Alright, all of you cute girls that I love. It's that time again to send me your address. I intend to send holiday cards out in a timely manner this year and I have a really cute idea so I might even make them (ah big dreams...)
Yes, I know that many of you have lived in the same house for years and I know that I have probably already mailed a birthday card or something like that to your current address at some point...but send me your address anyway because I am totally unorganized and because you love me. Email is best, I don't want all the hundreds of people that read my blog to get your information....What? No one looks at this blog? You are only looking at it because you accidentally clicked on it while you were dragging it to your recycling bin? Well, then I should probably send out an email...thanks for letting me know ;)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
My Mother in Law sent me this as an email and I thought it was so interesting. Especially with the pictures. We spend about $120.00 a week on groceries and I was surprised to see where that number fits in- right between Poland and Egypt. It is from the blog What People Eat Around the World
3. Japan - $317.25 a week for food
5. Great Britain - $253 a week for food
9. Beijing, China - $155.06 a week for food
10. Poland - $151 a week for food
11. Egypt - $68.53 a week for food
12. Mongolia - $40 a week for food
14. Bhutan - $5 a week for food
15. Breidjing Camp - $1.23 a week for food!!! {Sudanese refugees in Chad}
Monday, November 26, 2007
Background
I turned on Wade's computer this evening and found this picture as his background. I think it is so cute and also slightly funny that he has this tiny bunny as his background.Getting off the juice
I have developed a bad habit recently: Coke Zero
Not only that but my coffee intake has tripled over the past few months. I need to get more sleep, drinking tons of caffeine is not the solution to being tired all the time. Besides, it freaks me out that I can only recognize 3 ingredients on the label (water, carmel color, and caffeine) and I have taken 2 years of chemistry, including organic chemistry (one would think that something like a beverage would not contain any inorganic (in the chemistry sense not the food production sense) ingredients, not true for Coke Zero).
I was going to wait until New Year's to cut the soda out of my diet, but the secret stash under my desk is dwindling and I think it is time.
I also was sick all weekend and drank a lot of tea which rekindled my love of tea. How did I forget about tea? Last night I sat on my sofa with my super warm and super huge sweater from my Aunt Donna (which is actually more like a blanket with sleeves and which I really wanted to hate because it is really meant for a 400 lb person and I was having trouble getting over the fact that she thought it would fit me) and a book and a cup of chamomile tea and it was wonderful. Reminded me why it is that I love winter. But I'll stop for now because I don't want to spill all the goodies I have saved up for Things That Make Me Happy Thursday.
By the way, Henry's birthday was so perfect I really couldn't have asked for more, execpt maybe no sore throat and a few more chairs. Throwing a party for your child is WAY more fun than throwing a party for yourself. I have a feeling that Christmas is going to be way more fun now that Henry is here as well. JOY: I feel it this season.
Not only that but my coffee intake has tripled over the past few months. I need to get more sleep, drinking tons of caffeine is not the solution to being tired all the time. Besides, it freaks me out that I can only recognize 3 ingredients on the label (water, carmel color, and caffeine) and I have taken 2 years of chemistry, including organic chemistry (one would think that something like a beverage would not contain any inorganic (in the chemistry sense not the food production sense) ingredients, not true for Coke Zero).
I was going to wait until New Year's to cut the soda out of my diet, but the secret stash under my desk is dwindling and I think it is time.
I also was sick all weekend and drank a lot of tea which rekindled my love of tea. How did I forget about tea? Last night I sat on my sofa with my super warm and super huge sweater from my Aunt Donna (which is actually more like a blanket with sleeves and which I really wanted to hate because it is really meant for a 400 lb person and I was having trouble getting over the fact that she thought it would fit me) and a book and a cup of chamomile tea and it was wonderful. Reminded me why it is that I love winter. But I'll stop for now because I don't want to spill all the goodies I have saved up for Things That Make Me Happy Thursday.
