Nomads

Did you miss us? Actually, don't answer that. Maybe I should ask if you noticed we were gone? Shoot, don't answer that either.

We had a nice break; well, truthfully it wasn't really a break it was more like a change of scenery. Some families go to resorts where their children can be enrolled in classes while the parents drink margaritas on the beach, but not us. That type of travel is far too easy for us - we like a challenge. We are more like modern day nomads exploring the U.S. with our three children and what looks to be every single possession piled into the back of our car.

Having lived in Michigan for five years, we decided that it was really time to see some of the Upper Peninsula. Three years ago we stopped in the U.P. during our return trip from Door County, but that was just to make the kids run up and down the sandy beach so they would sleep for the rest of the trip. Being a car vacationer, you pick up these tricks very quickly. Anyway, after our brief time on the beach, we were hooked and have thought of this beautiful place ever since. So, we made the trek. We hunted for rocks,

splashed in the water,

saw waterfalls,

watched sunsets,

in one of the most beautiful parts of the country I have ever been.

I must say though, nothing looks as beautiful as our own home after spending the 6 days driving up, down and across Michigan.

Put A Cork In It

Photo: Amazon.com

My mom thinks this is a definitely a Friday Find, but Sam thinks it's too old and that you probably already have one. So, here's how I am going to handle this situation...if you don't have one, you should really get one. If you got one for Christmas five years ago and stuck it in a drawer, go ahead and get it out - you will be happy you did. If you have one and use it all of the time, don't tell Sam.

As you may already know, this tool allows you to suck the air out of the open wine bottle to keep it fresh for a longer period of time. In addition, this is my favorite part, unlike the dear tent manufacturer, the makers of this tool know that people are easily frustrated and don't like trying to jam a big cork into the top of a wine bottle, so they made the replacement cork out of a soft silicone. Brilliant!

Now, you can read all of the Amazon.com reviews about this thing and you will find that there are some hard core wine enthusiasts out there that feel that this contraption doesn't prolong the life of the bottle of wine, but I still think it's a great alternative to fighting with a cork. Even with the knocks from the wanna be sommeliers, it still got 4 1/2 stars out of 5. My only complaint with this thing is its name - the Vacu Vin Wine Saver - what can you do?

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For the next few days, we are going to put our feet up and enjoy a glass wine, or two - we'll see you shortly.

Drip Drop

Sam and I have very different personality types and our differences are probably most apparent in the way we approach house painting. Last Friday, I decided to paint the downstairs bathroom. There are probably fifty other things that actually need to be done, but I felt the urge. I am a yesterday kind of person - I get an idea and then I want results immediately. Sam is the patient one - when he paints something he tapes everything off, puts paper down, sands, etc. Not me, I barely even get a piece of newspaper under the bucket of paint...

Shameful isn't it? My philosophy is that it's going to happen anyway, so if I wipe it up before it dries everything will be fine. 9 times out of 10 all is well - we needn't discuss the other 10%. See, you never would have guessed that I filled the sink with paint would you?

After knowing me for 14 years, Sam is no longer surprised by my painting habits - he just shakes his head, cringes and stands back (he is worried about getting painted).

To Whom It May Concern

Dear Tent Manufacturer,

I just wanted to write and personally thank you for bringing such a memorable closure to our first experience with your tent. Thanks to your fiscal responsibility and engineering precision, I spent 45 minutes trying to fit our fantastic new tent into its convenient carrying case. I folded, re-folded, pressed, jumped and shoved to no avail. I would just like to let you know, and I'm sure I speak for many when I say, that I am more than willing pay the extra $5 - just make the bag bigger!

Thank you,
Heather

encl.

Dipped A Toe

The year before last I gave Sam a tent for his birthday and it has sat in its original package since then. It's not that we haven't thought about using it, it's just, well, the Laney Factor. Taking her camping would be more like taking a high dive rather than dipping a toe. We also weren't sure that the boys wouldn't get scared in the middle of the night and want to go home; so, rather than let the tent sit for another year, the kids and I set up camp in the back yard for a boys only night. The boys hauled out all of their "babies" (stuffed animals) and set up house. They had a fantastic time, but their enjoyment was limited to one night...Sam said he had to get a night's sleep - he had slept with one eye open the whole night. After successful toe dipping into the world of camping, we just may take the plunge next year.

Lovey Dovey

After my indiscretion with the pretzels yesterday, I thought it was only fitting that I feature something that allows for moderation. I love ice cream, but it is easy for me to get carried away with the servings. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. One of these little ice cream bars are just the right amount for an after dinner sweet. We like to get the flavor collection which includes vanilla, chocolate and cherry ice cream covered in Dove chocolate. They are delicious and you will feel so virtuous...provided you don't eat 4.

