Archive for July, 2009

Random thought
*It has been so hot and muggy here, I feel like I am living in a testicle.

I think a day at the seashore moved the little craftbug in me. Olivia and I were collecting seashells (Audrey looked on in the wagon) something I hadn’t done in years, because frankly– what the hell do you do with seashells?

I remember as a kid collecting a wide assortment of sea crap in my bucket, bringing them home to stink on the porch and a few days later, after I had totally forgotten about it, dad would chuck them out.

So this last week when the girls and I were out at the beach and the tide was unusually this far out, I found all these wonderful rigid shells – which inspired me to do… something…

Needless to say, i decided this time would be different and I brought home a bucketful sea crap.  So far instead of leaving them out on the porch, I bleached them – because that’s what you do with shells – totally just learned that, I just thought you boiled them – but no!  A 50/50 water bleach solution kills all the little fuzz and life that grows on the dead shells (it takes off the barnacles as well) and they now look like this:

So far I have only come up with the idea to sparkle the outter portion of the shells  (love sparkles), add a pearl and ribbon, and use them as Christmas decorations, along with a beach day photo of my cutie pies. I will let you know how that develops…

The seashells then sparked another project, one that I had been talking, with myself, about doing for months. FYI – I happen to be a great internal conversationalist.

I was watching the Martha Stewart Show randomly when her guest, Heather Ross, made these wonderful smocked sundresses. They looked simple enough and although my printer is not working I figured I could guesstimate the pattern. (The dress pattern and instructions are free on her website and she also included them in this book –Weekend Sewing-  I just ordered it – i’ll let you know if its worth it).

I bought some super cute fabric…

 …and realized… a weekend project with a husband and two kids does have its disadvantages.  Sewing in between doing laundry, making dinner, and cuddling can be time consuming.

However, the project was easy enough that I could finish it without getting to the ‘I just want to get this done, I don’t care how straight these lines are or how finished the edges are stage’. That clearly means it was a rousing success- That and the four compliments I received while wearing it means it was THE BEST SEWING PROJECT EVER!!!

- Wait there’s more!-

The completion of the dress sparked an even craftier project, still   is in its infant stage.

While IN the dress at the Ladner farmers market (twice a month on Sunday and its wonderful) I came across lovely scrabble tile necklaces which screamed at me “YOU CAN DO THAT”… so now I need scrabble tiles…  

Speaking of farmers markets – did I mention how great the one in Ladner was; it had live music, crafts, fresh fruit and veggies, and the smell of baked bread wafting in the air… The main highlight is this market had more than 5 booths; in fact it had about 50.

I have been to so many farmers markets lately which are really small and very disappointing. What happened to huge street markets bustling with energy? – Yes, there is the Richmond Night Market, but honestly, doesn’t that feel like an overpriced outdoor dollar store with food?

Also exciting, speaking of farmers markets and crafting, minutes ago i was sent this link – talk about train of thought – Modern Urban Guide

Note to self

*I love bread; carbs are good, dress hides carbs

PS – are we enjoying the book ‘punny’ titles as much as I am?

 PPS – Those bags in the wagon… are all filled with fresh bread!!!

As I was driving home yesterday with a steaming hot venti hazelnut non-fat latte, kids fast asleep in their car seats, I had the luxury of listening to MY music.  Sometimes I just don’t want to listen to Barbie movies playing behind me, brainwashing my kid, insisting that she needs a Barbie Mariposa doll – since when does a kid say she specifically needs Barbie Mariposa?  The word mariposa should only be part of a Spanish speaking kid’s vernacular… I digress… but just for the record those Barbie movies are pretty creepy all digital and weird. ..Why can’t they be more like Jem?  Jem WAS truly outrageous!

So… I was drinking coffee, listening to music on random which definitely has a plus/minus effect – every once in a while you get a great song, but 9 times out of ten you don’t feel like the song that randomly pops up so you have to skip to the next one, then the next one, then the next one, then the next one, until one like this comes along and your flooded with memories…

…and it then your brain starts thinking about songs and people and places. Being young and thin and free (in a good way) and old boyfriends and stupid stuff you did and said, and how I can’t listen to Adam Ant’s ‘Wonderful’ because it reminds me a sloppy kiss on a bus – don’t ask, or SoulDecision’s ‘Faded’ and five male strippers – ok ask about THAT one!

… I’m also wondering whether I have better taste in music than that… at least those are the tainted ones…

Then I started thinking about baby names – no not pregnant…yet – and how they, like music, get tainted.

