Shocked!

This morning I had this conversation with Deidre:

D: Mom I really loved the dinner last night!

(I made angel hair pasta with store bought sauce and some frozen shrimp thrown in, frozen broccoli, and a Pillsbury loaf of bread... so easy)

Me: Thanks honey, I'm glad you liked it.

D: Yeah, you made it really good.

Me: Well thanks!

D: Yeah, I was SHOCKED!

Hmmm.... for some reason I don't think that a compliment.

Shots! Ouch! And Another Ear Infection

Maggie had her annual checkup today, and I don't know who it was harder on me or her. I'm sure no parent enjoys sitting through vaccine shots with their kids, and I am no exception.

The poor little thing got poked five times today. FIVE! There should be a law against so many at once. She of course screamed to high heaven, and looked at me as if to say, "How could you?!" It breaks my heart every time. Seven years of sitting through vaccines hasn't made it any easier.

We also found out that she has another ear infection (or the same one that never cleared up). This will be the fourth one since November, and the fourth round of antibiotics. The doctor said that if it doesn't clear up this time then she will need to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

When we got home I gave her some Tylenol and lots of TLC, and she seems fine now. It's plain to see that I am more scarred by the incident than she was, and I guess that's a good thing. Now to get her ear cleared up....

I'm Giving Away A Handmade Retro Print Messenger Bag

As soon as I heard about the bloggy giveaways carnival I just knew I had to participate. I will be giving away a retro print messenger bag handmade by me. It measures 14 inches tall by 15 inches across. The strap is 50 inches long, and can be worn across the body when fully opened, cinched all the way down and hung on a stroller, or anyway in between. There is a large zippered pocket on the flap, and two more pockets on the outside of the front. The inside is nice and roomy, and will hold lots of stuff. It is also an environmentally friendly bag, because I made it of mostly recycled materials. If you click on a picture you can see it supersized.

The flap zip pocket has pretty polka dots on the inside.

And this picture shows the inside lining and two front pockets.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED

Thank you SO much to everyone who left comments. I will draw a number and contact the winner today (Feb 2).

So, if you'd like to be entered for a chance to win this bag just leave a comment (one per person please, or I will have to delete it) and I will randomly pick a winner on Sat, Feb 2 (comments will close Feb 1st at midnight EST). Also I'm willing to ship this prize anywhere, so all of you outside of the U.S. please come play!

PLEASE make sure you leave an email address if it's not on your profile. And if you have a profile, please be sure that it is "open" so others can see it. Some of the people who have already left comments didn't include this info, which means I have no way of contacting them if they win. So, be sure to include the needed info. THANKS!

And, don't forget to check out what other bloggers are giving away at the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival.

New Addition

We decided that four kids wasn't enough, we just had to add a puppy in the mix. The girls and I went and picked out an Australian Cattle Dog yesterday and she is the sweetest little puppy you could ask for. We haven't decided on a name so for now she's just "the pup."

All of the girls are of course in love with her, but it's the baby that absolutely adores her. She follows her around and tries to steal all of her toys. And, when it's time for the pup to take a little rest in her kennel, Maggie sits right at the door baby talking to her the whole time. The pup is very patient and gentle with her and doesn't mind having her naps interrupted.

Also, the same day we brought the pup home Maggie started walking everywhere. I guess in all the excitement she forgot to be scared and she hasn't stopped since.

I'm so thankful we were able to find such a sweet little dog to add to our family.

Baby Vomit Control

This might be a tip that everyone is familiar with, but I didn't really figure it out until a couple of years ago, so maybe there are others who could use it as well. I must warn you it is a little on the gross side, but please keep reading it's worth it I promise.

When your little ones are just too young to vomit into the toilet, what do you do? Hold a bowl under their head? If you have ever tried this you know it's no easy task. So, my solution is old bath towels. I just hold it up under their head almost like a bib, and then spread the rest over their lap. I think having something soft against their skin is also comforting for them. I try to keep one hand on the towel, to ensure that it's doing its job, and my other hand is usually rubbing their back.

Once all is said and done, just roll up the mess and toss it in the washer. I also find it useful to keep a large plastic bag on hand in case I end up needing more than one towel. The hardest thing about using this method is getting the towel to them in time.

This method really works for me, and I've had to use it a lot this week.

If you have any other great tips for dealing with the tummy bugs, I'd love to know... we're still sick here.

