How we roll

One of my sisters paid us a very nice compliment this week saying that she thought it was awesome that we give the kids freedom to be creative and express themselves without going crazy correcting them. Thanks sister Debbie! Though, truth be told, I never really thought I was being awesome. It was mostly me being too lazy or too tired to correct every little phonetical spelling error. D is a very prolific writer.

I hope she also thinks it is awesome that we give the kids freedom to be creative and express themselves in the way they dress. Because I am also too tired and/or too lazy to try to get everyone into matching outfits unless it is a Very Special Occasion. So here's how we roll:




Good thing the kids are cute, huh?


And that, my dear friends and readers, concludes NaBloPoMo 2008. Whew. We're off skiing this week so I won't be blogging, but catch me next week for awesome pictures of me wearing ski pants! And hats! And ear-warming-thingys. You know you can't wait. Kisses, T.

Hitting the wall here

Home from Thanksgiving, pleasantly full of turkey & pie.

Got home later than expected - kids eating cold cereal and noodles with butter. I'm looking forward to some Pei Wei in about an hour when they are tucked in and dreaming.

Tired, but happy and looking forward to skiing next week! Woohoo!

One more day of NaBloPoMo!

Black Friday

I normally don't shop on Black Friday, and normally don't shop in stores. I'm an online kinda girl. But I have been enjoying all of the super November sales, so much so that I'm pretty well done with my Christmas shopping. Woohoo! Go me!

Which means this year I can go out with my sisters on Black Friday and shop for myself! I carefully pre-planned the trip, first by telling M he can go golfing on Thursday morning with my dad & Shane. So now he'll have kid duty Friday -- mmwwwhahahahah. Next, I've got my coupons carefully arranged, including the awesome Beauty Insider one I just got from Sephora (smooches!), and my list planned. I definitely need stuff for our ski trip next week: the best moisturizing sunblock money can buy, lip balm by the gallon, something warm and pretty to wear to dinner, a pair of slippers, comfy pants for the plane ride, ear wamer-thingys, a knee brace. But the thing we need most of all is not to be found in sunny Florida: ski socks. We'll probably have to wait until we get to Utah and buy them there when we rent our skis. Actually, I probably need a couple of regular pair of socks too, which bums me out because I hate socks. They make me so uncomfortable. And I don't really own any. I've got a few pairs of the little white ones you wear to work out, two pairs of SmartWool short hiking socks and one pair of black trouser socks. Except for hiking or working out, I've only worn socks maybe a dozen times since I stopped working four years ago. I kid you not. My feet just don't get cold. And, like I said, I don't like socks. But I do wear them under boots. And I guess that goes for ski boots too.

Happy Shopping! Maybe I'll see you at the shops as I walk off the turkey and pie in support of our economy!

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm doing this for NaBloPoMo (just 3 more days!), but I can't imagine why anyone would be reading today.

Go enjoy your family, turkey, pie, peace and quiet, whatever you've got going today.

Love,
Trish

Perfect egg salad in 23 minutes

We love egg salad here at Three's Company -- we usually have eggs in the house and it is cheap, easy and delish! And since the kids don't eat eggs I can tart it up however I'd like.

But hard boiling eggs is one of those kitchen tasks that I always forget I'm doing. I'll put my pan of eggs on to boil, walk away merrily, and hey! presto! 20 minutes later I'm wondering what the bubbly rumbly noise is coming from the kitchen. I'm lucky I haven't burnt the house down.

Anyway, when I do remember the eggs are cooking before they turn to rubber, I make the bestest egg salad in the world.

Twenty-three Minute Egg Salad

Place eggs in saucepan, cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute, uncovered. Turn off heat, cover pan and let sit 12 minutes. Drain water, cover cooked eggs with cold water and ice cubes. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Peel eggs and chop roughly. Mix eggs with sour cream, mayo, salt & pepper, dill, dry mustard, pickle relish, chopped, rinsed capers, or whatever else floats your boat.

Yum!

For the birds!

