In true follower fashion the A Team made Snow Ice Cream. We were suffering from cabin fever and I either had to make the stuff that was the subject of many FB posts and pictures or sacrifice one of the young. We made the group decision to go for the ice cream.
I used a recipe that my friend recommended. She makes this several times each winter and has made it for years. After making this... treat, I now question her judgement on all things! This is one of the most horrible things I have ever eaten! The texture. The taste. The smell. YUCK!
A1 took one bite and said, "Is this another one of those healthy things you are trying to make us eat?" Then she started gagging while her eyes watered.
A2 took a couple of bites and tried to reject it in the nicest way she could, "Mom, I am not saying I don't like it but I just don't think I should eat it any more. It is cold you know." What!?! Ice cream made from snow is cold? You are right you better stop eating that right now!
A3 actually liked it. She ate the entire bowl. I think this could be due to her 3 day long hunger strike though.
I added some chocolate powder and the taste improved slightly. A1 ended up finishing hers and asked for more. A2 still thought it was too cold.
I will never make this again. I will never trust my friend again. I will never believe what I read on the internet.
Snow Ice Cream is sNO Good!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
Don't Scare Mommy
Dear Girls,
You should know by now your mommy is a big chicken. It is NEVER a good idea to quietly creep downstairs and stand silently staring at her, especially if she is watching a scary show with creepy little possessed girls with long blond hair. You will be guaranteed to experience a temporary hearing loss due to the high pitched scream your mommy will emit upon briefly seeing you out of the corner of her eye. There is also a chance you will be karate chopped in the throat if she thinks you are a threat to her life, however that isn't likely since your mom is a wiltor and will collapse at the first sign of danger. You do have a good chance of being kicked in the head as your mommy crumbles to the ground. Please keep this in mind the next you feel like it is a good idea to come downstairs at 11:00 PM.
Your mommy is sorry that you can't sleep, but please be a normal kid and stay in your bed screaming until she can get to you. It is nice that you are consider your sisters who are sleeping, but you really should take the time to be selfish. It is for your own safety.
You should know by now your mommy is a big chicken. It is NEVER a good idea to quietly creep downstairs and stand silently staring at her, especially if she is watching a scary show with creepy little possessed girls with long blond hair. You will be guaranteed to experience a temporary hearing loss due to the high pitched scream your mommy will emit upon briefly seeing you out of the corner of her eye. There is also a chance you will be karate chopped in the throat if she thinks you are a threat to her life, however that isn't likely since your mom is a wiltor and will collapse at the first sign of danger. You do have a good chance of being kicked in the head as your mommy crumbles to the ground. Please keep this in mind the next you feel like it is a good idea to come downstairs at 11:00 PM.
Your mommy is sorry that you can't sleep, but please be a normal kid and stay in your bed screaming until she can get to you. It is nice that you are consider your sisters who are sleeping, but you really should take the time to be selfish. It is for your own safety.
Love Always,
Mommy
Monday, December 30, 2013
Eclectic Christmas
My mantle was recently described by a friend as "eclectic." After she said it she looked a little embarrassed, as if she said something that had offended me. No worries, I am not offended by much especially when it is true. My Christmas decorations are eclectic.
As you may have guessed I am sentimental. I like things that have a meaning. It doesn't necessarily have to be a deep meaning but something with an emotional tie will always be front and center on my heart's fireplace mantle.
When Mac and I got married one of my besties bought us a variety of snowman Christmas decorations which started my snowman collection. Every year I buy a new snowman to add to my collection. Some of my snowmen stay up all year, causing an eyebrow raising experience for some of our visitors. I guess it is a little strange to see snowmen on display in July, but strange works for us.
A1 had her first Christmas in 2006. As I was dragging out all of our decorations and my small snowman army, I realized A1 needed decorations. It was at that moment I decided every Christmas I would buy her a Santa decoration. By the time she moved out and was decorating her own house for Christmas she would have quite a collection started.
