11.28.2013

currently... yes pizza butt


Currently is a weekly link-up that I happily co-host with the fabulous and amazing  Randalin ♥ of Harvesting Kale each week. We hope that you can participate by writing your own Currently post (using our themes or your own) and please join us by linking up. What have you been watching, reminding, searching, waiting, regretting this week? Over here, we have been...

Watching my child dance with naughtiness in the most innocent, delightful, amazing way. Otto is so real and so sweet, he hasn't really reached an age yet where he's treating us differently from the way he treats his friends, and that means he will gigglingly show us a "work" he did at school that says, "PIZZA" on one side and then say, "turn it over teeeheeeheeeheeeeheeeeee," and as you turn it over he dies laughing says, with a lot of well-deserved pride, "I wrote this by myself because I know these words and... it... says... PIZZABUTT!" Then a little moment of shock that he said it out loud and waiting to see how we react, which is with laughter and hugs. Guys. Love doesn't come close to describing my heart when it comes to this stuff.

Reminding myself to get some happy stuff stamped and in the mail. I'm doing Vintage Sunshine's secret santa this year and my package is definitely set to arrive on (or a day past) the deadline date. Que sera. Reminding myself to get my project-per-month project in order. I decided a NaNoWriMo attempt would just be an exercise in failure this year; I just don't have the time, so instead I'm doing something in the kitchen with some words I found recently on Pinterest that come from the Michael Pollan book In Defense of Food.

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

I haven't read this book yet, but recently read his The Omnivore's Dilemma, and I've been thirsty for more food knowledge, food inspiration, just a better relationship with food in general. I'm currently reading Farm City by Novella Carpenter which is far and away the most interesting, entertaining book I've read in a while. So anyways, when I saw these words floating around on interest they just struck me hard. So I'm excited to add them to my kitchen. I'm using I Rock So What's fiverr for the hand-lettering - excited!

Searching for peace. It's been a mind-racing, heart-racing, anxiety kind of week. This 4-day weekend is much appreciated for a lot of reasons.

Waiting for cinnamon rolls to bake. I woke up at 4:30 to write my Currently before the house woke up but I failed to take into consideration the holiday-anticipation that would have Otto up at 5:00, which woke up Etta, and now I've got Rob up to keep an eye on the kiddos while I finish this post. Cinnamon rolls are a Thanksgiving morning tradition at our house and it smells amazing, but another quiet hour with my coffee and the internet would have also been nice. Que sera is becoming a theme of this post, haha.

Regretting... You know, I can't think of a thing. I have wishes, but not really regrets. This week I've wished I had a more calculated approach to how I interact with people, especially at work. I look young for 35, I'm smallish, I'm cute (whatever that means), and I'm friendly and there is a tendency in some people to mistake all of that niceness for weakness when they first meet me and to try to steamroll (I think I just paraphrased Katie Cazorla from Nail Files, how weird). Anyways, having to earn respect is fine, that I can deal with, but it's also not fun to have to deal with. I am being intentionally vague but sometimes I start out a little too unguarded with people, which usually works great for me because I like to just be me and get things done and laugh and have a good time while being super productive. Yesterday I had to channel that age-old wisdom, "it is better to be feared than loved," as well as, "if you have to choose between being liked and being respected, choose respect." It was not fun but it was necessary. And was probably good for my soul.

Do-Over! I am Regretting not setting the timer on our cinnamon rolls. Burnt tops. I'm off to cut the tops off and ice these suckers and start our holiday. Hope everyone has wonderful Thursdays. xo
     
That was this week. Here are next week's themes: 
loving, wishing, moving, riding, needing




11.26.2013

breakfast for dinner

One of our favorite meals lately is breakfast for dinner. Usually we keep it really simple but this Sunday we did a version of eggs benedict that has me thinking eggs benny will be the new dinner/breakfast norm.




I am a terrible egg cook (truth) BUT this messy kind of recipe hides that nicely. The kids aren't really into the heaped-and-savory version so instead of eggs benedict they had pumpkin butter, bananas, and a little blueberry syrup on their english muffins with eggs (cooked terribly), tomatoes, and morningstar sausage on the side. Tater tots are mandatory! And on the grown-ups' plates I like to pile everything high and then do hollandaise sauce as the finishing touch (with a little hot sauce to top it off).

