybe that bionic back is the secret. I think it has more to do with his bionic nose. After all his nose has a record. He has already broken two toilet tanks with it. It's a nose to be reckoned with, don't take it lightly. I'm pretty sure he could break your leg with that thing if you pushed him far enough. Don't let the ears fool you, he's dangerous.

Funnies

Ok, more blogs and sites. This is my list of everyday funnies. When you're home all day with four year olds you need a little dose of funny to counteract the rainbows and unicorns. Please add to the list.

http://verydemotivational.com/

http://wedinator.com/

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

http://kazooisms.blogspot.com/

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

http://failblog.org/

Just sayin'

You know how wonderful it is to find a great new website or blog? Maybe it's just me but when I find something new I immediately read everything on it.

I was introduced to this blog yesterday http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/2010/01/plans-recycling-center-pottery-barn.html and I now have a list a mile long of all the cool shit I could build, or rather, have my husband build, on the cheap.

This is another one of my favorites. http://www.ourvictorianhouse.com/index.htm The before and after gallery just kills me.

I don't even know.

Yesterday I was online window shopping at Victoria's Secret and checking out their new swim wear and shoes (lots of their styles go up to size 11, I'm guessing for the cross dressing crowd). Anyway, I think I may try one of their long torso tankini's.

Then I looked at the bikinis. Why, you ask? Because at one point in my life before children, before infertility drugs, and before the birth control pill I could have worn every single one of them and looked HOT. And I was bored. SO I found some super cute ones that I would have bought back in the day for my former stick figure self.

Like this one

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=GJ-252097&page=1&cgname=OSSWMBIKZZZ&rfnbr=1232

And this one

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=GJ-252113&page=1&cgname=OSSWMBIKZZZ&rfnbr=1232

But then they got scary.

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=GJ-254672&page=1&cgname=OSSWMMWLZZZ&rfnbr=5790

And then I just couldn't comprehend them anymore.

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=GJ-258344&page=1&cgname=OSSWMMWLZZZ&rfnbr=5790

That last one is a topless bikini. Why? Why would you do that to yourself? It's not flattering, even to the stick figure model. And yet you know that some girl with giant boobs is going to buy that, wear it on spring break, and be in video. Honestly, if you want to show off the ladies just take your shirt off. There is no need to buy a topless bikini for $68.

Am I old? Does this make me not cool?

Project planning

Spring will get here eventually and I am already planning our spring/summer projects. There's a ton of painting to do; which means at some point I will need to decide on some paint colors and stay with those decisions.

The project I'm really looking forward to is outside. We need to do some grading and rebuild some window wells and after that's done we will be re-landscaping the backyard complete with patio and walkway, fence, new play set, more vegetable and herb beds, and flowers. An outdoor fireplace might also be in order.

I am in planning and info gathering mode right now. We are going to do all of this ourselves. I am so excited to be planning something again.

So how about you? What are you plotting at the moment?