All Dressed Up

My beautiful 5 year old, all dressed up for our date to the Nutcracker.

My two charming children in the photo for our Christmas card, that you will be receiving sometime AFTER Christmas.

The lollipop it took to get the one child to sit still for ONE decent photo.

But he does look awful cute with those big, blue eyes and new Christmas haircut!

Books We Are Reading

Blogger has decided to put up a fight tonight, so I am forced to enter my current book list here instead of on the sidebar.

Katie and I are currently reading Charlotte's Web, and for the most part enjoying it. I think she could do without the killing and blood references though.

A Special Place For Santa wonderfully combines the history of St. Nicholas with the current Santa Claus and the real meaning of Christmas. Kind of difficult to understand for young kids, but has lots of pictures and can easily be simplified.

The Polar Express Makes me smile each time I read it. We watched the movie for the first time the other night, and Katie really enjoyed it. Then we read the book for the first time since last Christmas, and she was telling me what would happen next throughout.

The Night Before Christmas by Jan Brett. Who doesn't love a good Jan Brett book? And while I am on the subject, we are also reading The Mitten.

Next on the list is The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats. Just a nicely illustrated version of the song.

A Little Golden Book's The Christmas Story is another classic read-aloud. It just has such nice illustrations, and it only cost me $1 at Half-Price Books.

Then there are several for Nicholas. Katie and Nick both enjoy reading Rosemary Wells' Max's Christmas. Who couldn't love these cute bunnies and the sweet stories she tells.

Nick also likes Christmas in the Manger, One Baby Jesus, and Jingle Bugs.

Christmas Cookies

The tree and advent calendar are finally up, (only 12 days into the month of December), and now it is time for baking.

I am planning on making some of my very favorites, but am also looking for a really good cutout cookie recipe. I have tried different versions every year and still have been unsuccessful in finding that one recipe that makes me say WOW these are really good. I have tasted some good ones in the past, so I know they exist. If you have a recipe to share, please do so.

Kolachkes
1/2 pound butter
1/2 pound margarine
4 cups flour
3 egg yolks beaten
1 c. sour cream
jam fillings
powdered sugar

Cut margarine and butter into flour. Add yolks and sour cream. Blend with fork.
Refrigerate overnight.
Sprinkle flour and sugar on board and roll out small portions.
Cut into squares.
Put filling in center of each square and pinch middle closed.
Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar once cool.

Mrs. Fields Mother Lode Brownies
Brownie Layer
3/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 oz. semisweet chocolate
3/4 c. unsalted butter
1 & 1/2 c. light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Caramel Layer
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3 tbs. water
1/4 c. heavy cream, scalded
2 tbs. unsalted butter

Toppings
1 c. coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 & 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. milk chocolate chips

Grease and flour a 9 X 9 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 325.

Make the brownie layer: In a small bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
In a double boiler, melt the unsweetened chocolate and the semisweet with the butter. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl with a mixer, beat the brown sugar and eggs until lightened and pale in color. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Gradually add flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 -50 minutes, or until center is set but moist and a bit fudgy. Cool in the pan.

Prepare the caramel layer: In a small, heavy saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then let boil without stirring until the syrup turns a deep amber. While the syrup is boiling, brush down the sides of the pan from time to time with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the hot cream (be careful, it will bubble rapidly). Continue stirring, over low heat if necessary, until all the caramel is dissolved into the cream. Stir in the butter until smooth. Set aside until cooled slightly but spreadable.

Assemble: Preheat the oven to 325. Spread the caramel over the cooled brownies. Sprinkle the toppings over the caramel layer and place the brownies in the oven for 5 minutes to set (do not let the chips melt completely)

Cool and enjoy.

Holiday Spritz
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 & 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
Food color if desired.

Preheat to 400.
Beat butter, sugar and egg in large bowl with mixer on medium speed. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 5 to 8 minutes until set but not brown. Immediately remove from sheet to wire rack.
Decorate as desired.