By the way, Henry's birthday was so perfect I really couldn't have asked for more, execpt maybe no sore throat and a few more chairs. Throwing a party for your child is WAY more fun than throwing a party for yourself. I have a feeling that Christmas is going to be way more fun now that Henry is here as well. JOY: I feel it this season.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
And another thing
I am so tired of being fat. This morning I spent 20 minutes trying to find something to wear that would properly cover my gut, butt and boobs. I want to wear a huge sweat suit every day. Something 2 sizes too big that I can hide in. Wade told me last night that he heard about a study done proving a relationship between sleep deprivation for new mom’s and loosing the baby weight. Pretty much confirming what we already knew, Mom’s that don’t sleep don’t loose the baby weight. I haven’t slept for 2 years. I have gained back all 26 lbs from my pregnancy…only I am no longer carrying around a 7 lb baby…now it is a 7 lbs gut. I am thinking about not taking any classes next semester just so that I can go to the gym. Otherwise I am not sure that I will be able to find any time to do it and I HAVE to exercise. I can’t be a healthy person without some physical activity. But good lord, I need to finish school already....this is just ridiculous.
My coworker baby talks to her husband. She has to be almost 60 years old and I am pretty sure he is even older than she is. Just now I heard her say "Oh I know but you have to eat something. If you wait until I get home then it is going to be almost 4 and then you won't want to eat because you'll spoil your dinner. Can you make a peanut butter and jelly? You can toast it if you want? Okay. Love you." Now read that again only remember that it is all in baby talk to a grown man. Annoying huh? I get to listen to that stuff all day.
I hate it when people walk by, make eye contact and then nod. A nod is not a smile. It doesn't count. Just smile. It is much easier and friendlier.
The no-food grumpiness is really starting to set in now. I have eaten all the nuts I have stockpiled in my desk for a rainy day and the Ziploc bag full of stale cheerios that I put in my purse for Henry several weeks ago. I am about to eat that orange I found under a stack of paperwork yesterday. It has to be at least a month old. Come on it's the day before Thanksgiving, aren't they supposed to feed us something in appreciation for our hard work?
My coworker baby talks to her husband. She has to be almost 60 years old and I am pretty sure he is even older than she is. Just now I heard her say "Oh I know but you have to eat something. If you wait until I get home then it is going to be almost 4 and then you won't want to eat because you'll spoil your dinner. Can you make a peanut butter and jelly? You can toast it if you want? Okay. Love you." Now read that again only remember that it is all in baby talk to a grown man. Annoying huh? I get to listen to that stuff all day.
I hate it when people walk by, make eye contact and then nod. A nod is not a smile. It doesn't count. Just smile. It is much easier and friendlier.
The no-food grumpiness is really starting to set in now. I have eaten all the nuts I have stockpiled in my desk for a rainy day and the Ziploc bag full of stale cheerios that I put in my purse for Henry several weeks ago. I am about to eat that orange I found under a stack of paperwork yesterday. It has to be at least a month old. Come on it's the day before Thanksgiving, aren't they supposed to feed us something in appreciation for our hard work?
The stuffing
I woke up this morning feeling like shit. My head ached, my throat hurt, I wasn’t rested. Henry was yelling for me in the other room “Mama Mama Where are you Mama?” When I got into his room he told me that there was a big huge juice box over there that was spraying him with juice and he did not like it. His first nightmare? When I was a kid I had a reoccurring nightmare that Charlie Brown and his gang where chasing me but I could only run in slow motion. I would wake up panicked and be so scared that I would wake up my sister...neither one of us could ever figure out what exactly was so scary about that dream. Anyway. I put Henry down on my side of the bed covered him up with his blanket and closed my eyes hoping to get just a couple more seconds of rest. He whispered “Mama? Here go Mama.” And then shoved the corner of his blanket into my mouth (he likes to chew on his blankets until he falls asleep). Then I felt his hand on the side of my face. “Where your glasses Mama?” he whispered. I pretended to be asleep. He moved so his face was right in my face, one inch from my nose. “Where your glasses Mama? Henwe find them?” Then Wade stirred and Henry rolled over and shouted “NO WORK BAPA!” “Bapa don like work.” “Bapa stay with Henwe in house and play.” Poor Wade, Henry does this to him every morning and I know it has to be so hard for him to leave.
