Crunchy Peas

my pheasant and her pie

Be proud of her,  she did it all by herself (be a little proud of me too for letting her do it-- there were moments when I literally had to put my hands in my pockets.  I worked hard at letting go of how I thought it should look.  And, like her mother, she made a terrible mess.  Flour everywhere!  This is Emma's Blackberry Pie that she submitted to the baking contest at school today.  They were celebrating Reformation Day and honoring Martin Luther.  We did not win...but participating was the emphasis- we were beat out by Strawberry Rhubarb.

Her costume was fun and fairly easy to make. The goal was a 15th century peasant.  Or as Hannah would say "she is a pheasant". Emma was trying to look poor in this picture...thus the somber face. (Red eyes again!  Anyone know how to adjust this in photoshop? I don't think that my camera has that option.  I hate using my flash...but there is so little daylight anymore.) At 1:00am this morning as I was finishing off her apron, I wasn't sure it would all be worth it.  Funny enough, she won 3rd place for "Best Period Representation" in the Elementary Division. That sweetened the deal to some extent.

Lots of lovely gowns like these.  The children also took part in a lavish feast featuring medieval-ish food.

 

Check out these girl's archery skills.

 

Also some action packed sword fighting!

All in all a glorious day, remembering important and courageous people.

sugar

Busy with a few projects for tomorrow.  For now, please bask in my lack of self-discipline.  Here is the candy that I said I would not buy.  As you can see I also ate the candy that I said I would not eat (and that I would not buy). I'll count them for you: 6 fruit flavored tootsie rolls and 4 or 5 (I lost track) caramels.  My jaw hurts and I have several bits still stuck in my teeth now.  Must dispose of the evidence before it is discovered by the other inhabitants of my house.  Perhaps I should hide the bag?!

weekends

Weekends are for:

Messy hair, and no reason to comb it

Buckwheat/buttermilk/banana/blueberry pancakes with soy sausage and green juice (Odwalla's Superfood)

Some pampering. Emma and I indulged.  I did not choose purple w/flowers though.

Changing the sheets (and playing in them too).

Lots and lots of snuggling!  Eeek, major red eyes!  We Hannah and Emma were watching Peter Pan, Laurel and I found ourselves chatting.

We enjoyed our weekend and hope that you find yourself well rested and ready for the week!!

Hannah is feeling better.  Thank you for all of your well wishes.  It is awful to see your children sick.  There comes a point when you would just rather trade places with them.  The other girls were a bit jealous with all the back rubbing, sitting beside, books read to, blankets piled on, forehead feeling that Hannah received in the last 48 hrs.  I really do dote when they are sick.  My mom did the same thing for me- but we had to be truly sick. A sore throat didn't get much sympathy. The only way we ever got to stay home from school was if we were throwing up (barfing :), or bleeding- otherwise we went (oh yeah and that one time in 6th grade when I got a really bad sunburn while skiing and my face was all swollen and then peeled like a baked potato- I stayed home a couple days then.) So, its back to same ol' same ol' for Hannah.  Her temp last night before bed was spot on.  She was really trying to milk it though.  Her tummy would suddenly start to hurt again at the strangest times...like when I asked her to pick up her wooden train set or clear her plate from the table. 

Amazingly, between loads of laundry and spraying everything with bleach, I got a tiny project done.  My dear friend Catherine has been such a help to me.  She watches Laurel one morning a week so that Hannah and I can take a little class together.  It is our "special time" or "date" together.   To thank her, I made her youngest daughter (18 mos) some bibs.

I found the instructions a long time ago in one of my Martha Stewart Baby magazines.  They are on her website here. I love them because they have great coverage- made from a hand towel.  Vintage towels usually look great on their own, but all I had were boring cream colored towels.  So, I added a bit of patchwork to them. 

Speaking of patchwork, my copy of this book arrived yesterday.  I cannot stop looking at it.   Working up the courage to try the color wheel quilt  (I have never made a quilt before!)

Other little tidbits: 

This is what the sky looked like night before last from our back deck.

Pretty no?

