If you, Gentle Reader, are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is General Conference Weekend for us. This happens twice a year, on the first weekends in April and October and means that the church membership, as a whole, watches the General Authorities (aka: leadership) of our church bear testimony of Jesus Christ and present talks to encourage, uplift and remind us of important gospel topics. These topics are meant to be pondered upon and internalized to bring us closer to our Savior.
As an adult, I love Conference because I DO feel uplifted after watching/listening to it. My children, however, have a hard time enjoying as much because it means 4 two hour sessions over the course of Saturday and Sunday (J attends the Priesthood Session on Saturday evening, so he has 5), and I think even for an adult, that's a long time. Happily, we have Dish Satellite, which carries BYUtv, so we watch conference here at the house. It's nice for the girls because they can float in and out of the room, and it's nice for me because I'm not freaking out thinking they are disturbing someone else's spiritual experience (J and I are, sadly, somewhat used to it by this time).
Yet I just have to say, even in my pajama's in our home, with some degree of mayhem going on...well, it was a privilege, Gentle Reader, to participate in today's Solemn Assembly. A Solemn Assembly doesn't happen every conference, and I totally forgot they would do it for this one, but we have a new President of the Church since the passing of our beloved Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley and it was an opportunity to show our support by sustaining our new President.
I want you to know, Gentle Reader, that I DO sustain and support Pres. Thomas S. Monson as Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What a wonderful blessing and element of peace and comfort it lends to my heart to know that our Church is led by Jesus Christ, and that He has an active mouth piece on the earth today to lead and guide us. I also support and sustain Pres. Monson's counselors and the rest of the General Authorities of our church. I know that they are men and women called by and of God. And I'm so glad I was able to stand "with my quorum" of Relief Society sisters and then with the General Membership beside my sweet husband to show that support. It was a special moment, and something that I treasure to have been a part of, and I wanted that recorded because when it's all said and done, a BBQ recipe is delicious and fun for my taste buds and stomach, but this was as sweet and delicious an experience for my entire being as one would hope for.
So, enjoy your day, Gentle Reader, and Conference Weekend. And if you don't know about it, I invite you to find out more! You can even get instructions and tune in via the computer at: http://www.lds.org.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Blogging Ribs...Conclusion
Time...9:19 (Saturday MORNING!)
Ahhhhh, it is over. The company was wonderful. The Ribs turned out to be great...the BBQ sauce did indeed work magic. The other stuff I made was good and no one even missed the au gratin potatoes, but man oh man, the foods that the company brought was...YUMMY. I'm a firm believer that all food tastes a bit better if you don't have to cook it.
ANYWAY! Today, I'm feeling it. I don't know about you, but I get super efficient just before an event while trying to accomplish oodles NOT on my list, and then the next morning, I have almost an adrenaline hangover and can hardly move. For example, I finished the simple remaining "chores" I had for the house, and then decided I needed to clean upstairs, vacuum the literal stairs, vacuum under the counters using the nozzle thing in the kitchen and bathrooms, take the garbage out, empty the dishwasher (I'd run it earlier), wipe down the chairs, ...things like this, while working under a timed deadline and finishing all the other prep for dinner. Oh, and take a shower.
Once again, Superstar J came home and was a tremendous help. He finished my last few tasks for me (hide the unfolded laundry in one of the closets, finish basting the BBQ--it was on the last 20 minutes and, as you know, the recipe called for it) so I could get the shower. It was nice to see him sniff the aroma of the house appreciatively when he walked in. And I have to say that the kids were SUPERSTARS, too. It's not easy having a crazed mother running around, giving orders like, "Keep everything clean!"
But things got done, company arrived and we had a lovely time. As Jennifer's Somebody predicted, we all had "a party in our tummies (so yummy! so yummy!)." Yep. Totally worth it, even this morning. Even with an adrenaline hangover.
Ahhhhh, it is over. The company was wonderful. The Ribs turned out to be great...the BBQ sauce did indeed work magic. The other stuff I made was good and no one even missed the au gratin potatoes, but man oh man, the foods that the company brought was...YUMMY. I'm a firm believer that all food tastes a bit better if you don't have to cook it.
