Re-ceeps and Another Resolution

I can remember having trouble with words like recipes and receipts when I was first starting to read. I called recipes "re-ceeps." And receipts were "re-ceepTs." Not very interesting - or unusual - but whatever.

While I was making my grocery list last week, Elliott approached me and asked why I was using a "re-ceep" book. And I laughed. It was cute...and once again reaffirmed that she is totally a mini-me.

And the reason I was using a recipe book to make the grocery list? One of my many resolutions is to use at least 2 new recipes each week. Again, not really interesting - or unusual - but whatever.

We tend to eat the same meals over and over....and over again. Frankly, I'm getting sick of eating the stuff, and making boring meals is...well...boring. I have a huge library of recipe books (and Chef Google is also a huge help in meal-planning), so I decided to go through them. Elliott loves this. She is a reader...and a mini-foodie. She also likes to cook. She loves going through the books and picking out pictures of things she would like to eat...and pictures of things she would not like to eat. She looks for words that she knows (right now chicken, oregano, chocolate, and taco are the words she spends a lot of time looking for), and she would also like to have her own set of recipe books to read while she has quiet-time.

So not only am I impressed with Elliott's willingness to 1) read a recipe book with me, 2) to help me choose healthy meals for the family, and 3) actually EAT the meals that I prepare - I'm also totally impressed with the fact that I have held to this resolution. Each week I have tried at least 2 new recipes. Last week, I used three.

And what I find even more impressive than all of the above is that my husband - the Opinion-less Wonder of the World - is also helping to choose what I cook. And the best part about his willingness to help create a menu? Is that he cleans up the mess that gets made!

I'm on my way out the door to get the shopping for the week done (Because in this house? We go to the grocery store ONCE a week.). This week, I'm trying four new re-ceeps!!

Crafty Courtney (and Friends) Strike(s) Again

This?

Is the girls' bow collection. Or most of it anyway. My girls? LOVE hair bows! They love having their hair done (though I am completely useless in doing anything other than the standard pigtails/ponytails), and they love matching their hair doo-dads to their outfits. I have been buying their bows from a high-school friend. She makes gorgeous things, and I am more than happy to support her (she's a SAHM, and she supplements her family's monthly income buy selling her various crafts).

A few weeks ago while I was pulling Janna's hair up for school, I actually studied the bows I put in her hair. And I thought to myself, "Hmmmmm...you're a crafty gal, Court. You could totally do this." So I called two of my best girlfriends, and asked if they wanted to see what we could do. We went shopping (and maybe spent $25 between the three of us), and we set to work.

Baking ribbon is really easy, and it's so cool - even my husband was impressed with the way these turned out:


Last night, Liz, Lynette, and I actually sat down to create something. And this is what we (well, these ones are the ones I made - theirs are a little different) came up with:


My first set of korkers!! Holy crap! I RULE! Or rather...WE RULE!

Got scarves?

I was a crocheting machine this weekend. The fruits of my labors?

A scarf for Elliott to match her hat (which I did NOT make):


Gabriel's baby anaconda scarf (he asked for a snake scarf, and I delivered!!):


And Janna's pink, white, and red scarf (because, "dose are my favowite colors, Ma"):


I finished this blanket on Thursday, but since it's awesome (and so is the puppy), I thought I would add it:
Part of the reason I am going crazy with the crochet is that I resolved that I would try at least one new pattern each month (instead of making a whole lot of granny squares). Each of the above projects was made using a pattern I had never used before, and the feeling of accomplishment was awesome! I made those things! Me! Moi! Myself! And...I pretty much rule!

Teeth

We've been having some toothy issues around here as of late. The Boy has 4 loose teeth in his mouth right now. So all he does is play with them. And I can't stand it. I hate it when children have their hands n the faces constantly. (And of course both girls are still thumb/finger suckers, so I'm triply annoyed.) I have tried and tried to get a picture of him with his hands on his mouth (so I can use them later on as tools of embarrassment), but he moves really fast. And he knows I'm gunning for him...so I don't have a picture. But just imagine a large, handsome almost 7 year-old...with his damned hands in his mouth, wiggling teeth, and drooling everywhere. Yay.

