Hot Wheel Hacienda

Where We've Been

2012-01-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

For the handful of folks wondering, no, we have not joined the Witness Protection Program. In between basketball, swimming, laundry, and other boy-wrangling, I'm writing over at the parenting blog Rocket City Mom and posting about our adventures on my Facebook page. Posting here seems redundant but I've got to do better, guilt-free blogging or not.

Quickie updates:

Finn is playing basketball for the third time and got his first triple-double during a game. He's learning to read and we are really enjoying his new school. His favorite Christmas gift was a scooter. He loves telling jokes, Legos, Mario Cart, and jigsaw puzzles. He's currently working on the 550 piece kind.

Eli was visited by the Tooth Fairy three times this month and is a snaggle-puss. His favorite gift was a samurai castle, and he's playing basketball for the very first time this year. He really loves swimming and we're anticipating the next set of lessons. He also loves ninjas, (toy) swords of all kinds, and red-headed girls. Try as we might it has been difficult to dissuade him from the latter.

Hotwheel Husband just finished school and is starting on the next degree, all after he gets home from a full day at work. I'm insanely lucky proud of him.

I'm doing this. And this. And helping my sister with her dance studio. And volunteering at the public library, and working on the Madison Street Festival. And some other stuff that would probably bore you.

Happy New Year and Roll Tide.

Diving Boards & Delayed Reactions

2011-06-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

So... hello! I'm so glad I aspire to the guilt-free blogging mentality, or else I would be racked with guilt over how I haven't posted in eons. Let's get caught up shall we?

Bad news first.

On April 27 we huddled in our bathroom, as did countless other Alabamians, while the tornadoes raged outside. We were SO LUCKY that our home only had minor cosmetic damage and no one in our family was hurt. Other friends weren't so lucky. Our neighbors are still picking up the pieces of what the storm left, and it's almost two months later. My dear friend Sarah Lena wrote about it here, as did Rocket City Mom.

The boys and Hotwheel Hubs were all home when one of the tornadoes circling overhead swirled past our house, never touching down but causing damage to our house and trees. The sound was pretty scary and this previously storm-fearless girl is a lot more wary when the weather alerts happen now. The laundry list of wind damage:

- snapped our basket ball goal clean in two

- zigzag-bent gutters

- tree fell on our fence & back deck

- tons of shingle & roof damage

- picked up our garbage can and bashed it against the garage door

- 8 out 16 shutters MIA

- cracks in brick mortar

- damage to Hubs' car from loose roof shingles

Some of our neighbors on our street were hit even harder, and this was just a tornado that never touched down! Others mere miles down the road weren't as lucky.

We were at home without power for seven days. Despite the fear and the sadness and the worry, the technology break was nice. We played with our neighbors, visited friends, cooked food on the grill, helped with the recovery effort, and generally reconnected. I still hear people talk about how they were a bit disappointed when the power came back on, but oh-so-happy to take a hot shower.

The boys and I volunteered at the public library a few days after the storm. They were offering free wifi and their entire bank of computers for people to check on their families and make calls to FEMA and insurance companies. Most people just wanted a break, some air conditioning, some books to read. Everyone wanted to talk. It was library therapy. I was so proud of Finn - he reshelved two entire carts of children's picture books that the library had backlogged since the storms - all by himself.

Now on to Happier News.

School Play!

Finn was a Who in his school's production of "Seussical the Musical". A star is born!

Team Sports!

Eli apparently has knack for all things running, kicking, and jumping. Who knew?

VBS and Lost Teeth!

Tooth total: Finn, 5 / Eli, 1

School's out and I'm home with the beastie boys 24/7. Summer has hit us with a vengeance (90+ degrees for over 20 days straight here!) and we're spending lots of time at the pool. Then this happened...

He didn't even TELL me he was going to do this. I looked up and THERE HE WAS, on the diving board!

I've decided this is the "summer of sampling" and we're trying bite-sized versions of swimming, soccer, basketball, Irish step dancing (Finn), martial arts, dance camp, and theater. Then the boys can pick what they like best and we'll do that after school starts. I want them good and exhausted at the end of the day.

I'm also doing some freelance PR & marketing and volunteering around town when I can. Idle hands are boring. And somehow satanic so I've heard. So there's that.

Run for the Hills, Dorothy!

2011-04-15T09:20:00.001-07:00

It's Tornado Season in the South, and the usual springtime severe weather alerts are in full force. Today is no different, and it's spring break to boot, so I pulled out the big guns to entertain Eli and a playmate.

Homemade Play-dough.

It's the easiest stuff in the world to make, and you probably have most of it in your pantry already. Plus it's pretty safe if you have a little one that likes to snack on play-dough.

2 cups flour, any kind will do

2 cups warm water

1 cup salt

1 TBS cream of tartar (for elasticity)

2 TBS vegetable oil

food coloring - I used the liquid kind you use for Easter eggs

fragrant essential oils - totally optional

Mix all of the ingredients except for food coloring & oils o LOW in a pot on the stovetop. Stir gently. It will start to thicken up pretty quickly. When the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot and starts to clump up, you're on the right track. Stir until you reach the desired consistency and it isn't so sticky.

Turn out the hot dough onto a clean surface or mat and let it cool for about 2 minutes, or until it's cool enough to knead. Knead the dough a few minutes until smooth, then divide it up into balls. Make a hole or indentation in the dough ball and drop in a few drops of the food coloring. Fold the dough over and start working in the dye - be careful to not touch the actual liquid dye until it works in a bit or you'll have technicolor hands! Keep adding color until you get the color you want.

Store it in an airtight container. If it dries out a bit, just knead in a few drops of warm water to soften it up. If it gets soggy, just re-heat it a bit and it will firm up.

You can also bake it in the oven to make hardened ornaments and sculpture figures. You can paint them & decorate them too!

Or just use your new play-dough as a disguise to get into fool your friends, rob a bank, or get into the hottest night club.

This LIttle Pig Had Roast Beef

2011-04-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

Last Fall, we were headed home from vacation and had an hour layover at the airport. Finn and I were chatting about various and sundry topics, and we started discussing where food comes from. He knew milk came from cows and eggs came from chicken and bacon came from pigs - all the usual origins of some of his favorite foods. I pressed a little more, curious to see if he knew HOW milk came from cows, eggs from chicken, and bacon from (GULP) pigs.

He was doing fine until he got around to "pigs lay bacon".

Me: "What? No, pigs don't lay bacon..."

Finn: "Yes they do, Mom! Bacon and ham and sausage come from pigs."

Me: "Well... that's true Finn. But pigs don't lay those things. Those things are meat, and meat is made from animals."

Finn: (Pausing) "But how do they make bacon from pigs then?"

Me: (ohnohowdoIsaythiswithouttraumatizinghim?) "Well... the farmer has to kill the pigs and cut them up to get sausage, ham, and bacon."

I decided to take the 100% honesty approach.

Finn: "KILL them? Like with a gun? And they die?"

Me: "Yes."

Finn: blink blink "And they cut them up???"

Me: "Yes."

Finn: ".............. MOM."

He suddenly moves away from me and goes to sit at the very end of the row. I feel terrible. I decide to give him some space.

He didn't speak to me for 20 minutes - three hours in five year-old time.

Me: "So, you OK?"

Finn: "Yes. That's just sad. I don't want to eat pig bacon anymore. I'll just eat hamburgers."

Me: "OK."

I didn't have the heart to tell him. I have a feeling we'll be revisiting this topic when he gets older.

Things I've Learned From "Power Rangers: Samurai" and Other Recent Nuggets of Wisdom

2011-04-14T06:16:00.001-07:00

Sensei: Push a door that was meant to be pulled and you will never get it open. (And by "door" I mean Eli. And by "open" I mean to take a nap.)

The Red Ranger will ALWAYS have the coolest sword.

If mismatched villains who hate each other suddenly start hanging out, something's up.

Sensei: A strong wind can kindle a fire - but it can also uproot a tree.

Interpretation application: I should probably stop cheering so loud on the soccer field. I'm trying to pump Finn up but I think I'm just distracting him. I'm too windy.

Don't have unresolved issues. They will always get used against you, usually by an alien mutant creature with the weather power to make it rain hopelessness.

When going to Disney World with a four and six year-old, don't worry about how bad it looks to push them in stroller at the parks. Just load them in, and GO. You can weave through crowds so much faster and easier. Plus if anyone gets in your way you can ram them.

According to Eli, all redheads at his school are named Ava and are his girlfriend. Note to self: steer clear of redheads in 10 years.

According to Finn, the principal's office isn't really that scary. Plus there's candy on his desk so it's OK if you have to go there. (HEADDESK.)

Eye of the Tiger

2011-02-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

Today was Finn's last basketball game of the season and I'm a little sad. Lots of family came out to watch so there were eight of us cheering from the sidelines, and it was Finn's best game ever. He was hustling, he was guarding, he was going after the ball, and he was dribbling without fear. I think he thrived on having family there.

At the beginning of the season in November, the boy couldn't even dribble and now he has a favorite team (Vanderbilt), favorite player (Jeffery Taylor lives on a poster on his wall), and he watches basketball on television with his Dad willingly.

"Jeffrey Taylor scoring a three pointer for Vandy." by Finn. See the #44?

It seems like the game is just now settling into his brain and then the season had to up and end.

Soccer starts up in a few weeks and Eli is finally old enough to have a go at team sports - they're both playing. This could get really interesting.

Snow Pig Lips

2011-02-10T14:11:00.001-08:00

It's days like this I can't believe I live in the South. This is the THIRD snow with significant accumulation this winter, and school was closed yet again. (And do I spend that time being productive and ticking off things on my lengthy To-Do list? Of course not! I have Internet! And Uno! And Facebook! And video games! And movies! And Valentines!)

The first snow on Christmas Day was Snowmageddon. We got about 4-5 inches and the boys sledded for the first time in the park.

The second snow was Snowpacolypse. Or "Snow Pig Lips" according to the boys. We were out of school for ELEVEN DAYS. We had almost a foot of snow in some places.

This third snow was melted by noon so there's no cute nickname. Or pictures. Because we are all officially SICK of snow. The boys don't even get excited anymore when it starts up again and school closes, something unheard of this far south of the Mason Dixon line. They have no idea how rare this is.

I'm getting anxious for spring - and gardening, and farmer's markets, and tillers, and fresh cut grass. I heard a story on The Splendid Table about urban chicken coops and am contemplating having a few chickens in the yard so we can have some fresh eggs.

But I think that's just the snow talking.

The Other Woman

2011-02-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

We have a new babysitter, and she is beloved.

I don't know what she did to them, but I want some of that.

The Stroller

2010-09-07T18:18:00.000-07:00

Over five years ago, we were shopping for an inexpensive, lightweight stroller to take on a trip to NYC. Hotwheel Hubs had a business trip there, and I had never been before. Neither had Finn, in all of his four months, but he had never been anywhere so he didn't count.

We had a great time. The stroller was perfect - not too bulky, and it had a handy shoulder strap that you could sling across your back when it was folded up. We've put some mileage on that stroller since. The zoo, the botanical gardens, the beach.

Pretty soon, we're taking it somewhere else...

Something tells me this stroller just isn't going to cut it.

And Then There Was None

2010-08-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Well, at least 2 out of 5 days of the week there will be none. Until after lunch. Then there will be one... until 2:30. Then there will be two again. Who can keep up??

Eli started his new preschool today!!!

He celebrated with his brother and his buddy.

He was quite proud of his backpack.

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-09T06:39:00.001-07:00

It's the first day of Kindergarten, and Finn is at least three inches taller than everyone in his class. This morning we had to make "three pancakes with bacon on the side and a scrambled egg on top", just like his favorite Little Critter book.

His buddy/hero, James, came by last week and gave Finn some special lucky charms for school. "Frank" is a Frankenstein Robot charm that Finn put on his backpack.

Eli starts a new preschool class two days a week. Open House is this morning.

Finn had to learn his student number and teacher's name.

In the car line, we had just enough time to drop him off and snap a picture before Finn pulled away and headed inside. He was so excited!

How time does fly...

A Few of Their Favorite Things

2010-08-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

I recently conducted interviews with each beastie boy to record the things they hold most dear at the moment. Their answers were pretty straightforward, and I tried to quote them as much as possible here.

Finn's Favs:

Color - Red

Animal - Cheetah, "because they are so yellow and I can run like one."

Food - Strawberries and cheese pizza

Book - The Wizard of Oz

Song - Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show. We have to sing it to him every night before he goes to sleep.

Hobby - collecting robots of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Holiday - Halloween!

Career Choice - "I love to cook. I want to be a Chef and open 'Finn's Diner' in Disney World."

Super Hero - Link (from Zelda)

Movies - Edward Scissorhands, Howl's Moving Castle, Wizard of Oz, Nightmare Before Christmas

Eli's Favs:

Color - Blue

Animal - Puppies

Food - "Ovals" (deviled eggs - he will eat 7-8 of them at a time. NOT pretty.) Grapes, spaghetti, black olives, supreme pizza, mac & cheese, pad thai, tacos, anything with bacon in it, Berry Berry Kix, mangoes, apples with peanut butter, ravioli, ABC soup, "Ponyo noodles" (ramen with ham), hot dogs, pancakes, chips & salsa.

He's an eater.

Book - Whatever we're reading at the moment. He's not picky when it comes to literature.

Song - Anything White Stripes or ACDC. Especially this song:

Hobby - Dressing up in various & sundry super hero garb. Toy sword collecting... he has 9 at last count.

Holiday - His own birthday, of course!

Career Choice - Ninja

Super Hero - Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Wolverine, Link, Samurai Jack.

TV Show - Samurai Jack. Cancelled schmancelled.

The Quotable Beasties

2010-06-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Eli, holding a large, sharp stick -

"Eyes are for poking."

Conversation in the car -

Me: "Now when we get to tap class, I want you guys to listen to your teacher and not horse around... Deal?"

Finn: "..... Ummm, Mom, I'm going to have to stop making so many deals with you all the time. We have so many deals my head is going to 'splode."

Eli (without hesitation): "Then we'll have to get you a robot head."

Finn: "Oh. Well. OK!"

Finn, to his dance teacher -

"My mom said if we do something hard or if I get tired I can sit down and watch."

(I so did not say that.)

Finn, at least 3 times a week -

"This is the most awesome day EVER!"

Both -

"When can we spend the night with Nana/Papa/Grandmother/Grandaddy/Abby/Anna Grace/Kieran-and-Connery???"

Eli, after watching Finn's tooth fall out -

"I'm not going to get big teeth in my mouth. I'll just keep these little teeth. And all my blood."

Not a quote but an awfully good piece of art -

The boys have spent part of the summer ganging up on me during my morning computer time. They are the warriors and I am the evil monster. Specifically, Medusa with the snake hair and the gaze that turns men to stone.

Portrait of Mom by Finn.

LOVELY.

Winds of Change

2010-06-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

I did something pretty big a few weeks ago. I quit my job.

You know, that Job That Defined Me.

In a nutshell, the situation just wasn't working out anymore - not for me, not for them, not for our budget, and especially not for my family. But I'm proud of the work that I did there, and a part of me will miss it.

So that puts me squarely in a place I never anticipated being - CDG of The Hotwheel Hacienda, SAHMomdom. And DUDE... I am tired. It's only been one little week and I fall into bed and sleep like a dead rock. This new position is about twelve times more physical than my previous one, probably because this is a sample of what we do at 8:00 AM:

I'm not kidding about 8:00 AM...

I'm embracing this new job. There are gardens to tend, a house to organize, pools to swim, cookies to bake, books to read, games to play, skinned knees to smooch, and tears to dry. They are only this little once, and soon enough they will push us away, struggle from our embrace, and retreat to other people and places.

I will stay sane thanks to my husband, my friends, and my derby sisters.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit scared. I've NEVER not been employed, at least not in the past 17 years. I'm banking on staying busy so I can stay out of trouble.

Bring it on.

Summer Planning

2010-04-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Summer is on its way and the Hotwheel Hacienda's residents are making their plans. Finn finishes preschool and we've got him registered for Kindergarden this Fall, while we took a chance and signed Eli up for the local public preschool lottery. We probably won't get in, but will know for sure soon.

We've got a beach trip planned in the next few weeks, swimming lessons, Fantasy Playhouse summer theater classes, and soccer camp. That's in-between trips to the botanical gardens and the usual day-to-day activities, such as taking care of our veggie garden at home. I'm hoping it will be a full summer - since it's the last one before Finn becomes a real student!

In other news, I survived my first roller derby bout as Bettie PageTurner...

Love child of Melville Dewey and Bettie Page, BPT abandoned her kitten heels for roller skates...

She now employs her generous backside via knocking girls down on the track!

The boys were excited to watch my first game.

What do you have going on this summer?

Parumpapumpum... in March

2009-12-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since the last post, and I found a half-finished one from the holidays in my edit box so I'm including it here at the end for prosperity's sake.

In the meantime, here's a bulleted list of what's been happening at the HH the past 3 months:

Finn: registered for Kindergarten (!!!!), obsessed with robots and mad scientists, learning to write ABC's and counting pretty well. Loves to "invent" things. We've been on a Wizard of Oz kick there for a while, but not the movie version. Finn prefers the more grisly version where the Tin Man slings an axe around.

