HDH – Happy (Belated) Birthday, Henry!!!

Happy SECOND Birthday, Henry!!!

(Ok, this is a little late, but the sentiment is still the same!)

I am sorry I didn't post on your birthday little dude but between the Zoo, party, family, cake, presents and LOTS of fun...there was no time!!!  :)

Oh Henry.

My sweet, funny, highly independent, caring, wild child…..where has the time gone?!?!

Happy Anniversary!!

Today marks my husband and my seven year wedding anniversary! 

Hey Terry, remember that one time we got married?!?!  Yeah, that was cool.

I guess at 7 years of marriage you are suppose to start getting the itch, well at least that is what I have heard a number of times today.  Thank goodness, Terry, you have never given me an itch and I don’t foresee receiving an itch because of you anytime in the future…..and if I do we may need to talk and get a cream!! ;-)

As I was looking for pictures to print and give you in place of spending $5 on a card I found this. 

OK first, let’s be real.  I love you but $5 on a card is ridiculous so it is either make my own or get a 99 cent one with a kitten in a bucket and inside it says “You are purrrrr-fect”.  OK, that would totally be worth 99 cents!

Anywho…I found this picture and thought of you. 

But it didn’t seem complete, so I decided to add to it:

Love is walking hand in hand.

True love is walking hand in hand even when the other person’s hands are really sweaty and gross.

Real love is telling them their hands are sweaty and gross and refusing to hold their hand until they wash up.

Terry….we totally have REAL love!! ;-)

Happy Anniversary! 

P.S. This counts as your card and gift so enjoy it! 

And so you don't think I don't care about my husband, I have written nice anniversary posts HERE, poetic post HERE, week after having baby post HERE, and short and sweet post HERE....see, I can only be nice so long!! ;-)

And So It Begins……Selling Stuff For Your Kids (Not to be Confused with Selling Your Kids for Stuff)

Today when I dropped Henry off at school (which ended up going so smoothly, I think we are getting this down….YAY!) I was greeted by a series of forms in his cubby.  Since he only goes one day a week, I am use to this and the sheets are usually just miscellaneous things we throw away.  As I left I skimmed through to see a magazine from the library, a flyer from a portrait company, and a Little Caesars fundraiser form?!!

Yep.  So it begins. 

My name is Jenn and I have a kid in “school” which means, like every other parent out there, I now fall into the category of annoying parent selling overpriced items on behalf of their kids to raise money for their school.

Sigh.

Now don’t get me wrong, I know this is a fundraiser and to help raise money for his daycare and it is a small daycare and I am MORE than happy to sell.  But for me, I am not a fan of asking others to buy things from me.  (One reason I am not selling Tastefully Simple anymore!!)

I actually worked at the Kidney Foundation for a year and a half right out of college and it was event planning and fundraising.  I hated asking people/companies for things.  It just makes me uncomfortable and it is not in my nature.  I think I am more like “No, you don’t want to donate 1000 plates?!?!  Oh, that is OK, I will just buy them and for way more than they are worth….i am sorry for the inconvenience.”  Obviously you can tell why this job and I didn’t work out.

Yeah, I have pushover written all over me when I ask for stuff, especially from strangers.  And asking friends or family makes me even more uncomfortable. 

But now I am a parent.  I understand it is good for his school, and when he gets older HE can go around and ask people.  But right now, I am the mom who gets to bring the form into work and make a sign to put in the kitchen area and feel all uncomfortable about it.  Infact today someone asked me and I said, “well the cost for 3 pizzas in a kit is $19 but you can get 3 hot and ready for $15.” 

JENN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!  THAT IS NOT HOW YOU SELL STUFF!!  Ugh.

Unless no one sells more than 4 kits I think we are out of getting a week’s worth of free tuition for Henry….sorry buddy!

Mom and Dad….I am also sorry for making you sell all those chocolate bars for so many years while I was in school!!!

So do you sell things for your kids school?!  Do you feel as awkward as I do about it or do you embrace it and go door to door and sell?!?!  

I wish I was comfortable enough going door to door but I would have major anxiety doing that....though if I was forced to, I would do it for Henry.  But only Henry!

This and That

I haven’t been blogging much the past couple weeks and I have to say part of the reason is the past couple weeks have just been FULL of emotions.  Good, bad, scary, frustrated….all of them! So here is my This and That - Emotion Edition.  

P.S. This is probably the most random, unorganized, wordy post I have written!  My mind is just everywhere and out of control!!

1. Excitement coupled with a hint of sadness: My son turned TWO this weekend.  Sigh.  Leading up to this I was excited but sad.  The idea of two has been harder, he will always be MY baby but he is no longer A baby.  But the day came and went and as I rocked my two year old to bed Sunday night he cuddled up to me and held my hand and we sang our song like we do every night.  I loved this so much.  I think Henry is going to let me ease into this two year old thing…..and I can handle that.  Birthday post and pictures coming soon to a blog near you!!  