A2 and A3 also have a collection of Christmas decorations started. A2 gets a gingerbread man, while A3 gets a reindeer each year. I didn't think about the challenge I set up for myself when I selected gingerbread men and reindeer. Every store has Santas everywhere. Finding a gingerbread man and reindeer is hard. Some years I have to stop at several stores before finding one. The hunt is worth it when I show A2 her newest gingerbread man and I get to see how excited she is to have her very own new Christmas decoration, the pride she has when she sees her new gingerbread man go on the fireplace. I am sure that one day A3 will be just as excited but right now she really doesn't care.
I am excited that one day eclectic collection of decorations will become their eclectic collection of decorations.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Perfectly Themed Trees
The first year we were married we had a "themed" Christmas tree. It was 2001 shortly after the attack on the World Trade Center so, like many other Americans, we had a patriotic tree. Since we didn't have many ornaments to start with I spent a lot of time the last week of November collecting Red, White, and Blue ornaments. By the time I was finished it was perfect and beautiful.
The trees following that first year continued to have a mostly patriotic feel. The tree was mostly Red, White, and Blue plus snowmen, Santas, a random treasure from students. The tree continued to be beautiful but I was envious of those super fancy trees that I would only be able to recreate if I was someone like Martha Stewart or my sister. Each year I would dream of a newly decorated fancy tree but Mac was more sensible and would tell me we really didn't need to buy all new ornaments.
Even this year, after admiring all the perfectly put together trees at the Festival of Trees, I was contemplating and scheming up a way to finally have the themed tree I have been dreaming of for years. However, the reality of the situation is that we are on a budget and buying all new ornaments would be absolutely ridiculous. So I did what any mature adult would do when they don't get their way; I pouted and considered not putting the tree up because it wouldn't be as beautiful as "so and so's" tree.
Luckily my pity party was short lived and I had Mac set up the tree so the girls and I could decorate. As we were decorating I realized that our tree does have a theme. It is a tree of memories. Every ornament we put on the tree brought up a memory, a thought, and even a story. The girls loved hearing about the reasons we purchased certain ornaments. A1 giggled and fake gagged when I held up the cute umbrella "Parents to Be" ornament and told her that we got that one when I was pregnant with her. Pregnant is a gag word when you are 7.
Some of the ornaments also brought up memories of people who are no longer with us. I was blessed to have a thoughtful co-worker and friend as a secret Santa a couple different times. She would give me creative goodies and always several ornaments. Her memory lives on in those ornaments. The girls shed a few tears when we dug out their ornaments from my grandparents. Both of them passed away a little over a year ago but A1 and A2 miss them almost every day. Seeing the bear with a tiny strawberry stuck to his head made A1 smile especially when I reminded her it was from Granny and Papa.
The most precious ornaments are the ones the girls made in school, especially the ones with their pictures. We oohed and aahed over artwork from the past. We even giggled a little the creative messes some of the ornaments displayed. I assured the girls I loved all of them, even the snowman with a googly eye for a bellybutton.
The funniest ornaments are the ones I rush out to Hallmark for the day after Christmas so I can get a 50% off family picture ornament. It was a tradition I started in 2001. We now have 12 family picture ornaments and you better believe I will be rushing out the day after Christmas to pick up number 13. Maybe this year will be lucky number 13 and I will actually put our family picture in them... Although the stock picture does look nice in each one as it hangs on the tree.
Our Memory Tree is as beautiful as each ornament that dangles from the tree. It is a perfect way to mark the passing of time and to get us to stop and reminisce about our past. It is a salute to our loved ones who are no longer on this Earth to celebrate with us. I wouldn't trade our Memory Tree for any of the perfect trees in Martha Stewart Living. Does that magazine even exist? I haven't read a magazine in years...
The trees following that first year continued to have a mostly patriotic feel. The tree was mostly Red, White, and Blue plus snowmen, Santas, a random treasure from students. The tree continued to be beautiful but I was envious of those super fancy trees that I would only be able to recreate if I was someone like Martha Stewart or my sister. Each year I would dream of a newly decorated fancy tree but Mac was more sensible and would tell me we really didn't need to buy all new ornaments.
Even this year, after admiring all the perfectly put together trees at the Festival of Trees, I was contemplating and scheming up a way to finally have the themed tree I have been dreaming of for years. However, the reality of the situation is that we are on a budget and buying all new ornaments would be absolutely ridiculous. So I did what any mature adult would do when they don't get their way; I pouted and considered not putting the tree up because it wouldn't be as beautiful as "so and so's" tree.