ANYWAY! Today, I'm feeling it. I don't know about you, but I get super efficient just before an event while trying to accomplish oodles NOT on my list, and then the next morning, I have almost an adrenaline hangover and can hardly move. For example, I finished the simple remaining "chores" I had for the house, and then decided I needed to clean upstairs, vacuum the literal stairs, vacuum under the counters using the nozzle thing in the kitchen and bathrooms, take the garbage out, empty the dishwasher (I'd run it earlier), wipe down the chairs, ...things like this, while working under a timed deadline and finishing all the other prep for dinner. Oh, and take a shower.
Once again, Superstar J came home and was a tremendous help. He finished my last few tasks for me (hide the unfolded laundry in one of the closets, finish basting the BBQ--it was on the last 20 minutes and, as you know, the recipe called for it) so I could get the shower. It was nice to see him sniff the aroma of the house appreciatively when he walked in. And I have to say that the kids were SUPERSTARS, too. It's not easy having a crazed mother running around, giving orders like, "Keep everything clean!"
But things got done, company arrived and we had a lovely time. As Jennifer's Somebody predicted, we all had "a party in our tummies (so yummy! so yummy!)." Yep. Totally worth it, even this morning. Even with an adrenaline hangover.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Blogging Ribs...and some side dishes
Time: 2:44
So, all the ribs have been boiled. Whew. That is done. They look, quite frankly, like death floating in funky water. Gentle Reader, think "The Two Towers" when Frodo, Sam and Gollum are walking through the Fire Marshes and those "people" (ie: corpses) are floating in the water. You now have an idea of what these grey things look like. I have been assured, however, that they magically transform under the rich and spicy goodness of BBQ sauce. I will let you know.
The dough for the rolls has been made and they are currently rising. Check.
Alas, we have a bit of a set back...I will not be making Au Gratin Potatoes (at least not today, anyway). Remember when J went to the store for more groceries for me? Well, he picked up the most important item (bag of russet potatoes) and the other things and went to pay for them. Hmmmm. Here at the house, I can't find them. I just called him and asked where he put 'em. Oh. Upon further reflection, they must still be on the cart! He checked his receipt and, lo and behold, he did not pay for potatoes. So, he ended up shoplifting the potatoes (even took them through the check-out stand) and then promptly left them at the store, under the cart where he had put them. So, no big loss so to speak.
That revealed, Gentle Reader, do you know what this means? It means we are having Potato Pearls (aka: mashed potatoes) that I can make in the microwave in about 3 minutes with our amazing BBQ ribs. This is a mixed blessing as far as my stress level is concerned. My taste buds are very very disappointed, but my mental health is probably kinda happy about this as I'm running a bit behind and they take 1.5 hours to cook at 400 degrees, where as the ribs take about that same time at 325. And I have one oven. And I cannot do the math nor am I a spacial relations genius who can fit many 9x13 pans of ribs with a thing of au gratin potatoes. So...mixed blessing indeed.
Now to tackle the rest of the house work.
So, all the ribs have been boiled. Whew. That is done. They look, quite frankly, like death floating in funky water. Gentle Reader, think "The Two Towers" when Frodo, Sam and Gollum are walking through the Fire Marshes and those "people" (ie: corpses) are floating in the water. You now have an idea of what these grey things look like. I have been assured, however, that they magically transform under the rich and spicy goodness of BBQ sauce. I will let you know.
The dough for the rolls has been made and they are currently rising. Check.
Alas, we have a bit of a set back...I will not be making Au Gratin Potatoes (at least not today, anyway). Remember when J went to the store for more groceries for me? Well, he picked up the most important item (bag of russet potatoes) and the other things and went to pay for them. Hmmmm. Here at the house, I can't find them. I just called him and asked where he put 'em. Oh. Upon further reflection, they must still be on the cart! He checked his receipt and, lo and behold, he did not pay for potatoes. So, he ended up shoplifting the potatoes (even took them through the check-out stand) and then promptly left them at the store, under the cart where he had put them. So, no big loss so to speak.
That revealed, Gentle Reader, do you know what this means? It means we are having Potato Pearls (aka: mashed potatoes) that I can make in the microwave in about 3 minutes with our amazing BBQ ribs. This is a mixed blessing as far as my stress level is concerned. My taste buds are very very disappointed, but my mental health is probably kinda happy about this as I'm running a bit behind and they take 1.5 hours to cook at 400 degrees, where as the ribs take about that same time at 325. And I have one oven. And I cannot do the math nor am I a spacial relations genius who can fit many 9x13 pans of ribs with a thing of au gratin potatoes. So...mixed blessing indeed.
