December at Our House

You can learn so much by listening to children. Here are some great words of wisdom from mine.

12/2/14
M {while eating mashed potatoes}: "You know what my favorite thing about potatoes is? They're healthy! They're a vegetable and they grow in the ground... And so, potato chips are healthy!"
I think her logic, however flawed, would appeal to a lot of folks.

12/5/14
M: "Come take his {the elf on the shelf} picture. I can't believe he's always 'cheesing.'"
Yeah, it's almost like his smile is painted on.

12/15/14
Brett {said while kids were brushing teeth before bed}: "Hey, that wasn't two minutes, Bud."
L: "Yes, it was because I did it super sonic! That means really fast."
Where does he come up with this stuff?

12/21/14
Brett {said to Logan, who is on his back being silly}: "What are you doing to my hair?"
L: "Petting it!"
Obviously.

12/23/14
L: "I'm going to tell Mom! She licked my toe that was sticking out of this." {holds up footie pajamas, which on closer inspection, have a hole in the foot}
I don't even know where to begin here.

12/23/14
L: "I'm going to play Words with Friends." {goes and gets an old flip phone that he uses as a toy}
Me: "How are you going to do that?"
L: "I just push the thing that gets me there. Then I'll start on the first level and when I'm done with that, I'll go to the next level."
He must have gotten bored with his "game" because he moved on to taking "pictures" with the phone.
Next, he figured out that the pull-up antenna made a nice boing sound when he flicked it. This continued for a bit.
L: "I'm going to read a book on my phone. Well, actually, I need to make a call."
Me: "Who are you going to call?"
L: "My friend Bitch-it."
You'll be happy to know that Bridget is the name of one of the high school girls who works at his preschool. The question is why I've never heard him mention her before, you know, since she apparently tops the list of people he needs to call.

12/27/14
L: "My head is trying to make my eyes be closed-ed."
I hate when that happens.

12/29/14
L: "My bottom just sort of whistled like a tea kettle."
Classic. I busted a gut from this one.

{Santa's Little Helpers}

November at Our House

Yes, these are actually the quotes from last month. As you can see, I'm a bit behind.

11/3/14
Mommyism: "Don't talk with your mouth full of food."
L: "Mmmmkay, mmmmm."
This is what the requisite, "Okaaaaay, Mooom" sounds like when a child is still talking with food in his mouth.

11/3/14
M {during dinner}: "This is the best healthy food I've ever had!"
Um, thanks? Also, I guess I should make my chicken & cheese tortellini stew more often.

11/8/14
L: "Can I put on my shoes to hold up my socks?"
I guess so....

11/15/14
Brett: "Why don't you want to take a bath?"
L: "It's too wet."
Yep, that's sort of the point.

11/17/14
Mommyism: "No pole vaulting over the sofa!"
Hmmm, kind of wish I had noted exactly what that meant! I think it involved empty wrapping paper tubes.

11/19/14
L: "What smells so good?
Me: "I'm making bath salts."
L: "Smells delicious, but I'm not going to have any right now."
Me: "Okay, it's not food."
L: "No, I mean on my body."
Aside from entertaining me, it's nice to actually see that this one found one of my recipes to "smell delicious." This is high praise coming from him, regardless of whether or not it was actually edible.

11/23/14
L: "I'm making myself into mail."

Aww, I love when I've got this kind of mail.

11/24/4
L: "Mom, can some people make banana puppets?"
Me: "I don't know. What's a banana puppet?"
L: "It's a banana that's made into a puppet."
Well, I guess I should have known that. But why?

11/30/14
L: "Daddy, do old people -- like you guys -- sometimes have babies?"
I can't help but wonder if I would have been laughing so hard if he had directed this question toward me instead of his daddy.

October at Our House

Another whirlwind month -- wrapped up with just a few cute kidisms.

10/1/14
L {while having dinner at church}: "Dad, do you know everybody in this room?"
Brett: "No, not everyone."
L: "Well, do you know anybody?"
Ah, yes, the all or nothing thinking of a child.

10/1/14
M: "Hey, Mom, I'm supposed to tell you that we're supposed to check my head for lice!"
Well, that officially tops the list of things I do not want to hear during dinner.

10/11/14
L: "I see both of my soccer coaches."
Me: "Yeah? They spend all morning here."
L: "I think they sleep here, too."
You never know, right?

10/12/14
L {at Sam's Club}: "I saw a green lemon!"
Yes, and they're called limes.

10/12/14
M: "Were there cars when you were kids?"
Brett: "Yes, we had what's called a station wagon."
M: "Is that like a train?"
Why does it feel like we keep having this same conversation, just in different variations?

10/12/14
M: "I think I know why it's called October, November, and December. It's starting to get colder and we say, 'brrrr.'"
Makes sense to me.

10/14/14
L: "Crabs can make sculptures."
Me: "Oh, yeah? Like what?"
L: "All sorts of stuff. Pirates, dinosaurs, skeletons, ... maybe even a dump truck."
See, this is why I prefer conversing with kids over talking with adults most any day.

10/15/14
L: "2 +2 = 4 and 1 + 1 = 2 and 0 + 0 = 0. Well, actually, banana + banana = banana."
As I was nearly dying from the startling realization that he had learned addition at preschool (!), he threw in an extra dose of cuteness just to make me love him that much more.

10/19/14
L: "Does dehydrated start with 'D'?"
I don't even know how to reply to this. 

10/20/14
M {said while putting a rubber band around her ankles}: "This will help me waddle like a penguin better."
You betcha.

10/26/14
M: "I'm fluent in dog. Woof, woof, woof."
Yes...

10/28/14
{After bedtime at our house.}
Me: "Do you want me to tuck you back in?"
L: "Well, sometimes I just need to play."
I hear you, Little Dude.

10/29/14
L: "I woke up after my sister but before you. You woke up last. I guess you were the tiredest. I guess you're always the tiredest."
This makes me sad because it is so honest.

