To refute rumors....

... that I have gone to the dark side - off the deep end - whatever - I'm going to leave everyone (and by leave, I mean... take a break until after my beach trip :) with a couple cool, positive, helpful "things" (still experiencing the brain fry that diminishes my vocabulary, however)....

First - made an easy peanut sauce last night that was GREAT. Dipped grilled chicken (though you vegans know you can do tofu - other non-meat eaters who do fish can do shrimp - whatever - pretty versatile). You'll need coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, asian fish sauce, chicken broth, crunchy organic peanut butter, limes - that's IT! Vegans - obviously, forgo the chicken broth and fish sauce - should taste the same with some tweaking or use of vegetable broth.

Take the coconut cream off the top of your organic canned coconut milk (this trick I learned somewhere else - a recipe exchange somewhere??? - it'll come to me) - about 2 tablespoons - stir fry it until oil separates and sizzles in saucepan over med. heat (this will make about a cup in the end, so.... use an appropriately sized pan). Then... whisk in red curry - another tablespoon and a half (more later if you need it - though it is pretty strong tasting - not overly spicy - just strong). When this mixture gets kinda fragrant - feels / smells like it's integrating a bit.... whisk in the following: 1 cup chicken or veggie broth - 1/4 cup coconut milk (though I ended up adding more in the end after tasting) - 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (the organic Whole Foods brand that I use is not at all sweet, so... to taste at the end.. I had to add some organic sugar bit by bit until I had it right) - 1 tablespoon fish sauce (again, obviously not vegan... but also very strong and pungent - use less if you have a sensitive palate or you'll taste it). Let this mixture simmer for 10 min. or so (until thick - don't overcook) - cool to room temp. - then whisk in lime to taste (I used one really juicy lime). Yummy.

And ... before I say good-bye - a product testimonial..... Neutrogena's basic, over the counter, $5 or so acne treatment is the best. I have had pretty clear skin my whole life... But - after three consecutive pregnancies .... nursing and / or ovulating off and on for like four years straight.... and hitting my late '30's caused an adult acne that, off and on, has made me crazy - would not go away - baffled dermatologists - had other doctors tell me to wait until my hormones stabilized, etc., but.... this stuff worked. When I go off it, the acne starts creeping back. Look for it. I believe it is supposed to be a "spot treatment" but I put it on daily. It does seem to mark or discolor certain fabrics, however, but... can be used with other night / day creams, etc. Fantastic - love it!

Until I'm tanned and rested......

Lately....

... My life (every morning) has become ... vitamins, tylenol, hair up, work out clothes on.... GO! Then... my day with the kids starts. Forgive me for how I look lately - dark circles under my eyes (which aren't focusing well these days either - total fatigue), clothes that look like pajamas, bags hanging from every arm, kids hanging there too.... And... forgive me my anemic posts.... nothing to say, down, harried, sparse..... I don't scrapbook or write in my spare time anymore - I fold laundry, mop, straighten up toys.... I'm in transition right now.... will regain control, I promise :)

A few things are contributing to this phase.....Some negative - a traffic ticket got me down, my 4 year old has allergies; the baby has a cold. Some neutral - end of the school year means lots of printing for my middle schooler and the preschoolers have discovered Noggin computer games plus we've had a string of rainy days so ..... I get just snippets of time on my computer - I just finished organizing a successful fundraiser at my daughter's school - we've had holidays and events almost every weekend - we're potty-training and, therefore, peeing lots of pants. Some positive - we're planting veggies and flowers, adding toys and "summer stuff" to our backyard - planning a vacation - starting a new venture.... MORE.....

Anyway - need to get back on things - revisit some fab recipes I've received since the holidays - talk cool Mommy and Baby product and service (mothers morning out programs - cheap and drop-in... need I say more?) - A new "what to do when..." list / discussion (for example - preschoolers want to do some art - baby does too, obviously - combination results in furniture decorated with orange marker, a glitter glue "tragedy" and some fighting.... Help, right?) All good (extreme brain fry has robbed me of my ability to use other adjectives, adverbs - well... descriptors in general).