The meal itself sometimes feels like the least of the experience around here. I snack my way through cooking and we listen to music and dance and the kids run in and out of the kitchen all the while. Loretta demands 1,000 snacks and gets into everything and gets pretty upset when asked to wait, even for a minute, so that means a tantrum here and there and throwing snacks at her - whatever the yeller wants! - so I can get back to dinner cooking. After dinner we all kind of sing and dance and get in Rob's way while he does dishes and cleans up. Loretta loves helping to clean up almost as much as she loves dragging things all over the place. When that quiets down it's bathtime for the kiddos and then bed. What a whirlwind.

The raw pumpkin seed butter and wasabi green thai chili sauce pictured here are c/o Frankie V's Kitchen. Thank you, FVK! The pumpkin seed butter is Otto's new favorite for pb&j (see that still works) and the hot sauce is amazing. I am hoarding it all for myself! Frankie V's Kitchen is a local business out of Dallas, TX they use fresh, high quality ingredients, much of it organic, local when they can, and 100% all natural, Texas Style.

11.24.2013

time makes you bolder

Somewhere between being a very bold and fearless child and the woman I am today I think I grew timid. Maybe there's a better word for it. I'm strong; I know I am. I'm opinionated and I'm stubborn and these are things I like about myself. But I'm also careful. A planner. A list checker-offer and a cautious decision maker. I'm a lot of things, sometimes even the life of the party (maybe) but I'm no wild child and it's been a long time since I was unbridled in any way or form. But I once was. I'm told I was a serious little pistol. And so is this little button. She is intense to the point of shaking, throws herself to the ground in anguish several times a day, and knows what she wants without doubt or hesitation, then demands demands demands whatever that thing is until... something happens. She either gets what she wants or explodes into histrionics or simply moves on to some other thing. I love to watch her just be her. She is amazing. I take notes. She inspires me. Both of my kids do. This one, she inspires me to let that inner fire out, to be bold, to go after what I want. Isn't that amazing, how she can teach me to be a truer person while I'm working so hard to teach her things like patience and ease. I just think that's amazing.

11.21.2013

currently... feeling much better now


Currently is a weekly link-up that I happily co-host with the fabulous and amazing  Randalin ♥ of Harvesting Kale each week. We hope that you can participate by writing your own Currently post (using our themes or your own) and please join us by linking up. What have you been missing, reading, drinking, eating, planning this week? Over here, we have been...

Missing my hard-soled house slippers. This is what it comes to, you guys. You wake up one day and your beloved house slippers pop a sole and you realize you have become someone who cares a little bit too much about your house slippers. It's funny business, blogging, because I can tell you pretty much the exact day I bought those slips and then just the other day I unknowingly marked the occasion of enjoying them for the last time as I flopped around my house in a virus-induced delirium. Anyways, rather than linger in my sadness I spent wayyyyy too long browsing house slippers on Amazon this weekend and ordered up some new ones. Check it, because these are good stuff.
Who's handing out the Sexy Awards? Because clearly... I get one.  

Speaking of sexy, cool things I spend my time on. I have been Reading multiple online resources on Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease (which is not a disease, it's a virus) because it turns out Loretta had a case of that and it brought our whole family to our knees. We were pretty lucky that Loretta's case involved a couple of face bumps, a few finger bumps, a little diaper rash, and a bump on each heel. She never got a fever and I think the sore throat lasted about two days before we even realized she was sick (just thought our darling grouch was being extra grouchy). I'm pretty sure my 24 hour "episode" over the weekend was probably the same thing and let's just say it: HELLO SKEEVED. We have officially gone Velveteen Rabbit on quite a few toys, boiled everything else we own, brought out the big guns and by that I mean Lysol even though I think Lysol is weird and scary. I think we are on the flip side of this business now and good riddance, plague. 

Drinking Pedialyte for the kids, along with blanket piles, movies, and ice cream with dinner. Whatever it takes to make being sick feel like a good time. I think I tricked them.