Eli: slowly coming out of the Terrible Three's. Getting less moody and much more talkative. Has a toy sword collection. Loves any and all kinds of super heroes. Eli can be a bit of a brute when it comes to his brother, very much The Heavy. He went to the dentist for the first time in February and loved it because he got to choose a ninja sword out of the toy chest.

Hotwheel Hubs: Poor guy... working hard to keep his head above water. We went to NOLA a few weeks ago for a long weekend without the Beastie Boys and it was great. Thank goodness for Grandparents!

BookMama: Also working during the day, still trying to get scrimmage eligible at roller derby practice, doing various and sundry volunteer work in her (infinite) amount of spare time.

This post started sometime in mid-December...

We've been listening to a lot Christmas music in the mornings on the way to school in hopes of Finn & Eli learning their songs for the school play next week. I threw in some other fun songs to help mix it up, and I think we've heard to this one about 3,429,016 times:

This year, Eli is a Drummer Boy, and Finn is one of the Wise Men, specifically the one with the gold. (He is NOT the one with the "frankenstein".) The only version of Little Drummer Boy we had was the Bowie/Bing version and it always makes me weepy and nostalgic for some reason that I'm not quite sure about, except that I get weepy and nostalgic about just about everything lately.

Finn has really nailed "Away in the Manger" and, unlike his parents, he has a pretty good singing voice. He would much rather be singing "I Don't Want a Hippoptamus for Christmas". Over and over and over.

An Oldie but Goodie

2009-11-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

(I initially posted this last November, but the house is currently filled with the smell of cornbread, and the dressing process is well underway. I hope you take some time to count your blessings this weekend - I know I am.)

The Story of Papa Loyd's Famous Cornbread Dressing

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I've always loved to cook and see family. We're the kind that stays, eats some more, and stays, naps a little, and stays, talk a lot, watch some football, stays a bit longer, and eventually waddle our way back to our cars with heaping plates of leftovers for the next day.

I thought I would share with you the killer cornbread dressing recipe from my Grandfather. I love to make it every year in his memory, in the very big silver "dressing bowl" he taught me to prepare it in.

The year before Papa Loyd died he was still stubbornly insisting on hosting Christmas Day dinner at his house like we always did. I went over to help with the preparations and brought my video camera to try and capture the infamous dressing recipe on tape. I let him boss me around and call all the shots - watching that video makes me laugh as I cry.

Me & Papa Loyd circa 1979

Papa Loyd's Holiday Dressing & Giblet Gravy

Note: no shortcuts allowed. No broth instead of homemade stock. No store bought cornbread. I've tried the shortcuts and they just. don't. work. It's not the same.

1 hen (not chicken)
2-3 onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 large pones cornbread (if you don't know what a pone is you have no business making this recipe)
1/4 butter
2 TBS yellow mustard
2 TBS ketchup
2 TBS Italian seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup fresh sage, finely chopped (reduce amount if dried)
3 slices bread, torn up into small pieces
1 (8 oz.) can oysters, drained & chopped
3 TBS jarred pimento, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste

The day before: cook cornbread & cool completely. Crumble both pones.
Day of Thanksgiving:
Remove giblets from hen and set aside.

Rinse hen and place in stockpot & cover with water, about 8 cups. Simmer covered until done, reserving broth. De-bone hen & reserve meat.

Preheat oven 350 degrees

In large saucepan melt butter & add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Add all the broth from hen, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

In BIG ("dressing") bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, torn bread pieces, & the broth mix until it reaches spaghetti sauce consistency. If mix is too soupy, add more bread pieces.

Add all the remaining ingredients & mix well.

Pour mixture into a large roasting pan. Bake 1 hour until golden.

Serve hot with giblet gravy & hen meat on the side.

GIBLET GRAVY:
Finely chop hen giblets.
Simmer 3 cups chicken broth on stovetop. Add flour a little at a time, stirring constantly until a smooth, thin rue is formed. Add chopped giblets, blend well, and simmer.
Salt, pepper, and otherwise season to taste, can add one or two sliced boiled eggs to gravy if you want to be extra-Southern.
Yields: enough for a crowd of at least 10-15.

Eliot Loyd is Papa Loyd's namesake.
I see his spirit in that boy every day.

Hot Wheel Hacienda indeed...

2009-11-22T10:09:00.000-08:00

... here's a bit about my latest venture.

2009-11-17T16:36:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I haven't posted since September, and now I'm like that boy that dumped you in middle school who was slobbering all over you one minute and snubbing you the next (Jerk.)

I suck.

But work was killing me and I had the Huge Event and Finn was having a rough time at school and we were worried and I would just come home and collapse in a heap from exhaustion and frustration. And the dog ate my homework. And I had car trouble. Satisfied?

Somewhere in between all that we all went to the beach with my parents, Hotwheel Hubs went back to school, I started up with the local roller derby team, Finn played a whole soccer season, we celebrated our 10th anniversary in NYC, I got swine flu, Finn evened out at school, and Halloween happened:

Eli was Samurai Jack and Finn was a Robot. Best. Halloween. EVAH!

That should catch you up with me, but I've missed YOU! I hope to catch up visiting your worlds and trying to catch up.

... AND I wanted to show an email my Dad just sent me... I couldn't believe it and have never been more thankful that I don't have a bayou running through my backyard.

From: Uncle Mike
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 7:31 AM
To: The Fam
Subject: Hog Gator

I thought you all would like to see the size of this gator. I would not want to be in any soccer field with a gator like this!
1000lb + GATOR Shot in Houma, La. The larger female got away but was seen crossing Field 4...

AAAHHHHHHHHH!

You know those Cajuns... putting him in the cooler to make some awesome gator soup. Many, many bowls.

Check out that pinky finger and those nails!

The craziest part is THE FEMALE GOT AWAY. Eeeek!!

Send the Gypsies

2009-09-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Boys,

If you are reading this, then I assume we've all survived - at least until you've learned to read. Consider this a retrospective entry that details the growth your parents have experienced while raising you in your third and fourth years.

Retrospective #1

You are driving your Dad and I bleepity-bleep CRAZY.

Introspective #1

What's with the brotherly fighting all the time? And when I say all the time, I mean every 15-30 minutes, around the clock, except for nine hours you are sleeping?

Introspective #2
How can it be that daycare has called us TWICE in less than a week to pick Finn up for kicking and/or hitting? Is an expelled preschooler in our near future?

Retrospective #2

Never again will I think "My kid won't be like that" or "That's a questionable parenting decision". It's clear now that no parent knows what they're doing. If they say they do, they're lying.

Introspective #3

Where's the justice? Even if we do ALL the right things - read to you, cuddle you, feed you good & healthy food, give you occasional tough love, allow occasional candy (but not too much candy), make sure you get enough sleep, be compassionate (but not too compassionate), be consistent (but not overly so), yaddayaddayadda... you will STILL go through rough patches.

Rough enough to cause our entire days/weeks/(gulp)months to come crashing to a screetching halt with worry over if we're doing the right thing to get you through it. Or if we're just pushing you farther down the wrong track.

Somebody needs to invent a Parenting Magic 8 Ball. NOW please.

Along with a gift certificate to Great Spirits.

Every Little Thing... Is Gonna Be Alright

2009-07-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley should write ME a check... almost every night they are each invoked during our bedtime ritual.

Finn is a Buffett guy; quintessential beach baby and pirate connoisseur. We started incorporating the song when he moved to a "big boy bed" because Eli needed the crib. We chose it because Caleb knew all the words.

Number of times we have sung "A Pirate Looks at 40":

5 times a week on average
52 weeks a year = 260
for 3 years = 780 times!

Eli is a little more chill and a lot less melancholy. He's only recently began asking for a song at night, but his taste is good - Bob Marley is his DOC. How indicative of his future character is this? Only time will tell, but hubs and I are more than a little worried. We've referred to Eli's Matthew-McConaughey-esque demeanor before...

I remember being very pregnant in the heat of summertime and stressed to the max about work or some other odd hormonal thing. Driving in to the office that morning I stuffed this CD into my car's dashboard and cranked it up. The impact was almost instantaneous - I could literally feel the tension drain away...

How could you NOT?

Here's to stress-free summers and steel drums.

I hope you have both.

Veggie Tales

2009-07-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

The veggies are in! The veggies are in!

This year we're growing zucchini, crookneck squash, Roma & heirloom tomatoes, jalapeno & sorrento peppers, okra, cantaloupe, and a whole helluvalot of herbs. I wanted to grow stuff we actually eat, and now I'm running out of recipes... especially with the squash. I've fried and sauteed them, I've made zucchini bread, and tonight I took it to the next level and they got stuffed.

Lo and behold... it turned out pretty good. So good I wanted to share it here, because if I don't I'll forget what I did and never get it right again.

STUFFED SUMMER SQUASH BOATS

(Because if you call it "boats" little boys will eat it.)

Feeds 4 with some leftovers.

2 medium-large sized zucchini

2 medium-large sized yellow squash

1/2 cup finely chopped vidalia onion

1 large tomato (or 2-3 Romas)

1/2 lb. ground pork OR 1 package Healthy Choice smoked sausage, chopped finely

1 tsp minced garlic

(optional) 1 TBS chopped fresh basil

(optional) 2 sorrento peppers, chopped finely

1 cup prepared couscous or brown rice

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375.

Boil whole squash & zucchini in a large pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from water.

Slice squash lengthwise into halves. Scoop out seeds & pulp, leaving the squash shells - reserve pulp & seeds in a bowl for later.

Spray skillet with cooking spray and saute meat with onion, garlic, and sorrento peppers and cook until brown. Season meat with salt & pepper. Add squash pulp to the meat mixture and simmer on low. Remove from heat.

Add in your couscous or rice, chopped tomato, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.

Spray a 9x13 glass dish and arrange squash halves in it. Fill the boats with stuffing mixture until they are heaping. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until brown.

Devour the squash boats & go blog about how fantastic they were.

Three is a Magic Number

2009-07-07T07:04:00.000-07:00

What IS it with me and having holiday babies??

Finn was born on the 23rd of December, and we went home from the hospital on Christmas Day. Eli was born the 5th of July and I remember lying awake that night listening to the random POW of a still-enthusiastic bottle rocket at 3:00 AM, wondering if these contractions were real or the fake kind.

So three years have come and gone and now the baby is a boy.

As usual, we had a small party at home with family and a few close friends. Hubs fired up the grill and my dad brought homemade ice cream. My job was to furnish The Cake.

I don't fancy myself a super crafty DIY person, but we've been doing the homemade birthday cakes for a few years now and I was stressing about this one. The boys get to pick what kind of cake they get and it's up to me to figure out a way to make it happen.

Samurai Jack seemed simple enough - I got some small toys online and found a party supply store with all their SJ stuff on clearance. I found some red & black candies - a hodgepodge of licorice, Twizzlers, spanish peanuts, and candy blackberries & raspberries.

Thank you, Fruit Rollup gods, for providing the orange-cherry swirl kind that made the most perfect flames when cut with a leaf-shaped cutter! The platform was an iced rice crispy treat.

The cake itself was devil's food and iced with homemade buttercream. HUGE thanks to Aunt T, who is the Icing Queen! My frosting skills have much to be desired and she came over to help early that morning.

A bouquet of swords from the dollar store also served as party favors.

The candy sushi turned out pretty good!

Last year on the HH I chronicled the story of Eli's arrival. Since you know that already I won't rehash it here, but I will record some of my predictions on his character for prosperity's sake.

Eli is our brute. He's the brawn to Finn's brain, the sheer will to his brother's nuance. But don't be fooled - that is no indication of Eli's intelligence. He's just more direct with his manipulation. He's cute, he knows it, and he totally uses it to his advantage. It's the same trait I can see we'll need to stay on top of to make sure it doesn't morph into cockiness as he gets older. He's more likely to cuddle with you and still asks to be held and carried occasionally... never mind he weighs the same (if not more) than his older brother. His hugs are fierce and frequent, and thankfully outnumbered by his outbursts... barely.

So far, Eli has shown more interest & proficiency in team sports than Finn, tossing a ball with strength & accuracy or picking up on the way the game is played. He loves the water and doesn't mind getting his face wet in the pool. HE EATS LIKE A STARVED HORSE. Thai food, veggies, all kinds of meat, Chinese food, pasta, fruit - I honestly can't think of something he won't eat right now. He's even been known to sneak sips of our coffee if we aren't watching him.

Once, when Hotwheels Hubs was traveling for work, he was hanging out in the hotel bar and met an interesting character who claimed to be an "International Astrologer" with clients all over the world. (Hubs must have a face that encourages people to talk because this kind of thing happens to him all. the. time. He should've been a bartender or a therapist or a priest because folks want to confess their sins and discuss the details of their lives with him without him ever encouraging that kind of interaction.)

Anyway, they got to talking and International Astrologer asked about hub's family. When he learned a little about Eli he got excited.

IA: "He sounds like a Crystal Child!"

Hubs: "Umm... OK. What's that?"

IA proceeded to rattle off characteristics of the revered Crystal Children.

Hubs proceeded to laugh.

Usually born after 2005. Check.
Have magnetic personalities and are highly affectionate. Check.
Usually late talkers. Check.
Are very much connected to nature and animals. Check.
They love water which is beneficial in clearing and soothing them. Check. He's a fish at the pool, and loves going to the beach.

Then... it got weird.

Use telepathy and self invented sign language to communicate. Um. No.
May be diagnosed with autism, or Asperger’s syndrome. No, thank goodness.
Are even tempered, sweet and loving. Are forgiving of others. The temper on Eli is anything but. He holds a grudge, and eats "even tempered" for breakfast.
Are natural healers and peacemakers. Nope. He's usually the one inflicting the pain, and more of a warmonger than a peacemaker. Just today I overheard Finn telling him, "I'M a lover. YOU'RE a fighter."
Are quite interested in crystals and rocks. Yeah... to THROW.
Are extremely artistic and creative. We all knew that...
Often are natural vegetarians and may have a high metabolism. Wrong. You know those images of cavemen with giant hunks of red meat? That's Eli.
May be fearless explorers and climbers with an amazing sense of balance. Fearless? Yes. Explorer? Yes - meddling is a hobby of Eli's. But amazing sense of balance? Far from it. The kid is top heavy, and has sported at least two black eyes and countless goose eggs to prove it.
Their energy may disrupt electrical appliances. Usually because he's smashed something into said appliance.

I think it's safe to say that Eli is NOT part of a more evolved, enlightened race of humans, and that Crystal & Indigo Children are really just another way for doting parents to worship their kids instead of raising their kids. This results in more rotten, spoiled rugrats that grow up to become rotten, spoiled adults.

But that's just me.

I, for one, am happy to have my little imperfect, willful, sweet three-year-old over that any day. Happy Birthday, Little Man!

Doing the Splits

2009-06-20T09:50:00.001-07:00

I was in an innovative cooking mood last night and managed to concoct a dessert that was pretty darn good! It happened quite by accident and I wanted to pass it along...

I had a little of this and that but not enough of any one thing to make a whole dessert. I thought about doing strawberry shortcake but I didn't have enough strawberries, or any cake-like thing to put the strawberries on. So that was out.

What I DID have was this cake mix, and it had a pound cake recipe on the side of the box.

The recipe called for a box of vanilla pudding - but of course - I didn't have any. What I DID have was a box of banana cream pudding. So a banana pound cake was born.

And guess what?

Banana pound cake + chopped strawberries + drizzled chocolate sauce + dollop of whipped cream = BANANA SPLIT CAKE!

If you need a tutorial on putting it all together, I suggest you try this one:

But whatever you do, don't try this one:

Samurai Eli

2009-06-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

My Soon-To-Be THREE Year-Old...

In less than two weeks the baby of the family will have his third birthday. As usual, I'll probably greet the happy occasion with a little bit of sadness mixed in... how time flies, my baby's not a baby anymore, yaddayaddayadda.

In the meantime, Eli is pumped UP for a par-tay! Every year I make a clumsy-but-sincere birthday cake in the theme of the birthday boy's choice. Last year, Eli was into airplanes, so he got an aviation-themed cake. This year, there is no question as to the kind of cake he wants.

For six months he has requested Samurai Jack.

What's that? You're not familiar with this mysterious Emmy-winning samurai that has NOT been on television since 2004? You aren't alone. Eli discovered Jack DVDs on the shelves of our local library and fell instantly in love. Hotwheel Hubs and I were thrilled - we watched SJ as married childfree adults back when it first debuted, and we were sad when it went off the air.

So imagine making a cake that embodies all of this:

(I'll be sure to post some photos of THAT hot mess when it's time for the party.)

I found a Samurai Jack shirt in Eli's size online and lots of SJ party stuff like napkins, thank-you notes, and party horns on clearance. We're just going to do a small family party at home with a sprinkler & kiddie pool for the cousins. For favors we got foam samurai swords to pass out to all the kids & if I have time I might make this adorable candy sushi recipe.

