Day 1 1/2 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good:  Yeah!  It is Friday (yesterday when this happened) and jeans day at work!!!!

The Bad:  Oh right, these are the jeans that ride down while, annoyingly, this is the shirt that rides up.

The Ugly:  The "Bad" happens while the boss is walking up the stairs behind me.

Not cool y'all.  Not cool.

Day 1 (again) Scenes from a Hamburger Joint

I am starting over again.  I know that blogging everyday for 40 days is a lofty goal but I really, really want to do it.  

Today was "Meet the Teachers" day at the boy's preschool.  It went well (after the first 2 minutes) and he enjoyed playing with a new kid, a couple of kids from his class last year and his sister.  Then he wanted to show us the gym and science centers.  He was very excited to see his new and old science teachers and that was just adorable.  

After that we decided to go eat lunch out with the kids!  That sentence really does deserve the exclamation point at the end because we rarely (no future pun intended) go out to eat as a family unit.  We decided to go to a local burger joint.  Now this particular burger place has been very good to us in the past - not so much today.  The server was trying to push beers on me and the hubs which was a little weird but whatever.  The hubs ordered the burger medium and after hearing the degree of doneness for a medium burger, ordered mine medium well.

His burger was great, in fact looking at the picture below I would say his "medium" was more "medium to medium well."  My medium well turned out like the medium rare pictured below.  

So I tells the server "Um, I think this is not medium well."  I do this in a voice that suggests I really, really do not like to return food but after consulting the hubs, we agreed that it was medium rare.  The server was then all "Um let me get a manager" in a tone that suggested I was a huge pain in the ass and that I clearly could not medium well from a barn.  After the manager brought it back (with an apology which, while nice, was not terribly necessary because I did not make a big deal out of it, just wanted it thrown back on the grill for about 2 minutes) it was . . . . not so much well done as  . . . well, let's just say that Mount Vesuvius cooked Pompeii less that this burger.  

At this point I was hungry and would rather eat a over-cooked burger than an under-cooked one.  

If restaurants are going to offer patrons a choice on how to cook their burgers they should just show them a picture and tell them to point.  One person's description of pink to hot pink may differ from another's - especially if that other is a man, because really, what do they know about pink to hot pink.  

Day 12 - Ups and Downs

Another one of those days.  Started out with the girl and another fever.  She had one Monday afternoon until Tuesday morning and then 30 minutes after I made her a doctor's appointment she started feeling better.  Then at approximately a quarter-to-the-doctor's-office-closing-time she spikes another fever that lasted until this morning. Taking no chances, I made her another appointment.  This is the poor Fricks/Frix:  

Luckily no strep, just a bad sore throat from some random virus.  And as of this evening, she is her perky non-feverish self again.

It is also my boy's birthday today so I wanted it to be special.  Started out by letting him play with my iPhone this morning so I could sleep for another 15 minutes.  Then he had real Apple Jacks for breakfast.  He did have to go to the doctor's office with us but then I took him shopping for a couple of back to school items and he had fun picking out jammies for Fricks.  Pepperoni pizza on our floor picnic blanket for lunch followed by a birthday cupcake made for a good afternoon.  

Then his own special birthday dinner:

Yes, that is fish sticks, mac and cheese and strawberries.  His choice.

Day 11 - A traffic rant

So yesterday  was one of those days where there were a lot of highs and lows.  Highs of being overwhelmed by the cuteness of my boy as he tried on new shoes and lows of getting overly-frustrated in a parking lot while trying to get drive-thru lunch.  

The boy was too cute trying to decide between blue shoes and green shoes so his Yiayia stepped up and saved the day.  I was about to get frustrated because he would not pick one but then realized that I too have had that same dilemma many, many, many times in my life.  

Then we decide to pick up lunch.  The parking lot/drive-thru of this particular restaurant is not known for its ease of navigability.  I would try to explain and I would also try to diagram but it is just too difficult.  I was waiting in the long line that wraps around the building and about the distance of one car in front of me is a stop sign for cross traffic.  

