A Costume Kind of Day

As promised, my costumed family for Halloween. I will share the tutorials in separate upcoming posts, as promised. (Homemade costumes make good Christmas presents for the dress up trunk, yes?) {grin}

Introducing Super A, dun-duh-dun! A new super hero on the scene, ready to score a lot of goals, ace all of his tests, argue you to death and reaffirm our belief he's going to be a brilliant lawyer some day. (Directions are here on how to make this super hero costume)


Followed by my Kindergarten Super Ninja who will run fast, cartwheel and bowl you over with his gorgeous eyes. He didn't want to be a super hero, he wanted to be a ninja, despite having a super hero outfit already made for him (by me) for his birthday. Go figure.


Then there's my princess, my beautiful blonde Snow White. For crying out loud, I have a girl with gorgeous strawberry blonde hair, you think she'd want to be a blonde princess? Nooooo... Whatever..


Then there are my two punk rock ballerinas. Yeah, a far cry from the pirate and Alice in Wonderland costumes we had originally planned, but these worked out way better. I made the hair bows, the tutus, and we gathered some things together from Target (shirts, leggings), Walgreens (spray hair color) and Payless (cool new sneaks) to complete the outfits.

We can't forget Baby Dude, my little horsey.


My husband, Captain Awesome, is his pirate self, as usual.


Here's three of 'em who stood still long enough for me to snap a halfway decent group picture..


And our pumpkins! We wouldn't be a Steelers family if we didn't carve our pumpkin with the emblem..

And even though this isn't a 'costume', I wanted to share that I finally finished my daughter's Dora outfit I had started a while ago, while in my sewing frenzy (as well as repairing my husband's costume shirt, too).

With all of this running around, I could use eleventy-billion days off. Whew! What about you, how was your Halloween?

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The Awesomest of the Awesome T-Shirts for Babies Ever. The End.

I know, I'm stalling. I promised you all pictures of my children's finished costumes (and yes, tutorials), but I haven't gotten them all photographed together yet, mainly because there were some finishing touches I wanted to do/make before I took pictures and posted them.

I needed pink and purple spray hair color, clip barrettes for bows, a matchy-matchy princess purse/earrings/necklace trio and this t-shirt pictured below, all I found at Walgreens. A t-shirt made of awesome.

I. Could. Not. Resist. Buying. It. (Must find his baby light saber to get a proper picture)


Seriously can't stop giggling, can you? Made. Of. Awesome.

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Infant Learns to Climb, Film at 11

This message brought to you today by the letters "V" and "M" with an "ALIU" in the middle. Mommy's gonna need a lot of these if he keeps this up. Oy!


More on mom's insanity - sewing and costume projects all finished. Pictures of the finished products will be posted later, after mommy soaks in a tub and channels her inner calm and a little tranquility for a while (that is, if he stays off the chairs long enough).

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Are My Kids Seriously Asking About New Years Eve Already!?

Oldest daughter: Can we have apple cider for New Years Eve?

Me: Sure, honey.

All children collectively: YES!

Oldest son: Can we stay up to watch the ball drop, too?

Me: Sure.. if you think you can stay up that late...

Oldest daughter: Well, it'll drop at 11pm here.

Middle daughter: It takes an hour for the ball to drop here!?

....

(It's a good thing she's cute.)


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Super Hero Halloween Costume

Directions are here on how to make this super hero costume.

Yup, that's what I'm doing. The machine is out (and probably out for the season, too, because Christmas is coming). The fabric has been purchased. The costume has been planned, it's just pinning and sewing, now.

The cape is finished. Tomorrow we will move onto the arm bands, mask, boot covers and applique for the chest piece.

Stay tuned for the finished result, and one happy nine-year-old super-hero.

P.S. Seeing me make my oldest son's costume, my oldest daughter now wants me to make her Alice in Wonderland jumper for Halloween, too. Back to the fabric store I go!

P.P.S. It appears I may be making my middle-daughter's pirate costume, too. We can't find one. It's a good thing we're going to the store again.

P.P.P.S. Hopefully once the costumes are set, I'll get to begin work on other projects. I'm getting excited, I'm delving into tutus. I also bought some more remnants to make more crayon roll-ups and take-along crayon/coloring book bags (my last creation shown below)

Perhaps I should write a few tutorials while I'm at it? ;)

For more Wednesday fun, visit Wordless Wednesday, 5MFM, MomSpective, MomDot, Ordinary and Awesome, Seven Clown Circus and We Are THAT Family.

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To Do Tuesday Week 38

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

I have been working hard to maintain my clean house, but haven't been getting too much checked off my list this past week. We had a slamming soccer schedule and extra events, OH, and BABY DUDE WALKING, eeeeeeek! Suddenly I turn around and it's Monday? Wow, where'd the week go, crap, where'd my list go? {pouty face}

I will do better this week, I have to get most of these things done, considering their Halloween-related ;)

Have you started your Christmas Notebook yet? This is the last week of October (can you believe it?) It's coming (said in eery, Poltergeist-type voice) My Christmas preparations are carried over from last week because I was busy doing other things and didn't get the chance. I'm also adding one.

