Monthly Archives: November 2009

daybook: november 30th

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Today…

Outside my window: it’s pretty nice out. Sunny and in the 40′s. It might snow tonight.

I am hearing: MM not even pretending to be napping and BB playing on her little tummy time mat.

I am thinking: about a million things right now, struggling valiantly to keep it all straight.

I am hoping: that dinner tonight comes out okay, I’m not entirely confident in the recipe but I am hoping it comes out good.

I am reading: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – I’m about halfway through the book now and pretty much in love with it. It’s very tempting to go crawl into bed with it and ignore the rest of the day.

I am creating: our Christmas Card finally. I took a couple of creatively festive pictures and finally found a layout on Walmart’s photo website that I like and suddenly it all come together. I’m just waiting on the okay from Dan then I’ll be ordering…

I am wearing: plaid pajamas and a dark purple maroonish tee shirt

In the kitchen:

Plans for the week: dinner at Dan’s co-workers tomorrow, a playdate on Wednesday, trying to recover from the weekend laundry and cleaning wise and catching up on some blogging reviews.

A few of my favorite things: a really great weekend with some spur of the moment fun: a limoncello dessert at the Cheesecake Factory, a surprise Christmas present for MM, homemade samosas last night, japanese pears, girl scout cookies, my wonderful spontaneous husband, having the Christmas decorations out (finally, I’ve been very eager to decorate for the holidays this year)…

A picture thought:

sneak preview of the christmas card

Review: Glade Scented Oil Candles

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I’m not generally a “candle person.” I have been given a lot of candles as gifts over the years but I rarely use them. Mostly because I’m a teensy bit afraid of fires. But I recently had the opportunity to review the Glade Scented Oil Candles and for some reason I said yes. I’m glad I did.

We used our first scented oil candle on the night of my husband’s birthday. We used the limited-edition Bayberry Spice scented oil candle that Glade sent me. It comes in a round tin and you’ll find that the candle attached to the tin firmly because of a built in magnetic center bump on the tin (and the metal bottom of the candle). I loved that the candle held firm and placed in the wide tin, it wasn’t going anywhere. Once you light the candle it eventually melts into an oil liquid and then evaporates. When the oil is gone, the flame goes out on its own. It will burn for about two to three hours.

I enjoyed the Bayberry Spice’s scent a lot. My husband and I both noticed that we could “tune the scent out” as it wasn’t over powering like some scents can be. But the second we thought about it, we could clearly smell the candle and found the fragrance light and sweet.

That weekend I picked up a package of refills in the vanilla scent, one of my favorite scents for most candles, soaps and fragrances. We used it during our Thanksgiving dinner and the vanilla smelled just as good as the Bayberry although I found it even more mild than the Bayberry. The refills sell for about $3.49 for a pack of four refills. You can also buy decorative glass jars for the scented oil candles for $3.49.

My only complaint with these candles is that they appear to be a single use only candle and once you light it, you really have to just let it finish burning – so don’t plan to leave the house an hour after lighting it! You’ll want to make sure you’ve got a good three hours to enjoy the scent before you need to leave. But all in all, the whole process of using the candles is so easy that even me, a typically anti-candle person, enjoyed using them. I thought the magnetic base was genius and with two small children in the home a safety feature I immediately appreciated. And I’m looking forward to my next scented oil candle experience immensely. Maybe I’ll become a candle person after all.

I highly recommend the Glade Scented Oil Candles for your next holiday party or even your next “Must block the scent of that diaper pail!” emergency.

Want to win a Glade Scented Oil Candle of your own? I’m giving one away at my review blog – you have until Friday to enter to win!

This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and SC Johnson, who provided the product for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Monthly Menu Plan: December

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I’m back with another month of menu planning!

For those who’ve never planned a month long menu or haven’t read my little posts on them before, here’s the deal: Rather than planning my family dinners night by night, or week by week, I’ve taken the habit of planning out one menu for an entire month. This makes my grocery shopping much easier since I’ve already decided what dinners I’ll be making, I only have to pick up the ingredients missing for that week and the very regular cast of breakfast and lunch foods.