{Our Family Halloween Costume ~ 2014}

Creative Re-branding

The longer I work my business, the more I realize the importance of what to say -- or more precisely, how to say it. It turns out that the way that something is presented to someone can truly influence how they feel about it. Case it point: dinner with two sorta picky eaters...

We have recently discovered that they LOVE edamame. If you're saying, "eda-what?" I'm right there with you. I thought that this was just some creative re-branding for "lima beans," which is what these babies seem to resemble quite closely. Then I wondered why they taste different from the way I remembered. (And that was not fondly, in case you're wondering.) Why would my kids LOVE something that I hated as a kid?

A quick web search had me realizing that edamame is an entirely different bean: soy. The weird thing is that the kids aren't normally big bean eaters, but they really, really LOVE them some edamame -- or "eda-beans!" as they shriek excitedly when they see these on the table. (No, really, you can't make this stuff up. My kids go nuts for baby soy beans.)

{Edamame: It's What's for Dinner!}

My point? If I called these what they are -- immature soy beans -- my children would almost certainly turn up their noses and refuse to eat them. Admittedly, even I find that a bit gross-sounding. But when we call them "edamame" it sounds just exciting enough to be something that even the tiniest of food critics can get enthused about, without being over-the-top exotic and foreign (a.ka. "too weird to eat").

Translation: little people willingly devour second and third helpings of this stuff. Go, Mommy (and Daddy, because he was the one who nuked this particular bag 'o beans.) Creative re-branding = parenting win! Hats off to you, soybean marketing folks of the world.

September at Our House

To anybody who may have been waiting expectantly for more content on this blog, I do apologize for my life getting kind of crazy (even by normal standards)... Anyway, there is some great stuff here that I think you will enjoy!

9/1/14
L {listening to the ducks quacking at the Mill Pond}: "They're saying, 'walnuts.'"
I don't know, but it's cute.

9/1/14
L {on the drive home, it started to sprinkle and quickly turned to hard rain}: "I think the little rain drops told the bigger ones to come!"
Seriously cute!

9/3/14
L: "Mom, are beavers real?"
Okay, this is one of those times when I answer the simple question and then ponder it for a while wondering what he was really asking...

9/8/14
L: "Are teeth the same as bones?"
Me: "Yeah."
L: "So, some of our bones are showing?"
Well, sure, but I never really thought about it.

9/10/14
M: "When do we eat?"
L: "I want to eat Mama."
Me: "What do you mean?"
L: "As meat."
Me: "I'm not meat."
L: "Well, you are made of meat."
Me: "Okay, but we don't eat people."
Yeah, not gonna lie. I never expected to have to tell the children about my anti-cannibalism policy for our household, but there it is.

9/19/14
M: "I wish I could just snap my fingers like in Mary Poppins and my room would be clean... except I don't know how to snap... and it wouldn't work, anyway!"
You and me both, sister! 

9/19/14
Mommyism: "You shouldn't be riding a bike while wearing roller skates."
Another one of those things I never thought I would need to say...

9/21/14
M {windy outside}: "My dress is like a parachute."
Oh, see, that's just clever.

9/21/14
M {during dinner}: "Where do butterflies go when it rains?"
L: "Maybe a bird opens its mouth and 'atens' it and then it stays dry forever."
Kept my mouth shut here, waiting to hear what else he thought, but this seemed to be the end of that particular conversation.

9/22/14
L {during dinner}: "Mommy is the boringest!"
M {quite upset}: "No she's not!"
Cracked me up how vehement she was. Just depends on the day, I suppose.

9/25/14
L {looking at his drink package with a soccer player on it}: "I've never had a black person on this before."
Me: "What?!" {Okay, kind of concerned here!)
L: "Usually they're red or blue..." {Huh?} "But his jersey is black."
Me: "Oh!" {Relief...}

9/25/14
L: "I made up a song. It's called, I Made Up a Song." {proceeds to sing many, many verses, all the same: "I made up a song" -- all performed in a high-pitched sing-song voice}

This doesn't get old.... A little sarcasm for you, folks!

9/25/14
After discovering him pouring Elmer's glue on his monster truck track and then adhering vehicles.
Me: "What are you doing?!"
L: "I wanted them to be sticky and stuff."

Little boys and sticky situations... They just sort of go together.

9/28/14
L: "Ugh! You always ask me to do stuff!" {said to Brett after he asked him to use the bathroom before bed}
The injustice of it all!

9/30/14
L {while pulling into a parking spot at Walmart}: "Hey, there's seagulls in the road. That is not safe for them!"
Me: "Don't worry about them. They'll fly away if a car comes."
L: "I think they are looking for trash."
Yep.

Our House in August

Here they are -- the kids' quotes from August -- the things that made me scratch my head, laugh out loud (and occasionally into my hand), and wonder where do they come up with this stuff, anyway?

8/2/14
L {while riding in the van}: "Someone honk-ded their tooty horn."
Keep reading for more education on the dual definition of the word "toot."

8/4/14
M: "Are there cookies that haven't been invented yet?"
Yup.

8/5/14
M {explaining to her brother why they should pick up toys}: "Mama likes it when we do this, so let's keep doing it!"
Why can't this type of conversation (and subsequent cleaning frenzy) take place more often around here?

8/6/12
L: "Hey!" {after she had pulled his ball cap off his head}
M {putting it back on his head}: "If you wear it backwards, you look cool."
I wonder where she heard that?

8/8/14
M: "If you see me stare, I'm looking at air. Got it?"
Um, okay. If you say so.

8/8/14
M: "I don't like it when people ask me questions out loud."
I can't say for sure but maybe I questioned why she was staring into space -- or air. Duly noted. Next time, I shall use my powers of telepathy.

8/10/14
L: "Look at those flat trees!"
He noticed the vines growing up the sides of a brick building at MSU, which did, in fact, look exactly like a flat tree. And I never would have noticed.