• Go through what gifts I've already bought, and jot them down.
• While I'm out shopping for last minute Halloween preparations, start layaway for bigger items at PX
• Pick up a couple second-hand items found for sale
  

For my regular To Do list this week:

Continue to finish cleaning out the shed and back yard (The leaf blower is my friend).
Put throw-away items to curb by Trash day Thursday.
Take picture of items for yard sale, to sell early (I hope?)
To yard sale or not to yard sale on Saturday (Halloween)... Hmm...
Grocery shopping/coupons/list
Post a giveaway this week? :)
Reviews for new Shark cleaners to be published
Soccer banquets and pictures
Finish buying/making Halloween costumes

Staying on my diet every day*
Work out every day*

*Finally hit the 130s since before I began having babies. Whoa! 139 as of last week. I cannot believe it!

Today's motivation - take care of yourself. Ensure you're drinking enough water. Eat well, and often (6 small meals instead of 3 big ones helps bolster your metabolism). Get moving every day, whether it's a walk, dancing, working out, be sure to have some activity in there. But take vitamins, and pump in some Vitamin C, Zinc, and echinacea to try to keep yourself well. I'm fighting with the sniffles right now (although I haven't completely ruled out allergies, with all the cleaning out I've done), but I shall prevail because of my arsenal. (Positive thinking helps, too). How about you? What do you use?

--

Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the MckLinky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or √ "check off" your items on your to-do list!

Joining us? Please add your link below (to your To Do Tuesday post, and not the main page of your blog)

Participants for Week 38

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Baby Dude is Walking!

This is the scene around our house now-a-days. Baby Dude letting go and taking a couple steps here, couple steps there. He's not 100% on his feet, yet. His strength only takes him so far. He gets over-excited about being up, and giggles himself to the ground, laughing as he falls. But oh, to see my littlest trying and trying over and over again. So bittersweet..

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm not ready.

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Name This Picture - Face Painting

We attended a "Fall Fest" at the elementary school, chock-filled with inappropriate candy, spazzy kids, and Halloween decor. We purchased tickets to play the "games" and we took pictures a-plenty. And got the kid's faces painted.

The look on her face makes me smile and laugh. It's half-petrified, half lovingly looking at her daddy.


What do you think she was thinking?

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Bubbles, Glowsticks and Pumpkins Make Magic

This picture accurately describes how I felt when I first arrived at the event. Cold. Dark. Wobbly. Surrounded.

Glow sticks and orange balloons with plastic, pumpkin buckets brimming with spaz-inducing candy were everywhere I looked. Our children marveled at the Halloween treats around them.

My oldest immediately found friends and bolted. We walked aimlessly surveying what this "pumpkin patch" celebration had to offer. Despite my layering, the cold bit at me and my babies but quickly dissipated when laughter overtook it's chilly tingle. I took a picture of that moment, but swore it should have come with a sound effect; that of a "record scratch" that marked the interruption of my son's path. He was skipping along happily when the Headless Horseman galloped in front of him. Instantly, he stopped dead in his tracks. {record scratch} Hi-lar-ious!


He recuperated himself as soon as it rode off (still makes me giggle to think about it). My son continued along in his merry quest, finding music and balloons and children playing wherever he took a step.

I guess it doesn't matter how "old" you think you are. You can play it "cool," and request mom not kiss or hug you in public. You don't dare ever cry, unless you're seriously hurt, because you want to prove how grown up you are. But turn a bubble machine on, and suddenly all of that is out the door. You're a toddler again, enjoying the air filled with magical, sparkly bubbles.


So much so, you take it upon yourself to try and eat them. Can we say "Dork Nugget?" 'Cuz that's what you are, my dear son of mine.

My Baby Dude experienced this flood of bubbles for the first time in his baby life. He watched the sea of soap undulate past him, twinkle as the kids danced around him, popping, singing, reaching, grasping. He pointed his fat finger and popped one and giggled, and that's all it took. Hooked just like his older brother.


And the boys frolicked. They laughed. They danced. They popped. They played.

My daughters were a little more subtle, they danced, but sat back and drank it all in much more so than the boys did. I think the chill was a factor, too. But nonetheless, despite the Autumn air making its presence very well-known, the five-youngest clung together and smiled their best polished grins for their mom on the obligatory scarecrow and pumpkin decorated hay-stack.

And it was a good time.

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Dear Baby Dude, Love The Twins

Dearest Baby Dude,

We know we're tasty, and filled with nutritional awesomeness, but we're not a teething toy, nor are we something to poke at, twist, nibble or scratch. We are there for sustenance and refreshment, but dude, sometimes ya gotta give us time fill up before you come after us again! What's with that, anyway?

We are being overused, misused, drained dry. We're floppin' all over the place, empty, because we can't seem to get an hour or two to fill-er-up! We think you have to go to Boob Anonymous or something! We never get a chance to even breathe before you're hovering over us again, yankin', wanting more. Consider this your intervention, little man.

Duuuude, see that stuff on the plate over there? That food-type stuff? That's good, too! In fact, that tastes even better! Go see! We know we're comfy and warm and attached to your mom-n-stuff, but for real, ya gotta chill it. You work us harder on your own than you and your sister did tag-teaming us back when you were first born and your mom was tandem-feeding you both. That's crazy! You work us to death, and we're not getting any younger, do you understand what we're saying here?

Let's make a deal, okay? You keep eating us every day, but give us a little space, too, okay? We'll keep nourishing you, but give us time to stock up on the goods before you come-a-knockin' for more, alrighty then? Alrighty then.

