Justin and I have been talking for months about how much better life would be when we moved in to this house. And you know what? It is. A few weeks ago, he was going on about how great things would be in Wellesley, and I said, "I bet there are rainbows there every day and unicorns dance in the streets." Guess what...there are rainbows and the unicorns are glorious. Sometimes you can even hear the angels singing. You should visit and see it all in person. It's amazing.
The "unicorns and rainbows" line is now what we say whenever something here exceeds our expectations. The neighbors brought us cookies. Unicorns and rainbows. Other neighbors snowblowed our driveway for us the day we moved in. Unicorns and rainbows. Play-Doh playdates and ice cream socials. Unicorns and rainbows. Neighbors calling to see if you need anything from the grocery store before they head out. Unicorns and rainbows.
I would post pictures, but my laptop has finally gone on to greener pastures (which may not sound like it, but is actually a good thing...again, unicorns and rainbows), so I will post them when we have a photo software up and running again.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Thanks Julie!
This is my friend, Julie (I didn't run this picture by her in advance, so I'm probably in trouble):
She's the one responsible for the awesome redesign on the blog. Julie is a blogaholic and self-taught graphic design guru. She got sick of me teasing her for redesigning her blog on a daily basis and offered to redesign mine (my plan worked!). So, I hope you like the new look! I think she did a great job.
She's the one responsible for the awesome redesign on the blog. Julie is a blogaholic and self-taught graphic design guru. She got sick of me teasing her for redesigning her blog on a daily basis and offered to redesign mine (my plan worked!). So, I hope you like the new look! I think she did a great job.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Week One: Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings
I know this doesn't look terribly appetizing, but trust me, it was. Even Claire loved it (as you can see from her hands grabbing for the bowl when I took the picture), and that girl is definitely not what you would call an "eater."
Here's the recipe for anyone who wants to try it (and if my recommendation isn't enough, it has 1992 reviews on allrecipes.com and is ranked 4.5 stars)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 cans, cream of chicken soup
1 onion, diced
1 pkg Grands homestyle biscuits (8 biscuits)
1 can chicken broth
Veggies (I added corn, peas & carrots)
Cumin
Parsley
Poultry Seasoning (I didn't measure the spices...just a few shakes)
Dump it all in the crock pot, except for the biscuits, and cook for 5-6 hours on high. Cut the biscuits into small pieces (I quartered them and wished I'd made them smaller) and add them to the mixture when there's about 3 hours left. Be sure to stir them in a bit and not just let them float on top.
Voila! One week down, 51 to go.
Here's the recipe for anyone who wants to try it (and if my recommendation isn't enough, it has 1992 reviews on allrecipes.com and is ranked 4.5 stars)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 cans, cream of chicken soup
1 onion, diced
1 pkg Grands homestyle biscuits (8 biscuits)
1 can chicken broth
Veggies (I added corn, peas & carrots)
Cumin
Parsley
Poultry Seasoning (I didn't measure the spices...just a few shakes)
Dump it all in the crock pot, except for the biscuits, and cook for 5-6 hours on high. Cut the biscuits into small pieces (I quartered them and wished I'd made them smaller) and add them to the mixture when there's about 3 hours left. Be sure to stir them in a bit and not just let them float on top.
Voila! One week down, 51 to go.
Why my kid is weird (Part 1...of many)
I took the boys to the mall today to get Reid's six-month pictures done (only a month late...not bad). I told Hayden that if he was good, we would go to Build a Bear and get a new outfit for George, his beloved monkey. All during the pictures, he talked about George's new outfit. Would George like a train shirt, like he had on? Maybe they had some rainboots (Hayden's favorite thing to wear)? We talked and talked about it, and Hayden decided that George should get to pick out the outfit by himself. Uhh...sure.
We got to Build a Bear and the choices were overwhelming. Did George want to be a rock star? A Red Sox or Patriots player? What about Spiderman or Batman? Yes! Spiderman was the winner. We got the outfit on George and got him up to the register, and no! Spiderman was not the winner anymore! Hayden was tearing it off of George like he was being burned. "NO! George no Spiderman anymore!!"
We decided to call it quits on the outfit and went to lunch, where, after a few chicken nuggets, Hayden was back to yammering about George's new outfit. I decided to give it one more shot. We walked back in the store, browsed the selection again, and George made a choice:
Yes, I bought tighty whiteys for a stuffed monkey today, and my son loves them.
We got to Build a Bear and the choices were overwhelming. Did George want to be a rock star? A Red Sox or Patriots player? What about Spiderman or Batman? Yes! Spiderman was the winner. We got the outfit on George and got him up to the register, and no! Spiderman was not the winner anymore! Hayden was tearing it off of George like he was being burned. "NO! George no Spiderman anymore!!"
We decided to call it quits on the outfit and went to lunch, where, after a few chicken nuggets, Hayden was back to yammering about George's new outfit. I decided to give it one more shot. We walked back in the store, browsed the selection again, and George made a choice:
Yes, I bought tighty whiteys for a stuffed monkey today, and my son loves them.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Friday, January 02, 2009
Dear 2009,
You are not wowing me. At all.
This morning, Hayden decided to squeeze a Toaster Strudel into his hair about 5 minutes before we had to leave for preschool. After I got him in the shower and de-jellied, we headed out to the car. Claire decided to run in the snow, fell face down (graceful, she is not), and soaked her jeans. I ran her back inside, changed her pants ("They don't match!!"..."Too bad!"), and got the kids back in the car. We were 45 minutes late (and oddly, Claire was the first one in her class to get there, so perhaps 2009 is also sucking for lots of my fellow parents?).