8/14/14
M: "Mom, the dog smells like graham crackers."
Is it bad that I looked around for evidence that a certain little girl had been feeding her graham crackers?

8/17/14
M {while eating mixed nuts}: "Where do almonds come from?"
L: "Cactuses!"
Honestly, this is one of those times when it's just simpler -- and funnier -- to keep my mouth shut.

8/17/14
M {crying}: "I want to stay little forever!"
Me: "What do you mean?"
M: "I want to stay a kid forever, but I can't!"
I so LOVE that she feels this way. Gonna have to remember it when she's about fourteen.

8/17/14
L: "The tub is still drooling." 
On closer inspection, he is correct. The faucet is still running.

8/20/14
M: "This is how you speak lion, 'ROAR, ROAR!'"
L: "Well, how do you speak jaguar?"
M {quieter}: "'Rawr, rawr.'"
Couldn't have explained it better myself.

8/25/14
L: "There's two kinds of toot. Toot is from a whistle and toot is from a bottom."
Oh, yes, he is such a BOY.

8/27/14
M: "When I'm bored, you can just tell me to do my homework."
If you say so...

8/28/14
L {popping into our bedroom before 7:00 AM, fully dressed -- in an interesting plaid combination}: "Hey, guys, did you know today is my birthday?!"
You don't say? I guess he figured out that we already knew that when the coveted two-wheel "big kid" scooter was waiting for him downstairs.

{Mad for Plaid and No Stopping Me Now!}

July at Our House

Two whole weeks since I have last blogged?! Wow, that just tells you how busy it's been 'round here. My brother just got married last Saturday and that definitely kept me going, going, going this month with planning. Hopefully August will be a better month for me to get more writing done. In the meantime, please enjoy the goofy things the kids said this month.

July 2, 2014
L {discussing hair}: "Are your bumpies hair, too?" {points to Brett's stubble}
Makes me glad I shave my legs often enough to have never had this particular discussion.

July 12, 2014
L: "When we're all grown up will we still have the same names?"
Me: "Yes."
L: "So I'll still be Logan?"
Me {laughing}: "Yes."
L: "But I want a nickname!"
Well, good news then, junior high is coming... hopefully, not for a really, really long time, though.

July 14, 2014
L {noting my plaid shorts}: "Are you wearing Daddy's swim trunks?"
No. Just no.

July 15, 2014
M: "M-o-o-o-o-o-m, he drank water off the driveway!"
Oh, well. At least he's drinking water, which he really never seems to drink enough of, in my opinion.

July 18, 2014
M: "It smells so much better in the basement!"
I had gotten distracted and walked away from the grilled cheese sandwich I was making, so it got quite blackened and the entire first floor stunk. It happens. Not often, okay, but every once in a loooong while.

July 28, 2014
L {seeing bird poop on his side of the van as we were getting ready to leave}: "I don't want our car to have purple poop on it!"
It will all be okay. Really.

July 29, 2014
L: "Don't get white feet." {said while stepping in between the lines of the crosswalk}
Earlier in the day, he had seen the men painting the center line, so he was worried that the paint might be wet outside of Sam's Club.

July 31, 2014
L: "I wanna do my Bigfoot."
Me: "What do you mean?"
L: "I wanna ride my Bigfoot."
Me: "Oh, you mean your Big Wheel?"
L: "Yeah!"
He just bought this today with his own money at community-wide yard sales. Brings back memories.

July 31, 2014
M: {after reading Henry and Mudge books}: "Now I feel like eating crackers."
Not happening, sister. I am totally on to your bedtime delay tactics. Nice try, though!

June at Our House

Wow! This month flew by! We had Brett's birthday and our anniversary. I had hoped to post something fun in honor of my 4th blogiversary, but that came and went with no fanfare. And did I mention that I started a business? Yep, I just hit lead consultant with Jamberry, woo hoo!! A busy month, indeed.

June kept me so busy that I actually forgot to give a shout-out to all my prayer warriors on June 13, which is the date that I went into the hospital with my little man's pregnancy five years ago. So, a belated thank you to all of you who kept us going during that time. It means more to me than I can even express. Here are the funny things the kiddos said this month.

June 5, 2014
Brett {playing hide-and-seek with the kids}: "9... 27..."
M {from her hiding spot}: "Dad, that is not the right way to count!"
Brett: "I thought they were both upstairs so I didn't think it mattered."
Busted.

June 8, 2014
M: "Where do Canadians come from?"
Well, when a mommy Canadian and a daddy Canadian fall in love...

June 8, 2014
L: "It's not broken. It's just in three pieces."
I have no clue what he was referring to, but at least he's got a silver lining outlook here.

June 10, 2014
Brett {the day after his birthday}: "I feel so old."
M: "Well, you shouldn't! You're not even close to 90!"
Whew! That certainly puts it in perspective.

June 14, 2014
L: "It's a vacuum cleaner!" {said while sucking ice cream off the table with a straw}
Why do I feel like this is just another variant of a familiar story...?

June 17, 2014
M: "Hey, Mom, were there tractors around when you were little?"
Why, yes, honey there were. And it was a good thing, too. You see, my dinosaur had just died so this was the only way I had to get to school. Seriously, though, how old does she think I am?!

June 19, 2014
L: "Whoa, I saw a squirrel. It was dancing!"
M: "It was probably with a girl. Squirrels do funny things when they're showing off."
I find it interesting that she has made this observation, and wondered if she noticed the same thing with people?

June 23, 2014
M: "It's your anniversary? So we've gotta be really, really nice to you?"
Brett: "Yes."
{a little bit later}
M {seeing my gift to Brett, 52 Things I Love about You}: "You've been married for 52 years?!"
Me: "No, we've been married for 13 years."
M: "That's a long time!"
A long time? It's nowhere near 90!