I also made the mistake of asking said Soon-To-Be-Three-Year-Old what he might like as a present. At the time, I thought he needed to build a little excitement, because he didn't seem to grasp that his birthday was in the near future. Now he makes sure I see each toy commercial that features a desired birthday item... every time it appears on television.

Such as:

"MAMA! MOM! LOOK! A TWUCK.... I need dat for my birfday!"

"OH MOMMY! LOOK DERE! ROBOTS! I need dat for my birfday!"

"OH MOMMY! WHAT'S DAT?? A MONSTER! A YUCKY MONSTER!

I need dat for my birfday!"

"MOM, MOM!! A CY-SICLE LIKE DAD! I can go fast!

I need dat for my birfday!"

Guess I need to go out to the money tree in the backyard and start the harvest.

(OR... We could just get him some Ben 10 action figures and call it a day.)

No matter what, I'll be sure to report birthday fun here at the HH!

Sisters Take Chicago!

2009-06-13T11:02:00.001-07:00

Sisters & Blue Man
Originally uploaded by BookMamma

So... hi there! Remember me? I'm the one on the far left that has been sorely neglecting her blog lately. Internet burnout has hit me hard - between the blog, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Kaboodle, and all the work stuff I've ben doing I'm kind of sick of myself. That and it's been nice just being with my kids and not worrying about blogging about them. (Guilt-free bloggers, unite!)

Back to Chicago.
My littlest sister graduated high school a few weeks ago, and I've been telling her for a whole year now I would like to provide a special senior trip in honor of the occasion. As the planning progressed, all the sisters got excited and Laura suggested we ALL go, So we all did! It was the first time we ever did something like this - no kids, no parents, no spouses/significant others - and we all shared a hotel room. Chicago will never be the same...

Click HERE to see our whole album!

The Red-Headed Hussy*

2009-05-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

We cashed in some much-needed vacation time and headed south to the beach this week. Contrary to past visits, there was no major incidents - no lost babies in elevators, no trips to the ER by the shore. We frolicked in the pools and built castles in the sand. The weather was perfect and sunny, and the beach crowds hadn't yet converged in its usual throngs.

We played Shark:

Me: in the water, coming after Finn "Dun-uh... Dun-uh.... dun-uh-dun-uh-dun-uh..."

Finn: "Mom, why you say 'DONUT' when you play Shark?"

We attacked each other with water pistols in the pool and squealed "Retreat! Retreat!" when liquid ammunition ran low. (Actually, the boys yelled, "THE TREAT! THE TREAT!")

Our last night there, a monumental event happened. My oldest son picked up his first redhead. In a bar. At the beach.

He must've been a vision of masculinity.

I know how girls think. Finn didn't seem like the other guys there. He stood out from the crowd. He was more adventurous, more dashing. Less sandy.

At first, Finn played it cool.

He didn't let on he was the slightest bit interested in the red-headed hussy.

But in no time, she won his attention by being beligerent.

Finn: "Mom... that girl over there said I don't start with 'F'. She said I DON'T."

He's learning the letters of his name & likes to share them with random people.

But he soon explained the way things were to the RHH, and she came around.

In no time, they were inseperable. She was even able to keep up with our little Tornado Boy. Her name was Genevieve.

They caroused in the Fountain together. She met his brother.

Finn introduced her to his Dad. They made sand soup. (Delish!)

Things were getting serious, fast.

They hit a snag in the relationship when Finn discovered she was easily distracted, and wouldn't blindly follow him everywhere.

But they made up quickly.

I'm loving Eli's plumber's crack in the background...

Genevieve, we barely knew ye.

See all of our beach photos here if you're interested.

* I don't REALLY think a five-year-old is an actual hussy, so please don't get your knickers in a twist.

Running for Cookies

2009-04-18T10:19:00.001-07:00

Proud of Himself
Originally uploaded by BookMamma

Finn & Caleb ran their first official races today at the Cookie Run.

Caleb's was a 5K he ran with our friend Sandy and Finn's was a 1 mile Fun Run. Finn did the whole thing in under 16 minutes without complaining (much). Eli and I were SO proud!

Go to our Flickr site to see all the photos.

The View from Four Feet

2009-04-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today's photo tour of our house will be presented by Finn, who somehow acquired the camera after I took a snapshot of a moment I'll call "Yogurt Celebration":

He wanted to take a picture of us together first. I thought that was it, but discovered these photos after I downloaded the ones I needed from the camera.

I could have done without the photo of my rear. I'm sure you could too.

Thankfully, Finn's next subject was more interesting...

... but seemed to have forgotten something.

A fascinating shot of the microwave followed.

As well as an artistic depiction of our kitchen floor.

Caleb was asked to pose, which makes me wonder why the camera wasn't confiscated afterward. The shutter seems to be a bit stuck, probably due to the finger that kept jamming it open.

A lovely couch scene...

... followed by some nature shots.

This one was experimenting with light & shadow.

From a dog's-eye view.

A set of geometric shape shots of the dining room table and the stairs -

Concluded by a secret shot of a recently dressed brother.

I hope you've enjoyed this photographic tour of the Hotwheel Hacienda, and it encouraged you to change your perspective every now and then.
As well as be sure to put your camera up higher than usual.

Tales of Birth Control

2009-04-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

Story #1
It's 5:30 AM. Sleeping like any normal person would be, I am nagged awake by a strange, but familiar sound. I can't quite place it. And then I hear the muffled laughter. "They're OUTSIDE!" I yelp at Caleb, who bounds out of bed and retrieves both Finn and Eli, who thought it was a great idea to turn on the hose and water the tomato plants... in their pajamas at 5:30 in-the-freakin-AM.

Story #2
I'm switching out the clothes from the washer to the dryer. You've all done that, you know how long it takes. I move the clean dry clothes to a basket for folding, and I notice the silence. I head upstairs, confident things are fine and there's no way they had time to do something too bad. I can't find them anywhere.

What I DO find is my MAC powder blush dumped into my expensive night cream, the red powder making the bathroom look like a crime scene. My makeup brushes are covered with the blush/cream concoction and floating in the toilet.

Finn and Eli? Hiding behind my rocking chair in the bedroom, Eli sans clothes and adorned with very red, very moisturized streaks all over his body. Finn had used him for his own personal canvass, using the makeup brushes to create his masterpiece.

Needless to say, the fun picnic we were planning at the Big Bug Gardens didn't happen that day.

Story #3

Again, it's early morning, but more like 6:00 AM this time. Caleb is up and getting ready for work and I'm trying to cram in a few more minutes of snooze time before the boys wake up. Little did I know they were ALREADY up. I'm not sure, but this is how I think it went down:

Finn: "Eli, you should let Maybel out of her cage." (ie crate)

Eli: "OKAY!" He does.

Finn: "Eli, you should let Maybel out to go peepee."

Eli: "OKAY!" He does.

Finn: "Eli, we should take off all our clothes and swing on the swingset."

Ei: "OKAY!" They do. And this is how I found them.

Three stories, all true... and ALL in one week.

Hello Stranger

2009-03-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

I know... my blogging habits have been less than prolific these days. Instead of telling you, I'm going to do what a good writer does and SHOW you instead.

Meet Maybelline. We call her Maybel.

We adopted her from a no-kill shelter after she was rescued from Doggie Death Row. She's a sweetie and will make a great pet for someone, but we're not a good fit. We have her on a trial basis and are placing her in foster care due to one of the boy's major dander allergies. I guess we're more of a fish family...

Eli's First Black Eye

... and hopefully his last. He took a tumble off some bleachers at a birthday party and stopped his fall with his head. The result was a HUGE goose egg that took our breath away:

St. Patrick's Day

We got to march in this year's parade with the library! It was a blast and the most well-attended parade I've ever seen in Huntsville. We decorated the bike trailer and even got these Wild & Crazy Guys to march too.

Top that off with work, work, and more work - and that's where we've been.
Hope YOU are doing well and seeing some glimpse of Spring in your neighborhood!

School Daze

2009-03-04T20:12:00.000-08:00

So... this horrible thing happened today - Public School Rezoning Disaster.

(I know... again with the chipmunk.)

The PSRD pretty much means we aren't doing public school and are headed to private. And why work, school, and church in one city and live in another? So putting the house up for sale is looking likely. I hate selling a house.

Good times.

I was pretty upset, and cranked out the following correspondence to my city councilman. I thought I behaved pretty well under the circumstances... I had to keep cutting out mean things in my email to him, but in the end I think I still managed to get the point across.

Somehow, I don't think my questions were answered. I'm hoping he just didn't want to blow smoke up my butt by making answers up. What do you think?

-----Original Message-----
From: BookMamma
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 7:48 PM
To: The Councilman
Subject: school rezoning

Hi Councilman -

I'm sure you've heard quite a bit from your district about the school rezoning. I hope you will consider posting something on the district website to help us understand the change.

I'm pretty upset and my family hasn't even started elementary school!

I can't imagine how other families must feel who will have to move their kids. My oldest son will start Kindergarten in 2010 and my youngest in 2011. We moved to Little City from the county when I was pregnant in 2004, primarily because of the fantastic school system. We were excited to find a house on because we knew Fantastic Elementary was coming. I was even more excited when I discovered how wonderful the teachers and technology were, and their principal is wonderful. When I heard a few months ago rezoning was going to take place, I wasn't really worried - we live less than a mile away from Fantstic Elementary, and I couldn't envision us being rezoned.

Please help me understand the logic behind the change announced today.

Explain to me why I shouldn't be upset from being moved to one of the newest, best schools with the best teachers in the city to one of the oldest schools. The experience I have had with the teachers at Sucktastic Elementary has not been great, but I am sure there are some good ones there. Their building is old, the technology bare.

Explain to me why we shouldn't put our house up for sale and move to Bigger City, where my husband and I both work, and where my kids will most likely now go to private school. (We are fortunate that we can afford private school tuition - by the skin of our teeth. I was planning on quitting work to be home for my kids after they started school. Now that a private school tuition is in our future there's no way.)

I truly want to understand. I know a rezoning doesn't mean instant upgrade for everyone. But why was our district chopped up so badly? We don't include the highest or the lowest income in Little City. Was Little City's middle class just the easiest to break up? And how will this affect our home value?

We will be attending the Town Hall meeting on the 12th at the high school. I appreciate your work as liaison to the schools and helping host this meeting.

Very Sincerely,
The BookMamma
From Your District

-----Original Message-----
From: The Councilman
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 9:44 PM
To:The Councilman
Subject: school rezoning

BookMamma,

First, thanks for contacting me. I hope you've contacted Dr Superintendent and the School Board as well. You've asked some great questions. Additionally, I've posted some basic info on the District website but want to wait and hear what Dr Superintendent says tomorrow night and then listen to residents at the Town Hall meeting before posting more.

I'll admit, I'm not happy with the proposed changes but realize that growth in our city has caused these changes. Has our District unfairly suffered the brunt of the changes? - it appears so but I'm willing to listen and ask that you do the same.

I will share with you that my daughter, now a sixth grader at Fantastic Elementary, attended 1st grade at Mediocre Elementary when we were rezoned to Fantastic Elementary. I helped build the play ground at Heritage with her and my oldest daughter; now a freshman in college. When Fantastic Elementary needed help with the playground - I was there with my daughter once again. So, yes I've invested a little of myself in both schools over the years.

One positive that I've found in the proposed changes is that the size of the classes are smaller at Sucktastic Elementary; not the individual class size but the grade class size. For instance, at Fantastic Elementary they have five 6th grade classes at an average of 30 students each; that's 150 6th graders. At Sucktastic Elementary they have two 6th grade classes of approx 30 each. Class size (student to teacher ratio) is dictated by State Board of Education. Of course this is based solely on the physical size of Sucktastic as compared to Fantastic and that has it's positives. I'll share that we have friends whose children attend Sucktastic...they absolutely love it for it's small size and are not happy about being rezoned to Mediocre Elementary.

In the end I wonder if we'll make anyone happy.

Thanks again for contacting me and I hope to hear from you again on other issues that affect our city. Please introduce yourself to me should the opportunity arise at the meeting tomorrow night.

The Councilman
from Your District

My Infidelity

2009-02-24T10:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Publix -

What we had... what we HAVE... is special. You had me at "Can I deliver that cake to your party?", and ever since then we have had a pure and monogamous relationship. But now things are different somehow... (dare I say it?) strained.

I know what the problem is. Every relationship has it at some point and time, some worse than others. Money issues.

I shudder to play into the current paranoia, but in This Present Economy everyone's trying to find a few ways to trim the fat. Unfortunately, the HH's bacon is supplied by one in the non-profit sector - fundraising of all things! - and one in the finance sector. Not only that, but the finance gig happens to be one that is continuously mentioned on MSNBC, CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS. Did I say continuously? I meant they seem to cover nothing else.

So I slipped up. It wasn't my fault really.

I was minding my own business: running errands, returning library books, pumping gas, etc. - when the seductive whispers began.

Double coupons... the velvet voice said.

"So?? I already have that! You got nothing, Scissors," I replied.

Double race car carts... IN FRONT! the voice slyly retorts.

"Um... I have that too. Except not in front," I lamely shoot back.

Size matters - I have a LARGER organic selection... the whisper was like a caress.

"Mmmm... So? I'm OK with an average size." My resolve was weakening.

And then Kroger went to work sowing more seeds of doubt, listing all of your weak points:

Publix doesn't have your favorite soup.

(Campbell's low-sodium vegetable made with beef stock)

Remember the day when that pharmacist was mean to you?

And then the axe fell - the final sultry poison barb.

Come on, baby... they are so much more EXPENSIVE!

I was devastated and ashamed, my dear Publix, because I knew that Kroger was right. We had grown apart and let money divide us. You couldn't compete with the way I lusted after loading my coupons straight onto the KrogerPlus card online. No more clipping for me. And the satisfaction I felt at the check out line at Kroger left you feeling small and insignificant.

At first I thought I could get away with just a few visits on the side, but I know now I'm hooked.

So... do what you can to win me back, Publix.

Until then, I think it's best that we just be friends.

Where Did January & February Go?

2009-02-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

I've been a bad blogger lately, and I blame work. By the time I finally get home I'm exhausted and want the free time I have to spend with the Family. The end is in sight, however! After next weekend I'll get a little respite from the deluge of authors visiting the library.

Until then, I'm taking the easy way out & doing a photo post.

The weather has been warm the past few weeks, and we took advantage by visiting the playground for a picnic. Of course, proper playground attire is Halloween costumes - didn't you know that? Finn went as a Knight in Shining Armor.

Finn's First Dentist Visit - it went well, thanks to the promise of "prizes". He got one for getting his teeth cleaned and one for getting X-rays done. Fortunately, he picked out a toy for his brother. The whole ordeal produced a few tears, but they were mainly power struggles and not true fear.

Happy Valentine's Day! We spent a lazy Saturday at home. Not terribly romantic but extremely restful! (At the risk of sounding sappy, every day is Valentine's Day at the Hotwheel Hacienda!)

Finn likes to "rock out" on the way to school each morning. Here he is playing air guitar to Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing'. He has his Papa's taste in music.

Also - I'm officially addicted to SwapMamas. If you haven't already, head over and check it out! I have some books & toys up to swap and am getting ready to post some clothes.

It's Just Routine, Ma'am

2009-02-08T06:56:00.000-08:00

Here at the Hotwheel Hacienda, we live and die round our routines. It's been that way ever since Finn was born, and I was reading mass quantities of parenting books like The Baby Whisperer, The Sleep Solution, and The Happiest Baby on the Block. (As a library professional, I tend to go a little overboard on the reading-to-be-prepared front.) All of these books had one common element - the value of routine in a baby/toddler/kid's life.

Plus it makes them good sleepers. That was a KEY issue at our house. We might have become parents but sleep was the one commodity we were determined to hang on to... as best we could.

So we stuck to the suggested methods and have very good sleepers, in their own beds, and at an early age. The only problem is, we have drilled their routine into them so well, Finn and Eli are.... er..., let's just say less than flexible. It's all well and good when we are able to plan around their routine, but if something unexpected or special happens it can be a major pain in the butt.

BEDTIME ROUTINE

When they were babies I was devout about the "5 B's" - bath, books, boobie/bottle, binky, bed. Now it's as follows:

Eat dinner around 5:30. Play until 6:30 or 7:00.
Bath, done exactly the same way every night: Eli gets undressed, puts his clothes in the hamper and gets in the tub. We yell at Finn to GET-IN-HERE-RIGHT-NOW-THIS-IS-THE-4TH-TIME-WE'VE-ASKED-YOU. He gets undressed, puts his clothes in the hamper and gets in the tub.
After the scrub down, Eli gets out, is wrapped in a towel and asks to be 'rocked like a baby'. We rock him while singing Wagon Wheel by OCMS and tickling him.
Teeth are brushed, the whole thing is repeated for Finn, and both boys watch cartoons on our bed for 10 minutes before getting tucked in.
It's is 8:00 PM, and Caleb and I have the rest of the night to unwind and have grown up time. Which we utilize by going to bed at 9:00 most nights. (Oh, the excitement!)