Eating candy. Just me, I am hoarding candy and hiding it from my children, so that I can have all the candy! This is the season when all the white chocolate candies crunch up candy canes and have candy cane love child versions of themselves and I have zero impulse control when it comes to THAT. Bring it candy cane white chocolate hybrid candies, bring IT!

Planning to be way more productive next weekend than I was this past weekend. All errands and to-dos are handled on Saturday and Sunday and me getting sick means I'm officially behind on life. Yipes.
     
That was this week. Here are next week's themes: 
watching, reminding, searching, waiting, regretting



11.20.2013

almost five and how!


I'm just going to start with how Otto being almost five freaking years old is affecting ME. Because it's freaking me out. Five... Fuuuuuuudge. Except I didn't say fudge. You know. I could go on and on about it but it'd all come back to this... Five years goes by in a blink, you guys. Hug them tight.

Almost five is also hilarious, for example:

Dobo Kintay is a good guy that Otto and his friend Ty invented. The most tragic good guy you've ever heard of. First off, he lives in a tent full of poop, he just does, and he can't ever take a shower so he smells crazy bad. Terrible. His power? Oh just wait for this... His power is that he can shoot potty words out of his eyelashes and that means poop, pee, farts, butts, and penises. It's a wonder this poor guy chose to fight on the side of good. Boys!

"Hello, Mommy" is something Otto started saying when I go upstairs for my half of bedtime. Rob always starts bedtime, they wrestle and talk about superhero origin stories, and then Rob comes downstairs and I go up and we do lullabies and read and chit chat. Anyways, lately when I've gotten to the top of the stairs Otto will be lounging Cleopatra-style at the foot of the bed and when he sees me he says, in this suave little voice, "Hello, Mommy." It cracks me up.

As of this week he can tie his shoelaces and I'm talking rabbit ears here, people! So proud, especially because he was really frustrated by this and worked really hard to get it mastered.

We are also time and specifically seconds and minutes-obsessed. If there are sixty seconds in a minute and sixty plus sixty is one-twenty then if I count to one-twenty that will be two minutes here I go count-shouting!

Sneaking is kind of the newest thing that I'm not really excited about. He's not good at it, like he's INCREDIBLY horrible at it, but still it's something new and I guess something I'm supposed to hope he gets better at so he can go on to be a great leader or artist or whatever. But at almost five it's just kind of a bitter thing to have to start dealing with as a mom of a sweet perfect angel, right. So anyways, Otto's allowed to play Angry Birds on his dad's phone and that game prompts kids to watch some pretty sassy cartoons. I absolutely hate sassy cartoons - like ones that teach kids to be snotty assholes. Otto knows he's not really allowed to watch those cartoons but just yesterday I walked by while he was "playing Angry Birds" and he totally did NOT play it cool, held the phone up to his chest so I couldn't see the screen and looked at me with the most caught-in-the-headlights eyes and said, "don't look at this." (INCREDIBLY horrible sneak) Turns out he was watching Oggy & the Cockroaches. I am trying to be a level-headed parent so I just said that he knows he's not supposed to watch that but he can watch for one more minute, so count to sixty seconds and then turn it off. Whining averted but for reals guys, I'm kind of at a loss on this one.

So that's the latest and greatest. So funny how the milestones become more complex and even how I'm supposed to feel about the milestones becomes more complex. They just become more dynamic and funnier and cooler and awesomer as time goes by but they also force you to be a more dynamic and flexible and awesomer parent don't they? It's funny business. And holy shit almost five years just flew by. Unreal.

11.17.2013

when mama feels janky, something something, zzzzz

I don't know about you guys, but I have a bottomless to-do list that kind of defines my every action on the weekends. Any and everything I want to get done for and around my house goes on the list throughout the week and then I wake up bright and early on Saturday morning and start plowing through the list, feeling like a badass, and getting energized by gettin-stuff-dun and crossin-stuff-off. It's pretty much how I stay not overwhelmed by... everything.

So yesterday started off a-ok. We did our Target errands and got a couple of packages put together for Monday's mail and I paid bills, all before 11am! We went to a playdate and came home for lunch and then my head fell off and I died.

