Halloween Costumes

I heart these!

Could we be the space cadet family this year? Doubtful. There are waaaaay too many specificly *Star Wars* chromosomes floating through our bodies. And by "our," I mean everyone but mine. Even the BiddleDollit says she wants to be "Pin-sess Yay-yah."

We'll see what happens.

Almost A Month Has Passed...

...so I now have some perspective. And I realized that I went to three book stores on Mockingjay Day.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Right?
Huh.

• HearthFire Books, Evergreen
• Borders Books, Lakewood
• Boulder Book Store, Boulder

Below are a few Mockingjay Moments, but to view the whole slew, click here.

Breakfast Talk

Zach: It stinks in here. Do you smell it?
Me: No. What does it smell like?
Zach: I don’t know.
Olivia: I taked a bath because my bottom sinks. (i.e. wadn’t me!)

(9/2/10)

Herbs

I can never remember which herbs go where, so here it is to help me.

Depending on how big your container is, here are some herb combinations that will all grow well together as companions in pots:

1) Sage, rosemary, lavender, thyme and germander.

2) Cilantro, oregano, lemon balm and basils.

3) Oregano, thyme, lemon verbena, lemon balm, parsley, cilantro.

4) Thyme, mint, basil, oregano.

5) Growing basil in the same container (or plot) as tomatoes will improve their flavor.

A few herbs, like dill and fennel, need quite a bit more room and grow better in beds. Most herbs, however, adapt very well to pots and containers. You might also consider scented geraniums, tricolor sages and trailing herbs like penny royal, prostrate rosemary or cat-mint for hanging baskets.

*Source*

Olivvy-ism 5/8/10

"Wow, us fying. Iss sooo cool!"

(On our flight to CA.)

B-day party Monday!

Our dragon is turning 5!
Dragon cake?

Zachism

Zach: Daddy, let's go play marbles in the basement.
Daddy: I think you lost your marbles.
Zach: No, Livia just threw them up in the air.

I think he gets bonus points for being cute and innocent, then loses half for being a tattle-tale.

Telling

This morning, after I came downstairs having changed out of my PJs, adding some makeup and pulling back my hair, Olivia smiled at me and said,

"You yook yike a ho new puh-son."

Ha. Honesty of the babes.


* * *
Later:

Me: I like your feet, Olivia.
Olivia: Next time I want dem to be PINK.

***
Later still:

Zach: Olivia, let me tell you something. Your eyeballs have red cracks...Mommy, why do our eyeballs have red cracks?"

Recipes

Hey!
Some of you know I love to share recipes and type recipes and organize recipes and clip recipes and think about which recipes to try next. And every once in a while I actually cook those recipes. And quite often I forget which ingredients I should have on-hand in order to get started.
So...thanks to the new-fangled wifi in some stores around here, I've been able to look up recipes using my new-fangled (thanks for the fabu Mother's Day gift, fam!) iTouch. In an effort to tap every possible method of recipe categorization, I've begun to enter some of my faves (as well as the Staples Collection many of you contributed to a few years ago) to *yes, yet another!* blog:
http://staplescollection.blogspot.com/
If you have any recipes you'd like to add, shoot me a note!
Let's cook, not just contemplate!

Olivvy-isms

"tih-daahhhhh" - said upon completion of depositing #2 into the porcelain receptacle, expecting heaps of praise and applause, and generally receiving such. (Unfortunately, not an expression that's been uttered enough of late.)

"oh-tay" - okay, too cute to correct.

There are too many of those, aren't there? The expressions that are so cute when they come out of little lips?

But I am thinking about taking O in to see the folks who came into Zach's school to do the speech, hearing and language screening. At days-away-from-three, Olivia can still be hard to understand. She struggles especially with r's, k-sounds, l's, ...and others. I try not to compare her with Zach, but it's hard not to. And I know he was much more clear at this age.

Poor Kid#2. We love her so much!

Helper Signup

In my never-ending quest to become more organized and efficient, I'm always on the lookout for tips, tricks, and tools to that end.

Here's one!

http://www.helpersignup.com

Zach's classroom mom emails out our supplies wish-list before class parties, and it is so easy! I love it.

Just thought I'd share. And hope that since I put it out here, it will not be forgotten. Now I wonder what event I'll need to initiate so I can "organize" the signup. :)


From HelperSignUp.com:
HelperSignup.com can help you organize clubs and activities of all kinds, including sports teams, exercise classes, PTAs, school groups, job fairs, scouting events, reunions, dinners, school clubs, sports clubs, holiday parties, school activities, fundraisers, school events, sports events, and much more. You can:

•Plan school events
•Schedule exercise classes
•Organize holiday parties
•Plan group meals
•Start up school clubs
•Get volunteers for sports events
•Organize scout activities
•Schedule PTA events
Think of how easily you can organize your sports event, school activity, or holiday party. Try HelperSignup.com today!

Turquoise

"Turquoise"

Yes, I shared the color of my bra on Facebook (FB). It was a sports bra, so the whole sharing thing was not that exciting, imho. And the goal, according to the email message that started it, was to raise awareness of breast cancer.