Can all you other SAHMs relate to this "phase" (carb-craving, detail-forgetting, early-crashing - the list goes on)? I'm thinking "YES"!!!! Without the downs from which to learn, we would never have our amazing highs, right? Currently rejuvenating..... See you all mid / late June (with photos, links, etc. - among other things.. got a new computer, so.... free to play!).

Happy Mother's Day...belated....

I hope everyone had fun.

Nothing to report on my end - had a nice day - busy week - cut my boys' hair today (looks pretty good - was down to their shoulders - one all curls). Working a fundraiser this month - so .... am slackin' a bit.......

When you're down ...

... you are DOWN!!!! Feeling that way today - difficult to write. For me to have NOTHING to say is a bit bizarre, I realize, but.....

I vowed not to do this with a blog - I vowed to always write - good or bad. Truth is - nobody wants to hear the bad. This is precisely why I did not keep a pregnancy journal - the ups and downs would have horrified my children later... :) I always wondered how someone like.... oh - I don't know - Sylvia Plath - fared in terms of objective analysis with her kids after her death (and after they were grown, of course). Hmmmm....

Finding myself ...

... both frazzled and grateful, at the same time - AGAIN.

So - my four year old son gets me up this morning before 6 am. I was downstairs on the couch - having dealt with the 18 month old and her stuffy nose and waking during the night. She was in what we call her "dog bed" - a pillow meant to go in one of those canopied "reading corners" or pretend castles. She will always go back to sleep if left in the "dog bed" - snug bugged in her sister's penguin blanket, knowing Mommy is also up and sleeping fitfully next to her on the couch - while she is on the floor next to the fire. Anyway....

...so he gets me up. But.... I'm not upset - or frazzled (odd having been up all night fretting about home improvement projects and a big fund-raising project that I do for my daughter's school every year) - I'm so happy to see him. See - fresh from hearing the story of two beautiful neighborhood children lost forever in a car accident - with the tender "should we send our sweet, sensitive four year old to kindergarten next year or wait and nurture him another year in preschool" conversation with his teacher from the day before on my mind - and ... well... just able to sleepily watch his sweet deliberate steps coming down the stairs, his funny PJs, his big eyes, his little smile - all that - just made me stop and appreciate HIM. I took a moment to remember my outing with his three year old brother the day before. A great one (other kids in school or with babysitter) - we went to gymnastics - we got coffee - we talked - we sent pictures to Daddy. Normally, the three year can be a bit feisty and difficult - alternately the most affectionate kid in the house and the angriest kid on the block - a total study in contrasts. I also looked at my sweet sleeping toddler - and... noted the sunny day - a welcome change from rain the day before and a perfect day for my middle schooler's field trip.

So... my day of ups and downs started. He wanted to make hot chocolate, so we did. And it was fun - he drank - he shared - he stirred. We got his older sister up for school - she snapped at us - glared - fussed and fought me verbally. By 7 am, I had changed a wet pull-up, wiped pee off the floor, coughed up almost $40 for the field trip, taken out the garbage, calmed a crying toddler, checked my weekly calendar on the computer, sent the requisite lacrosse carpool emails, checked status on a baby gift I sent. By 8 am, I had driven my daughter to the bus stop (late again), attempted to make coffee, done the recyclables, taken a lot of Tylenol, broken up a fight between my two boys and cleaned an entire container of the baby's yogurt off the floor and high chair.

Hour by hour - the day changes. We're relatively calm now at 11 ish. I think the three year old may have killed our orchid, the four year old is suddenly afraid of the toilet and the baby will only eat the organic fruit juice pops that I bought (no solids - no milk - oh well), and we just received a delivery of fill dirt that I'm not sure we ordered, all the kids would rather play with our collection of glass water globes instead of their own toys, etc. - but.... I'm good - handling it all - grateful for the day - the opportunity.... the life we have here :).

As referenced above, I've been made aware of a terrible tragedy. Please read the below link regarding how two local children were killed in a car accident just before Easter and consider donating to the memorial cause (address, contact info. also listed below):

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/639173.html

Donations should be sent to:

The Environmental Charter School at Frick Park
Attn: Mr. Jon McCann, Principal
829 Milton Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Make checks out to:
The Kate and Peter Ambrusko Memorial Fund