Check out other great WFMW tips at Rocks in my Dryer.

Vomit in my hair...

... and other various places, including the TV remote.

Last night around 11, just as I was getting ready to call it a night, Maggie began throwing up all over herself. It's so sad when they are that little and have no clue what's happening to them, and all they know is that they are miserable. Thankfully all was contained to the blanket she had been laying on, and I was able to clean her up easily. We went to bed and she slept 'til morning.

Today she seemed better, thou still not her usual self, but no vomit so I was happy. Then, again at about 11 at night (apparently the witching hour at our house) I was alerted by the sounds of crying. Only this time it was Sabrina, and she was COVERED in the stuff. As quickly and cleanly as I could I got her to the shower and hosed her off.

I made up a pallet for her on the living room floor, and just as I was finishing up Maggie sat up on the couch and spurted everywhere. (that's when the remote got it) I guess she didn't want to be out done by her big sis.

At first I couldn't figure out why they are sick. The last few days they've eaten different things and they drink different milk. (one's on whole milk and the other 2%) So, what's the deal why are my babies sick?

And then I remembered... Saturday we went to the mall while Joy was at a birthday party, and I let them play on one of those foamy toddler playgrounds. Whenever they play on one of those I always lather up their hands with hand sanitizer afterwards, but in spite of that it's usually 50/50 that they'll get sick. You'd think with those odds I wouldn't let them near the mall play areas, but they love it so much, and I love letting them burn off some energy. I guess I've learned my lesson.

They are both now cozily asleep on the floor, and I'm taking a much needed breather. The only problem is... baby vomit = milk vomit. To put it plainly, my house does NOT smell like roses.

On the agenda for tomorrow: LOTS of laundry, and go buy some more air freshener.


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got Water?

I DON'T! At least not in the upstairs bathroom sink. All of the other facets in the house work perfectly, but for some reason when you turn the handle on that sink.... nothing. Worked fine when I went to bed, so I don't know what the problem is.

Supposedly last night was the coldest one we've had this winter so maybe something is frozen. But if that's the case then why is everything else working? I mean an upstairs bathroom sink can't have it's own dedicated pipe line. Can it? I really don't want to call a plumber, so for now I'm just going to ignore it and hope it fixes itself.

As far as the girls were concerned it was a treat... they loved spitting their toothpaste into the bathtub!

*Addition, later the same day*
Just tried it again, and it WORKS! Go figure. I don't know what happened but, like a child throwing a temper tantrum, ignore it and it will behave. Who knew that parenting skills could be applied to home repair.

Snow Driving

It snowed here today, and when I had to go pick up Deirdre and Joy at school there was already enough accumulated on the ground that my minivan was slipping and sliding. I put it in the lowest gear and still I had to creep along like a snail in order to keep it going straight. After I picked up Deirdre I decided I better go back to the house and get the snow chains I had stupidly left in my kitchen before I drove across town to get Joy. Well, there's a steep hill going from Deirdre's school to our house, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get up the hill. After a couple of minutes of sliding from one side of the street to the other I ended up sideways with three cars waiting behind watching my fiasco.

I finally got myself straightened out again, backed down the hill, and decided to forgo the chains and cross my fingers that the highway wasn't as bad. It wasn't, but not by much. I drove 30 mph the whole way with a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel, and I had so much adrenaline pumping through me that I felt sick to my stomach. After getting Joy I took a different route in to our neighborhood and in the end we made it back to the house without any other incidences, but just barely. I sure thought I was going to have to park at the bottom of the hill and walk the girls up, but thankfully that wasn't necessary.

Oh, and the cherry on top.... I had to pee the entire time. I had visions of getting stuck on the side of the road somewhere, and me having to get out and make yellow snow.

Pizza Pics

I made a double batch of my pizza today, and it turned out so good. Also, I've finally got some pictures to post.

This first one is good old Canadian bacon and pineapple with mozzarella cheese and a little cheddar cheese. The girls loved it.











The second one has fresh mushrooms, canned artichokes, black olives, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. I also pinched up the sides a little so it would hold everything in and make the outside crust a little bigger. It was DELICIOUS!!!











I now cook all of my pizzas on a pizza stone. I bought this one a little while ago and just leave it in my oven all the time. I make up the pizza on some parchment paper and then use one of these to get it in and out of the oven. If you're going to make pizza often I highly recommend getting a stone. It really does make a huge difference. When using my stone I up the temp. to 450 degrees and it only takes about 10 minutes to cook. Also, when I'm cooking bread I put the stone on the bottom rack of the oven under the rack that the bread pans cook on, and it has really improved the quality of my breads as well.