I've heard some chatter about how pointless, unsuccessful, inappropriate the whole campaign was. Was it?

A FB friend posted a link to an article about how the whole color campaign was getting noticed. It makes me crazy when people knock an effort, frivolous or otherwise, to do some good. It's pretty easy to knock down someone else's efforts, and much harder to make an effort of one's own. So, I was moved enough to respond when I read the article and the comments it generated:

- Was this viral campaign more successful than the typical email forward or Facebook-generated “Post-this-if-you-believe-in…” petition? Infinitely.
- Did the women who were told not to tell "the boys” tell the boys anyway? Yes.
- Did the boys find out, and do we think maybe the originator intended for “the boys” to find out? Yes.
- Did some people actually move to action (suggesting self-breast exams, posting links to www.thebreastcancersite.com, or what have you? Yes.
- Is that better than no action? Yes.

Women are strong, supportive, synergistic creatures. And if miles separate us, and an online social networking tool can connect us, even for a few seconds, in an effort to better our lives (and our children’s lives, and even the lives of “the boys” we do know are affected as well), then might it not be a good idea to share (or *gasp!* dare I say “make up”?) the color of a piece of underclothing in order to get people thinking about a disease we could all do without?

Yes.

Big Brrrr

Oops, I did it again.

Evergreen's New Year's day Big Brr lake plunge. Pics to come, though you can click on the News 4 slideshow and about 25 in (click on the right arrow three times), you'll see my biggest fans:
http://cbs4denver.com/slideshows/evergreen.polar.plunge.20.1400814.html

I was one of these folks:
Dozens of people took the plunge on New Year's Day at Evergreen Lake to raise money for the Driver Smart Evergreen/Conifer and the Evergreen Parks and Recreation District Special Needs Program.

http://evstudio.info/2009/12/11/big-brrr-the-evergreen-lake-plunge/

Hazelnut Meringue Kisses

I wanted to try these...but haven't yet. Sooo, filing them online. Where they won't get lost in a pile. So I can throw away the page I clipped from the Delicious Living magazine.

Makes about 24
These ethereally crispy clouds are easy to make, very low in fat, and a pretty addition to a candy platter or gift tin. Prep tips: Heating the egg whites with the sugar dissolves the large crystals and results in a loftier meringue. If you have a pastry bag with a large round tip, it will come in handy for this recipe. If not, just use a spoon to shape the kisses.


2 large egg whites
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely ground hazelnuts
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

1. Line a baking sheet with cooking parchment. Preheat oven to 275°.

2. Place egg whites and sugar in a bowl that can nest on top of a pot filled with a few inches of water. Bring water in pot to a simmer. Place bowl over water and whisk egg-white mixture until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is very warm, 3 minutes. Remove bowl from hot water and add cream of tartar. Beat on high speed until very dense and shiny, about 5 minutes.

3. With a spatula, gently fold in vanilla extract and hazelnuts. Spoon mixture into 1-inch dollops (or use a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip) onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until meringues are dry and firm to touch, and almost dry inside (break one open to test), 35–38 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Sift cocoa powder over meringues and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

PER SERVING (2): 37 cal, 24% fat cal, 1g fat, 0g sat fat, 0mg chol, 1g protein, 6g carb, 0g fiber, 9mg sodium

Christmas Break Brainstorm

If I don't write it down, I won't remember, so welcome to my brainstorm. Please comment if you have other ideas (feasible in the Denver area). Thanks!

- Ice-skating and Cocoa at the Evergreen Lake
- Bus-ride to the library and Whole Foods, story time and lunch
- Deliver family's Christmas dinner
- Hammonds Candy Factory?
- "This Year You..." review of kids' milestones and favorite quotes and memories (ha! It's a brainstorm, so even ideas that will never quite get done can be included)
- Painted feet "trees" (will Zach's foot still fit the cardstock?)
- Video of kids singing "Jingle Bells"
- Update blog
- Send kid pics out!
- Head to Lil Monkey Bizness when the weather's too cold to be outside
- Head to the sledding hill when we've got more snow
- Make a snowman
- Cocoa in the car to tour the neighborhood's Christmas lights displays
- Wallace tradition: roast wieners and eat queso on Christmas Eve
- Spend a night in the mountains with a "real" fire?
- Bake some more cookies! Scott's requested oatmeal with Christmas M&Ms, and I have to try Theresa's chocolate thumbprints, at the risk of ballooning up...
(more to come)

Giving on a Budget

Ideas from Delicious Living, December 09:

1. Donate Empties ($0) - used ink and toner cartridges can be donated for resale. habitat.org, mowaa.org, humanesociety.org may be interested.

2. Feed the Hungry ($1) - foodforall.org has partnered with hundreds of grocery stores. Consider tacking $1 to your bil each time you check out at the grocery store.