Luckily my pity party was short lived and I had Mac set up the tree so the girls and I could decorate. As we were decorating I realized that our tree does have a theme. It is a tree of memories. Every ornament we put on the tree brought up a memory, a thought, and even a story. The girls loved hearing about the reasons we purchased certain ornaments. A1 giggled and fake gagged when I held up the cute umbrella "Parents to Be" ornament and told her that we got that one when I was pregnant with her. Pregnant is a gag word when you are 7.
Some of the ornaments also brought up memories of people who are no longer with us. I was blessed to have a thoughtful co-worker and friend as a secret Santa a couple different times. She would give me creative goodies and always several ornaments. Her memory lives on in those ornaments. The girls shed a few tears when we dug out their ornaments from my grandparents. Both of them passed away a little over a year ago but A1 and A2 miss them almost every day. Seeing the bear with a tiny strawberry stuck to his head made A1 smile especially when I reminded her it was from Granny and Papa.
The most precious ornaments are the ones the girls made in school, especially the ones with their pictures. We oohed and aahed over artwork from the past. We even giggled a little the creative messes some of the ornaments displayed. I assured the girls I loved all of them, even the snowman with a googly eye for a bellybutton.
The funniest ornaments are the ones I rush out to Hallmark for the day after Christmas so I can get a 50% off family picture ornament. It was a tradition I started in 2001. We now have 12 family picture ornaments and you better believe I will be rushing out the day after Christmas to pick up number 13. Maybe this year will be lucky number 13 and I will actually put our family picture in them... Although the stock picture does look nice in each one as it hangs on the tree.
Our Memory Tree is as beautiful as each ornament that dangles from the tree. It is a perfect way to mark the passing of time and to get us to stop and reminisce about our past. It is a salute to our loved ones who are no longer on this Earth to celebrate with us. I wouldn't trade our Memory Tree for any of the perfect trees in Martha Stewart Living. Does that magazine even exist? I haven't read a magazine in years...
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Emotional KaBOOM
I generally like to write to share my humorous misfortunes. I like to make people laugh or at least smile but lately I just haven't been feeling it. I have been in a serious funk. Not a true depression but just an overly angry, super annoyed with the world, possibly regressing to my angsty teenage days; blah. This is a strange place for me because I can almost always find the good in every person or situation but I just haven't had it in me. Maybe it is because I have reached the point where there is nothing left to do but explode. I have bottled my emotions for far too long and KaBOOM emotions are spilling out everywhere.
I need to stop doing this. I know I shouldn't hold back my emotions. I am being such a hypocrite. I tell my students if they have things that bother them they need to tell someone or in the very least write it down. They need to get rid of it.
So why am I holding it all in? Because. I don't really want to burden people with my problems. I don't want to make someone have to be my emotional dump. Making someone have to hold onto my smelly emotional garbage, is not my thing. I know everyone has things they are dealing with, most are much worse than mine and I don't want to add to any one's heap'o problems.
I am a very private person. Strange for someone who enjoys writing and putting her word out there for anyone to see but when I am writing I get to decide what I write, what words to put down, what I will let people see. If I was to open up about the things that could be bothering me I could let someone see things I really don't want to share. I might not have control of the words that come out or of the reaction I would get from them.
After a rare quiet moment of reflection I realized my suppressed baggage was starting to have an impact on my family. I have been very irritable, irrational, and somewhat irresponsible. No worries, nothing that put anyone in danger. I completely let A1 down when I told her uncle the wrong time to show up for her Veteran's Day program at school. I know that I am not thinking with a clear head because I am letting hurt feelings and worries interfere with living.
It is so weird that I am ok with not being perfect and sharing that with the world but I have problems admitting that I am human. Admitting that I have feelings and things that are weighing on my mind is so hard for me. Starting now, I am working to fix that. I am going to make some changes. I will be more open when things get to me. I will continue to work on giving my worries away to God. I was getting better with that one but recently I started slipping back into old habits of constantly worrying instead of leaving it up to the Lord. Honestly, I don't have extra time to worry so it is comforting to know that I don't have to!
