Luke made me a Margarita the other night. Since Lauren takes a bottle at 7:00 I can drink around dinner time. Anyway.. we have the BEST margarita recipe. I have made it for people who don't like Margaritas and they like it. S0 - I thought I would share....
Makes one drink - a double recipe will fit in most shakers.
1 1/4 oz Tequila
1/2 oz triple sec
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/3 cup margarita mix (we use Jose Cuervo mix - does not have alcohol in it)
Combine in shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a glass over ice. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Chrystal
This is so not going to resonate with any of the male readers out there....
I remember when I was a little girl - I love the name Sindy - yes Cindy but spelled with an "S". That was the name I gave things and used as a pretend name.
Julia has chosen the name Chrystal. She uses it when playing pretend. She often asks Nathan to call her Chrystal when they are playing. Just now she is playing with "birthday cake" playdoh (a set she got) and she is singing happy birthday to the imaginary Chrystal. I have no idea where she heard the name, but I think it is so cute.
Of course - in her mind it could be spelled Kristyl or something.
I remember when I was a little girl - I love the name Sindy - yes Cindy but spelled with an "S". That was the name I gave things and used as a pretend name.
Julia has chosen the name Chrystal. She uses it when playing pretend. She often asks Nathan to call her Chrystal when they are playing. Just now she is playing with "birthday cake" playdoh (a set she got) and she is singing happy birthday to the imaginary Chrystal. I have no idea where she heard the name, but I think it is so cute.
Of course - in her mind it could be spelled Kristyl or something.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Quack Quack Quack
I dropped off Julia this morning at preschool and then preceded on my way with only Lauren in tow, asleep.
I found myself singing along to the music playing. It wasn't until it changed songs that I realized I was singing along with "Six Little Ducks" by Raffi. I quickly switched over to my iPod but I still can't believe I didn't even notice that I was singing "quack quack quack" aloud.
I found myself singing along to the music playing. It wasn't until it changed songs that I realized I was singing along with "Six Little Ducks" by Raffi. I quickly switched over to my iPod but I still can't believe I didn't even notice that I was singing "quack quack quack" aloud.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Shoehorn
Ok - so this is one of those annoying posts about something my kid did that I find interesting. You can stop reading now if you are one of those (nonparents likely) that are bored by these.
Anyway - Nathan has taken to using a shoe horn to put on his shoes. He is a very inflexible (physically) child - most likely due to a combination of chemo (Vincristine) and my genes. So the shoe horn really helps him since he can't sit down and bend his legs very much. I guess he decided he needed to keep it in a more convenient place.
Anyway - Nathan has taken to using a shoe horn to put on his shoes. He is a very inflexible (physically) child - most likely due to a combination of chemo (Vincristine) and my genes. So the shoe horn really helps him since he can't sit down and bend his legs very much. I guess he decided he needed to keep it in a more convenient place.
I guess he went and got the clothespin and stuck it there. Perhaps when he is a little older he can help organize things in this house.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Monday, January 23, 2006
I will never be a professional party planner...
Julia had her birthday party today. She wanted it at home. She has been planning a Strawberry Shortcake theme party for a good nine months. Over the months she would occassionally instruct me in a very detailed manner about how she wanted her cake. She decided she wanted a party similar to last year. Last year the kids did crafts and decorated bags with fabric paint. Last year we had the party on a Saturday.
Ok - so this year I planned the party for a Monday afternoon. For some reason I thought it would be good and easier to have it on a weekday afternoon. Well - it really wasn't. First off - Luke had to work and couldn't help much. Also I had to go get Nathan from school. That coupled with the fact that I fed Lauren 3 times for at least a half an hour at a time before the party left little time to get ready. Fortunately I did get everything done.
I had some crafts. The kids did those for about a half hour and then went off to play instead. The two other moms that stayed and I worked on one of the crafts that proved to be too difficult for the kids.....
I actually did get the cake right. Julia wanted me to make it. It was white with pink frosting and strawberries on top.
I convinced her to wait to put the strawberries on after she blew out the candles.
After cake, presents were opened and that was that.
All in all - it went fine - but the stress and preparation I could do without. I just do not enjoy throwing parties.