3. Stop Junk ($20) - www.tonicmailstopper.com gets you off junk-mail lists *and plants five trees in your honor*

4. Surf for the Earth ($0) - use www.ecosearch.org (powered by Google) to retrieve the same search results and know that any ad revenues are donated at 100% to non-profits like Rainforest Alliance and Sierra Club.

5. Plant Trees ($5) - www.plantabillion.org

6. Moisturize for Good ($20) - spend $20 on Lush's Charity Pot hand and body cream, and 100% of proceeds (minus taxes) goes to support animal, humanitarian, and environmental foundations

7. Adopt a Polar Bear ($25) - www.worldwildlife.org offers symbolic adoptions of 100 species, and 82 cents of every dollar goes toward conservation

The article suggested reading How to be an Everyday Philanthropist by Nicole Bouchard Boles, to find more ideas on low- and no-cost ways to make a difference.

Kid Soup for Dinner

If you saw my facebook post from last night, you’ll know that Zach was pretty cute. (“Best.Christmas.Ever…Family Time,” etc.)

Today, not so much.

We were outside preparing to put up Christmas lights, when I looked over to discover him proudly grinning at me from the neighbor’s driveway. He was still standing in front of the neighbor’s Beemer. Olivia had since moved on. They had both spattered the car with red-dirt mudballs. On all sides of the car. The red dirt was dug up from the augmented “driveway” the neighbors put in. It’s full of little pebbles.

&*%$!

So, the kids went to their rooms, for quite a long while, while I hosed down the car and washed it up a bit. Then we loaded into our car to go buy (using money from the kids’ piggy banks) a chamois the kids will present to Rhonda tonight, when they apologize.

Sheesh!

I guess it’s my fault for not watching them closely enough and not having already had the you-should-never-throw-mudballs-at-the-neighbor’s-BMW talk yet.

Who’s coming over for dinner?

Christmas Tree Tips

The day after Thanksgiving, we headed up to Summit County to cut our Christma

Lodgepole Pine

Dillon Ranger District

Fireproofing Your Tree

1. After choosing your tree, get a saw and immediately make a fresh cut at the base of the tree trunk. Try to make a level cut about an inch above the old one.

2. If you need to store your tree, put in a place away from the wind. A garage, patio deck or back porch work well.

3. After you've made a fresh cut on the trunk, mix up the ingredients for the fireproofing mixture. Fill a 2 gallon bucket to within an inch from the top with hot water from the tap. Then, into the water, add:

• 2 cups Karo Syrup


• 2 oz. liquid Chlorox bleach


• 2 pinches Epsom Salts (from a drug store)


• 1/2 tsp. Boraxo (from the supermarke)


• 1 tsp. Chelated Iron (from the garden shop or plant store)


• Let the tree stand in this bucket of ingredients until you're ready to bring it indoors.

4. When you've set it indoors, fill the reservoir twice a day with remaining mixture, every morning and every night before bedtime! Now your tree will be fireproofed!

How does it work?

The Karo syrup provides the sugar which allows he tree to soak up enormous amounts of water. Without the sugar, only the smallest amounts of water are absorbed. You can expect the tree to soak up 1 1/2 gallons of the recipe during the 10 to 14 day period your tree is up.

The Boron (in the Boraxo) makes the water and sugar move to every needle of your tree. Boron does this not only in trees, b ut in vegetables, fruits, and even house plants.

Then, there's the Epsom Salts and the Chelated Iron. Epsom Salt is magnesium sulphate, and this, together with the iron, provides the center molecules in the process we know as chlorophyll production. This ensures green needles.

The Chlorine bleach stops a mold from forming when water and sugar stand for a period of time.

Olivvy-isms, another one

From 10-13-09

As we were driving by the Sheraton Denver West, Zach said, "The middle [building]'s where you got married, right?"

Me, thinking, close enough. It was where we had our reception. "Yes."

Olivia, "Me meh-y you, Mahm." Translation: I'm going to marry you, Mom.

Ah, I'll have to treasure that because it's not going to be long that she'll want to have me as her life partner. :)

Olivvy-isms

A couple from today:

After Zach said, "When I'm 21, I'm gonna drive a MONSTER TRUCK!"
Olivia said, in the teeny voice she uses to be cute, "When me wenty-wahn, me dive a (in an especially high voice) bee-bee monstah tuck."

At lunch, pulling a cloth napkin over her head and fastening it below her chin: "Me Leetle Bo Peenk!"

Obviously, we need to continue working on personal pronoun use. I need to work on recording her words, too. She is pretty darn cute!

Oh, I remember a couple of others:

Talking to Daddy on the phone one night after she should have been asleep, in response to Daddy's inquiry of, "Are you going to have sweet dreams?" Olivia answered, "No! Ine makin cookies."
*If only there were a way to share the inflections in their voices, too.

And this is almost every night he comes home from work, but maybe slightly more enthousiastically when he's been gone on a trip, "Dahddee!!!! I weely missed you soo much!!!!"
*I sometimes consider leaving the kids for a few hours, just so I can experience the 'welcome homes' he gets!