Now, the lady in front of me was stopped so that if any cars came to that stop sign they could cross to get to other places but all of the cars seemed to think they could just turn left and get in line in front of us.  I guess the lady in front of me was cool with it but I was starting to get a tad annoyed because they just pulled up to the stop sign while I had two hungry kids in the car and had been waiting.  

So she ends up going and I stop so that people could cross because while technically NOT an intersection I still feel it is rude to just block and traffic flow thru area.  Then more people come up to the stop sign to turn left to get in line.  At this point I am all "screw not blocking a traffic flow thru area" and start to pull up.  Well this lady just pulls out directly in front of me and keeps pulling out even though I am moving forward in a "Bitch, you ain't getting in front of me!" fashion.  Well, she did.  

It was either let her go, get hit or be that obnoxious person who lays on the horn.  And of course she did not even wave or give any other sign of graciousness.  I was trying not get too worked up because the kids are in the car and other people can see me especially another lady right next to me who was sort of laughing at me but in a sympathetic way.  So in order to balance out the frustration and bad juju that the Acura lady threw out into the world, I paid for the two kids meals for the lady behind me.  Passing along some good.  Also counts towards my 40 random acts of kindness.  

Day 10 - Hamburger Sandwiches

I really, really need to do this right after the kids go to sleep.  It is hard coming up with something to write about when all I want to do is take another soothing swig of Delsym and sleep.  Today was one of those days when I got home from work and was "ah crap, I have to cook dinner. . . . Ah crap, I have two pounds of hamburger meat thawed that is about 7 hours and 42 minutes away from starring in a really bad reality show where the contestants eat horrible things for $50."  So, it was hamburger sandwich night. 

Now, I know there are all of these highfalutin' (Wow!  I just learned that was one word!) hamburgers out there in the world - just saw an avocado club one the other day.  Oh, and if you google "gourmet hamburgers" Red Robin restaurant comes up.  Someone needs to sit google down and have a talk about what constitutes a gourmet hamburger.  Here's a hint - it ain't Red Robin.  

Anyway, I am not entirely sure how I started eating hamburger sandwiches (chopped up ground beef on regular bread).  I think it started with my mom making ground beef with peppers and onions.  Why?  I'm still not sure because I know my sister and I did not eat peppers and onions and it seems like a lot of chopping and dicing and further work picking out said peppers and onions.  Think of all the money she could have saved by NOT buying peppers and onions!  Probably could have bought that Iphone a little earlier is all I'm sayin'.  

My favorite way to eat a hamburger sandwich is with a moderately generous sprinkling of salt and pepper followed by mustard on generic sliced bread.  Weird because when I eat a regular hamburger I have to ketchup on it - not so with the hamburger sandwich.  Dunno why.  Turns out there is a whole loose meat sandwich thing in the Midwest where they claim they invented this item way back in the 1920's.  I call shenanigans on that one.  I say, any kid who thinks bell peppers and diced onions in meat are an affront to all that is good and pure in the world can "invent" the hamburger sandwich.  

Day 9 - Let us not eat cake

Yesterday was the boy's birthday party so there was a strawberry cake with Nutella filling and frosting with different homemade ice creams that I have been making over the past week.  Today is my mom's birthday so there was a big brunch followed by more cake (vanilla cake with Nutella filling and frosting) and ice cream.  I never thought I would say this but "enough with the cake and ice cream!"  The boy's actual birthday is one day this week and I really, really, really hope I can get by without him wanting cake and ice cream.  Maybe I will pull a cupcake out of the freezer and he can have it or share it with his sister.  Or maybe I can talk him into a nice lettuce salad.  Will lettuce hold a candle?  

I also spent the day cleaning out the "we-don't-show-anyone-that-room" room.  It used to be the den but turned into the holding cell for all things coming and going through the house.  In the past year . . . ok, two, there has definitely been a lack of going but that has changed.  We like for the kiddos to run laps in the evening to tire themselves before bed and clearing out this room will add some yardage for them (maybe they can hurdle the baby gates?)  If this translates into an earlier and easier bedtime then we will happily accept that.  I will not say how bad the room was (I don't think Nicey Nash was ever going to show up - although I wish she would because I could use some new flooring or seating for getting rid of some stuff) but I am glad it is about 90% done.  My vacuum cleaner might need therapy.  

