Take a look....

I follow Tea Collection's blog, and, one of their featured links today is on the voluntary recall of certain Tylenol products for kids (which you may already know about)....Might warrant a quick look. We are all acetaminophen in this house because one of my son's can't take ibuprofen due to a minor kidney issue.... so - I'm paying attention....

Missed a deadline ;-)

Out of town this weekend - Nemacolin Woodlands (escaping G-20 chaos). My bi-monthly helpful hints "thang" I've started will, therefore, be delayed a day or so. Enjoy the "quiet" photo .....

Happiness update ....

So - today turned out OK - not so sad.... My 3 yr old is walking around the house (cue reggae music), singing - "every little thing - is gonna be alright!" - and my 1 yr. old has a sticker on her head. They are sharing some whole grain goldfish - without fighting. Joy. Hope. The list goes on.... :-)

A little sad....

... packed up today to run some errands, and... did not have to pack a sippy cup, snack or change of clothes for my new little kindergartner....because he's not here - he's at school. I miss him. His 3 year old brother misses him. He has a gentle presence - loves to hang out - sit and drink hot chocolate with me on the porch - ride his "car car" or bike up and down the sidewalks and hills on long walks - and... well.... I miss that presence. I know he loves his new day, but... I'm sad that he won't sit and eat lunch with me anymore - or play a game with me mid-morning or ask me to watch Noggin with him over breakfast. A little era in our busy lives has ended.... So ... off we go... thinking about our missing buddy :-) - safe with his big sis at school.....

Quick Celebration of "Personalities"...

A deep breath....

Outside having coffee on my deck this morning - cool air - breezy - beautiful sunshine. The plant that I thought my two little ones smothered while repotting earlier this week is bouncing back. There are still some tomatoes on our plants. Thinking calmly about my two happy schoolkids - sent off with lunches packed, uniforms washed, backpacks full - My other two kids watching a Wubbzy movie, having breakfast, playing together...... Calm for a bit....

A week of firsts and ... a really rough day....

September is BIG in our house, currently. I don't want to say we have too much going on because I want to maintain the right frame of mind to get through it all, ya know??? (need that fortitude), but.... I am close to saying it - TOO MUCH. In just the past two weeks, we have had a year's worth of firsts, lasts, setbacks, triumphs, tears, laughter, etc.

This year is bittersweet for our eighth grader - her last year at her beloved grade school / middle school. She will participate in yearbook, play varsity basketball, go back to her old lacrosse team, run for student council - all like she usually does, but... this time, it will be the last time - for everything at this little school. She has already said good-bye to cross country and the big welcome back to school celebration held on the first day every year; she has picked a confirmation sponsor and has signed up to visit a couple high schools in the area (some all girl - some boarding schools, etc.). This is definitely a big year for her.

Our "almost five year old" guy is holding his own in kindergarten. Yes, we decided to send him early - not always wise for boys, but.... the pros outweighed the cons. He'll have this onetime benefit of sitting with his big sis in the same school (the last time they'll be together - HUGE for both of them) - eating lunch together, running around at recess together - singing in the Christmas show - walking the halls and passing each other - meeting the other's buddies and friends.... He is a bright, academic, fastidious, organized, inquisitive and eager kid. He is also shy and sensitive, but... rises to the challenge when presented with one. Swells with pride when he accomplishes something. Takes on more and more new challenges as new situations arise. We notice giant strides in development when he is presented with and accepts new situations. If he stagnates, he regresses a bit - seems at loose ends - nervous. So... that said... he loves his kindergarten schoolwork - he loves the structure of a day with foreign language, a science project, a storytime, a lunchroom, etc. Funny - my oldest had such different qualities. He is still adjusting to helping himself or directing himself a bit; he also needs to warm up to some of the other kids. I'm amazed, though - he's taking the bus, he's proudly mixing with the older kids - it's fun to watch and be part of. It is also worrisome and a bit stressful. Yes, I'm losing sleep, but... I'm also taking a lot of pictures and savoring every moment.

The three year old is having a little harder time adjusting.He is strong-willed and volatile by nature anyway, but.... I thought he would absolutely love going into the classroom that, for two years, he had to watch his brother enter, leaving him behind in the hall. And... I think he does like it - talks about the stories, the songs, the toys, the kids in the room, playing duck duck goose, doing art projects, etc. - but... he's never been without me for an extended period of time before. I also think he misses his brother - his house - his routine. It's a rough day for a picky eater with a bad temper and not enough sleep. He tells me he likes it, though. We "talk" a bit when it's time for bedtime story.