Love,

Boob 1 & Boob 2

P.S. Stop being so damn cute all the time so your mom can resist feeding us to you more than she should, K?


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Houston, We Have Pigtails, Part Two

We've come a long way since part one, baby sister. You can stop growing up so fast, now. Mm kay?

Left picture: one year old Right picture: almost 3 years old

Time is not my friend :(

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Dryers Don't Dry, They Suck

A funny thing happened the other day...


The hooziewhatzit hose mysteriously came off the back of the dryer, and it was fuzz confetti, my friends. Woo! Gotta love the house being heated to eleventy-billion degrees, and suddenly showering you and everything with fuzz.


Thank God for Swiffer. The end.

For more Wednesday fun, visit Wordless Wednesday, 5MFM, MomSpective, MomDot, Ordinary and Awesome, Seven Clown Circus and We Are THAT Family.

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To Do Tuesday Week 37

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

Sorry this is late, everyone. I fell asleep early last night (I deserved to) and actually slept decently! Thank you all for your positive thoughts, we might be on the mend here! Wahoo!

So, let's be honest. How many of you did I scare last week with my Christmas preparations? It's okay, I know, I scared myself, too. Heh. But think about it - Halloween is next week, then Veteran's Day, then WHAM, Thanksgiving and Black Friday marks the "official" holiday shopping season. It is here whether we want to admit it or not. And beginning to think about it now can make all the difference. (Plus, Kmart, Sears, the on-post PX and more have already begun layaway, which for some is a lifesaver, check it out!)

If you didn't begin your Christmas Notebook as part of my Christmas Game Plan, Part 1, think about starting it soon. Especially while you're out there shopping for Halloween costumes. My Christmas preparation for this week:

• Go through what gifts I've already bought, and jot them down.
• While I'm out shopping for last minute Halloween preparations, start layaway for bigger items at PX
  

For my regular To Do list this week:

Finish cleaning out the shed and back yard.
Put throw-away items to curb.
Enjoy newly pared down, fall/Halloween decorated house! :)
Begin preparations for a yard sale
Grocery shopping/coupons/list
Continue to use & begin writing reviews for new Shark cleaners
(Psst, Lisa, dust off your FLIP camera, woman!)
Use leaf blower to clean out back yard/patio
Take boys' soccer pictures (since girls are done)
Finish buying/making Halloween costumes

Staying on my diet every day*
Work out every day*

*Haven't weighed myself. Barely been able to work out, although I did get the Wii Fit Plus, and I love it!

Today's motivation - awareness. In deep cleaning and cleaning things out, I realized that I have not been fully aware in my home, such as the liberties the kids were taking with cutting corners here, not fully doing this here, etc. I feel because my awareness wasn't sharp, they were taking advantage, and as a result, I was letting them and everyone down. Parenting requires eyes in the back of your head, constant reinforcement (aka tiring repetition) but you are molding the future, and it requires that kind of dedication and work. I'm on the ball now, and I won't let them down again. How aware are you? Could you use a fine-tuning, too? Talk to me, okay? :)

--

Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the MckLinky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or √ "check off" your items on your to-do list!

Joining us? Please add your link below (to your To Do Tuesday post, and not the main page of your blog)

Participants for Week 37

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Worn

As I sit here, huddled over my laptop in pain, heating pad attempting to alleviate my stomach ache, I sip a cup of tea and bury my tired head in my hand. Between the baby being sick, the sickeningly jam-packed soccer schedule we've been keeping, no sleep in over a week, and being smothered by the unspent energy my children have after it raining for over three weeks straight, I feel exhausted. Misused. Distressed.

I feel my body giving out under me, like the weight of the day has worn me. I feel scraped, naked, exposed and crumbling.

Sipping my tea while trying to embrace some calm with the kids tucked away for the night, my stomach rumbles with discomfort as I hear the baby snore beside me on the couch. I turn slightly on my side, uncomfortably, repositioning the laptop to continue to write, struggling to feel any semblance of comfort. Even when I get the chance to relax, I can't relax. My body is betraying me. My insides are cursing me. My eyes and will are heavy.

I need my son to get better. And some sleep. A break. Rest.

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Conversations with Kids Make My Brain Hurt

After a few days of a clingy baby trying to fight to feel better, I needed space. I needed my arms and body back, to own myself and breathe fresh air and see the light of day. To escape the snot a while, basically. So I took my kids (sans sicky Baby Dude) to the park down the street.

The chill of the air felt magnificent.
The sunlight on my skin was like a first kiss.
Fall is here, and it danced around me while we walked.

It was great to snap pictures and giggle watching my kids play hide-and-go-seek. However, on our way back we grabbed a local paper to get the skinny on local happenings for Halloween. My son holds it and begins reading from the cover. "Today will have a low of 45 degrees Fahrenheit and a high of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Yesterday was a high of 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Tomorrow will have a low of ..." and he goes on, reading the weather report at the bottom, like a mini-weatherman.

"How.. how is he learning all of this?" My daughter asks, as she pushes her scooter a few feet in front of him.

"Baby, we got the paper, remember? He's reading from it."

"Ohhhh..." she exhales, "but how do you know it's telling the truth?"

"Honey, let's think about it for a second. The paper says it was warm yesterday and is cooling off today. Can't you feel it?"

She reaches over and feels the newspaper.