Now to tackle the rest of the house work.
Bloggin Ribs...
Time 1:15
By 12:34 (for some reason, I love it when I see the clock like that), batch #2 was underway. The brownies were in the oven. And my sweet angels were praising me for being such a great mom.
Well...that's not quite what happened, but not too far off.
J got home with A, and she has no temperature--I mean, she has no fever (she's not a statue, after all). Whew. She does seems a little draggy, so I might try to see if she'll nap. I have to say, good husband that I have, J cut through the next batch of ribs...with a bit more enthusiasm than I was prepared for...hmmmm. ANYWAY! We got those going and J ate while I finished the brownies. I put them in the oven and was cleaning up the mess when all of a sudden I remembered: I did not grease the pan before I put the low fat (read: not a heck of a lot of oil) brownie mix into it. CURSES! J, with sincerity in his voice, said, "Thank you for not being perfect." ugh. My facade is RUINED!!!!!!
Oh well.
Next, J and I put the sheets back on the girls bed (did I mention how stellar my husband is today? He's a rock star, I tell you, and I am mightily blessed). I went down to feed my kids (notice the time???? Oh yeah, it's 1:20 now and O is still up. And what am I doing? Yep. Blogging!) and check on the ONE pot of ribs.
Yes, I finally paid attention to the directions and PUT THE RIBS IN THE POT FIRST and THEN, COVER WITH WATER. Amazingly, when you do it like that, they all fit! That said, it is a very full pot...and boiling water is still jumping out of it, and I have managed to literally slop some of the stuff on my floor and on myself. ugh. The happy news...it is 1:30 and they have about 15 minutes left before I take it off the heat. What, you say? You started it at 12:34, and you are to cook for 45-60 minutes. Yes. But it's a big pot of water and took longer to boil than the first round. Soon, I'll start the rolls and the potatoes. Yum. That'll take care of the food on my part.
For the house, still on the To Do list: dust, vacuum and put fresh towels in the bathroom (I cleaned that yesterday), change the laundry. Holy cow, I'm going to be ready to sit down for dinner. lolol. But first, go put O down for her nap...in 15 minutes!!!!
By 12:34 (for some reason, I love it when I see the clock like that), batch #2 was underway. The brownies were in the oven. And my sweet angels were praising me for being such a great mom.
Well...that's not quite what happened, but not too far off.
J got home with A, and she has no temperature--I mean, she has no fever (she's not a statue, after all). Whew. She does seems a little draggy, so I might try to see if she'll nap. I have to say, good husband that I have, J cut through the next batch of ribs...with a bit more enthusiasm than I was prepared for...hmmmm. ANYWAY! We got those going and J ate while I finished the brownies. I put them in the oven and was cleaning up the mess when all of a sudden I remembered: I did not grease the pan before I put the low fat (read: not a heck of a lot of oil) brownie mix into it. CURSES! J, with sincerity in his voice, said, "Thank you for not being perfect." ugh. My facade is RUINED!!!!!!
Oh well.
Next, J and I put the sheets back on the girls bed (did I mention how stellar my husband is today? He's a rock star, I tell you, and I am mightily blessed). I went down to feed my kids (notice the time???? Oh yeah, it's 1:20 now and O is still up. And what am I doing? Yep. Blogging!) and check on the ONE pot of ribs.
Yes, I finally paid attention to the directions and PUT THE RIBS IN THE POT FIRST and THEN, COVER WITH WATER. Amazingly, when you do it like that, they all fit! That said, it is a very full pot...and boiling water is still jumping out of it, and I have managed to literally slop some of the stuff on my floor and on myself. ugh. The happy news...it is 1:30 and they have about 15 minutes left before I take it off the heat. What, you say? You started it at 12:34, and you are to cook for 45-60 minutes. Yes. But it's a big pot of water and took longer to boil than the first round. Soon, I'll start the rolls and the potatoes. Yum. That'll take care of the food on my part.
For the house, still on the To Do list: dust, vacuum and put fresh towels in the bathroom (I cleaned that yesterday), change the laundry. Holy cow, I'm going to be ready to sit down for dinner. lolol. But first, go put O down for her nap...in 15 minutes!!!!
Blogging Ribs...with a bit of baking!