For my 30th book of the year, I am reading:  

The second in the Scotland Street series.  It is quite enjoyable and I do hope to keep my eyes open for another 45 minutes or so to make a dent in it.  

Day 8 (but posting on Day 9) - Doctor Puppy

Ok, I think I deserve a pass for yesterday.  Really.  No, I'm serious.  It was the boy's fourth birthday party and I was going from eyes-open until I re-watched the first episode of Matt Smith's Dr. Who with my sister. I sort of forgot how scary it was.  It was all cute when we met little Amelia Pond (by the way, that is the name of my future dog - boy or girl) and there was fish fingers and custard but then it went all

And we were all "PUPPIES AND KITTENS! PUPPIES AND KITTENS!"

Ok, one more because those were some scary freakin' teeth:

So yeah, then I went and had peripheral-vision-hidden-room dreams but I cannot really remember what they were all about but I know there was scary stuff and that is enough.  Although it could have been because pretty much all I had to eat on Saturday was cake and ice cream.  Throwing a birthday party is work!  (Pics from that later - hopefully tomorrow - well two days from now-ish as I went back in time for this post.  I am starting to feel as though I need a Doctor to figure all of this out.)

Day 7 - More book stuff

Woo hoo, I have another follower!  Ok, so it is my mom, but she took long enough.  And technically I was the one who signed her up to follow me, but she wanted to to!  At least that is what she said.  She probably is not reading this anyway due to an unspoken fear of what I will say.  Well, I do try to control the language and the content . . . well, she saw "Kings of Comedy" and about fell out of her chair laughing so I think I am good there.  

The two latest books I have read are:

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

It took a while to really get into it but once I finished I found myself missing the characters so I am reading the next one in the series.  It is a nice cozy read and I like that I listened to one of the latter books in the series so I am reading it with a English accent (in my head, not out loud because that would be silly, although it would help me practice for when I hang out with Wills and Kate).

and

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot

I love this series.  Very fun and light reading - something I definitely need at the end of the day.  

Days 6 - Speculoos Ice Cream

I do hope that my missing yesterday is not a sign of the lapse I faced a couple of weeks ago.  Well, now that the girl has stopped screaming for the night (I hope) I can crank out this post.  I am so vair tired but I do have to share my delight in my latest frozen concoction.  Speculoos Ice Cream.  I got my Speculoos Cookie Butter at Trader Joe's.  I have not seen it anywhere else but then again I really have not looked anywhere else.  I am sure it is hanging around Dean and Deluca or Williams Sonoma.  If not, they are vair vair behind the times.  I am not quite sure how I first came into contact with this stuff other than through my reading about Belgian Liege Waffles when my favorite cafe, Cast Iron Waffles opened up a while back.  So I was making Nutella Ice Cream for my boy's upcoming birthday party when I decided that the Speculoos has the same consistency (sort of) as Nutella and decided to substitute it for the Nutella in that recipe.  It turned out great!  So if you like a cinnamony / spice cookie flavor, try some.  Not necessarily in ice cream but on an english muffin or whatever.  

Also, there seems to be more drama around this product than Stieg Larsson estate bru-ha-ha. 

P.S.  If I ever get around to penning some best-selling novels, I sincerely hope that my family does not pull any of that nonsense.  

P.P.S.  It is probably a moot point as I cannot even seem to post a frickin' blog entry a day much less sit down and write best-selling novels.

P.P.P.S.  Although if my writing partner would ever get off her ass and write up a chapter, I might be on my way (ARE YOU READING THIS WRITING PARTNER?!?!?")

P.P.P.P.S.  She is probably not reading this because like me she has two wee-ish ones that seem to occupy most of her time.  Although I do happen to know for le fact that she does read a lot and therefore one would think she could have oh, say, an hour to get on this.