"No, DORK! Not the newspaper, the air, get it? Feel the air?"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh..." she snorts at her mistake as I attempt to control my hysterical laughter.

My son chimes in, "Geez, don't you know the newspaper people tell the weather forecast?"

Oh gosh. It's a good thing they're cute...

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Adventures in ER Visits

This was me, Friday night. Well, this was him Friday night.


First it was the croup, which led me to the doctor's appointment he had yesterday. Double-ear infection she said. Surprise! Home with fluorescent pink chilled liquid and it was like a switch was flipped, suddenly his barking cough turned to mucus, and his nose and eyes were flowing like a river, and the noises coming from his mouth became worse and worse.

I had to take him in, despite not wanting to endure a long wait. Pink liquid or not, something wasn't right.

Four exhausting hours later, his lungs are clear, his temp is low, his ears look okay (strangely enough), and the flu test was negative. Diagnosis? Upper respiratory infection aka Virus That Has To Run It's Course. Lovely.

The doctor was cool, though. His 30-some-odd years as an MD, he balked the new "no cold meds for babies" rule and told me, off the record, the dosages for my son for Dimetapp and Robitussin DM to help alleviate his symptoms. *doctorly fist bump*

Me? I'm missing soccer games to stay home with Baby Dude, in hopes he gets better soon. Pardon me if I appear unkempt, highly caffeinated and in need of a shower. It's been a tough week.

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All Natural Halloween Candy Alternatives

It's time for the Halloween Trading Post again. What is the Halloween Trading post, you ask? You see, our children go out trick-or-treating, collecting various chemically-burdened, artificially-colored and preservative-laden confectioneries from our neighbors. Instead of allowing them to eat said candies, they give us everything they've collected from our neighbors, and in return, get safe, all-natural, organic candy from us as a result. It's a win/win situation- they get to partake in candy, still, and we ensure what they're eating isn't laden with artificial-this and chemicals we can't pronounce.

Fantastic idea, no?

Think about it like this - no having to check through which is safe, and which isn't. Heck, if we are done early enough, we "recycle" candy we receive on Halloween right back out to trick-or-treaters! (Except chocolate confiscated by my husband for looking incredibly lonely. Or tasty. Or something.)

A great resource that talks about the "Halloween Hangover" and unnatural substances in your children's diet is Feingold.org. I have to quote this from that page, because it was like a light-bulb came on for me when we saw for ourselves the "spaz" that occurs when my children have something unnatural..

Synthetic food dyes are the most likely suspects when it comes to triggering behavior problems in children.

Researchers in the United States, Canada, England and Australia have shown that these dyes can bring about many behavior problems, even when children eat only a small amount.

Here are some of the behaviors that have been attributed to eating food dyes: attention deficits, irritability, restlessness, sleep disturbance, aggression, and hyperactivity.

Food dyes have been around for well over 100 years. They were first made from coal tar oil and are now synthesized from petroleum. (The same stuff that makes your car run can result in high-octane kids!)

As if that didn't wake you up already, it was this next statement that gripped me with its honesty:

In past generations, artificial dyes were a "sometime thing" that children ate occasionally, made with natural ingredients like chocolate and pure vanilla (not the fake "vanillin" widely used today). Children were given dyed lollipops only at the bank or the barbershop, ate candy corn, jelly beans and candy canes once a year, and schools were not in the business of selling soft drinks and junk food.

A child growing up in the 1940s and '50s did not start his day with petroleum-based dyes in his toothpaste, medicine, vitamins, imitation juice and cereal. Lunch was not a prepackaged assortment of highly processed, chemically treated crackers, cheese, lunch meat and dessert. So, when our parents ate candy corn and other dyed candy, they were able to handle it better than our chemically saturated children can today.

(I could cry reading that again. Seriously, this is what I've been screaming about for years!)

I bet you're wondering what I'm going to give my children if "regular" candy is forbidden, and I have to trade? The answers may surprise you, and they don't necessarily have to be purchased online, either!

Our all-natural, organic choices for candy this Halloween? Surf Sweets & Yummy Earth are two old favorites of ours. Surf Sweets I was introduced to by a review I did back in April, and is available at many stores. Yummy Earth we were introduced to a couple years back when we first joined the Feingold Diet Program, and is available to purchase online. Yummy Earth has the most addictive lollipops I've ever had the pleasure of consuming, and we get a massive 5lb bag of it, so they stick around a while (we fork over some to our kids' teachers, too).

We're also big fans of Ghirardelli & Pearson's, too. Ghirardelli's new Luxe Milk chocolates are seriously evil, but in a good way. Pearson's mint patties remind me of going to the movies and eating Junior Mints, but now my children can enjoy them naturally, without all the chemicals to ingest!

If you read further into Feingold's Halloween Hangover page, they go into specifics about other brands that are safe for Halloween that you can find at any Walmart, Kmart or Target. We went looking and found these lovely items at our local Walmart (pictured below). You can easily just peruse the labels and look for things you can't pronounce. Most labels now proclaim they are all-natural, but I still like to double-check to be safe.

Now, we're not big candy eaters to begin with, but knowing we have safe alternatives helps keep what little sanity I have left.

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Out of the Mouth of Babes Part 13

(Perhaps I should call this the smacking head edition? You'll see why in a minute.)
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Playing Rummy with my oldest son, I remind him of the rules and how it's played. It becomes blatantly apparent he's gotten Rummy confused with other games, because seconds later he lays a few cards down and proclaims "CHECK MATE!!"