I need to stop doing this. I know I shouldn't hold back my emotions. I am being such a hypocrite. I tell my students if they have things that bother them they need to tell someone or in the very least write it down. They need to get rid of it.
So why am I holding it all in? Because. I don't really want to burden people with my problems. I don't want to make someone have to be my emotional dump. Making someone have to hold onto my smelly emotional garbage, is not my thing. I know everyone has things they are dealing with, most are much worse than mine and I don't want to add to any one's heap'o problems.
I am a very private person. Strange for someone who enjoys writing and putting her word out there for anyone to see but when I am writing I get to decide what I write, what words to put down, what I will let people see. If I was to open up about the things that could be bothering me I could let someone see things I really don't want to share. I might not have control of the words that come out or of the reaction I would get from them.
After a rare quiet moment of reflection I realized my suppressed baggage was starting to have an impact on my family. I have been very irritable, irrational, and somewhat irresponsible. No worries, nothing that put anyone in danger. I completely let A1 down when I told her uncle the wrong time to show up for her Veteran's Day program at school. I know that I am not thinking with a clear head because I am letting hurt feelings and worries interfere with living.
It is so weird that I am ok with not being perfect and sharing that with the world but I have problems admitting that I am human. Admitting that I have feelings and things that are weighing on my mind is so hard for me. Starting now, I am working to fix that. I am going to make some changes. I will be more open when things get to me. I will continue to work on giving my worries away to God. I was getting better with that one but recently I started slipping back into old habits of constantly worrying instead of leaving it up to the Lord. Honestly, I don't have extra time to worry so it is comforting to know that I don't have to!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
All about the Rainbow
Living with A2 is sometimes a delightful challenge. She has a special way of making the simplest task a tad bit difficult. No matter what we have planned she always has to let us know she doesn't like it. No matter what we have for dinner, even her favorite food, she has to let us know she doesn't like it.
I have gotten better at negotiating with her. I have found if we warn her well in advance she will have her little fit before the actual event. About a week before our family pictures I decided I should start preparing A2 for the clothes she would be wearing. I anticipated the big issue would be the fact that she was going to have to wear jeans. Pants aren't her thing. She doesn't like tight pants, loose pants, sweat pants, cargo pants, long pants, short pants, buttoned pants, or elastic waisted pants. Basically she HATES pants. Normally I do whatever I can to put her in a dress or skirt, but since the pictures were going to be outside in a park I thought I would try for a little warmth.
I told her she would be wearing jeans just like Aunt Caley for our pictures and of course her response was, "Ok, but what shirt will I wear?"
HUH!?! What do you mean "Ok"? I don't understand that! I prepared for a temper tantrum, not an "Ok." and then a sweetly asked "what shirt will I wear?"
I was so blown away by her reaction I simply responded, "You will wear a black or gray shirt. I haven't picked it out yet."
KABOOM! My thoughtless comment set off a reaction. Addelyn jumped all over my ill prepared response. "Black!?! I hate black." She completely melted into the floor and then began flopping like a fish out of water. "MOOOOOM, I don't want to wear black. God hates black. We shouldn't wear black. You will make God mad."
I missed that lesson from the Bible. Where in the world did she get this idea? My curiosity got the best of me. I just had to know what in the world she was talking about so I asked.
She stopped flopping and said, "God hates black. If he liked black he would have put it in the rainbow. I want to wear pink!"
Oh I had her now! I was going to be able to use her own logic against her. "A1 we can't wear pink. God doesn't like pink. He didn't put it in rainbows." In my head I was doing a little happy dance. It is sad that I was so happy about winning an argument with a 4 year old but that is where I am right now.
A1 looked at me and said, "God wanted pink to be in the rainbow. It is almost in there. You know, like red. Pink is almost red. God just forgot to put it in there all the way so he likes it." Then she left the room.
DARN it! I think she just won that round! I was frustrated and proud all at once. Maybe if the whole Rapunzel thing doesn't work out for her, she might be able to make it as a lawyer...
Oh and as for the outfit...
She wore a black and white striped shirt with a pink bow on it. We were both winners!