P.P.P.P.P.S.  Writing Partner (not using names because of this P.P.P.P.P.S.), we will discuss this tomorrow at my boy's birthday party, that is if your child does not unload another deuce in my driveway.  Seriously y'all, this happened two years ago.  Granted the child was not yet 2, but still, it does not get talked about enough.  

Day 5 - Questionable Parenting Methods

When it comes to my kids I try to do my best to protect them from exposure to certain things at a young age.  (Please, please, please do not ask how Cars 2 fits into this scheme as I have no idea.)  When I was but a wee lass, I don't think my parents were terribly concerned about how things would effect us.  Sure, they wanted us to wear shoes outside so we would not step on nails, but stuff in kids books, movies, shows, etc seemed none too bothersome.  These days, parents seem to attempt to shelter their kids a bit more although some can go to the extreme.  For example, some schools do not want teachers to use red pens to correct school work because it seems to cause kids to "feel demoralized."    

Anyway, I like to read books to my kids that I read when I was younger, to wit "The Best Nest" by P.E. Eastman.  There are two bits that I edit while reading to the boy (the girl is not at all interested in this caliber of reading material - she is straight up Blue's Clues and Max and Ruby, thank you very much):  1) when Mrs. Bird claims to hate the nest and 2) when Mr. Bird fears that his betrothed has been consumed by a feline with a panache for an all-you-can-eat dessert buffet.  I do this because I really do not want them to learn the word "hate" because then it will be thrown around with reckless abandon and also I just plain do not want to explain that some cute fuzzy animals will totally devour other totally cute fuzzy animals.  However, should this book ever be read in a class of his somewhere, guess what word he knows by sight:

I may have some 'splainin' to do.  

Day 4 - YA Reads

NPR posted a list of the 100 Best Ever Teen Novels.  To my surprise, I have only read 16 of them.  Some of them are series so 16 plus 6 for Harry Potter, plus others.  Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson series in on there!  Yes, Yes and three times Yes!  Just barely though, eeking it in in the 90's.  But it made the list so there is that.  One fun series that I did not see in there is Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan series.  Fun stuff that.  It does not have the gloriousness of the English but it does have a snarky little sister.

Day 3 - You give and give and give . . .

Today the DJ's of one of my favorite morning shows were talking about the sacrifices parents make for their children, specifically the Olympics and other sports.  While mine are only 2 and just shy of 4, I know that I have made HUGE sacrifices for them.  I was going to say "not as time consuming" or "maybe not as much driving them around" but I have totally done these as well - my kids are not great sleepers so a lot of time has been spent trying to get them to sleep and I have done more than my fair share of driving naps as well.  Anyway, tonight's major sacrifice was not one that many parents get enough credit for, although I am not sure how many parents have actually gone this extra mile for their kids.  If none, then I am the greatest parent in the history of the world. 

As I have mentioned, I have this annoying cough.  Most of the time it is a dry, boring, yet painful cough where I feel like I am dry-heaving.  Fun.  However, a few select times the cough has been, how shall we say . . . with a bit of substance.  I know, Ick.  Big Ick.  Worse if it is happening to you.  