Peppermint Bark
16 oz. almond bark, broken into pieces.
candy canes left over from Christmas.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, waxed paper or parchment paper. Melt the almond bark.
Smash candy canes in whatever way possible in a heavy plastic bag. Stir the broken candy into the melted bark.
Spread evenly on cookie sheet. Let stand for about 1 hour until hardened. Break into pieces.

There are several more that I will post later.

Happy St. Nicholas Day

Just wishing all of you and my own very little Nicholas, a happy St. Nicholas Day! I still have fond memories of leaving out my shoes for a little present from St. Nick the night before.

Unfortunately with all the vacationing and chaos that comes with getting back to life as normal, I realized that it wasn't the 5th of December today at around 10:00. I also had Mr. Cable Guy coming between 12 and 5, and a sick Nicholas, so we stayed home and cleaned. Maybe next year, I can remember on the 5th??

Happy 5th Birthday, Katie! Disney Style!

On Thursday, we spent the day honoring our Princesses every wish. No scary rides, It's a Small World and the Carousel and bazillion times, and long lines waiting for Ariel.

I think the best part for her and for me was going to Cinderella's Castle for lunch with the Princesses. I had never been inside the castle before and found it absolutely amazing. They kept the kids busy with Wishing Stars, the girls got Magic Wands and the boys got little swords. They immediately brought the adults and kids two sampler platters with food. These guys know kids. They don't sit long, and they want food when they are hungry. The kids got fruit and cheese, while we got some type of chicken, cheese, and salad. Then the real food came. All was very yummy, including dessert.

Hungry boy with sword

Katie and Belle

Katie and Snow White

Don't forget chocolate covered Nicholas, who had been thwarted by Snow White, when trying to play with the cake knife. (Notice the small hand in the bottom right with a nice, sharp gray knife)

"Oh, Dear, let's not play with that!"

Katie and Jasmine

Katie and Cinderella

On to Disney World

We hopped a plane Monday morning to Orlando, and were greeted by gorgeous warm weather. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge on Disney property, which was a beautiful hotel with a nice heated pool. After some initial room snafus, we settled in and headed off to the Magic Kingdom.

Tuesday night we went to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, which is a special limited event that only allows in a certain number of people. We were able to ride all kinds of rides without waiting, and saw the Christmas parade that is shown on ABC with Regis and Kelly on Christmas day (they filmed the day after we left).

Katie got to ride the carousel for the first time. She has always been to apprehensive to go on one. We tried numerous times at Kemah's Boardwalk, but were always met with a firm NO!

Disney must have the magic, because she eagerly got on, as long as the horse was "beautiful" as you can see by the roses. We also got to ride on the carousel with Mary Poppins several times.

Nick, of course, loved the race cars. Neither kid would ride with Daddy, so I drove along with my pint-sized passengers, who kept yelling for me to go faster. We unfortunately were in a car with no steering ability so I kept hitting the rails, but they didn't seem to mind too much. Luckily the next couple rides were in better cars, and much less bumpy. I couldn't convince Katie to steer the car ever though. I think she thought the car could go off the track and crash.

We also got to see two different fireworks displays that night. For my daughter, the timid one, the first display took the edge off, and the second one resulted in just this picture.

The best part was while Daddy rode Pirates of the Caribbean, Wendy came and hid behind our stroller while being chased by Mr. Smee. And then we got to meet Peter Pan too.

Thanksgiving

Yes, it has been a very long time since my last post, but you definately can't blame me. I have spent, with my family a total of 35+ hours driving the US, and 6+ hours aboard planes.

The weekend prior to Thanksgiving we packed up for Chicago to board our dog with my brother for our impending trip East. So we left that Friday afternoon and returned Sunday night, driving through freezing rain.

We then packed up once more for our 13 hour drive to Long Island, NY to visit Mike's family for the holidays. We arrived late Wednesday night, with just a small sprinkle of rain to start our trip as we traveled through New Jersey and into New York.

Thanksgiving Day - it poured and poured and poured some more. But with faces like these, who couldn't have a good time. This was the first time all 4 cousins were seeing each other, and I think they enjoyed playing with each other.

I know for sure that Katie fell in love with her baby girl cousin, and has since named her new baby doll from Grandma after her.

