Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Feast your eyes on THIS!
Do yourself a favor and make this. Here's the recipe:
Just mush up (but not too much!) the avocados, lime juice, & salt. I use my pastry blender because it feels lonely & useless sometimes when I'm not on one of my pie kicks. But you could also use a fork just fine. Then chop up & add everything else, and stir in in. The fresher the ingredients, the better. I really shouldn't be telling anyone how easy this is.
Do yourself another favor and get at least one of these:
Tupperware FridgeSmart containers are the bomb. I don't even sell it, I just love these containers! That cilantro & parsley in there? It's like 2 weeks old. Not a hint of anything...no wilting, spotting, or anything gross - just fresh & green, like the day I bought it.
Thanks to my friend Heidi who taught me this little trick: to keep your guac from turning brown, do this:
Put plastic wrap over it, and push it down onto the dip so that no air can get in. This really works. I've tried other things in the past, but it always turns brown. This really works. I believe I said that already. This particular recipe I think stays nice and green for a long time because of all the lime juice in it. But the plastic wrap thing doesn't hurt either.
And just so you know, Greg thinks I'm insane for taking pics of my guacamole. He walked into the kitchen as I was doing it. I can't say that I didn't feel just a little stupid. No, not stupid....well yeah, kinda stupid. Oh well. He should expect these kinds of things after almost 9 years.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Gonna party like it's my berfday
Announcement: yesterday's pity party is now over.
On to more pressing matters. Like me, having a birthday! The big 3-5. I have no problems with that. Greg took the day off, and I plan to do a few things:
paint my toenails....check. did it last night. Do you like my flip-flop tan?
finish this. My first one was shot all to heck. And we have company coming this weekend! So while it's really not my first choice of things to do, I really need to get it done.
On my crafty blog, I put up a cute little orange/zebra print bag. This is going to be bag #2...for Abby!
fill this up with soil and veggies! (after putting down some weed fabric) This is the 4x4 "square foot garden" frame that I built by myself. I am so proud of it! I can't wait to get my veggie garden going...hopefully the rain holds off today!
Woooooo-hooo! It's the restaurant I picked for tonight.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
waaaaahhhhh!
Vent alert: you've been warned
I'm so stinkin' ovewhelmed!!!! Too much going on right now. Too much that I haven't done that I meant to do and now I feel really bad about not doing. Too much @#$%& month at the end of the money. Too much to plan for, not enough of what I need to do it right. Too much to do just today alone! Too much on my shoulders that really shouldn't be there in the first place, but somehow it is.
Do I need a vacation? Yes. Am I going to get one? No.
Pity party anyone? Sorry. : /
I'm so stinkin' ovewhelmed!!!! Too much going on right now. Too much that I haven't done that I meant to do and now I feel really bad about not doing. Too much @#$%& month at the end of the money. Too much to plan for, not enough of what I need to do it right. Too much to do just today alone! Too much on my shoulders that really shouldn't be there in the first place, but somehow it is.
Do I need a vacation? Yes. Am I going to get one? No.
Pity party anyone? Sorry. : /
Monday, May 31, 2010
Adventures in yard sale-ing
BOY did I have fun this weekend! We went in with some friends on a yard sale, for one thing. Made a tidy little sum on stuff we wanted out of our house anyway. The only thing that made me sad to see go was the push-me popper that both of my kids loved when they were little....r.
First and foremost, I have to say, probably my fav part of this whole thing was seeing the kids do their first lemonade stand. Abby has had it on the calendar for literally the better part of a year. Really. She put it on the calendar back sometime in ought nine. My involvement was on an as-needed basis. I supplied the lemonade & cups...the kids really did the rest.
This was also the weekend for the annual "Belmont Community Yard Sale" - which just happened to be on the other side of the road from our sale. On Saturday, Greg stayed at our sale with the kids and I was able to sneak away for a while. Let me put it this way: I hit about 15-20 sales, in the SAME neighborhood, in about 1.5 hours. By myself! No kids to drag around and falsely promise, "just one more, just one more." Sweeeeet! Just a few of my finds...
That's a Ralph Lauren bag...$1. Workout video, $2 (a little steep, I know). Sweet little plate, .15. Pair of birdie chalkware plaques - free! I rescued them from Greg's "to sell" pile. But I would have paid the $1, had I found them. :) I feel like I'm missing something....I can't remember. I also got several books, but that's not very exciting. Well, it was exciting to me, but...oh whatever.
Edited to add: Oh yeah! I remember what else I got. Some new-ish Tupperware pieces for $1 each. So new you can buy them out of a current catalog, new. They're in my dishwasher at the moment. Because I really need more Tupperware. Really. Half of the catalog is just not enough. Greg is thrilled, by the way.
I took some pics with my phone while out & about....maybe you'll get a kick out of them like I did...
First and foremost, I have to say, probably my fav part of this whole thing was seeing the kids do their first lemonade stand. Abby has had it on the calendar for literally the better part of a year. Really. She put it on the calendar back sometime in ought nine. My involvement was on an as-needed basis. I supplied the lemonade & cups...the kids really did the rest.
Here's a closeup of the sign Abby made. I didn't help her at all. It's in the "keeper" pile already!
When a customer came to their table, Nolan's job was to get a cup and give it to Abby, who would then fill the cup to a certain level, depending on whether they were a kid or a "gron-up." I gave them about $2 in quarters in case they needed to make change. I guess I should have explained this concept of "change" in a little more detail. I was standing there when a kid came up and gave Abby a quarter. She poured his lemonade, then asked him if he wanted a quarter back in change. I then swooped in and did a little money lesson...it's actually hard to explain when you have to explain it!