Getting Henry ready in the morning is such an ordeal. He hates his coat. He hates anything that limits his mobility. With his arms sticking out a little and his head surrounded by a puffy collar he told me “DON LIKE JACKET!” “Mama!” Jacket hurts” I pulled his orange/slightly too small for him hat down over his head and walked into the other room to get my coat. When I came back in he hadn’t moved from that spot. Standing there like a starfish, arms and legs sticking out and his hat down over his eyes. “Mama?” he said. “Henwe don like hat either Mama. Hat in eyes Mama.” Oops, I pulled his hat down too far. “Oh sorry baby. I didn’t mean to pull it down over your eyes. That was too far. Sorry.” The whole way to my parent’s house Henry complained about his jacket. First he went through every body part “Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s arms. Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s bottom. Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s tummy….” Then when that didn’t work he hit me with the guilt. “Mama pulled Henry hat down too far. Sorry Henry. In Henwe eye. Don’t like it.” Like a good Mom I tried to get him off the subject with a bribe. “Want some gum baby? It’s peppermint gum.” “Mmm-hmm Mama.” Henry said. I gave him the gum and he started singing “Peppermint gum. Peppermint gum.” I patted the beat on my leg. “Peppermint gum. Peppermint gum. Peppermint Bapa. Peppermint Bapa.” Henry sang. Then he started cracking up. “Peppermint Bapa?” he laughed. “What?” I said “Peppermint Papa? You’re so silly Henry.” We sang Peppermint Bapa the rest of the way to Gigi’s house.
I got to work an hour later than I wanted to. I didn’t eat breakfast. I have no motivation to do anything so I think I’ll go get another cup of coffee. I thought I was going to get off at noon so I didn’t bring lunch. Just found out that I have to stay until 3. I get really grumpy when I don't eat. I think it is an evolution thing...because our ancestors went days without food, hunting and gathering and all that.... At least I blame it on that. I am going to be a grumpy bear by 3:00.
Tonight we have to finish making Henry’s turkey hands, buy everything for Henry’s cake and clean the house. I am making my sisters leek and potato stew with dumplings for dinner. I feel like we have so many loose ends to tie up this weekend. Hopefully I will get to relax a little on Sunday. KU football and basketball in one day. Go Hawks!
Happy Thanksgiving.
Getting Henry ready in the morning is such an ordeal. He hates his coat. He hates anything that limits his mobility. With his arms sticking out a little and his head surrounded by a puffy collar he told me “DON LIKE JACKET!” “Mama!” Jacket hurts” I pulled his orange/slightly too small for him hat down over his head and walked into the other room to get my coat. When I came back in he hadn’t moved from that spot. Standing there like a starfish, arms and legs sticking out and his hat down over his eyes. “Mama?” he said. “Henwe don like hat either Mama. Hat in eyes Mama.” Oops, I pulled his hat down too far. “Oh sorry baby. I didn’t mean to pull it down over your eyes. That was too far. Sorry.” The whole way to my parent’s house Henry complained about his jacket. First he went through every body part “Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s arms. Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s bottom. Mama. Jacket hurts Henwe’s tummy….” Then when that didn’t work he hit me with the guilt. “Mama pulled Henry hat down too far. Sorry Henry. In Henwe eye. Don’t like it.” Like a good Mom I tried to get him off the subject with a bribe. “Want some gum baby? It’s peppermint gum.” “Mmm-hmm Mama.” Henry said. I gave him the gum and he started singing “Peppermint gum. Peppermint gum.” I patted the beat on my leg. “Peppermint gum. Peppermint gum. Peppermint Bapa. Peppermint Bapa.” Henry sang. Then he started cracking up. “Peppermint Bapa?” he laughed. “What?” I said “Peppermint Papa? You’re so silly Henry.” We sang Peppermint Bapa the rest of the way to Gigi’s house.
I got to work an hour later than I wanted to. I didn’t eat breakfast. I have no motivation to do anything so I think I’ll go get another cup of coffee. I thought I was going to get off at noon so I didn’t bring lunch. Just found out that I have to stay until 3. I get really grumpy when I don't eat. I think it is an evolution thing...because our ancestors went days without food, hunting and gathering and all that.... At least I blame it on that. I am going to be a grumpy bear by 3:00.