I have gotten better at negotiating with her. I have found if we warn her well in advance she will have her little fit before the actual event. About a week before our family pictures I decided I should start preparing A2 for the clothes she would be wearing. I anticipated the big issue would be the fact that she was going to have to wear jeans. Pants aren't her thing. She doesn't like tight pants, loose pants, sweat pants, cargo pants, long pants, short pants, buttoned pants, or elastic waisted pants. Basically she HATES pants. Normally I do whatever I can to put her in a dress or skirt, but since the pictures were going to be outside in a park I thought I would try for a little warmth.
I told her she would be wearing jeans just like Aunt Caley for our pictures and of course her response was, "Ok, but what shirt will I wear?"
HUH!?! What do you mean "Ok"? I don't understand that! I prepared for a temper tantrum, not an "Ok." and then a sweetly asked "what shirt will I wear?"
I was so blown away by her reaction I simply responded, "You will wear a black or gray shirt. I haven't picked it out yet."
KABOOM! My thoughtless comment set off a reaction. Addelyn jumped all over my ill prepared response. "Black!?! I hate black." She completely melted into the floor and then began flopping like a fish out of water. "MOOOOOM, I don't want to wear black. God hates black. We shouldn't wear black. You will make God mad."
I missed that lesson from the Bible. Where in the world did she get this idea? My curiosity got the best of me. I just had to know what in the world she was talking about so I asked.
She stopped flopping and said, "God hates black. If he liked black he would have put it in the rainbow. I want to wear pink!"
Oh I had her now! I was going to be able to use her own logic against her. "A1 we can't wear pink. God doesn't like pink. He didn't put it in rainbows." In my head I was doing a little happy dance. It is sad that I was so happy about winning an argument with a 4 year old but that is where I am right now.
A1 looked at me and said, "God wanted pink to be in the rainbow. It is almost in there. You know, like red. Pink is almost red. God just forgot to put it in there all the way so he likes it." Then she left the room.
DARN it! I think she just won that round! I was frustrated and proud all at once. Maybe if the whole Rapunzel thing doesn't work out for her, she might be able to make it as a lawyer...
Oh and as for the outfit...
She wore a black and white striped shirt with a pink bow on it. We were both winners!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
When I Grow Up
Every once in a while I like to ask the girls what they want to be when they grow up. It is fun to hear first hand their dreams and ambitions. It is also a chance for me to make sure they will have enough money to support me when I am old...
A1 was eager to respond. She said, "Well, I have been thinking about this a lot and I have decided that I want to be a music teacher. Along with just about everything else. In the summer I will be a children's entertainer. Actually only for girls. You know, I can dress up like a mermaid and then swim in their pool if they have one. If they don't have a pool I can just sit on a rock and sing." Well, if doesn't look like she will be supporting me...
A2 cheerfully said, "I know what I will be. I will be a character, like Rapunzel." Then she went back to watching TV. I kept waiting for more but it never came. I guess I still have hope in A3...
This time A1 turned the question on me. She asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I told her I was thinking about being a mommy and a teacher. She said, "Those are good choices. You already are those. Whatever you do just don't be a hipster." Hmmm... I wasn't really sure how to respond to that so I went with my standard, "HUH!?!"
She laughed and said, "Just don't do it. I don't think it is healthy." I would have to agree. Wearing tight jeans probably isn't healthy, I will stick with my non-hipster pajama jeans.
A1 was eager to respond. She said, "Well, I have been thinking about this a lot and I have decided that I want to be a music teacher. Along with just about everything else. In the summer I will be a children's entertainer. Actually only for girls. You know, I can dress up like a mermaid and then swim in their pool if they have one. If they don't have a pool I can just sit on a rock and sing." Well, if doesn't look like she will be supporting me...
A2 cheerfully said, "I know what I will be. I will be a character, like Rapunzel." Then she went back to watching TV. I kept waiting for more but it never came. I guess I still have hope in A3...
This time A1 turned the question on me. She asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I told her I was thinking about being a mommy and a teacher. She said, "Those are good choices. You already are those. Whatever you do just don't be a hipster." Hmmm... I wasn't really sure how to respond to that so I went with my standard, "HUH!?!"
She laughed and said, "Just don't do it. I don't think it is healthy." I would have to agree. Wearing tight jeans probably isn't healthy, I will stick with my non-hipster pajama jeans.
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