Do You Understand Me?

Deirdre's school has a program that gives her a coupon for a personal pan pizza at Pizza Hut if she reads a certain number of days out of the month. So, today after church I decided to take them to go eat inside the restaurant. This is a BIG deal for the girls, because if we eat out it's usually drive-thru or take-out, and they're always asking to "eat inside."

Everything went well, but within 15 minutes Joy has started whining about this and that, and was beginning to upset me. Then, as we were getting in the car she and Deirdre started fighting, pushing, and calling names. So, before I started the car up I turned around and gave them a talking to.

I went on and on about being kind to each other, and not whining over every little thing. And, I explained that I didn't enjoy doing fun things with them when they had bad attitudes. At the end of all this I said the classic, "Do you understand me?" Deirdre and Joy just sat there unmoving and not saying a thing. Maggie, on the other hand, was wide eyed, sucking her paci, and adamantly nodding her head up and down. My stern lecture lost all of its effect, because I started cracking up over the realization that apparently the baby was the only one who had heard and understood what I said. I guess one out of four isn't too bad... at least I got through to someone.

Momma's Simple Pizza Dough

This is simple pizza dough perfect for those who don't have a lot of time, or fancy equipment. I came up with this recipe after trying various ones I found on the Internet. Mine uses a little less flour.. for a thinner crust (but don't worry it's not too thin) and more sugar and salt for a better taste. At least I think it tastes better, and my family loves it too.

Also, if you scroll to the bottom I've included instructions on how to use this recipe for calzones. If you try the recipe please leave a comment and let me know what you think. ENJOY!

Ingredients
1 tbsp ~ active dry yeast
2 tsp ~ sugar
1 tsp ~ honey
1/2-1 tsp ~ salt (depending on taste)
2 tsp ~ olive oil, plus extra to grease bowl
2/3 cup ~ water
2 cups bread flour (approx.)
small amount of cornmeal

Equipment
1 ~ mixing bowl
1 ~ dough hook or large spoon
1 ~ 12" pizza pan
1 ~ liquid measuring cup (1 cup size is fine)
measuring spoons and cups

Put 1 tbsp active dry yeast and 1 cup bread flour in a large mixing bowl. Dissolve 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp olive oil in 2/3 cup of very hot water (this will cool the water to about the right temp. you want it to be about 110 degrees) then pour it into the bowl with the flour and yeast and mix well. I like to use a dough hook, but a large spoon works fine. Add about 1 more cup of flour, and continue mixing until the dough forms a sticky ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes. Keep your hands well floured, and add small amounts of flour as needed to be able to work with the dough, but try to keep the dough slightly sticky. Put about 1 tsp of olive oil into a clean bowl, add dough, and turn to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm draft free place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Once dough has doubled pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly sprinkle corn meal on the previously floured surface and on the pizza pan. Roll dough out to fit the pan and transfer it to the pan. Add desired toppings and bake for about 30 minutes. Time will depend on what toppings you add, and how crisp you like the bottom of your crust. The wetter the toppings the longer the time. If you like your crust well cooked you could also put it in the oven by itself for about 5 minutes and then add the toppings and return it to the oven for the remainder of the time.

DIY Calzones:
Make the dough the same as above. After it rises divide it into six pieces, and pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Roll each piece into a thin circle about 6-8 inches wide. Put filling (can be anything you want) on one half of the circle, and fold the other half over. Pinch edges to seal it tight. Place the calzones on a greased cookie sheet, or one lined with parchment paper. Cook for about 15 minutes.



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The Line

When I picked up Deirdre today she was telling me a story about a game they were playing at school. And then, she said this, "I fell down and hurt the line of my butt." HA! Priceless isn't it? When we got home she said, "Man, my butt line really hurts!" She's so funny. I guess when you think about it her version sounds better than butt crack. Right?

Oh! Gotta Go Potty!

Sabrina is in the process of potty training. Not by my choice, but by hers. I guess she sees her older sisters doing it, and has decided that she wants to as well. Also, the new preschool class she's in is a potty training room, so they are encouraging it too.