We also tried to sell some of those blasted Sheetz MTO coupons, with very little success. Then some annoying little punk spilled lemonade all over them, with his punk grandfather standing right there, who did nothing about it. As I was mopping them off, laying them out in the sun to try to dry, I looked Old Punk in the eye and asked him if he would like to buy a few (more as a statement, not so much as a question, if you know what I mean), and he actually said to me, "no, that's OK, I already have some of those at home." I feel my blood pressure rising again. Moving on....
This was also the weekend for the annual "Belmont Community Yard Sale" - which just happened to be on the other side of the road from our sale. On Saturday, Greg stayed at our sale with the kids and I was able to sneak away for a while. Let me put it this way: I hit about 15-20 sales, in the SAME neighborhood, in about 1.5 hours. By myself! No kids to drag around and falsely promise, "just one more, just one more." Sweeeeet! Just a few of my finds...
Edited to add: Oh yeah! I remember what else I got. Some new-ish Tupperware pieces for $1 each. So new you can buy them out of a current catalog, new. They're in my dishwasher at the moment. Because I really need more Tupperware. Really. Half of the catalog is just not enough. Greg is thrilled, by the way.
I took some pics with my phone while out & about....maybe you'll get a kick out of them like I did...
heaven, I'm in heaven...
Uhhh, ok...
Here is a book I picked up to look at....
and here was the inscription on the back cover.
Also overheard (and only in Johnstown would you hear this conversation):
- "I think it's time for a gob."
- "oh, is it lunchtime already?"
- "no, but it can still be breakfast!"
Monday, May 17, 2010
From 6 to 16 in about a minute
We took Abby to the mall tonight to (gulp) get her ears pierced. Let's just say she did much better than I did when I got mine done. Ask my family. They'll gladly tell you, and they'll be sure to embellish the good parts, too.
Since the tee-ball game got canceled for tonight, Abby asked if we could take her to the mall..."to get my ears pierced, and then to play on the playground, and then to look at things we could buy." Hmmm. Well, we can at least do #1... So we go to the legendary Claire's Boutique. Thank goodness they're still in our sad little Galleria, because I have no idea where else to take one wanting to get one's ears pierced. The girl working was sooooo super nice, thank goodness! I think she really helped Abby feel at ease, because she was pretty nervous on the way there.
Abs chose a pair of Hello Kitty earrings. SO cute! Back in my day, we had the ol' 12 birthstones to choose from. And while I'm on the subject, back in MY day, it cost $6.00 to get your ears done. $6.00. Before leaving the house tonight, I fished $20 out of my other purse (you know, my other purse), thinking that it would cover the earrings, and there'd be enough left for Auntie Anne's afterward. HA, uh, yeah right. I just about had a heart attack in the store when we turned the thing over and saw that the earrings were $29.50. I kid you not! And that was one of the less expensive options! So. Times have changed, and apparently I need to get out of the early 80's. Maybe if I get brave, I can even venture out of the whole 1900's.
Since the tee-ball game got canceled for tonight, Abby asked if we could take her to the mall..."to get my ears pierced, and then to play on the playground, and then to look at things we could buy." Hmmm. Well, we can at least do #1... So we go to the legendary Claire's Boutique. Thank goodness they're still in our sad little Galleria, because I have no idea where else to take one wanting to get one's ears pierced. The girl working was sooooo super nice, thank goodness! I think she really helped Abby feel at ease, because she was pretty nervous on the way there.
Abs chose a pair of Hello Kitty earrings. SO cute! Back in my day, we had the ol' 12 birthstones to choose from. And while I'm on the subject, back in MY day, it cost $6.00 to get your ears done. $6.00. Before leaving the house tonight, I fished $20 out of my other purse (you know, my other purse), thinking that it would cover the earrings, and there'd be enough left for Auntie Anne's afterward. HA, uh, yeah right. I just about had a heart attack in the store when we turned the thing over and saw that the earrings were $29.50. I kid you not! And that was one of the less expensive options! So. Times have changed, and apparently I need to get out of the early 80's. Maybe if I get brave, I can even venture out of the whole 1900's.
Abby, looking a little nervous
holding back a tear or two. She was such a big girl!
cool bag! Maybe that explains the $29.50.
be still my heart. She looks so GROWN UP!
And let me tell you, she is psyched to go to school tomorrow and show all her friends!
Maybe I can start getting out of the 80's by not using words like "psyched" anymore.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Random stuff
Catching title! I know that just makes you want to READ ON!
Tee ball has started, school is winding down (hooray), the weather is lovely (except for today; we have a river flowing down our street). Ian will graduate in a MONTH - like, from high school! Unbelievable. I started dating his dad when he was 7 YEARS OLD. Now he's enrolled in college. More on that later.
Well now that it's MAY, maybe you'd like to see a pic from Easter. Remember Easter?
That's the kids' new favorite thing to do at church - go to this little spot and play until Daddy brings the car around.
Here are a few more random pics of late...
1. Nolan, tired.
2. Abby, pensive. This is so "her." (not posed at all - she just does this)
3. The kids posing for me
4. Sorry, had to sneak this one in. It's just so thrilling to 1.see myself in a picture and 2. have it be somewhat flattering. I'm wearing makeup here - that's pretty awesome. This is on our wine & cheese train ride a few weeks ago. Fun! Except that I was way overdressed, and I hate being overdressed. The lady at the ticket place looked me up & down and said, "well you're all spiffed up." - but not in, like, a complimentary way. I do not like being spiffy if no one else is being spiffy. But I do love the word "spiffy." And let me tell you something else about this train ride, after several glasses of wine and very little food...well I think the movie we saw afterward was extra hilarious to me, if you know what I mean. Now I've said too much.
Tee ball has started, school is winding down (hooray), the weather is lovely (except for today; we have a river flowing down our street). Ian will graduate in a MONTH - like, from high school! Unbelievable. I started dating his dad when he was 7 YEARS OLD. Now he's enrolled in college. More on that later.