My baby - the 22 mo. old - is also enjoying a bit of a "Mom's Morning Out" program. Toys - other kids - snacktime, etc. I always feel so bad dragging her with me in and out of these classrooms with beautiful pictures on the walls and bins of toys and other interesting things all around. I mean her siblings get to stay - why doesn't she? Anyway - it was funny today to watch her gingerly put her little Saks Fifth Ave. back pack (used to be her sister's) onto her back - grab her little sippy cup - and walk to the car like a big girl, "talking" about her day the whole time!

All in all, it's great lately. My husband and I are sleep-deprived and cranky (his band from 10 years ago also did a reunion show a few weeks ago - like I said, LOTS going on). Today - 3 year old had tantrum - refused to have school picture taken - is now hanging on me, teary & tired - and.... I volunteered in the kindergarten room earlier only to have my little guy cry and want me to take him home (after a whispered conversation during quiet / lights out time about how his big sis sat in that very room at that very table years before seemed to make him comfortable, so I did leave him - sniff) . OH well... baby steps...... The bus is coming soon - got kids hanging on me - lack of sleep headache getting worse.... Still happy, though - life's little experiences.......

So are these really missed moments....

... or are they just wonderful little experiences that we need to thoroughly enjoy and commit to memory? I mean - my toddler was "jiggin' it" today (dancing), and.... the video camera was dead, so I took a series of very cute pictures that just didn't do it justice. And... everyday.... my new kindergartner walks to the car hand in hand with Daddy - that oversize back pack ever-present, and.. it is soooo sweet, and I took a million pictures this week, but... breakfast for the others, little ones who want to "go too" as the schoolkids leave the house and .... just early morning "stuff" prevents me from - again, like videotaping the whole experience. Then again - do I really want to? I mean, I'm justified in lamenting the fact that I sometimes miss my 13 year old getting ready for school dances with friends because they've chosen another friend's house in which to "primp" - and I'm justified in demanding the pictures that were taken before they were carpooled there (well... not demanding.....) - AND I am justified in wanting to take one embarrassing cheesey photo of her posing with Mommy and Daddy before she goes off somewhere all dressed up. But.... with the babies - the little ones - who seem to be that age for like a second - should we just cherish and hang out - not worry so much about documenting every little thing. I mean, to this day, I am happy viewing the shaky, on again / off again Christmas Pageant footage of my 13 year old back when she was 5, and... I thought I had done such a terrible job filming it - preserving it forever in memory. What does stick out to me from that night almost 8 years ago, was that I was so proud of her and.... just amazed that my little angel was happy and singing and so sweet.... that I had tears in my eyes and my heart was beating a mile a minute. THAT I remember. Off now..... games and walks with my little ones await.....

Oh - and the photo today.... just remember that day - that moment - SO clearly .... a year ago....

Something NEW

No - none of us SAHMs have time to cook. Somehow we manage to get it done, though.

OK - even though I really need to revisit all the great recipes, dos and don'ts, success stories and disasters from the holidays, I'll save that for a few weeks / months from now when we all might need a tip or two or ten....;-), I'm going to highlight one of my "go to" favorite recipes - Chili - quick and easy - smells great - can be altered to heat preferences - carnivore / non-carnivore, etc.

2 lbs ground beef, ground turkey or meat substitute (measurement on the latter will vary depending on source)
4-6 cloves of garlic - chopped roughly
One big onion - chopped roughly
splash of vinegar (red wine or balsamic)
1.5 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock
Half cup of red wine
28 oz. crushed, whole or diced tomatoes - drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Chili pepper (and - really - pick your heat - add some cayenne, adobo - whatever - as well)
Sugar (tablespoon at first - as it cooks, add to taste)
Salt (2 tsp - though may need to add later)
Dash of pepper
Oregano (pinch or two - powdered or fresh)
Sage (pinch or two - powdered or fresh)
2 bay leaves (if they are really pungent - just one)

Cook protein(s) in large pan with a splash of olive oil. Cook it through (brown meat, etc.). Add garlic and onions - cook until soft. Add in tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, stock - mix well. Add chili, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, sage and bay leaf. Mix up - taste - adjust a bit. Cook 30 min. - taste again - adjust seasonings - cook another 30 min. (low simmer). 10 min. prep - cooks and smells good - tastes great!