Ok - so this year I planned the party for a Monday afternoon. For some reason I thought it would be good and easier to have it on a weekday afternoon. Well - it really wasn't. First off - Luke had to work and couldn't help much. Also I had to go get Nathan from school. That coupled with the fact that I fed Lauren 3 times for at least a half an hour at a time before the party left little time to get ready. Fortunately I did get everything done.
I had some crafts. The kids did those for about a half hour and then went off to play instead. The two other moms that stayed and I worked on one of the crafts that proved to be too difficult for the kids.....
I actually did get the cake right. Julia wanted me to make it. It was white with pink frosting and strawberries on top.
I convinced her to wait to put the strawberries on after she blew out the candles.After cake, presents were opened and that was that.
All in all - it went fine - but the stress and preparation I could do without. I just do not enjoy throwing parties.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Four gallons of milk
Is this really my life? I am someone who buys four gallons of milk a a time? When did this happen?
This is what ran through my head today at Sam's club as someone waited for me to get done loading the milk into my cart. I ran to Sam's club this morning since I had an opportunity to do it without kids. Last time I took all 3 kids and it was a bit crazy. The term "3 kids" is also something taking getting used to. I walked out of a friends house briefly without Lauren the other day.
Anyway - these were the contents of my cart...my shopping list only had five things on it.
Aforementioned Milk
Box of 204 size 1-2 Pampers (no explaination needed there)
Box of 1200 paper plates - we use these at lunch and when we are lazy. If we didn't use these we would have too many dishes to fit in our dishwasher. These are the really thin cheap ones and we use more than one at a time if neccessary.
Gallon of canola oil
Socks for Luke
Juice boxes - Nathan only likes the orange juice in Minute Maid juice boxes - fortunately he can get them and do the straw all by himself - so worth buying!
4 large bottles of apple juice - mainly for Julia who has a cup every morning
Potato chips and tortilla chips - $2.44 for the big bags...not bad
6.5 pounds of ground beef - at $1.88 a pound it is worth packaging into 1 pound bags and freezing
Frozen sausage patties - total impulse buy. I love sausage and this way I can make myself one patty at a time.
Laundry detergent - With five people now in this house the amount of laundry is getting out of hand. Our habit is to do laundry once a week but we are getting the point where we can't get it all done in one day.
Clorox toilet drop-in thingies - we have a four and five year old using out toilets.....
I think that is it. Wow - how suburban mom can I be? This is a far cry from my former life as a CPA. I am not saying there is anything wrong with my life now - but sometimes it just seems weird to me that I am that thirty-something suburban mom with three kids buying four gallons of milk at a time.
This is what ran through my head today at Sam's club as someone waited for me to get done loading the milk into my cart. I ran to Sam's club this morning since I had an opportunity to do it without kids. Last time I took all 3 kids and it was a bit crazy. The term "3 kids" is also something taking getting used to. I walked out of a friends house briefly without Lauren the other day.
Anyway - these were the contents of my cart...my shopping list only had five things on it.
Aforementioned Milk
Box of 204 size 1-2 Pampers (no explaination needed there)
Box of 1200 paper plates - we use these at lunch and when we are lazy. If we didn't use these we would have too many dishes to fit in our dishwasher. These are the really thin cheap ones and we use more than one at a time if neccessary.
Gallon of canola oil
Socks for Luke
Juice boxes - Nathan only likes the orange juice in Minute Maid juice boxes - fortunately he can get them and do the straw all by himself - so worth buying!
4 large bottles of apple juice - mainly for Julia who has a cup every morning
Potato chips and tortilla chips - $2.44 for the big bags...not bad
6.5 pounds of ground beef - at $1.88 a pound it is worth packaging into 1 pound bags and freezing
Frozen sausage patties - total impulse buy. I love sausage and this way I can make myself one patty at a time.
Laundry detergent - With five people now in this house the amount of laundry is getting out of hand. Our habit is to do laundry once a week but we are getting the point where we can't get it all done in one day.
Clorox toilet drop-in thingies - we have a four and five year old using out toilets.....
I think that is it. Wow - how suburban mom can I be? This is a far cry from my former life as a CPA. I am not saying there is anything wrong with my life now - but sometimes it just seems weird to me that I am that thirty-something suburban mom with three kids buying four gallons of milk at a time.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
The Sound of Us
This is the book I am currently reading. I love to read but haven't been doing much reading lately. Luke used to ask me what my books were about but I always told him the same thing - just a book about people's lives. Generally, those are my favorite books.