2. Joy: “Boppy, Baby” I sing this song (in henry’s words) to him every night, while he cuddles up on me and quietly whispers “boppy, boppy baby” along with me. It is Baby of Mine from Dumbo. See HERE.  I tear up nearly every night singing it to him.  I love this time, our time together.  No one else, just me and my son singing together.  So much joy.

3. Fear: We went to the ER a couple weeks ago because Henry had croup.  It started when we were awaken at 3:15 in the morning to him making a noise, sort of convulsing and when we picked him up he had puked everywhere and was just very lethargic and non-responsive.  He also had a very high fever.  That was the most scared I have EVER been. My stomach still turns thinking about it.  After an hour of getting him fluids and awake and cleaned up we took him to the ER.  Of course by the time we got there he was walking around, talking and didn’t even look or act sick. He got a steroid and by the next day started feeling better! But those moments....scary.

4. Anticipation: I am listening to Christmas music already and getting so excited for not only Christmas but FALL.  I feel like I am jumping out of my skin with excitement for fall, pumpkins, thanksgiving, Christmas…everything!

5. Frustration: The terrible twos have made their way into our house and it has come in the form of extreme independence and not listening. 

I feel like this is the only thing I say anymore:

Henry, NO.  Put that down! NO, Get away from that! DON’T touch that!! You will get hurt!  Don’t stand on that!  Don’t put that up your nose/in your ear! Henry, STOP IT!!!

To which his verbal response to me is usually: holds out hand in the stop motion “STOP IT” or “No Means No” or “No, Go!”. And most of the time continues with what he was doing.

I feel like in his mind when I am saying NO to him he is thinking:

What this, you don’t want me to touch THIS?!  This thing in my hand that is not a toy, I should put it down?!  You are not being very clear, do you want me to put THIS down or did you say put it in my mouth?!  So to summarize, I am putting this in my mouth like you wanted, right?!  Oh no, I am suppose to put this down…gotcha.  Ok, I will put this down in the microwave and turn the microwave on.  Great, I am glad we talked this through.

Now I have to give credit where credit is due and in some ways he is actually a very good listener.  He will hold my hand in the parking lot and around cars and is VERY good with routines.  It is mostly at home where he just feels he can do whatever he wants and get into everything or in places that there is just a lot to get into to, like a store.

And on top of that, everything, and I mean EV.ER.Y.THING. IS….NO.  ME. I DO IT. NO. MEMEMEMEME.  He basically thinks he is an adult and can do whatever we do.  Even grab a pot holder and open the oven (not on folks!) and pull out the tray.  Two time outs yesterday for that alone.

Sigh.  There is this constant battle between letting him be independent and teaching limitations.  It can be frustrating for all of us!

6. Confusion: I started couponing a couple weeks ago.  I have done really well a couple shopping trips and saved a lot, and a couple other trips I made a few mistakes and didn’t do as well.  I am still learning, but it has made me more aware of what we are buying and sales out there.  I spend a few hours a week clipping coupons and preparing for sales and it is so confusing and a bit annoying.  But it works and saves money so I am giving it a try.  I will update more in a month or two!

7. Anger: A while back Terry told me I was very angry and if I needed to talk to someone I should.  His words (which were a lot more than just that) hit me, pretty hard and then over the past few months things have happened that really have made me stop and gain perspective.  What is important.  Who is important.  Why am I acting this way.  I have been working to control those anger outbursts and feel like I am more focused on my family and this precious life we have and making moments count…not perfect, just making them count.  Just by stopping, talking a step back, breathing, and putting things into perspective has really helped me not get angry in some situations or AS angry as I used too.  In the sing-songy words of Daniel Tiger’s mom….when you feel so mad that you want to roar, take a deep breath and count to four. 1…2…3….4.  Ok, I will do that! Good bye anger :-)

8. Funny: I have my own sense of humor.  I think I am funny but many times it is a funny that I feel only certain people who know me really get.  With that said, I think it would be hilarious to make a FB page for Henry and post status updates like “Dids you see the last episode of Caillou?!  He got to go on a boat for real!!  Rosey was so scared…what a baby!!” or “Don’t tell my mom, but I hid her keys in the large drink mommy and daddy sit on!  I can’t wait to watch her run around looking for them and then finding them in there!!”  What, no one else thinks that is funny?!?!  I think it is hilarious!!  Coming from the girl who when she had a Myspace account she would post journals written by her cat. So…..