{This was a creative project started at a MOPS meeting ages ago,
and finally completed in time for our anniversary. It's challenging
to come up with so many meaningful and distinct reasons, but
 being a "professional" writer, I pulled it out. I assume
 the inspiration for the project involved a deck of playing cards.}

June 28, 2014
M {while in the van}: "Why do I smell waffles? Oh, never mind, I see the Wendy's sign!"
Yeah, I don't get it either. Even if Wendy's sold waffles, which they don't, she wouldn't smell them near the billboard along the freeway.

June 29, 2014
M: "Maybe we should have named Ritzy 'Licky' because she licks so much."
Well, that would make sense... I cannot even share publicly the reason she got her name. I will just tell you that Brett was responsible for naming her.

May at Our House

May 1, 2014
M {both kids have doll dresses on their heads}: "We're wearing Mexican hats!"
Well, sure, if you say so, kids.

May 1, 2014
L: "I found Boo Boo Bunny -- and I got hurt!"
Oh, the irony.

May 2, 2014
M: "When birds pull worms out of the ground, they're playing tug-of-war!"
Yep, it's just like that except that it's a war game in which someone ends up dead.

May 2, 2014
M: "You're quite the baker! You should open up a bakery. You could build in on that open grassy patch."
Me: "What grassy patch?"
M: "You know. In town. Across from the gas station."
Now why didn't I think of that?"

May 3, 2014
M {sighing as she sits on Sandy, the penny pony at Meijer}: "I think I'm getting too big for this."
NOOOOOOO! I refuse to let that happen.

May 5, 2014
L {overheard while on the play phone, talking to Daddy}: "Fish latte."
Really hoping he does NOT wind up as a barista. Just sayin'.

May 5, 2014
L {bends his arm}: "These bones can bend. I think they're elastic!"
Yep.

May 5, 2014 
L: "Daddy, are you reading with your eyes?"
Brett: "Yes, I'm reading with my eyes."
M: "Reading with your eyes is eyes is so that little kids don't read stuff they're not supposed to know about. I read my whole entire library book on the bus!"
They've broken our secret code. Now what?

May 6, 2014
L {describing "outside day" at preschool -- the trike course}: "They gave out pink tickets."
Me: "What were the pink tickets for?"
L: "When people went too fast. I pretended it was a race course!"
Me: "Oh, so did you get lots of pink tickets."
L: "No. Nobody saw me!"
Ah, yes, how early they figure this one out.

May 7, 2014
L {on Brett's new car}: "Daddy says I can fit in his trunk!"
He said what now?

May 8, 2014
M {while we were driving on the freeway}: "I don't think we're allowed to go 160."
Brett: "I don't think the van will even go 160."
M: "Then why do the numbers go that high?!"
Indeed.

May 9, 2014
L {while watching 101 Dalmatians}: "They think they're Labra-dogs."
He's cute, right? It's not just me.

May 9, 2014
M: "I think that plane is going to crash into the moon."
I wouldn't worry too much about that, dear.

May 9, 2014
M {in the bathroom at Wendy's}: "I love that Grandma is named after a restaurant!"
Well, they do both have red hair...

May 9, 2014
M {8:30 p.m., on the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house}: "Something tells me it's past bedtime."
Me: "Yes, what is that?"
M: "The clock! And the angle of the sun."
Okay, Miss Smartypants...

May 12, 2014
Me: "Why are you going in circles?" {around the dining room table}
L: "I just want to. Actually, I'm going in ovals."
And Mr. Smartypants!

May 14, 2014
Me: "Did you just lick me?! Why are you licking everything?" {as he licks the counter}
L: "Because I want a sucker."
Right. And licking the inside of my wrist will make that happen how exactly?

May 19, 2014
L {brings me a twig}: "Mom, is this a pretzel plant?"
Nope. But wouldn't that be kind of cool?

May 20, 2014
L: "I wish we had a pet butterfly instead of a dog."
There would be less dog doo on my porch...

May 20, 2014
M: "I don't like that my skin is covered with hair."
Sorry. Can't help you there.

May 24, 2014
L {watching lacrosse on TV}: "Are they trying to catch a banana peel?"
This is just plain funny.

May 25, 2014
L {after I returned from the store with goodies for Memorial Day}: "You brought home root beard!"
Yes. For root beard floats. They're delicious.

May 26, 2014
L: "Some of the Unifix cubes have fallen into my milk."
Probably the best part is that he said this so matter-of-factly, like a little man.

April at Our House

4/1/14 {Responses to our April Fools' Dinner}
L: "Tricky meatloaf is yummy!"
L: "I don't want to eat cardboard."
M: "Brown E's... I get it! Good one, Mom!"
That was a fun evening!

4/4/14
Me: "Why are you walking into me?"
L: "I'm playing bumper cars!"
Right. I should have known that.

4/5/14
At her first full-length musical, State Fair (featuring her friend, Maggie!), Mia turned to me at intermission and asked, "Is this halftime?"
And this is my first clue that she spends more than enough time watching sports with Daddy...

4/6/14
M: "I want another pickle for breakfast!"
I don't even know what to say to that. Ew. Just ew.

4/8/14
M {upset}: "They wrote this backward."
Me: "They wrote what backward?"
M {points to "LOVE" on her sweatshirt}: "This."
Me: "Oh. They didn't write it backward. It just looks that way in the mirror because you see the reflection.
Yep.

4/8/14
M: "Do you think fish know how to smile?"
In general? Maybe. At our house? Not so sure... We're having a streak of bad luck with keeping them alive. I didn't mention it here yet, but Orangey died last Friday. This means that we are on our third betta fish in less than five weeks.

Mommyism: "Don't use the baseball bat to hit dog poop!" (4/8/14)
Yes, I am the mother of a boy. This probably should NOT have surprised me.