And the looming nightly dinners are now much less intimidating. No longer having to stand in front of the refrigerator scratching my head, trying desperately to figure out something nutritious and delicious to make for dinner? Love that. And by doing this monthly rather than weekly, it leaves more time for life in the days in between. It isn’t rocket science, and thanks goes to Simple Mom who inspired me with this idea.

Here’s my monthly menu plan for the month of December:

Week One

Week Two

Week Three:

  • Saturday December 12: Vegetarian Meatloaf
  • Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner: Pancakes with and Fresh Fruit and Boca Breakfast Sausage
  • Monday: Frozen Pizza
  • Tuesday: Spaghetti with Diced Tomatoes and Boca Crumbles
  • Wednesday: Macaroni and Cheese with broccoli
  • Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
  • Friday: Spaghetti with Italian Sausage and Sauce

Week Four:

Week Five:

turkey day re-cap

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Well, we’ve survived our first completely nontraditional Thanksgiving. It was a lot of work, even just cooking for the three of us, I think we spent at least three hours in the kitchen but the food all came out really good. Dan made some grilled ahi tuna steaks and we served that with Baked Pumpkin with Mixed Rice Pilaf and mashed sweet potatoes and then some cranberry sauce and crescent rolls. Everything came out good. MM pretty much just gorged himself on cranberry sauce and crescent rolls so it’s a good thing I followed through on serving them.

We watched a bit of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade but mostly just hung out, and eventually ate. Afterwards we went to Perkins as planned and we each got one slice of pie which we then split three ways. Dan also got a chocolate milkshake and I got a mug of hot chocolate. We had pecan pie, apple pie and french silk – really good. I have to say that was one of my best ideas and we plan to do it again next year.

So, on the one hand, it was kind of weird to not be celebrating with family, driving to two different dinners, and having a traditional Turkey Day feast, we still enjoyed ourselves and made the day feel festive. We made paper plate turkeys, had pie, ate too much and reminisced about Thanksgivings past.

And even though this was a pescetarian Thanksgiving there was still Turkey on the table.

gobble gobble

ww: for all these things, I am thankful…

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i am thankful

for her tiny toes

and his toothy grins

not so much my crooked nose

i am thankful

for a warm place to sleep

though i wish i got more

than eight hours a week

i am thankful

for a kitchen full of food

we’ll never go hungry here

hence the weight i have to lose

i am thankful

for a husband who cares

who picks up my slack

and his underwear

i am thankful

for good friends and family

who never cease to show they care

and support us through our calamities

(i know that rhyme was a stretch)

i am thankful

i married an engineer

because if i had to get paid to write this stuff

it would get pretty ugly, i fear…

turkey craft 2009

Happy Thanksgiving From My Family To Yours.

writers workshop @ mama's losin it

Click here for this week’s writer’s workshop prompts.

midweek music pick: mister sandman by pomplamoose

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I can’t connect to the internet from my computer right now because of server issues which is making it hard to share any pictures with you guys for Wordless Wednesday. So I thought the next best thing to sharing cute pictures of my kids would be to share a video I found online. Ever since seeing their cover of Single Ladies my husband and I have been enamored with Pomplamoose (which means grapefruit in French).

If you haven’t heard of them before, Pomplamoose is a YouTube sensation famous for their “VideoSong” method of making music. According to their webpage, Videosongs follow two simple rules: “What you see is what you hear (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice), and if you hear it, at some point you see it (no hidden sounds).”

For your listening pleausre today, I give you: Mister Sandman.

it’s been awhile

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I gave up on the idea of a separate blog for my memes. Trying to juggle four different blogs was just getting ridiculous and felt a little redundant. So you’ll just have to start putting up with my memeing over here again. Poor, poor you. I snagged this one from Chelle @ The Winey Mommy.

Name someone with the same birthday as you:

A lot of fabulous people like Ryan Seacrest, Stephenie Meyer, Ricky Martin, Ava Gardner and Howard Hughes.

Where was your first kiss?

At a friend’s house during a rousing game of Truth or Dare.

Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else’s property?

No!  I was the ridiculously good kid for the most part.

Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex?

Yes but I don’t think that’s very uncommon for women. It seems to be the double standard that men cannot hit women but women can hit men. Since most men are much stronger than me, I’ll continue being grateful for that.

Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people?

I’ve done a bit of karaoke but the largest group I’ve sung in front of was a middle school talent show. I was singing Straight Up by Paula Abdul but the microphone was turned off the whole time (I later learned that they turned it off in between acts) and everyone thought I lip synced it. It’s probably just as well as I’m not a very good singer anyway.

What’s the first thing you notice about your preferred sex?

I don’t like zoom in on one feature. I tend to look at the whole package first, how they carry themselves, you know? Then I’d probably look at their smile if I had to choose one thing.

What really turns you off?

Ignorance, extreme cockiness, rudeness, a bad work ethic. Yes, I am aware that I’m strange but my husband passed the test so it’s not for nothing.

What do you order at Starbucks?

Usually a chai latte or one of their seasonal frapuccinos.

What is your biggest mistake?

I think I spent too much time thinking about boys and romance in college and not enough time thinking about my classes. The nerd in me really regrets that because the odds of me getting another chance to spend four years studying anything that interests me without the real world knocking at my door are very slim.

Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?

No, at least not physically.

Say something totally random about yourself:

My smile is completely crooked.

Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?

In high school people sometimes said I looked like Katie Holmes back in the early Dawsons Creek days. I also got Daria. Basically, “Wow, you’ve got brown hair and glasses.” Although I don’t think Joey wore glasses she just had long brown hair and a bookwormish personality. It annoyed me back then but I gotta say I’d love be told I look like Katie Holmes now.

Do you still watch kiddie movies or TV shows?

I have a three year old. Most of the shows and movies I watch are for children.

Did you have braces?

No it was never strictly advised that I get them so I didn’t.

Are you comfortable with your height?

Sure, I never really feel short unless I’m standing next to my husband and I like our height difference. To be honest, I tend to feel taller than I am so unless you’re a foot taller than me I might not notice if you’re taller.

What is the most romantic thing someone of the preferred sex has done for you?

My husband is frequently romantic but coming home after a long day with some dark chocolate reeses cups will melt my heart for sure. I’m easy to please. By the way, super clever use of the word “preferred” there. I like the sentiment.

When do you know it’s love?

I’ll put it this way.  If you have to ask yourself if it’s love?  It probably isn’t. (Chelle said this but it’s so perfect I just want to say, “Amen, sistah!” and steal it for future uses.)

Do you speak any other languages?

Je parle un peu le français.

Have you ever been to tanning salon?

Not since high school – aren’t those bad for you?

Have you ever ridden in a limo?

Only once for a friend’s prom. I sat so that I was facing backwards and got a bit queasy from it, but it was still pretty cool.

What’s something that really annoys you?

People who have a privileged mentality. Like, “I’m buying a house I can’t afford because I DESERVE it.” Entitlement with no basis in reality. Also ignorance (which could be the same thing sometimes) and irrational hatred, racism, laziness.

What’s something you really like?

Chocolate! John Mayer’s music, cute kittens, my children, the love of my life (that would be my husband), blogging, eggplant parmesan…

Can you dance?

I can but I don’t do it often. I’m not actually any good at dancing but if I’m at a wedding or Ellen is on, I’ll usually bust a move.

Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room?

No, thank goodness. It sounds terrifying.

nightstand: november

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What's on your nightstand @ 5 Minutes for Books This month I’ve managed to finish two books: Close Encounters of the Third Grade Kind by Phillip Done and Finger Lickin’ Fifteeen by Janet Evanovich. I enjoyed both books and was thrilled to move onto a third book for the month before the month ends.

I’m currently reading: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins which I’ve been wanting to read since pretty much forever. It’s supposed to be the new IT book that everyone is raving about. I’m about 85 pages into the book and eager to find out what happens next.