I watched a movie the other day starring Julianne Moore.  I have been thinking about red hair in this shade.  My brother was born with it....I am wondering if I could pull it off?  Opinions?

I cannot wait until October 31st comes and goes- Halloween is definitely not my favorite holiday.  We plan to turn off all of our lights, and watch movies downstairs. Thankfully it falls on a school night- there shouldn't be as much hub-bub.  So sorry if you live in my neighborhood.  We are a bit scroogy when it comes to Halloween.

I really must find/make time for exercise.  Anyone have any suggestions to squeezing it in?  I have totally lost my routine.

On the bright side, I got my cholesterol results back the other day.  Not bad, it was 156 (anything over 200 is too high)  Huh?  Wonder what I am doing right- other than just being young-ish.

And finally, Sophie has been sleeping on our bed at night.  She nestles in between our feet down at the bottom of the bed.  I pretend not to like it :)

Sick Day

You see that giant plastic bowl up there?  That is what we affectionately refer to as "The Barf Bowl".   Isn't barf a great word?  It has that "immature 6th grade boy" sound to it.  We prefer to say barf over vomiting, or throwing up, or even sick to my stomach.  Sometimes it is just the thing to make us giggle on days such as this.

At 4:00am Hannah came stumbling into my bedroom.  She actually went to Carl's side of the bed (probably because Laurel is often sleeping next to me) and said, "Daddy I barfed!"  She was quite upset and doing that post-puke shaking thing.  I jolted out of bed and found my way through the dark to hug her.  She had chunks all down the front of her shirt.  Lovely.  I threw her in the tub and quickly cleaned up myself.  And so it has gone for the last few hours.  I kept Emma home too with the hopes of giving her a day to rest up and NOT get sick.  She was thankful for the excuse to stay home and color.  She is quite the artist you know.  Check out her version of this made from paper that she cut and pieced together:

 

I have been doing a few bits of crocheting here and there.  I began making a scarf for my Grandma's birthday in September.  Unfortunately I ran out of yarn and couldn't find another skein anywhere. I could not bare to pull it all out so I made it into a neck cozy for Emma.

She is always very sweet about the things I make for her- so careful of my feelings :) 

And then there is this:

It is #1 of 25.  I am on my way to making my own version of this. The next few sick days should give me a good start.

I hope that none of you have an encounter with the barfs anytime soon. Stay well my friends, stay well.

changes

Well, we took a big step this weekend.  On Friday, Laurel climbed out of her crib.  I thought I was going insane when she suddenly appeared in the living room.  Didn't I just put her in her bed?  Was it just my imagination?  Her roommate (Hannah) ratted her out. She had escaped!

Saturday, I peeked through her door to see if she was awake or not.  I found her sitting up on the bookshelf at one end of her crib, teetering over the edge.  So, it was time....

(Laurel started crying 2 seconds after this picture was taken.  She was not pleased with Sophie's presence on her "new" bed.)

Carl took her crib down yesterday, and we set up the toddler bed for her.  She only got out 3 times last night.  Not too bad-- it is all a bit of a learning process to begin with.  The parts of the crib are disassembled in our hallway (it is a huge bed!)  Carl had the audacity to ask me if we could sell it.  He didn't want it taking up space in the garage.  I said, "what if we have another baby?"  He laughed. 

Even if we don't have another baby, there is something so special about the bed that my Sweet Ones slept in.  So many emotions are wrapped up in a simple piece of furniture.  Excitement as we set it up the first time when I was pregnant with Emma. Frustration when they would drop their dolls back between the railing and the wall.  Exhaustion when I would drape myself over the edge in the middle of the night wishing that they would just sleep. Silliness when we would play peek-a-boo between the bars. Tenderness when I would sing soft little songs to them and pat their backs over it's edge as they drifted off. Amazement as I would look at them sleeping in it- wondering "how did I deserve this little gift?" Joy as their smiling faces popped up from inside of it each morning. Ughh I am not good at letting go- but I will try to follow Laurel's lead.  She was ready.