4/9/14
L {points to dead bird that he found}: "Mom, what kind of bird is that?"
Me: "That's a grackle."
L: "What do grackles do?"
Me: "Well, they fly around and... drop dead in our yard, apparently."
Yeah, I need to get better at answering this type of question.

4/14/14
L {describing the sound of a peacock from the nearby farm}: "It sounds like a animal is saying 'help' or 'ow!'"
I totally get that, although I have always thought they sounded more like big cats.

4/14/14
M: "Uh, Mom... You might need to help Logan. And you'll be surprised when you see him."
This is what I discovered: he was stuck with his feet up in the air, between the arm chair and the wall. Turned out that he had dropped a toy back there and decided to retrieve it head first, but then he didn't know how to get back up. Also, he likes mismatched socks.

{That's my goofy boy.}

4/15/14
L {biting into a black bean}: "Hey, there's a potato in it!"
Well, sure, I totally put a potato in there -- whatever gets you to eat it.

4/15/14
L {trying the taco soup that he initially refused}: "Nummy yummy! When I say, 'nummy yummy' that means really good!"
Thanks for the clarification, but I actually figured that one out on my own.

4/15/14
M {on why she slipped and fell in the kitchen}: "I didn't do it on purpose. It was the floor's fault!"
Obviously.

4/16/14
M {while we were reading Froggy Plays T-Ball}: "It's called home plate because it looks like a house."
I never really thought about it before, but if that's NOT why it's called that, then it really should be!

4/18/14
L {on springtime allergies}: "Sneezing causes snot to come."
Unfortunately, that is true.

4/21/14
M {toweling off her hands after digging in the yard}: "Mud is NOT for us. Mud is for worms."
Thank you for sharing. Now please go inform your brother of this revelation.

4/24/14
Logan overheard me talking to myself and asked, "Why did you call yourself Meg?"
Me: "What should I call myself?"
M {chiming in}: "Mom!"
Yes, as a matter of fact, my name IS Mom.

4/24/14
M {on Brett's choice of the number 3 for his softball jersey}: "You should have picked 1 and then you could be the rock star dad!"
Yeah, why didn't you think of that, Dad?

4/26/14
M {on Brett's use of the new hedge trimmer}: "Wow! Look at that rectangular prism bush!"
Then, pointing to an untrimmed bush, she added, "Can you make that one look like Mickey Mouse?"
I love that she thinks that he magically developed the ability to transform overgrown shrubbery into topiaries. Way to dream big, little girl.

4/27/14
M {dancing around before bedtime}: "I feel like I should do yoga. I don't know why. Wait, what is yoga?"
Wait, she wants to do something but she doesn't know what it means?! Should I be concerned?

4/27/14
L: "Monsters -- when they're dead -- can turn into dirt and grass. And dinosaurs' bones turn to stone. Do dragons have bones?"
Me: "Um, I guess."
L: "So their skeletons turn to stone, too!"
Apparently so. He would be more of the expert on this subject.

4/29/14
L {on why the orange centipede was trying to get away from him}: "Maybe he's playing hide-and-seek!"
Riiiiiiiiight. Or maybe he heard that ours is the house where fish come to die and he decided to get the heck of out Dodge. Either that, or he learned that you were the boy who pulled the curtain rod out of the wall -- and that just can't be good for a bug. It simply cannot be. In other news, he didn't get the memo that dirt is NOT for us.

Path Publishing: Review and Giveaway!

Disclaimer: I recently purchased a blank recipe book to help me get organized. The publisher, Path Publishing, has also provided me with two blank journals for review: Happiness and Kidisms. Path Publishing is sponsoring this giveaway, in which you can win your own blank book of your choice, however, the information contained is purely my own opinion. There are several blank journals available, so read on for the details of the giveaway!


My home is filled with little scraps of paper on which I have written down assorted things that I need to keep track of for everyday life and future reference. I like to write things down so I don't forget them: recipes, cute things my kids have said, stuff that made me smile... Problem is, it's getting out of control. Sound familiar?

A recent goal during spring cleaning time was to get the paper clutter under control! (Even just a little bit of paper decluttering makes a HUGE difference for me.) One area of my life that was a complete disaster was my recipe organization (read disorganization). I had tried a couple different ways of doing this over the years and most recently, I had two overflowing file folders stuffed with loose papers of assorted sizes -- some were computer printouts, some were torn from magazines, others were on index cards, and still more were scribbled on any scrap of paper I had handy at the time. Chaos masquerading as "organization" because, hey, they were in folders, right?

Needless to say, this was not working very well for me. Yet I kept using this chaotic "system" -- rifling through each folder EVERY time I wanted to cook or bake, which pretty much meant several wasted minutes. EVERY. Single. Day. Who has time for that?!

{Recipe Book Table of Contents in Action}

I'm happy to tell you that this is improving! Here is my work-in-progress recipe book from Path Publishing. I've already transcribed 61 of our favorite family recipes (several days worth of work), and there's room for 43 more! This gives me plenty of space for those stragglers that are still hanging out in the file folder (I have it pared down to one much skinnier folder instead of two massive bundles!) and room to grow -- because I am sure to find more good recipes that I simply must save. (The desserts alone take up more than one page in the table of contents, and I don't see my love of sweets dwindling any time soon.)

The pages are just the right size for listing all of the ingredients and directions, even for my more complicated recipes. There is also a spot to note where you found the recipe. (I've already retraced my steps once since I accidentally omitted an ingredient, so this made it handy to find the website again.) My favorite part is that I don't have to rifle through a huge folder or check the Internet for a recipe. They are all contained in one book, organized the way I want them to be. Soups and stews are at the beginning because I look these up weekly for "Crock Pot night" (a.k.a. Wednesday, when Mia has dance class). Next, I listed chicken dishes and other family favorites, followed by those much-loved desserts.