We went to the beach yesterday with a friend and her two kids. It was a perfect beach day - high 70s, no humidity, bright sun. Freezing cold water. There were some tourists sitting next to us and they were the only ones in the water. They must have been from someplace really cold like Iceland or Canada or Maine. I got brain freeze just sticking my toes in. Of course the kids were having a blast splashing and splishing.

We also brought along a picnic lunch, but were totally molested by hyper-aggressive seagulls the minute we started to eat. Why, why, why do people insist on feeding these things? It's just crazy. Feral cats, squirrels, seagulls... they should all be fending for themselves. So two huge seagulls dive bombed us just as we started eating, one grabbed my sandwich right out of my hand, the other went for poor D... actually nipped her finger and drew blood! Later, A was standing with a large seashell in his hand and it must have looked crackerish to the birds because they bombed us again. Two hovered right over my friend's head, flapping in her face. It was nuts. And a shame because it is (was) one of the nicest picnic beaches around.

Today is baking day and we'll see how that winds up what with the two kids home all day. Already I might have screwed up because I was making my sugar cookie dough this a.m. and D distracted me (she wanted to know how to spell something) and I dumped the baking powder into the butter/sugar mixture instead of sifting it with the other dry ingredients. So there's proof positive that I can't spell & bake at the same time. Then I slightly overtoasted my pecans because the dog suddenly threw up. Of course she threw up because she's been off her regular food for a day now because I keep forgetting to go to the pet store so we've had to feed her some little sample packets (Duck & Potato!) of food we've had lying around.

So I'm sticking all the cookie dough into the fridge and running out RIGHT NOW for dog food. As soon as I email my pecan pie recipe to my friend who needs it. And stop the kiddos from killing each other.

Have a nice Tuesday!

Elf on the shelf?

We're going to start the "Elf on the Shelf" tradition with the kids this year, in addition to the Advent calendar, setting up the nativity scene and our other traditions. I think they'll get a kick out of it and it will help prolong D "believing" for a while. Although someone at school must be spreading rumors about Santa as she's been asking some pointed and difficult questions. Like I said, it's hard to put some things past her.

But first, Thanksgiving! We're going to my parents this year and they're hosting our whole family plus my s-i-l's so it'll be quite a crowd! Tuesday sister Debbie is coming over to help me decorate my Thanksgiving cookies - I've made acorns, turkeys, leaves and pumpkins in regular sugar cookie dough and (my new fave for decorated cookies) chocolate-cayenne pepper dough. The pepper isn't hot, compliments the chocolate and cuts the sweetness of the royal icing. I'm sure the kids won't eat it but maybe the adults will.

I'm also in charge of the kid's craft table and I was hoping to get cute little Thanksgiving themed foamie kits at Michaels, but they were totally into Christmas when I went in this week. Apparently the time to shop for Thanksgiving is Sept/Oct. So I'm going to improvise with paper plate Turkeys and other fall crafts from Family Fun. Lotsa fun.

Facebook = crack

Yeah, I'm on Facebook. I've gotten in touch with a bunch of my high school buddies. I love it but can't believe I let it happen. Between the blogs and that, I could be one of those online addicts you hear about. I have to make a (more) serious effort to only go online after the kids go to bed.

What would happen if I got a iPhone? Would I grow a wi-fi port on the side of my head?

One of those nights

Last night M was sick. Kids were on sugar-cookie-highs. One of those nights when it was all I could do to crack open a can of vegetable soup and make french bread pizzas.

One more week of NaBloPoMo!

Dere Santa

D has been hard at work on her Dear Santa letters.

Here is what A wants from Santa (according to big sis D):
Paritkit with paritkit food
Robot
Lots of balls

Here is what D wants:
Paritkit and paritkit food
A magik kit
easy bak ovin
a Pixos (Santa is NOT bringing anything that has 42,000 small beads. I'd rather get the paritkit.)
A totally funky science kit (this she saw in a Wal-Mart catalogue)
iDog (Huh? I'll have to google this)
Easy bak frosting pen

She ended both the letters with the p/s "I will give you cookies"

I'm not sure where the "paritkit" idea came from. But she is definitely getting the ez bake and the magic kit. We've spent almost a year explaining to her that magic tricks are tricks, not real magic and I think she's about 75% of the way to understanding that. Although she'll still say things like when I get my magic kit I'm going to change all the lightbulbs to candy! Then I'll explain (again) how magic is just tricks and she'll go on about how candy lightbulbs ARE a real trick because we wouldn't have any light.