In other news, our kitty has finally warmed up to us.  She came out of hiding just in time too- I was threatening to take her back.  I couldn't see the point of having a pet that lived behind the washing machine.  Her middle name has been changing.  At first it was Sophie Scared because she wouldn't come out to play.  Then, it was Sophie Sick because she had a cold. Next it was Sophie Snob because we all knew she was feeling a bit better but she still was content to hide away.  Now we are calling her Sophie Snuggles.  We all like Sophie Snuggles the best.  I hope she sticks around!

what to do?

What does a girl do when she is so overwhelmed by the messiness of her house that she doesn't know where to start?

(can't believe I just posted that picture!)

Does she whip up a couple cute aprons for her children hoping that it will inspire them to tackle their rooms?

Does she make fun little "to do" lists that are pink and give them the satisfaction of crossing things off as they go along?

Hmmm good ideas, but better yet-

she sends them outside to "help" Dad!!! You can see how much he appreciates that!

Okay, now I am rolling up my sleeves and digging in!!! (right after a I have another cup of coffee.)

 

Greetings!  We are all smiling like our counterparts above (instructions found in last month's Martha Stewart Magazine.)  Today there is no school because of Mid-Term Break.  Yes, life at a slower pace definitely suits us better.  Just when you think your batteries are going to run out, along comes the opportunity to recharge.  So, so grateful.

Real hot chocolate (made with foamy milk cooked on a stove) was especially tasty on this drizzly morning.  Most mornings we pile into our van with our stainless steel mugs- the drinks only cooling off enough to get a few sips in before arriving at school.

Lots planned for today in the "stay-in-your-jammies" kind of way.  The girls and I are going to do some projects together.  Take a look at these.  Cute huh?  I think that we might be able to come up with a similar version- one that doesn't cost so much!

This poor girl needs a body. Along with a few outfits.

 

One doll- three daughters, that spells disaster!  Perhaps I'll hang onto her until I am able to make her some friends :)

Finishing up some odds and ends too.  This apron needs some hand stitching then it is off to it's recipient. 

I sordove want to keep it.  I love the green linen. 

These little coasters were so easy and would make a great gift too.

Again, the instructions are found in last month's Martha.  They were thought up by Joelle Hoverson from Purl.  Very quick project!

And yes, I am sure that we will find ourselves doing some chores as well.  I have been giving Emma a bit more responsibility.  She can unload the dishwasher, wipe down her bathroom, and will organize anything!!  Her help has been invaluable. 

Hannah and Laurel on the other hand...

 

Well, I love them anyways!  Hope to be back soon with more crafty updates!

much better

A few bits of my day:

Soaking and roasting seeds from our sunflowers.

A bit of sewing while the girls slept.

A bit of chocolate chipping when they were awake. (A LOT of eating too)

Thanks for your comments on yesterday's post, nice to know I am not the only one!

made it!

I didn't actually make any "things" today (except 50 bazillion snacks and 3 square meals).  I really, really want to do some sewing!  Tomorrow afternoon perhaps.

I did make it through school pictures- or at least I equipped my children to make it through them.  Hair is a big deal around here these days!!

I made it through recess as "the monitor", no major issues to report. I wanted to ask if I could take my whistle home for more practice.

I made it through a trip to the vet with our new kitty.  She has a bit of a cold.  And knowing me, you know that this was a big deal for me.  I am not a huge lover of animals.  I guess the Doula in me came out as I tried to comfort this kitty through her rectal temperature procedure!

I made it through a flurry of afternoon phone calls mixed with book reading, spelling words, annoying neighbor playmates, and dinner making.

I made it through the first class in the next series of my classes.  Three lovely couples, so enjoyable.

Yes, I made it through this day.  I have to say this because there were moments when I wasn't so sure that I would.  Sometimes I am very irrational :)  I don't like just "making it" through the day.  I would much rather enjoy it.  None the less here we are, and tomorrow is a new day.

Ahhhh breathe.

nite, nite, sleep tight

Well, after I got up to post about the hat I had made...I never made it back to my comfy spot on the couch.  It was such a beautiful day--I couldn't let the sunshine go to waste.

A bittersweet chore, I yanked up what was left of our garden. I felt like I was betraying these poor cantaloupe.  For so long I had been begging them to grow, faithfully watering and thumping them. Now, with the first frost looming, I knew they wouldn't have the chance to ripen.  So sorry my sweet melons- thanks for trying.