{Recipe Book in Action}

Since it's a blank book, YOU make it completely personalized to your own preferred method of organization! I didn't alphabetize anything because I thought that would take too long, but maybe that's what works best for you. List your recipes and note which pages they are filed on. Put like items together, if you wish. For example, I wrote my favorite sugar cookie recipe on the left side of the book and a frosting recipe on the corresponding right side. This made it so simple when we wanted to make cut-out frosted cookies for Easter. However, you don't have to categorize your recipes if that's not your thing; just jot each one down as you acquire it. Do whatever works for you.

 {Blank Books from Path Publishing}

More Blank Book Options from Path Publishing:

• Kidisms -- All parents need this for all those cute and clever things the kids say. Give it as a gift, too, because what grandparent wouldn't love getting a journal filled with all of the funny things that the grandchildren have said? Write down the who, what, when, where, and why so that you don't forget! Normally, I write these all in my notebook and then do a blog post when I have several. (Lately, that is at the end of each month! Here's the most recent of my kids' quote posts.) This is quite entertaining to look back on. Now, I'm finding it convenient to keep this little green journal in my van, for when they say their little witticisms away from home! This would make a nice baby shower gift, too. (Those little booties and onesies only fit for so long. Eventually parenting becomes quite the ride, and you don't want to forget the goofy things they said along the way.)
• Happiness Journal -- This year, I've had the goal of writing down little things that I feel joy or gratitude about. Then, I slip the scraps of paper (more paper scraps, geesh!) into a small jar. Even though I don't come up with something every day (and truly, it seems like there is something to be thankful for each day), my jar is quickly overflowing, and it's only April! This journal is the perfect clutter-free solution to noting these small bits of happiness, and there is NO pressure to do it each day. It would make a nice gift for moms, dads, grads, and teachers.
• Gardening -- Okay, I will admit that this really isn't my "thing." I pretty much botch every gardening attempt. I like to remind my children that I don't sew and I don't grow, whenever they get the mistaken notion that Mommy can do everything. That said, if I do decide to get serious about gardening (because, after all, we only improve with practice, right?) this journal is just the thing for keeping track of what is planted in each location, when it was planted, where it was purchased, guarantees (if any), and notes on progress. That should help take away some of the guess work! And, if you're not much of a gardener (join the club!), this would be a very thoughtful gift for someone who is.
• Advice -- I love this idea! Give a blank book to the grandparents and have them share words of wisdom with your children. Or, take the time and fill it in yourself. This would make a nice gift for kids of any age, but I think it would be really special to give as a graduation present or as a baby shower gift -- offering all that acquired wisdom to people who really can use it!
• Usernames and Passwords -- Handy place to note all of those things that are getting increasingly difficult to keep track of. And it's certainly smarter than using the same password for everything! Perfect for the tech-savvy graduate on his way to college.

Now, here's what you've been waiting for...

Two Ways to Get Your Own Blank Books:

1. Head to Path Publishing right now and order one (or more)! With Mother's Day, Father's Day, and wedding and graduation season upon us, you probably need some gifts for all the important moms, dads, grads, brides, and teachers in your life. Surely one of these affordable blank journals will be just the thing for helping them keep track of all the important memories. You could even choose to fill them in yourself and make that part of the gift. For example, the recipe book would make a nice bridal shower gift!
2. Enter my giveaway! (For residents of the United States only.) For an entry to the giveaway, first check out the different blank book options on the Path Publishing site. Choose your favorite one and then come back here and leave me a comment on this blog post letting me know which one you like the best. For additional entries, please share the love by linking to your favorite social media sites!

• Share this blog post on your Facebook page. Come back and leave a comment here letting me know that you shared -- for one additional entry! (Please make a separate comment letting me know you did this.)
• Share this blog post on Twitter. Come back and leave a comment here letting me know that you tweeted about the giveaway -- for one additional entry! (Please make a separate comment letting me know that you did this.)
• Share this blog post on your own blog. Come back and leave a comment here letting me know that you shared on your blog -- for one additional entry! (Please make a separate comment letting me know that you did this.)

That's a total of 4 ways to win a blank book of your choice! The giveaway will run from Monday, April 21, 2014 through midnight (Eastern) on Monday, April 28, 2014. I will draw a winner on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 and share the results on the blog. Stay tuned for the results!

April Fools' Dinner

On April Fools' Day, I served these meatloaf "cupcakes" with "brownies" for dessert. Mia, especially, enjoyed the silliness of it all, and I was pretty tickled myself that my experimental food -- I would not even call it a recipe -- was such a surprise hit! Even Logan, who is going through the ever fun I-won't-eat-that-meat-'cause-it's-not-a-chicken-nugget phase, enthused, "Tricky meatloaf is yummy!"

My inspiration was a friend, Jenifer, who had posted a pic of this a while back. I just happened to have purchased the Cheddar Jack and Bacon Fresh Take mix at the store that morning, and I decided it must make great meatloaf! I quickly found I this recipe and then modified it according to the family's tastes. (I'm really just writing this down here so that I remember how I made it for the next time.)

{Cupcakes for Dinner? Why not?}

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 pkg Kraft Fresh Take Cheddar Jack and Bacon 
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 Tbs ketchup
• 1 pkg instant garlic mashed potatoes (plus water, milk, and butter)
• carrot

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350*.
2. In a bowl, combine turkey, Fresh Take mix, an egg, and ketchup.
3. Line muffin tin with silicone baking liners (or spray well). Spoon meatloaf mixture into cups, pressing down firmly. Makes about 12 meatloaf "cupcakes."
4. Bake at 350* for about 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165*. Let rest for about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make a package of instant potatoes according to package directions. Place potatoes into a pastry bag and then pipe onto the meatloaf "cupcakes" to make frosting. (Note: You can mash your own potatoes if you prefer. I was doing it this way to save time.)
6. Garnish "cupcakes" with carrot curls and serve. (Green beans were a natural side dish for this meal.)

