Friday, May 29, 2009

Works for Me: Homeade Oxyclean

Oxi-Clean is sodium percarbonate. What is that? It's hydrogen peroxide and washing soda.

I mixed up half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and about 1 T of washing soda. Works just like the store bought stuff, awesome laundry stain remover. Like any laundry product, be sure to test of color fastness.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

But I birthed your BABIES!!!!!!!

We have this monstrous half German Shepherd/Half boxer Pony Puppy. She is a sweetheart, and a big hot mess. I think she might have puppy ADD, its nearly impossible to grab her attention. Lately, I have been able to grab her attention, much to Brian's surprise. Our other dog Mac seems to be in love with me, and is ignoring Brian. He was all impressed with the way I was able to order the dogs around and get obedience. Then he tried, and it didn't go so well. I very condescendingly, and patiently explained to him that animals can just 'sense' things about people..... until he noticed the cheese cubes in my hand. Okay, so I cheat a bit.

Well, Karma came around to bite my butt (again). All those treats created explosive diarrhea in the puppy pony. Brian is so lucky he wasn't here, I totally would have played the "you have to do this because I gave birth to your eight babies card". Whats that? I only have three? Okay fine... but those births were torture, with no drugs at all... What that? I had an epidural at 1cm? after begging the custodian to stab me with anything medicated? Okay maybe, but it was still awful, and it should totally buy me a "get out of cleaning the dog poop" card.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Old School Boardgame Geekery



We have recently decided that the kiddos are old enough for "family game night". (I have been waiting YEARS for this!!!! my inner nerd LOVES board games). I have insanely fond memories of playing sorry with my family and I got the game for free from freecycle, so it was the natural choice.

The first hurdle we had to clear was the concept that there is only one, clear winner. This was not a popular idea, at least not to the losers. We lived through several rounds of hysterical, throw yourself on the floor and weep or vomit tantrums. Once we established that none of this would change the outcome, we were able to move on. I am happy to report that we are now pretty good losers.

We are not very good winners. We gloat, we cackle with glee, and we shake our booties in the losers faces. Welcome to our next project. I am partially responsible for this. I taught the kids the "sorry dance" where you shake your booty and sing "sorry sorry sorry" to the tune of the hungry hungry hippo game commercial. Not sure why, don't question my creative genius.

I think playing board games gives parents the perfect opportunity to observe their children. For example, we have established whom we WON'T be naming executor of our estate later in life. One of our offspring (who shall remain nameless) is mercenary, cut-throat, devious, willing to cheat in order to win and has a mind for strategy that has convinced me that a career in politics or total world domination might not be too far off. Okay its not that bad, but we did laugh our behinds off about it.

Monday, May 18, 2009

On Winning the Lottery....

I totally won the lottery. Not the $$$ lotto... the one that really counts, the husband lotto. That same guy is probably going to kill me when he reads this. It will totally ruin his tough guy mojo.

I think he is like a really good chocolate, crunchy exterior, but sicky sweet on the inside.

Sometimes, when I miss him a bunch and he does something really sweet. Its all I can do not to scream it from rooftops. Knowing that he would be gone for awhile, he left notes strategically through the house for me and the kids. The photo below is of Emma's dresser (which faces her bed). She gathered up all her notes and put them so that she could see them while she goes to sleep.

I won't lie, it is very hard for us when he is gone. VERY. It creates a bit of a hole, a piece is missing and we all know it. We try to stay busy and distracted, but it only goes so far. It changes the dynamic, sometimes it stretches me thin and the kids notice. Its not like I turn into mommy dearest, but maybe things aren't as smooth as they normally are, dinner is a little late or bath time runs over (hopefully not onto the floor). We miss him, all of us do.

Brian always finds ways to remind us of how much he loves us. He makes the time we have with him feel much longer than it is. Because of his job, he has no hobbies. When he is home, he is 100 percent ours. It the greatest gift he could give us.

And that is why honey... In the words of Rick Astley... I am never going to give you up, let you down, run around.......

I grew something, and for once its not a baby...