Smokin' Good Pretzels

This morning I woke up with a bad case of swollen fingers and toes. Why you ask? Well, instead of sampling one of the salty pretzels I made with the kids, I ate 4 - yes, 4. Let me try to redeem myself a bit by saying: they weren't giant, they were my dinner and little Owen ate 2. Not that those things make it any better that I ate 4, but I just couldn't help myself. When Sam got home Owen said, "Dad, Dad come see these - they're smokin' good!" They were, they were really delicious - good enough to eat 4.

I have been on a quest for the perfect pretzel for quite some time and just found this recipe for Soft Buttered Pretzels on the back of the Pillsbury flour bag. They are fairly easy to make, but there is a step where you briefly boil the dough in water with baking soda to get the outside chewy. If you make these, just take care not to let too much of the baking soda water end up on the baking sheet. Hopefully, when they come out of the oven all golden and smelling yeasty and delicious you will be able to show a bit more restraint, but you might just find that 4 doesn't seem like that many.

Here is the first one. Yuck - it's a tosser. The water wasn't hot enough.

You're probably thinking you wouldn't even eat 1 at this point, but just you wait. Here are the ones the kids made - lookin' better:

These are among the 4 I ate...:

5 or 45?

Do you know how some people are said to have an old soul? Well, Spencer is one of those people. He is 5, but I constantly have to remind myself of it. If I didn't have to look down to talk to him, I might forget all together. He really is 5 going on 45 - an Alex P. Keaton in the making.

He is a manager: A while back I asked Spencer to do something, but instead of just asking him outright, I phrased it as a suggestive question like, "Why don't you got get your pajamas on?" Some might call that being passive aggressive, but I'll just go with suggestive. So, for some reason, the kid didn't put his pajamas on and found himself smack dab in the eye of my storm. At the time he looked like a deer in headlights, but he is a quick study; now when I suggest that he do something, he immediately asks, "Mom are you asking me or telling me?" I just hope I haven't done any permanent damage.

He is a literary critic: The weekend before last, Spencer went up to our room to rest while the other kids were napping. He was told that he could come downstairs at 2 o'clock. At 2 and 12 seconds, Spencer appeared downstairs with two books in hand. I asked what he was doing with the books and he said, "reading them" - he had two Robert B. Parker books. He said he only read a couple of pages and they were good, but the author wrote a bit too much about guns. Hi - who are you?

He is a discriminating food critic: Today we were making Chocolate Zucchini Muffins and he said he was sure he would still be able to taste the zucchini because he had "very good taste buds". His favorite foods are carnitas and salmon. Hunh? Hey, five year old have you ever heard of hamburgers and french fries?

He is a theologian: Last night after a brief discussion about death, Spencer explained, with many hand gestures, that on one side were the people who believed God created everything and on the other people who believed in an explosion. He said he was, "somewhere in the middle, but leaning more toward the creation side". I know there is a kid in there somewhere....

I found him - he was at the Slip n'Slide the whole time.

Red With Envy

Two of my blogging friends, Carmen and Sandi, have given me the nice matters award and I really need to say thank you to them.

Thank you for the award and I hope you feel the same after reading this. I also want to make sure you both read the fine print when passing this recognition along. I hope they understand that once it has been given it may not be rescinded under any circumstances (i.e. no backs).

That being said, I think now is the time to come clean. Here it is: I have been harboring feelings of envy toward my new blog buddy Catherine at Red Shoes. I know it is wrong, but I just can't help it. She has a store and I have always really wanted a store. As a child I never played with any of my toys because they were always on display in my "store" - price tags and all. I don't think my merchandising was all that great because I had lot of lookers, but not many sales. My brother was always good for 50 cents every once in a while, but the 6 kids that lived across the street were a much harder sell. Anyway, I have really always wanted a store.

Then, Catherine showed her fellow bloggers the vegetables she grew in her garden. Well, since moving to this place we haven't been able to grow a single vegetable in our garden. Okay, we did grow a few tomatoes in raised beds the first year we moved in, but they never ripened and some had these weird boils. Anyway, we decided to try again this year, but in pots on the deck positioned just right to catch the maximum amount of sun. Imagine my delight when this appeared:

Isn't she a beauty? I watched her turn a beautiful deep red and dreamt about the post I would write taunting my new friend Catherine. I was going to tell you that she may have a whole bowl of vegetables, but with a tomato as perfect as this, one was all that I needed. Well, before I could get the picture taken some ferocious beast ravaged my one and only red tomato.