Same way... every night. There's even a Tucking In routine that if we don't follow exactly Finn goes to pieces.

So that's great, right?

Most of the time.

Except for when it's Christmas and there's a million shindigs we need to attend and they're all on one day and there's no time for the daily nap. We either miss the shindig or have a horrible time because the boys are Pure Evil due to the missed nap.

Or when my good friend Amy calls and says she scored free tickets to "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and would Finn and I like to double date with her and Kieran? And the show starts at 8:00 PM. If we go Finn will be all sleepy and unable to focus on following directions like "Don't run into the road" or "Stop climbing over your seat into the lap of that guy that looks like Grandaddy but really isn't." So we pass on the tickets.

Or when cousin Anna is in a pageant and Eli and I are supposed to go, but it started at 4:30 and now it's 4:00 and Eli is still asleep and if I wake him up and rush to get there everyone in that room will be sorry and I will be that Poor Woman Who Can't Control Her Kid. So we miss the pageant.

Cartoons by Andertoons

I'm hoping this is just the price all parents pay for having kids, that we can't do it all, and need to be selective about the things we decide to participate in, especially when they are 4 and 2. But that's hard to explain to family & friends when our presence is required. Sometimes it sounds like we're trying to get out of something or snub them. Actually, we're just trying to get by.

If we have done this to you, our sincere apologies. If we haven't, just give us time - I'm sure we'll snub you soon enough.

Because I Haven't Yet

2009-01-28T07:02:00.001-08:00

I know the election is more than a week past, but I just realized it hasn't made its mark on the Hotwheel Hacienda blog yet! Since this is a place I have to look back on the boys' lives, I would be remiss if I didn't have SOMETHING to note the occasion. So to keep things brief & concise I'm listing a few notes and a few photos - for posterity's sake, of course.

(To my family who isn't quite celebrating like I am, feel free to skip this post!)

My Favorite Obama Family Photo:

The morning of Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 found me in a great mood and the boys in a foul mood. Despite this, by the time we got to daycare I had them chanting in a sing-song voice, "It's Inaugu-RATION Day! It's Inaugu-RATION Day!" Finn did a little jig for his teacher & class as we hung up his coat and backpack. The song stuck in my head for days.

I really wanted to watch the Inauguration coverage live so I brought my laptop to the office to stream as I worked. Of course, the Internets were so overloaded the stream was constantly interrupted and I was forced to kick it old-school style. I watched it in the employee break room on a fuzzy TV, surrounded by friends & coworkers. We were so quiet you couldn't ignore the sniffles and could feel the underlying excitement in the room. I don't think I'll ever forget where I was when it happened.

My Favorite Barack Photo:

So... it's done. It's only been a week and a day since, but some major changes have already come down the pipeline. This about sums up where my head is at:

Thanks to Major Beadhead for the video & photo links!

Finn & The Needles

2009-01-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

When I graduated high school I had to get a series of vaccinations before I headed to college. I still saw the pediatrician that had been treating me since I was a baby, so this woman knew me and my family pretty well. Dr. Wauters was a tiny little woman who was compassionate, but didn't tolerate fools lightly. (After she was diagnosed with cancer my mom reported seeing her in her yard building a stone wall by hand. She was tough.) For some reason, I was so nervous about getting shots I had worked myself into an anxious frenzy that day, and was crying - actually weeping - over the anticipation of having to get them done. I was 17 years old for Pete's sake, and embarrassed to be crying in front of Dr. Wauters, but I just couldn't get a grip on myself. Drama, much?

I'm not scared of needles themselves, just the anticipation of needles. The knowing you have to endure them and dreading it. Once the needle is in, a wave of relief washes over me. Hey, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be is the immediate reaction. But, oh the dread!

So it was with great trepidation I loaded Finn into the car and headed to his Four Year Well-Check at the pediatrician's office this morning. The Four Year, FOUR SHOT, Well-Check. I had been bracing him since yesterday. Finn hates being blind-sighted so I knew he needed time to turn things over in his little head. I told him he could bring his wallet with his Christmas money and buy a prize at the dollar store after the appointment - we chose to focus on that part.

The nurse weighed him - 39 pounds. (70th percentile)

Measured him - 42 and 3/4 inches. (97th percentile)

Took his blood pressure - 97 over 71.

We talked to Dr. Cartwright about his nutrition (good milk drinker), how his arm is healing (looks good but will have permanent scar), and his social skills (friendly, rambunctious, normal boy). I talked to the doctor about the concerns his teachers have had and the things we're trying to do to address them. I showed him the books I've been reading and got his advice on their subject matter.**

We took a developmental test that had Finn draw a circle, match animals to their sounds, define household objects.

A ball? ("A round bouncy circle.")

What is a banana? ("Like an apple, but it's yellow.")

A house? ("Where me-an-Eli-an-Mommy-an-Daddy live.")

He hopped on one foot, he followed prepositional directions (Put this paper on the chair. Now under. Now behind Mom. Now on top of the counter.)

Then came what I had been dreading. The needles.

I told him to be brave like Indiana Jones. He was scared, and said so. I told him we would go fast and it would be over quickly. He said "Okay, Mom" through his tears and lay back. He cried when each needle went in. It was done in less than 10 seconds.

Thirty seconds later he was done crying and pulling out his wallet. He actually thanked the nurse on our way out. When we got to the store, he chose a bracelet for me first, a toy sword for Eli second, and an airplane glider for himself last. All on his own.

This past weekend we attended a Kindergarten Open House at a school we wanted to see. And all I can think about is the blur of memories and colors and Finn-isms that Time leaves trailing behind us.

** The Trouble With Boys: A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents and Educators Must Do by Peg Tyre.

The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life by Michael Gurian.

January's Favorite Things

2009-01-19T07:17:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit dry lately on any post of substance, but I have a few things that have been rocking the Hotwheel Hacienda lately I wanted to share. Brace yourself for the excitement.

Smart Balance Products

Tastes good, easy to cook with, and there are coupons in just about every Sunday paper for them. We've tried the tub butter, the 50/50 stick butter, the peanut butter, and the cooking oil. If you try it, be sure to use the stick butter when cooking - tub will just leave a nasty film in your skillet.

This Insurance Commercial:

Ever felt the insignificance of how one person could ever make a difference in this world? It's pretty cheesy, but this ad demonstrates how every one of us can do something each day to help the world be a better place. Word.

Spanish Clementines

Not to be confused with the Florida tangerines. These things are in season, and taste like candy. They have no seeds and can literally be peeled by a two year old. I know, because Eli averages four of these A DAY. They come in cute wooden crates and I found them at Publix for as little as $4.99 per crate. (I also saw them at another Public for $10.99 - not sure why the big price difference.) We're eating these as I type.

Leap Frog Fridge Letters

I first saw these over at Aardvark's house and knew we had to get them when she said Scout was actually learning how to spell just playing with them. The boys love them and LeapFrog even have a set that puts letters together to form different words.

Girl Talk's Feed the Animals album

I've blogged about it before but this thing won't stop being ridiculously awesome. Definitely Rated R, this isn't something you can play with the kids in the car, but you will revert back to obnoxious high school days on your iPod. The album can be downloaded on his website, and is priced as you see fit. I initially downloaded for free and played it so much I felt guilty and went and made a contribution. I can do an entire hour of elliptical machine or clean the whole house to this. For a preview, see the video in my previous post.

Scale Back Alabama

Yep, I'm doing it - with Sarah, and Amy & Sandy.
Our team name? With a blonde, a brunette, a redhead, and a man of mystery we could only be... Sandy's Angels. Our mission? 10 lbs. in 10 weeks. So far, so good!

The Way Finn Dances to This Commercial:

That's all I've got for now... maybe the Muse will visit this week and I'll have something fantastic to post - like more lost poundage!

Life is Maintained

2009-01-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

Life has been busy and I'm trying to stay on top of it all, hence the blog neglect. A brief few updates:

Eli?
Potty trained. (YES!)

Finn?
Hilarious.

BookMamma?
Doing the Scale Back Alabama challenge & working on library To Do list. 3lbs. lost so far, but probably just water weight.

Hotwheel Hubs?
The glue that holds us all together.

Grocery store challenge? (from previous post)
Success - it took one week and three days before I went again. It can be done!

I leave you for the moment with my favorite cardio music. I can seriously burn 400 calories plus if I do the whole album. You should try it!

Boy Briefs: The Chocolate Covered Potty Training Grocery Version

2009-01-03T11:32:00.001-08:00

We're enjoying the last few days of our holiday break before heading back to the grind on Monday. In the meantime enjoy these HHBBs!

I've taken advantage of the down time and decided to buckle down on potty training Eli. When they say the second kid is easier it is SO true! The combo of Eli emulating his brother and ratio of PPTE (Parent Potty Training Experience) has resulted in only two accidents total so far. Today was five of no Pull-Ups, and we even braved the grocery store and nap time in big boy britches. I'm still putting him in Pull-Ups at night but he's usually dry in the morning.

Eli's been so proud of himself and excited to be a Big Boy. So has his Mamma.

Contrary to the way this photo appears, Eli is laughing & smiling for the camera... as opposed to something else.

**********************************

Just about every year, Caleb gets me a Chocolate Cadbury Biscuit tin for Christmas. It's one of my favorite things on earth.

I was sneaking a taste in the kitchen when Finn snuck up behind me.

Finn: "Mom, you sposeta SHARE. Can I have a cookie... please?"

Me: "Why is it you only remember the magic word when it involves cookies?"
I went ahead and sacrificed a biscuit to my eldest son. The reaction was instant and so very worth it.

Finn: rolling his eyes up in his head "Oh, MOMMY. Oh... this... has changed my life forever!"

That's my boy.

**********************************

I always heard that boys eat lots of food, but I didn't expect that to start at the HH until Finn & Eli were much older. I was WRONG. We go through four gallons of milk a week, over 2 loaves of bread, a gallon of juice, 2 bunches of bananas, and a dozen apples. And this is just liquids and fruit snacks. I find myself going to the grocery store 2-3 times a week, and each time I inadvertently walk out spending more than I intended.

I blame this on myself. If I see something and we need it and will eat it, I usually get it. It's the girl scout in me I guess, but it can be a real problem when I pop in to get a couple ingredients for a recipe and walk out with $70 worth of groceries. So I thought I'd conduct a little experiment. Today I went to the grocery store and got $139 worth of groceries. I'm going to see how long it takes for us to eat this down without having to go back. Even if it means having something for dinner we aren't in the mood for, or isn't a particular favorite.

I've planned some meals for the week (it made it much easier to shop with coupons) and will try to stretch some meals out. Who know? Maybe we'll save some money & I can take the time I was spending in Publix and use it to do something productive... like clean, or laundry, or organize a closet. (Or sleep!)

Here are my dinner ideas: (listed here especially for Sandypants)

Beans, fried cabbage, & ham - ham leftover from New Years
Chili - using leftover beans
Sarah's Picante Pot Roast
Taco Salad (made with ground turkey)
Salmon, spinach couscous, steamed broccoli
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Asian garlic chicken with cashew broccoli & brown rice
Shepherds or Cottage Pie
BBQ chicken, green beans, baked potatoes
Leftovers and/or sandwich night
Breakfast for Dinner night

I think the key is to use all your fresh veggies ASAP then switch to frozen after we've eaten those up. We always have canned in the pantry but I use those sparingly due to the convenience factor (plus canned veggies have more sodium). I think I can make it at least one whole week before I need to go back to the grocery store for anything, with the exception of milk.

Especially now that I don't have to get those craptastic Pull-Ups anymore!

If you have any good "scrappy" meals you can recommend I would love to see them - just leave them in the comments.

John Williams Is The Man

2008-12-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

This is pretty impressive. My boys can't watch it enough...

If I had HALF the talent this guy has in his pinky toe the Hotwheel Hacienda would have it made.

December 26th - the Laziest Day EVER.

2008-12-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

So why don't you take a look at out photos from the holidaze? (Click here.)

Happy Holidays from the Hotwheel Hacienda!

2008-12-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

Rub-A-Dub-Dub... Two Santas in a Tub!

So this ended up being our Christmas card.. if you chose D) None of the above on the card post you were right. This was shot #18 that finally made the card.

A few items for the baby book: Four and two years old is a great year for Christmas. Santa has caught on & was a pretty effective discipline tool when we needed it. Big items this year for Eli was a play kitchen and a police helmet. Finn was excited about his Ben 10 watch and his space shuttle (complete with alien). Right now we're watching Wall-E and playing with the new toys.

I was proud of the boys - they helped gather up some of their gently used toys and we took them to Christmas Charities for "the boys & girls that Santa forgot". (Don't worry, we gave new toys too!) Finn got a little upset because he thought we were going to actually give the toys to the children & he would get to play with them - the kids, not the toys.

We've enjoyed spending time with friends and family this holiday season. Hope you're enjoying yours!

In Which Finn is Four

2008-12-22T14:18:00.000-08:00

Mother, Mother, Ocean
I can hear you call.
Wanted to sail upon your waters
Since I was three feet tall.
You've seen it all,
You've seen it all.

It has been four years since Finn has made his debut into this world. His impression upon it has been significant, especially the impact on mine & Caleb's lives. I like to think we're more thoughtful & relaxed people. The phrase "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" comes to mind, and if there was one thing I was good at B.F. (before Finn) it was making mountains out of mole hills.

The Story of Finn's Birth

Recorded here for posterity...

I am incredibly fortunate - pregnancy has not been a complicated condition for me. The first time was especially textbook-easy, and I felt great most of the time... until the last few weeks when I was miserable and ready to get the show on the road. My doctor started to ask questions about my options as Christmas crept closer and closer, despite the fact that I had included everything in my birth plan and all he had to do was refer to it. No - I didn't want to be induced if I could help it. Yes - I knew there was a chance I could be in the hospital for Christmas. I didn't care as long as the baby was healthy and things went as smooth as possible.

3 months

Finn's due date of December 19 came and went. We were trying everything from spicy food to exercise, but there was no action, no dilation, no effacement. We trekked from holiday party to party with the "Not Yet" face on. It was maddening.

Finally, I relented. My doctor was concerned if we didn't schedule an inducement there would literally be "no room at the inn" because of all the women scheduling to avoid holiday hospitalization. So we picked the evening of December 22nd to do the deed - my grandmother's birthday & anniversary were on the 23rd. The plan was to go in that night at 7:00 PM, start the medicine, and have a baby in the early morning hours.

Finn had other plans. I started having contractions on my own very early on the 22nd. They were manageable and I piddled around the house while Caleb finished up at work. By the time he got home they were getting much stronger, but I still didn't want to jump the gun. We put our suitcase in the car and went to get some dinner before the check-in time for my inducement. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat for a while and I wanted to be sure to keep my strength up, so we went to Chick-Filet. By now I wasn't feeling so hungry and my composure was shaky. I could barely eat through the contractions.

1st swim at 8 months

We got checked in after dinner and got settled into our room. Since I was only 2 cm dilated and 30% effaced I just had to wait. I wanted to go a little while longer before asking for the epidural since progress was so slow. My parents came by and "The Blues Brothers" was on TV. The contractions were coming so hard and fast I could barely converse with my mom, and I would thrash through them and all but fall asleep as they eased. Around midnight mom & dad left, I finally took the nurse up on her fifth offer to get the drugs. I was an immediate convert into the Church of Epidural. It felt like I had taken several shots of heavenly whiskey laced with brown sugar and I fell into a blissful sleep instantly.

I slept until a nurse woke me up around 4:30 AM to let me know the baby's heart rate had dropped a bit so they were easing up on the epidural. At 6:00 AM I could feel about 40% of what was happening and wanted to start pushing. My doctor thought it would be a while and then he LEFT TO DELIVER ANOTHER BABY. I labored for a while longer, somewhere in there my mom & sister came in, and I started to worry my doctor wouldn't come back in time. I really really really had to push, like NOW. The nurses ran to get him. It was 7:30 AM.

4-month old Finn & the Mayor

This part is still sharp in my mind: from 7:20 until he was born at 8:26 I pushed until my face turned beet red. I pushed until I was soaked with sweat. I pushed until Caleb told me to close my eyes because he was worried they'd pop out of my head. I was so tires I could barely see, but was bound and determined to work as hard as I could to get that baby out and into my arms. I was tired of waiting, and ready for that part to be over. It was all very movie-esque.

I won't record the freaky part here, but Finn was finally born. His breathing was labored and he had a temperature so I only got to see him for a moment before he was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring. Caleb and I were anxious, so he went upstairs with Finn while my mom & sister stayed with me & got my room switched to postpartum. Caleb later reported wondering which baby was crying so loud when he entered the NICU only to find it was his baby, and how he was able to give him a bath. I didn't get to see that part.

Franken-Finn's 1st Halloween

An hour goes by, then two, and I still hadn't officially held my son. Finn was finally discharged from the NICU and delivered to our room after he checked out fine, but he returned with a sack full of NICU goodies! It seems he learned how to work the system at an early age... there were pajamas, a knit blanket & hat, and a book - all donated to NICU babies by little old women. Score!