{Whaddya mean this "cupcake" is healthy?}

For dessert, I copied my friend Kim and served a pan of fresh-made "brownies." Mine were made from card stock weight kraft paper and cut using my Cricut machine. In retrospect, I didn't need to make nearly as many. A single brown E per person would have done the trick, but I felt it would be extra fun if I made an assortment of E's in different fonts and sizes. Then, I just put a few on each plate.

{"Brownies" for Dessert!}

Logan was less than thrilled. He whined, "I don't want to eat cardboard." (Although, that did not stopping him from taking a bite before I cut and served him an actual brownie.) Mia, however, was amused by this trick saying, "Brown E's... I get it! Good one, Mom!"

To make my real brownies, I used this recipe, which I have made only one small addition to: The frosting was very dry so I added some milk.

Ingredients for Brownies:                    

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions for Making Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease the pan. Mine was 9" x 7".
2. Melt butter in microwave. (You can also do this over the stove, but microwave is obviously faster.) Place melted butter into the bowl of a stand mixer (or big mixing bowl, if mixing by hand) and beat in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat until well-combined. Pour into the greased pan.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
4. While baking, make frosting. (I just combined all the ingredients in my stand mixer and beat until they were well-mixed, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.) Spread onto brownies while they are warm from the oven. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Frosting:

• 3 Tbs butter, softened
• 3 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 Tbs milk

{Would you like a brown E?}

March Madness at Our House

What? You thought this post was going to be about basketball? No, my bracket went BOOM approximately the moment that Duke set foot on the court. Anyway, this is good stuff, much more entertaining than college basketball! Read on for moments of March Madness at our house.

3/1/14
L: "Miserable looks like this." {puts fingers in corners of mouth and pulls it down into a frown}"Happy looks like this." {pulls mouth into a smile}
This one makes me put my fingers in the corners of my mouth and pull them up.

3/6/14
Brett and I were discussing Logan's sickness and he said, "It's really taking it out of him."
M: "Do you think he has the sleepy flu?"
This could be a real thing. You never know, right?

3/6/14
M {asking for a treat}: "Can I have Star Wars?"
Me: "Huh? Do you mean Starburst?"
M: "Yeah, is that what they're called?"
Whatever works, I suppose.

3/7/14
M: "Do we have any leprechaun music?"
Um, no. However, in retrospect, perhaps this was my clue that I needed to make the leprechauns come...

3/7/14
L: "Are you ready to go on a jewelry hunt?"
What's a "jewelry hunt," you ask? Well, this is what happens when you leave bobby pins and other hair things within reach of a four year old boy. He had "hidden" them all over the living room for me to find.

3/9/14
M: "I taught Ritzy how to beg! She sat up!"
Me: "On her own?"
M: "Yes! Actually, I had to lift her... but eventually she started to balance."
Well, okay then.

3/10/14
L: "Did you never see someone lose his eyeball?"
Me: "No, I never saw that before."
L: "Well, I think I did. In a song." {launches into his rendition of "Oh the Little Monster Loses His Eyeball" -- a song known only to him, it would seem}
Gotta love his imagination.

3/11/14
Me {at the stove top, turning around}: "Guess who's not in a good mood?"
M: "I don't like this game." {walks away}
Snarky crisis averted. Take that, college prof who told us that kids didn't "get" sarcasm. She knew enough to get away, and that's all she needed to know!

3/11/14
L: "Baths have liquids in them."
True story.

3/12/14
Me: "Oh, Logan!" {as I see him Hoovering up Goldfish cracker crumbs from the table -- with his mouth}
L: "What?! I'm a cleaning machine."
Just think if his cleaning-machine mode worked half as often as his mess-making mode...

3/15/14
L: "I want handburgers for dinner!"
Sorry, little dude! I'm fresh out of ground handburger, but I may have some foot-long hot dogs in the freezer.

3/17/14
L: "I have oysters on my bottom... because it hurts!"
I have NO idea, but this is pretty dang funny.

3/18/14
M: "Guess what my favorite part of this masterpiece is?"
Me: "What?"
M: "Everything. Because it's so magnificent!"
She gets her humility from me, obviously.

3/19/14
M: "Mom, can you get down my big, floofy, pink skirt?"
Me: "Um... You mean your tutu?"
Yeah, 3 1/2 years of dance classes are paying off. At least Mommy knows some of the vocabulary now.

3/21/14
L: "Do they call them 'scissors' because they go, 'sizz, sizz, sizz' when you use them?"
Well, if that's NOT the reason, then it should be.

3/22/14
M: "Lasagna is sort of like a cheese and sauce meat sandwich."
I never really thought about it... but yeah, I guess so.

3/27/14
L: "I like chips and Hot Wheels more than anything else in the whole world."
Good talk, buddy.

3/27/14
L {playing Hungry Hungry Hippos}: "Do hippos eat snowballs?"
Me: "No."
L: "These ones do."
I had been about to tell him that hippos actually eat plants, but then I figured, "Why?" He was so sure.

3/28/14
L {at dinner}: "When I'm bigger, can I marry Mia or Mama?"
Me: "No." He looked sad, so I added, "Don't worry, when you're bigger, you'll meet somebody who's even better for marrying."
M: "Don't you have to go to college before you can get married?"
Me: "Sure. That sounds like a good idea."
Yes, let's go with that.

3/29/14
L: "I'm a forgetter and my sister's a mistaker."
Don't let her hear you say that!

3/29/14
L {after his big potty accident}: "You'll have to give the floor a bath."
Ah, yes, floor bathing -- one of this mommy's many special skills.

3/31/14
L: "Can we go shopping?"
Me: "What do we need to shop for?"
L: "Hot Wheels!"
Duh, Mom!

3/31/14
Me: "What should we get Zoey (a friend) for her birthday?"
L: "I don't know."
Me: "What does she like?"
L: "Well... She does like me!"
Great. We'll just put a bow on you then! 