Not my proudest afternoon, I think I actually barked at my children. I did not leave the couch. I gargled whiskey and let Rob feed us all frozen pizza (thank you, honey, that was awesome of you) and then I threw up my pizza and made out with my shiatsu back pillow and for the first time in her life I slept through one of Etta's midnight wakeups (I woke up at the tail end of it and Rob was like negotiating with her, "you have been awake for 45 minutes please please please go night night?").

Wha happen? I dunno. I feel ok now but my weekend is thrown. The house looks a mess. On the bright side, my hair looks weirdly good like those white-girls-with-dreads girls I always see and think, "she is so cool; I bet she surfs." Alas, my big plans to have a breakfast feast today and take pics of some amazing nut butters and hot sauces by Frankie V's Kitchen have been pushed back to next weekend. As have quite a few other things on the to-do list and I'm having pre-anxiety about it but you know what.

Tears in a bucket, mother-Eff it. Moms get sick sometimes too and I can't be sick tomorrow, it's a big day at work, so I'm laying low today. Bustin out the slippers that vaguely resemble Uggs as shoes. If I can manage to get the grocery shopping done I'm calling it a success. Let the world assume I surf. xo

11.14.2013

currently... exciting ketchup stories

adorable grump child by Me, adorable arrow pillows c/o KungFooKids

Currently is a weekly link-up that I happily co-host with the fabulous and amazing  Randalin ♥ of Harvesting Kale each week. We hope that you can participate by writing your own Currently post (using our themes or your own) and please join us by linking up. What have you been wishing, typing, moving, thinking, laughing this week? Over here, we have been...

Otto has been Wishing for some pumpkin pie. I made my first pumpkin pie a few weeks ago and both of the kiddos gobbled it up (personally I thought it was OK, if a little on the small side with a slightly burned upper crust). Last weekend I made blueberry pumpkin muffins and "mommed" up the recipe as follows: whole wheat flour, hidden chia seed, hidden flax, reduced sugar by 50%. Etta loves them and has been pooping like a dynamo all week. Otto is skeptical but will eat them while skunk-eyeing me suspiciously. He's been told that if he snacks on the muffins this week that I will make another pumpkin pie this weekend. And the bribe is working!  

The only thing new I have been Typing is the FB page for our Ladies Who Book Club which Katherine and I started this week. I can't believe we have 18 members already! I am so excited to book club with some of you. Our first book is Lean In which we start discussing Chapter 1 of on Monday. Anyone is invited to join in, we would love to have you.   

Etta has been Moving the contents of our pantry, organizing and disorganizing the lower shelves. Her favorite is a big box of organic ketchups I ordered from Amazon* (she likes to stack them in the middle of the kitchen, then put them all back in the box) repeat, repeat, repeat. She is also a fan of taking the giant tub of animal cookies and hauling it across the room, throwing it at the back of your legs while you are cooking, and demanding, "COOKIE!." She likes to say cookie the way Cookie Monster does, so at least it's like being attacked by a cute, if demanding and deep-voiced, elf.

I have been Thinking about little things we could do to cut back and save money here and there. Instead of my usual meal plan, for next week I am going to inventory everything we have in the cupboards and try to plan meals out of what we have around. Hopefully that will mean only having to shop for fruit, veggies, and things we are out of. It won't be gourmet week, but that's ok.

Laughing at myself for how much I love this Tesco commercial. I have watched it an embarrassing number of times. It may be the Love Actually of commercials (as in the most honest, sweet, and sincere commercial ever and I will judge you if you don't like it).

Grab a hanky; it's sappy like nobody's business.
     
That was this week. Here are next week's themes: 
missing, reading, drinking, eating, planning


* We have a little bet going about these ketchups. I ordered a dozen and was going to subscribe to an every-six-months delivery to save a bit. Rob thought that was crazy-fast to burn through a dozen ketchups. He eats ketchup, so do the kids, and I don't, but I do the shopping and I swear I buy ketchup every freaking week (kidding not kidding). Anyways, we are all very fascinated to see how long it takes our family to eat 12 bottles of ketchup. Aren't we exciting!