Even the boys enjoyed some fun playing with Daddy.

And we even got in some time at the park.

Houdini

There is a small Houdini in the family, by the name of Nicholas. I am riding along in the car on the way back from a doctor's appointment. Both kids are in the second row of the van, Katie singing and talking to herself, Nicholas is making noise.

I stop at a red light as Nicholas says "Arm".

I respond, "What about your arm?" and turn around to look.

While strapped in his 5 point harness car seat, he has managed to pull his arm out of the sleeve of his shirt, and can't figure out how to get it back in. Mind you we are in a heated car, but it is only in the upper 30's outside.

He had also managed to place the sticker from the doctor's office carefully on the back of his head.

Of course, do I dare mention that he took both shoes and socks off on the way to the doctor....

Discipline

I must confess, I have a whacker. Also a hitter, smacker, tugger, puller, but primarily a whacker. He occasionally goes by the name of Nicholas, although we don't think that truly is his name. (He rarely responds to it). But if shown a picture of himself, he will say it is NICKO!

Anyway, how did I end up with this child. There have been days when I've wondered if the nurses brought me back the right child. After all, I was in that postpartum bleary world after having a baby. How did I know what he looked like? But his voice is remarkably like his sister's, and his face looks exactly like hers as well. So he must be mine.

Me, the psychologist, who specialized in child development. Who worked with parents and children with behavioral and emotional problems. I have been presented with the biggest challenge yet. Overcoming the whacker!

I make it sound funny, but it really isn't. He luckily so far doesn't hit other kids. His sister seems to be the only target thus far. And quite the target she is. Getting hit with a bucket, a plastic spoon, a plastic basket, and numerous hand slaps that I can't even count, just in the past 2 days. The problem as I see it, is that she reacts in such a dramatic way that she partially instigates him. I have tried coaching her in ways to stop her behavior and hopefully decrease his to no avail. So now my behavioral plan for him began yesterday, and boy am I exhausted.

Thankfully I have written my share of behavioral plans in the past and instituted them. So as of yesterday, Nicholas is stopped each time he hits, made to say he is sorry and hug his sister. He is not allowed to play with any toys until he has done so. Every time is a battle of wills. Mommy versus Nicholas. So far I seem to be winning, but my energy is quickly fading. I know we are in it for the long haul in an effort to end or at least decrease the behavior. I know that his behavior is supposed to get worse before it gets better just to make sure the limits are going to stick. But boy is it exhausting.

I know this is "normal" 2 year old behavior. Hopefully the plan works and peace will reign or at least make a showing every so often here.

Great Books

I am a happy book lover. I love to read, to peruse, to scan, and to enjoy. My husband is even more of a book lover and we have turned our two kids into book lovers too.





The latest book Katie and I finished reading was My Father's Dragon.

The book is enormously entertaining, and would be great for little boys. Better yet, it is a great first chapter book. The chapters are short and full of adventure. During the crocodile chapter, Katie yelled out, "Oh NO!". I thought something was wrong. She was just yelling to the book it turns out. She was so into it that she was worried about the Elmer being attacked by crocodiles.

If you haven't read a good book to your little ones in a while, this is a great one.

Dance Mania

I am crazy, but at least I know it. I have watched faithfully (when not putting the kids to bed) Dancing with the Stars for all 3 seasons now. I love it!! I am addicted! I will even go so far as to let Katie stay up late and watch with me, just so I don't have to miss part to put her to bed. Luckily for me, she loves the show too, and wants to grow up to be a dancer.

But maybe the obsession has gone too far. Now I have 2 tickets to the Dancing with the Stars Tour when it comes to Cincinnati. I bought 2 the first day they went on sale, and have grand hopes that a good friend will come in for the night and go with me. If not I will find a neighbor to go, or even Katie. I didn't care at the time who I would be going with, just the thrill of watching the show is enough for me.

Forgotten Halloween Picture

2 Year olds think literally.
When I asked Nicholas to show me his candy (meaning in the pumpkin bucket), this is what I got!!