Back to School Retail Experience - The Good and The Bad
Happy to find: That Nordstrom had Polo shirts on sale for 70% off (uniform hunting) - that kid Pumas are only a little over $20 - lunch boxes at Target with my boys' favorite Cars, Transformers, etc. were only $6 - our haircuts were free cuz it turns out.... I can cut my little guys' hair - I had saved sooo many little girl things from my oldest that my toddler is set for the fall - Horizon chocolate and vanilla milk "cases" were advertised for $13 and $14 at Giant Eagle and Whole Foods, but I got them at Costco for a little over $10 (every penny counts, right?) - There's more, but these were my trivial highlights....

Unhappy to discover: That my oldest daughter needs new bedroom furniture - that none of her uniform skirts fit her from last year - that my boys prefer light up sneakers to my choices of Converse or Puma or Vans or Adidas ... something that doesn't light up, basically - that my van went in for a cracked windshield repair and inspection and we had to spend $1,000 on it - that my budget for a new shirt or pair of shoes for fall for myself went elsewhere .... Oh well.....

Have to Rave About ...

This is way too expensive, but....I just found a bag at Anthropologie. $150, but... can be evening bag, cool day bag, diaper bag, airplane carry-on bag - whatever. Simple .... chunky ..... pretty.... I just like it.... Called the Long Journey Bag...

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp

A couple other bags for UNDER $100 there (odd for them). And... some VERY cool wedge ankle boots - with buckles and chunky heels, etc. Worth checking out.....

There's nothing new about this, but... it works for me ....

The Beaba Babycook does make my life easier - makes tasty, easy, adult-worthy (by that, I mean, baby food is so tasteless sometimes) purees, etc. I steam chicken, parsnips and potatoes together - puree - add butter, salt or just water - and I have a healthy meal or side dish for my daughter. I know it is intended for infants, but it also works for fussy toddlers. Quick note: a while back, there was a controversy about what the basket was made of (did it contain a chemical not claimed by the company or one of the retailers - Williams Sonoma - ??? Has been cleared and reviewed :-). Also, it is expensive - jury is out on whether it is actually worth. For me and some others I know - yes - all in one - cooks, mixes, etc. all at once (and I REALLY don't have time for sleep or sitting down to eat myself these days, so... every time saver helps).

http://www.babycookstore.com/beaba-babycook-jpma.php

I'm not organized this month, but I am clean ....

Ten tips for keeping it clean (it being the house, that is :-):
1. Sweep or damp mop hard wood floors at least once a week.
2. Take the feather duster to your shelves, photos, etc. once a week.
3. Mop the kichen floor with like a Swiffer (something easy to manage) on Monday - spot clean rest of week.
4. Also on Monday, go through fridge - get rid of nasty leftovers, organize what is in there - make sure you're using produce that can go bad quickly.
5. Make the beds daily or at least pull up the covers.
6. Pick up toys and clothes in all the rooms either at night or in the morning.
7. Quick vacuum carpets and wipe baseboards as you go.
8. Use an environmentally-safe toilet bowl cleaner once a week - every bathroom.
9. Open your mail over the recycle bin or shredder daily.
10. Wipe down bathroom counters as you brush your teeth daily - clean shower while you're in it - wipe kitchen counters after each food prep (particularly important this flu season).

Something cool for kids...

Cupcakes at Vanilla Pastry Studio in East Liberty (here in Pittsburgh).

http://www.vanillapastry.com/

Something cool for adults ...

Lollies (and other treats) at Vanilla ;-). As I get into my family's birthday season, this is my place to frequent!

Until next time...... enjoy the photo of me and my little one (yes, my hair looks orange - and, yes, she's so little - it was a few months ago, but.... we both look happy.... oh the little things). Next time, I will have played with new designs and formats and promise a more user-friendly experience. I'm thinking once every two weeks.....

Back to School Delay

OK - so I forgot that kindergarten and preschool start this week..... Add to that a middle schooler with a stuffy nose, and a toddler with a runny nose..... AND .....voila - my new format launch will have to wait until later in the week. It has been a long time since I missed a deadline - makes me feel a little nostalgic for the magazine biz.....:-)...