Tonight the boy wanted his daddy to read to him and put him to bed.  Understandable as I am usually the one who puts him to bed.  I like to think it is due to my superior reading of Pooh and his friends (I do a kick ass Eeyore) but for whatever reason he decided to shake it up a bit.  The girl was having none of that nonsense.  Daddy puts her to bed so Daddy must put her to bed tonight too.  The bedtime forecast begins to darken.  There was a bit of the I-am-going-to-dislocate-my-shoulder-so-she-cannot-pick-me-up moves from her and a lot of screaming "I WANT DADDY NOW!!!" but I held strong, scooped her up, offered to dry the tears, get the bogies read the stories and eventually she settled down.  She still wanted Daddy and after each book I got "One more please. . . . I want Daddy."  After three books it was lights out and she snuggled close-ish to me and got comfy.  It was at this point that I had a coughing fit.  Now, this was not your run-of-the-mill coughing.  No sirree.  The depths from which this cough emanated have only been rivaled by James Cameron and his Mariana Trench exposition.  This was one of those coughs that had "substance."  And by "substance" I mean what felt like a pint of phlegm and a bit of my dinner.  Yes, I know it is disgusting but it is crucial so that one can understand how much I love my children.  In a nano-second I decided that it would be best to return the "substance" from whence it came rather than rapidly place my just-got-settled-down child on the floor, run to the bathroom and send said "substance" to the underworld where it belongs.  If I had gone for the latter, I would bet the world's supply of Nutella that it would have taken 15 years for her to go to sleep.  Now I am trying not to puke from the nasty taste and film that has covered the inside of my mouth and also trying not to cough again for fear of The Substance - Part II "It Is Back And Will Not Be Put Down Again!"  Minutes pass and all of a sudden the girl says in her sweet little 2 year old voice "Mommy hold me."  (note - I am still holding her at this point)  My heart melts a bit and I choke out "Mommy has you baby girl" and think "Yes!  She wants me!"  Minutes pass and I can tell she is still awake so I tell her:

Me:  "Mommy loves you Sweetie."

Her:  "I love you too Mommy."  Awwwww. . . . . .

Me:  "Sweet dreams Els."

Her:  "Sweet dreams Mommy."  Awwwww again - she really is the sweetest thing.

My heart is all happy and I am feeling warm and fuz-

Her:  "Mommy?"

Me:  "Yes Sweetie?"

Her:  "I want Daddy."

Denied.

Day 2 - I Got Nothin'

Woke up this morning in a cough-medicine/Ny-Quil haze and barely made it through the morning.  When the hubs came home, I immediately crawled upstairs and proceeded to take a six and a half hour nap.  Is it still a nap when it is 6 1/2 hours?  Sort of seems like an extra night sleep.  Anyway, I feel a bit better but still have this nagging cough that sort of sounds like a cat hacking up a fur ball.  Ick.  Am off to bed.  Cheers.

Day 1 - Preschooler Olympics

With the Olympics going on (and attempting to watch some events even though my kids would rather watch Team Umizoomi (Presto's House) for the billionth time), I thought about my house and how I do not really need to watch the Olympics because we have our own games.  And, unlike the Olympics, they happen EVERY DAY and not just every 4 years.

Slow-Motion Going Down the Stairs While Mommy Holds a Poop Diaper - currently the girl is the only athlete  in this category however while competing it feels like there are many, many more.

Pull-Up High Kick - while getting dressed in the morning the boy likes to let the overnight pull-up fall to one ankle then kick it into the air.  The skill level has increased from a forward kick to a reverse kick, to a reverse kick with a double back and landing somewhere on Mommy.  It will only take ONE time and one will learn to cover one's face during this event.  Sort of like a really disgusting Gallagher show.  Also happens with underpants at the end of the day.

Synchronized Splashing - requires both children preferably in cold soapy war.  Tends to happen when one parent is leaning over the tub to rinse a child.  Must learn to do baths whilst wearing a tarp.

Couch Vault - not my favorite event as it causes so much anxiety that I end up looking like Ally Raisman's parents:

45 Meter Dash - the boy and girl race around the lap in the downstairs (living room, playroom, kitchen and hallway).  Used mainly to tire them out prior to going upstairs for baths and bed.

Food Put - sort of like the Shot Put but with food that does not agree with their refined taste buds.  Luckily most ends up on the floor but there is still a raspberry yogurt stain on the popcorn ceiling that I am leaving for abstract art purposes.

The Stiff-Backed Reverse Flail - I am now convinced that this is practice for the high dive.  The exact same take-off but with a lot less grace and more chance for injury.  To Mommy.

Repeated Speed Getting Down from the Table - Usually in relay form.  Always happens when the boy has to go potty with the girl immediately following.

Anyone else have any child-Olympics?

P.S.  Am starting my 40 days of blogging over again.