Can't argue with that. Mommy needs some hot buttered rum.

Only one problem

We are all set for our ski vacation. Got the gear, got a plan for apres-ski, got our tickets, got reservations for a fancy-schmancy dinner, got my parents to watch the kids. Only one little problem....

THEY HAVEN'T GOT SNOW!

Things I will do next Fall

I will clean my entire house at a time, not one room every two weeks.

I will cook more breakfasts, instead of ladling out the cold cereal.

I will organize all the crap that is floating around our house.

I will make the master bedroom sunroom into a cozy, private retreat for M & I.

I will decorate our house with some of the beautiful photos M has taken over the years.

I will landscape our backyard.

I will write letters.

I will exercise every day.

I will do all of these things when A is in school next year (although I know I will miss my baby terribly). For now I will be playing Iron Giant Attack!

What not to wear

It was freakin' cold here this a.m. Like low 40s cold. COLD. After my 5:30 a.m. shower I grabbed a sweater and a pair of cords. Then I got busy with the kids and didn't think about anything except being warm as we headed out for school.

As we were walking up to school D remarks that I look "pretty, like cotton candy." And that is when I notice I'm wearing hot pink cords and a bright blue rib-knit wool sweater. And ancient brown & pink Reebok trainers. An awesome look for a 42 year old.

In which A gives fair warning

A and I were watching some Thanksgiving-themed cooking shows on Food Network this past weekend. I ooh'd and aah'd over the goodies, particularly one glorious herb-rubbed turkey. A was sitting quietly, until he saw the turkey, nekkid before it's herb rub, sitting in the roasting rack. "Ew! Yucky!" he suddenly cried, "Looks like chicken!" And as we know around here, of all the meats A refuses to eat, Poultry is at the top of the list. I was hoping he wouldn't catch on that Turkey was indeed a lot like chicken, but I doubt I'll be able to fool him now.

Here is what he will eat: Cheerios, Oatmeal Squares, Life, Lucky Charms, oatmeal, Eggos, bananas, watermelon, red grapes (only Red. Green is Kryptonite), mandarin oranges, cantaloupe, Honey Wheat Bread, Ritz Crackers, creamy peanut butter, grape jelly, Cinnamon Raisin Mini Bagels, cheese pizza, baguettes, baked beans, Kraft mac n' cheese (blue box only!), plain noodles, Goldfish crackers, pretzels, graham crackers, raisins, cheese sandwich crackers (Late July organic ones only), Juicy Juice, chocolate milk, rare Beef Tenderloin.

Yes, he eats a "peanut jelly meesh" (pb&j, honey wheat bread, crusts off) every day for lunch. At least I don't have to wonder about what to make for him. And there have been dinners where all he eats are rolls and grapes. I can't think of the last time I saw him eat a veggie -- although I give him a small serving almost every night.

It's funny if you dare to compare him to D, who at his age would eat (or try) almost anything! Spicy, exotic, fishy, it didn't matter. She'd be game. There are some things neither of them will eat: american cheese, sandwiches (besides A's pb&j), potatoes, mushrooms, hamburgers, OJ, chocolate pudding, eggs, sushi, onions, celery.

Why the crazy detailed menu? Because my dear parents will be attempting to feed both of them while we're off skiing! Good luck mom & dad. We love you!

Bon Appetit!

A food meme I've seen going around.... feel free to steal! Or chime in!

1. Favorite milk? Publix Greenwise organic 2%

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook this season? Chili, Beef Wellington, perfecting my Roast Chicken

3. Topping of choice for popcorn? Butter

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure? Casseroles. My family HATES casseroles. My husband once actually left the table in the middle of the meal, horrified by the site of a breakfast casserole.