The Smallish Girl is having some major teeth issues. Girlfriend was dancing and prancing in the tub last week and fell. Greeeeeeeeaaaaaat. She did some serious damage.

Before. My Small Girl with her gorgeous, toothy grin.

OUCH! She sheared off half of one of her upper incisors, and bruised the hell out of her entire mouth.

And after. She's really not bothered by it at all.

Broken/chipped teeth skeeve me out. I hate them. But...such is life. She's not uncomfortable, and she loves showing people her "toof." Her dentist is fantastic, but he's not very optimistic about the tooth - he's pretty sure it's going to have to come out. And I agree. This weekend it turned gray. Not a good sign. And when/if he does have to yank it...she'll get a falsie!!

And this little girl? Chews on EVERYTHING with her little puppy teeth!! Well, everything except the cat. Kuzco (cat) and Kevin (puppy - yes, she's a girl...and her name is Kevin) don't quite know what to do with the other one yet. But I have a feeling that will change in the next few weeks.

So yippee!! I ♥ teeth right now!

Happy 2011!!

Happy New Year! I sincerely hope that everyone's year has gotten off to a happy and healthy start. Our year has certainly started out happily - but we're not so healthy. Allow me to go on my first rant of 2011...

We spent Christmas in PA just like we do every year. On Christmas Eve we went to Mass with Jon's family. (Yes...I went to church. And I didn't spontaneously combust. Nor did I mock. Much.) One of my SILs and family were not in attendance due to some sort of nasty colds/flu/cooties. After the Mass ended, we went to Nana's house. And lo and behold - the family that was too sick to attend Mass was standing in the kitchen. Dripping green from their swollen, crusty eyes and noses. One of my nieces was very clearly burning up with a fever, and another one had little crusty sores all over her mouth. My SIL looked miserable - her face was beet red, and her eyes were swollen almost completely shut.

My reaction? An immediate flare of the nostrils and a muttered, "Are you fucking kidding me?" Sonofabitch. I was LIVID. Every single time we get together as a family, someone brings their sick-ass kids to the event. (Well, someone other than me. Because apparently, I'm the only mother in the bunch who was raised to know better than to take sick kids ANYWHERE!!! Christmas of 2007? We all got pink eye from the same SIL and her kid.)

I quietly told my children to stay as far away from their cousins and their aunt as humanly possible, and I also notified my SIL/BIL/MIL that in the event that my kids got sick, that they they would be getting a surprise visit from me - and I would be dropping all three of them off. And kicking their sorry asses. Everyone giggled. Because apparently it was really funny.

So Merry fucking Christmas. In addition to all of the glorious loot I received, I also got sick. And what's even better? I passed it on to my mother. Who has a heart condition that 1) has weakened her immune system, and 2) prevents her from taking any kind of cold/flu medication. Awesome. My kids? Are slowly, but surely, coming down with whatever cooties are still in my system. Again...awesome.

As I sat on the couch on New Year's Eve (coughing and trying to keep up with the goo dripping from my nose), I made my first Resolution: I would be a better Mother. While I strive for that goal every day, it saddened me to realize that my SIL just didn't care that her kids needed to be in bed instead of prancing miserably around my MIL's house spreading their cooties. Don't get me wrong - she's actually a good Mom. But she should have known better. The presents would have waited until everyone was healthy.

Another resolution I came up with was that we are going to start spending Christmases at home. I hate the idea of not seeing my Mommy on Christmas morning, but the entire trip to PA was a hassle. It's just easier to stay home, and then go down to see people over New Year's.

Resolution 3? Cut back on the loot!! Trying to cram all of the kids' stuff in the car was a nightmare! We thought we had cut back this year...but after seeing all of it jammed into the van we realized we still went overboard.

I made some other resolutions, but my nose is in need of a tissue, so I will stop here. Happy New Year!!