I am so excited, and I am in full nerdy bliss. I grew something... ME! Jenny of the black thumb... I have grown sunflowers. I am queen of the garden! Okay .... not really.... they have only been sprouted for a couple of days....there is still plenty of time for me to kill them off.

See, I have killed off every plant I have ever tried to care for. I even managed to murder an aloe vera AND a cactus. Apparently, that is an accomplishment. All my instincts with plants are wrong. I over water, under light... I just have the wrong instincts.

Brian has started referring to my gardening projects as "victims". He makes sympathetic noises to my seed packets when I bring them home. Its so wrong.

This wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't so enthusiastic about gardening. I want to be able to grow things. Its ironic really.... I mean Brian and I were so fertile in the kid department, we could barely be in the same room without getting pregnant. You would think that would translate over into plants and crops. All that early cave man fertility deity stuff, If it translated we would live on a farm where the berry bushes had practically taken over the house.

But alas, I have my little crop of sunflowers... if they live, I am going to attempt an herb garden! Its like such a huge step up.... I warned you... full nerdiness here.

Monday Fun at the Splashpad

We met some friends of ours at the park/splashpad this morning. When we woke up it seemed chilly to me, but the kids were still game so we went. I was so glad we did. It shaped up into a wonderful day. The Mommies got to chat and the kids played till they dropped.


Cussing up a Storm.....


So, the kids have taken up cussing.... sort of... they are using Spongebob for material.



John (upon going into the water at schlitterbahn, when it got to the "tender" parts): "Mother of Pearl that is cold". (it came out more like "mudder of peerl"

Chloe (when she didn't get what she wanted): "oh barnacles!"

the other version of that is "don't be such a barnacle head"

I'm not sure why, but this just cracks me up....

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Works for Me: Frozen PBJ

I have gone through the frozen food aisles and seen the frozen PBJ in the freezer aisle. It would be so easy to just grab something out of the freezer and run. But sadly, I am way too sensible to purchase something I can do myself so easily... darn it. Plus, I get the heebee jeebees when I read the ingredient list.

You can't imagine how insanely excited (yeah, I am that dorky) I was when I saw this recipe for making a month's worth of peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

Make a few dozen sandwiches:

Two or three loaves of bread
Peanut Butter
Jam

Think variety - different types of bread (ie. raisin bread one day, whole wheat bread the next) as well as different types of jam (try blueberry or orange marmalade rather than just the standard strawberry) to keep things from getting boring.

Cover one side of each slice with peanut butter, being sure to go to the edges. Then put jam on half of the slices, leaving about half an inch from the edge on all sides. Put the sandwiches together, and the peanut butter will "seal" the jam inside and keep them from getting soggy as it thaws. Seal in freezer bags

On lunch day, simply put a frozen sandwich (straight from the freezer, no need to thaw before hand) when you make lunches in the morning, and it will be thawed by morning.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Chloe's Interview about Mommy

I really love it when mom hugs me.

My mom likes to wear sunglasses.

My mom always tells me, she loves me.

The best thing she does is kiss me.

It makes her happy when I hug her.

My mom loves to relax by sitting in the recliner and cuddling me.

I like it when gets me allowance.

The best thing she cooks is sausages and french toast and brownies.

When my mom shops she likes to buy chicken.

My mom’s favorite household chore is helping us.

My mom’s favorite TV show is The News!

If she could go on a trip, she would go to Jellyston park.

I love my mom because she loves me.

Emma's Interview about Mom

I really love it when she takes me to fun places.

My mom likes to have fun.

My mom always tells me, "We have to put your lima bean outside."

The best thing she does is cook brownies.

It makes her happy when she is having fun.

My mom loves to relax by reading a book, or watching a movie.

I like it when she tickles me .

The best thing she cooks is brownies.

When my mom shops she likes to buy vitamins.

My mom’s favorite household chore is nothing.

My mom’s favorite TV show is Family Guy.

If she could go on a trip, she would go to Canada.

I love my mom because She gives me hugs and kisses.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Desperately manic Mommy

So, on mother's day: true mommy confessions time. Its always kinda funny to me how other people perceive things.