After I giggle and correct him, we continue with our game. A few minutes later he slaps the card down and says "GO FISH!"

Uh...

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My toddler's new favorite word since the soccer debacle last week starts with "bull" and ends with an "-it". I blame the stinkin' ref for that one, too. But yes, I know, I've already accepted the Mother of the Year award for that one. Go me!

{smacks head}

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My Kindergartner's soccer team was decimating the other team, so much so, I lost count of how many goals they scored. It was utterly brutal. My oldest son had been off playing soccer with friends. He comes over and asks "Who won?"

I replied, "We did, baby. By a lot."

"Hey, he's undefeated," he says.

I shake my head, "No honey, they lost a game while I was away at my conference."

"They did?"

He looked puzzled for a minute, as I reminded him of a big kid on the other team that kept scoring against our team, because he was so much bigger and intimidating (so I was told). He didn't respond back. He drifted off thinking for a minute. We began to walk to my daughter's practice. He looked at me again. "So who won?"

I immediately stopped and shot him this crazy look. "Baby? Didn't I just say we won?"

"Ohhhh. Yeah, you did. Hey, they're undefeated!"

{smacks head}

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My kids approved of my dinner the other night. Their exact words were, and I quote:

"It's off the Hoozle!"
"It's re-donk-ulous!"
"There's a party in my tummy!" (Damn Noggin!)

And my middle daughter, wanting SO much to repeat "Hoozle" forgot what the word was and told me my dinner creation was ".. off the Food Web!"

(Don't ask. I don't know, either.)

(And no, I don't make this stuff up.)
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Like these? Catch up on my other "Out of the Mouth of..." posts:
Out of the Mouth of Husbands
Out of the Mouth of Babes Part 12
Out of the Mouth of Babes Part 11
Out of the Mouth of Babes Part 10
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 9
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 8
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 7, and other Kidlet Cuteness
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 6
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 5
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 4
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 3
Out of the Mouth of Babes, Part 2
Haha, Out of the Mouth of Babes

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Chicken Pot Pie with a Biscuit Topping

If you're a friend of mine on Facebook, you may have read about my "accidental dinner experiment" the other night. You see, we meant to make two traditional Chicken Pot Pies for dinner (yes, we make two to feed our family of eight). However, with only one stick of Crisco when the recipe called for one-and-a-half (for a total of four pie crusts, we double the double-crust recipe), I either had to nix the pie crusts altogether, or come up with something else for the top. Hence, my accidental experiment.

I decided to go ahead with a traditional pie crust on the bottom, but what would I put on top? Aha! Bisquick to the rescue!

(Remember, the following is to make TWO Chicken Pot Pies, don't forget to half the ingredients if you have a smaller family than I do. You might consider still making 2 pies, though: even if you can't eat two pot pies for your family's dinner, consider the second pie a "make ahead" meal for later in the week, just wrap it and refrigerate for a quickie dinner you just pop in the oven and go.)

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed (or, as we find is cheaper, one whole chicken steamed in the crock pot all day, meat pulled apart)
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 4 potatoes, already baked and cubed
• 2/3 cup organic butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose organic flour
• 2 tbsp Mrs. Dash
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 1/2 cups Swanson organic chicken broth
• 1 1/3 cup organic milk

Pie Crusts from scratch (will make 2 pie crusts)

• 2 cups organic flour
• 3/4 stick Crisco Shortening Sticks (or 3/4 cup of Crisco), chilled
• 4-8 tablespoons cold water

Biscuit Topping (will make 2 batches of biscuits)

• 4 cups Bisquick mix
• 1 1/3 cup organic milk

Whether you simmer a whole chicken in the crock pot all day, and pull it apart, or cube and cook the chicken breasts, prepare the chicken in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray while pre-heating your oven to 425.

Once you're sure the chicken is fully cooked, add the mixed vegetables to warm them up. Cook this over medium heat, vegetables should only be added at the end, enough to warm them through, do not over do.

While chicken is cooking, bake your potatoes in the microwave (or however you prepare them).

Prepare your pie crusts by slowly cutting in the Crisco into the flour, using a pastry cutter or two forks (I like the fork/knife combo myself). Once the Crisco resembles course crumbs and pea-shaped bundles, start sprinkling in the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough is moist enough to hold together. (I tend to make it just a tad doughier than normal, just because of the flour you will roll it in later.) Flour your countertop and roll out large enough fit your greased and floured pie pans.

Keep an eye on your chicken/vegetable mixture during this time, as it should be finished cooking while you make your crusts. Take it off the heat and place a medium saucepan on. Melt down the butter, add the flour to this mixture and whisk until well blended. Immediately add the milk, broth and spices. Whisk until it begins to bubble and thicken, like gravy, and turn the heat off.

Prepare your biscuits by mixing together the Bisquick mix with the milk in a bowl once blended, do not overmix. Place the chicken/vegetable mixture at the bottom of your pies on the crusts. Cube the potatoes and place over the chicken/vegetable mixture, spread out. Pour over the gravy, shifting the chicken and potatoes around a bit just to ensure they're covered, and that the gravy doesn't pool on top. Begin to spoon the biscuit mixture on top, keeping special care to "wall in" the gravy by the crust (forming a seal). Once a circle around the crust is formed, I made biscuits on top, allowing holes in between to "air" out the insides of the pie (similar to slits in the crust).