So there you go.  That is what I have been thinking about the past few weeks and what is going on in my mind right now.  

What are you up too?!

Talk to Me – Yes Ma’am

So I was just curious, what are your thoughts on getting called Ma’am?  Or in turn, calling others Ma’am?

This question was triggered by a few things. 

I first started thinking about it when I was watching an episode of Tia & Tamera (oh hell yeah I do) and Tia was throwing a fit complaining that she was called Ma’am. 

Then last week I went and got lunch and as the person handed me my sandwich he said “Here you go Ma’am.”

And then a girl I work with in her early 20’s (oh that age seems so far away) hates that another women older than her in the office calls her ma’am.

And on top of that Terry and I are constantly using Sir and Ma’am when talking to strangers.

It got me thinking, do women take offense to this?  Should only women of a certain age be called Ma’am?  What if it is someone my age? When is it appropriate vs not appropriate?

I can’t imagine men get offended being called Sir no matter what age, so why does it seem different for women?

What is the dealio – yo?!

Isn’t it just a term of respect you use when addressing other women?  That is what I was always taught.  Why has this turned into such a touchy word to be on the receiving end of?

I personally was not offended when I was called Ma’am at lunch, I thought it was very polite.  But I am not going to lie; there was a part of me that felt older.  And well, no one wants to feel older. But is it because I already had it on my mind from watching that episode that triggered it or was it my own thought of feeling old?!

I mean, IS THAT IT?!?!  We feel old when we are called Ma’am because that is how we have addressed adults when we were kids or how we address people older than us?!  And like I said, after a certain age we never want to feel older.

Definition of ma’am: Used as a form of polite address for a woman; short for madam: used as a title of respect, esp for female royalty

I like to consider myself a princess (that's for you mom & dad), so I shall be OK being called ma’am.  Well unless it is by some gorgeous 20 year old with perky boobs and great hair and she says it to me all valley girl like….then I will punch her (in my mind of course).

What are your thoughts? YAY or NAH on the Ma’am?!

Words.

So I wrote a post exactly three months to the day (HERE) about how Henry wasn’t speaking much and was SO angry and how the frustration for everyone in the house was at a breaking point.   And like all children do, the minute I say something publicly he then does the opposite of what I say to make me a liar.  :-)  

Of course he did!  

Meaning, he started talking more right after I wrote that post.  Specifically, about a month after that post while we were on vacation his attitude changed and he started communicating more.  He still didn’t have a huge vocabulary, but he added a few new words and it seemed to make all the difference in how he communicated with us and his overall attitude. 

Then this past month, his vocabulary has been off the hook!!  Seriously, almost every other day he is learning a new word or saying a new sound!!  He has actually been trying to say and learn new words.  He is learning different sounds, watching how we speak and trying to imitate the way we speak and how we say it.

AWESOME! (I am sure he will learn this word next)

For instance, he learned to say truck and that triggered stuck, cook, book, work, & yuck.

Right now he seems to be learning words similar to jump, stop, help…..Basically words that make sounds similar to all or parts of those words.

His list has grown.  They say by two they should know 75-200** words and phrases.  Henry is still nowhere near that and on the low end, but honestly I really don’t care.  He is getting it at his own pace and the most important thing is he IS getting it! At this point, we are not even close to worried about his words.

He also has been doing lots of word association.  For example, he may not be able to say phone but he will point to ours when you show him a flashcard of the phone and then hold his hand up to his ear and say something, like he is trying to say it or talking on the phone.  BRAVO!!  He does this with everything, even if I show him a giraffe he will point to his room because his giraffe is up there or go find his giraffe. 

He is trying to count but cant say one, two, basically makes the sounds that emulate the one and two rhythm of counting.  Same with the alphabet.  He can say some letters a, e, o…but follows the rhythmic sound of saying the alphabet.

I think the thing that really caught us off guard was a month ago I hear him "singing" and saying what sounds like "baa baa" and "twinkle".  I started singing baa baa black sheep and twinkle twinkle little star and he just beamed with a smile like...you got it mom, you understood me!!  I asked his teacher if they were learning that at school and she said yes but since he only goes one day a week he has only heard those songs twice!  And he was already singing it home. Come on, that is fantastic!!

So basically, Henry is just talking up a storm right now and really trying to say more.  I mean nearly every other day Terry & I are asking each other “so, did you know/hear him say XXXX?”  It is really cool to get to hear and watch!

Way to go little buddy!!  We are SO proud of you!!

...

This list below is mainly for my reference and I am sure I am missing a few, but these are most of the words he knows.  I would say half of these have all been learned in the last 4-6 weeks!!!

Mommy, Daddy, Jeremy (Jeremy is so random because he has only met this person twice and he just started saying his name!!)