Katie's Bedroom

Finally, I got a bed for Katie that I love. Isn't it gorgeous!! It matches her room perfectly. Of course, now we have to fix the doorframe, and do a little repainting, but hopefully all will work out.

I love this room! It is my favorite in the house for many reasons. We painted all the walls pink, and then I taped off the bottom portion where the chair rail and border would be. I made a glaze with a lighter pink and ragged it off. What I love most, is that the bottom part of the wall perfectly matches the marble look in her border. She wanted a princess room and she definately got one. Now I just need to find the perfect dresser to go with it.

This Is What Happens

This is what happens when your 4 year old gets trapped in her bedroom because the bolt broke inside the door, and Daddy breaks down the door to rescue her.

Fall Is Here To Stay

It is cold outside. I mean COLD!! And to think it is only November 2nd. I have at least 5 more months of this to look forward to.

Now don't get me wrong. I love the cold weather. The trees are gorgeous. Orange, Red, Yellow... provided they still have leaves. I look forward to seeing my little guys out in the snow this winter. I like wearing sweaters and warm clothing. I love heating water up at night for cocoa or cider. And fall is the perfect time to catch up on all that baking. The neighbors keep telling me, it is great for catching up on all those household projects you've been meaning to get to all summer as well.

The tough part is convincing my kids that wearing layers of clothing is a good thing. That keeping any clothes on for Nicholas is fairly important. That going outside when it is cold, windy and rainy isn't a reality. That colds will probably occur more often now.

As we all begin to recover from our various colds, I've become nostalgic for Texas weather and friends. I long for friends that I could call in the morning and get together with an hour later. I liked the ability to have just one season of clothes for a main wardrobe with a few winter clothes thrown in.

But cuddling under blankets with my 2 warm and snuggly children definately is worth the cold.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was another cold and rainy day here. Nick is almost totally recovered from his ear infections and virus, and Katie seems to finally be on the upswing as well.

Katie went as the beautiful Princess Genevieve from Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses. This was a picture we took on Friday before trick-or-treating at Daddy's work. I never really got any good pictures of her last night. She did have a good time trick-or-treating with a few of the neighbors, but this year she was a little too sick to really enjoy herself. After going to about 15 houses she was ready to go home. Boy, going house to house here is quite a trek compared to Houston. Climbing up hills and the distance between houses is overwhelming when carrying a 2 year old puppy dog. But every single house was handing out treats. Our neighborhood is quite neighborly.

The kids enjoyed the rest of the night, handing out candy, and of course eating candy. Nicholas figured out the best way to trick-or-treat. While Daddy hands out candy to the other kids, take a few pieces for yourself, and carefully transfer them to your pumpkin. By the end of the evening, he had claimed a good 15 extra pieces for himself.

The Library

When we moved, I remember the poor movers saying, "What do you guys have here... a library?

Well, yes, sort of.

Mike and I are both pronounced book lovers, and have gradually warped our children into the same. It took Nicholas 2 years to catch on to what was so special, but he too now sits amid stacks of books, happily looking and reading.

So, as promised to a friend, here are some of our bookshelf pictures. This does not include the 15 or so boxes that remain unpacked in an upstairs bedroom.

Hopefully, we will get some new bookshelves made soon, and be able to neaten our little library.

An Excellent Experience

Lately, I have found myself becoming more and more discouraged by the state of affairs in the retail industry. It seems that everytime I go shopping, and it doesn't matter where, I end up having to return things that are missing pieces or broken.

I also have found disappointment in the service category of most companies. If I don't stay ever vigilant to my bills from various utility companies and the like, we end up with charges that are inaccurate. It has gotten to the point that I spend more than an hour a week, resolving issues. What has happened to American businesses?

My latest gripe was with a furniture company. I went to buy Katie a bed at a big furniture company that is nationwide. I picked out the bed that they told me was white. When it arrived, not only was the bed not a pure white, but it also was way too tall for her room, and the dresser arrived with a huge scratch down the top. As if that wasn't enough, when the furniture company came to take the bedroom set back, they put a small hole in Katie's wall that I had just painted 2 months ago. Of course, I also ragged off a 2nd layer of paint with a glaze mixture, so the damage is going to be difficult to correct without totally repainting. Not only did they put the hole in the wall, but they did not tell us that they did it. They just left, and I found the hole a few hours later. The furniture company sent out a representative to assess the damage supposedly, but when the gentleman arrived, he stated that he was a furniture repair person and had no clue why he was sent. I am still waiting on a final response from the furniture company as to how they will resolve the issue.