I baked on the middle rack in the oven until the biscuits were brown and the gravy steamed through, about 20-30 minutes.

It was sinful. Heavenly, even. I hope you decide to make this for your family with the cool weather moving in, a perfect Autumn meal! Enjoy!

For more Wednesday fun, visit Wordless Wednesday, 5MFM, MomSpective, MomDot, Ordinary and Awesome, Seven Clown Circus and We Are THAT Family.

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To Do Tuesday Week 36 - Holiday Checklist!

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

I forewarned promised you last week we'd be talkin' the big "C" word, didn't I? ;) This week I'm gonna talk about beginning to plan for Christmas/Holidays and my game plan. (I'll include my normal To Do list at the bottom, too.)

You do not have to talk about the holidays in your lists this week. It's okay, you can heckle me and call me nuts for planning so early (don't worry, I won't tell you I've been buying gifts for months).

First, I want to share with you a cute website I found to help organize your Christmas. I like what they offer. Not all of what I found applies to me, however, I do like their organization style.

Another resource to use is FlyLady with her Holiday Control Journal . Very useful lists to help organize Christmas. Do you have any good holiday organization resources? I'd love to hear what methods you use, too!

Here's my Christmas Game Plan, Part 1 - Begin Creating Your Holiday Notebook

• Create a notebook for the holidays, and leave the first page blank (just in case you have spies at home!)
• On the next page, begin to write (or copy from Flylady's Holiday Control Journal) your plans for the holiday. If you're traveling, it's on this page you'll write particulars (when, where, who, how long, how much) and begin pricing if you haven't already.
• On the next page, begin to write names of people you'd like to send cards to. You'll add addresses later. Be sure to write in pencil, and skip a line to allow room for addresses. Use as many pages as you need, leaving room to come back and jot down more if you need it.
• On the next page, begin jotting down things you may want to cook for the holidays, to include cookies, breads, pies, and more. Leave enough room for recipes (to jot them down with ingredients) so you can concoct shopping lists and work out a baking budget.
  
• For the next page, begin to write (or copy) the names of your loved ones you'll be purchasing presents for on one page after the next, jotting down ideas in pencil next to their names in a list.
  
• Now, put the notebook away, some place hidden!
  
• Give each of your family members and loved ones a sheet of paper and ask they complete, at their convenience (the sooner the better) a wishlist of what they'd like for the holidays.
• Once you receive their wishlists, add them to your super-secret hidden notebook, jotting down their wishes, for research later.

What I like to do, with my notebook, is research prices, keeping in mind (already) what they'd like, if I can afford it, keeping an eye out for upcoming sales, perusing both online and in stores, etc. Gives me plenty of time to get the best deal. I also get ideas on variations to give - she wants this shoe, but this looks similar and is cheaper, I should get it!

Starting the notebook early helps to ensure you aren't stressing towards the end. This notebook is by no means finished, but creating it now gives you something to turn to when you see a gift idea, or see a great sale. It's a place you can start jotting ideas down in, something you can bring with you when you go shopping, just in case something on your list is on sale while you're out shopping.

My regular To Do list this week:

Continue to clean out the shed, since closet is done.√
Photograph things to sell, and donate items, too.
Grocery shopping/coupons/list√√√
Continue to use new Shark cleaners√
Clean out FLIP so I can vlog, it's been a while!
*Back yard. Fix it. Cuz it's ugly. (if it ever stops raining, argh!)
Finish decorating for Halloween/Fall√
Finish taking kids soccer pictures (again, if it ever stops raining!)√√
Finish paying bills√
Continue to game plan Halloween costumes√√

Staying on my diet every day*√√√√
Work out every day*√√

*No gain, no loss, still at exact same weight as last week - 140. Struggling to get back into working out mojo since Type-A Mom. *sigh*

Today's motivation - get ready for Autumn! It's here, and the cooler weather is calling for warmer clothing. Get your closets ready, and fling open those storage units and closets and begin pouring through their winter stuff. Is it all the proper size? Do they have warm shoes? Do their coats still fit? You might be able to find things at a good price now before the super-duper cold hits, or find things from other parents who are in the same predicament as you are, and perhaps swap or get from them. Don't forget to check yard sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, Freecycle and Craigslist, too.

--

Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the MckLinky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or √ "check off" your items on your to-do list!

Joining us? Please add your link below (to your To Do Tuesday post, and not the main page of your blog)

Participants for Week 36

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Information That Would've Been Useful Earlier..

Ever have one of those "information" moments? Those "D'oh!" moments you wish you could take back with the knowledge you now possess? Yeah, happens to us all the time. Our most recent involves groceries, our number one "D'oh!" wish-we-would've-known-that-sooner moment in this house.

With six children, we have quite a long grocery list, as I'm sure you can imagine. Each week we come up with a new list to shop with, but this weekend, however, with soccer and such, we were wanting a much simpler dinner than what was already scheduled. So, we ventured to the commissary (for you non-military folks, that's the military's grocery store) to pick up a few things that were needed for the aforementioned simpler dinner.

Our list also contained a few jugs of water, more cereal, and snack for my kindergartner's class as well, since we had scoured the house to find things we would need before we shopped again. We were fairly certain we had gotten everything.

Until we got home.