Well now that it's MAY, maybe you'd like to see a pic from Easter. Remember Easter?
Here are a few more random pics of late...
2. Abby, pensive. This is so "her." (not posed at all - she just does this)
3. The kids posing for me
4. Sorry, had to sneak this one in. It's just so thrilling to 1.see myself in a picture and 2. have it be somewhat flattering. I'm wearing makeup here - that's pretty awesome. This is on our wine & cheese train ride a few weeks ago. Fun! Except that I was way overdressed, and I hate being overdressed. The lady at the ticket place looked me up & down and said, "well you're all spiffed up." - but not in, like, a complimentary way. I do not like being spiffy if no one else is being spiffy. But I do love the word "spiffy." And let me tell you something else about this train ride, after several glasses of wine and very little food...well I think the movie we saw afterward was extra hilarious to me, if you know what I mean. Now I've said too much.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Things I've been doing lately, in no particular order:
1. Being hooked on The Pioneer Woman's blog. Oh. My. Goodness. This woman is awesome. I totally love her! I was poking around online looking for some new recipes, dinner ideas, etc. Somehow that led to my finding her blog and spending a ridiculous number of hours (yes, hours...not all in one sitting though, OK?) reading her story of how she met her husband. I have never read such a romantic love story in all. my. life. Seriously. You have to read this.
2. Reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. (I know that's supposed to be underlined but I don't know how to do that!) I'm actually venturing into something a little new...a college friend (from Furman!) got in touch with me (gotta love Facebook) and asked if I'd want to contribute to the website he works for, as in, do I want to write some book reviews? Uh............sure! :) This is new for me, I've never written a book review. Only book reports, like in middle school, when I'd basically skim the book the day or two before the assignment was due, then summarize the back cover or inside flap and call it a report. I don't think that's going to fly this time. So I've actually been reading the book. Well, procrastinating on reading the book. Little did I realize that once I agreed to do this, I'd be thrown back into high school, with that same feeling of "oh, man. I have to do this assignment." Or like those dreaded summer reading lists that I always used to put off until the last two weeks of August. (Not that I'm complaining; I really do want to do this!) It's just funny how it has that distinct "homework" feeling to it. Well anyway, I devoted this past weekend to getting down to business and READING the book, which, once I got started, went quickly, and now I'm looking forward to the writing part. I think that will be the easy part; we shall see.
3. Contemplating life. Seriously. Ooops, that's the second time I've used the word "seriously." I don't know what's going on with me, but I have been seriously deep in thought lately. Distracted during the day, lying awake with my mind racing in the wee hours. I guess that's all I'll say because...there could be strangers reading this blog! Or worse, people I know!
4. Various and sundry mom-related activities - my favorite kind! This week, when/if the rain lets up, we'll be going out to do our second annual Easter egg tree. That was great fun last year and it reminds me of Mam-Mam. Abby & Nolan will both be playing tee ball this year - fun! A little nervous about how Nolan will do with this 4-year-old attention span, but it's tee ball for Pete's sake.
Let me see if I can rustle up some pics...
OK, now I remember how I got my (self-appointed) title of Mother of the Year. This is just pathetic! These are all the pics I have to offer? I promise to get my camera out and do better next time around.
But, in my own defense, it has been late winter/early spring in western PA. I'll paint a little word picture for those who have never experienced such a time in such a place: dreary...cold...cabin fever...we're all driving each other nuts...we've done all the creative indoor activities that we can think of all winter long, and now Mommy is just fresh out of any more ideas, and soooooo looking forward to summer it's not even funny....OK. Can I be off the hook now? A little? ;)
Well, in order to not end on a whiny, complain-y note...let me do a little bragging on my kids...consider this your "spoiler alert" - if you don't want to hear me get all obnoxious about my wonderful, super-smart, super-awesome, funny, adorable, intelligent kids, then stop reading now. You've been warned. I'm serious, it gets bad.
Our dear little Abby, her kindergarten teacher informed me, is reading and writing on a second grade level. Yep! I was only a little surprised at that. You should see the things she does around the house. She writes messages to all of us, she makes herself little "to-do" lists before she goes to bed each night - for the next day. In her dresser drawer, I found a detailed plan for an April Fool's joke she's planning to play on me. She just finished reading her first "chapter book" - 100% by herself. The girl is freakin' smart!
And then there's her brother, who at 4 years old, can count by ones, twos, fives, and tens...to well beyond 100. Trust me, I've been privileged to hear it, number by painstaking number, MANY times. Oh, so many times. We figured out one day that the little thermometer in our car can be switched back and forth from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Our little Nolan kept asking me to "push the button" - F to C, C to F. OK, Nolan...let's give the button-pushing a rest? So one random day, the temp was on Celsius, and from the backseat, I heard Nolan tell me what the temp was in "F." Fahrenheit. I was like, whaaa? I pushed the button, and sure enough. The kid is freakin' smart. Oh, AND he can also read large parts of books - especially Dr. Seuss books - pretty much by himself. AND he's starting to write. Did I mention he's 4 years old? (Hey, I told you it was going to be obnoxious...)
So that's that. For now. I have to get myself and the little guy dressed & ready to go play with a friend this morning...then who knows what. I have a list of "nagging tasks" to do that's a mile long, maybe I'll try to knock out some of those today. It's cold & rainy (shocker!) so it's a good day to do it!
1. Being hooked on The Pioneer Woman's blog. Oh. My. Goodness. This woman is awesome. I totally love her! I was poking around online looking for some new recipes, dinner ideas, etc. Somehow that led to my finding her blog and spending a ridiculous number of hours (yes, hours...not all in one sitting though, OK?) reading her story of how she met her husband. I have never read such a romantic love story in all. my. life. Seriously. You have to read this.
2. Reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. (I know that's supposed to be underlined but I don't know how to do that!) I'm actually venturing into something a little new...a college friend (from Furman!) got in touch with me (gotta love Facebook) and asked if I'd want to contribute to the website he works for, as in, do I want to write some book reviews? Uh............sure! :) This is new for me, I've never written a book review. Only book reports, like in middle school, when I'd basically skim the book the day or two before the assignment was due, then summarize the back cover or inside flap and call it a report. I don't think that's going to fly this time. So I've actually been reading the book. Well, procrastinating on reading the book. Little did I realize that once I agreed to do this, I'd be thrown back into high school, with that same feeling of "oh, man. I have to do this assignment." Or like those dreaded summer reading lists that I always used to put off until the last two weeks of August. (Not that I'm complaining; I really do want to do this!) It's just funny how it has that distinct "homework" feeling to it. Well anyway, I devoted this past weekend to getting down to business and READING the book, which, once I got started, went quickly, and now I'm looking forward to the writing part. I think that will be the easy part; we shall see.
3. Contemplating life. Seriously. Ooops, that's the second time I've used the word "seriously." I don't know what's going on with me, but I have been seriously deep in thought lately. Distracted during the day, lying awake with my mind racing in the wee hours. I guess that's all I'll say because...there could be strangers reading this blog! Or worse, people I know!
4. Various and sundry mom-related activities - my favorite kind! This week, when/if the rain lets up, we'll be going out to do our second annual Easter egg tree. That was great fun last year and it reminds me of Mam-Mam. Abby & Nolan will both be playing tee ball this year - fun! A little nervous about how Nolan will do with this 4-year-old attention span, but it's tee ball for Pete's sake.
Let me see if I can rustle up some pics...
Abby figured out how to cross her eyes...
Nolan, not so much.
OK, now I remember how I got my (self-appointed) title of Mother of the Year. This is just pathetic! These are all the pics I have to offer? I promise to get my camera out and do better next time around.
But, in my own defense, it has been late winter/early spring in western PA. I'll paint a little word picture for those who have never experienced such a time in such a place: dreary...cold...cabin fever...we're all driving each other nuts...we've done all the creative indoor activities that we can think of all winter long, and now Mommy is just fresh out of any more ideas, and soooooo looking forward to summer it's not even funny....OK. Can I be off the hook now? A little? ;)
Well, in order to not end on a whiny, complain-y note...let me do a little bragging on my kids...consider this your "spoiler alert" - if you don't want to hear me get all obnoxious about my wonderful, super-smart, super-awesome, funny, adorable, intelligent kids, then stop reading now. You've been warned. I'm serious, it gets bad.
Our dear little Abby, her kindergarten teacher informed me, is reading and writing on a second grade level. Yep! I was only a little surprised at that. You should see the things she does around the house. She writes messages to all of us, she makes herself little "to-do" lists before she goes to bed each night - for the next day. In her dresser drawer, I found a detailed plan for an April Fool's joke she's planning to play on me. She just finished reading her first "chapter book" - 100% by herself. The girl is freakin' smart!
And then there's her brother, who at 4 years old, can count by ones, twos, fives, and tens...to well beyond 100. Trust me, I've been privileged to hear it, number by painstaking number, MANY times. Oh, so many times. We figured out one day that the little thermometer in our car can be switched back and forth from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Our little Nolan kept asking me to "push the button" - F to C, C to F. OK, Nolan...let's give the button-pushing a rest? So one random day, the temp was on Celsius, and from the backseat, I heard Nolan tell me what the temp was in "F." Fahrenheit. I was like, whaaa? I pushed the button, and sure enough. The kid is freakin' smart. Oh, AND he can also read large parts of books - especially Dr. Seuss books - pretty much by himself. AND he's starting to write. Did I mention he's 4 years old? (Hey, I told you it was going to be obnoxious...)
So that's that. For now. I have to get myself and the little guy dressed & ready to go play with a friend this morning...then who knows what. I have a list of "nagging tasks" to do that's a mile long, maybe I'll try to knock out some of those today. It's cold & rainy (shocker!) so it's a good day to do it!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
A hot mess
Mother of the Year, indeed. If ONLY I had the presence of mind to get a pic! I can add another thing to the ever-growing list of things I swore I'd never do as a parent (you know, back when I was a perfect mom - before I had any kids).
Abby's get-up she went to school in this morning consisted of: a pajama shirt covered by a zip-up hoodie sweatshirt, jeans that she got as a gift - they are huge in the waist and short in the legs, with little embroidered things all over - I hid them, but apparently she found them today. Cinched tight with a belt, no less, creating a balloon effect at the top. Novelty green & purple ankle socks, and boots that remind me of Napoleon Dynamite's moon boots. But at least they cover up the socks and flood pants. Oh, and a turquoise wooden beaded bracelet - the finishing touch.
My alarm went off at 6:30...after I dragged myself out of bed, I came downstairs to find that she was already dressed. Like a designer on Runway, she stood by her outfit. She was SO proud of it. Maybe on another day I would have been more insistent, but today I just didn't have the heart to tell her to change.
Letting my child put together her own outfits and wear them out of the house...check.
That got me thinking...what else is there? What else do I do that I swore I'd never do? Dare I go there? Deep breath...
- Owning a video game console...check
- Letting my kids watch TV, even obnoxious shows like (gulp) Spongebob...sigh, check*
- Cereal for dinner on nights that I just can't muster up the energy...check
- "Because I'm your Mommy and I said so"...check, and proud of it
- Licking my thumb and wiping sticky stuff off of faces...check (sorry, kids)
- Not using spanking as a disciplinary measure...check
- Finger-combing hair when I've realized that we forgot to brush it before leaving the house...check
*the dreaded Spongebob show is by far the most objectionable show they watch. By far. Nevertheless, they love it. And what's more, I have to admit...it's pretty funny. It does get turned off when it gets too obnoxious. I really have no idea how it all started, letting them watch that show. You wanna criticize? Go ahead, I'm sure I deserve it.