Day 14 - Part 2

Watching the Olympics.  Actually, watching Inspector Lewis on Masterpiece Mystery.  Love me some Masterpiece Mystery.  Was watching the Olympics earlier and while the Chinese may have an outstanding synchronized diving team, and the US get a silver metal those judges obviously had something against Abby Johnston and Kelci Bryant.  They were great!  I am very happy they came in second but their scores should have been higher.  Well done to them though!

Today I made strawberry ice cream.  Had a taste and it was good but I am not a great fan of strawberry ice cream.  I had lots of berries from a Harris Teeter special and wanted to use them up.  Hopefully the strawberry fans in my house will enjoy it!

I am still trying to make my way through 44 Scotland Street but every time I try to read, I get sleepy.  Trying to catch up on my DVR stuff and by the time I make it upstairs I am quite knackered.  I shall carry on though!  

Day 13 and 14 - Part 1 Red Velvet Cheesecake

Yesterday was my mother-in-law's birthday (well, actually today but yesterday was the party) and she wanted the red velvet cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  I took it upon myself to make one.  It actually was not that hard. Several steps over two days and voila! a wonky sided  (because I do not have one of those cake cutter things that even out a layer) red velvet cheesecake was born from my kitchen!  It was pretty tasty but to be honest it was a brown-velvet cheesecake because I did not have enough red.  The hardest part was shaving the white chocolate for the decorative topping.  I have a feeling it may have been even more enjoyable for all parties had my 2 year old not blown chunks all over the birthday lady, her brand new upholstered dining room chair (seriously, had them for 1 week and this was the first day they were used) and carpet.  Sort of dampened the birthday vibe.  We all had to pause to clean up and it takes a while for the smell of hot-day-milk-barf to get out of ones nose.  In fact, if I concentrated hard enough I do believe I could still smell it.  Not good.  Not good at all.   

Day 11 and 12 - Part 2 Close Encounters of the Are-You-Kidding-Me? Kind

So I went out to lunch with a buddy today.  The restaurant had a 30 minute wait and we were on our lunch break so a table was not going to happen.  However, if we could find two seats at the bar, it was first come first serve, full menu, etc, etc.  The bar was at about 98% capacity and there were two empty seats as noted in the following pitiful diagram:

XX_XX_XXXXXX

Follow?  Good.  So in my most docile and polite voice I asked the girl and the guy if they would mind moving over one so we can sit because we do not have time to wait for a table because we are on our lunch break.  I would like to note that these people did not have food at that time.  Only beverages and empty plates and silverware.  The look I got from the girl . . . what's the best way to describe it?. . . . . . it was almost as if I held a container of rancid meat under her nose while asking her to not only shift her snotty ass 16 inches to the right but to order my food, pay for it, bring the car around and do my taxes.  I think that about sums it up although I am pretty sure there was an eye roll in there as well.  Despite her oh-so-unpleasant facial expression I kindly said "thank you" as she reluctantly extracted all 400 tons of attitude and entitlement out of the bar stool and I said "thank you" again as I sat triumphantly yet humbly next to her (I was not about to make my friend sit next to the bad juju that girl was putting out in the world - I have kids so I can handle anything, that girl's bad juju was nothing to me.)  But really.  I don't know why I am surprised that there are people out there that are so . . well, like that.  I ran the encounter by a couple of people just to verify that I was not asking too much.  People have asked me to move over to the one-chair-cushion that I leave in movie theaters so that they can sit with their friends and I happily oblige - even if I have already taken my shoes off and have my snacks all set up.  I understand these things.  I just assume that grumpy girl is generally an unhappy person.  I would say that maybe she has bad stuff going on in her life and my simple request was the straw to get her to that bad expression but after slightly eavesdropping (can one slightly eavesdrop? or is that like being "kind of pregnant?") I determined she is just unpleasant in general.  I sort of feel bad for her life and the lives of those she encounters on a regular basis but then I eat Nutella ice cream and forget about her.  