Anyway, she's driving me crazy! Constantly saying, "Oh! Gotta go potty!" but when she's on the potty... NOTHING! As soon as we walk in a store I hear "Oh! Gotta go potty!" But, it turns out to be nothing more than a ploy to see what that store's bathroom looks like. And, to wash her hands. The girl loves to wash her hands. A good thing, I know, but usually she just ends up soaking the ends of her sleeves.

Of course her school tells me, "She "went" twice today." Well, whoopee for them! Why is it that when she's with me all she wants to do is try out the feel of every toilet seat in town? And, it never fails that I will hear "Oh! Gotta go potty!" at exactly the wrong time. Don't get me wrong... it will be wonderful to have one less butt to wipe on a daily basis, but all this crying wolf is making me nuts. On the other hand, I could very easily write reviews on the cleanliness and smell of every restroom with in a 50 mile radius.

Crafty Goals 2008

The following are the Crafty Goals I would like to accomplish this year..

~ knit more and sew more
I know this seems pretty vague, but with four little girls, a hubby working overseas, and now going to school full time my opportunities to knit and sew have been greatly diminished. Ideally I'd like to do something everyday.. even if it's only for the twenty minutes I sit in my car and wait for my daughter to get out of school.
~ create a knitting pattern, possibly in lace.
Maybe even create a new lace pattern. Is that even possible? Or have all the possible combinations of YO's, K2tog's, etc. already been used? Hmmmm... I think it's possible to create something new, but then how do you know for sure?
~ knit and sew presents for Christmas 2008
And, don't wait until November to do it. The only problem is I won't be able to post pictures of these projects until after Christmas in case the recipients are looking.
~ make more clothes for my girls
I mean why not? I've got tons of yarn and fabric stashed up. (literally, well maybe not literally but pretty darn close) What better project to use it on than clothes for the girls.
~ make something for myself
It seems I'm always coming up with ideas for others, but I have some yarn that I especially bought for myself, and I need to finally find a project for it.
~ knit my first sweater
Yep, this is something I haven't done yet. I know I would be able to.. I mean I understand how to. I just haven't done it yet. I think just because it is a "big" project and I tend to stick to smaller ones.
~ knit more socks
I don't know why, I just want to. Actually this goal will take care of a couple of others. 1. they're small, so I can take it with me and maybe knit a little everyday, and 2. they'll be for me

Hmmm, I think this all might be a little overly ambitious. Oh well. We'll see what happens.
Wish me luck! Please!

Knit Beanie Animal Sweater

I have to regretfully admit that it has been months since I've knit a thing. Despite the fact that I have quite a few WIPs. (mostly scarves) So, when my daughter asked me make some clothes for her beanie animals I jumped at the chance. Now I know that this little sweater is nothing fancy, but I knit most of it with a wiggly one year old on my lap. A major feat if you ask me. Anyway, I didn't use a pattern. Just measured the candidate, made a swatch, and then determined the number of stitches needed. I CO in the round (I love magic loop!) and worked a 1x1 rib for a few rounds. Then split the front and back stitches (different numbers for this guy) and worked in stockinette stitch for the length of the arm hole on both sides. Next I joined the front and back pieces together again, and continued working the stockinette stitch in the round, and finished off with a 1x1 rib for a few rounds. Lastly, I picked up stitches on one armhole and worked stockinette stitch for a few rounds, and finished with 1x1 rib for a few. Then I did the same thing with the other armhole, and voila a beanie sweater. I took this picture today so, yes, that means my Christmas tree is still up. Oh well!

O, that Christmas Tree!!!

Well, here it is Jan 6th and the tree is still up, for that matter, all of the Christmas decorations are still up... including the inflatable in the front yard. Hrumpf!! I am comforted by the fact that as I look around my neighborhood I find I am not alone in my plight. However, I feel confident that if I do not get on the ball soon I will be.

The girls don't seem to mind. Although, Deirdre did ask me yesterday why I hadn't taken them down yet. I guess that means she wasn't planning on helping me with the task. Not that there's that much she could do anyway.

The problem with putting everything away... actually there's many problems so I'll just name the top two. 1. I have to haul all the boxes up from the basement and then down again, again. and 2. Every year we get more decorations so that means more to put away! Actually, I think I'm going to have to go buy another storage container to get it all put up. Hurrah! I have figured out why I have not cleaned up Christmas yet. I don't have enough storage. Which means.... SHOPPING! I love it when a half empty glass suddenly becomes half full.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!