Thursday, July 31, 2008

Moving on...

Today is the last day at my job in Mossville. Now, for those non-Caterpillar people out there, most Cat employees switch jobs every two to four years but are still employed by Cat (they just move onto a new opportunity, sometimes at a new location). This question comes up a lot when I tell people from home that I got a new job... they always say "You quit Cat?" Nope.

Writing this I know is a bit weird. Who blogs about work anyway? But considering some of the topics I have blogged on in the past, this is nothing. Just read the archives... some days it's a big stretch to come up with interesting things to say.

Anyway, after almost (gulp) four years at my current job, I am very emotional about the change. Happy, sad, excited, nervous... I'll miss the people I've worked with for so long and even though I know I'll still see them here and there, we all know it's not the same. Right, wrong, or indifferent, I don't come to work to just get the job done and leave. Most weeks I spend considerably more time working than I do with my kids, so if I am going to invest that much of myself into something I'm going to have a good time, make friends, and find something I like about every day. And work every now and then too.

As my way of recapping the last four years, I've compiled a few of my favorite or most memorable times from Mossville. For you non-Mossville-ians, try not to be bored. I've even included a few pictures when appropriate for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
  • Coming in each day and seeing Linda's smiling face. Even with a bum back and knee, she is always smiling.
  • Glenn's face each month when he sees how much money I have spent.
  • Taking 10,000 "Made in China" stickers off koozies (and seriously, there were 10,000).
  • The 2005 Open House, my first big event.
  • How great it was to see disgruntled, angry employees show their work areas off with so much pride to their families.
  • The 2006 Power Parade.
  • Having to go to the medical tent during the Power Parade because it was so hot.
  • The day after the Power Parade, realizing what an amazing thing I accomplished.
  • Picking on Daren, my boss, for anything and everything. He is such a good sport when we make fun of him.
  • Speaking of... Daren and his pink cocktail at Bar Louie.

  • Daren "seasoning" his Twizzlers.
  • Stealing Daren's stapler and 13 other office accessories and him never realizing they were gone.
  • Jean Moore explaining to us exactly what a Flopping Crappy was.
  • Jena and her coupons.
  • Jim Story-isms - a fave of mine: "You are confusing ugly with stupid."
  • Meeting Jim Owens (our CEO).

  • The great jacket debacle. 'Nuff said.
  • Renting (and then moving. THREE TIMES.) PODS to store said jackets.
  • Having such great interns... We have been SO lucky.
  • Having NOT such great interns broadcast inappropriate material across four 60" TVs in the shop. To be viewed by several hundred employees.
  • The Events Team. And my few "favorite" team members.
  • How excited everyone was when I told them I was pregnant both times.
  • The reaction everyone constantly gave to the torpedo belly.
  • People actually listening to my stories.... Jay long ago started ignoring them.
  • Our staff meetings each week... Even though it's for work, our team always has fun and I love it!
  • Creating very odd things for department heads and General Managers. Like this, for example.

  • Candy in Wes's office.
  • Moving offices. Five times.
  • How proud I am to show off my kids to coworkers...
  • The United Way appeal each year and the groans it brings from our whole department. GREAT cause... BIG pain in the rear.
  • Free lunches... with spaghetti water and sauce dripping on the floor.
  • When new people come into the department (because they laugh at my stories everyone else has heard WAY too many times.)
  • Actually seeing improvement in our employees and in our work.
  • Seeing the past three college interns get hired in full time. Makes me proud.
  • Still keeping in touch with old coworkers who have moved on.
  • The pride I feel when I see a Cat commercial on TV.
  • Knowing that somehow, someway, our group might actually make a difference.
Basically, it's been a long four years. I am very excited to move on and learn new things, and know that I have grown tremendously as an employee from my experiences I have gained while at MEC. I hope that I have as much fun at my next job and have as great of coworkers as I do currently. To all of you: THANKS!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Numerology

***Edit: Just saw a ticker I have, and today (the day I posted this) Sam is exactly 2 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days old. Coincidence? I don't think so! Carry on.***

When you look at a clock and it says 11:11, or 2:22, do you make a wish?