5. Favorite pickled item? Gherkins

6. How do you organize your recipes? By type: appetizers, breads, desserts, main courses, salads, veggies

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal? Trash and disposal

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods...what would they be (don't worry about how you'll cook them)? Potatoes, blueberries, chocolate

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood? My dad grilling steaks and freshly-caught fish on his homemade, backyard grill-pit. Tied with my memory of huge family Sunday dinners with all of my cousins & my brothers & I playing hide n' seek in the yard.

10. Favorite ice cream? Haagen Dazs Fleur de Sel Caramel

11. Most loved kitchen appliance? My Kitchen Aid

12. Spice/herb you would die without? Die? Hmmm... maybe not die, but I'd be upset without thyme

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time? A Better Homes & Garden one that my parents got me when I moved into my first college apartment, circa 1987

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly? Guava

15. Favorite recipe to serve to a friend? BBQ chicken

16. Do you eat tofu? Nope, not willingly

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)? None right now. Cooking - esp. dinner - with two kids is a two-hour long exercise in frustration, tears and threats, culminating in a meal that barely gets eaten. My kids eat next to nothing. I don't know how they live.

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator? A bag of alphabet magnets, an empty box that my daughter pretends is her Easy-bake oven, a kids bicycle helmet

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking. Eggos, ice cream, frozen baguettes

20. What's on your grocery list? I always have apples, bananas, baby spinach, bread, Eggos, milk and cheese on the list.

21. Favorite grocery store? Publix

22. Name a recipe you'd love to try, but haven't yet. Homemade doughnuts

23. Food blog you read the most. Smitten Kitchen and Pioneer Woman Cooks

24. Favorite chocolate? Scharffen Berger Milk Almond

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately? A tiny jar of imported Fleur de Sel -- it was waaay more expensive per ounce than anything I've purchased lately

26. What vegetables do you enjoy most? Baby spinach, kale, swiss chard, onions, brussel sprouts, artichokes, green beans, peppers.... basically anything but corn. Not a fan of corn.

A-skiing we will go....

Are you as tired of reading about the minutiae of my life as I am of writing about it? Only two weeks of NaBloPoMo to go.

And it will end, luckily, just as M & I will be departing for a fun-filled week in Park City, Utah! One whole week with no kids, no dog, no chores, no errands, no cleaning and... no internet. I already feel a bit cut-off since we don't have blackberries or iPhones or anything like that. M is bringing his work laptop (OF COURSE) so I guess I could get on my email in an emergency, but whatever. This is about the skiing people!

I've never been skiing before, but I'm psyched to learn. I'm taking lessons of course. M & I decided I'd be better off with a real instructor so he'll be free to go ski the Triple Black Diamond, Warren Miller-style runs. Did I ever mention that my usually laid-back, conservative, easy going hubby is a skiing dare devil? Yeah, well he is. We'll see who comes back in one piece.

We got ourselves all outfitted - ski pants, gloves, long underwear and those little things that keep your hands & feet warm all day. I don't know what I'm going to do about headgear, because I absolutely loathe hats and my hair is NOT hat-friendly at all. But I know, I know, after a whole day in 20 degree weather flailing about in the snow I'm going to want something on my head. Although frankly I'm way more worried about my ears -- if they get cold it's instant migraine time for me. The other thing I'm worried about is my skin, which is so very dry that my hands crack and bleed when it's in the 50s. So I'll be loading up on the cocoa butter and shea butter and whatever other butters I can find.

I do have a burning question though.... what do you do with your clothes after you are done skiing? Do you just sit around the ski lodge or lobby or whatever wearing your puffy, wet ski pants? Do you bring jeans to put on when you're done? Do you bring an extra pair of shoes? And the shoe thing alone is killing me because I've got about 100 pairs of sandals, heels and flip flops but only one pair of snow-appropriate shoes. Unless you count my Cole Haan knee boots with the 3" heels which M has informed me are absolutely inappropriate for skiing, ski towns, ski resorts and all of Utah in general.