11.09.2013

the ladies who book club

You are invited to join our newly launched virtual book club that is intended for ladies who are interested in reading a little, inspiring each other, discussing their thoughts, and socializing online since we all live a bazillion lightyears apart from each other plus who has time to socialize in person anyways?

Details below but first I just want to moon over the amazingness that is internet friends... I have met some of the most important women in my life through this little blog. Katherine is one of them, she lives about twenty minutes away and our kids are obsessed with each other, but we "met" before I ever lived in Oregon. We met via the blogosphere (yes computer "add to dictionary" for lack of a cooler word) and because of Katherine I was able to move across country two years ago, from Tucson to Eugene, a city I'd never even visited, and feel like I had a friend in town right away.

Because of the blogosphere I can basically talk to people I love and care about, who make me laugh and inspire me to be a better mother, professional, and just plain human, any time of day or night. Anyways, that is what this book club is about. For those who are interested, we're going to read one book at a time (we're starting with Lean In and will then vote together on the next book and so on...) and add another level of things we have in common... book reading. I am so excited about this little group. Please join in, if you've already read Lean In feel free to chime in as we open up discussions chapter-by-chapter each week (starting Monday 18 November) and if you aren't interested in Lean In just wait it out and join in for a future book. Whatever you like, it's a casual group of ladies who book club.  

******

Details: ladies who book club is a “closed group” on facebook. Between now and Monday 18 November book club members will be introducing themselves and reading the first chapter. On the 18th we will open things up for discussion on Chapter 1. We’ll tackle one chapter a week and use the group wall to open up discussions, inviting other members to join in by either commenting on a thread started by Katherine or myself or start their own discussion point. Each week following we will begin discussion on a new chapter. Our plan is to keep things pretty free form. Everyone will likely have a different take on what they’re reading based on where they are in their lives and careers. More than anything we just want to provide a place we can freely discuss the book and how we can apply the principles in our lives. Sound like something you need in your life right now? If you want to join us in reading Lean In, just click here and request to join!

11.07.2013

currently... one non blonde


Currently is a weekly link-up that I happily co-host with the adorable and amazing  Randalin ♥ of Harvesting Kale each week. We hope that you can participate by writing your own Currently post (using our themes or your own) and please join us by linking up. What have you been craving, waiting, remembering, liking, cooking this week? Over here, we have been...

Craving silence. I think the injection of candy into Otto's life (because Halloween) has exponentially increased the noise/chaos level in my house and I am craving me some Stepford children. Yesterday while I was making dinner and Otto was ninja-ing his way around the house screaming and swashbuckling I turned to find Etta standing right behind me, arms at her sides, quietly watching me, right on top of a Radio Flyer retro rocket. Ha! Straight out of Poltergeist. I laughed and put her down, went back to cooking, Otto still bee-bopping around loudly... turn around again, Etta has markered an entire cupboard door. Amazing.  

Waiting for a little funk I've been having to go away. I hate this funk business... I'm going to read Lean In as part of a book club I'm starting with Katherine and I'm hoping that reading this book and other books where I can take away some kind of inspiration to apply to how I deal with being a full time marketing executive (it sounds so fancy, but it just is what it is and instead of being self-deprecating about the fact that I have an amazing career I need to start owning it, hopefully Lean In helps) and a mom to two amazing kiddos and also just a human who wants a little piece of "me" to shine through all the other priorities... anyways I am hoping to find some nuggets to apply to my life and also excited for the opportunity to meet and chat about the book with other ladies. We are announcing the book club tomorrow, it's going to be a "closed" facebook group so that anyone who wants to join can find it and request to join, but only members can see the posts/discussions. If you are interested let me know; we'd love to have you.   

Remembering that it takes a lot of work to get my hair blonde. Whenever I'm in a funk I have this instinct to drastically change my hair, what is that? But then I played it safe with the box I bought. Anyways, the picture above is basically the before and after shot. But I got another box, this one with peroxide, and I am hopefully going to have an opportunity to try again this weekend. Wish me luck, I have a messy head of longish blonde hair in mind and hope I don't end up melting my hair off or turning it orange. Fingers crossed since I'm too cheap and don't feel like making time to go to a salon. At home hair adventures are more exciting anyway!