"So long" forgotten tomatoes.  My arms couldn't reach to you hiding way inside the bush.  Even though we didn't eat you, your beauty was not lost. Now resting under a cozy blanket of compost- we said goodnight to our little garden.  We will not be sad, for we know she is only sleeping and will awake again in the spring.

The sunflower heads have been drying in our garage for almost a month now.  Knowing what a tedious chore it would be, I put the girls to work in plucking the seeds out.  When they started complaining about the "boring-ness" of their assigned task- I promised them that their hard work would pay off when we would enjoy the salty seeds for a snack later.  It seemed to work.

 

Did I get all that I had intended to done this weekend?  The answer to this question is, of course, no.  But did we get a healthy dose of fresh air in our garden and in the local pumpkin patch?  Did we have some good laughs while mazing our way through the corn?

 

Was I thankful for the excuse to romp through the fields, playing outside like a child?  The answer to this question is, of course, yes!  Happy Monday to all!!

burried

I think that only my pinky toe might be sticking out from under all the yarn I am buried under.  It is heavenly. All week I have been waiting, waiting for this.  Moments when I can confidently say, "Go ask Daddy" should anyone need anything.  I have been plopped down on the couch crocheting to my hearts content.  Such a set up I have- coffee nearby, snacks within reach, blanket on lap, slippers on feet.  The marathon began last night when I made this:

A little pixie hat for Laurel Baby ("Baby" has become her middle name I think).  I love it because it will keep her cheeks warm too.

Laurel is not feeling the love. I have many, many more projects on deck.  Lots of sewing, paper crafts, and of course more yarn!!  We also adopted a kitty.  Still acclimating to our boisterous household, she is safely tucked away in our laundry room.  I am sure she will make her crunchy peas debut in a few days.  Also on tap, some yard work, a trip to the pumpkin patch, cleaning catch-ups, "fallish" baking, and some much needed teeth brushing!! Enjoy your day!

Fluff

Ahhhh, nothing like a stack of fresh, clean, fluffy diapers.  I really love them, and if you know me at all--you had to know that this post was coming! 

I think this time around with Laurel, I was confident enough in the basic mothering skills that I wanted to take on a new challenge- cloth diapering.  A lot of my students inquire about it, and I thought that I should have some first hand experience.  I researched and researched until finally when she was 8 weeks old- I bought my first set.

Doesn't she look cute at 2.5 months in her first wool soaker?

It is really not that hard.  I bet it only adds 2 extra loads of laundry per week.  Even my older girls (who did not get cloth) call disposable dipes "scratchy diapers". They have turned into diaper snobs. You wouldn't believe how far cloth diapers have come.  No more folded diapers with plastic pants...times have changed mamas!

They are really quite cute and trim. It is just a simple little thing that I can do to reduce my family's impact on our environment. (Pretty sure that my dad is rolling his eyes right about now.)  I haven't ventured into the land of sewing my own...not sure that I will get their either.  I would imagine that Laurel will begin toilet training next summer. 

Until then, I think hemp, fleece, cotton and wool wrapped buns are pretty cute!

No more holes!

When it comes to decorating, I am the idea girl- not the execute it girl.  I hate measuring. I dislike very much being exact.  I tend to jerry-rig to save time.  I am a "hurry-up-and-get-it-done" kind of person.  I come from a breed of (on my mother's side) of slap-it-together impatient Irish folk.  Thankfully, my brother- the finish carpenter- got the picky German genes.

So, when it comes hanging pictures I procrastinate.  We have lived in our house for 1.5 years now, and I haven't been able to bring myself to poke holes in many of our walls.  Mostly, they have remained bare.  Well, not anymore my friends.

TA-DA...

My newest friend!  Have you seen these?  It's like plastic Velcro for your pictures and wall.  No nailing, no leveling (you can easily adjust), no holes in the wall, no more getting yelled at for not returning your husbands drill/screwdriver/hammer to the tool bench!