I'm out of my element here so any snowbunnies or snowmen who have insight into the packing/changing/shoe situation ... please let me know! And if you ever need to pack for a week in the Islands or two months in Kosovo with a toddler, I'm your girl.

Save or spend?

Unfortunately, the tough economy didn't stop the Man from sending us a whopping new property tax bill -- and right before Christmas! Wow! What good timing! Of course because we are RESPONSIBLE homeowners and we knew the low, low tax rate we paid last December wasn't going to last forever, we had planned accordingly and can pay the 200% 300% enormous increase.

Still, all the news about the economy and how we, as a nation, better get our financial act in order has begun to take a toll on my attitude if not my behavior. I think we live a relatively unmaterialistic, unconsumeristic, basic life. M is a great money manager and I try my best to keep the day-to-day spending in check. Mostly by limiting the trips to Target. And for a long time I've been a big fan of generic groceries, mostly because our grocery store is Publix and they carry name-brand quality stuff at lower generic prices. They even have Publix brand organic milk and meat. So I'm a fan. Although I usually buy name-brand cereals because cereal is one of the only things A will eat and darned if he doesn't know the difference! I think it's best not to mess with his food groups.

Feeling all virtuous after saving at the grocery, I decided to splurge a little at Sephora for my birthday. M had bought me a bottle of Hermes Kelly Caleche (mmmmm.) and so I had some Beauty Insider bucks to use. I got some Boscia products, re-stocked on my Bare Escentuals and an amazing GWP -- a mini train case stocked with all kinds of cool samples! AND because it was my birthday, I got a little bottle of Sephora bath gel in an amazing vanilla cupcake scent. I've never used their bath products before, but it was really nice, made a ton of bubbles and now I smell like dessert. D liked the scent to so I'll have to keep an eye on her skulking around my bathroom. Only six and already after Mommy's products! I guess in these times we should all be sharing though.

More news tomorrow (NaBloPoMo Day 17!) about a BIG splurge on the horizon.

Hot, hot, hot

I've lived in a tropical climate practically my whole life but seem to forget every Fall that Florida can be hot year round. We've got a few more days of near-90 temps I think. Then it's supposed to plummet to the 40s/60s. Which is REAL Fall weather.

We're going to have a mini Family Day today. Maybe go see Madagascar (A's first theatre experience!) or go to the beach or maybe the zoo. Depends on what the weather actually does.

Tonight we got a sitter so that M & I can go out for my belated birthday dinner. I'm going to stuff myself with stone crab claws & mustard sauce. Yummmmmm.

NOTE: NaBloPoMo Day 15! Half-way there!

Reality TV

Wouldn't it be sort of funny if they had a new Reality TV show on Fox where the execs of all these failing banks and insurance companies and car manufacturers had to compete for Bailout Dollars? They'd have to do all sorts of challenges and then at the end, the American Public would use a phone-in voting system a la American Idol to decide who could stay and who gets cut. The winner gets the Bailout.

Since it's basically my Tax Dollars at work I'd at least like a say in what's happening with the money.

Festooned AND beribboned*

I am off to Michael's today, coupon in hand, to begin the search for my Christmas decorations. We have a staircase to decorate-- hurrah! I'd get all jazzed about the mantle, except that someone has their big ol' LCD TV up there and I doubt there's anywhere else for it to go, holidays or no.

We're getting two trees this year: one in the sunroom for the kids to decorate with paper chains and popcorn and my old collection of nutcracker ornaments and then in the living room we'll have a big formal tree. I'm thinking of doing a Silver Bells theme this year -- but we'll see. Our house looks great with metallics, but I have tons of folk-art style ornaments that would be pretty neat too. But for the stairs - I want garland and sleigh bells and glittering berries and huge tartan ribbons. I've never had a staircase to decorate before!

Here's an idea - but imagine about 300% more stuff. This looks a bit skimpy, if you ask me:





*Line lifted from THE funniest show on TV: Worst Week. If you don't watch it, you're missing the fun.

NOTE: NaBloPoMo day 13. Woohoo!

Happy birthday.....