From Publishers Weekly
Willis (A Good Distance) gracefully explores the world of foster care through the eyes of 48-year-old Alice Marlowe, an interpreter for the deaf living a lonely life in Cleveland. When Alice receives a late-night phone call from a six-year-old girl whose mother has disappeared, the last thing she expects to do is apply to become her foster parent, but one look at beautiful, dark-skinned Larissa Benton changes everything. Alice's maternal impulse surprises her—"How did this child and I become us?" she wonders—as she attends foster parenting classes and wonders if she can cope. Willis allows for ambiguity in her moving story: when Michelle, Larissa's white, wayward mother, returns, she's neither a villain nor a victim; Alice, who converses with her dead twin brother, is not a saint. When Michelle moves into Alice's home to be closer to her daughter, the narrative reaches its height of tension; Willis shows both the safety and generosity of Alice's world and the unpredictable but loving home that Michelle would provide. A careful, tender story of the complex bonds of motherhood, this novel doesn't shy away from its problems, but still comes to rest on the side of its wonders. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
$1200 dog
Sure... lots of dogs cost that much - so I now decree our dog Ellie no longer a mutt but a pure-bred.
Last night she came down on some metal landscape edging and severed 2 tendons in her back paw. She had to have surgery and is supposed to stay off stairs for 3 weeks.
Did I mention that our house has FOUR sets of stairs?
Last night she came down on some metal landscape edging and severed 2 tendons in her back paw. She had to have surgery and is supposed to stay off stairs for 3 weeks.
Did I mention that our house has FOUR sets of stairs?
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Our weekend....
We just got back from a wonderful weekend in the mountains.
We took off late Friday afternoon for Grand Lake, CO. The sky was a very unusual color as the sun set so I snapped the shot on the left from the moving car.
We met my brother and his family at the house they have there.
They wanted to go skiing and to put their 3 year old into ski lessons so we put Nathan and Julia in as well. We were not terribly optimistic about either of them enjoying it and were generally concerned about Nathan having the strength and stamina physically - and the stick-to-it-iveness mentally. Well - they both LOVED skiing and did really well. I can't begin to tell you how amazing it was to see Nathan skiing after all he has been through.
This morning we had fun sledding down the hill behind the house. The snow there is several feet deep and the weather was 30s and sunny so it made for perfect sledding weather.
All in all a very fun weekend. I may blog about it more later - it has been a long day.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
My three bears
There is one baby outfit that all three children have worn. I put Lauren in it this morning. She is already in to 3-6 clothes. I can't get over how fast she is growing!
<--Nathan
<--Julia 
<--Lauren
<--Nathan
<--Julia 
<--Lauren
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
CNN.com - Offbeat News
It is hard to type while I am nursing Lauren so I browse around. I have been enjoying these video clips today.
CNN.com - Offbeat News
I especially enjoy the Jeanne Moos segments
CNN.com - Offbeat News
I especially enjoy the Jeanne Moos segments
Monday, January 09, 2006
Why I love my iPod
Luke got me an iPod for my birthday in September and I have been slowly putting music on it. A few weeks ago I was listening to it while folding Laundry. I had it shuffling all songs. I absolutely love shuffle. I enjoy the surprise of what song plays next. "The Final Countdown" by Europe came on. This is a song I would not normally pick to listen to, yet I added it one time after going through old CDs. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it - at full volume while folding baby clothes - yet none of the rest of my family had to be subjected to it.
I finally put my A-ha CDs on it the other day and while it was just Lauren and I in the car this morning I escaped back to the 80s.
I have not even come close to filling my iPod. I think I am too picky about what music to put on it and so in the end I miss songs that I don't choose to put on it - but if I did I would enjoy. So - I need to have a second go-around with my CD collection and add more music.
Finally, in closing I have to say the iPod makes an excellent buffer from the screams of fighting children.
I finally put my A-ha CDs on it the other day and while it was just Lauren and I in the car this morning I escaped back to the 80s.