I do. And in what is beginning to feel like a very interesting coincidence, most nights/mornings when I am up in the dark, feeding Sam, I will glance at the clock at one point or another and see the clock reading a repeating number. Today: 4:44 a.m. Yesterday: 5:55 a.m. Now most people (aka my husband) think this is because I look at the clock too much, TRYING to see this happen, but really, I don't. And this repeating thing happens a lot, 4 or 5 times a week.

So, I get a lot of wishes. Now of course I can't say what any of them are for fear they won't come true, but I'm starting to think I need to wish for tangible items, like flatter abs or a million bucks. I'm just saying.

So, since I am STILL awake (Sam is jamming next to me, kicking her legs and blowing bubbles to the ceiling fan (don't tell the blinds), I've been laying here thinking of all the ways that I am obsessed with numbers (mainly the number THREE). So, out of shear boredom (and lack of desire to get out of bed), here are some of those coincidences. I do think I need to investigate this further, perhaps with a good therapist.

(by the way, this is my 112th post... would've been SO interesting if it was the 111th).
  • Most of my life when I meet someone new, I remember not their name but how many letters are in it (ie: "Not sure what her name is but it starts with a K and has 5 letters.)
  • Jay's dad's birthday is 1-1; Jay's is 2-2; mine is 3-3.
  • The day I thought my water broke, I called to tell my mom and she said "You do know that today is 4-4, right?" THAT's when sheer terror set in, not when my doc said "Head to Labor and Delivery".
  • Sam weighed 7 lbs 11 oz and was 19 inches long - all prime numbers. (This may be a bit of a stretch for the numerology thing.)
  • My mom is one of 9 kids, my dad one of 3 (all multiples of 3).
  • My dad has three kids (and had three wives, hahaha).
  • Jay is one of 6 kids, 3 boys, 3 girls.
  • His mom was one of 3 girls.
  • His mom's sister has 3 daughters, one of which has 3 kids (well, 2 and another on the way). The other two don't have kids yet.
  • Each of Jay's three sisters have three kids.
  • Of the 12 grandkids on Jay's side, there are 9 girls and 3 boys.
  • Of our extended family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) there is only one person with kids who doesn't have three (well, and Jay and I, but I'm starting to think that three is the way to go!)
  • Before Jay and I dated, I went to a psychic and she said I would marry someone who had three letters in their name (a fact I forgot until after we got married.)
  • I just glanced at the clock to see how much time I had to wrap this up... you guessed it, 5:55.

At any rate, I like numbers. Maybe I should talk to someone about it... Or start playing the lottery.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Prisoner of Love

***Post Edit: I originally wrote this last night after a long, frustrating evening. I feel compelled to add this edit to show that Addi is also VERY sweet, aside from the demons that sometimes come out to play... This morning she came into my room with a huge fat lip (a side effect of running away from me last night, in the rain, and running straight into her swingset), and got in bed with Sam. Then, she called to me while I was drying my hair: "Mommy, I love you!". Then, when I told her to pick a "friend" (aka stuffed animal) to take with her to Kim's, she said, "Mommy, I take you." Really... what could be better. Carry on.***
Addi: 0 / Swingset: 1

We all know this poem:

What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice,
And all that's nice;
That's what little girls are made of.

This couldn't be more true of Sam. She is the sweetest baby, cuddly, happy, just a bundle of joy on all accounts.

Her sister, on the other hand, inspires somewhat of a different poem. Maybe something like this:
What is Addison made of?
Attitude and anger
Piss and vinegar
That's what Addison is made of.
(and sometimes hugs and love)

OK, so that doesn't quite rhyme, but you get the idea.

Even though she can push ALL of our buttons (and she really can), she can also be the sweetest girl. There is NO doubt she loves her sister - even when she "isn't mommy's friend" or "doesn't like Daddy." She loves Sam SO much, that she sometimes takes her prisoner. Her prisoner of love, I like to say!