TO ME!! I am 42 today!! There. I've said it. How am I celebrating? Normally I'd have a nice cake, but I'm trying to lose a couple of pounds before our ski trip next month. So I'm going to treat myself to a nice fresh Cobb salad instead. And then I'm going to go for a walk on the beach with A.

For two years now I've been boo-hooing over being in my 40s. Well, I'm over it. I can't go back, so I might as well go on.

In honor of

To my brother-in-law the Lt. Col (or, as we like to call him, Uncle Mike) and all the other brave men and women serving our country: thank you.

Heating things up

A bbrrrrrrr kind of morning here but since it will be in the 70s this afternoon no sense turning on the heat and running up the gas bill. But still, the house is only 66 which is pretty chilly so I'm going to heat things up the second best way... by BAKING! And lest you worry about my waistline, I'm either giving the goods away or freezing them. So, on tap for this morning:

Pumpkin spice cake w/ cream cheese frosting (A is happy, but we know how he feels about frosting!)
Chocolate sugar cookies frosted to look like Pumpkins (for D's class)
Gingersnaps (for a friend in need)
Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes (to freeze for breakfasts this week)
Cranberry-coconut-cashew granola (headstart on Thanksgiving treats)


Yummylicious!

Sunday mornings

Ahhh...what could be better than a hot cup of coffee along with a big bowl of oatmeal topped with pears, cinnamon and maple syrup?

I'll tell you what. If I weren't eating this at 6:30 on a Sunday morning because the kids have been up since 5:30. Thanks a lot, TIME CHANGE.

Dilemma solved!

Well the solution to the Great Roller Skate Birthday Debate was rather easy. After a brief overview of what roller skating is, I asked D if she would like to go and try it to which she responded, unprompted, "NO WAY! I don't think that sounds fun at all!" Then she asked if we could have a Family Day instead.

That's our girl.

Cleaning house

Thursday I cleaned my house. Like really cleaned; company-is-coming kind of clean. And as I pushed my "green" microfiber mop around, I wondered do most people clean their house room by room or task by task? I usually go task by task: the bathrooms, all the dusting, all the vacuuming, then the mopping. (I hate mopping.) But it might be more effective, as I attempt to clean and parent at the same time, to go room by room. That way, you might get a whole one or two rooms clean before your two-year-old undergoes an existential crisis and you have to abandon your chores. I let A watch TV last week when I absolutely had to get some vacuuming done and also had to make some rather important phone calls. And he was crazy for the next 12 hours. Thus scientifically proving my theory that TV + A = Trouble. I have noticed that he can withstand about 30 minutes of something low-key like Curious George without too much fallout, which is good because that gives me time to either help D with homework or cook dinner or, on some nights, both.


** NaBloPoMo Day 7 **

Time to get real

It's time to buckle down people. Quit talking and start doing. Unite. Organize, prepare and get ready.

The Holidays are almost upon us. (You didn't really think I was going to talk about the e-l-e-c-t-i-o-n, did you?)

Strangely, except for some stocking stuffers which I'll wait until December 24 at 9:35 p.m. to run out to Target and purchase, I'm done with the kids presents* and M & I have already agreed that neither of us need anything this year. So now I have giant boxes hidden or disguised throughout the house. D is already a bit suspicious since she was here when UPS delivered twice in a row. She keeps asking me to do a fashion show so she can see what I ordered. It's hard to get things by her!

I've even started to plan my baking. So far, here's what's made the cut: gingersnaps; candy cane cookies; peppermint bark; fleur de sel caramels (Scott -- let me know where to send your batch!); jam thumbprints. I'll probably add some kind of quick bread. And maybe some rosemary-pepper cashews.

I absolutely cannot wait to decorate this year, especially since last year -- what with selling a house and moving two weeks before Christmas and all - we didn't even have a tree, or nutcrackers, or bows, or candles, or cookies or anything.

I love Christmas.

*Well, maybe not quite done. A is really into robots (he loves the movie Iron Giant) and I might try to find a simple remote control one for him. I'm getting them Wall-E for Christmas, so maybe I can find a Wall-E r/c toy?