That's not a wildly atypical morning for us, but then this afternoon, on the way out the door to pick Claire up from preschool, Riley had an incident. I'm about to share too much, so if you have a weak stomach or just ate, skip ahead to the next paragraph. My dogs eat poop. Love it. It's a delicacy. It's pretty much a winter thing, and we call them "poopsicles." Clever, huh? These poopsicles don't agree with Riley. Thus "the incident." Words were spoken that I will blame on Justin's influence if the children repeat. I got the necessary cleaning products from under the sink and while I was cleaning I heard a strange noise behind me. I turned around. Nothing but Hayden looking sweet and innocent (that should have been a clue). I heard the noise again and turn around. Hayden again. Hmmm. Turned around again quickly....Hayden was hiding a bottle of Pledge behind his back. Apparently he'd been spraying the back of my jacket with it. "Mommy, I cleaning your coat!" he told me quite proudly. Once again, we were late to the preschool, only this time for pickup.
Claire's teachers are familiar with the antics that seem to be isolated to my family (we were late her first day because she locked herself in the bathroom and the second day because she got one of Hayden's trains stuck in her hair), and they got a good laugh out of my day before telling me that Claire has been complaining about her ear all morning. So I'm off to the doctor's office with all three little munchkins this afternoon and with the way my day is going, we'll all catch some sort of flesh-eating bacteria.
2009, let's be friends.
This morning, Hayden decided to squeeze a Toaster Strudel into his hair about 5 minutes before we had to leave for preschool. After I got him in the shower and de-jellied, we headed out to the car. Claire decided to run in the snow, fell face down (graceful, she is not), and soaked her jeans. I ran her back inside, changed her pants ("They don't match!!"..."Too bad!"), and got the kids back in the car. We were 45 minutes late (and oddly, Claire was the first one in her class to get there, so perhaps 2009 is also sucking for lots of my fellow parents?).
That's not a wildly atypical morning for us, but then this afternoon, on the way out the door to pick Claire up from preschool, Riley had an incident. I'm about to share too much, so if you have a weak stomach or just ate, skip ahead to the next paragraph. My dogs eat poop. Love it. It's a delicacy. It's pretty much a winter thing, and we call them "poopsicles." Clever, huh? These poopsicles don't agree with Riley. Thus "the incident." Words were spoken that I will blame on Justin's influence if the children repeat. I got the necessary cleaning products from under the sink and while I was cleaning I heard a strange noise behind me. I turned around. Nothing but Hayden looking sweet and innocent (that should have been a clue). I heard the noise again and turn around. Hayden again. Hmmm. Turned around again quickly....Hayden was hiding a bottle of Pledge behind his back. Apparently he'd been spraying the back of my jacket with it. "Mommy, I cleaning your coat!" he told me quite proudly. Once again, we were late to the preschool, only this time for pickup.
Claire's teachers are familiar with the antics that seem to be isolated to my family (we were late her first day because she locked herself in the bathroom and the second day because she got one of Hayden's trains stuck in her hair), and they got a good laugh out of my day before telling me that Claire has been complaining about her ear all morning. So I'm off to the doctor's office with all three little munchkins this afternoon and with the way my day is going, we'll all catch some sort of flesh-eating bacteria.
2009, let's be friends.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Resolutions & a Year in Review
I don't normally make resolutions, but this year I am and I'm posting it here to keep me honest.
I am not a cook. I don't even remotely aspire to be one, but my family does have to eat, and sadly, the preparation of the food generally lies in my lap. So this year, I am going to try to make at least one new recipe a week. I am armed with two Rachel Ray 30-minute meal books and another super easy cookbook. I tried to kick the year off right and I made a new recipe last night. It was awful. I won't even tell you what it's called because you will all be sitting at your computers saying, "C'mon, I could have told you that would be awful." But I made an attempt, and that's what counts. Luckily, I had also made apple pie for dessert, so dessert became the main course, and all was right in the world.
I will post my efforts each week and how it went over with the family, and if I remember, maybe even a photo. Feel free to post recipes in the comments section or e-mail them to me...52 weeks is a long time!
If you're curious, Claire's resolution is to eat more candy (I think I didn't explain the concept very well), and Hayden would like to be potty trained. Okay, I thought of Hayden's, but I think it can be done!
Happy New Year, everyone!
2008 Year in Review
January
February
March
April (ROCK CHALK!)
May
June (Welcome the world, little Reid)
July (Claire turns 4)
August (Hayden turns 2)
September
October
November
December
I am not a cook. I don't even remotely aspire to be one, but my family does have to eat, and sadly, the preparation of the food generally lies in my lap. So this year, I am going to try to make at least one new recipe a week. I am armed with two Rachel Ray 30-minute meal books and another super easy cookbook. I tried to kick the year off right and I made a new recipe last night. It was awful. I won't even tell you what it's called because you will all be sitting at your computers saying, "C'mon, I could have told you that would be awful." But I made an attempt, and that's what counts. Luckily, I had also made apple pie for dessert, so dessert became the main course, and all was right in the world.
I will post my efforts each week and how it went over with the family, and if I remember, maybe even a photo. Feel free to post recipes in the comments section or e-mail them to me...52 weeks is a long time!
If you're curious, Claire's resolution is to eat more candy (I think I didn't explain the concept very well), and Hayden would like to be potty trained. Okay, I thought of Hayden's, but I think it can be done!
Happy New Year, everyone!
2008 Year in Review
January
February
March
April (ROCK CHALK!)
May
June (Welcome the world, little Reid)
July (Claire turns 4)
August (Hayden turns 2)
September
October
November
December
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