The list could probably go on, but those are the things that used to make me say, "What kind of parent...?" I guess I know now. ;)
Abby's get-up she went to school in this morning consisted of: a pajama shirt covered by a zip-up hoodie sweatshirt, jeans that she got as a gift - they are huge in the waist and short in the legs, with little embroidered things all over - I hid them, but apparently she found them today. Cinched tight with a belt, no less, creating a balloon effect at the top. Novelty green & purple ankle socks, and boots that remind me of Napoleon Dynamite's moon boots. But at least they cover up the socks and flood pants. Oh, and a turquoise wooden beaded bracelet - the finishing touch.
My alarm went off at 6:30...after I dragged myself out of bed, I came downstairs to find that she was already dressed. Like a designer on Runway, she stood by her outfit. She was SO proud of it. Maybe on another day I would have been more insistent, but today I just didn't have the heart to tell her to change.
Letting my child put together her own outfits and wear them out of the house...check.
That got me thinking...what else is there? What else do I do that I swore I'd never do? Dare I go there? Deep breath...
- Owning a video game console...check
- Letting my kids watch TV, even obnoxious shows like (gulp) Spongebob...sigh, check*
- Cereal for dinner on nights that I just can't muster up the energy...check
- "Because I'm your Mommy and I said so"...check, and proud of it
- Licking my thumb and wiping sticky stuff off of faces...check (sorry, kids)
- Not using spanking as a disciplinary measure...check
- Finger-combing hair when I've realized that we forgot to brush it before leaving the house...check
*the dreaded Spongebob show is by far the most objectionable show they watch. By far. Nevertheless, they love it. And what's more, I have to admit...it's pretty funny. It does get turned off when it gets too obnoxious. I really have no idea how it all started, letting them watch that show. You wanna criticize? Go ahead, I'm sure I deserve it.
The list could probably go on, but those are the things that used to make me say, "What kind of parent...?" I guess I know now. ;)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Eh.
Not much going on. We're snowed in...school is already canceled for tomorrow again...Mario Karts marathon today...I'm sure a better blogger could come up with some interesting and witty commentary about the last few days, but it's 11:09 pm and I'm not really up for it! Enjoy some pics! :)
SNOW! I wish I'd had my camera when we took the kids out to play on Saturday (the "first" blizzard)...they were in total awe. The snow came up to their bellies! Nolan wasn't so crazy about it; he kept saying it was "too steep."
Abby's encouragement to the cats when they were trying to learn (or rather, when I was trying to teach) how to use the potty. It didn't work; we're back to the ol' litter box. You can't blame me for trying!
(The Magna Doodle plays a big role in our house)...here we have Nolan's own writing! I found this in his bed a few days ago. So proud!!! My little guy is learning to write! It says "Nolan's bed"...didn't know if that was one of those things only a mommy could figure out, like when little kids talk and no one else can understand them except for their moms...uh, anyway. Today he wrote his name on all his class' valentines. It was really sweet. Very proud.
Tumbling class at the Y. I'm not just being a crazed mother trying to live out her unfulfilled dream (think "Mary Lou Retton") through her daughter, but...I really think that Abby has some natural ability, and I would really love to send her to gymnastics - like "real" gymnastics. Now if we could only win the lottery so we can send her to a session or two...ack! It's so expensive. But where there's a will, there's a way.
One of Ian's basketball games
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Tooth Fairy Cometh
My girl lost her first tooth!
It happened at school. She immediately came home and put it in her tooth fairy pillow - actually, she offered for Nolan to put it in the pillow, which was really sweet. This was VERY handy last night. The tooth fairy didn't have to dig around under the pillow of a sleeping child, looking for a very tiny tooth.
The tooth fairy put a dollar in the pillow's pocket, and put the tooth in my jewelry box. :)
Monday, January 25, 2010
Cleaning day
Every day is cleaning day, it seems. I am NOT a cleaning-type of person. I'm much more of a lazy, goofing-off, stay in pj's till noon type of person. But that feels yucky after a while, and the house gets gross. Duh. SO, here's my system I devised to make my own life easier when it comes to keeping the house decent. I've been doing this for about a year now, and it works pretty well!
I break up my jobs into morning, afternoon, and night jobs. Actually, they're more like deadlines. And the quicker I get them done, the quicker I can move on to things I *want* to do, like...anything else.
So here's my list - I keep it on the fridge:
By 10 am:
Beds made...now this is easier because the kids make their own beds
Cat litter...scoop it. I try to do this first thing because no one likes to get ready in the bathroom with a stinky cat box
Dishes away...from out of the dishwasher
Bathroom surfaces...tub, sink, toilet, and anything else that has gross stuff on it - in both bathrooms. Just wipe it off and make it look clean. I use diluted Mr. Clean w/Febreeze - the green kind. Smells good.
Laundry started...just one load
By 2 pm:
Laundry put over...into the dryer. Our dryer doesn't have a buzzer, and it's in the basement, so I always forget, which is why this has to be on the list
Floors vacuumed
Kitchen surfaces...table cleared off, counters cleared off, everything wiped, sink reasonably clean, floor decent
Job-o-the-day...whatever "big" job needs to be done the most. Can include: mop kitchen & bathrooms, wash the slipcovers, wipe down walls (crayons, boogers, whatever), deep-clean the bathrooms, seriously clean the kitchen, do windows, ummm, you know, things like that
By 8 pm: that's the time the kids are in bed and I can relax!!!