Just look at those teeth marks. Can't you just see one of those masked bandits standing up on his hind legs sampling my prized tomato? Again, I was left with feelings of jealousy - thoughts of Catherine eating her vegetables in her store filled my mind... I got to thinking that maybe I had jinxed myself with all of those envious thoughts. Then we had a few days of sun and imagine my surprise when I looked out and saw these beauties:

Cachow! Catherine, feast your eyes on these. Not bad hunh?

*Don't believe everything you see - unless it is a nice award for me. No backs - remember?

The one on the right, the not so red one, that one is really mine. By the way, after investing well over $20 in pots, soil, plants and water, next year I think I'll stick with the hydroponic tomatoes for 89 cents a pound.

Thanks again Carmen and Sandi.

What's In Your Cup?

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy my morning cup of coffee - I like to have 3/4 of a cup black. If I could pick any coffee to drink it would be Peet's Major Dickason's Blend. This coffee will blow Starbucks away any day (I will drink Verona, but only if I have to). I sound like a coffee snob, don't I? This coffee is so tasty though - it's not bitter, really smooth, but not at all wimpy. I am jealous if you live close enough to Peet's to just pick up a pound when you need it; we are not so fortunate, but can order it from Peet's.com, or we can get it when we are in Chicago. In their gift section, they sell coffee samplers which make a nice housewarming present, or hostess gift. What kind of coffee do you drink?

Sprucing

I did a bad thing. I'm not sure if you remember, but back in May we bought a blue and white chandelier from Ebay. During the installation of this little bargain, Sam got a bit, shall we say, testy after the dimmer blew and the sparks started dancing across the dining room ceiling. It was then that he mandated that no "antique" shall enter our house again. Don't get me wrong, he was completely justified; we have brought home some real clangers thinking that with a little sprucing we could have something really special, only to find that we what we had really belonged in the burn pile.

I've always had a hard time with our living room. It's a long rectangle with a bank of windows, a French door, a fireplace and two arches all of which are located in the most inconvenient places. See (at the moment, we are going for the lived in look):

Since moving in 5 years ago, the room has been like a used furniture store with things moving in, out and all around. We have made many attempts to get it right and it still isn't working. Last week, we decided to give it another try, which brings me back to the bad thing...I found this sofa on Ebay

and I bought it for $189. We picked it up and it is now sitting in our garage awaiting some "sprucing". I knew it needed to be recovered and reworked a bit, but being the responsible buyer that I am, I already contacted the upholsterer for a price. Here is the real problem...I now have to pick a fabric. You were worried I was going to say my husband blew a gasket weren't you? No need to worry about my marriage, I gave a full disclosure and left the final ruling to Sam, but he liked it too.

With the yellow walls and blue and white everywhere, these are some of the Calico Corners fabrics I am considering for the sofa, wicker chairs and a French wing chair:

Wish me luck!

More Pains

This time the pain is more localized in my neck. Unfortunately, Advil is not going to help. This ailment has been diagnosed and it's called - Laney. Fortunately, an early bedtime for the cantankerous 21 month old and an ample glass of chilled Chardonnay will cure all. Here is what happened:

"Mom, Laney is sitting on the table!"

"Laney, are you sitting on the table?"

"Sess" (At least she is honest)

Ohhh, I have always wondered what's in this thing. No toys? Moving on...

Did those boys really think they could keep these from me...

"Laney you need to get down" Maybe, if I don't make eye contact she will go away.

Well, I didn't go anywhere and the ornery little one was ultimately removed by force. As Laney would say, "happy, happy day!" (time to find some Chardonnay).

Growing Pains

Yesterday was the first day of Owen's week long giraffe camp at the zoo. Other than Mister (a.k.a. Jabba the Cat), giraffes (a.k.a. "doo-rafts") are his favorite animal. When I saw that the zoo had a giraffe class for kids his age, I signed him right up.

Yesterday's class was the first time Owen had done anything without Spencer or me and, let me tell you, it was a bit rough on all of us. He was very apprehensive about going - in fact, my mom came along just in case it didn't go well and I needed to pick him up early.

Honestly, I never thought he would walk off into a closed zoo, but he did. He shed a few tears, held the hand of the teacher and walked off in the orange line of campers. I waited for him to turn around to look at me, so I could run through the gate and grab him, hug him and take him home, but he kept trudging on.

It was a long 3 hours at the zoo. I checked my phone every 5 minutes to make sure I didn't miss the call to come pick him up because he wasn't going to make it through the camp, but the call never came. Spencer was going crazy with nervous energy the entire 3 hours and the minute he saw Owen in that orange line of kids he was calm again and, actually, so was I.