Time: 11:46
I'm preparing to start on my Zucchini Brownies (which I had planned to do yesterday, but...oh well.) Ummmm...for clarification, I'm cutting the ribs about every 4th rib or so, so it's more serving size than individual rib thing. Please note that for your own recipe use.
Got a call from J and he said A seems fine to him. So he took her to Wal-Mart to get a few things I forgot yesterday (I went for my monthly Other-than-Aldi's-Store visit) and can I just say, next time I do a big shopping excursion like that, I'm taking J. It's work filling up a cart like that, I tell you; I was there for 2 hours and I was TUCKERED out when I got home. In fact, I counted that as my 20 minutes of walking for the day.
When A gets home, I'll take her temperature and reveal the results in my next update.
I'm preparing to start on my Zucchini Brownies (which I had planned to do yesterday, but...oh well.) Ummmm...for clarification, I'm cutting the ribs about every 4th rib or so, so it's more serving size than individual rib thing. Please note that for your own recipe use.
Got a call from J and he said A seems fine to him. So he took her to Wal-Mart to get a few things I forgot yesterday (I went for my monthly Other-than-Aldi's-Store visit) and can I just say, next time I do a big shopping excursion like that, I'm taking J. It's work filling up a cart like that, I tell you; I was there for 2 hours and I was TUCKERED out when I got home. In fact, I counted that as my 20 minutes of walking for the day.
When A gets home, I'll take her temperature and reveal the results in my next update.
Bloggin Ribs: Opposition...
Time: 11:00
A's preschool just called to say she is not feeling well and is warm to the touch. Hmmmm. Jason is on his way to pick her up...to be continued!
A's preschool just called to say she is not feeling well and is warm to the touch. Hmmmm. Jason is on his way to pick her up...to be continued!
Blogging Ribs
Time: 10:47
Batch #1 done...soaking in spiced water to cool a bit while I cleaned up water O just spilled and get the girls dressed. Have broken a nail, though I believe that had more to do with laundry than ribs.
Meanwhile, the garbage guys did not take chalkboard toy we tried to throw away this morning. It is small...I do not know why they didn't take it because I've seen them haul away mattresses on regular garbage days. It is sitting outside, oh so lonely, with the garbage cans and lids and recycle bin. Just thought I'd give you that random update. Much like the garlic powder in the rib recipe, I think it adds a little spice to the day, don't you?
Batch #1 done...soaking in spiced water to cool a bit while I cleaned up water O just spilled and get the girls dressed. Have broken a nail, though I believe that had more to do with laundry than ribs.
Meanwhile, the garbage guys did not take chalkboard toy we tried to throw away this morning. It is small...I do not know why they didn't take it because I've seen them haul away mattresses on regular garbage days. It is sitting outside, oh so lonely, with the garbage cans and lids and recycle bin. Just thought I'd give you that random update. Much like the garlic powder in the rib recipe, I think it adds a little spice to the day, don't you?
Bloggin Ribs...
Time: 10:22
Make that, I've now boiled over BOTH pans of water/ribs...so that's 3 times. I have taken off the lids, which I'm sure I should have done before this. Good times. The house smells great, though, I gotta say.
Make that, I've now boiled over BOTH pans of water/ribs...so that's 3 times. I have taken off the lids, which I'm sure I should have done before this. Good times. The house smells great, though, I gotta say.
Blogging Ribs, continued...
Time: 10:18
I've got the first batch going and I've already boiled over one of the pans of water/ribs...twice. Spiced water EVERYWHERE. lol. YEGADS!
I've got the first batch going and I've already boiled over one of the pans of water/ribs...twice. Spiced water EVERYWHERE. lol. YEGADS!
Blogging Ribs, Baby
We are having company tonight and I am making ribs (plus some other, hopefully, delectable stuff). So, I'm going to blog about it and keep you updated because I KNOW you are aching to hear all about this.
As an introduction to this, you should know that I've never made ribs before...and I'm trying not to freak out. One day, doing something like this will cause me to laugh triumphantly and cry, "I LOVE A CHALLENGE" at the top of my lungs. For now, it kinda creates a wee bit of anxiety (considering that I also feel the need to suddenly clean all the baseboards around my house, but that's a blog for another time). My friend Jennifer (who will be attending) has given me a recipe that she says is fool proof--thus an excellent recipe for me.
