Little Monsters...

So I borrowed this book, Baked, from the library this week. It has some unbelievable looking and sounding recipes in it. Mark isn't a big sweets eater, so I always have to make sure someone is either coming over or we are going somewhere when I get the urge to bake, or I will eat the goodies all by myself.... and trust me it has happened...once... maybe twice.

One way of getting around this is making cookies, and freezing dough to make at a later time. Which is also a trick to making you look like a domestic goddess... always having fresh baked cookies when people unexpectedly drop by.
Anyway... back to the cookies.
I made the Monster Cookies from the book... they are good.... the dough is almost sinful.

These babies have it all. A combo of oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chips then to top it off you add in M&Ms.
The recipes says it makes 3 dozen... I got about 5. Apparently my dough scooper is smaller than theirs... here's how I look at it. Since I got almost twice as many cookies as they did, when I walk by the cookie jar and grab one cookie, I'm really only eating half of one, since it's half the size. Isn't that nice? So instead of thinking I ate 5 - cough - cookies yesterday, I really only ate 2 1/2. Cookie Math!

In unrelated news, when I picked Isaac up from school today, I was telling Kaityln's mom about his professing his admiration for her daughter the other day... and the teacher came up and said that during class today, Isaac looked at Kaitlyn and said, "I think I love you" to which her response was a small smile and a shrug...

In even more unrelated news, I was tired of not being able to breathe through my nose last night and went to take some Robitussin and discovered there was none to be found! We did however have some left over prescription cough syrup that our pediatrician gave Isaac last fall. I took a quick swig and was asleep/passed out in as soon as my head hit the pillow... for an hour and a half. I was up the rest of the night, itching and my mind racing... apparently there is something in the cough syrup that didn't agree with me. So I apologize if you find this post is random and long, but I am still feeling a little medicine foggy!

Put a little love in your heart...

So, we started decorating a little for Valentine's Day. I got some cute wooden hearts and scrapbook paper and of course glitter from Hobby Lobby.
We broke out the paint, and sequins, glitter and glue and made an afternoon of making valentiney things.

Apparently, this opened up the flood gates of Isaac's heart.

Sitting at the dinner table, Isaac said dreamily, "I hope Kaitlyn is at school tomorrow."

We nod.

"She is the greatest. girl. ever."

We look at each other and smile.

"I really like when she wears a bow in her hair."

"She's pretty pretty."

"Mom? Can I make her a necklace?"

"Sure," I barely whisper... I bite my lip like Pa Ingalls' half laugh/half cry.

Then he bolts out of his chair and is on to something else...
Ah... young love.

My favorite winter dinners...

These meals have been making frequent appearances in our home since it is so cold.

They are really easy and kid friendly.

And just for Julie... the "recipes!"

Two of them are crock pot recipes so that makes it even better! I love putting the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning and when Mark gets home from work, there is no mad rush to finish up dinner and get it on the table. Just plate and serve!

the classic spaghetti and meatballs.
I didn't really use a recipe for the meatballs.... I used beef and Italian sausage and then anything I had that I thought would taste good, you know, extra garlic, an egg bread crumbs, stuff like that.
Then I fried them until I thought they were brown through, then simmered them in sauce for about an hour just to make sure.

Mmmmm roast
I brown the roast in olive oil on all sides, then throw it in the crock pot on low with a packet of dry onion soup mix and carrots and a little bit of water, sometimes potatoes too but the rest of the clan prefer mashed potatoes. Cook all day. I usually make Jiffy corn bread too... I know some don't consider this real cornbread but man I love me some Jiffy!

Chicken Stroganoff.
This one doesn't look very appetizing, but it is so good and only uses 5 ingredients!
In a crock pot combine chicken breasts - I usually make 1 pound - with 2 TBS of butter a packet of Italian dressing. Cook on low 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before serving, take a block of cream cheese, cut it up and a can of cream of chicken soup and throw it in with the chicken. I usually shred the chicken now, but it is not necessary.
Serve over egg noodles.
I've only made these once... last night... but feel pretty confident in saying that they will make many reappearances in the future! They were scrum-dilly-umptious!!

See this little girl?

I love her more than words.

She has a smile that lights up her entire face... even though her face is perpetually dirty.

She can melt your heart with a hug and a kiss.

She is very caring and compassionate.

She is a creature of habit and is not afraid to let you know when things are not going according to her liking.

She's driving me a little nuts.

She's sassy. She's smart. She's very strong willed.
Qualities which are all fine and good.. except when she is throwing a fit... which has been an almost daily occurrence around here.

Terrible twos?
Is it just a girl thing? Who knows.
I am just looking forward to this particular part of toddlerhood to be over.

"You know you really wear me out, but I love you anyway."
Amen Olivia's mom. Amen.

On a completely unrelated note, I read this post last night and cannot stop thinking about these pancakes so guess what we are having for dinner?

Choosing...

to bring color inside,

even though it is grey and dreary outside.


Tougher choices? What to do with my lemons....
this,


this

or this

~all dessert pictures are from Martha Stewart!

P.S.
JoAnn's is having an additional 50% off of their read tag clearance fabric!!!
And Kroger has their Beef Roast Buy one get one free!! Guess what we're having for dinner tonight!?

When the going gets tough...

the tough call Mom!

Last week, the kids got sick, then better, then I got sick. So sick that I needed my mom!
Luckily, I am blessed to have a wonderful mother who is willing and able to come help take care of her grandbabies when her baby was sick.
The kids were thrilled beyond belief... we see my parents every week, but you'd have thought it had been months since they had seen her!
She came, and immediately started cleaning... which wasn't what I had planned for her, but she insisted... and did loads of laundry and played with the munchkins and then to top it off treated them to Wendy's!
(a picture from the archives with a teeny Meg!)
I couldn't ask for a better mother. We have always been close, even those darn teenager years weren't too terrible for us... she may not necessarily agree. I am so blessed. I love you mom!

And so it begins

Isaac had his first soccer practice on Saturday. This is the first time he has been on a team that didn't consist of Mark, Meg or me and a few imaginary players!

To say the very least he was thrilled.

He was bouncing around, spinning, in other words, he was that kid during practice.

Megan was excited at first,
about 30 minutes in, I look over and see this.


On the way to the Y, Mark looked at me and said, "well, weekends won't be the same for a loooonnnngggg time." I am afraid he is probably right.