Day 11 and Day 12 - Part 1

Maybe my goal should be to write every other day.  Nah, if I say that then it will be every four days and then there will be Parts 1 thru IV and it will probably end up in some weird Internal Revenue Code outline and I just cannot have that.  Not today.

So nutella ice cream turned out waaaaaaay better than I imagined.  I would like to say to every maker of chocolate ice cream out - Ciao.  I'm done with them.  Glorious, glorious and to use a friend's description of a yummy treat from earlier today, magical.

Day 10 - Just call me Martha

So I have been a cooking/baking/ice cream making fiend lately.  First there were chewy graham cookies (from My Kitchen Addiction) that I was going to use as a base for my key lime ice cream sandwiches.  The cookies are great but still a bit crunchy for the sandwich.  Next the key lime pie ice cream from The Neelys.  Very, very good.  I did crunch up graham crackers and added them at the end of the ice cream churning process.  Tonight's dinner was chicken in a basil cream sauce from The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I really enjoy her blog and have found many yummy recipes there.  Also on tap for today (but not ready until tomorrow - insert sad face here) is nutella ice cream from Scoop Adventures.  My first time trying anything from this site but because it is also the first time (well, second time) that I have made homemade ice cream, that is ok.  I am getting ready to churn this nutella yumminess out but I think I will need to do it on top of the washer or dryer (wait, that does not sound good) so as to not wake the young'uns.  I will let y'all know tomorrow how this one turns out.  As it is nutella ice cream, I will probably not be able to wait until after work but will have a sneak taste before breakfast.

If my kitchen were a reality game show, tomorrow and Friday nights would be the I-Can't-Believe-She-Is-Even-Going-To-Attempt-Something-Like-That Challenge evenings.  My mother-in-law's birthday is this weekend and she requested the red velvet cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  Well, the Cheesecake Factory seems to want people to take a second mortgage out on their homes in order to buy one of these, so I volunteered to make one for her.  (By the way, if she is reading this - THAT is your present!  :-))  I have looked into two recipes and I think I will go with . . . the easiest one.  It will be a several stage process but I have a feeling that it could rank in the top 5 cakes that I have made.

Oh, let's do a top 5!  My cake repertoire is not nearly as vast as my cookie catalog so I could only really come up with 5.  Not true - I did make a red velvet cake once but it turned out wonky.  Not to worry, I am using a different recipe this time.

5.  Generic yellow cake with Hershey's Cocoa Frosting.
4.  Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
3.  Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze
2.  Coca-Cola Cake
1.  White cake with raspberry jam and Nutella cream cheese frosting.

Wish me luck!  

Day 8 & 9 - Part 2

Ok, I am current again.  Whew.  Big relief there.  Now what am I going to write about?

Kids?  Well, they apparently have some weird genetic ability to function on little sleep.  Therefore I must function on little sleep as well.  Actually they sneak in sleep when they know I cannot do so - like riding in the car while I am driving or catching a nap at pre-school while I am working.  I think their goal is to get me as tired as possible so that all I feel like doing is letting them watch tv.

I did meet one of my Project 40 goals!  I have donated 40+ books to the library!  But that is not exciting.

Books?  I am reading 44 Scotland Street but have left it downstairs so I have to start another book because it is too much effort to go downstairs and get it.  And one of my girls' baby dolls is down there and I am still Pretty Little Liars freaked out about that.  Maybe I should donate 40 toys and include that doll in here.  So I am going to start "Agnes and the Hitman."

Cooking?  Made a simple salmon dinner tonight.  Boring.  Although my attempt to recreate the key lime ice cream sandwiches from my sister's wedding is on track.  I made homemade key lime ice cream (first time using the electric ice cream maker!  What?!?!") and used a recipe for chewy graham cookies.  The ice cream set up nicely but the cookies are a bit too crunchy.  Yes, I know things get crunchy when you put them in the freezer but those other cookies still retained a bit of chewiness to them and I must figure out how.

Well, I guess that will about do it for me.  I still have to read for about 30 minutes and try to catch some zzzzz's before the little ones wake me up for whatever reason they planned earlier this evening.