Recently, on my facebook account I have been posting pics of what we are out doing. Its mostly for the Hubs, if he is out of town, he can look at my facebook or blog and it gives him a way to talk with the kids as though he was there. We have had to make jumps in technology to make sure that we all stay on the same page as a family with his crazy schedule.

This is not because I am some kind of supermom ... really, I am more of a desperate mom. You know that saying, "desperate times, call for desperate measures" that pretty much sums up my feelings on this. When Brian has a normal schedule, so do we. But when Brian has a crazy schedule I go to PLAN B.

See, when I know that Brian isn't coming home or is working crazy hours (like all the time?) I have a choice. Option A: keep the kids busy at home, listen to 1001 versions of "he touched me", clean up the same messes 50 times and slowly drive myself crazy. OR option B: take the kids somewhere really fun, pack a lunch, distract them (and me) from thinking about daddy being gone, since we are out of the house no one can mess it up, have a little fun and keep my sanity.

Usually I opt for Option B, and my guilty secret is that it might be the only thing that has kept me sane.

Igor: The Movie

This was the tagline we read when we decided to rent the movie.... Animated fable about a cliché hunchbacked evil scientist's assistant who aspires to become a scientist himself, much to the displeasure of the rest of the evil science community. Since I am kinda a fan of Dr. Frankenstein and Mary Shelley I thought this might be a cute throwback to the classics... yeah.... not so much.

I can't imagine who thought to market this to younger kids, but it had too many things in it I found objectionable (and I am usually very laid back about what we watch). For example, Igor has a bunny he gave eternal life to, who is always trying to commit suicide.... and then comes back to life. While as an adult I get the funny here, I don't think it really belongs in a children's tale. As a matter of fact being so depressed you want to end it all is discussed during the first five minutes way too much.

Which explains why we never made it past the first five minutes. I think maybe it should just be marketed to an older audience.

Mother's Day 2009

We had a good day. The kids planned out the day for me, they wanted to go to breakfast, and take me to Schlitterbahn. Oh those kids of mine, always willing to sacrifice themselves when Mom just drags them against their will to the water slides.

The park was a little more populated today, and despite what I am going to say below, we had a great time, and have had a great time since we have been going. Its one of the best purchases we have made.

So we learned a few things.....

  • People don't like to wait in line.
  • Chloe named her little toe poobah.
  • Goth children can go in the water without melting, although getting a tan will ruin their pasty, pale mojo. They might even smile while they are in it.
  • piece of advice...... if you are going to spring for the forty dollar ticket to the water park, spring for a bathing suit, wearing a white tshirt and a see through bra underneath doesn't cover as much as you think it does.
  • The water park that is supposed to wear out the kids really wears out the parents more.
  • I still have vertigo with heights. It sucks to figure that out three stories up the tower to a water slide. Kudos to me for trying, however I did have to do the walk of shame back down after the dizziness set in. On the plus side, at least Brian didn't have to carry me and no teenagers snickered.
  • Seagulls are the rats of the air, they are evil.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Sea Center Texas








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Crocodile Encounter 5/7

The kids had GREAT time at the Crocodile encounter! They got to see crocodiles, alligators, skinks, snakes, turtles, and tortoises. I am pretty sure this is John's idea of heaven. It was definitely his favorite field trip so far.



Fun at the Splashpad 5/4











Monday, May 4, 2009

Miller Outdoor Theater/Zoo/Train ride

Today we went to Miller Outdoor Theater to see Romeo and Juliet, the zoo, and rode the train. This mama is exhausted!

We went with our friends Terra and Rowan to see Romeo and Juliet. it was really cool, I would recommend it to anyone with kids. The performance was about an hour of the opera version of the play. I had anticipated letting the kids play on the hill with bubbles, but they stayed put and really enjoyed the performance.

After that we rode the train. Its always a favorite.

Then we went to the zoo. Emma told me that the lion has chest hair just like daddy (yeah, I know Brian....sorry).

The kids had a blast, and the girls wore the dresses and twirly skirt I made them. Its goofy, but I love seeing them wear what I make.