Work

Dads at work, moms at work

Train – choo choo

Truck or trucky

Drink or drinky

Cat

Dog

Home

I did it

I do it

I get it

I didn’t do it/get it

Jump

Cook

Mommy cook :-)

Help

Dad no help ;-)

Out

NO!!!!

Stop it (probably the cutest and most annoying thing he says!!)

All Gone

All Done

Baby

Book

Baby

Car

Hello/Hi

Night Mom

Hat

Love

Yes

Go

Yuck

Chomp

Roar

Ok

Down

Here/There

Shhhhhhh

Baa Baa
Stuck

Trying and almost has: shoe, thank you, milk, bye, eye, bed, eat

Unfortunately/fortunately he still signs please and more.

**Update: I read some other sights and I guess they should say 50-75 and understand 75-200 by two.  That sounds more reasonable for a two year old!

Twenty Days

In twenty days my sweet little boy turns two.

You guys, he will be TWO!!

Sigh.

In some ways I already see him as two.  This weekend we were talking about his age and someone mentioned him being one, and I had to stop and think about that.  I forgot he is still ONE!  He looks and seems SO much older than that. 

But on the other hand, I am having a harder time with him turning two then I did when he turned one.  I totally loved and embraced him turning one.  It was a relief in some ways and I still had my baby when he turned one.  But two, well even though he will always be my “baby” figuratively, he is no longer a baby.  He is a little boy.  A little boy with this booming personality and growing independence and he is becoming his own person, the person he will be for the rest of his life!!! 

Ok, perhaps a bit dramatic….but still, it is just crazy to me to get to see and think about and the fact that he will be two and is now this little toddler with his own thoughts and feelings and personality.  He no longer LOOKS like a baby.  He no longer ACTS like a baby.  I mean, last week he told me to "STOP" and held out his hand and I was not allowed in the bathroom to help him wash his hands.  He HAD to do it by himself while I watched in the distance.  What’s next, I will be asked to walk 20 steps behind him in public?!?!

....

This child who makes me laugh EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

This child who is as sweet as can be.

Feeding his monkey...he loves his stuffed animals.

 Holding my hand.

This child who always wants to be on me or cuddling me.

This child who is so cool.

This child who is so silly.

This child who loves to explore.

This child who is a total techy.

This child who is independent.

This child who just does his own thang.

 His hand in a cup of water while he watches TV. Uh, why not?!

This child who is SO big.

This child who just makes my heart so full.

This child will be TWO in three weeks.

SIGH.

Happy Birthday, Kylee!!

On this special day, I wanted to wish you a VERY Happy Birthday!

I have said all this before and I will say it again and again and again, because well it is a straight up FACT!!! (seriously, it is on the internet so it has to be true.)  

You are one of the most beautiful people I know…and this is on the inside and out.  You are so kind and thoughtful. You are a truly inspiring person without even trying and by just being yourself.  You make everyone around you feel special and are one of the most compassionate people I know, always being there for your friends to offer encouraging words or huge laughs.  (and one of the best laughs at that!)

You are a true friend and there is no denying that you are also an incredible mother, a loving wife, sister and daughter, and an overall remarkable person. I feel so lucky to call you my friend!

So basically the thing is, twopretzels, you are AWESOME and I wish you only the happiest of birthdays!

And since I can’t hug you, I am sending a HUGE hug to you.  You should receive it in approximately 4-6 weeks. ;-)

Love you!

Kids – Keeping It Real

So last night I came home from work and Terry and Henry were upstairs.  After our initial hugs and greetings Henry and I found ourselves in my bedroom so I could change out of my work clothes. (FACT: If I am not out of my work clothes in less than 8 minutes from getting home my work clothes disintegrate off me.)

Well Henry climbed in our bed and wanted me to lay down with him under the covers.  I couldn’t pass up the offer.  So we laid there and I asked him about his day and he told me all about it, to which I understood approximately 12% of what he said.

He got really really close to me with his head on a pillow and mine on one as well and we shared such a sweet conversation.

He then looks at me and says:

H.: “Mommy?”

Me: “Yes buddy.”

H: Totally unrecognizable gibberish

And then he points at my nose and says…

H: “ucks!  Mommy ucks here!”

He then tries (I stop him!) to put his finger IN my nose to get out the ucks.

(Insert laughter from both of us)

Thank you my wonderful child for pointing out the fact that I have yucks in my nose.  I appreciate it.  

Also, please let me know if I have anything in my teeth, on my face, or if I have a funk about me.  Yep.  That would be great.  ;-)

Ahhhh, kids….keeping it real!!!

NEEDED.

So last Thursday I took the day off.  I didn’t have anything special planned.  No, actually I took the day off because Henry was in school and Terry was working and I wanted to clean….you know since cleaning has been lacking the past few months.