Here, Addi insisted that Sam watch Dora with her on the couch. You can see how much Sam loves it.


Here, Addi insisted that Sam watch Dora again with her. This time, it was in Jay and I's bed.


This morning, Addi insisted she get in Sam's bed (which happens almost every morning) while I got Sam dressed. Then, I have to let Sam lay next to her. Sam just lays there, clueless to all the love bestowed on her.

Needless to say, we don't leave Addi alone with Sam for even a second, for fear she will love her too much. This does make getting ready for work a bit daunting. But I do hope they continue to hang out when they get older... maybe then with Sam as a willing participant.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

It's Raining Babies!

It totally seems like everyone we know has a new baby or is currently expecting. So this weekend Jay and the girls and I headed to Indianapolis to throw a baby shower for my brother Lee and his wife Roxana. They are expecting their daughter, to be named Lorelai, in September, and she will be welcomed by big sister Sabrina.

Besides the shower location being horrifically warm, everything went great. Food was yummy(of course, since Jay made it!), the cake was super cute, and we spent the day with family and friends. Also, no one threw up during the "What candy bar is melted in the diaper?" game, so I considered that to be a great success as well. All in all, a great day!


Lee, Roxy and Sabrina

one of the two cakes...


Thursday, July 24, 2008

A little unrealistic, perhaps?

Ten weeks and one day ago, Jay and I headed to the hospital and were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. While resting in the hospital for four days, I not only dreamed of the person Sam would one day become and how our lives had been forever changed but also mentally made plans for my maternity leave. Among the glorious feats I hoped to accomplish:

  1. Get lots of rest and recover from both the c-section and hernia surgery.

  2. Enjoy spending every day with my new daughter.

  3. Lose the baby weight.

  4. Lose the additional 25 lbs I have acquired since high school (and by default, actually weigh what my driver's license says).

  5. Deep clean our entire house and maintain this level of cleanliness from here on out.

  6. Begin an exercise routine that would not only allow me to accomplish goals 3 and 4, but make me the envy of the neighborhood with my amazing new rockin' bod.

  7. Have a nutritious dinner on the table each night by the time Jay got home.

  8. Update my blog daily.

  9. Shop for new work clothes (because none of my clothes would fit, due to my amazing new body, right?)

  10. Essentially, become Super Mom and Super Wife.

All of this, in the 12 weeks I would have off.

I'm starting to blame my apparently unrealistic optimism on the Percoset I was taking.

Looking back, there are a few problems with my list. First of all... I don't cook. If it can't be microwaved or poured directly into a bowl and served with cold milk, I don't make it. So, while having dinner on the table each night IS possible, Jay complained that Lucky Charms and hot dogs aren't his idea of delicacy. Plus, he REALLY likes to cook, so as Super Mom and Wife (#11), I am really doing HIM a favor by not cooking.

Next, I really hoped to recover from my surgeries and get lots of rest. Recovery - CHECK... by my 6-week-checkup I felt really good. But the "getting lots of rest" part? Definitely possible, if I can learn to be happy with showering every three days and wearing the same clothes for weeks on end. I COULD do that, but I'm pretty sure I would again be out-voted by Jay. Really, he is such a picky person. Ugh. So, I'm learning to love coffee. Sleep is for the weak.

I wanted to lose the baby weight, and by my 6-week-checkup I successfully weighed LESS than I did before I got pregnant! Halleluia! But, I am starting to think that losing the additional weight was a slight stretch in my short 12 week timeframe. I have, however, found a Sharpie marker that will take care of the driver's license part.

As for spending time with my daughter, I have definitely gotten to do that. And 99% of the time it has been completely amazing, so I consider that item successfully checked off.

Number 6 - starting a great exercise routine, has sort of happened. Yes, I have been walking almost every day (minus this week) but NO, I am not the envy of the neighborhood. In fact, I think the neighbors probably groan when they see me heading off with my squeaking stroller and my not-Pod, for I cannot carry a tune. I do love to sing out loud Sam thinks I sound wonderful, so I will continue this annoying feat simply for my own enjoyment. But I don't expect anyone else to want to walk with me anytime soon.