We all went home on Christmas Day, and it officially became the strangest Christmas EVER. One thing I wasn't prepared for was the mass exodus of hormones from my body the next few days. The car ride home stressed me out so much that all I could was break down and cry my eyes out for a few hours immediately afterward. I wasn't sad, I was just overwhelmed, and all that emotion had to get out of me ASAP.

So that was the beginning.

And now... POOF! Four years have flown by and I have a little man.

He's funny,

And has an appetite for life.

He's a great brother...

... and always on the lookout for an adventure or a good story.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the Official Birthday over popcorn and Madagascar 2 with good friends that Finn has had his whole life. And I will be a little bit sad.

But mainly I'll be wondering what the next few years have in store for my Jimmy-Buffett-loving, joke-and-story-telling, sugar-sensitive, independent, elephant-memoried, affectionate, Guitar-Hero-obsessed little boy.

And looking forward to them.

The Girl Can Accessorize - Updated!

2008-12-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

I was able to watch my two-month-old niece some this week & we've had fun. I like to put stuff on her head...

... and take pictures.

And then I get to send her home! It's nice being an Aunt.

UPDATE!

I actually won SuperMommy's awesome contest - I am now the proud recipient of an Envirosax set. (Merry Christmas to me!) I can't wait to hit Publix with these tucked underneath my arm. Oh, and I'll bet they'll come in handy toting presents to and from the Fam's holiday gatherings. And at the beach in the summertime. And double as a diaper bag / purse! And work tote! And library bag! The possibilities are endless.

Thanks SuperMommy! You are my personal Santa Claus!

I'm Being Held Hostage By Indiana Jones

2008-12-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Finn's small birthday party went well & the Indiana Jones cake was a hit. His actual day of birth is next week and we are planning on having a special day at the movies with these guys, so more birthday references to come. I finally uploaded the party photos here on Flickr, but this just about sums it up:

The Whip has been a coveted item for a while so he was happy to see it. The trouble is, Eli & Finn have been fighting like crazy over it, so much that Aunt Laura had to promise to get Eli one for Christmas. Because that's what we need... TWO WHIPS. (But seriously, thanks LB!)

Between The Whip, the Indiana Jones Mr. Potato Head, and the actual movie we just received from Netflix, I am pretty weary of hearing THIS SONG because they all three play it over and over and over:

As is stab-me-in-the-ear-just-so-I-don't-have-to-listen-to-it-again weary.

So I'm taking some time off over the next few weeks; I have tons of comp time & vacation that I need to use or my HR director will string me up. I've decided to focus on Eli's potty training skillz & see what progress we make.

(Don't worry... I know you're intrigued & I'll be sure to post Potty Chronicle updates. So you can rest easy now.)

Birthday Countdown

2008-12-11T21:04:00.001-08:00

He Made It!
Originally uploaded by BookMamma

T minus 19 hours and counting...

Finn's birthday is on the 23rd, but we have been celebrating it a week or so early - for obvious reasons. When he was born we toyed with the idea of celebrating Half Birthdays in July so he could enjoy it away from the shadow of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, New Years, and the other various winter celebrations. But then Eli was born in July so we couldn't do that.

Tomorrow we will have a small, family-only gathering to mark the occasion, and then do something special with just us on the 23rd.

Hence... the CAKE OF AWESOMENESS. It has snakes, and lava, and tribal natives with spears, and a swinging bridge over a volcano, and candles for torches. We got him the Indiana Jones whip to go with it as his gift. (I will probably be posting later on what a bad idea that was.)

More later...

Jingle Bells, Batman Smells

2008-12-11T10:13:00.001-08:00

And now... Storytime Theater by Finn:

"Once upon a time I was goin for a walk in the forest an it was dark an spooky an I hear the wind blowin through the forest like this: WHOOOOOOOO-WHOOOOOOOOOO. An then I hear a noise! An I say "What's that?" An a huge big DRAGON jump out from the trees an he had chompy teeth! An I took my sword out and I cut off his foot! An then I cut off his other foot. An then I cut off his body. An then he was dead like this: (He lays back with his eyes shut & tongue hanging out.) THE END."

************************

The boys' school Christmas program was last night. Papa & Nana came out to watch and hear Eli sing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and Finn sing "Three Wise Men". It was a packed house & getting photos was difficult, but here's a short video of Finn's performance...

(He's the second from the right in the red sweater.)

Part 2: Where it Gets Real

I got some of the whole school singing "Mary Did You Know" - Eli was farther away from me, but I got a little of him singing too. He did a great job with the hand motions. The CD starts skipping halfway through and Ms. Margie bravely plowed on, leading the kids in song.

Finn, on the other hand, has his back turned from the audience and is scratching his behind.

I'm just glad he didn't take his pants off & moon the crowd this time.

(Eli is third from the left sitting down on the front row.)

More Christmas Program photos HERE.

The Card Conundrum

2008-12-05T20:23:00.001-08:00

Last night we headed to Santa's Village to drop in on the Jolly Old Elf himself, as well as a few of his friends.

Frosty was a big hit:

And so was the Gingerbread Man.

(Except Eli kept calling him "Cookie"... cracked. me. up!)

There was much dancing in the snow...

And a general sense of wonder.

So, I can't decide and need YOUR help. Which one should I use for our holiday photo card? Vote for your favorite (or top two) in the comments. Click here to go to our Flickr page and see the rest of the photos from Santa's Village.

The small print: I won't lie and promise to use the one the majority picks for our card. I really can't decide, and am hoping you might help push me in one direction or the other.

Or... D) None of the Above.

BookMamma & Finn get all festive.

And the Band Played On

2008-11-30T10:56:00.001-08:00

Caleb & Steph
Originally uploaded by BookMamma

Thanksgiving Preparations & Execution - CHECK

Hotwheels Halls Decked - CHECK

Holiday Card Photo Taken - next on the To-Do list...

Hopefully we'll get that done this week. In the meantime, I uploaded tons of photos to Flickr this weekend. Thanks to Sandypants for all the great Margarita Ball photos!

Gotta Have Some Green Stuff

2008-11-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

My Grandmother used to insist on having something green on her plate at each meal. Especially at a chinese buffet. She would always put 2-3 of those seasoned green beans on her plate because she "HAD to". It made her feel better about the fried eggroll and General Tso.

Anytime I have people over for dinner I always have the same quandry about the menu: lack of green veggie that everyone will eat. Sure, I could just pop open a can of green beans if I'm lazy, but if you're going through the trouble of having guests for dinner, you probably want it to look like you put forth some effort. Thus my quandry.
Roasted asparagus is good, but it gets cold before you can eat it.
Ditto for steamed broccoli.
Salad is... okay. But then you have to lay out bowls and that's another thing to wash.

So imagine how thrilled I was to find these recipes that were easy & quick and tasted great. They green up a dinner spread beautifully too! Broccoli slaw is supposed to be served cold, but the crunch isn't effected if you have it on the table for a little while for people to get seconds. Turnip greens are supposed to be served hot, so doing them in the crockpot is perfect. Throw the ingredients in and forget about them while you finish up everything else.

Broccoli Slaw
10 to 12 servings

2 bags (3-ounce) Oriental Ramen Noodle Soup
3 TBS low-fat butter substitute
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 bags (12-ounce) bags broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Chopped green onions, for garnish

Dressing Mix:
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown or white sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 ramen noodle seasoning packet

Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat. Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat). Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Happy Thanksgiving! I feel so blessed and thankful this year... and that Hope feeling still lingers. I hope you can take a moment between dinner preparations to think upon some of the things that YOU are thankful for.

This is at the top of my list:

The Story of Papa Loyd's Famous Cornbread Dressing

2008-11-26T06:21:00.000-08:00

Me & Papa Loyd circa 1979

Papa Loyd's Holiday Dressing & Giblet Gravy

Note: no shortcuts allowed. No broth instead of homemade stock. No store bought cornbread. I've tried the shortcuts and they just. don't. work. It's not the same.

1 hen (not chicken)
2-3 onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 large pones cornbread (if you don't know what a pone is you have no business making this recipe)
1/4 butter
2 TBS yellow mustard
2 TBS ketchup
2 TBS Italian seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup fresh sage, finely chopped (reduce amount if dried)
3 slices bread, torn up into small pieces
1 (8 oz.) can oysters, drained & chopped
3 TBS jarred pimento, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste

The day before: cook cornbread & cool completely. Crumble both pones.

Day of Thanksgiving:
Remove giblets from hen and set aside.

Rinse hen and place in stockpot & cover with water, about 8 cups. Simmer covered until done, reserving broth. De-bone hen & reserve meat.

Preheat oven 350 degrees

In large saucepan melt butter & add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Add all the broth from hen, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

In BIG ("dressing") bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, torn bread pieces, & the broth mix until it reaches spaghetti sauce consistency. If mix is too soupy, add more bread pieces.

Add all the remaining ingredients & mix well.

Pour mixture into a large roasting pan. Bake 1 hour until golden.

Serve hot with giblet gravy & hen meat on the side.

GIBLET GRAVY:
Finely chop hen giblets.

Simmer 3 cups chicken broth on stovetop. Add flour a little at a time, stirring constantly until a smooth, thin rue is formed. Add chopped giblets, blend well, and simmer.

Salt, pepper, and otherwise season to taste, can add one or two sliced boiled eggs to gravy if you want to be extra-Southern.

Yields: enough for a crowd of at least 10-15.

Eliot Loyd is Papa Loyd's namesake.
I see his spirit in that boy every day.

Howdy, Pilgrim

2008-11-23T14:47:00.000-08:00

If you are a fan of "This American Life" then you already know Sarah Vowell. She has a new book out called The Wordy Shipmates that is perfect to read the week of Thanksgiving. It will make you the most fascinating conversationalist in the room at dinner. Trust me.

If you are not familiar with Sarah Vowell, PLEASE take a moment over your morning coffee to listen to one of her segments on this, my most favorite radio show in the universe.

Believe me... if you do listen, you won't be sorry.

Part 2

In the spirit of Puritans, check out these pilgrim hats we will be chowing down on Thursday.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies
12-ounce package of chocolate chips
24 marshmallows
tube of yellow decorators' frosting

1. Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.

2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.

3. One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.

4. Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.

5. Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

Oh, and did I mention my back decided to go out on me today?

Yep.

Countdown to T-Day

2008-11-23T14:21:00.000-08:00

For the first time in 50+ years, my dad's Milner side of the family isn't getting together for Thanksgiving. This is sad, but not entirely tragic because I'll see them in about a month for Christmas, but still... it will be odd not piling in to Aunt Lynda's house and stuffing our faces.

This year I am hosting my immediate family... and a few extended family for Thanksgiving. To be exact, 21 adults and 5 kids under the age of 7. Luckily, its a potluck and I'm getting lots of help from the Fam.

So each day until Thanksgiving I will post one recipe that we'll be enjoying. Here's one we did today...
Pumpkin Pie Play Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 TBS oil
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

orange food coloring
2 cups water

Mix all ingredients together. Cook and stir over medium heat until lumps disappear. Knead the dough on cool surface (like a countertop) until smooth & cool enough for kids to handle.

Throw the dough and some cookie cutters on the table and you can buy enough time to get your own pumpkin pie in the oven!

Meme Time! (aka BookMamma's Tired)

2008-11-23T06:42:00.000-08:00

The rules? Answer the following questions in one word and then pass it on to seven others.

Tagged by Rhonda.

Where is your cell phone? Charger
Where is your significant other? Bed
Your hair color? Brunette
Your mother? Sweet
Your father? Busy
Your favorite thing? Cocktails
Your dream last night? Work
Your dream/goal? Progressive
The room you’re in? Kitchen
Your hobby? Books
Your fear? Assasination
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Maintaining
Where were you last night? Purgatory
What you’re not? Skinny
One of your wish-list items? Boots
Where you grew up? South
Last thing you did? Coffee
What are you wearing? Jammies
Your TV? Loud
Your pet? Kids
Your computer? Disenfected
Your mood? Sleepy
Missing someone? Grandmother
Your car? Un-vaccumed
Something you’re not wearing? Bra
Favorite store? DSW
Your summer? Speedy
Love someone? Completely
Your favorite color? Green
When is the last time you laughed? Today
Last time you cried? Yesterday

TAG, you're It - Teresa, Amy, Angela, Lee Anne, Stepher, Sarah, Supermommy

Boy Briefs, the Religilous Version

2008-11-18T07:24:00.000-08:00

The boys attend an Episcopal daycare (not so much because we want spirituality/religion to be taught to them there, but more because its the best daycare we've ever seen). The classes have chapel every Wednesday, and it is taught by a sweet older lady whose twin daughters just happen to be Finn & Eli's teachers.

We're arriving one morning and pass Chapel Teacher in the hall.

"Good morning, Finn," she says.

"Good morning," Finn stoically replies back. We walk a little further down the hall. When we get safely out of earshot Finn whispers to me, "Mommy... know what? That my chapel teacher. Her name's GOD."

************************

We've recently been attending church at the very place the boys go to school. This is great for Caleb and I but kind of weird for the boys because they aren't exactly sure if they're going for school or for church. But they're smart... they'll figure it out eventually.

At children's church the kids go back and do songs and crafts before coming in to sit with the adults for communion. Last Sunday, Finn was NOT happy when he arrived at our pew and was loudly protesting a paper in his hand.

"Mom, this isn't my NAME," he gestures wildly to the paper. It's covered in glue and marker scribbles with the name "Ben" prominently written at the top.

"MY NAME'S NOT BEN! That lady got my name wrong!"

We get him calmed down and manage to get through communion with just a few huffy pouts and indignation. In the car, Hubs tries to explain.

Hotwheel Hubs: "Finn, the teacher didn't do it on purpose, she just thought you said "Ben". Let's practice telling people your name. Say F-f-f-f-FINN."

Finn: "F-f-f-f-BEN."

Me: "Hmmm. Say, 'frog'."

Finn: "Frog."

Me: "Say, 'fabulous'."

Finn: "Fabulous."

Hubs: "Say, 'FINN'."

Finn: "Ben."

Me & Hubs: ... sigh

************************

The daycare makes a delicious Thanksgiving lunch for all the families of the kids each year. I signed up to help set up and serve the plates - it was a great way to match the kids I see every day to their parents & grandparents. Both Grandaddy and Nana came to eat with Eli, and Nana stayed over to eat with Finn, Hubs, and I.

Our priest, Susan, was also scurrying around serving food and refilling tea glasses. She was dressed in her usual priestly uniform Finn watched her for a while and elbowed his dad.

"Daddy, know what? Dat lady's name's GOD." Finn stoically goes back to eating his roll.

Which leaves me thinking maybe if we can keep him thinking all women are God, he'll turn out just fine.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Writes a Post About It

2008-11-15T05:43:00.000-08:00

WARNING: This post is less about sunshine and puppies and more for the purpose of documenting a pretty craptastic week... in the hopes it can only get better.

BOO!

Finn continues to have a rough time at school. His teachers and his parents are looking in to it.

BOO!

Yesterday, my purse gets stolen. Out of my car. In my driveway. **

The only nice bag I've ever had in my life, my iPod, 4 credit cards, my driver's license, my checkbook, my Kohl's & Victoria Secret cards, all my various shades of lipstick, my cute antique business card holder, and a mix of restaurant & movie gift cards - all gone.

We spent the day cancelling accounts, filing fraud alerts on our credit reports, filling out bank paperwork, and getting a new license (whose photo was nowhere near as good as the one that was stolen.)

YAY!

The thief missed a few things... another iPod, some beloved CD's, and a substantial gift card to the mall were all overlooked. He/She was also nice enough to pull some office paperwork out of my purse before they took it, so that will come in handy. This is me trying to find a positive thing.

BOO!

Like everyone, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the holidays will be slim around here.

** FAQs:

Yes, I know it was stupid for me to leave my purse in the car.

No, I don't usually do that.

Yes, I meant to go back and get my stuff out of the car after I got home from work, but the boys were fussy & hungry and I only had so many arms to get the backpacks, coats, squirmy Eli, and car keys shuffled into the house.

No, I have NEVER left my purse in an unlocked car in my driveway before.

Yes, we usually park in the garage but there's stuff we're taking to Goodwill packed in there at the moment.

No, I don't feel entirely safe in my own home after this happened 3 yards away from where my family was sleeping.

And Yes, it only takes one stupid mistake for some bonehead jerk to steal your identity by using your credit card to buy a disposable cell phone at 2:30AM.

(Also, Yes - I know it could have been much worse.)

One Day I Better Look Back and Laugh

2008-11-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

It's been kind of rough over at the Hotwheel Hacienda of late. "Almost-Four" has been trying (at best) the past few weeks and we're at our wits end.

Please send vodka.

Oh NO she didn't!

So, in the interest in leaving a productive post, I want to share with you a FABULOUS recipe that came my way. It's super quick, very tasty, and looks like you put lots of effort into it.

