Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Stalking for Recipes

I've been scouring the internet, and food blogs to try to find some new recipes that everyone will like.  It's really tough since Norah has such animated opinions about her likes and dislikes.  Usually dislikes stem from something she has in fact, liked recently.  It makes life hard to try and make new foods when chances are she won't eat them.  In fact even foods that she has liked before is sometimes a bad choice.  I love Shepherds Pie, but both girls dislike it, so when I am ambitious enough to make it, I make them something else instead.  It's one of the only meals I'll do that for.  So many things look good and I want to try them, but I don't always bother.  I have a whole section in my favorites for recipes I want to try, have tried, or need to find again because they were well liked. 

Monday, January 24, 2011

Fun Times

Despite the ridiculous amount of snow days we've been having, the girls are enjoying the winter.  Thursday night, very late, Sara and Zach came up to spend the night.  They hung out with the girls playing and enjoying the company on Friday anad then headed up to the parents house for the night Saturday.  Lynise and Daniel got married yesterday, and both girls were excited to be able to go.  They enjoyed watching all the girls in their pretty dresses, and eww'd audibly when they kissed.  Hannah kept saying how she can't wait to be Sara and Zach's flower girl in July.  Norah too, I think she finally understood what it was that it meant.  So she said she can't wait to throw flowers.  Lynise was a gorgeous bride, but everyone noticed how conspicuously absent Linda was.  It was a church full of tears when Lynise walked down wearing a gorgeous dress, and her mom's veil.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Brunch

We had planned to have brunch on the day after Christmas, unfortunately Hannah woke up sick and I thought it was better that no one come over.  Which turned out to be the best choice, since she would have been very contagious with Bacterial Pneumonia.  So this weekend the girls went to Meema's for the night, and she drove them back this morning and we had brunch.  The mimosas were plentiful, and there seemed to be more than enough food.  We had a french toast casserole with a praline topping.  The boys who wanted it had ham, and there was plenty of fruit and muffins for everyone.  I think it went over really well.  In fact the ONLY problem with having brunch, is that it's early enough that I no longer have an excuse not to cook dinner.  Usually we have a big meal for lunch and everyone just kind of snacks through dinner.  This didn't happen today, and so the girls had some homemade soup (tomato, Hannah's and my favorite) and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Hannah's looking forward to her day off tomorrow, since they'll be going to play with their friends for the morning while I work.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Just a trim

Hannah was about 2.5 when she had her first haircut.  I was not looking forward to it, it had taken so long for her to get enough hair to look like a girl, that trimming it seemed awful.  But we did it, and she looked adorable. 

Today I realized that Norah has never had scissors taken to her hair, and the ends were looking rather ratty.  Snarly and gross in general.  So I told her she was getting a bath, but first I'd trim her hair.  And it went fine.  But now I feel sad.  I bet I just cut off all her baby curls.  It wasn't very much, but now it looks SO much shorter.  This must be why my hair is long, I can't bear to cut anyones.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Fun with Friends

Saturday we didn't do a whole lot, seeing as there was snow everywhere.  Not a mountain of it, but enough to make a lot of being out and about interesting.  So the girls suited up and headed outside to play.  While I stayed inside and cooked.  I made a double batch of my homemade meat sauce, some roasted butternut squash, and some fabulous peppermint chocolate bars.  Heaven in a pan.  Then they came in for lunch, and headed back out to play some more.  This time Steven headed out with them and helped them build a snowgirl, complete with dress, and carrot nose.  She's very cute.  Hannah went over to play with our neighbors, and went sliding with them.  Not sledding, since apparently she was just sliding down the hill on her belly. 

All of the cooking was to have some friends over on Sunday.  Janice and her three adorable cuties, and Jennie & Ben with their 3 adorable cuties were all here for dinner on Sunday.  It was far less chaotic than you'd think with 8 kids and 6 adults.  All the kids seemed to get along wonderfully, despite a bout of shyness from Jennie's little ones.  Everyone ate lots of food, and Janice's easy apple cake from Bakerella was fantastic!  I love having friends over. 

Friday, January 7, 2011

Ahhhhhh

I changed my availability at work recently, so that as of now I have Friday's completely off.  Today was the first, and since we're expecting snow, Norah and I headed out to do our errands early.  It's such a pleasure to take only one child to the store.  Not that either one of them misbehave, but if Hannah's walking, Norah wants to also.  It's harder to direct two of them to walk, and takes longer because Norah has tiny legs.  When it's just us, she's happy to ride in the cart and help put things in or hold them for me.  She also helped me at the Post Office, and was just generally good all around. 

The one thing about me working that's been the hardest, is Norah's potty training.  She decided to train herself the weekend before I went back to work, and it's been really, really hard ever since.  She's been out of underwear for probably two months now.  She just refuses to pee, and while I could understand an accident once in a while, it's hard to understand NEVER getting it in the toilet.  I have finally put her back in her underwear, under the condition that she has to change herself when she has an accident.  She's doing good with that part, and she's arguing less when I have her come with me and go.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Good!

Hannah had her follow up appointment with her doctor yesterday.  Aside from a follow up chest xray next month, she's all set.  Just has to finish her antibiotics, which should be done Friday, I believe.  Her doctor was SO happy to see her feeling better.  She came in ALL smiles, and wanted to give Hannah a hug.  It really reinforces the fact that I chose their pediatrician really well.  She's very sweet, and very good with both of them.  But she also knows her stuff, and is willing to send them to a specialist if she doesn't feel she knows enough, or is helping enough.  I really appreciate that!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Rabbit Rabbit

That was the thing to do on the first of every month.  I have no idea why.  Random enough for you?

We had a very nice New Year's Day.  We took down our christmas decorations, played Monopoly Streets, went out and got the girls their Zhu Zhu junk with their gift card from Meme.  Had dinner at Olive Garden.  Now we're just hanging out with the Discovery Channel on. 

Hannah's getting more used to taking all her myriad of medicines, though one will disappear next week.  She follows up with her doctor on Monday, and I'll keep her out of school until after that, just to be sure it's fine to send her back.  I'm aware she's not contagious anymore, but she also gets exhausted easily.  Don't have to walk very far, and my good eater has taken a break and sent back a girl with a tiny tummy.  I know it's from not eating much all week, but she's not eating fabulously yet.  Maybe next week.

Norah's already started on her list for next Christmas.  In fact today she told me "Mommy, I want a jeep for Christmas"  Yep, let me get right on that.