Having a clean, picked-up house is one of my ULTIMATE goals, because quite honestly, having a messy house makes me want to run screaming for the door. So for my mental health, number 5 was very much at the top of my priority list. But this, like my weight loss dreams, has started to seem impossible. I did deep clean my house one weekend... and was immediately followed by Addi smearing ketchup all over the back door.

Overall, I am pretty happy with my progress and the successes I have had. No, I haven't become a gormet cook, I am not as skinny as I would have hoped, and I am definitely a lot more tired than I planned, but I have spent a ton of time with Sam and have loved every minute.

As for the house, I have tried to embrace the mess, even repeating this quote over and over in my head:

"If a cluttered desk signs a cluttered mind, Of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?"
~Albert Einstein.

Reading this, I tried to gain the perspective that Albert Einstein was a sage man and therefore very wise, so I should deal with the clutter and move on to something more important (like my blog).

But did you see the guy's hair? Maybe in addition to being a brilliant physicist, he was also just a crazy old man. It's your call.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Coincidence...?

... That a rainbow practically ENDs at my house? I think not... I don't know about anyone else, but my two girls are pretty much as close to a pot of gold as I could ever want.

Monday, July 21, 2008

A Family of Friends

This past weekend we spent a long, lazy weekend with Jay's family in southern Indiana. Jay's brother Adam came home for his friend Brian's 30th birthday, so Jay and the girls and I made our first road trip with Sam to visit. The ride home really wasn't as bad as we thought possible but packing for two girls proved to be harder than I thought! It' s just been so long since I've had to pack for a baby... you forget all the junk they need.

Friday we all headed to a pool for a few hours and enjoyed the sun and water. Addi was super brave and went right down the water slide, and Allie and Megan both went off the high dive (I didn't know anywhere still had diving boards!). Addi had a great time with her "friends", aka cousins.


Then, everyone hung out in the pool and just floated around.

Finally, the girls were tired of swimming and Allie and Addi had a snack, while Sam slept in her stroller.
That night Aunt Monica, Uncle Jim, Uncle Tim, Alicia, Kelly, Miranda, Bryce and Braydon all came over for dinner to see Adam and meet Sam.

Aunt Monica loving on Sam

Sam is really smiling and laughing a lot now and really enjoyed meeting her extended family (at least she said she did.)

Overall, it was a nice weekend. We got home late last night (around 12:30 a.m.) and Sam and I are just relaxing right now. Jay is at the store and Addi is at the sitters because she wanted to see her friends. I have my first day back at work tomorrow (BOOOOOOOOOOO) so I am attempting to relax and get mentally prepared. Luckily I am easing into work with two days this week, three next, then off to my new job on August 11th.

Off to the glamour of folding laundry!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

True Love?

I knew it would happen one day... I just didn't expect it a day after her two month birthday! Sam has her first crush... and I am beginning to think it's true love.

She flirts, she smiles, she coos... She gives smiles that would melt my heart if they were meant for me, but no, they are for "him". This morning she got so excited while looking at him that she kicked her legs, moved her arms, and spit up a little. I can't think of a better sign of true love than puke, can you?

I've alluded to her crush in a few past posts, but really didn't think things had gone this far. But I swear this morning at 5 a.m. she stopped eating to stare at him and I saw hearts coming out of her head, kinda like this:

Darn those mini-blinds. They get all the lovin'.

Monday, July 14, 2008

The most accomplished I have ever felt...

So, for the past two months (today is Sam's 2 month birthday! UNBELIEVABLE!) I have been a stay at home mom, and it's easy to say that some days are harder than others. The worst is when it's 3 p.m., I have yet to shower or change out of PJs and the house is a wreck... and I feel like I have got NOTHING done for the entire day.

Then this morning I took a brief few minutes to really examine my day... and realized that I have probably accomplished more by 9 a.m. than most people do in an entire day. I'll elaborate.

