Have you Ever??

.....picked up some food that your kid dropped on the floor and decided to pop it into your mouth because it was easier than taking it to the garbage can?

....looked forward to going to the bathroom just so that you can be alone for a minute?

.... taped your child to his chair at dinnertime?

.... Absolutely insisted that your child go watch cartoons for awhile instead of "helping" fix dinner.


Oh .... yeah... totally... me neither.  Just wonderin'....

Happinesses for Today

1.  I walked outside this morning and it was amazingly, beautifully splendidly... COOL.  If that isn't thrilling to you then you probably don't live in Houston, TX.  But I do and 78 degrees almost made me cry. 

2.  Lizzy left these cute notes on everyone's pillows.

Can you tell that we have already received a Christmas card catalog in the mail?

3.  I found out that my in-laws are coming to visit over Thanksgiving.  Yippee.  We love visitors.

4.  At dinner tonight Lizzy sat down and said... "So Mom... did you hear about the big game last night?  You didn't?  The Cowboys won."

5. I pretty much, totally like my kids.  At least most of the time.  Doesn't Sam look big?

Recipes that have come in handy lately

Yogurt pops.  Are you ready for a great recipe that your kids will love?  And they'll think they're getting a dessert when it's really just yogurt and even your baby loves them, who happens to be teething and so this cold stuff helps soothe the pain?  Are you ready?  Are you?

1.  Buy some yogurt. 
2.  Dump it into ice molds.
3.  Put in a stick of some sort.
4.  Freeze. 

Wallaa.  Good stuff.

 Okay and my next big reveal is called Easy Pizza Rolls.  Here we go.

1 loaf frozen bread dough (or just make your own dough)
4 oz cream cheese
one 6 ounce can tomato paste
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. chopped pepperoni

1.  Preheat oven to 375degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.  Roll out dough into a rectangle and make it as thin as you can.  Spread with cream cheese and them tomato paste over the cream cheese.  Sprinkle evenly with spices.  Top with cheese and pepperoni.
3.  Roll up jelly-roll style, starting at the long end.  Cut log into 1 inch think rounds just like making cinnamon rolls.  Place on pan and bake for about 20 minutes. 

We ate a few for dinner one night and I froze the rest.  I have two bags of these in my freezer right now.  These are great to grab when you are in a hurry.  Lizzy also likes them in her school lunches, just cold. 

Enjoy.

Missing the Mountains

I'm missing the mountains today.  And also remembering how awesome this hike through Bryce Canyon was.  I can't tell you how many people looked at us like we were crazy when they saw us trudging up the steep inclines with 4 babies, a toddler and 4 kids.  Hard work, but so worth it. 

Treasures

Please tell me that I am not the only one who has to sneak around at night, finding my kids "treasures" and tossing them out while they sleep.  I feel kind of guilty writing that, but really there has to be a line somewhere.  We have found however, that taking a picture makes it easier for the kids to be able to let go.  So here are a few of our most treasured possessions from the last week.

A very old and nasty toothbrush.

A napkin scrap with a small note.   Since I write a napkin note almost everday, I did determine that she could not keep them ALL.

A cockroach that we trapped in a mason jar.   Honestly Andrew cried and cried when I tried to flush it down the toilet.  I don't know how one can possibly get attached to a cockroach, but I guess it is possible. 

And now for a picture of my real treasures.  I'm posting this for my Mom who wanted to know what I put on the wall in my kitchen/dining area. 

Mom, since I did this for you, it does necessitate that you leave me a comment. :) ha ha.

Wordsearch

Andrew asked me to make him a wordsearch yesterday and so I made the one on top.  He made the adorable one underneath.  I think he did a pretty good job.

Parenting Expectations

Sometimes parenting carries with it some pretty unreasonable expectations.  I don't know when it first happened, but I imagine it was pretty liberating the first time I read an article in Parents magazine and didn't feel compelled to follow it so that I could be a "good mom".  Now that I have a few kids and a little more confidence I can laugh.  Like when I laughed at this:

 This article includes 11 super-healthy lunch-box recipes.  Make sure that your child is getting not only a tasty treat but something to keep her going all day long. 

We've got:  Whole-Grain Hummus Sandwich with Vegetables, Tropical Turkey Spring Rolls and Aloha Chicken with Pineapple Dip. 

So... in case you didn't get the memo... PB&J - OUT.  Carrot sticks  - OUT.  Apple slices - BORING. 
Pomegranate juice reduced in a sauce pan until syrupy, mixed with mango, cilantro and sprouts and wrapped in blanched cabbage  - IN. 

Better get to work.