On to the excellent experience.

I ended up getting Katie's bed at Pottery Barn Kids, on sale, at the same price I paid at the other store. I ordered it over a month ago. Over a month ago, I also got an email saying it was shipped at the same time that another piece I ordered was shipped. One piece arrived, a week later, the bed had not come. I then called customer service, where I got a representative, who said the bed had been shipped and I should be called that week for delivery. One week later, still no call. I called customer service again, who said the person I needed to speak with was on the line, and that I would receive a call in 24 hours. 48 hours later, no call. Finally, I went online and completed a survey about my experience. I immediately got feedback from a representative. She contacted the delivery company (apparently for beds, Pottery Barn contracts delivery with another company in Cincinnati), and arranged for delivery. The bed was delivered on Saturday, and I love it! It matches her room perfectly and the delivery men were very professional and friendly. The customer service representative contacted me again via email today to request a response on how delivery went. When I replied that it went well, and we were very happy with the bed, I got a second reply, that they were giving us $100 for the inconvenience.

I never replied that I deserved to be compensated. I never spoke rudely to customer service, even though frustrated. I used kindness in trying to resolve the matter, and feel greatly rewarded for it.

Kindness does go a long way!! In this case $100.

Ten Random Facts MEME

This is my tag from Celeste.

1. I graduated valedictorian from a Catholic high school in Joliet, Illinois. I really didn't try to be valedictorian, since I really despised the idea of having to make a speech at graduation, but I also didn't think I should fake wrong answers just to lower my grades.

2. During college, I worked as a nanny to twins, as well as worked in the Loyola University Freshman Dean's Office. Working in the dean's office had many perks!!! Early registration for classes, paid summer meals, and getting in on the latest news early.

3. I met my husband while on Spring break in Florida. My friends in high school, ended up being his friends in college. I knew then that he was something special.

4. I actually first met my husband at the above mentioned friends wedding. We were both in the wedding party and sat right next to each other at the reception.

5. More and more, I think about going back to school to become a doctor. I want to be a doctor like I had, that recommends natural remedies before antibiotics or over the counter products, and is interested in the other aspects of family life that impact a person's health.

6. I love children! Especially my own two. I delight in their wonder and curiosity. I am excited, right along with them, about watching ladybugs crawl on the ground. I find their little hands and toes kissable. And I love watching them learn about their world.

7. I grew up in Joliet, Illinois. Location of the beginning of the Blues Brothers movie at Stateville Prison.

8. I worked with autistic and developmentally delayed children at Texas Children's Hospital, and would love to continue working in any capacity to help these children.

9. I still love to color. I would sit before having children and color in old coloring books. A new box of crayons brings joy to my heart.

10. I love Disney!! I have a collection of figurines that I started when I was 5 and took my first trip to Disney World. I started with 4 figures and now have somewhere over 60. I can't wait until our family goes to Disney World this fall.

Food Cravings

While Nicholas has finally begun to round the corner, Katie and I have been hit by the dreaded virus.

Yesterday, Nick began ramming his sister with assorted objects, and generally being obstinate. Definately feeling much better. The brightness was back in his eyes, and while he still has the runny nose and cough, the fever is gone and his eyes are clear. The doctor pronounced his ears looking better on Saturday, so things are going well for him.

Katie and I, now are full of the cold symptoms: runny nose, cough, congestion, and tiredness. Just in time for Halloween as usual.

The strange part...

While none of us is particularly hungry for anything, I had the strangest craving today (and NO I am most definately not pregnant). For those of you who know me, you'll know this is totally out of character. I ate a bologna and cheese sandwich for lunch with mayonnaise. It sounded so good and I must confess in my state of illness, tasted quite good too. I despise mayonnaise. I truly think bologna is just a flat cold hot dog, which I don't like either. But today, those two things were just the ticket!