  • I woke up at 4:45 a.m. after SIX glorious hours of sleep... thanks Sam!, then fed the baby.
  • Then, we laid in bed while she stared at the glory and wonder of our mini-blinds. For 30 minutes.
  • Next, I finally coaxed her back to sleep about 6:15.
  • I woke up at 6:45 a.m. to Addi handing me her snack. Which was a box of Argo Corn Starch. I am still thankful she asked for help.
  • I went downstairs to get a suitable replacement and returned with a breakfast bar, peanut butter-filled pretzels (the whole container), fruit snacks, and milk.
  • Then I went backstairs and got her gum so she would stop screaming.
  • Got back to my room and found the ENTIRE. CONTAINER. OF. PRETZELS. all over the bedroom floor.
  • Cleaned up pretzels and took another paci away from Addi.
  • I was then force-fed the breakfast bar.
  • Next, I cleaned up gum off the pillow.
  • Then, I swallowed the gum to stop her from digging it back out of the trash. Learned that lesson the hard way.
  • We watched the Wiggles. And I fed Sam again.
  • By now, it was a blazing 8 a.m., so I made the bold move to shower.
  • I got back OUT of the shower dripping wet to investigate the screams coming from my room. TWICE.
  • I finished my shower after 5 full minutes. And I brushed my teeth in there too... gotta save time!
  • I mopped up the bathroom, which was now covered in water.
  • I rescued Sam from Addi's grasp and lectured her again on NOT picking up her sister.
  • I got half dressed and realized the rest of my clothes were downstairs, so I ran down and let out the begging dog.
  • I ran over and shut the downstairs blinds and wondered if my neighbors saw the first 3 trips I made.
  • I came back upstairs and found Floppy, Addi's not floppy dog, utilizing the breast pump.
  • I contemplated taking a picture but figured his dignity was already compromised enough without evidence.
  • I picked up Sam and went to change her pants.
  • When I got back, I found Floppy covered in diaper rash cream.
  • Cleaned that up, and then got screamed at until I diapered the poor guy.
  • Ran downstairs to grab the computer b/c I forgot to send directions to my friends who are coming for lunch.
  • Realized we have no food for lunch. Hmm.
  • Wrote this blog...

    Man. I really am super mom.

    DANG IT. PRETZELS JUST DUMPED ON THE FLOOR AGAIN. Off to Ebay to see what small children are going for.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

A week in pictures...

For lack of anything comical or entertaining to write, here are seven pictures that sum up the last week. Enjoy!

Last Sunday, we spent a lazy day at home and in the backyard. Sami had her first swingset experience but she did not go down the slide!
Monday, Addi helped feed Sami. And she did a decent job too!
Tuesday, the girls "pretended" to be asleep. Well, Sami was knocked out, Addi was faking. Wednesday, Sami got a bath in the kitchen... then promptly puked.
Thursday, Sami cried when Addi stole her paci. OR maybe she was crying because I put that stupid headband on her and she looked like Richard Simmons.
Friday... we pottied in the living room...Saturday, we went to the Heart of Illinois Fair and saw the usual animals you see at a fair... Horses, goats, a few white tigers, a zebra and two elephants. I thought Jay was kidding when he said they had the last three but nope, that's what you get in Illinois.

All in all, a decent week!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

WFMW: Super Cheap Face / Body Scrub

Here is my second attempt at Works-For-Me-Wednesday... Not sure how many clever ideas I can come up with but we'll try!
I am someone who LOVES to exfoliate my face and body - I just love how smooth my face feels afterwards! And with it being summer, it's always nice to have smooth legs/feet/etc. However, I am cheap and get annoyed with some store-bought face and body scrub... either it's too rough, not rough enough, too slimy, to expensive, etc.

So, here's what I do:

For face scrub, I keep a small Tupperware container of regular sugar (the kind you bake with) in my bathroom. When I am ready to exfoliate my face, I pour my regular, everyday face wash in my hand like I would before washing, then sprinkle in some sugar and mix the two together. If I need more sugar, I add more in. Wash your face like normal and viola, exfoliated.