It is probably a tad weird to WANT to take a day off just to clean.  I mean, really, how lame is that?!

But folks it was NEEDED.

And I don’t just mean for the house (though it was really really needed for the house) but I also mean for ME.

Explain, you ask?!

Well it is a good thing I have this blog….so let me ‘splain.

The thing is, I don’t think since Henry was born I have had an entire day ALONE.

Nope. 

And it is not just meaning away from Henry, but anyone really.  YES, it is true.  I need time away from my husband and child and friends.

I needed time to myself. 

So you know what, I took time for ME. 

But as I sit around the house most evenings, I didn’t want to take a day off to just sit around.  I wanted to DO stuff.  Feel accomplished.  Do the things that I am always complaining that I don’t have time to do.

So it started like a normal Thursday and I got up at 6am to get Henry ready and off to school.  I am learning that if I don’t want him to cry I have to drop him off after 7:30am because the kids are in the gym or outside playing and after some squeeze hugs he is ready to go play.  If it is before 7:30, then bring on the extreme tears from henry and extreme guilt for mom!  No fun for anyone.

So hoping I could prevent a breakdown and mom guilt on my day off I dropped him off at 7:35 and he went right outside, waving at me as I left.  PERFECT.  I then headed to Starbucks to get a venti-iced non-fat vanilla latte (yum) and tim hortons to get a breakfast bagel sandwich. 

I came home and sat down at the table and checked my email and had breakfast.  Funny thing was at first I was rushing to eat.  Do any of you parents do that?!  I have a post on that coming….eating once you have a kid.  Annoying.  So I slowed myself down and ENJOYED my breakfast and the quiet.

I then turned on my music really loud, got into my cleaning clothes, opened EVERY window in the house because it was a perfect day and not too hot (seriously, how awesome has this summer been!!!) and proceeded to clean the house.

I  took before pictures of the house on our real camera and as I probably wont get around to putting those on my computer for 7 months, I am using this photo I posted a couple months ago because this is pretty much our house 90% of the time. Sigh.

 This is my truth....our house is a constant mess.  

I think that is what people are saying these days :-)

So I picked things up and got down to business.

We had an old vacuum that I think did nothing more than push the dirt around as it pretended to clean.  Heaven forbid there was a cheerio or something on the carpet (which there always is) because the vacuum would refuse to suck it up.  We probably needed a new vacuum 3 years ago.  We finally got a new, reasonably priced one last week.  With the very first sweep I was in love!!

I could actually SEE it pick up the cat hair, dust and dirt.  I could see our beige/brown circa 1982 carpet!  AMAZING.

I swept the entire house and then it was time for the big guns.  The carpet cleaner.

 Hello lovelies! 

We own one, but only have used it when we bought the house (nearly 7 years ago) and the summer before Henry was born.  It was needed.

Folks….the result was gross.  Absolutely disgusting.  This was in our house.

 Ew.

You just don’t realize how much dirt and dust gets stuck in your carpet….especially with a vacuum that doesn’t vacuum!!

3 ½ hours later the entire house was vacuumed and the downstairs carpets cleaned and I was sore but feeling accomplished!!

 Me carpet cleaning from the rocker...not a bad way to clean :-)

I then took a break and enjoyed lunch where I could sit down and eat at my own pace and without dirty little fingers trying to steal my food.  And I watched the very first episode of the Real Housewives of OC and didn’t have to worry about having to explain why to my husband or getting judgmental looks from him or have to worry about content for Henry.

I then straightened up toys, clothes and cleaned the shower and then was the FIRST to take a nice long, uninterrupted shower in a clean shower. Lovely.

I then headed to Hobby Lobby and Walmart to get pictures printed and frames and before I knew it, it was 4:30 and time to go get Henry.

And I have to admit, when I drove over to get Henry I was excited to see him!

I wasn’t drained from annoying things at work.  I wasn’t tired from sitting all day.  I wasn’t worn-out at yelling at a kid who wouldn’t listen.  I wasn’t exhausted from just the mental stress of a normal day.

Nope.  I was none of those things.

Yes, I was tired from a busy day but I felt accomplished and refreshed and ready to see my family.  And really, what is better than after a day to yourself and seeing this face?!  The answer…nothing.

I know I will take off days to spend with my family or go to doctors appointments or take care of a sick kid or just random errands that have to be done during working hours.  But to take some time for ME is rare.  But I think I need to start doing this more.  I need to remember ME.  I need to remember that if I don’t take care of myself, mentally and physically, it just won’t be good for anyone.

So do you take time for yourself?  ALONE.  What do you do during your ME time?

Grab Your Popcorn, This Movie is for Real!!