I guess at the end of the day I don't know what to think. For me, it is hard to know when to push and when to indulge. Sometimes I underestimate and sometimes my expectations are too high. It is difficult to distinguish what I project onto them from what they really think and feel. Needless to say, today, I felt some growing pains.

By the way, how cute is this little one?

Oodles of Streusel

If you have a cup of blueberries to spare, you should make these muffins. You may have noticed I love streusel and blueberries together. Oh, who am I kidding? You could put streusel on just about anything and I'd eat it. How can you go wrong with butter, sugar, flour and a pinch of cinnamon? If you recall, the Birthday Blueberry Buckle had streusel and so did the Oh Me, Oh My Blueberry Pie. Because I did not want to disappoint you, these muffins also have...yeah, streusel. The recipe can be found here. It called for 1 cup of blueberries, but I added an extra 1/2 cup because I had more than a cup to spare - I think I still have about 6 pounds of the little suckers. Also, I made 1/2 of the topping and used brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar. I have also made these with a bit of lemon zest added into the batter. Either way, they are tasty - please, just don't forget the streusel.

Jabba the Cat says "Thank You"

This is Jabba the Cat, okay his real name is Mister; full name Mister Meowzer. When he was adopted his name was Oreo, but our friends kept calling him Doubled Stuffed. Meanies. Anyway, he is here as a thank you to Kari at Just Livin' Large (a big Star Wars fan) for the Creative Blogger Award. Hopefully, I can live up to this thoughtful recognition - yikes!

Bloglines has a feature that allows you to share your feeds; so, I thought you might like to see my ever growing list of people that I think are oozing creativity. Thanks again Kari.

The Frugal Facial

Personally, I have a hard time spending money on things like facials. I like the end results, but not enough to spend $75 plus tip. If I have to get a babysitter, there are plenty of other things I would rather be doing than listening to some woman tell me how my skin is aging - thank you very much. Nope, I'll pass on their $150 "solution" cream; instead, I use these products which can be found at natural food stores, online, or at Alba Botanica.com:

I started with the Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask ($11.95) and really like it. When you first start using it, it tingles/stings a bit. Personally, I like that because I think it's actually doing something. You can use this by itself and don't need the other products, but I liked it so much I bought some other things...

I use the Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser ($11.95) in the morning and at night. Just be careful not to get this stuff in your eyes - it stings like a mad dog.

The Jasmine & Vitamin E Moisture Cream ($16.95) smells really good and works well. It's not at all greasy.

I just started using the Green Tea Eye Gel ($16.95) and like it too - a dab will do you with this.

The only thing I have tried and wasn't so crazy about is the Coconut Milk Facial Wash - it sort of coats your face. I suppose it would be good if you have really dry skin.

Don't get me wrong, these things don't work miracles (if you know of something that does, I'm always looking for a miracle or two), but they are nice and don't cost an arm and a leg. So, to the charming Ms. Anti-Aging facial woman that I have to pay all that money to - HA! See you in a month...I don't think so.

Wrapped Around Her Finger

You probably aren't going to believe me when I tell you this, but here it goes:

This very sweet and innocent looking little girl...

is a rascal of massive proportions. She ravaged my flower pot yet again. This poor plant doesn't stand a chance around her.

There are many other flowers blooming in the garden, even ones that don't require her to stand on a chair to pick, but for some reason she has a vendetta against this plant. She doesn't even carry around the blooms - she just picks them and tosses them aside. But, if you catch her in the act, remember to try to use words like "stop", "not a good idea", "un-uh", but never ever use the word "no" because this will happen:

Then what are you going to do?

Traditions

I like traditions. There are some traditions that have been in our family for generations and others that are fairly new. We have customs that come from Sam's family and some that have started because of our children. We don't have a lot of them, but I think it’s almost better that way - it just makes the ones we do have even more special.

My mom got a new computer yesterday - a life changing laptop. She needed a bit of help getting the wireless going, so the kids and I headed over to lend a hand (she really knows more than she admits - it was just the push of one button.) After dinner we went for a swing on her porch swing, we looked at her roses and then the children began their customary flower gathering.

With my mom's move to Michigan a new tradition was born - flowers for the kids. My children will not leave "Greenie's" house without flowers. If she forgets, they remind her. It is such a part of the trip to Greenie's house that in the winter my mom actually buys flowers so the kids have something to take home. Yes, it's a bit over the top, but they love it! The whole car ride home they clutch their flowers and, if they survive (the flowers, not the kids), they get put in water and sit in the window where the kids can enjoy them. The photo above is of yesterday's survivors.

It can be something small like a flower to take home from Grandma's house, or a long standing tradition like hanging the Christmas stockings that were designed by a great aunt, or maybe it's an annual trip somewhere, but traditions make memories. What better to give a child than a good memory?