Tonight we have to finish making Henry’s turkey hands, buy everything for Henry’s cake and clean the house. I am making my sisters leek and potato stew with dumplings for dinner. I feel like we have so many loose ends to tie up this weekend. Hopefully I will get to relax a little on Sunday. KU football and basketball in one day. Go Hawks!
Happy Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Cookies
Friday, November 16, 2007
Meet Pearl
We donated our turkey money to a turkey sanctuary and saved a turkey named Pearl. I think she is pretty cute.Friday 5
My friend Kate sent me this meme last week. It kinda fits the Friday 5 theme...so it goes up. Play along if you like...
*I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?
1. Produce - Avocados
1. Produce - Avocados
2. Bakery – Rustic whole wheat loaf
3. Meat – Nah…I’ll pass
4. Frozen – Amy’s Veggie Pot Pie
5. Dry goods - Quinoa
* Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway. You're only allowed to bring 3 CDs for the plane. What are they?
1. Fiest The Reminder
2. Radiohead Amnesiac
3. Can I just bring my ipod? I don’t ever buy CD’s anymore…
* If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 5 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?
1. This weekend Henry said…
2. This weekend Henry did…
3. What’s for lunch?
4. I feel like an alien at my job
5. I have to pee
* So, what 3 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you'd probably be in a pretty irritable/bad mood?
1. Brush and floss my teeth
2. Hug the boys
3. Take a shower
* What are 3 things that you have in your room that have been with you for the longest amount of time?
1. Omega (My huge, fluffy, white comforter)
2. A necklace from my parents
3. A robe that my Grandma made for me when I was 10 years old
* You're driving down the road, and suddenly you're hit with this sense of road rage. What 3 factors probably contributed to it?
1. I’m being tailgated
2. I just got cut off
3. The music in the car next to me is so loud that it is making my car vibrate and my son is yelling “Turn off radio Mama”
* Sweet, you just scored a whole afternoon to yourself at your house. We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?
1. Taking pictures
2. Cleaning the kitchen
3. Watching a movie and knitting
4. Reading
5. Making cupcakes
* We're going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?
1. Hippo
2. Elephant
3. Otters
(crying all the while)
* You're hungry for ice cream. What are your favorite 3 kinds?
1. Pumpkin spice
2. Raspberry sorbet
3. Anything containing coconut and chocolate
* Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?
1. Orange wallet
2. Henry’s socks
3. 4 different kinds of Lipolicous lip-gloss
4. ipod
5. Pink sparkle toothbrush, floss and tiny Colgate toothpaste tube
I've never been one to "tag" people but I'd love to see what you got....I know it seems like a waste of time, but do it anyway ;)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Thursday Love
Here's the thing. I love Anthropologie. I want to live in the rooms in the catalogs and wear all the clothes. Also, I love mugs. I know, it's a little strange but I just do. I have a lot of mugs...so many that they wouldn't all fit in the tiny kitchen in our last house. A few years ago we went to Prince Edward Island on vacation and I came home with 5 mugs. I have never considered myself a collector of anything really, but I suppose I need to come to terms with my mug addiction.This week my love of these two things came together and the result was me spending entirely too much money on something that I will likely break in the next 6 months. Oh well. I ordered these birdy mugs on Monday. I got the package this morning....cutest ever! Now they have plates and bowls in the same pattern....this is not good folks. Would it be irresponsible of me to get a second job to pay for my Anthropologie addiction?