NOTE: NaBloPoMo Day 6! I can do this!!

Wednesday's dilemma

D has been invited to a classmates 7th birthday party. They are friends, but not super close. However, with only 12 girls in her class, everyone is usually at every event.

The twist is it's a Roller Skating party. D cannot roller skate. I doubt she's ever heard of roller skating. And she is NOT one to dive boldly into physically challenging sports. And she is also not big on doing things that everyone else would think is funny (i.e., learning to skate) in front of a crowd.

If I tell her about the invite -- which I suppose I'll have to -- I'm sure she'll want to go, even though she won't have a concept of what roller skating is all about (and how hard that rink can be!!)

Do I let her go and just try?
Do I let her go although I know she'll end up clinging to a wall, probably crying with frustration?
Do I let her go and stay with her and try to help her? (Do I remember how to skate? Do I even want to try less than a month before our ski trip?!)
Do I massively underestimate her ability to deal with challenging situations?
Do I try to talk her out of it and, if I succeed, am I being overprotective?
Do I send her with M, who is much more patient than I?
Do kids really need to go to every birthday party they're invited to?

So, PLEASE, anyone with older kids who has been in a similar situation: Chime In!!


**It's NaBloPoMo Day 5! Hurrah!

Where will you be from 10 - 12pm?

I will be attempting to beat the rush hour traffic at the polls today and will be voting during the (supposedly) non-peak times of 10-noon. M is even taking a few hours off of work to come with me to wrangle help with A. We are bringing: snacks, portable DVD (extra batteries!), lotsa water, some candy, and his favorite blankie. Oh, and of course our picture IDs and voting cards. They are telling us to expect to wait, even during non-peak times. So we will be prepared.

I am excited and nervous to be part of this election, and more than a bit anxious about the outcome. It may be supremely unpatriotic of us, but we are NOT going to watch the election results. I don't think I can bear a whole evening of predictions and guesses and babbling on from both parties about the historical historicness of this super-historical election. Especially since we'll have done our part to try to elect the candidate we want to see elected and no amount of incessant Special Reporting will change the result. Instead we'll be making a delicious dinner (I'm think steak au poivre and pommes Anna) and renting some awesome movies and we'll check the results -- calmly -- first thing in the morning.

God Bless America!

Perfect weekend

We had a wonderful, fun weekend not the least because it was perfect Florida Fall weather.

Saturday I got a pedicure. I got the perfect bronzy-plum Fall color.
Then D had a birthday party. M got a "Daddy Kid-Free Day" so I took A to the park to play. Perfect.
Sunday we went to Mass and then to a local nature park for an art/nature show. It was overcast and cool, a perfect day to ramble around a nature park.
Then we came home and had s'getti & meatballs - perfect Sunday supper. Then D decided that she wanted to learn to ride her bike without training wheels. After dinner M went out to help her and lo! and behold! she caught on justlikethat! I was amazed. It was perfect.

Oh.... and speaking of perfect, then there was the Gators CHOMPING on the 'Dawgs. If all goes well I believe we'll get a crack at 'Bama (and the National Title!) in December.

Trick or Treat!

I allow candy free-for-alls four times a year: Christmas, Easter, Valentines & Halloween. We are candied like yams right now.

4th of the 4th

Here's a fun idea that I've seen on a bunch of blogs lately. You take the fourth image from the fourth folder in your photo program (umm, if you're that organized) and post it. Pretty cute! After a little searching and last-minute organizing, here's what I got:





This is a picture of one of my best friends, LB, and her boys and D and I. We were on a "sunset cruise" while staying at their Lake House. I think this was about 4 years ago, because D started growing out her curls when she was almost three. The kids all look a little disgruntled (it had been a long day swimming and playing and doing stuff like that) but L and I are feeling no pain, probably due to the mass quantities of Pimm's Cup involved.

I wish we lived closer, L!!

P/S - I may be crazy, but I joined NaBloPoMo for November!! That means I'll be attempting to post every day -- even weekends! -- for a whole month. Get ready for some serious rambling. I promise I won't talk about ice cream though.