Gentle Reader, I LOVE to cook and can follow a recipe with the best of them. In fact, cooking normally calms me down and I find it sooooo satisfying. This confessed, I have discovered that I really DO NOT care to cut through rib/bones and can, with the UTMOST confidence, tell you that I do NOT want to be a butcher...ever...on the off chance that such an career opportunity presents itself. The smell of raw meat with even a hint of blood, in and of itself...not so pleasant for me. Yes. Cringeworthy. In a BIG BIG way. Maybe it's this pregnancy thing? I dunno. I just know... So. Gross. To. Me. And I've only cut into one package.
Here's the recipe:
BBQ Ribs
(original recipe yields 4 servings)
INGREDIENTS:
As an introduction to this, you should know that I've never made ribs before...and I'm trying not to freak out. One day, doing something like this will cause me to laugh triumphantly and cry, "I LOVE A CHALLENGE" at the top of my lungs. For now, it kinda creates a wee bit of anxiety (considering that I also feel the need to suddenly clean all the baseboards around my house, but that's a blog for another time). My friend Jennifer (who will be attending) has given me a recipe that she says is fool proof--thus an excellent recipe for me.
Gentle Reader, I LOVE to cook and can follow a recipe with the best of them. In fact, cooking normally calms me down and I find it sooooo satisfying. This confessed, I have discovered that I really DO NOT care to cut through rib/bones and can, with the UTMOST confidence, tell you that I do NOT want to be a butcher...ever...on the off chance that such an career opportunity presents itself. The smell of raw meat with even a hint of blood, in and of itself...not so pleasant for me. Yes. Cringeworthy. In a BIG BIG way. Maybe it's this pregnancy thing? I dunno. I just know... So. Gross. To. Me. And I've only cut into one package.
Here's the recipe:
BBQ Ribs
(original recipe yields 4 servings)
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup barbeque sauce (but seriously, you'll need more)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup barbeque sauce (but seriously, you'll need more)
DIRECTIONS:
- Place ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover. Season with garlic powder, black pepper and salt.
- Bring water to a boil, and boil ribs until tender. 45 min-1 hr
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Remove ribs from pot, and place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Pour barbeque sauce over ribs.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
- Add more sauce to the top about 20 minutes before finished cooking.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Like So Many Beautiful Things, It's INCREDIBLY Annoying
So, A (who is 5) worked all winter long with her dad in a business shoveling snow from the walkways of our neighbors and putting down salt and/or sand, depending on the clients' wishes. As of March 31, she was no longer contractually obligated to shovel and so it was payday for A. Wahoo. Her dad had the big discussion about tithing, savings and spending money, and A happily announced that she knew exactly what she wanted to spend her money on: A Mariposa Barbie. And not just ANY Mariposa Barbie...the only one that would do was one she'd seen at a specific store (Wal-Mart...the one by the Lowe's). So, J (being the good dad he is) took her yesterday to that specific store for her big purchase. She is thrilled. THRILLED. As for J and myself...well, we agree that Mariposa Barbie is indeed lovely and her wings are a sight to behold...but sakes alive! That thing is so annoying!
For those who don't know, Mariposa is a "Butterfly Fairy," and in the straight to DVD movie, she goes on some adventure which earns her beautiful pink wings and a flower crown (we know this particular plot because we rented the movie from Red Box, and I sat with the girls, fast forwarding the movie through all the "scary" parts for my wee ones, who truth be told, have a very low "scary" threshold, thus taking a 90 minute movie down to, seriously, about 11 minutes). Anyway, this particular Barbie has wings that you can literally fold and then hit a release button to reveal HUGE pink sparkling wings (see Barbie on the left). The wings are so big, in fact, that her arms must be raised above her head for the release button to even work. Furthermore, they also are "breakaway" so they come off (too) easily to allow Mariposa to be a semi-normal looking Barbie. I think if you breathe on the wings with any effort, they will in fact breakaway from Miss Mariposa.
Now, you may remember I have mentioned Mariposa in an earlier post. A's newly acquired doll is not like that lovely and appropriately winged Mariposa Barbie that was given as a gift last week (to the right), which we got at Aldi's for a SMOKIN' deal. No. It is sooooo beyond that in annoyance and cost factor that if A wasn't so enamored with it, I'd offer to pay her off and get her a different doll in exchange. Because, seriously, I prefer the smaller winged Mariposa and, after talking to A's friend's mom, the mom said that her daughter LOVED this particular doll and I didn't detect ANY animosity from her for giving a doll who's wings must be reattached every 5 minutes because they keep coming off.