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Things that make me happy Thursday
Cupcakes are the most versatile food. You can dress them up or dress them down. You can bring them to a kid's birthday party or serve them at a wedding. Make um for a holiday or just for the hell of it. They are fun for grownups and kiddos. They make people happy. That is why I love them. Well, that and there is just something so very lovely about having a tiny cake in your hand that you can eat without utensils and that will most likely leave icing on your nose.For me some days are just cupcake days...it's like people that can sense when it is going to rain, I can sense when a cupcake needs to be made. This weekend is a cupcake weekend. I am leaning towards the chocolate cake with coconut icing ones in the picture above because they are just about the most delicious cupcakes on the planet. I think this time I will add some chopped almonds on top to make them officially "Almond Joy Cupcakes". But there are other options. One of my cupcake cookbooks has a recipe for Top Hats which are chocolate cupcakes with a huge swirl of marshmallow icing on them that are dipped in a chocolate sauce that hardens as it cools...HELLO! Yup, that one is on the list. And I still need to figure out my failed red velvet recipe. Either way cupcakes and Laura will be together this weekend and if that doesn't make me happy then nothin' will.
*Side note: A couple of people have emailed me asking where I get the cupcake papers for my cupcakes. I get them here. They are called Nut and Party cups. Enjoy!
Morning email
L: Hey cutie
W: Hi. What's up?
L: What time did you leave this morning?
W: Before 6. I wanted to get some extra hours to make Friday easier on you
L: I rolled over for a snuggle and got a cat cleaning herself
W: Nothing in the world says "this is not the time to snuggle" quite
like a wet cat butt being licked
L: Amen to that. By way she was sitting on your pillow.
W: Hi. What's up?
L: What time did you leave this morning?
W: Before 6. I wanted to get some extra hours to make Friday easier on you
L: I rolled over for a snuggle and got a cat cleaning herself
W: Nothing in the world says "this is not the time to snuggle" quite
like a wet cat butt being licked
L: Amen to that. By way she was sitting on your pillow.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Two months in advance, but don't forget:
I want to make and decorate sugar cookies
I want to clean my house listening to Christmas carols
I want to go on a Christmas-light drive with my sisters
I want to make a stocking stuffer for everyone
I want to find the perfect ornament for Henry
I want to fall asleep on the sofa with the Christmas lights on
I want to make a gingerbread house
I want to volunteer at LINK
I want to make a gumdrop wreath for our front door
I want to keep an advent calendar
I want to make homemade peppermint marshmallows to drink in my hot cocoa
You can't hang
I stayed up until 1:00 last night sewing Henry's Christmas stocking. I was sitting on the sofa in a calf length pink flowered night gown wearing my glasses with one arm and huge green wool socks, sewing a tiny snowman. At about 11:00 Wade came in and said he wasn't rock and roll enough to stay up as late as I do. I threw him some horns and started working on the snowman's tiny mitten. I am a bad ass.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Um...yum!
One of the very wonderful things about eating a plant based diet is that you instantly get more of what all of need to be getting more of....plants. Tonight for dinner I did a vegan take on a chicken noodle soup with dumplings. It had no chicken and no noodles and it was loaded full of veggies and it tasted better than any chicken noodle soup with dumplings I have ever had. 
This recipe came from a cookbook purchased during a moment of weakness at Amazon. It has leeks, carrots, onions, potatoes and peas, and then me being unable to stick with a recipe even when it is my first time making it...I threw in some kale. I will do anything to sneak some kale into my son's diet. Henry thought it was good at first. That seems to be how it goes lately. The first few bites go down great and then he decides that the peas should not be touching the carrots and the beans should not be touching the dumpling and the whole thing goes array.Anyway, Kelly, I am making this for you. One batch of this would last you a month :)
Saturday, November 3, 2007
YELLOW
Our little maple tree out front, well I should really say little I think it is actually the second biggest tree on the block after the tree in our side yard (one of the perks of owning an old house) but anyway, our little tree is coming around slowly. The rest of Lawrence is ablaze with beautiful oranges and reds while our little tree trugs along...mostly green still with just specks of yellow. 
Friday, November 2, 2007
Friday Five
Things that come easy to me....
1) Parallel parking
2) Memorizing song lyrics
3) Forgiveness
4) Laughter
5) Giving my opinion
Things that I am not so good at…
1) Public Speaking
2) Singing without going flat (doesn’t stop me though)
3) Phonics
4) Riding in airplanes
5) Picking up after myself
Give me what you got.....