Gotta Love Spot

SPOT. You know. That cute little yellow dog with one brown spot on his side. The star of a huge number of books by Eric Hill. Also the star of several videos/ DVD's based on the books.

Spot entered our house sometime in 2002 would be my guess, when Katie fell in love with the books. The first was Where's Spot? It was a highly improvised strange interpretation done by Daddy, that involved the penguins demanding for the thermostat to be turned down, and the lion guarding the gateway to the Serengetti. For those of you who know the story, my only explanation is that he is an engineer and engineers seem to think that way. But Katie loved it, and grew to love every other Spot book that we bought from Half-Price or borrowed from the library.

Eventually we borrowed the video from the library, and it was a hit. It was simplistic. Followed the story perfectly. And was just a delight to watch with her.

Now it is Nicholas' turn. A few days ago, I found Spot's Big Learning Book that we bought for Katie. It covers colors, shapes, etc with Spot and the gang. Nick is in a color phase so he really got into it.

This afternoon, I introduced Spot Goes to the Farm.

At bedtime tonight, he chose the same book to read, and read, and read once more. Three times in a row, Spot went to the farm in search of baby animals. While some parents would pressure their two year old to read other books and expand his horizons, and some would grow weary of the same book over and over, I was delighted. Repetition is how he learns. He is being read to...something he just started enjoying the past several months. He is engaged by the pictures, the flaps, and is learning new vocabulary. He is learning cause and effect. And most importantly, he is being rocked securely in mommy's arms, and getting that precious one-on-one time that every child needs and deserves.

So a big YAY to Eric Hill and his lovable Spot. Books so simple and pure and delightful that they can please even a normally rowdy 2 year old boy, and his mommy.

When Illness Strikes

We had the inevitable 2 year old check up today for Nicholas. Luckily, for me, he decided to run the 102 degree fever starting Monday night. So the appointment to go to the doctor was already made, and instead of a well-child visit, it was a sick child visit. Astonishingly, he has a double ear infection. He seriously had no other symptoms until this morning when his nose seemed a bit stuffy and of course the continuous fever over 101. So how in the world does a child get 2 ear infections with no precipitating virus or cold?? Now twice a day we get to coax pink goo into his little mouth that he purses shut like it is glued.

Now, I also have a second child, who at the wise age of almost 5, has found that when sick, you get lots of attention from mom, plus the added bonus of watching a movie in the morning. So all day it has been, "I don't feel good.....I'm not hungry, I'm too sick to eat......I think I need a movie now."

I know all the wonderful mothers out there who read this probably come up with all kinds of wonderful ways to handle both their sick children and well children. I, on the other hand, am exhausted from lack of sleep, and feeling quite frustrated with attempts to stop the complaining, whining, and general unhappiness that reigns here today. While I know they are this young only once, it seems to last an eternity today.

Two New Friends

Two new friends have moved into our household...well, at least they reside on the front step. One has been named Joe, but then was changed to some other name I can't remember. The other is affectionately called "Punkin".

While Katie drew her pumpkin face with permanent marker, Daddy helped Nicholas tape eyes, nose, and mouth parts onto his pumpkin. After all, who would give a 2 year old a permanent marker??

After Daddy's marvelous carving job, Mommy's magnificent scraping of guts, and a quick search for candles, we admired our family results with the lights out.

After giving the seeds a good bath, and while Dad gave the kids a good bath, I popped the pumpkin seeds in the oven with some butter and popcorn salt, and we settled in to watch Charlie Brown and Snoopy in The Great Pumpkin. If you can get past the "stupid" and "blockhead" remarks it is a great movie, and a childhood favorite of both mine and Mike's. Last year, after watching, we did have to discuss not using the word stupid with Katie.

And here is Nick sporting his present from Daddy and Katie's Saturday adventure. They got to go on a father/ daughter date to a Purdue game and see some good friends from Houston and Illinois. While they enjoyed their time together, Nicko and I enjoyed doing some Christmas shopping and relaxing. It is amazing how quiet he is when big sister isn't around!