For body scrub, I will put sugar (approximately 1 cup) into a plastic tupperware bowl, then add in body wash directly to that until it's the right consistency. I have also used baby oil instead of body wash (you can get a generic bottle for a buck or two) but if you are worried about slipping, stick with soap. Then rub all over your body, rinse, and you are done! The sugar dissolves when you rinse with hot water, making clean up a breeze.

For other clever ideas go check out Rocks in my Dryer.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Top 100

In August 2007, I started a blog about our family... the ups, the downs, and let's face it... the poop. Now, close to one year later I am writing my 100th post, and our lives have changed quite a bit. Addison is one year older... Samantha has joined our family... Both Jay and I no longer work in Mossville... Our extended family has grown with Adam getting married to Molly, Lee marrying Roxy, and Eric and Lisa's daughter Carissa joining the mix... But the one thing that hasn't changed is the fun we have as a family!

For my 100th post, I have thought long and hard about what to write. I didn't think pictures of Sam looking like a rap star would be fitting (those are to come some other day!) so I decided to poll the family and list our Top 100 things we love and are grateful for. Thanks for those of you who read our blog and especially to those who give us material to write about!

Top 100
  1. Jay and I's parents.
  2. Addison and Samantha.
  3. Our brothers and sisters.
  4. Our nieces and nephews.
  5. Chocolate.
  6. Living in a country where we are free.
  7. Fireworks.
  8. Butt warmers in our car seats.
  9. Purdue football.
  10. Cute baby feet.
  11. Green grass.
  12. Our sprinkler system (keeps the grass green).
  13. Blue Moon beer.
  14. Juice boxes.
  15. Each other (Jay and I).
  16. Digital cameras.
  17. Cell phones.
  18. When our cat poops IN his litter box.
  19. Privacy fences.
  20. Scrapbooking.
  21. My Cricket.
  22. Ralpharitas.
  23. Paying off a student loan.
  24. Pretty flowers.
  25. Freshly-cut grass.
  26. Elmo.
  27. Still talking to family friends for over 25 years!
  28. Actually keeping in touch with college friends.
  29. New, non-college friends.
  30. Coco the bear.
  31. Coke Zero.
  32. Mommy (per Addi in response to "what's your favorite?"
  33. Peanut butter-filled pretzels.
  34. Deep-fried turkey.
  35. Sleeping in late.
  36. Roller coasters.
  37. Laptop computers.
  38. Laptops that still work while taped together.
  39. Wireless internet.
  40. Blackberries.
  41. My Dyson vacuum.
  42. Having good health insurance.
  43. Cherry Coke Zero.
  44. Strawberries.
  45. Homemade Ice Cream.
  46. Bubble baths.
  47. Cool wine bottles.
  48. Breakfast club (at Purdue).
  49. Electricity.
  50. Daddy (per Addi).
  51. Baby (per Addi).
  52. Clean sheets.
  53. The Neon Cactus' Piano Bar.
  54. The gambling boat.
  55. NOT losing at the boat.
  56. Boating.
  57. Naptime.
  58. Naked sliding.
  59. Swingsets.,,,;;
  60. Swimming dZjjhh';h yjj, '
  61. 's]ss's's
  62. s'./l.
  63. /Z
  64. Not having Addi on my lap while typing.
  65. Pacifiers.
  66. 4 wheel drive.
  67. Childproof locks.
  68. Crocs.
  69. Bottled water.
  70. New babies.
  71. Golf.
  72. Purdue basketball.
  73. Flat-screen TVs.
  74. Not having to move 2,000 lb TVs anymore.
  75. Puzzles.
  76. Bouncy seats.
  77. Long car drives.
  78. Peace and quiet.
  79. The mall.
  80. Indianapolis.
  81. The Indy 500.
  82. NOT living in Indianapolis.
  83. Haubstadt summerfest.
  84. The beer stoob.
  85. Jogging strollers.
  86. Addi sleeping on a long walk.
  87. Sandboxes.
  88. Afternoon cookouts.
  89. Bananas.
  90. Jimmy Buffet.
  91. Summer concerts.
  92. Key West.
  93. An open bar.
  94. Flip flops.
  95. The "beep beep beep" that our door does when someone opens it.
  96. Happy hour.
  97. A clean house.
  98. A lazy Sunday as a family.
  99. Catching up with family and friends.
  100. Having each other.