Just slap the little tabs on the picture, peel off the adhesive and stick it to your wall.  I have used these on some pretty good sized frames.  They hold up marvelously! If you don't have it straight, just pull the picture off adjust and stick it back on!

The result:

Framed fabric in 5 minutes! (black pillowcases are a bad deal if you drool!!)

Now, I am off to enjoy some wool chocolate with a little one.

 

Keeping track

Not much crafting going on here the last few days so I have at the ready some very non-useful information for you. I really did keep track of these things for one day.  I know, totally lame.  In any event-  May I present "The Numbers of Me"

36:: number of pictures taken to try and get a good one for this post- just so that you aren't totally bored.

29.25:: the number of years that I have lived

830:: number of days that I have spent pregnant

930:: number of days that I have spent breastfeeding

3323:: number of days that I have been married

66.75:: the number of inches that I am tall

2:: number of pillows I sleep with

0:: number of broken bones I have suffered

2:: number of cavities that I have had

1422:: the number of feet above sea level where my house sits

200:  number of sunny days per year in my town

9:: number of inches of annual rainfall here

27:: number of inches of annual snowfall here

.25:: the number of hours spent watching TV in the last 24 hours

7:: the number of times that I said "wash your hands"

8:: the number of phone numbers that I have had in my life (I can remember all of them except 1- during college, which explains a lot)

7:: the number of times that I wiped someone's face

7:: the number of times that I ate something

5:39:: the numbers on the clock when I woke up.  (my snooze button gives me an extra 9 minutes- I have it down to a science)

2.5:: number of cups of coffee I drank- decaf

33:: number of miles driven in one day

3:: number of months that I have procrastinated getting my license renewed after it expired this summer.

2:: number of times that I changed my clothes before deciding on what to wear (really good- usually more)

1858:: number of calories eaten...but really who's counting?

4:: number of years that I wore braces as a youngster

0:: number of times that I have been to a concert- weird huh?

228:: number of steps to my mailbox- one way, not sure how accurate this number is.  I assigned Emma the job of fetching the mail.  She came back empty handed and frustrated because there was no mail today!!! Columbus Day. 

4:: number of phone calls made-not counting the calls to my husband :)

12:: number of diapers changed

17:: number of times I washed my hands- see above

6:: number of times I checked my email

9:: number of emails received

11:: number of hugs received

14:: number of kisses given- we are pretty smoochy around here

There you have it!!  Not too exciting, pretty straightforward.  Maybe you learned something. Moving onward. 

eggs to fry and dishes to do

First off, Laurel helped me make breakfast today, she fried up the eggs....

I found these adorable patterns over at Ana Paula Rimoli's Etsy shop.  I am working on a few- they are quick and easy.  I like being able to finish something.  Long drawn out projects are not for me- too many interruptions (good interruptions- like Amanda).  Probably won't get any afghans out of me.

My husband brought this hydrangea home from the supermarket yesterday.  It was spontaneous...no fight to make up for, no anniversary or birthday to accommodate.  He gave it to me "just because".  Sweet huh?  I think I shall keep him around.

Okay, that picture is a bit deceiving.  Let's be real.  Here is the wide angle.

....time to put the yarn down. 

its coming

Do you see it?  You know that white stuff on top of the mountain?  It fell there a couple of nights ago and this what we saw coming down the hill into town today.  What's the big deal you ask?  Well the big deal is "the talk" of all the locals around here.  It snowed up at the ski hill. 

I grew up skiing.  It was one of the greatest family activities that we did together. Too bad I can't find a picture of the stylin' neon one piece jumpsuits we used to wear. They rocked! Especially when you had to go the bathroom. Then you had to take the whole blasted thing off!

I have a lot of wonderful memories trying to keep up with my dad and my brother as they totally left me in the dust.  Or how about the time (basically every time) that my brother pushed me down as we both got up to ski off the chair lift. Yeah that was cool!  I had to make sure that I stood up and got the heck of that thing before he could pull me down!! Skiing where I grew up was quite and adventure.  We lived about 2 hours away from the closest mountain.  It meant that we had to get up at 5am to ensure that we would be there before the lifts even opened.  That was my dad's deal- to be the first ones there, and to get front row parking.  The two hour commute made for a long (stinky socks) ride home too.