I am not going to lie, movies made by the Sci-Fi channel (I still hate that it is Sy-fy so I am not calling it that) are pretty awesome.  Mediocre acting, a plot that is not in the realm of possibility, and some form of an animal (or combination of animals like in the thrilling 2010 Sharktopus) that is just huge and pissed off!!  What is not to love?!

Last month Sci-Fi scored big with their hit Sharknado.  Even heard something about it on NPR.

Well following in the steps of, what I can only guess was an Oscar worthy movie, Sci-Fi has done it again with the new movie Ghost Shark!!

The premise.  “A great white shark is tortured and killed by a fisherman, then returns from the dead, exacting vengeance on all humans.” Yeah, it is a shark.  That comes back from the dead.  As a GHOST.  To kill people.  

I mean, really.  Does it get more genius than that.  I think not.

See the trailer HERE.  

No really....GO NOW!!  

I will wait.......

I know, right?!?! AWESOME!

Did you see the girl washing the car and the shark came from that tiny bucket?!?!  Who knew?!

Screw a classic like Jaws.  Sci-Fi is taking the shark movie to a whole new level.

I for one know what I will be doing on August 22nd.

I smell flop Oscar!!!

Who ya gonna call?!?!

Pinterest FAIL – Recipe Review (And Cooking with a Toddler)

Recently I have had a few successes with Pinterest recipes.  I tried these spinach and feta mini frittatas. Um, delicious!  And I tried spinachlasagna roll-ups. Awesome!  Also, I seem to like spinach.

I found this recipe HERE for white chicken enchiladas.  Now from the start I wasn’t sure, but it seemed quick and easy and was chicken and cheese so I felt Henry would love it and it would be a perfect quick dinner.  Plus it had lots of great reviews.

So the other night I tried it.  Now, normally I prefer cooking alone.  I turn on music and relax and enjoy cooking.  But this day I made the mistake of cooking this quick dinner while Henry ate his dinner.  So cooking was FAR from relaxing. 

Why you ask?! 

Well let me just get off topic for a moment and tell you.

(Now I do try to include Henry in the cooking process.  But this recipe really didn't have much he could "help with".  No stirring or cleaning veggies.  He was mad he couldn't help and partly, along with boredom, why I think ciaos ensued.)

Henry ate well at first, but when he starts getting full and is done he does what any kid would do and finds ways to entertain himself.  Apparently this dish wasn’t fast enough because he was bored.

First, Henry decided to start feeding the cats his dinner.  Then when the cats came near him he screamed. Then don’t feed the damn cats!!! 

Then he proceeded to put his mac and cheese IN his cup of milk and drink it that way.  I should have taken the cup away right then, but I was in the middle of rolling enchiladas and just wanted to get done.  Then he proceeds to dump all the contents of his cup onto his tray and splash. SERIOUSLY DUDE?!  Goodbye cup & tray. 

THEN after I took everything but a handful of mac and cheese away and am pouring the sauce over dinner I hear it.  Nothing.  Silence. I turn around and there is Henry messing with his nose and making a face.  “Henry…what are you doing?!?!  WHAT?!  Is that mac and cheese up your nose?!?!  WE DO NOT PUT THINGS UP OUR NOSE!!!” I pull the mac and cheese from his nose, throw the stupid dish in the oven and clean up the food and milk ALL over the kitchen (between his mess and mine).

I fear this recipe was just doomed from the start.

Ok, back to the recipe.  I mean really…can you tell I don’t even want to talk about it and am less than enthused by this recipe. I didn’t even take a picture of it.

Was it quick and easy to make? Under different circumstances – YES.

BUT, while it tasted OK….it just tasted OK and texturally I was not pleased.

Here is what I didn’t like:

1. The dish was white.  All white.  I like a little color in my food! Maybe some spinach?!

2. It was all the same consistency.  You have the soft flour tortillas and pour the sauce over and bake it and nothing crisps up.  It is just a soft, floppy dish. (hate when that happens)

3. Lacked flavor.  You add a can of green chilies in there and though I made some of the sauce without the green chilies for Henry, he could have eaten with the chilies.  No heat and the whole thing was bland.  It need more flavor.

4. The enchiladas had chicken and cheese.  I think they needed more.  Onion, peppers, veggies, something.  I know traditionally enchiladas are just a meat and cheese or beans and cheese or just cheese.  But these were not traditional and when I am making them at home and they are not authentic from a restaurant I want more in there.  It is the perfect way to sneak in veggies. 

What I would do differently:

1. I would not put the sauce on the enchiladas to bake.  The sauce wasn’t bad, but it was too rich for me to smother over everything.  I would make it to put on the side and I would either add more chilies or hot sauce or jalapeño.