Laundry put away
Cat litter ...we have two cats, so there's double the cat poop
Run dishwasher...and pray that no one feels like snacking on anything messy later on
Basket emptied...I have a basket in the kitchen that catches all kinds ofcrap clutter - what's in there right now? Library book, a hammer, shopping bags, markers, coloring book, grocery store flyer, kids papers from school. I admit I don't empty this every day. But when it starts to overflow, I do. I should get back to doing this every day.
So that would be that. My house is a lot better for it. It's unusual (not impossible) for things to get so messy that it's just horrible. It pretty much stays under control if I'm doing these little things every day. It doesn't take up TOO much of my precious time. ;)
OH, and I'm working on never having to scoop litter again. No, I'm not making Abby do it (even though she wants to! Go figure.) Here's my experiment of the month....I'm about halfway (1 1/2 weeks) into the process...
I break up my jobs into morning, afternoon, and night jobs. Actually, they're more like deadlines. And the quicker I get them done, the quicker I can move on to things I *want* to do, like...anything else.
So here's my list - I keep it on the fridge:
By 10 am:
Beds made...now this is easier because the kids make their own beds
Cat litter...scoop it. I try to do this first thing because no one likes to get ready in the bathroom with a stinky cat box
Dishes away...from out of the dishwasher
Bathroom surfaces...tub, sink, toilet, and anything else that has gross stuff on it - in both bathrooms. Just wipe it off and make it look clean. I use diluted Mr. Clean w/Febreeze - the green kind. Smells good.
Laundry started...just one load
By 2 pm:
Laundry put over...into the dryer. Our dryer doesn't have a buzzer, and it's in the basement, so I always forget, which is why this has to be on the list
Floors vacuumed
Kitchen surfaces...table cleared off, counters cleared off, everything wiped, sink reasonably clean, floor decent
Job-o-the-day...whatever "big" job needs to be done the most. Can include: mop kitchen & bathrooms, wash the slipcovers, wipe down walls (crayons, boogers, whatever), deep-clean the bathrooms, seriously clean the kitchen, do windows, ummm, you know, things like that
By 8 pm: that's the time the kids are in bed and I can relax!!!
Laundry put away
Cat litter ...we have two cats, so there's double the cat poop
Run dishwasher...and pray that no one feels like snacking on anything messy later on
Basket emptied...I have a basket in the kitchen that catches all kinds of
So that would be that. My house is a lot better for it. It's unusual (not impossible) for things to get so messy that it's just horrible. It pretty much stays under control if I'm doing these little things every day. It doesn't take up TOO much of my precious time. ;)
OH, and I'm working on never having to scoop litter again. No, I'm not making Abby do it (even though she wants to! Go figure.) Here's my experiment of the month....I'm about halfway (1 1/2 weeks) into the process...
Yes, that's right...you better believe it! If this works, I swear, it will have been easier than potty training EITHER of the kids. It's working great so far. Just call me Robert DeNiro in Meet the Parents.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Unfinished - er, uh, FINISHED business!
Hey - remember that project I was working on, that I never finished? Here it is!
Cabinet/sewing room redo
Cabinet/sewing room redo
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Menu plan
I sometimes play a game with myself...I see how little I can spend on groceries in a week and still fool Greg into thinking that I'm out there just buying whatever I want. Tee hee! But sometimes we just need to cut back, and this month is one of those times.
I blame it on the snow. Seriously! Greg had to use the Explorer for like 2 weeks solid to go back and forth to work earlier this month - that's 500 miles a week, mind you - and that 14 year old gas-eating dinosaur is merciless. Don't get me wrong - we love it...it's paid for, it's huge andintimidating to other drivers safe, it's super-comfortable, it's awesome in the snow, but terrible for the gas budget. (EVEN at the rock-bottom price of $2.75 a gallon. Why, they're practically giving it away.)
Groceries are usually the easiest place to cut back. My goal is to cut the usual total in half (ambitious I know). So here is my meal plan (dinner only) for the coming week:
Tonight - pancakes (the kids LOVE that)
Sunday - soup & grilled cheese - it's just me & the kids anyway
Monday - black bean soup, rice, cornbread - the soup is a leftover; I made a double batch yesterday
Tuesday - pecan-crusted tilapia, steamed broccoli, bread (have the fish in the freezer already)
Wednesday - pot roast & veggies, bread (have the roast in the freezer already - are we seeing a trend here?)
Thursday - Potato soup w/bacon, bread (have potatoes already)
Friday - homemade pizza
Saturday - vegetable stew, crusty bread
I know, I'd never last a day on the South Beach Diet. Good thing I don't care, huh?
I'm going out today to do this week's shopping. We shall see how I do!
I blame it on the snow. Seriously! Greg had to use the Explorer for like 2 weeks solid to go back and forth to work earlier this month - that's 500 miles a week, mind you - and that 14 year old gas-eating dinosaur is merciless. Don't get me wrong - we love it...it's paid for, it's huge and
Groceries are usually the easiest place to cut back. My goal is to cut the usual total in half (ambitious I know). So here is my meal plan (dinner only) for the coming week:
Tonight - pancakes (the kids LOVE that)
Sunday - soup & grilled cheese - it's just me & the kids anyway
Monday - black bean soup, rice, cornbread - the soup is a leftover; I made a double batch yesterday
Tuesday - pecan-crusted tilapia, steamed broccoli, bread (have the fish in the freezer already)
Wednesday - pot roast & veggies, bread (have the roast in the freezer already - are we seeing a trend here?)
Thursday - Potato soup w/bacon, bread (have potatoes already)
Friday - homemade pizza
Saturday - vegetable stew, crusty bread
I know, I'd never last a day on the South Beach Diet. Good thing I don't care, huh?
I'm going out today to do this week's shopping. We shall see how I do!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The best soup I've ever made...
And I've made a lot of soup.