I haven't been skiing more than maybe twice in the last 10 years since I have been married.  My husband never learned...and you know it is not very cool to be a grown man and have to "learn" something :).  So, we haven't gone.  However, this year may be different.  After having designed the website and print collateral the last 3 years for our local resort- he is having a change of heart.  Yay! We only live 30 minutes away.  So we could even go for a half-day here and there. Get this- a season pass that includes unlimited lift tickets, rental gear and lessons is only $330.00! Even less for the kids!  It's almost too good to pass up. 

But you know me- I am thinking, "what will I wear?"  Well, I think that I would look pretty awesome in this jacket,

pair it with these goggles:

 

and if I have to wear a sweater underneath it would be this one:

 

(in fact, skip the whole athletic thing...I'll just sit in the lodge and wear this!)

Or, now that Carl is rolling his eyes and saying, "yeah right!" - maybe I'll just see what Goodwill has to offer.

Now to work on my form...better head back to this place, it's been a while.

Bring on the snow!!

orange

It's a bit busy around this crunchy house...I will catch up soon, but for now- here are a few bits of my new favorite color (don't worry blue and green, I will never leave you.)

new sweater

pumpkin spice cake- recipe here

passing the time in the parking lot at school- waiting for kids

at the farm stand

Happy Friday!!

How to bake with children

We have more apples around here than we know what to do with.  I went a bit overboard at the orchard thinking that we could make applesauce, and dry them into fruit roll-ups.  Neither have been accomplished yet.  My husband told me not to worry because it was beginning to look like they would sauce themselves right there in the boxes.  At least it is getting cold enough now that the fruit flies are no longer an issue.

Anyways, this afternoon the girls and I (the neighbor girl too) decided that making a pie sounded fun.  I love baking with my children-- here are a few things that I have learned along the way.

#1- Have everything set up and prepared. Gather all ingredients, all utensils, all recipes and aprons ahead of time.  If there is even the slightest lull in the action- they will lose interest.  Perhaps even begin sword fighting with their wooden spoons (not good especially when they are covered in dough or batter.)

#2: Always make sure that everyone has equal amount of "turns" and don't forget who gets to go next.  Children are very particular about the order in which they proceed.

#3: Make cuter aprons for everyone.

#4: Be on the look out for sneaky food snatchers and finger lickers.  They are everywhere!

#5: Refer to #2

#6: Give up control, stive for fun not perfection.

 

 

#7: Don't be afraid to get messy!

#8: Waiting can be fun especially if you play sliding games on the kitchen floor.

#9: refer to #7 (bad focus)

May all your baking days be sweet!

Tea for Three (4 if you count me)

It rained today.  Like a good cry, it feels good every now and then.  It reminds me of home.  Really, what I wanted to do today is gather up my family and make camp in our bed.  Wouldn't that be great?  We could read books, play cards, tickle, sleep (okay that is a bit far fetched), maybe even catch a little Sesame Street or something.

What is this business of leaving the house every day?  Who's idea was it to say goodbye and part ways each morning?  I wonder if my kids think of me as many times throughout the day as I think of them.  I wonder if they long for the moment when we are together again in our little nest as much as I do.  These school days have me missing the ones that are away.

I caught a brief glimpse of Emma's day today.  I came to pick her up from school and arrived early (must've been the toaster).  As I walked down the corridor towards her classroom I witnessed a whilrwind of activity.   Up and down the hall teachers were calling out reminders like, "spelling test tomorrow", "remind your parents about the field trip on Friday" or "make sure you turn in your permission slips".  Looking a bit frazzled I could see that Emma was struggling to put some papers in her desk, to pack up her backpack, to put her jacket on, and to say goodbye as each one of her friends walked out of the room.  Without her knowing, I watched her give a big sigh.   It was one of those moments when I knew (as her mother) that she needed a hug and some help.  My heart broke as I wondered how many of those moments went unnoticed when I am not there.  It was then that I wanted to call the whole thing off.  Scratch school, forget piano lessons- your coming home with me and for the next 18 years you and your sisters will just watch Sesame Street in bed with me.  I guess I felt sort of naive to the fact that her day is indeed full and busy. 