2. Would add some spinach, sautéed onions, and garlic (maybe red bell pepper) inside with the chicken.

3. I would bake them so they crisp up.  Sort of like in this recipe HERE. 

4. I would top them with the sauce, cheese and shredded lettuce and tomato for freshness and more crunch.

I know, I know.  I am basically no longer making enchiladas.  Perhaps I just don’t like enchiladas as much as I thought!!  So maybe this recipe is actually awesome (no it isn’t) and that is why I didn’t like it.

Overall, I would definitely make a variation of the recipe and sauce but not this recipe as is.  I would also do it alone, preferably with a margarita. (hey!)  

On to my next Pinterest recipe!!  Do you have any that have been successes or failures?!?! How about cooking with a toddler...do you do it?!  

I ended up not even feeding it to Henry because I just felt the sauce was too rich for his stomach.

This and That Monday

* I strongly dislike Mondays.  That is it.

* New Blog - A Must Read:  My sister has started a fitness blog.  This first post is extremely well written and very relatable.  More than a fitness blog.   Read it HERE.


* At work last week someone brought in these large muffins.  Well I was getting some coffee when a female coworker was walking by and a male co-worker came over and said “wow, those are some muffins”.  My response was “don’t talk about J. like that at work! I am telling HR!” I also wanted to say “why thank you” but thought that would embarrass him even more than what I did say.  I think I probably need to get a filter on me, but when comments like that happen in my presence it is pretty much physically impossible for me to NOT say something!!  Luckily he laughed and thought it was funny and it was only sort of awkward. Now excuse me while I go talk to HR….. ;-)


* I like Kristen Bell. Please do not confuse with Kristen Stewart.  I believe if she met me, we would be friends, you know after my initial bout of awkwardness because that is how I am around people.  She just seems real and fun and this article talking about her post baby body….YES!!  EXACTLY.

“I like my Lincoln Leftovers because they’re proof I did something extraordinary. I gave life to my new BFF & she gave me a comical amount of midsection skin”.  “I had to surrender to not worrying about the way I looked, how much I weighed, because that’s just part of the journey of having a baby. I am not a woman whose self-worth comes from her dress size.”

Love her.


* Confession. I like to put suntan lotion on my hands or on Henry’s head/face, not for protection but because I like the smell. And I like to smell Henry’s head.


* I have this constant internal struggle with being a working mom, like I am sure every parent has. It has been really bad this summer due to the fact that Henry is now getting older and does more and I feel like I am missing so much because I work and our crazy schedule.  Because of this I have been trying to do everything possible (within reason and his temperament), whenever we have a hint of free time.  Fair Thursday night, friends Saturday evening, baseball game Sunday.  Last weekend the zoo.  Outside every evening.  If you know me you know I am NOT a social person, but for Henry/family time I am and I am ignoring my own fears and insecurities.  It has been emotional, but I am trying to soak up every opportunity I can with him and try not to miss more than I am or think I am.   It is funny the ways kids change you.


* Because of the previous point above, cleaning of the house has been….er….not something I have kept up on.  Guess something has to give…


* My son turns two in about 5 weeks. HOLY SHIT.


* THIS is AWESOME.

* We went to the first Mud Hens game with Henry.  Except for the trying to fold himself up in the chair, trying to hand out flyers to the people in front of us, wanting to go on the field to get a ball, and screaming every time we made him walk it was pretty fun!  He clapped when everyone clapped (so cute), danced a bit, and enjoyed some baseball food!  It was fun to get out of the house as a family for a free baseball game, even if we only got to watch 3.5 innings :-)  He really is such a goof!

Checking baseball STATS.

 What IS this face?!?!?!

Again, every picture he makes this face. Henry, not Terry :-)

Hope you have a good week!!!

Get. In. My. Belly!!! Lasagna Roll-Up Recipe & Review

Yes, I AM quoting a movie from 1999! HOLLA!

I love lasagna.  To me, it is probably one of my Top 5 favorite meals.  Of course, lasagna isn’t always healthy plus it takes awhile to make and can get expensive.  The lasagna I make is AWESOME but it requires me to make a meat sauce, and then layer what turns into a 10 pound dish with ricotta, Parmesan, shredded and fresh mozzarella and provolone cheeses.  And then bake for what seems like an eternity. Seriously, it is amazing but can get pretty pricey with the cheeses and takes awhile to prepare and cook.  I make this lasagna maybe once or twice a year just because, really who has the time?!?!

But again, I love lasagna so I have been searching for variations that are less expensive and quicker to make.  I have seen recipes for Lasagna cupcakes HERE but they move away from the lasagna noodles all-together and use wonton wrappers.  Sounds good, but not the same when you are looking for a quick version of lasagna.