Sarah's Fantabulous Quick Supper Recipe:

16/17 oz package of already cooked Pot Roast (au jus, if you can find it)
1 cup of picante sauce, hot or mild to taste
1/2 cup of sliced white mushrooms
1 box of quick-cook couscous (I use whole wheat)
1 1/4 cup of chicken broth
2 tsp of butter/margarine (can substitute olive oil, if desired)

Warm the pot roast in the microwave per directions on package.
Transfer the liquid from the roast into a skillet, over medium heat.
Add in the mushrooms and picante sauce and simmer.
Chop up the pot roast into 1" chunks; add to skillet; bring to boil.
Pull heat down to medium, cover, leave alone for a bit.

Using the chicken broth and butter/margarine/olive oil, prepare the couscous. It literally takes about five minutes.

Once the couscous is done, layer the dish with the couscous first and then the roast, topping it all with the juice. I found that this made about three equal sized portions, perfect for a family of four with two small kids.

The verdict? My kids ate up every bite and licked the plate. Success!

"One Nation... Invisisisible"

2008-11-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

This morning, I bundled up Finn & Eli and loaded them into the wagon equipped with a variety of Star Wars toys and strategically placed pieces of Halloween candy. Did I mention it was 7:15 AM? We headed to the local middle school, our polling place, and voted in a truly historic election.

The boys were great, despite the short wait. It only took about 45 minutes from start to finish, and they stayed put, stayed (relatively) quiet, and I was able to have plenty of time to make sure I didn't screw up my ballot.

Some find it difficult to choose between the "lesser of two evils" and don't bother to vote because they don't think it matters. To this I say, no human is perfect. If we all wait around until the perfect candidate with the perfect political philosophy comes along before we cast a vote, I have a feeling we could end up in a similar situation as our friends in the Middle East and other oppressed peoples of the world.

And if you're STILL not convinced...

Candy Pushing

2008-11-01T11:19:00.001-07:00

Candy Pusher
Originally uploaded by BookMamma

Halloween 2008 was great - we went to a library costume party, had a costume parade at school, and finished up the night with Trick-or-Treating.

Caleb & I have a costume party to attend this evening and then we bid Halloween farewell and get ready for my other favorite holiday... Thanksgiving. And you know what that means - Macy's Parade is almost here!! (For those of you who don't know, I'm a sucker for a parade. I don't know why - but I LOVE them. I will go see it in person before I die.)

In the meantime, enjoy our Flickr pictures by clicking on the link.

- UPDATED -

We are the champions...

Hubs and I won "Most Original Costumes" at the party last weekend. Our Juno & Bleeker rocked the Casbah. Actually, I think it was Caleb's legs that sealed the deal...

No, I'm NOT pregnant. We rigged up a pretty convincing belly. So much so that there were some pretty mad people watching me have libations.

A is for "Awesome!" and S is for "Sassy!"

2008-10-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Recently I expanded my (small) circle of friends and was lucky enough to meet A is for Aardvark and SarahLena in REAL LIFE... for a REAL lunch and then a REAL fantabulous book club meeting. (This was despite the fact that last spring I totally freaked out Aardvark's husband by congratulating them on their newest addition to the family. That would have been fine except, I had never met them before and came off looking like a total stalker.)

Can I say how wonderful it is to skip all that weird Getting-To-Know-You stuff and get straight to the snarking? My husband was just glad they were real people and not imaginary - although he couldn't refrain from saying, "So what are you going to do... sit around the table and twitter each other?"

It was hard, but we managed.

MEME of the Day
Tagged by Aardvark

Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog (this is what you are now reading).
3. Write 6 random things about yourself (see below).
4. Tag 3 people at the end of your post and link to them. (why not…)
5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. (I’ll try)
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

SIX RANDOM THINGS ABOUT BOOKMAMMA -

1. I get motion sickness faster than you can say "Do I need to pull over?" This means I have to drive everywhere and can rarely be a passenger in any kind of transportation. It also probably means I'm a control freak.

2. I'm the youngest Rotarian in my district. (I know... very random, and strangely out of character.)

3. I've been on Oprah. Had 30 seconds on the book club show for Tawni O'Dell's novel, Back Roads. I think the only reason they called me was because I hated the book.

4. I'm secretly glad I have boys. I think I would make a horrible girl mom and was scared when I was pregnant that I might have one.

5. I spent a month in Australia in 2003. I highly recommend that.

6. My favorite candy is chocolate covered gummy bears. Since we're on the subject of chocolate I also like to mix M&M's with hot popcorn so they get all melty inside the shell.

TAG - you're it!

Lee Anne

Amy

Tyne

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

2008-10-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

Stevey Annelise was born Thursday, October 16th at 1:30 PM.
She is a very svelte 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and a lengthy 20 inches long.

She decided to debut the same way as her wise cousin Eli, and a last-minute C-section was necessary, much to her mom & dad's chagrin. Despite this, both Mom & Stevey are fine & headed home Sunday. Dad & Sister also doing great.

Family & friends can gaze upon her sweet pixie face by clicking this link.

In the meantime... BEHOLD THE CUTENESS!

American Graffiti

2008-10-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, the whole Hotwheel family spent a great afternoon at the playground on Monte Sano. Both Caleb and I would occasionally play there growing up, and immediately remembered this Metal Death Trap:

Of course, the boys loved it and spurned all the safe, cushiony playground equipment in order to crawl all over the MDT. I followed in order to avoid yet another trip to the ER, and was rewarded with some hard-core graffiti chiseled on the metal inside:

I Hate Peas. That is punk rock.

Civil disobedience, indeed.

If you need another breath of fresh air, check out these videos of the two presidential candidates at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner a few nights ago. They both KILLED it - funny, self-deprecating, charming, relevant.... dont'cha wish the whole campaign could have been like this?
(Thanks for the link, S2!)

Happiness & Homecoming Queens

2008-10-12T21:48:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks have given me much to reflect on. Caleb and I celebrated nine years of marital bliss last week, and the week before got brave enough to attend our high school's homecoming football game. I'll tackle each one separately and then segue into how they both intersect. (This should be good!)

We've been married nine years, but if you ask us, we'd both probably tell you it feels longer. NOT because of the agonizing slowness of marriage, but because wwwaaaaayyyyy back longer than that. We first met when we were 13 & 14 respectively, but didn't date then. Mostly because I wasn't allowed, secondly because we only passed each other in the hall a few times, and thirdly I was... pretty awkward that year (read: chubby & dorky).

When high school rolled around a few years later, Hotwheel Hubs will tell you he tried to ask me out, but he really didn't. We were friends, and hung out with lots of the same people. If you had told either one of us we'd get married back then I'm sure we'd both laugh in your face.

BookMamma & Hotwheel Hubs as HS seniors

I was lucky enough to have a good handful of GREAT friends in high school, a few that I am still in touch and involved with to this day. However, none of them - myself included - are terribly nostalgic for "the good ole days". We all agree it was pretty rough and are much more comfortable in our current skins. (Don't get me wrong, it was fun, but I'm not able to relate very well to people who can't seem to move past high school and think of it as the best days of their lives.) Going back for Homecoming was strange for me, but I thought it would be fun to take the boys, and my little sister was a senior this year so it was the last chance I could get away with going due to family ties.

I was surprised that it opened a floodgate of memories.

There was my parking spot, and over there was where dance team practiced. There was the "cafetorium" where I had drama class, and can you believe that teacher still works here?? Mainly though, it made me think of people, and past Homecoming games I attended in school.

My favorite year was 11th grade. I had some friends in the senior class and was doing that introspective thing teenage girls do when they start to question who they are and the company they keep and who they want to be. The main thing I remember about that year was being in a state of hilarity for the majority of it - EVERYTHING was funny. It was the year of Forest Gump, ER's television debut, and Kurt Cobain's departure. Beavis & Butthead were in their prime. I met new people and tried new things - some good, some not. Homecoming that year stands out in my head, because that was the year of the anti-Homecoming Queen... Danielle's reign began.

Specifics erased to protect the not-so-innocent.

Danielle was funny, pretty, athletic, and pragmatic. She was popular, but in a literal way as opposed to an elite way. Everybody knew her because she talked to everybody. She had an uncanny talent for making people feel included, students and staff alike. All the teachers knew her, all the cheerleaders knew her, all the dorks knew her, and all the jocks knew her. Which was probably how she got to be Homecoming Queen, although I seem to remember her hating it. She spoke her mind in a way I had not seen before - not confrontational or bratty like most 17 year-olds, but with unapologetic empathy. 1994 was the year I became friends with Danielle, and she was one of the first to impress upon me the endless possibilities of life outside of The Green.

Graduation happens, college happens, time passes. Caleb and I suddenly find ourselves back in the hometown during a lull in both of lives. A friendship is revived. Long story short, it all results in this:

The wedding was huge, full of friends & family. My girls from high school threw me a surprise batchelorette party the week before and Danielle was there, instigating as usual. Several weeks ago I got see Danielle as she popped into town to visit friends. We keep connected through the various social networks and still share friends, so I hear a lot about what she's up to second hand. It's rare & wonderful when you have a friend that time doesn't seem to touch.

Danielle & Choppa - she's the one on the right.

So, Danielle - here's your promised post.
(Please don't kill me, but you know you had it coming for the photo you put up last year!)

And to Caleb - my how time flies when you're having fun... you have helped me to never "[be] cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass."

The Path of Least Resistance

2008-10-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

The keyword hits are cracking me up lately! I love seeing how folks wind up at the HH as they do their wacked-out Google searches... **

hot boys briefs
This one happens a LOT. Combined with the gross-out additions of the numbers one and three. I don't want to think long about that one...

Conversely, I also get pinged by:
hot hippy boy

gargantula spider
So I guess that's a real word now. Kind of like 'damntastic'.

read alike alice in wonderland
This one puzzles me because I can't figure out what post it's referencing. Any ideas?

Dickinson's lemon curd
A post about this recipe gets tons of weekly hits. You're welcome, Dickinson's! You can send me that lifetime supply of nommy lemon curd any day now.

make his in-laws love you
Part II of Dickinson's post. Apparently the subject of distraught in-law relationships is a big issue.

schnitzel zone
Um... okay. Do I WANT to know?

mexican bathrooms?
No, thank you.

As a library professional, it makes me cringe when people use Google like it's GOD. In case you don't already know, always question Teh Internets... ALWAYS!

Whatever You Do, DON'T Vote

2008-10-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Just in case you need an army of A-list celebrities encouraging you to vote...

... and now, back to your regularly scheduled Hotwheel Hacienda.
(No more political posts, I promise. I'll do that elsewhere.)

Finn goes for his check up with the plastic surgeon tomorrow. Something tells me that will be very blog-worthy. Stay tuned!

The Great Costume Debacle

2008-10-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

It's officially October and the boys have started this year's debate - what to be for Halloween? Actually, the search began back in August, but neither Caleb or I took either very seriously, because we knew it would change a million times.

The difference now is Eli is interested, and Finn - who we thought would be the constant element in the Halloween equation - can't seem to make up his mind. Before Eli could care less, but now he is firmly resolved to be "Star Wars", which include any one of the following:

- Darth Vader
- a Jedi
- Boba Fett
- Yoda

Fickle Finn changes with the wind. Months ago is was Shark Boy, from the movie Shark Boy & Lava Girl. Then it changed to Indiana Jones, in part because he loves to watch us play Lego Indiana Jones on the Wii. (Note he's never seen the movies and really has no idea who Indiana Jones is.) Then he wanted to be a knight, just because he saw a costume in TJ Maxx he liked that was five times too big for him.

Today? He wants to be "Scary Jerry".

Who is Scary Jerry, you ask?

He is this guy. My mom came to visit over the weekend and brought Scary Jerry, a magnetic skeleton that she got at the hospital gift shop. Scary Jerry lives on our refrigerator... and Finn has fallen in love with him. Scary Jerry needs to be adjusted. Scary Jerry is too cold. Scary Jerry "glows in the dark" (not really). Scary Jerry wants to play with him. Scary Jerry is ticklish.

Finn wants to marry Scary Jerry.

Luckily, Caleb's parents found some cute skeleton pajamas for both boys a while back. Am I bad mother is I just layer those with thermal underwear, slap on a skeleton mask, and call it a day?

Scary Jerry is whispering in my ear, telling me I should.

Living the Good LIfe

2008-10-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

Check this out. This is an actual obit that ran a few days ago...

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 1, 2008 - James William "Jim" Adams

A celebration of life for James William "Jim" Adams, 53, will be held at a later date.

He died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 at Memorial Hospital of Converse County in Douglas.

Jim, who had tired of reading obituaries noting other's courageous battles with this or that disease, wanted it known that he lost his battle. It was primarily as a result of being stubborn and not following doctor's orders or maybe for just living life a little too hard for better than five decades.

He was born June 8, 1955 in Garrison, N.D. the son of James William and Ruby Helen (Clark) Adams.

He was sadly deprived of his final wish, which was to be run over by a beer truck on the way to the liquor store to buy booze for a date. True to his personal style, he spent his final hours joking with medical personnel, cussing and begging for narcotics and bargaining with God to look over his loving dog, Biscuit, and his family.

He would like to thank all "his ladies" for putting up with him the last 30 years.

During his life, he excelled at anything he put his mind to. He loved to hear and tell jokes and spin tales of grand adventures he may or may not have had.

He is survived by five sons, Jeremiah Adams and his wife, Nicole, Mica Olivas, Wade Olivas, Brice Simpson and Cole Adams; sister, Jerri Giegerich; two ex-wives, Vickie Harrison and Marilyn Williams; four grandchildren; two nieces; and two great-nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law.

In lieu of flowers, he asks that you make a sizeable purchase at your favorite watering hole, get rip roaring drunk and tell the stories he no longer can.

Gorman Funeral Homes - Converse Chapel of Douglas is in charge of the arrangements.

I can only hope for a tribute that awesome.

(this was also a test to see if Blogger's scheduled post option works, but in no way negates the awesomeness.)

Boy Briefs, the ER Version

2008-10-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Yep, we had to go back last night.

Thanks to all my twitterkin that sent good vibes our way. I sincerely think it helped! We were able to leave (yet again) without having to put Finn under for surgery. And today the cut looks better - it's pinking up. Those of you who are very brave can go see it here. Be warned - it's gross.

At the current moment our status is set to "wait & see". All the doctors involved (and there is a growing number of them, which I think is stoopid) seem to think it could easily go either way. Best case scenario involves sutures healing great and come out next week. Worst case would be skin continues to die due to lack of blood supply and surgery becomes inevitable. Then it's put Finn under - something that scares me very much - and plastic surgeon takes a graph from his tiny little back and applies it to his arm so it doesn't crater.

We see plastic surgeon Tuesday and its his call. Until then, we have to watch it vigilantly and go straight to the doctor, do not pass go, do not collect $200, where he will then send us straight to the ER and we do it all over again.

JOY.

While I am VERY thankful this is just a superficial wound, and we're not dealing with a super-serious injury, the thought of putting Finn to sleep for surgery makes me incredibly nervous. I guess I've heard too many horror stories of kids never waking up again, especially little ones.

So - if you have a positive success story to share, please leave them in the comments.

If you only have horrible, awful, negative stories, take a hike. I can't hear those right now.

********************************

Two year old and I are driving to meet Hotwheel Hubs and Finn at the ER. I am distraught due to circumstances.

Eli: "Mommy. Mommy. Look! Look Dat!!"

Me: "What? Where?"

Eli: "Iyon pway! Iyon pway!" points and wiggles excitedly

Me: "What?"

Eli: "IYON PWAY!! Der. Der. Der-der-der-der. DER!!!"

Me: spotting the source of discontent
"You want to play there, at that playground?"

Eli: "Ya."

Me: "We can't baby. We got to go see Daddy and Brother."

Eli: "Kaaay."

(a few miles later)

Eli: "Schweep da moon, schweep da moon, Ewi schweepin', Brudder nigh-nigh"
Repeat 18 times.
(Translation: Sleep the moon, sleep the moon, Eli sleeping, Brother night night.)

(more miles later)

Eli: "Mommy. Mommy. Look! Look Dat!! Eeeeewwwww. Dat yucky!"

Me: ......

Eli: "Eeeeewwwww. Blech. Dat duht nassy."

Me: spotting the construction & piles of dirt around the hospital
"Yep. Nasty dirt."

(in the hospital parking lot)

Eli: "Mommy. Mommy. Look! Look Dat!! Der! Mocycle! Iyona wide!"

Me: "Yep. It's a motorcycle. Say 'hi' to the motorcycle man. We can't ride, baby. We have to go see Daddy now."

Eli: "Kaaay."

Eli has no clue whatsoever there is discord in the house. His oblivion is refreshing, and I hope if I stay around it long enough I can absorb some of it by osmosis. He's been pacifier free for over 3 weeks, and his talking has increased at least 50%. He quit by himself, cold turkey. He's asked for it a few times when he's been sleepy or upset, but only a few.

I'm so proud of my goofy, sweet baby boy. He's a spot of sunshine on a cloudy day.

********************************

Also - anyone know if its possible to back up a blog? I'm terrified of blogger crashing and losing all my posts. Is this a dumb thing to worry about or can my neurosis be validated?