But such is our lot...like so many, we are now enjoying the beautiful but HIGH maintenance Mariposa because a set of eyes fell prey to the packaging. This is, don't you agree Gentle Reader, a rather symbolic experience. Interesting, non?
Enjoy your day!
For those who don't know, Mariposa is a "Butterfly Fairy," and in the straight to DVD movie, she goes on some adventure which earns her beautiful pink wings and a flower crown (we know this particular plot because we rented the movie from Red Box, and I sat with the girls, fast forwarding the movie through all the "scary" parts for my wee ones, who truth be told, have a very low "scary" threshold, thus taking a 90 minute movie down to, seriously, about 11 minutes). Anyway, this particular Barbie has wings that you can literally fold and then hit a release button to reveal HUGE pink sparkling wings (see Barbie on the left). The wings are so big, in fact, that her arms must be raised above her head for the release button to even work. Furthermore, they also are "breakaway" so they come off (too) easily to allow Mariposa to be a semi-normal looking Barbie. I think if you breathe on the wings with any effort, they will in fact breakaway from Miss Mariposa.
Now, you may remember I have mentioned Mariposa in an earlier post. A's newly acquired doll is not like that lovely and appropriately winged Mariposa Barbie that was given as a gift last week (to the right), which we got at Aldi's for a SMOKIN' deal. No. It is sooooo beyond that in annoyance and cost factor that if A wasn't so enamored with it, I'd offer to pay her off and get her a different doll in exchange. Because, seriously, I prefer the smaller winged Mariposa and, after talking to A's friend's mom, the mom said that her daughter LOVED this particular doll and I didn't detect ANY animosity from her for giving a doll who's wings must be reattached every 5 minutes because they keep coming off.
But such is our lot...like so many, we are now enjoying the beautiful but HIGH maintenance Mariposa because a set of eyes fell prey to the packaging. This is, don't you agree Gentle Reader, a rather symbolic experience. Interesting, non?
Enjoy your day!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Things to help me be a better mom, Part 1
Gentle Reader, I'm having one of those days where I feel very very tired and a wee bit grumpy for some reason. So, I'm trying to focus on happy, positive things in hopes that my disposition will reflect that. That disclosed, here are a few things that help me be a better mom:
This is the first: EasyMac. For those who know I'm on the Aldi's Plan, the fact that they were even carrying this was a happy happy discovery. I don't know how long it'll be available, but I've grabbed a couple every time I go, and I even bought a few to specifically put down in the food storage. All you have to do is cook the noodles in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and then add the packet of "cheese". I realize it's probably chock full of strange chemicals and flavors that give it that "great" cheese flavor (but it does have double the calcium, so it can't be all that bad, right?)...but the kids will eat it, even if I put some of O's Gerber 2nd Food Pureed Vegetables in it (and that means that E, my vegetable AVOIDER, is getting a serving of veggies), and for that I LOVE this stuff.
The second is this: The Bissell Pro Heat Steam Cleaner. We got it from Costco when A was potty training, and it has kept me on the sane side many a time. As long as you use it correctly, it doesn't soak your carpet (which I think voids a carpet warranty if that's a concern of yours), but it does get out sippy milk/juice stains and...well, things that belong in the toilet. I was reminded just how great it was yesterday when O, finally figuring out how to unscrew the lid on her sippy...Oh Joy!...poured her juice on the living room carpet. While she still got a Time Out, I was not nearly as freaked as I might have been because of this little baby. Plus, the carpet needed to be cleaned and it was totally satisfying to see it in such good shape when it was done. In fact, I was so pleased that I thought, "I'm going to clean all the carpets this week!" If you can listen carefully, you may still hear my guardian angels laughing. Shhhhh...listen: Hahhahahahhahaha. Needless to say, Gentle Reader, that moment passed rather quickly.
The third I also love...it is a great invention for those of us who fall into the category of "Unsuspecting Moms who thought potty training meant we were done wiping other people's bottoms." I also like how the original Kandoo's smell. These little wonders are like baby wipes, but you can FLUSH them...and so can your little ones, once they figure out how to use them effectively. And, by the way, we've used the Huggies brand and the "off" brand, and I'm fine with those, too. It's the flushable wipe idea that I'm enamoured with and has helped me be a better mom.