And then I found this, Lasagna Roll Ups!!

Recipe HERE or below.

Talk to Me – Letting Your Kids (Sort of) Be Free in Public

Let’s talk shopping/going to public places with a near two year old, shall we.

Preface: See the silliness, sweetness and innocence in this picture?!?! Well DON’T BE FOOLED!!!

Ok, Henry actually IS a very sweet boy.  Loves to snuggle, give out hugs and kisses, he always has a stuffed animal to squeeze on, wants to help around the house and do EVERY chore we do.  Seriously, a sweet boy.

However, he is also extremely ornery and full of energy and wants to get into EVERYTHING.

There is NO slowing down for this child.

And all this energy is now combined with a new sense of independence and eagerness to do everything on HIS own.

That brings me to my story.

...

So a week ago we went to the grocery store.  We went to put Henry in the cart and he was NOT having it.  Terry and I were trying to reason, then force, then bribe him to sit down in the cart but all was to no avail and ended with a 34 pound toddler clutching to me and screaming. 

The boy wanted to walk.

So walk it was.

I was a bit nervous at first.  I didn’t want us to be those parents with a near two year old running around the store, bumping into people, or grabbing everything off the shelf.  The visions of what could transpire scared me but as we had about a cup of milk, week old pasta, and random condiments in our fridge a shopping trip was necessary so we ventured on with a toddler “leading” the way.

We told him he HAD to hold onto the side of the cart and one of our hands and he could only take stuff off the shelf if we told him too.

And folks, he did.

Ok, ok….there was a slight distraction in the frozen food section with the rows of doors to open and all that cold stuff. AND in the cheese section where he went down the line and literally threw one of everything into the cart while Terry and I put them all mostly back.  (But it is cheese, so who can blame him.)

But overall he did REALLY well!  I mean really well...I was truly impressed and proud of him!!

And at one point, when his little legs needed a break, he asked to go in the cart.

Uh, YES you can go into the cart!!

So the last 15 minutes of the trip he was contained.  Awesome.

Now of course my fear is that he is going to want to keep doing this, being free to roam the store. 

I know, I know…..we started it. 

If both of us go it shouldn’t be an issue, but with one it just wouldn’t work as someone needs to keep their eye on and a firm grasp on that sneaky kid while the other shops.  Seriously, would NOT feel comfortable letting him roam with just me and him in a busy store.  I feel safer when he is in the cart.

And the same thing happened this weekend at the Zoo.  He was OK riding in his stroller at first and when he ate his snack, but soon the boy wanted to walk.  And honestly, we wanted him to walk…the purpose of a trip to the zoo is to get him tired for bed!  Can I get an amen, parents?!?!  

And he did pretty well.  There were only a couple times of fighting the hand holding, walking infront of someone, or asking to be picked up (which was not an option…ride or walk little dude) but overall he did well…..and fell asleep early at bedtime! Win, Win for everyone!

But now that he is exerting his independence more, it is becoming increasingly harder and more frustrating to keep him contained.  I know, we are the parents and we have the control.  But as you all know, when a kid is screaming/crying and fighting to not do something they don’t want to do that child suddenly turns into a baby hulk with extreme strength and supernatural like powers!!! 

And while we don’t give in all the time or very much, I feel like sometimes we also have to let them prove to us what they are capable and not capable of doing.  I know I am guilty of either thinking he is ready to do something when he is not or thinking he isn’t ready to do something and it turns out he is.  Three months ago, he was not capable or even willing to walk around on his own while also listening to us.  Now, he is.

The fact remains, he listened to us in both these situations.  He held our hand and thoroughly enjoyed being a “big boy” and helping us out and exploring.  Oh how he loves to help.  Had he not listened, he would be in the cart (or stroller) screaming or one of us would take him to the car.

Moving forward, I don’t know what to expect with him when we are at the store or out in a public setting.  Will he mind riding in the cart/stroller or want to walk?!  Will he be mad to be contained or mad that he has to walk?  Toddlers are totally unpredictable and just time bombs ready to go off at any moment because of any factor!!  I know that each outing could be different with different results.  The thing is I want him to be able to be independent and I also want him to learn how he is suppose to act in public, which includes learning our rules and boundaries that we have 

So let me ask you this, how do you handle your toddler in public places?  Do they always need to be contained/restrained in a cart or stroller?  Do you let them walk with you?  What are your rules? What do you do if they are fighting whatever situation you have them in?

And in all seriousness, what are your thoughts about a child on a leash?!?!

This still cracks me up!!  

P.S. the boy can unclip the seat belt in the cart and stroller. (I can hardly do that!) so even when we get him in, he can decide when to get out. Sigh.