I have not even come close to filling my iPod. I think I am too picky about what music to put on it and so in the end I miss songs that I don't choose to put on it - but if I did I would enjoy. So - I need to have a second go-around with my CD collection and add more music.
Finally, in closing I have to say the iPod makes an excellent buffer from the screams of fighting children.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
How I kept from singing...
Well - I didn't get to choir practice or church this week. Wednesday evening I was not feeling well enough to go to practice and this morning we were concerned about Nathan being up to going since he is having some side effects from chemo. We could have gone to a later service this morning after we determined Nathan was OK - but unless we have a plan in place it is hard to get motivated after spending some morning time in our pajamas. We are used to being out of the house at 7:00 am.
We actually had a pretty dull weekend. It was filled with cleaning, laundry and disciplining children. Nathan has really started to develop a mouth on him and an attitude to go with it. At the same time he still cries like a baby when anything does not go his way. We are also in a constant battle to get Nathan and Julia to pick up their toys.
I did get to go out briefly with some other moms to PF Changs. We usually meet at 8:00 for dinner. Since I have to nurse Lauren at 9:00 I could only have dessert last night.
Boy - this is one of the most boring blog entries ever. I felt like I should write one - but perhaps writing for the sake of an updated entry is not wise. Next time I will wait until I have something interesting to write.
Random parting thought: The other day Luke was surprised when he was proofing an email I wrote to one of Nathan's oncologists. He thought it odd and, I think, antiquated that I use two spaces after a period. He said his company went to one space a long time ago. Is this standard now? Am I out of it? Please tell me what you do.
We actually had a pretty dull weekend. It was filled with cleaning, laundry and disciplining children. Nathan has really started to develop a mouth on him and an attitude to go with it. At the same time he still cries like a baby when anything does not go his way. We are also in a constant battle to get Nathan and Julia to pick up their toys.
I did get to go out briefly with some other moms to PF Changs. We usually meet at 8:00 for dinner. Since I have to nurse Lauren at 9:00 I could only have dessert last night.
Boy - this is one of the most boring blog entries ever. I felt like I should write one - but perhaps writing for the sake of an updated entry is not wise. Next time I will wait until I have something interesting to write.
Random parting thought: The other day Luke was surprised when he was proofing an email I wrote to one of Nathan's oncologists. He thought it odd and, I think, antiquated that I use two spaces after a period. He said his company went to one space a long time ago. Is this standard now? Am I out of it? Please tell me what you do.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Real life baby doll
At times I like to call Lauren my real-life baby doll. With almost 4 years since my last baby and only 19 months between the first two I really have an appreciation for all the newborn things. I can hold her and rock her and kiss her all I want with no comments!
So - when I saw that Julia had gotten all her dolls out and put them on a blanket this morning I could not resist the urge to take this picture:
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Kindergarten and chemo
School resumed today after the Christmas break (or excuse me...winter break). Nathan wasn't feeling so great since he started his fifth round of his current chemo regiment yesterday. Luke and I kind of pushed him into going to school and were justified by him having a good day and even participating in PE. We have always strived for him to live a normal life as possible while going through his treatments. Nathan was semi-famous among his classmates this morning for being in the newspaper during break.
He is having chemo at home in the afternoons the rest of the week. He really takes it all in stride. Here he is playing while attached to his chemo. It is in that ball-like thing.
I suppose I need to post about this in Nathan's caringbridge page. I can't get away from there being some overlap between the two sites since his treatments are a big part of my everyday life when he has something going on.
He is having chemo at home in the afternoons the rest of the week. He really takes it all in stride. Here he is playing while attached to his chemo. It is in that ball-like thing.
I suppose I need to post about this in Nathan's caringbridge page. I can't get away from there being some overlap between the two sites since his treatments are a big part of my everyday life when he has something going on.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Thoughts at 5:00 am
I got up at 4:30 last night to feed Lauren. I could not go back to sleep and so all kinds of thought filled my mind.
1. Nathan has now lived more than half of his life as a cancer patient. He was 33 months at diagnosis. He is now 66 months. How warped his life view must be.
Nathan just came in the room as I was writing this - he just asked me did I remember when he had cancer and was wobbly and he had to hold on to the IV pump to walk. So - yes - I guess I just confirmed my thoughts. Before he just told me this he came up and snuggled up to me and said he loved me. I then took his picture because he is wearing a new shirt and looks so handsome.