I mean, isn't that always the way? You get home, begin unpacking, or worse yet, are hip-deep in cooking dinner, and you reach for something you need and it isn't there? "D'oh!" Damn, why didn't we think to check that?

Information that would've been useful earlier.

Yeah, it's always fun to begin mixing dough for chicken pot pies to realize you're in need of an additional bar of Crisco to complete the crust. CRAP! You. Were. Just. At. The. Store.

Yes, say it with me, information that would've been useful earlier. You got it!

It gets better. I'm preparing my low-fat ranch dressing (because I'm out) and I reach for the parmesan cheese, only to realize not only is it almost empty, but we're due to have pasta the next night, and guess what we don't have a back up of? Parmesan.

Information that would've been useful earlier. ARGH!

Let's not talk about the fact that I did actually buy gallons of water at the store, only to learn this morning we're already on our last one. With the commissary closed. Apparently, despite the rain, my children drink water in this house (along with our cooking with it) like it's going out of style. And the four I bought? Weren't going to be enough until our shopping day Tuesday.

Say it with me! Information that would've been useful earlier.

Pardon me, I'm off to go bang my head on a wall, or something.

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Learning Camera Settings

One of these years, I'm going to fully learn the ins and outs of my camera. In the meantime, it's fun to pour over my pictures and look back and see the cute faces, blurred edges, experiments, and failures, as well as the interesting.

Like this. Red vs. Blue


With taking pictures of my son in the slide at the park, the light infusing through the plastic, the slide turned my son's face and body different colors.

As you noticed, the blue picture is much blurrier than the red, because of the settings I used. I learned that taking the camera off the "children" setting, with flash off, meant it was more susceptible to blur if you weren't steady with your hand. However, neither picture is as crisp as I would like it, despite the colors being vibrant and interesting. That means the children's setting takes into account how fast they move, and is much steadier.

(Yes, I'm still on auto-settings. No, I'm not ready to take the jump into aperture and all those things just yet.)

Ah well, I'll learn it all sooner or later. In the meantime, it's just fun experimenting. And visiting the park, don't ya think?


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Need Encouragement and Mojo - Got Any to Spare?

You ever feel like this year is going to be your year? I'm not saying I mean is this year your year, mind you, I'm saying, have you somewhere down the line realized, at one time, that you've had a pretty spectacular year, and that maybe, just maybe, it was your year?

I've kind of felt that for 2009. This is the year I finally succeeded and lost the weight (and feel ridiculous it took me this long to do it), traveled some incredible places, met amazing people. I've come a long way with this blog, too, and it's so great to see something I'm so passionate about become successful just by loving what I do, so incredibly much.

This year has brought me that overwhelming blessedness. I've always felt a version of that, of course, but this year is different. A lot of good has happened. There has been bad, but the good, oh, the good, has left the bad in the dust, by miles. The bad can't even dust off the good's dust, the good is so far ahead.

And that's better than good, y'know? It's awesome, even. I am a blessed and lucky woman. However....

...since returning from Type-A Mom, a life-altering, mind-refreshing, blogger-adoring experience as it was, I must admit, it disrupted the good I had goin' on here at home, and I haven't gotten my "mojo" back. Of course, with going away somewhere, it does take a bit to get back into the swing of things, and that I did, of course. Breakfasts made, laundry caught up on, vacuuming, cleaning, heck we're even hip deep into cleaning out closets in preparation for the holidays.

No, the mojo I'm referring to here is working out. I had entirely too many deliciously evil food-type things while away, and that, coupled with no time to work out, has left me in a funk of sorts. I have worked out hard since I begun my weight loss journey, and this extended disruption has caused quite a ruckus, now, I feel almost paralyzed by it, like, I've disrupted the melodious chord I had of diet and exercise, and now anytime I try to jump back on the bandwagon, it feels off key.

Do you know what I'm talking about? Has anyone gone through something like this before?

I really want to get back into it. I need to. I want to feel that kick in my step, that toned feel once more, that ache from a good work out. I want to be able to look at a snack, square in the eye and say "No, no thank you, dear sweet delicious-as-you-are, snack, I'm good." Instead, nine times out of ten, lately, I give in to it's evil little devilish taunting of my taste-buds. Did I leave my will power back in North Carolina? What the heck is wrong with me? I've worked SO HARD to get where I am, why am I doing this? What exactly happened?

There is no turning back for me, I didn't keep the clothes I used to fit into, this time was it. No "just in case" for me, there is no back-up plan. I. will. not. fail.

But, it appears, I need a little push.

I must find my mojo again, and get back into the swing of things. My husband has vowed to help me make sure I find time everyday to work out again. Will you all help me, too? Help to encourage me? Help kick me in the (virtual) hindside if I'm on for a bit? Get on my case, if you need to, it's alright, I will appreciate your trying to help me.

I am grateful for the weight I have lost, but it's the energy, the overall health, the feeling that I've done right by my children and family, that I have fixed what was wrong and added plenty of years back into my life to spend with my kids by shedding this weight. I want to succeed for them. And, if you need me to, I will help you, too, of course. You say the word, "Lisa, I need encouragement, too," and I'm there. After all, it's what friends do, right?

What do you think, want to help each other?