So, after all of that, what we all needed was some "low key-togetherishy fun."

Afternoon tea (or hot cider if you are under the age of 4) complete with chocolate chips and teddy grahams for nibbling. We chatted (with British accents- hilarious) and sipped away the parts of our day that were spent apart.

 

Yes, that is Hannah's had repeatedly reaching for the chocolate. She decided to mix them in with her apple cider.  Apparently, it is pretty tasty that way.  (only one broken cup- pictured below just prior to its demise, and one spill by Laurel.  You cannot get angry when you hear an 18 month old say "oopsy-daisy-o". 

Safe from the rain, the wind, schedules, and strangers...

we were warmed inside and out.

Mega

Okay, so why does it take me so long to figure things out?  My husband wonders how I make it through life sometimes.  Usually every morning he is the witness to our chaotic fluttering about as we get ready for school. I suppose this will carry on for a number of years- as we have three girls (and three bathrooms thank the Lord!) 

After almost 3 weeks of school, I am still trying to iron out the kinks in our routine.  I never want to be one of those moms who is swooping in 5 minutes late to everything. You see her rushing and snapping.  She is exasperated and thrown together.  Her children follow her- running to keep up, their backpacks unzipped and papers falling out.  She forgets appointments and never returns phone calls. She is unreliable and a mess. Hmmm, why do I know this woman so well ????  Perhaps it is not quite that bad...but it feels like I must appear that way some days!

I thought about it- and the biggest hang-up we have in the mornings is breakfast. (okay finding matching knee high socks that don't have "dark, yucky, shoe stains" is another time waster.)  Remember the muffins?  Well, we can't eat another muffin for about 6 months or more.  Totally burned out on cranberry oatmeal pecan.  I never thought that I would say that.

Currently, waffles are all the rage.  I do my best to make them in huge batches on the weekend and freeze them for quick toasting during the week.  They also love english muffins.  I love them as well because the provide a platform for peanut butter- my favorite food (and good protein).  These are easy right?  All you have to do is toast them.  Well, we had a toaster with two slots, one of which turned things out extra crispy.  There are 5 of us, and one working toaster slot.  Do the math...lots of finger drumming on the counter waiting for the next waffle to go in.  By the time I had served one- and made another...they were asking for seconds!  I could literally sit there and be toasting for 20 minutes.  Solution:

The monster mega toaster!  Why didn't I think of this earlier?  Genius.

More finger tapping at the coffee maker.  I usually like to brew my coffee with a stove top espresso pot and then add foamy milk.  Yeah, not so practical anymore.  This luxury is now enjoyed in the afternoon when life is not spinning out of control at a million miles per hour.  The bigger issue is that Carl drinks regular coffee and I drink decaf.  One coffee maker, two different kinds of coffee to be brewed. This created a lot of tension over who got to go first and how long their coffee would be allowed to sit there before the other person came along and dumped it out to make their own. Tick, tick, tick, can't you just hear me getting later and more snippy by the minute?  Solution:

Super mega, monstrous, "looks-like-it-should-be-working-the-breakfast-shift-at-Denny's" coffee maker.  Regular on the left, decaf on the right.  Whew, that was the invention of the century!  Brilliant!  Yes, these appliances are huge. And no, they do not add to the charm of my decor-- but at some point being practical wins over (geez I really am almost 30 aren't I?).

So you see, little by little I am changing my image.  Before you know it I will be early and fresh faced.  My children will be well rested and put together- no jelly on their faces.  We will walk to their classrooms and bask in the orderliness of our morning.

....or maybe I'll just be on time.

and the winner is...

Well, I know the suspense is killing you (all 4 of you who left comments)- so the winner is.....Gracie!  Her name was picked out of the cup by Hannah.

What does she win???

One little place mat and 4 matching napkins.  Enjoy !!

It is difficult making something for someone you don't really know.  I'd much rather add special little touches to a project that I know the recipient will appreciate.

Keep commenting!  I so enjoy hearing from you, and visiting your blogs, and getting to know you better.