Close Encounters of the Third Grade Kind by Phillip DoneFinger Lickin Fifteen by Janet EvanovichThe Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Up next for the month of December will likely be:

  • Julie and Julia by Julie Powell (I’ve been sitting on this for awhile and I’m looking forward to it)
  • Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (If book one is as good as the hype, I won’t be able to resist book two for long)
  • Splendor by Anna Godbersen (If I can get a copy at the library or maybe for christmas)
  • Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (again, if I can secure a copy)
  • The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond (As soon as I open this for Christmas I know I’ll be diving into it right away)

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree DrummondCatching Fire by Suzanne CollinsLeviathan by Scott WesterfeldSplendor by Anna GodbersenJulie and Julia by Julie Powell

random dozen: nov 24th turkey talk

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random dozen @ 2nd cup of coffee

  1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous? I suppose you could call us culinarily adventurous. We decided to go pescetarian recently and although we are still eating our way through the meat that was already in our freezer we are not buying any new meats. Add to this the fact that we are only feeding 3 people this Thanksgiving and one of those people is three years old… It took a lot of humming and hawing to decide what to put on the table. We’ve decided on picking up some nice Tuna steaks and serving that along with Baked Pumpkin with Mixed Rice Pilaf and mashed sweet potatoes and then some cranberry sauce and crescent rolls for good measure. For dessert, we’re planning to drive to Perkins so we can each get a different slice of pie without having the leftovers of three whole pies.
  2. Tell me something concrete that you’re thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like “hope.”) I’m thankful for two healthy children, a roof over my head, a husband who loves me and supports me, working vehicles and a paycheck each month.
  3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you’re thankful for. I’m thankful for the unconditional love that dwells here
  4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn’t have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory. Baking pies with my grandmother is the first thing that comes to mind. For any holiday, baking with my grandmother tends to be my first and best memories.
  5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year? I’ll eat too much and it will be delicious.
  6. Do your pets get any left-overs? I don’t have any pets to indulge. :OP
  7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying? My family doesn’t pray but I think Dan’s does. Our immediate family won’t be praying.
  8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing? No we’re not big football people. We might watch a movie or go out for a walk. I haven’t really decided yet I think we will play it by ear and see what the day brings.
  9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing? I was unaware of the stuffing wars. I’d rather oysters not be in my stuffing personally.
  10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving? yes but I’m sure there’s more I don’t know since I wasn’t there.
  11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying? I never really know until day of. Depends on what I’m craving and how much room is left in my stomach. :OP
  12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!) Yes I do. I feel for the tuna we’ll be eating instead, too.

is this your baby?

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This weekend I upgraded to iLife ’09 after playing with the software in our local Apple store and drooling uncontrollably over the fun new features in iMovie and iPhoto. After backing up my computer (just in case) I installed the new software then set to work playing with all the fun new goodies.

I tooled around on iWeb for awhile designing my own website with their fun little gadgets and themes.

I spiffied up my Monday Mingle in iMovie just in time to post yesterday.

Then I headed over to iPhoto to try out their new Faces feature. It’s kind of cool. The software automatically detects faces in your picture and you type in a name. After you’ve typed a name in once it scans the rest of your pictures and guesses which ones are the same person. Then you go through and click yes or no.

Here are some things I noticed when browsing through the Faces in my pictures…

  • It’s pretty flattering when the software shows a picture of me and asks if it’s my daughter.
  • It’s less flattering when it asks if it’s my husband.
  • Looking through old and new pictures of my husband it’s surprising still to see how much weight he’s lost and how much weight he’d gained since when we first met. It was a gradual gain that I didn’t really notice at the time but now it’s painfully obvious how overweight we were and I am so thankful that we decided to do something about it – we look so much healthier. He looks incredible.
  • I have taken like a gazillion pictures of my children. I’m like their own personal paparazzi snapping away while they eat their cereal and watch tv.
  • Scrolling through hundreds of pictures it’s very easy to recognize pictures of my babies compared to other people’s babies.
  • But infant pictures of MM and BB look remarkably similar. I actually found myself pausing a few times to decide … is this BB or MM?

Want some examples?

who's this babywho's this babywho's this baby

At this point I think I’ve nailed down the obvious differences between them, but really isn’t it remarkable how similar they are? You can tell who’s who can’t you?