mommablogsalot

Today…

If you looked outside my window: it has that “calm before the storm” thing going on. The sky is almost blue and there’s a light dusting of snow on the balcony outside but from what I’ve read online we’ve got a pretty good sized storm coming our way. Last night we parked one of our two cars in the garage at Dan’s office so he’ll only have to shovel out one car to get to work tomorrow and however many other days the storm lasts.

I am reading: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater- I’m about halfway through it and really enjoying it but a bit worried because according to my husband who read it first, the ending was really disappointing. But the book was also recommended to me by fellow book lover Vivienne who writes that the ending was “breathtaking” so I’m hopeful but cautious and my imagination has spent a lot of time trying to predict how it will end.

Last night I: took a walk by myself after a long, hectic day of running errands. There were the smallest little flurries falling and I was dying to get out and take some pictures but the kids were exhausted and cranky. My loving husband told me to go anyway and took them inside. I got several good pictures of the snow and scenery.

I also: started learning how to knit again. Dan has been wanting to teach me for awhile but I keep blowing it off. I gave in this weeekend and it’s been …. slow but steady. I can do one stitch (the garter stitch I think) but I still can’t cast on to save my life.

Today we’re: relaxing. It was a hectic weekend for us, in spite of my efforts to make it low key. We had a few key things we were shopping for (like the new desk chair we finally saved up enough money for – now Dan and I both have real office chairs to sit on!) and not much luck tracking them down early on so it was a lot of “from store to store” and there was a lot of traffic and two kids who were not crazy about any of it. So today is laundry day and staying inside day. I’ve pulled out some playdough for MM and he’s busy creating masterpieces.

In the kitchen:

• Monday: Nachos with black beans and diced tomatoes
• Tuesday: Spaghetti with sauce and Texas Toast
• Wednesday: Tomato and black bean Quesadillas
• Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
• Friday: Parmesan Baked Salmon with Couscous and Carrots

I really want to make: some of these adorable Valentines Crafts I’ve found online, like a valentines crossword puzzle, crazy for you valentines, and puzzling hearts.

This weekend we: had our first “weekly date night” as inspired by this guest post at Make and Takes. Like Tiffany from Simply Modern Mom, we’re planning to do mostly free at home dates, but making it a point to do different, planned things together instead of just sitting at home, watching tv like we do every other night. And this Sunday (Valentines Day!) we’re even planning to get out for a real dinner and a movie together!

Some other links I think you should click:

• I’m kind of coveting this classically elegant swimsuit that I saw on Design Mom – how gorgeous does the model look in this? There aren’t many one pieces that still look trendy and fun but this one fits the bill (a one hundred dollar bill, but still…)
• How do you feel about leaving food on the plate? I have a hard time doing it, being raised like most people with words like, “Finish your dinner!” and “There are starving children in Russia who would love to eat that food!” and the like. I think I agree with the author that I’d prefer to just switch to smaller plates and not waste food, but a very valid point is being made that we should be able to just acknowledge when we are full and stop eating even if there is still food on the plate. Which also leads to the question of how are we raising our children to think about food and feeling full?
• We all have difficult days – and we deal with those days the best we can. Sometimes we make good choices and sometimes the choices are less good… the important thing is to think about how we can do better next time. I like these strategies from Simple Mom about dealing with those moments that have you thinking, “Mama said there’d be days like this…“

If you looked outside my window: you’d see another brisk morning. The sky has just the slightest hint of blue but mostly it’s another gray day. We had to run to the office this morning to drop off our rent payment. We bundled up in jackets, hats, gloves, etc. On our way back inside we passed a girl wearing shorts and a tee shirt!! It’s like fifteen degrees outside!!

I am reading: Little Children by Tom Perrotta – so far I’m not sure if I like it or not. It’s just interesting enough to keep me interested, but it’s kind of a downer… the characters in the book are all so sad and seem trapped in these boxes they’ve made for themselves… very sad. But thankfully I can put the book down and step outside of that box and back into my own life which is much more cheerful!

Last night I: finally baked some of my supposedly infamous chocolate chip cookies. This recipe and I have been battling each other for awhile now. They used to come out all warm and gooey and perfect each time – and more importantly flat. They never come out flat anymore and I have no idea why.

I also: started making homemade baby food – like more than just mashing a banana with a fork. Okay, let’s be honest, Dan’s making it – but still – we are making some effort to make baby food more affordable. We picked up some of those little covered ice cube trays and a cheap food mill – so worth it. I’ll be reviewing them at the review blog and probably here also sometime this week.

Last night we made carrots and applesauce – twelve servings of each.

Today we’re: playing catch up on laundry and otherwise enjoying the wonderful act of laziness. We had a pretty busy weekend and I intend to do very little today outside of housework and blogging. Don’t hate me because I’m fabulous.

In the kitchen:

• Monday: Samosas and Sliced Apples
• Tuesday: Eggplant Parmesan
• Wednesday: Macaroni and Cheese and Carrots
• Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
• Friday: Penne a la Betsy

I really want to make: either of these delicious looking desserts: Peach Crunch Cake at Bakerella and Best Cocoa Brownies at Smitten Kitchen – also this Orange Julius inspired smoothie at Sweet Savory Life

This weekend we: watched Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and The Proposal – both movies were really cute, classic chick flick goodness. I recommend both of them. The rest of the weekend was largely spent in the kitchen making pizza, cookies, banana bread, potatoes au gratin and homemade baby food.

I should mention: that my grandfather died this weekend? I’m doing surprisingly okay, probably in denial. He lived in Germany most of my life and we’ve only spent a very small amount of time together – and from what I’ve heard he wasn’t doing very well before he went. I think I am blessed to be over here, away from all of it, so that I can continue to be in emotional denial. I am sad that he will never get to meet his great grand daughter but at least he got to meet MM and Dan before he died and I did get to spend some time with him while he was in the U.S. briefly. We might not have been particularly close but in so many ways this is the end of an era for me. I’m sure it will hit me later in a much more profound way – or gradually in small ways over the years. I don’t know, I think I just wish I had something bigger to say about it.