We Take a Vacation... or, This Week on "ER: Orange Beach"

2008-09-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

Our family had a looooong summer, and we decided a few weeks back to retreat to the beach for a relaxing, quality-time vacation. We arrived in Orange Beach ready for fun fun FUN! The condo we were staying in had great amenities, with a kiddie pool, children's fountain, multiple hot tubs & pools, and a clean private beach.

You might remember this place when we went last April... it was the scene of Eli's Great Elevator Debacle. Since then, the condo has been remodeled and redecorated - it was SO nice.

Go to our Flickr page to see all the photos.

The weather was perfect and the water was clear. Not a jelly fish in sight.

We frolicked in the sand and surf in the morning, took long naps during the day, and dined at beachfront restaurants at night. We took a night walk on the beach to search for crabs with our flashlights. After the boys crashed we watched the debates or caught the Alabama-Georgia football game. And slept the sleep of the dead.

Finn and Eli loved the sand the best. Any time they could find a hole to dig or bury their feet they indulged. There was a sand bar just a few yards out from the shore and we would wade out to stand in the shallow water there. Hotwheel Hubs heard there was a stingray migration and we even saw a "flock" of them from the balcony of our condo.

On Sunday it was time to head back home. We stayed until the very last moment - housekeeping was knocking on the door - and decided to visit the outlet stores on the way out. We lunched at Lambert's Cafe and headed to the stores. Both boys needed Fall clothes badly. Eli has surpassed Finn's hand-me-downs and he's too big for his brother's Fall clothes from last year, so I was looking forward to finding some killer deals.

That's when it went bad.

We were shopping when it happened. I was looking through the clothes and the boys were occupying themselves nearby, not even horsing around too much. Hubs was standing right there and couldn't prevent it from happening. It was a complete freak accident...

Finn fell and cut his arm on a clothes rack - it literally flayed a 3 inch flap of skin down to the layer of fat over his muscle. Caleb scooped him and I got a wet wipe to help stop the bleeding and we hightailed it the front of the store to find out where the hospital was. At this point I had not seen the cut and thought it was something that could be patched up with some Neosporin and a bandaid, but HH knew we had to go to the ER. Finn cried, but had already stopped before we got to the car.

After a 45 minute wait a nurse took a look and dressed the cut. We waited another 45 minutes for the doctor to see Finn.

The doctor was concerned because of the weird shape of the cut and how there would be no blood supply to the skin if they sewed it up. He took a gamble and put in 13 stitches. I won't go into the details here, but that was one of the hardest things I've had to do as a mom to date. It took three of us to hold Finn down for an hour - two nurses and me and the doctor to do the stitches. By the time it was over he was soaked from sweat and tears and slobber. He thrashed and fought the whole hour.

It killed me.

The ER doctor told us he didn't think the stitches were viable, and we needed to be prepared to undergo reconstructive surgery over a series of months. As of yesterday, our pediatrician said they looked good and were healing well so far. So... there's a big chance Finn won't have to do a skin graph and that we'll get the stitches out next week.

Waiting for the doctor.

Eli offers sympathy...

I'll post more as things develop.

Is it me, or is this condo cursed for us?

I'm Crazy... or, We Went Camping

2008-09-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we experienced another "first" for the boys - AND for me.
We went camping.

I had been camping before, but never really did the tent kind. My dad shares a cabin on the mountain with my uncle and some of his friends, and growing up we would occasionally wrestle the four-wheelers up to the top and spend some time up there. It's no luxury pad, but has many amenities that a tent just doesn't have - a wood stove, bunk beds, sink, & outhouse. If dad brought the generator we would have electricity, and they keep huge jugs of water for washing dishes and drinking. So, I never really had to do the tent thing.

The botanical gardens hosted a Family Camp Night on their grounds, and HH and I thought it would be a good trial run for the boys. It was great! We pitched the tent close to the Japanese Water Garden in hopes that the fountain sounds would drown out any people noises and wake up the boys later that night. It worked pretty well except it made me want to pee the whole time.

We roasted hot dogs on sticks:

We made S'mores over an open fire: (a first for me too!)

We went on a flashlight hike through the Enchanted Forest, a hay ride to see all the garden's scarecrows, and threw rocks in the pond (for MUCH longer than I would have liked). Everything was going splendidly...

... until it was time for bed.

Eli was overtired, and when he gets that way we just have to ride the tide until he collapses from exhaustion. Luckily, it doesn't take long, but it's pretty intense until then. There was much fussing and thrashing and throwing himself on the ground. HH was able to get him asleep, but had to carefully extract himself from the Eli Bear Grip in order to get to his own sleeping bag. Finn was happy as a lark and thought the whole thing was "super cool". We all snuggled into sleeping bags and passed out.

I slept really well and deeply, which surprised me. I woke up, all ready to pack up and get some breakfast. I checked my phone to see what time it was: Twelve thirty.

WHA??? You've got to be kidding me.

I looked over at Caleb, who was flat on his back, staring up at the tent ceiling. "That's how I felt thirty minutes ago," he said. "We're trapped in the night that will never end."

To make a really long story shorter, we got through it. Finn woke up around 1:00 AM, did a weird little sleep-walking monkey dance and fell back asleep. At 4:00 AM we woke up to the sound of a military drill exercise taking place on the base next door to the garden. It was difficult to get back to sleep after that, plus it started raining and it was cold. We packed up and headed back to the Hacienda.

Did the boys go back to sleep after we got home and they their own warm, dry beds to enjoy?
Nope.

Did I make it to my meeting in Birmingham after 3 hours sleep?
Yep.

Will we be camping in our backyard soon?
According to Finn, we will.

Are S'mores better over an actual fire as opposed to the microwave?
No question about it.

Is That a Pumpkin In Your Pants?

2008-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Since recycling is the cool thing to do now, I thought I'd recycle an old post. This one's from Monday, October 02, 2006. Finn was not yet two and Eli a mere three months when I wrote it...

I love this time of year. Sweaters and sharpened pencils, the acrid tang of cotton defoliant in the air, the Halloween candy on special. From the back porch, I can hear the drums from the middle school marching band on Thursday nights whenever they play home games.

What is your favorite memory of Fall? What do you like most?

When I was very small my parents took me to the local Farmer's Market to pick out a pumpkin to carve. I must have been around three at the time, and when we got there a photographer for the paper asked to take my picture. They put the camera inside a pumpkin and took a shot of my three year old face peering in and smacking my lips. I wore denim overalls and they put me on the front page. Years later, I found about 15 copies of that page in the family photo chest.

My sister and I tagging along when my dad went dove hunting. Being on the dance team and performing at halftime football games. Falling in love with my husband while driving through Amish country (of all places).

What are your most vivid Fall memories? Leave them in the comments.

(Later)

Funny story - yesterday this came in the mail from one of my aunts. She found it in her photos and sent it to me. How did she know I was planning to blog about it?

October 30, 1980

"Pumpkin Point of View"

Ever wonder what Halloween looks like to a pumpkin? If you are round and orange and you see little girls like Stephanie F. , 3, thinking about pumpkin pie and making jack-o-lanterns it's not a pretty sight. But it is an interesting angle with the camera inside the pumpkin shell. Stephanie is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen F. of New Market, and the pumpkin resides, at least temporarily, at a stand on north Memorial Parkway.

In Which Craig Ferguson is Awesome

2008-09-13T06:45:00.001-07:00

I puffy heart Craig:

"... Here's some good advice on what voting is all about, plus a dash of media critique of election coverage by mainstream media, delivered in a zexy brogue by talk show host Craig Ferguson." -- MOMocrats

And fabulous Les Mis spoofs with Obama aides:

And, yes... I AM phoning it in lately.

I'm taking a bit of a break and leaning on my "Guilt-Free Blogging" rights. Now that Big Fat Work Event is over, I'm reading books and playing with my kids and cooking and getting my house in order again. We're headed to the beach soon, and going camping this weekend. We're thinking of putting the house up for sale. We're trying to roll with punches at Hotwheel Hubs work. I threw a baby shower for my sister and am coordinating a wedding for my friend. I'm jumping back on the wagon and hitting the gym again.

We're waiting with baited breath as this election unfolds.

In other words, we're doing the real world thing for a while.

Standing on the Shoulders of Blog Giants

2008-09-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

I love it when I'm blog hopping and I find something that screams at me - something I wish I had written because it put into words exactly how I feel about a particular issue.

Check out these posts from other blogs that succinctly sum up my feelings toward the election and some of it's related issues...

Miss Zoot wrote:

I have never found myself more emotionally invested in an election in my entire life. I’m not sure if it’s my strong belief in Obama or my extreme irritation with Bush - but the two together? Have turned me into a passionate Democrat this year. I found myself on the verge of tears several times yesterday as I read woman after woman discuss why they wouldn’t vote for Sarah Palin. I’m so proud that we have come so far as women that we not only have a female VP candidate, but we can actually choose not to vote for her. We’ve come so far as a nation that - in my opinion - it’s actually the all-male ticket that I feel will fight for the women’s issues I care about most.

Then MammaSphere compiled a list of Alaskan bloggers who have some pretty striking evidence against Palin... No matter which way you lean, I'm just sayin - we all know media's a bit sketchy these days. I've been getting a LOT of good information from blogs and overseas.

Mommypie's great You Tube posts:

If this one doesn't floor you, then you are made of wood.

In other (fragmented) news...

Anybody going to BlogHer Reach Out Tour? I'm pretty close to Nashville and would love to go check it out and see what the fuss is about. Super Woman can't make it and Ms. Kelby is hosting a contest to give away some tix - who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky!

Maybe YOU will!

Boy Briefs, the Hodgepodge Version

2008-09-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

A recent conversation with Finn:

Finn: "I gonna be Inyanna JONES for Halloweeeen. Eli gonna be a penguin 'cause he likes ice and its COLD."

Me: "Oookay... what is Daddy going to be?"

Finn: "A banana."

Me: "...... really?"

Finn: "'An you gonna be Panna Montanna. 'Cuz he a good singer and he rocks."

Is this a compliment or an insult?

And how do you even know who Hannah Montana is? ...YOU'RE THREE!!

We also have a bit of a pronoun problem we need to work on.

******************************

Overheard last week in response to meeting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

High School Kid: "Whoa. That's a lot of denim."

*******************************

So Nebraska might be experiencing a population burst.

Having trouble with your angsty teen? Tired of worrying about curfews and underage drinking and premarital sex when it comes to your 16 year old?

Move to Nebraska:

OMAHA, Neb. - Nebraska’s new “safe-haven” law allowing parents to abandon unwanted children at hospitals with no questions asked is unique in a significant way: It goes beyond babies and potentially permits the abandonment of anyone under 19.
While lawmakers may not have intended it, the month-old law raises the possibility that frustrated parents could drop off misbehaving teens or even severely disabled older children with impunity.
“Whether the kid is disabled or unruly or just being a hormonal teenager, the state is saying: ’Hey, we have a really easy option for you,”’ said Adam Pertman, executive director of a New York adoption institute and a frequent critic of safe-haven laws.

****************************

All you parents out there probably discovered this fantastic treat a long time ago, but I have only recently found them out. Whole grains, natural ingredients, low-fat, gluten-free. And whose going to turn these down with a name like Pirate's Booty?

My boys liked it so well we had it for dinner tonight with apples, bananas, and cheese. Can you tell I'm still recuperating from the work week?

#110 - Here's your cue, KAJ

2008-09-05T13:44:00.001-07:00

#110 - Here's your cue
Originally uploaded by domesticat

It's over!!! We did it!! I can't be more proud of my board, the staff, and the event committee. I have that warm & fuzzy exhausted feeling you get when a major project is finished - plus wine helps.

I think I said "I love you" and "thank you" about a zillion times last night and today, and probably will a zillion more times next week.

I meant every one.

Photo credit: domesticat is a photo goddess!!

2008-09-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Holy cow, I'm busy. I passed myself on the road three times today! But KAJ is here and I got him settled. Hopefully he'll spend tomorrow resting and adjusting to AL time.

I'll check in with ya'll next week and let you know how it goes tomorrow. After then I hope to take some much-deserved time out of the office.

Here's the latest media on my event for the record...

We are Family... I Got All my Sistahs With Me.

2008-08-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

Except one... more on that later.

Some quick mini-sodes from the the Hotwheel Hacienda lately... Friday was the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and in a cruel twist of irony here we are again, with Gustav knocking on the Gulf's door as a category 5. Thankfully our Louisiana family is smart, and hightailed it outta there. We should know in a few days the extent of the damage, but they are hoping there's something still standing to come home TO. Hang in there, NOLA - we're all thinking of you.

Every Labor Day weekend for us = Family Reunions.

This year we have two, the usual one on my side and a new one on Caleb's side. Hitting them both won't be too hard because concidentally, some genius of a person planned them within a 3 mile radius of each other.

What I'm Cooking:

Recording this here because I forget EVERY year...

Miss Mary Bobo's Green Rice Casserole

My mom always makes this and it's the hit of the reunion, but because their kitchen is literally gutted due to renovations, I decided to give it a go. Mom discovered the recipe in Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook in Lynchburg, TN - home of THE Jack Daniels Distillery.
(If you're ever in the neighborhood, the tour is wonderful and the distillery grounds are gorgeous.)

3 cups cooked long-grain rice, prepared according to package directions (can use a brown/white combo)
1 pint low-fat sour cream
1 can cream of celery soup
6 oz can diced green chilies, DO NOT drain
2 cans Rotel, drained
8 oz. cubed Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 stick butter or butter substitute

- Mix cooked rice, soup, and sour cream together in large bowl.

- Turn half of rice mixture into greased round 2 quart casserole dish.

- Sprinkle chilies and Rotel on top. Layer half the cubed and shredded cheese.

- Top with remaining rice mixture, chilies, Rotel, and cheese.

- Dot with butter & cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

- Remove foil and bake additional 5 - 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.

The dessert I brought was my now-signature dish - a Triple Berry Lemon Trifle.

I like to make it just so I can lick the spoon from the lemon curd jar. God bless the English for inventing that stuff.

Reunion turnout seemed a bit on the low side this year - I can think of 5 families that couldn't make it. My sister was one of them since she had an in-law reunion to go to in Ft. Payne. Missed you Amanda!

I'll post some photos tomorrow as soon as I can get them off my phone.

For now, I'll leave you with one of my favorite Finn photos.. (ahhhh, I loves me some alliteration!)

King of the Mulch Pile...

Pinch Hitting

2008-08-28T05:17:00.001-07:00

So I'm over at Mcmommy's pad today for my very first guest post.

And in between that I'm working like a FIEND.
Only 7 days until my big fat event with Very Famous Person and I've acquired an eerie Zen-like attitude toward it all.

In other words, if you're visiting for the first time I'm usually here more.

THINGS YOU CAN DO WHILE I IS WORKING MAH TAIL OFF:

1.) Peruse the Hotwheel Archives:

Like this one where we cook!

Or this one where we deal with toddler bullies!

Or this one where I lose my not-quite-two-year-old in a 16-story condo!

2. Leave me a Comment

But only if you want to... no pressure.

3. Peruse the Hotwheel Library

It's over there on the right. We're book and shoe ho's around here.

4. Twitter Me

Um... sounds nasty, no?

5. Pray to the Library Gods/Goddess that I Don't Screw Up this Very Important Event that Will Equal the Majority of What Our Libraries will be Able to Spend in Their Book Budgets.

Do you know any library goddesses?

These Crocodiles Rock

2008-08-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

You're never going to believe it. Ya'll all know what a shoe-ho I am, and I saw something today that made me really excited.

But first, a little back story... This might get me into a lot of trouble, but I'm just going to go for it. Ready?

My close friends know this about me but I'm bringing you in on a pet peeve of mine.... I hate Crocs on grown people. I think adults look silly when they wear them, like giant toddlers with hobbit feet.

Now, before you get all pissy on me, please know - I am a complete hypocrite because I WEAR THEM. But not in public, only at home around the house or in the yard. I love how comfortable and convenient they are. But in my mind, they are right up there with Heelys - completely meant for children.

Or... they used to be.
Lookit!! The new line of YOU by Crocs:

High wedge boots!

T-strap patent leather heels!!

PEEP TOES!!!! Squeeeeeee!!!!

OHMommy brought it to my attention and is even giving away a pair over at Classy Chaos. (butdon'tevenTHINKofgoingovertherebecauseI'mgoingtowinthem!!)

They're a bit pricey (starting around $120) but if they are as comfortable as their hobbit-esque counterparts - not to mention as durable - that's a fantastic investment.

Can you say, "Helloooooo Fall?"

It Takes a Village

2008-08-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

WANTED: One Village to lend advice on the following:

How to discipline a 3 year old when repeatedly caught lying and not make him feel he is being punished for telling the truth.

What to do when your 2 year old always LAUGHS at you when he is sent to Time Out. He still does the time, but somehow doesn't seem affected by the punishment. Also - how not to lose your cool when this happens.

When to start giving a 3 year old regular responsibilities/chores around the house.

Seriously folks. I need your input. How do you handle these issues at your house? Leave me a comment with your suggestions and hopefully one of you can share an idea I haven't tried yet.

And, books! Send me book titles to try! I seem to have lost my Manual to these things....