There are so many more things that help me be a better mom, but right now I am going to stop listing them because every time I add a picture, it sends it to the top and goofs up the spacing and then I have to respace things and then, I'm starting to accidently delete the photos and....ugh!!!! So, instead of me focusing on all these wonderful happy things that help in my life, I'm starting to feel frustrated with this whole blogging nonesense and it's definitely not the route I want to go. So...please consider this list as Part 1, to be followed soon by Part 2, etc., when I figure out the better spacing and picture placement.
Til then...Have a great day.
This is the first: EasyMac. For those who know I'm on the Aldi's Plan, the fact that they were even carrying this was a happy happy discovery. I don't know how long it'll be available, but I've grabbed a couple every time I go, and I even bought a few to specifically put down in the food storage. All you have to do is cook the noodles in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and then add the packet of "cheese". I realize it's probably chock full of strange chemicals and flavors that give it that "great" cheese flavor (but it does have double the calcium, so it can't be all that bad, right?)...but the kids will eat it, even if I put some of O's Gerber 2nd Food Pureed Vegetables in it (and that means that E, my vegetable AVOIDER, is getting a serving of veggies), and for that I LOVE this stuff.
The second is this: The Bissell Pro Heat Steam Cleaner. We got it from Costco when A was potty training, and it has kept me on the sane side many a time. As long as you use it correctly, it doesn't soak your carpet (which I think voids a carpet warranty if that's a concern of yours), but it does get out sippy milk/juice stains and...well, things that belong in the toilet. I was reminded just how great it was yesterday when O, finally figuring out how to unscrew the lid on her sippy...Oh Joy!...poured her juice on the living room carpet. While she still got a Time Out, I was not nearly as freaked as I might have been because of this little baby. Plus, the carpet needed to be cleaned and it was totally satisfying to see it in such good shape when it was done. In fact, I was so pleased that I thought, "I'm going to clean all the carpets this week!" If you can listen carefully, you may still hear my guardian angels laughing. Shhhhh...listen: Hahhahahahhahaha. Needless to say, Gentle Reader, that moment passed rather quickly.
The third I also love...it is a great invention for those of us who fall into the category of "Unsuspecting Moms who thought potty training meant we were done wiping other people's bottoms." I also like how the original Kandoo's smell. These little wonders are like baby wipes, but you can FLUSH them...and so can your little ones, once they figure out how to use them effectively. And, by the way, we've used the Huggies brand and the "off" brand, and I'm fine with those, too. It's the flushable wipe idea that I'm enamoured with and has helped me be a better mom.There are so many more things that help me be a better mom, but right now I am going to stop listing them because every time I add a picture, it sends it to the top and goofs up the spacing and then I have to respace things and then, I'm starting to accidently delete the photos and....ugh!!!! So, instead of me focusing on all these wonderful happy things that help in my life, I'm starting to feel frustrated with this whole blogging nonesense and it's definitely not the route I want to go. So...please consider this list as Part 1, to be followed soon by Part 2, etc., when I figure out the better spacing and picture placement.
Til then...Have a great day.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
It's Another Girl!
So, I had my ultrasound yesterday and the doctor said we are having another girl. We are very happy with it, and when I figure out how to scan the pictures, I'll put the ultrasounds up.
I must confess that the doctor who performed it wasn't my favorite ultrasound specialist, that's for sure. You can tell he does lots of them, though, and he was very focused on making sure all the insides were where they needed to be and working (which they were). The three pictures he took of the baby weren't that great, either, if I do say so myself. Oh well. It's nice to know what to expect. :)
So, now we can finally use pronouns when referring to the baby.
AND speaking of baby, I must now go and get O. She has a spoon (????) and A just told me she's eating syrup. Oh for the love of Pancakes, how does this happen????
I must confess that the doctor who performed it wasn't my favorite ultrasound specialist, that's for sure. You can tell he does lots of them, though, and he was very focused on making sure all the insides were where they needed to be and working (which they were). The three pictures he took of the baby weren't that great, either, if I do say so myself. Oh well. It's nice to know what to expect. :)
So, now we can finally use pronouns when referring to the baby.
AND speaking of baby, I must now go and get O. She has a spoon (????) and A just told me she's eating syrup. Oh for the love of Pancakes, how does this happen????
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