Liking the show Black List. It's so-bad-it's-good. James Spader remains my lifelong boyfriend. I've loved him since Pretty in Pink (FACT: Steph from Pretty in Pink and all Christian Bale characters except American Psycho or the emaciated ones have an open invitation to be mean to me). Meow bad boys.

Cooking my first successful chili this week! I modified this recipe with additional veggies but no jalapenos (for the kids) and managed a completely organic green chicken chili that was excellent and converted to delicious enchiladas as well.
     
That was this week. Here are next week's themes: 
wishing, typing, moving, thinking, laughing 


11.06.2013

♥ kate quinn organics semi-annual $10 sale ♥

Kate Quinn Organics is one of my all-time favorite brands for kiddo clothing and for good reason. Their tops, bottoms, jammies, and dresses are adorable, organic, soft, and hold up wonderfully in the wash. We love them, yes we do! And they are currently having their semi-annual $10 sale.

I don't know about you but I will be stocking up for Loretta who is growing like a freaking weed lately (girlfriend has broad shoulders and is almost in a 3T top, but she has narrow hips like her brother and still wears 18-24MO bottoms, so funny). I've found that Kate Quinn items are true to size, their bottoms are nicely long and their tops just roomy enough. I always buy 1 size too big regardless so we get a little extra life out of each piece. Anyways, have fun at the sale!

*this post sponsored by Kate Quinn Organics, the opinions are my own.

11.04.2013

the project-per-month PROJECT month 9

Guys! I didn't fail this month. Or at least not a complete fail. Go Team Ot & Et! Project-Per-Month Project, month nine. I blew your budget but I met your goals. Send roses.

Project-Per-Month Project HOW IT WORKS... If you want to join in the project project, and you totally should, here are the rules...
Pick a single, manageable project off your to-do list, just one.
- Determine that you WILL do it, come hell or high water, even if you have to stay up late one night
- Give yourself specific goals.
- Give yourself a deadline: the end of the month.
- Give yourself a budget.
- Do it. Do it.

My September project (that I failed to complete) became my October project. To take this corner of my kitchen...

Yes, an overall mess and if you peek back in the corner a small table dedicated to... piles. How dumb. My plan for October was to clean up this area and replace the old table-of-piles with a nice dresser to hide the mess and look good vs. horrible.

Guys, this project took on a life of its own. I blame Pinterest. The short/sweet version is that I ended up with a turntable, the beginnings of a new record collection, a little coffee plant, and a dresser from TJ Maxx (since no thrift store in a 5,000 mile radius had what I was looking for, darn them all!). I blew my budget but I LOVE how the corner looks now. See...

Sweet tunes and piles out of sight. October win! I also really like how that coffee plant looks in the glass vase. From chaos to peaceful corner, yay. So... Did you do an October project? I started a Pinterest board to showcase everyone's projects and got started adding past projects (I'll keep adding to it and going through old posts to find more, let me know if I missed yours so far). So if you did one I'll add yours to the board. And good luck with your November projects! I'm trying to decide if I want NaNoWriMo to be mine... I need to commit like today if I do. Still deciding...

11.01.2013

A Kung Fu Werewolf and Grumpy Bunny


Another Halloween has come and gone. We had the funnest night with the kids. Otto was a ninja kung fu werewolf and Etta a very reluctant little black bunny. She did not want to wear her ears, not for a minute. But then when she saw all the kids trick-or-treating, she did want to be right in the mix so she would say, "tri tree hat hat!" and we would put her ears on and walk her up to the door... that's about as far as it got. She tried about seven houses and ended up with four pieces of candy in her beloved bat purse (a gift from her wonderful babysitter). Otto, on the other hand, filled his bucket and would have stayed out all night.

I think Otto's epic costume may go down in history, at least in our family. I really couldn't stop smiling at him all night. And I was proud of Etta for fearlessly jumping in with the big kids, even though of course she was a pain in the ass and wouldn't wear her hat. To me, Halloween is the holiday that kicks off the best time of year. I hope you all had really wonderful ones too.