Tonight I wanted to use up some leftover ham. We hardly EVER have ham (why, I don't know), but our twice-delayed Christmas dinner left us with a whole bunch left over. Hubby had the day off - yay! - and it's snowing like crazy out there, so I thought ham soup of some kind would be good. I could live on soup & bread every day of my life and not get tired of it. Mr. H, on the other hand, likes his "meat." Any old dinner with some big chunk of meat - or ground beef - seems to make it an "official" dinner for him. No bread, no side dish, no salad necessary; just a hunk of meat. SO, all that to say, I kinda always worry every time I serve soup for dinner, that he's not going to be all that crazy about it.
SO...tonight at dinner, which I thought was just dee-lish...ham & potato soup with sweet potato muffins...Mr. H hardly said a word. He just ate, and ate...and I sat there and had a little inner convo with myself...he doesn't like it. But what's not to like? There's ham...oh darn it, he's still going to be hungry. I should have made a casserole. Wow, though, this is good! But he hasn't said anything...I'm not going to fish for a compliment...I'll just file this in the "don't make again" pile...I wonder if he's annoyed that we're having soup...I should have left the muffins in a little longer...darn it! But this is really good, YUM, way to go Rachel, you are the queen of soup..."
Please can I get a witness...tell me I'm not the only one to have these ridiculous thoughts at the dinner table...
So anyway, all of the sudden at the end of dinner, Mr. H looks up, and matter-of-factly says, "I think this is the best soup you've ever made."
Wooo-hooooooo!!! I told him there was more; he said he was stuffed. SCORE!
I have to admit, it was totally yummy. It's debatable as to whether it was the "best ever," but it's up there. It took about 45 min start to finish...here is the recipe: (keeping in mind that I hardly ever measure anything; just eyeball it and use whatever I want.)
3.5 cups diced potatoes
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup cooked diced ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 t chicken boullion granules
1/2 t salt
1 tsp pepper
5 T butter
5 T flour
2 C milk
1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham & water in a big pot. Bring to a boil, then cook on med. for about 15-20 min. Stir in the boullion, salt & pepper.
2. In smaller saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the flour until thick and smooth. Slowly stir in the milk, make sure all the lumps are out. Cook on low-med for about 5 min. until thick.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the soup pot, heat through.
Sweet Potato Muffins - a keeper as well
This recipe makes 24, though, so either "half" it or make sure your peeps are hungry. I didn't read that far before I made it, so I'm banking on them all being very hungry.
1 1/4 C sugar
1 1/4 C canned sweet potatoes (I just used one of those big cans)
1/2 C butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t salt
1 C milk
1/2 C raisins (I used craisins - oh so yummy)
1/4 C walnuts (I had pecans - again, yummy)
cinnamon & sugar mix for the tops
1. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Beat sugar, butter & sweet potatoes until smooth. Add eggs and blend well.
3. Sift flour, bak powder, spices & salt. Add to sweet potato mixture, alternating with the milk, stirring to blend. "Do not overmix." (Every time I read this, it's inevitable that I overmix. I can't help myself. Oh well. They still turn out well.)
4. Fold in raisins & nuts. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, sprinkle tops with cinn & sug mixture.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes until done. Or if you have a dinosaur of an oven like me, you can leave 'em in there for 40 or so...
IF anyone tries this, do let me know! (Obviously I'm just fishing for people to leave comments on my blog....NOT the gambling site again though, I don't want to hear from you...)
Tonight I wanted to use up some leftover ham. We hardly EVER have ham (why, I don't know), but our twice-delayed Christmas dinner left us with a whole bunch left over. Hubby had the day off - yay! - and it's snowing like crazy out there, so I thought ham soup of some kind would be good. I could live on soup & bread every day of my life and not get tired of it. Mr. H, on the other hand, likes his "meat." Any old dinner with some big chunk of meat - or ground beef - seems to make it an "official" dinner for him. No bread, no side dish, no salad necessary; just a hunk of meat. SO, all that to say, I kinda always worry every time I serve soup for dinner, that he's not going to be all that crazy about it.
SO...tonight at dinner, which I thought was just dee-lish...ham & potato soup with sweet potato muffins...Mr. H hardly said a word. He just ate, and ate...and I sat there and had a little inner convo with myself...he doesn't like it. But what's not to like? There's ham...oh darn it, he's still going to be hungry. I should have made a casserole. Wow, though, this is good! But he hasn't said anything...I'm not going to fish for a compliment...I'll just file this in the "don't make again" pile...I wonder if he's annoyed that we're having soup...I should have left the muffins in a little longer...darn it! But this is really good, YUM, way to go Rachel, you are the queen of soup..."
Please can I get a witness...tell me I'm not the only one to have these ridiculous thoughts at the dinner table...
So anyway, all of the sudden at the end of dinner, Mr. H looks up, and matter-of-factly says, "I think this is the best soup you've ever made."
Wooo-hooooooo!!! I told him there was more; he said he was stuffed. SCORE!
I have to admit, it was totally yummy. It's debatable as to whether it was the "best ever," but it's up there. It took about 45 min start to finish...here is the recipe: (keeping in mind that I hardly ever measure anything; just eyeball it and use whatever I want.)
3.5 cups diced potatoes
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup cooked diced ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 t chicken boullion granules
1/2 t salt
1 tsp pepper
5 T butter
5 T flour
2 C milk
1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham & water in a big pot. Bring to a boil, then cook on med. for about 15-20 min. Stir in the boullion, salt & pepper.
2. In smaller saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the flour until thick and smooth. Slowly stir in the milk, make sure all the lumps are out. Cook on low-med for about 5 min. until thick.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the soup pot, heat through.