Our Newest Family Member

I would like to introduce our newest family member, Bluey the betta fish. We are officially a two-pet household now. Mia has been saving her money for quite some time in order to purchase Bluey and all of his necessities so this is a very BIG deal. Bluey's tank -- complete with pink pebbles, two plants, and the small decorative glass fish and glow pebbles -- were found at garage sale back in the spring. This has been something she had been thinking about for months.

Then she got distracted from her goal and spent all her money on LEGO Friends and jewelry back in the fall. When she saved up a second time, I knew she was pretty serious about getting a fish for a pet. Yesterday we went to Pet Supplies Plus and picked up some Betta food, a net, a blue dolphin decoration, and the all-important water treatment (so the fish won't immediately die from whatever may be in our well water).

Ever since cleaning everything and getting it set up, Mia has bugged me to go back for her fish! She didn't have school today, which was perfect for another trip to the pet store. It didn't take her long to settle on the the most colorful betta fish available. She originally planned to name her fish "Rainbow" no matter if it was a boy or a girl, but once we were on the way home she announced that "Rainbow" was not an acceptable name for a boy fish. And so, Bluey got his name.

{Proud New Fish Owner!}

Bluey appears quite comfortable in new home, which I have to admit is a relief. I haven't kept fish in years, so I was a bit apprehensive about making the transition to keeping fish again. It's hard not to worry just a little bit, especially since I'm not the only one who will be disappointed if it suddenly dies. So far so good, and as a bit of comfort to worried mamas everywhere, it's nice to know that we can keep the receipt and return "the body" should anything unfortunate happen to Bluey within the next seven days.

{Bluey checks out his new digs and his dolphin pals.}

The only thing that has me concerned now is that Mia tells me that today is Bluey's birthday -- since it's the day we brought him home -- and we need to celebrate! Huh? How on earth do people celebrate birthdays for fish?

February at Our House

2/2/14
M: "The snow looks fresh and nobody has walked in it. It's so smooth and it tastes better!"
Oddly, she said this while we were on the way to church, so I have no clue how she knew it would taste better. I guess, of course, that fresh snow must always be better.

2/3/14
After getting herself dressed for school, Mia showed me this outfit consisting of striped shirt, striped skirt, and striped leggings.

Me: "Wow! Those are some stripes."
M {giggles}: "That don't even match!"
Pretty sure I will miss these days come junior high.

2/3/14
M: "Mom, are unicorns real?"
Me: "I don't know. What do you think?"
M: "You should Google it!"
When in doubt, Google it. Funny that I taught her that without even trying.

2/5/14
L: "Can you give me a snot tissue?"
Yep. Although, I usually just call them "tissues."

2/6/14
L {backing up into my lap with a picture book in hand}: "Beep! Beep! Beep!"
Love him!

2/9/14
M {watching women's figure skating during the Olympics}: "I choose my favorite based on how much I like their outfit. I can also choose by their hair and name... and right now, my favorite is Gracie Gold!"
And this is why they don't have this event judged by seven year old girls.

2/12/14
L {at Walmart}: "Wait. Go that way. I think I saw a tiara for you!"
See, he knows me so well. 

2/12/14
L {noticing Olympic coverage on the TV at the library}: "We have that on our TV, too!"
What a coincidence!

2/13/14
L: "Can we build a skate park at our house?"
I guess we technically could. I am just not sure how or why we would do that.

2/16/14
L {in bathroom}: "Door, I command you to stay!"
Let me know how that works out for you...

2/16/14
L {at dinnertime}: "Are we praying to Jesus... and Santa?"
Well, I don't know. I guess I can't blame him for keeping his options open.

2/22/14
M: "Mommy, the car stinks to me."
Me: "I don't know what you mean."
M: "Well... I've been gassy."
I think this one is self-explanatory. Don't you?

2/24/14
The kids are sick of this winter!
M: "When will the snow go away? I want to catch butterflies."
Me: "Well, there aren't too many butterflies in February."
L: "Yeah! I want to wear my boots and jump in mud."
If only I could make that happen...

2/25/14
L {explaining what snack he ate at preschool}: "I had a yogurt cafe." (parfait)
Sounds delish. 

2/26/14
L {While headed out the door in the morning}: "Mom, you're the line leader for our house."
Obviously. In fact, I am the leader of ALL things at our house -- or if I am not, then I should be. Maybe he was on to something with the tiara suggestion.

2/28/14
L: "I know why they call those Craisins. 'Cause they're crazy."
I imagine so. About as crazy as a dried fruit can be.

2/28/14
L {after tumbling off the ottoman, comes and shows me his boo-boo}: "I hurt my bender part."
Me: "That is called your elbow."
L: "Elbow starts with 'L.'"
Clearly, he was not hurt badly.

2/28/14
M {putting on her apron to help make pizza for dinner}: "Aprons are made of apes and wrens."
Great. I am so glad we cleared that up.

100th Day of School Shirt

Remember earlier this year when she got to wear a poodle skirt for the 50th day of school? Well, today was Mia's 100th Day celebration at school, and she was very excited to wear a special "new" shirt. We made it last week when school was closed. (Again.) Fortunately, the note had come home the day before so we knew that we were supposed to design a shirt, and this was a great snow day activity.

{Finished Flower Shirt}

Mia found a slightly stained shirt to use, and she told me that she wanted to cover it with flowers. I helped her collect all sorts of flowers from my craft supplies. She selected her 100 favorites, a mix of silk, felt, and paper flowers. Next, she arranged them on the shirt, making various designs, and layering smaller flowers on top of larger flowers. Finally, I hot glued them in place. Very simple.

{Cheese! She was happy with the results.}

This morning she chose to dress herself in flowered leggings, flowered socks, a skirt, and her "special" black shoes. She added a butterfly necklace and butterfly hair tie. Even though we had counted exactly 100 flowers, she felt certain that there were actually a "gazzillion" of them to go with what she called her "garden" theme!

{My Garden Girl}