Randomness

A few random things….

DD2 came home the other day.  “Mom, did you go to town today?” she asks as she comes in the door.  “Oop, nope, guess not, you’re still in your pajamas!!”  Yep, momma said there would be days like that!  And I kinda’ love them every now and then.

These Pumpkin Toffee Chocolate Chip muffins have been made twice in a row.  They are soooo delicious!  It’s from a new foodie blog that I stumbled upon through a person I follow on Instagram!  (you know how much I LOVE Instagram already….!!)

I want to read this book again, No Impact Man.  To re-inspire me to be less taken with consumerism.  This time of year only serves to heighten my desire to buy less stuff.  I’m so thankful we don’t participate in the gift giving of the holidays.  I do NOT need more stuff LOL!  This winter break we will be decluttering a whole back basement bedroom.

And this article that J&J products have cancerous ingredients.  Argh.  Sometimes I don’t know where to start or how far to go.  I’m re-addicted to using Pantene shampoo and I know that isn’t good for me.  The kids use all kinds of girly products that girls love.  I guess it’s all about how much you want to cut your risks.  A friend reminded me of my homemade soaps that would be perfect for baby baths.  I’ll just miss that lovely baby smell…but maybe if I remember it smells like chemicals that will easy my sadness.  Even the clerk at Target used the word “chemicals” for my baby bath products that I had purchased, saying “Your chemicals are together in this bag.”  All I had purchased was J&J baby lotion and baby wash….:(

It never ceases to amaze me how much exercise makes you feel so much better!  DD1 is experiencing that now.  We are still enjoying our 3x’s a week run together.  I can tell in both of us that we are less stressed and bothered by all the side effects of that.  We also do some evening yoga 2-3 x’s a week.  It’s wonderful!!  DD3 enjoys the stroller ride.  Maybe every 3rd or 4th time she might squawk a bit, but it’s easily remedied and she often falls asleep.  Those running afternoons are busy…I have to make sure dinner is in the oven on time-bake so it’s ready for dinner time.  That way I can come home and shower and not race around getting dinner all ready.

Lots of focusing lately!  I love my job though and wouldn’t trade for anything.  I’m finding the more I give myself to my family and home, the happier I am.  When I start stressing about what I’m not doing for me, all havoc breaks out.  DH told me one night as I was sighing away trying to get caught up on a project, “That stuff is for retirement.”  At first, I thought “HOW INSENSITIVE!!”.  But you know, the more I’ve thought about it and the more I’ve been living in the moment and absorbing all I can of TODAY, I can see where he might be on to something.  (Shhh, don’t tell him that!!!)  My relationships with him and my children just seem richer.  Now this isn’t to say I’m not going to ever do something for myself…I still do plenty of that.  But in the grand scheme of things, I’d rather be present in today than trying to preserve today for tomorrow.  And I actually went out and bought some cards.  What an achievement! Felt very liberating.

DD2 can’t wait for DD3 to grow up.  She is trying hard to get her to roll over.  Puts her toys just out of reach, etc.  This momma just laughs, b/c with this baby, I have hardly found myself saying “I can’t wait…” b/c I CAN wait…it all goes by way too fast!

I want to remember the breathy little “happy puppy dog” sounds DD3 makes.  So cute!  DD1 likes to call her Phobe (foe-bee) at those times and pat her little soft head because she sound like a puppy!!

I want to remember how you spit out  your paci by blowing bubbles and out shoots the paci.  Sometimes you try this randomly while nursing too!  Wonder what you are thinking.

I learned from some friends that Aldi diapers are very nice!  Tried them out this week and I have to agree.  And 1/2 the price of the Pampers I was loving.  Awesome!

DD1 has a friend coming over for the night.  Homemade pizza and salad is on the menu for dinner.  We’ve really become pizza snobs lately.  Just recently after having Papa Murphy’s, we’ve decided we don’t like that anymore either.  Too salty.  Pizza Hut is greasy with no flavor.  Thank goodness for some awesome pizzeria’s that still make pizza worthy of enjoying!  So I’ll try this pizza crust recipe tonight for a cheesey Italian sausage and veggie pizza and a BBQ chicken pizza.  Also made some rice krispie roll-ups for dessert.

Being back at the helm in my kitchen is the best!  I love nurturing my family with home cooked and baked goodness.  We’ve actually have had no desire to eat out lately!  Even me!  My trips to town…I come home, looking forward to yummy leftovers.  I had enough junk while pregnant to last me a lifetime maybe.  But I think a Culver’s dinner out is on the agenda for this weekend since we have a stack of coupons.  So it’s not a never again thing.  Just less than it was…and it never was much…once a month or so.

Last night we had Pioneer Woman’s Scalloped Potatoes and Ham.  Wowza, delicious!  Just be sure and  allow 2 hours baking time.  I’ve never seen a recipe call for that, but I’ve had many a scalloped potato recipe come out of the oven with crunchy potatoes.  Yuck!   The more it bakes, the more savory it is.  And then let it set a little before serving….mmmm!

We (or I should say “they” b/c I didn’t do a thing and had absolutely no remorse!) butchered our meat bird chickens last Friday night.  The next day DH made homemade chicken stock and canned it up!  Delicious for soups!  And it’s gluten and MSG free without even thinking about it!

The other day it snowed!!  Such a cozy morning!

And some foggy greetings when I came back in!  Just what I needed that day!

And of course, we had hot cocoa for an after-school treat,

Late afternoon nursing shadows,

          

    Listening to DD2 talk about her day at school,

 

And DD1 had a few late start mornings due to no testing this year when everyone else is!

 

It’s time to feed DD3 and then head out for a walk.  Something to get out of the freezer.   Laundry to put away.  This was a lengthy reward….  And I just remembered I have two little projects to finish up for a baby shower gift tomorrow….ooops…off I GO!