Sweet Potato Muffins - a keeper as well
This recipe makes 24, though, so either "half" it or make sure your peeps are hungry. I didn't read that far before I made it, so I'm banking on them all being very hungry.
1 1/4 C sugar
1 1/4 C canned sweet potatoes (I just used one of those big cans)
1/2 C butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t salt
1 C milk
1/2 C raisins (I used craisins - oh so yummy)
1/4 C walnuts (I had pecans - again, yummy)
cinnamon & sugar mix for the tops
1. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Beat sugar, butter & sweet potatoes until smooth. Add eggs and blend well.
3. Sift flour, bak powder, spices & salt. Add to sweet potato mixture, alternating with the milk, stirring to blend. "Do not overmix." (Every time I read this, it's inevitable that I overmix. I can't help myself. Oh well. They still turn out well.)
4. Fold in raisins & nuts. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, sprinkle tops with cinn & sug mixture.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes until done. Or if you have a dinosaur of an oven like me, you can leave 'em in there for 40 or so...
IF anyone tries this, do let me know! (Obviously I'm just fishing for people to leave comments on my blog....NOT the gambling site again though, I don't want to hear from you...)
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Even hairstylists get the blues
*Sigh.*
What to do. I really miss my perks of working in a salon - namely, the free haircuts by stylists I already know are good, the $5 color/highlights, free waxing, etc. I always scorned people like this, but now I'm one of them...I'm renewing my license pretty much for the discounted products at the beauty supply. It's like a Sam's Club membership sort of. Maybe I'll use my license to actually work again...
Anyway, I am in a hair rut. I feel like such a frumpalump. As a hairstylist, you think I'd know exactly what to do, but when it comes to my own hair, I'm really just as bad (if not worse) than anyone else - no idea!!! I'm pretty set on color - having tried almost everything in the spectrum, I know what I like in that area - but as far as cut, I am bored out of my mind and don't know what to do! And who to go to??? It might actually kill me to pay to gamble on some stylist I have no idea about. ACK! For about 2 years now there has been a new salon in my neighborhood - walking distance - that I have been mocking since the day it opened. I kid you not, it is called "Curl Up and Dye." (This is Johnstown, people, and this is the kind of thing you see here.) I always thought to myself, the day I would actually go to that place is the day I have completely given up. How scary is it that I've been considering it? Could it be a best-kept secret type of thing? Am I just desperate? I am seriously in need of a cut, it's soooo close to my house...probably reasonably priced (most private ones around here are)...I've seen the owner and she looks good - cool hair and all - but then what if I actually liked it, and someone asked me where I go? I don't think I could ever admit to it!
I'm back in the land of "looking for a hairdresser" and it's weird and I don't like it.
God bless anyone who read this post. You're a real trooper!
What to do. I really miss my perks of working in a salon - namely, the free haircuts by stylists I already know are good, the $5 color/highlights, free waxing, etc. I always scorned people like this, but now I'm one of them...I'm renewing my license pretty much for the discounted products at the beauty supply. It's like a Sam's Club membership sort of. Maybe I'll use my license to actually work again...
Anyway, I am in a hair rut. I feel like such a frumpalump. As a hairstylist, you think I'd know exactly what to do, but when it comes to my own hair, I'm really just as bad (if not worse) than anyone else - no idea!!! I'm pretty set on color - having tried almost everything in the spectrum, I know what I like in that area - but as far as cut, I am bored out of my mind and don't know what to do! And who to go to??? It might actually kill me to pay to gamble on some stylist I have no idea about. ACK! For about 2 years now there has been a new salon in my neighborhood - walking distance - that I have been mocking since the day it opened. I kid you not, it is called "Curl Up and Dye." (This is Johnstown, people, and this is the kind of thing you see here.) I always thought to myself, the day I would actually go to that place is the day I have completely given up. How scary is it that I've been considering it? Could it be a best-kept secret type of thing? Am I just desperate? I am seriously in need of a cut, it's soooo close to my house...probably reasonably priced (most private ones around here are)...I've seen the owner and she looks good - cool hair and all - but then what if I actually liked it, and someone asked me where I go? I don't think I could ever admit to it!
I'm back in the land of "looking for a hairdresser" and it's weird and I don't like it.
God bless anyone who read this post. You're a real trooper!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Show & Tell
I am so thankful to have kids who are happy with the "little" things. This may change as they get older...as our mechanic says, the older they get, the more expensive the toys get...but maybe not. Today was Nolan's day for show & tell at his preschool. We didn't have to mortgage the house or sell Ian or anything, but the kids did get some really cool stuff this year. And then Greg surprised us all with a Wii. Way cool. Even though I still think that video games have the power to, over time, turn normal, would-be intelligent people into slack-jawed non-thinking morons who can't even spell, I have to admit that the thing is soooooo much fun. It really is! Anyway, Nolan got a remote control car which is great fun, some new games & other stuff. Do you know what he wanted to bring to show & tell? A 25-cent glow-in-the-dark farm animal that was in his stocking. He asked the teacher to turn the light off so he could show everyone how it glows. How adorable is that??? One of his other faves is this dry-erase clock thing, where you can make it any time you want and write stuff on it - a $1 stocking stuffer. Abby got some really cool stuff too...and her two favorite things are ankle socks with stars on them, and her dry-erase "learning to write cursive" thing - the two together didn't cost $2. I do realize that age 6 is a little young to be pushing cursive on my daughter, but honestly, the girl has had a burning desire to learn the "pretty writing" for months and months now.
Their little "lap desks" were a big hit too! So cute.
Anyway, I could go on and on about this, speculating about whether they'll still be happy with the "simple" things in their teenage years...but who wants to think of their teenage years right now? If I could freeze time with Abby at 6 and Nolan at 4, I would. Except, maybe I'd fast-forward Nolan to the part where he starts eating dinner again. But then I'd freeze time.
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