The process usually begins with me shouting out names to the hubby, followed by a no, and a story recounting why it needs to be vetoed from the list. He would then suggest a name and I would veto it – because it was stupid.  But one time he shouted out a name (deleted for discretionary purposes), and instantly I was reminded of a girl who peed her pants in grade 1.

I can now appreciate the horror and embarrassment that poor girl must have felt – especially while dealing with my own kids toilet issues. But I still think of her. Her mother probably told her no one would remember, but here I am as a testament to that statement – twenty  – okay, twenty three years later. I still remember the day you peed in class…

Wow, speaking of memories – I totally just remembered having peed my own pants at Johanna Taddies birthday party. I was wearing a green felt one piece jumper (yes, i just used the words green AND felt in the same sentence and i was not talking about Christmas). It had a rope belt around the waist and my mother tied a double knot in it – who I specifically told not to tie a knot! Grosser still, I managed to hide the fact I peed for the remainder of the party – I didn’t want be the girl blogged about twenty three years later.

… What was this post about again?… right, music… long story short, this song is super, enjoy it with a venti hazelnut non-fat latte

Note to self

* mom brain is very scattery

PS. title of this blog post is a very funny book joke

Note to self #2

*yes, i know, i’m a dork

Sometimes a serious game of ‘Hungry, Hungry, Hippo’s’ can release the stress and tension of a hard days work… I just wish I got to be the pink hippo.

Potty training, like ‘‘Hungry, Hungry, Hippo’s’, can have its ups and downs. One day, peeing on the potty takes no more effort than reminding the little one to go. Today, four pairs of new panties later, you realize it does take some persistence. No hippo can be expected to catch every little ball, but by no means does he actually stop trying. Meaning, as much as I want to, I can’t go back to the diaper…

I hate to admit it, but I like diapers. I like the freedom of diapers.  I like leaving my house, going for a drive and not having to worry about finding a bathroom 2 minutes  down the road – especially after I asked “does ANYONE need to pee before we go?!? I’m not a fan of the grey area between a fully potty trained child and the diaper baby. Hippos don’t have a grey area, they either eat the ball or they miss it. Also, Hippos don’t wear diapers… that would be weird.

Note to self

*Be happy you’re not changing Hippo diapers… 

 

Also, speaking of hippo’s, while typing this post the little baby missed my boob and started sucking on my belly… nothing says sexy like a baby belly hickey…

Experienced while buying a ukulele in the STRINGS department at the Tom Lee on Grandville St. in Vancouver…

I noticed a cardboard box full of kazoos. YES KAZOOS! I grabbed a pretty purple one, hid it from Olivia and placed it on the counter with my other items… and by items I mean UKULELE!

A few minutes later, I grabbed the kazoo from the bottom of my bag and demonstrated to Olivia just how wonderful the kazoo is. With a huge breath I blew into the sucker and heard… nothing. I returned to exchange it…

The conversation with the clerk went as follows…

 

“Excuse me this kazoo is broken, can i grab another one?”

“Broken?”

“Yes, listen… (Blowing sound)….see… (Blowing sound again)… broken”

“Actually your suppose to hum in it”

“Oh…(Humming sound)… Its fixed… Thanks….”

 

Inner monologue

“i.am.a.dork”

 

Needless to say I felt awesome, gave one of those “ha..ha…….ha” kind of smiles, spun the  double stroller around and ran away

 

Note to self

*Kazoos are for humming…

 

So I’ve got a new hobby, I figured, between kids, husbands, dogs, and businesses – “I’ve totally got time to randomly learn the ukulele!” I’m testing the theory you can learn anything from the internet. Yes, the internet will teach me to play the ukulele, I may start a band… sell a few albums…

 

CHILI MAC
 
2TB OLIVE OIL
 
1 LARGE CHOPPED ONION
 
1.5TSP SALT
 
2LBS GROUND BEEF
 
5TBS CHILI POWDER
 
1TB OREGANO
 
2TBS GARLIC
 
1/2CUP WATER
 
1 28 OZ CAN STEWED TOMATOES – CRUSED IN YOUR HAND
 
1 CAN KIDNEY BEANS
 
_______________________________________
 
2 CUPS DRY MACARONI – COOKED
 
4 CUPS CHEDDAR CHEESE
 
_______________________________________-
 
OVEN 400F
 
COOK ONIONS AND BEEF UNTIL NO LONGER PINK

ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS ( EXCLUDING MAC AND CHEESE ) COOK 20 MINS LOW SIMMER
 
ADD 3 CUPS OF CHEESE TO MEAT SAUCE
ADD MAC
 
POUR IN A 9X13 PAN SPRINKLE WITH REMAINING CHEESE
 
BAKE 10 MINS