1) Parallel parking
2) Memorizing song lyrics
3) Forgiveness
4) Laughter
5) Giving my opinion
Things that I am not so good at…
1) Public Speaking
2) Singing without going flat (doesn’t stop me though)
3) Phonics
4) Riding in airplanes
5) Picking up after myself
Give me what you got.....
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Things that make me happy Thursday
I had my third exam today. I’ve realized why it is much much better to finish college as a young person. Frankly, I just don’t have time for this crap. Everyday I have a choice-jump in the leaves with my son and husband or study how the notochord forms in chick embryos….it’s a no brainer. So, again the exam creeps up on me and again I go in unprepared and only half invested. Whatever, I don’t think I failed it and that is good enough for me….I guess that is a function of age too, I really could care less if I get an A or C I just want to pass it and knock one more shitty class off the list so I can finish up this seemingly never-ending college experience. But the exam is over and we only have 8 classes left in the semester. And that makes me happy.
Preparing for an exam is stressful but it’s hard to be too bummed about it. I woke up this morning feeling a little more rested, went to bed early and my hubby took care of Henry’s nighttime calls so that I could be rested for my test. On our drive to Gigi and Grandpa’s this morning Henry was cracking me up talking about how he needs more Mentholatum (I don’t even know how to spell it so I really can’t figure out how a not-quite-2-year-old could figure out how to say it). The cool air met the warm river water and caused a light fog to form over the river making our drive over the bridge this morning quite lovely. The sun rising in the background and the red, yellow and orange trees with the fog was picturesque and made me wish that I had my camera, but a photo couldn’t have captured how lovely it was in real life, so instead we just drove really slow and I explained the “smoke on river?” to Henry. I love that I can finally have conversations with this kid. I remember not quite 2 years ago looking at him and wishing I could understand what he needed, now he can tell me what he needs (apparently today it's Mentholatum) and that makes me happy.
Once we got off the bridge I turned up NPR just in time for Carl Kasell to tell us that the Phelps clan might just be getting a tiny slice of what they deserve from a family in Baltimore. Apparently they protested at the funeral of a soldier who was killed in Iraq and the father of that soldier sued them and won-$11 million dollars in damages. The family will of course fight the ruling but you know, I am eternally optimistic and believe that people who fill their lives full of hate will eventually get their come-up-ins. Karma will get ya. The Phelps are disgusting human beings that ooze a message of hate so foul and hurtful that $11 million doesn’t even really touch it but it’s a start and quite frankly I am just thrilled that someone had the guts to stand up to them. And this makes me very happy.
Preparing for an exam is stressful but it’s hard to be too bummed about it. I woke up this morning feeling a little more rested, went to bed early and my hubby took care of Henry’s nighttime calls so that I could be rested for my test. On our drive to Gigi and Grandpa’s this morning Henry was cracking me up talking about how he needs more Mentholatum (I don’t even know how to spell it so I really can’t figure out how a not-quite-2-year-old could figure out how to say it). The cool air met the warm river water and caused a light fog to form over the river making our drive over the bridge this morning quite lovely. The sun rising in the background and the red, yellow and orange trees with the fog was picturesque and made me wish that I had my camera, but a photo couldn’t have captured how lovely it was in real life, so instead we just drove really slow and I explained the “smoke on river?” to Henry. I love that I can finally have conversations with this kid. I remember not quite 2 years ago looking at him and wishing I could understand what he needed, now he can tell me what he needs (apparently today it's Mentholatum) and that makes me happy.
Once we got off the bridge I turned up NPR just in time for Carl Kasell to tell us that the Phelps clan might just be getting a tiny slice of what they deserve from a family in Baltimore. Apparently they protested at the funeral of a soldier who was killed in Iraq and the father of that soldier sued them and won-$11 million dollars in damages. The family will of course fight the ruling but you know, I am eternally optimistic and believe that people who fill their lives full of hate will eventually get their come-up-ins. Karma will get ya. The Phelps are disgusting human beings that ooze a message of hate so foul and hurtful that $11 million doesn’t even really touch it but it’s a start and quite frankly I am just thrilled that someone had the guts to stand up to them. And this makes me very happy.
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