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Caption This Photo

While I took pictures at soccer tonight (again), I turned to my sidekick alongside me and snapped away at his sweet baby face. The second I saw this picture, though, I giggled (snorted, even). I knew I was going to have to blog about it. He was pointing to someone or something, but that isn't at all what it looks like. He looks like a baby evil genius, or something, doesn't he? One who's come up with a master plan of sorts. Oh, there is so much running through my mind to caption it, but instead, I thought it would be fun to see what YOU thought?

G'head, what is your caption for this photo?


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A Cowboy Morning

Some days, before the crust is out of the corner of your eyes, or the coffee pot is even turned on, your children will tug at your pants as you wobble from room-to-room trying to make sense of the daylight.

Some days, before your ready to function, noses will need to be wiped, shoes will need to be tied, and your eyelashes will have to part to enable you to do so.

Some days, before your husband kisses you goodbye, you will sneak that extra kiss, despite your wretched morning breath, he doesn't seem to care. (Or perhaps he just hides it well.)

Some days, you will be slower than ever, you will have to work faster to get breakfasts into bellies, lunches stuffed into backpacks, and children buckled for morning drop-offs.

But every once in a while, in the hustle and bustle of the typical school morning, you have a break of the norm. A break that allows you to, no matter how tired or in need of coffee you are, smile ear to ear, despite that crust in your eyes. You just can't help it.

This was my morning. "Rodeo day" at school - they could dress up to be cowboys.

(That was the best we could do)

Oh. My. Stars. My smile. My heart. It is so big.

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Robbed Yet Blessed

"2 to 1. Them," I was told by a familiar face as we arrived, my husband jogged to the other end of the field to join the coach.

I didn't sit. I had only just arrived, and had catching up to do. I stood, snapped away, taking pictures.

It's always harder for me, watching the older kids play soccer, because they play with so much more forethought than the younger ones. A smaller child can kick the ball and be surprised by the force behind it, or surprise himself as he learns the skill just by doing it. It's fascinating to watch. By the time you're a teenager, though, if you've been playing a while, you play with intention. You focus on the ball, your movements deliberate, you plant you foot against the skin of the ball and sail it across the grass with force, knowing each step with your cleat into the grass thrusts you closer to the goal. You shield the ball with your hip, and this team, the one my daughter was opposing, threw in a couple elbows for good measure. You could see the deliberate acts on their part, cheating to win, and a ref who was failing to say a word.

Finally a child went down, a child on our team, kicked in the gut. She writhed on the ground, clutching her side, and the ref continued on with the game, said nothing as he shuffled his gangly body towards the other direction. Our parents were calling out as my daughter's coach yelled, too. The ref became aware and stopped the game, but not because of the injury, but to yell at our coach for yelling at him. After his reprimand and not even a glance at the injured girl, he placed the ball on the ground where it had been, and gave it to the opposing team to kick, not us, like a penalty against us. We got loud and screamed at him for what was happening, the girl still injured, no sub offered while she held her side. All-of-a-sudden, amidst our screams, a mysterious "hand ball" call was called against our team in the box, and it was a one-on-one penalty shot. For them.

One-on-one. One of those "ones" was my daughter, as she was playing in the goal.

A penalty shot neither coach even saw "happen" (yes, even the opposing coach said there was no hand ball). It was quite clear the ref was blatantly biased. (As it turned out, we found out later his daughter was on the opposing team.)

My daughter did not save the ball in the one-on-one.
My daughter went on to almost be kicked in the face when she went down to save the ball, later, and the player kicked the ball out of her hands, and again, no call by the ref. Yet another score.
The game did not get better after that.
A certain mom got very loud and shared with the entire crowd that this ref clearly should not officiate, and would've gladly gotten kicked off the field to have had that dirtbag of a ref actually hear my her words (I'm still not sure how he didn't, a certain mom can be p-r-e-t-t-y loud).

After the game, the poor girl's midriff was cushioned, arms clutching a chilly water bottle to ice her injury. We saw the area darkened, obvious bruising will develop, hopefully no breaks, though. I wanted to clutch her, splay her injury before that moronic ref, show him firsthand what he had done, that it could've been his daughter writhing on the ground with another official who ignored her, how would he feel about that? But she wasn't of my skin to expose before him, he just heard grumbles from the side and complaints from our coaches. It took every.ounce.of.me to not walk up to him and smack the cheat out of him, to have it out on the field, with God and everyone as a witness. I did, however, speak to the sports director insisting that dimwit never officiate our games again, especially when his daughter's team is involved.

(I wasn't surprised to hear the sports director not know about that tidbit.)

The day wasn't all a loss, though. I was able to capture some amazing pictures of my children, all putting up with their hothead of a mom from the sideline.

We go through a lot of crap to have them play season after season, with double- and triple-booked time slots, the hot sun, dirty cheating coaches and officials alike as we're hopping from field to field trying to cram it all in.

Thankfully the games this time were close enough that I was able to watch my kindergartner while seeing his sister in goal on her field.

Another thing I am thankful for, his game only lasts 20 minutes, so we can quickly scramble from his field to the next without missing much, since his game is so much shorter.

The air may have been muggy, the distaste for that unfairly-called game is still swirling around in my mouth and will for some time, but the pride from seeing my children play, from hard work, sweat and a job well done, despite kids who cheat with adults that let them, just to see your child blossom in a sport like this is beyond amazing.

Now, if only we could have had a ref who actually wanted to teach these kids to play fair, our night may have almost been perfect.

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