Mememememe... Is This Thing On?

2008-08-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

My girl Mamabeeotch tagged me for a meme and I'm stoked! Ready? Here goes...

1. What is your favorite quotable line from a movie?

Lately?

"Ya got red on ya..."

AND

"Why do we fall, sir? So that we might learn to pick ourselves up. "

2. Who is the most famous person you’ve talked to?

I've worked with tons of authors...

Garrison Keillor... or, The Man Whose Face Was Made for Radio

I was a HUGE Tori fan and talked to her at a show in Atlanta. She gave me the set list that was on the piano that night.

But lately? THIS guy haunts my dreams... he's the one that's making me work so hard the past few months:

3. How many bags/boxes of potato chips are consumed at your house per month?

Not many since we started to eat better. I'd say we average one bag of multi-grain Tostidos each month.

4. What foreign food dish do you prepare from scratch and serve?

I like babba ghanoush but only make it once or twice a year. Hotwheels Hubs made a fantastic lasagna from scratch last week - he used tomatoes, peppers, & basil from our garden, handmade noodles, and the GOOD mozeralla!

5. What is your favorite section of the supermarket?

Produce. Especially fruit.

Or the part where the bakery gives the boys a cookie so I can fly through the store in the 15 minutes that buys me to get all our shopping done.

6. What was your high school team’s mascot and what were the school colors?

Ready for this??

We were the TROJANS. As in prophylactic. Our mascot was a big... condom. In red and silver wrappers. Or at least that's what a bystander would think at any away games from the fountain of condoms thrown at us by the home team.
And yes... I was a Trojanette.

Who to tag?? Let's see...

How about Simply Shannon. She just got a blog face lift too and she's looking HOT!

And then there's Tyne over at "The White House" who I've just discovered. She might be feeling a little green around the gills and could use a pick-me-up. Plus our husbands have the same name...

And definitely Carol over at Siswick Construction Zone. She invented the phrase getting your grump on and I love it. Plus her accent gets me every time.

TAG! You're it!

My Hot Date(s)

2008-08-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday night I was escorted to dinner and a movie by not one, but TWO cute boys.

I was treated like a Queen. Really, the boys couldn't have behaved better for all the candy in the world. Finn held open doors, no one bolted away from me into the crowd, and Eli acted like he was on Prozac the whole time - all smiles and excitement.

Of course, the fan-girl that I am HAD to take her dates to the new animated Star Wars movie**... where Storm Troopers and Boba Fett were in attendance. Finn is just now getting into the whole Star Wars thing, and he has narrowed his Halloween costume down to Darth Vader, Shark Boy, or Indiana Jones. He told a Storm Trooper that he was going to be Darth Vader and that meant he (the Storm Trooper) was HIS soldier.

Finn asks Mr. Fett if he could "touch his blaster".
The twelve-year-old in me had to snicker...

I really didn't plan on taking the boys to the actual movie, I just thought they'd get a kick out of the costumes... but they were being SO good and just fascinated by it all, so I thought "Why not?"

After the movie we had to walk around a bit - asking little boys to sit for that long and not have a wiggle session afterward is NOT smart. Luckily, a blues musician was playing so the boys held a boogie session to the glee of the other shoppers. Actually, Eli cut a rug while Finn ran around and around in circles. The night air was perfect and breezy, and there was no place I'd rather have been in the whole world.

On the drive home, Finn spotted the big full moon and sleepily serenaded:

The Moon goes UP, the Sun goes UP
An I say hello, hhheeeeelllloooooo.
An you are my BES' friend
An I llloooovvvveeee yooooouuuu...
(repeat, 18x)

** PS - about that movie: die hard SW fans will be disappointed. I went into this expecting it to be for kids and nothing more. Don't go if you want complex plot lines and flashy animation.

Ta-Da! The Hacienda's New Look

2008-08-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

So what do you think?

Is it SUPERCOOL?

SUPERFAST??

SUPER... awesome?

Lots of Hotwheel lovin to JudithShakes Designs for tolerating my indecisiveness. I still have smidgen of tweaking to do, so bear with me the next few days as I work out some kinks.

Oh, and Happy POW!

Boy Briefs, the Wii Version

2008-08-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

My newest addiction: Leggo Indiana Jones

Family fun for everyone! How else can I play video games and the boys watch raptly?

***************************

Thanks to Mammabeeotch, I have found vindication!!! Don't you love it when that happens?

***************************

We're eating dinner tonight and Finn launches into a particularly detailed and plot-twisting story:

Finn: dreamily playing with his food and talking to himself "Once upon a time there was a boy who climb and climb a big tall castle... the ttaaaalllest castle in the 'lan. And he met a giant and the giant was the Incredible Hulk and he was a nice Hulk, not a mean Hulk, and his Mommy said "don't be a mean boy at school, be a nice boy and NO SPITTIN.

Me: .....

Finn: "An the castle was broken and it CRASH to the groun' and the boy said 'Oh, no. What am I gonna do now?' And the boy and the giant clean up the castle and climbed down the beanstalk. And Incredible Hulk was his best friend."

Caleb: .....

Eli: "NYO!"

Story time at the Hotwheel Hacienda...

C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E good times, Come On!

2008-08-11T15:55:00.000-07:00

BookMamma bops around the house, singing at the top of her lungs...

This weekend? Finn finally mastered the art I've been waiting for the past 1,319 days. It's every parent who has an older toddler's DREAM.

No more shall I hear from the bathroom, "Mmmmmaaaaammmmmaaa!
MAMA!
Mama?
I all done!!"

It has made THIS mamma so:

Can you guess what it is?

I'm an Oxy Moron

2008-08-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

WARNING: this post is full of self-gratified back-patting. Because this never happens, I simply had to record it for future reference.

There is no such thing as a Salaried Part-Time Job.
Anybody who has one knows it's an oxymoron, like "jumbo shrimp" or "soft rock"... or "family vacation". It's a myth, a fairytale.

The SPTJ I have is absolutely wonderful seven months out of the year: complete flexibility with the hours I am in the office, the whole month of December off, and another month in the spring. Plus I can work from home any of the days that I arrange ahead of time. Not to mention I love what I do and it's a big part of who I am. That's any parent's DREAM job!

But when May - September comes around those who know me are fully aware of my tendency to be... absent. Any spare time I have is willingly (and yes, guiltily) given to my family. Sometimes it gets rough, but I always have that light at the end of the tunnel, that glorious ghost of October 1st to pull me through the really bad patches. Those are the five months that I get a taste of what it's like to really juggle the professional BookMamma with the personal BookMamma. And dudes, there are times where it just about KILLS me.

But not today!

I'm supposed to be off on Fridays, but I have to bend that rule this time of year. The boys were both in a great mood and I was taking advantage of it! I had a full day planned with Finn & Eli - and was determined we were going to have FUN DAMMIT.

Lunch with fun aunts! Balloons! Bookstore with train track! Cookie snack! Playing in the Children's Fountain! Carousel rides!

Fun, fun, FUN!

Then the phone started ringing. And ringing. And ringing.
And I had to pick it up. It's the exchange I knowingly give to have this SPTJ.

But did the FUN! stop? Oh, no. No way.
BookMamma engages in (surprise!) conference call with Very Famous Person and city school board, whilst main-lining a dirty chai and playing the tragic role of Sir Topham Hat, left to die on the train tracks after a collision with Thomas.

For over 20 minutes - and neither party finding out they were not exclusive.

Act II consisted of playing until the boys got so tired they crashed in the car. I seized the opportunity to dash into the local public radio station and record a quick PSA for work. A friend works the reception desk and she kept an eye on the cool car full of sleeping beasties from her desk by the glass door. It took all of six minutes and the boys never even woke up.

This is one of the few days that it ALL worked seamlessly. If my life had a soundtrack, "Eye of the Tiger" would be blaring.

So... how long do you think I can keep this up?
Um, wait... don't answer that. I choose ignorance and bliss.

Dear Jessica Seinfield...

2008-08-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

Have I told you lately that I love you?? (As Rod Stewart swells in the background...)
After Artist Unplugged told me about seeing you on Oprah, I had to pick up a copy of your cookbook. You had me at "Brownies (with Spinach and Carrot)".

Photo by Not Quite Nigella

Granted, I had to tweak your recipe a little bit and add some chocolate chunks, but that was all. Oh, and then I omitted some of the carrot. And maybe reduced the AMOUNT of spinach required because a whole half cup just seemed a little too... spinach-y. And then I spread a teensy bit of frosting on top.

Next I tried the "Spaghetti with Balognase Sauce (with Sweet Potato and Carrot)" and that was GREAT. I stuck with the recipe directions exactly on that one. Except I used ground turkey for the meat and canned tomatoes instead of crushed and a little red wine (okay a lot) and some sun dried tomatoes and some peppers from the garden and fresh basil. But that's all.

Your "Italian Meatloaf (with Carrot)" was a hit with the boys. Especially because I just added carrot puree to my mom's recipe and it worked. They never even knew there were hidden vegetables in it. I'm sure that's NOT because there were a total of maybe four baby carrots.

I'm looking forward to trying out the other recipes soon, and I have YOU to thank for Hotwheel Hacienda going healthy! I'm sure this is exactly what you had in mind.

Very Sincerely,
BookMamma

In Which BookMamma Is Lazy

2008-08-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

Work's got me CRAZY busy these days and will stay that way through the end of September. It's really cramping my blog style, but I'll manage. In the meantime, some photos will help illustrate what we've been up to lately.

Anybody notice what Finn is supposed to be working on?? He moved up at school and started with a new teacher and a new classroom. He's doing great and seems to love the increase in structured activities. (Funny thing for the baby book: the boys' teachers are twin sisters. Cool, huh?)

More food porn pictures from my recent canning experience with my mom.
I loved all the colors!

Thanks to McMommy, the boys have learned how to Wii-box. Yay!! This Mommy earns some blogging time and Finn & Eli learn how to HIT each other!

Reason #4 on the short but sweet "Why I'm an Episcopalian" list. This ad ran in our local paper last week. I don't like to talk about religion much on the blog, but this was too good NOT to share.

This one's just too cute NOT to post. Behold, Hotwheel Hubs!

100 is the Magic Number

2008-08-03T11:18:00.001-07:00

So... Blogger is telling me that this is my 100th post to the Hotwheel Hacienda. I really wish I had been paying attention, so I could have planned on doing something wild and throw a huge party or something. Instead I'm eating a chocolate Jello pudding cup and washing it down with a glass of shiraz in way of celebration.

If I were feeling really industrious I could post "100 Things About Me", but that's kind of narcissistic and would take a really long time. And I'm lazy.
Observe:

I could reflect on how this blog has made me a better person (probably not), or a better parent (probably so), or somehow changed my life in a giant way. I love that I'm creating a real record for my boys about who they are and how they came to be that way. I hope it could be a resource for them if they ever think to themselves, so THIS is how Mom totally screwed us up! Now they, and their shrink(s), can go straight to the source! I've saved them YEARS of expensive therapy.

But one of the best things about blogging is connecting with my Doogs and making friends all over the country. Where else could I get vindication of my killer parenting, writing, and shoe therapy skillz? I've really loved reading all your blogs and making you a little part of each day. I think of some of your posts that I come across and laugh (or sometimes cry) out loud.

You've given me a place to tell the stories of this guy:

And this guy:

So thank you for coming by the Hotwheel Hacienda and checking in on us from time to time. And leaving comments! And sending chocolate! And shoes!

I was serious about that comment thing... leave me one today & help celebrate my 100th in style!

Sweet Dreams are Made of Flickr

2008-08-01T20:47:00.001-07:00

made by xianjesen
Originally uploaded by boyshapedbox

Holy cow this could be addictive...

Perfect Posts in a Not-So-Perfect World

2008-08-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I'm bloghopping there are posts that I wish did not have to be written. They are so hard to read, and stick with me long after I would have liked to forget them. But I almost always force myself through, even though I'm left teary and a little bit more broken hearted.

Like Punk Rock Mommy's lost battle with cancer. I haven't been reading her long, but her last post moves me beyond any words I could type here. My heart hurts for her family, and I am glad they have her blog to keep her a little bit nearer for a little bit longer.

And then there's Heather of "A Big Boy, a Baby Girl, and a Precious Pug" fighting the Big Fight and freshly cancer-free. Seeing the blog community come together to support her and send good karma/prayers/thoughts her way in a massive wave of compassion and empathy directly counteracts the terrible things I see on the daily news.

So I am honered and surprised to be nominated (for the first time!) for a Perfect Post by S2 Do Life. I feel a little like a freshman who dares to sit with the seniors on the first day of high school, and that surely somehow S2 must have made a mistake, but there you are.

It has made me extremely...

Visit Suburban Turmoil for a complete list of Perfect Posts for July.
You'll be glad you did.

One Man's Trash is Another Man's... Trash

2008-07-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

I used to lead a writer's workshop at a local bookstore. I know, you aren't surprised because of my dazzling writing skillz... actually I'm not a fantastic writer, but I AM a pretty good writing cheerleader, and a really good editor. I guess being around books so much and dealing with publishers and being former editor of my high school and college newspapers made me OK at it.

Anyhoo, so I had this group of writers and we met once a month and had critique sessions (scary) and writing exercises (fun) and readings (scary-fun). It was my job to organize the meetings, plan the itinerary, communicate with the members, and facilitate the meetings. I loved finding fun writing exercises to do and this one was my favorite.

BookMamma's Junk Drawer. Er... one of many.

Look into your junk drawer and list 10 things that are in it:
1. birthday candles from Finn's 2 year birthday
2. an ice scraper for the car's windshield
3. a bronze colored key to God knows what
4. friend's wedding invitation from last Fall
5. a baby chick Pez dispenser from Easter
6. a used-up iTunes gift card
7. a pack of multi-colored Sharpies
8. a pumpkin spice scented tea candle
9. bottle of Purell hand sanitizer, 1/4 full
10. two mini-cans of Play-Dough

Now - we were usually in a round-table type setting, so then everyone would pass their list two places over and each writer would then create a character sketch about who the drawer belongs to.

I loved stuff like this because I am a nerd (Sindarin Elvish, anyone?) and I have pages and pages of "would-be-book-maybe-some-day-when-I'm-not-so-busy" writing material.

Maybe in another life I could be a writer, but not this one. My writer's discipline stinks

"By the Power of Grayskull... I Have the POWER!"

2008-07-26T13:42:00.001-07:00

I love our public library. The children's librarians are super cool and have totally retro movie selection on the shelves, like this Sesame Street "Old School" DVD:

I actually remember watching this one as a kid...

They also have the original Transformers and Finn & Eli's current obsession... HE-MAN, MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE!!

I had a crush on He-Man as a girl.
Yeah, he has a stupid page-boy haircut, and when he's Prince Adam (He-Man's equivalent of Clark Kent) his voice sounds like Buddy from "Charles In Charge". How none of his friends ever figure out that Prince Adam is He-Man is beyond me. They look exactly the same except He-Man wears this sexy animal shag speedo. I had a She-Ra costume when I was seven... who everybody knows is He-Man's twin sister.

The thing I didn't expect when we checked the DVD out was how the morals of each episode are really good. They certainly clobber you over the head with them, but they are thoughtful and timely, even twenty-something years later. Stuff like the old great power = great responsibility argument, and how compassion and respect are not easily practiced (or rewarded) but always the Right Thing To Do.

I have zero problem letting the boys watch it... even if all the women are at least double D's and have short skimpy skirts perched on top of mile-high legs. Most, if not all, of the women depicted are strong and warrior-like - none of that "damsel in distress" baloney.

They did a live-action version in 1987 but it wasn't good. I think it's time to dust He-Man off, give it another go, and cast this guy as the lead:

He can be the Master of MY Universe....

Note to Hotwheels Hubs: I KID, I KID. This person is nothing to me, and I am not the slightest bit attracted to him. I only use his image to make my bloggy friends think I'm trendy and cool. That is all. I don't even know his real name!
(Jason Lewis)

Etsy is Exquisite... OR - the Tomato Post

2008-07-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have just discovered Etsy and oh... I'm in love.

See???

Is that not the coolest thing ever?? It's a book purse!
(Somebody tell my husband because I'm not spoiled enough yet.)

I think I need it as a reward for canning over 42 quarts of tomatoes with my mom today. And 8 quarts of herbed vinegar. If I did the math it would even out, right?

Let's see here...

Quart jars = $16
Tomatoes, 1 bushel = $32
Homegrown peppers = about $3 worth
Cider vinegar = $7.50
Home grown herbs = about $15 worth
Garlic = $2
My time = $45.85 (@ minimum wage)
$121.35 = cost to can tomatoes

$30 = amount to buy same amount of tomatoes at Costco

$91.35 in the RED.
Hm. Well. That didn't quite work out.

Oh yeah.. then there's this:
Learning how to can tomatoes from my mom and getting some early Christmas presents done in July = PRICELESS.

There. That looks better. Etsy, here I come!!!

Gargantula Tarantula!

2008-07-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

So you heard about the ginrmous spider that we saw at the beach...

Big thanks to fairybookmother for the lolcat!

TA-DA!!!