2. I am trying to put together a birthday party for Julia. She turns 4 on the 22nd. I was working on the details of that. She wants a party at home with a Strawberry Shortcake theme. She wants to do arts and crafts. I really need to send out the invitations. I must try to keep my house clean between now and then so it isn't too much work to get ready.
Hmm - my other thoughts seem to have escaped me. Probably because now I am thinking about getting ready to go and all I need to do today. I am taking Julia to Tammy's (sitter) getting some things from the store and then taking Nathan to the clinic for chemo this afternoon.
Gotta go.....
1. Nathan has now lived more than half of his life as a cancer patient. He was 33 months at diagnosis. He is now 66 months. How warped his life view must be.
Nathan just came in the room as I was writing this - he just asked me did I remember when he had cancer and was wobbly and he had to hold on to the IV pump to walk. So - yes - I guess I just confirmed my thoughts. Before he just told me this he came up and snuggled up to me and said he loved me. I then took his picture because he is wearing a new shirt and looks so handsome.
2. I am trying to put together a birthday party for Julia. She turns 4 on the 22nd. I was working on the details of that. She wants a party at home with a Strawberry Shortcake theme. She wants to do arts and crafts. I really need to send out the invitations. I must try to keep my house clean between now and then so it isn't too much work to get ready.
Hmm - my other thoughts seem to have escaped me. Probably because now I am thinking about getting ready to go and all I need to do today. I am taking Julia to Tammy's (sitter) getting some things from the store and then taking Nathan to the clinic for chemo this afternoon.
Gotta go.....
Monday, January 02, 2006
Dull miscellany
CHOIR
I did sing in church choir yesterday. I didn't have much of a voice - but enough of one to enjoy taking part. Before Lauren came along I sang at the 8:00 and 9:30 services. We normally leave the house at 7:00 am. This was our first attempt to attend the 8:00 since Lauren was born. I set my alarm for 5:50 am in order to have time to get ready and to feed Lauren. We left the house only 7 minutes late. Not bad! There is something inherently unnatural about waking up a 6 week old baby though.
As the choir sat ready to practice prior to the service the minister preaching (not the usual one) came in to pray but beforehand make a crack about us all needing to get a life since we were actually at church at 7:30 am New Years Day. It didn't go over all that well...I don't think he quite meant it the way it came out.
DOG
It is not a good thing for new carpets when a dog eats a whole gallon bag of peanut brittle...'nuff said
FREECYCLE
Yesterday I ventured into the crawlspace and cleaned it out. I pulled out all of the boy clothes stored in there and sorted them. I then offered up 7 boxes on freecycle. Freecycle's goal is to keep items out of landfills by bringing together a local group of people to give and take unwanted things. I have only ever offered items and not taken any since I am just the kind of person who would prefer to jut go out and buy something if I need it - but I am so happy to be able to give my uwanted things to others who want them. Great service.
I did sing in church choir yesterday. I didn't have much of a voice - but enough of one to enjoy taking part. Before Lauren came along I sang at the 8:00 and 9:30 services. We normally leave the house at 7:00 am. This was our first attempt to attend the 8:00 since Lauren was born. I set my alarm for 5:50 am in order to have time to get ready and to feed Lauren. We left the house only 7 minutes late. Not bad! There is something inherently unnatural about waking up a 6 week old baby though.
As the choir sat ready to practice prior to the service the minister preaching (not the usual one) came in to pray but beforehand make a crack about us all needing to get a life since we were actually at church at 7:30 am New Years Day. It didn't go over all that well...I don't think he quite meant it the way it came out.
DOG
It is not a good thing for new carpets when a dog eats a whole gallon bag of peanut brittle...'nuff said
FREECYCLE
Yesterday I ventured into the crawlspace and cleaned it out. I pulled out all of the boy clothes stored in there and sorted them. I then offered up 7 boxes on freecycle. Freecycle's goal is to keep items out of landfills by bringing together a local group of people to give and take unwanted things. I have only ever offered items and not taken any since I am just the kind of person who would prefer to jut go out and buy something if I need it - but I am so happy to be able to give my uwanted things to others who want them. Great service.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)