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Finally Mixing Things Up

This morning, Addi says, "Look at the boo boo on my toe, Mommy. Caelen bite me!" As I previously explained (click here to get caught up), Caelen did bite her on her tummy once, but since that was in February, I'm hoping we can soon move past it. So I said, "Addi, Caelen did not bite your toe. Do you remember the book we read about Lucy and how lying is bad?" She looked at me and said, "Lucy bite my toe! Ow-ow-ow!"

Why do I bother.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

A New Edition - Works for Me Wednesday

One of the fun parts about having a blog is meeting new people (Jay calls my online buddies my imaginary friends). Our good friend Justin? His sister Nicole has a super funny blog about her life with two girls.... Most of the time I read it and become scared of what lies ahead for me and Jay! I also have found several other great blogs here and there by cyberstalking various people, so that's pretty fun too. :)

Anyway, each week Nicole had participated in this thing called Works-For-Me-Wednesday (WFMW), and I've decided that in my pursuit of something mildly interesting to blog about, I should join too. Plus, let's face it - I'm a copycat.

WFMW is a "blog carnival" (that concept is explained here). Basically, the idea is that on Wednesday you post a little tip you've learned on any (G-rated) topic--anything that has "worked for you" in making your life easier. So, here goes my first attempt!

Works For Me: The Five-Ingredients-Or-Less Edition

I gave very serious thought to this, as my first post. I do have to tell the truth... my very favorite thing to make with five ingredients or less is Raisin Bran Crunch cereal... Just add milk! But, I decided to think outside of the Steph box for of the few things I actually can cook.

Stuffed Mushrooms
total prep / cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of whole mushrooms (about the size of a golf ball)
  • 1 small container of flavored cream cheese (I usually get Chive and Onion)
  • 1 bag of grated cheese (I usually pick something with a flavor but mozzarella or whatever works)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Pop the stems out of the mushrooms, then wash them really well.
  • Fill each mushroom cap to the top with cream cheese.
  • Place said filled caps into a baking dish... Pie plates work well for smaller amounts of mushrooms.
  • Once all filled caps are in the dish, cover the entire thing with grated cheese. More is better.
  • Cook on 350 for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is starting to get nice and brown.

If anyone has any great five ingredients or less recipes you want to share, send them my way! I'm sure my girls would appreciate something other than hot dogs for dinner when Jay is gone.

Just us and the bats

Does this girl look sleepy?????


I think not!
Sooooooooo it's 4 am and Sam is WIDE awake. I am trying to not fall asleep holding her (fears of dropping her, etc.) so here I am, surfing the net. It's amazing the clarity that comes at this early hour... and more interesting, the questions that surface. Here are just a few:
  • What exactly is my cat chasing?
  • Who buys all this crap on infomercials? And, how upset would Jay get if I bought the new and improved George Foreman grill?
  • Was the website I just found that lists the best and worst infomercials really necessary? And do I want to investigate and find out exactly what a Velform Sauna Belt is?
  • Was Tim Taylor always this funny?
  • How clean my house looks in the dark... I'm starting to think lights are overrated.
Nothing too exciting to ponder I guess... I just texted my friend Jenny, who is being induced as I type, to wish her luck.... And Sam is finally nodding off, so I'll head back upstairs and try to fall asleep before I buy an ab roller.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Friends (for now)...

As always, we are still working on teaching Addi to be a good girl. Her newest answer to us yelling at her (she used to always just laugh)? "You're not my friend anymore."

I'm no expert on child-rearing but I'm guessing my response to this shouldn't be to laugh.

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