Life According To Me | laborofwonder

Christmas Magic

by motherofwonder

Despite yesterday’s post about Santa, (and the fact that I’ve admittedly been a little grinchy about Christmas-time growing up) being a wife and mom, with a home of my own, has changed things. And for those of you who are on the fence about Santa and what to say to your kids, know this: Christmas is a magical time with or without Santa. We never said one way or another about Santa, until directly asked. And then we shared, and also shared the story of the “original story,” and talked about families who don’t have all the things that they are so accustomed to. Which prompted them to show great signs of heart. After talking with my Miss E about it, I gave her a dollar and said she could use it to buy gum or something (she looooves gum), but on the way in she asked about the man ringing the bell next to the red bucket. I told her what it was and what the money went for. And that’s right, my three year old decided she’d rather help out a family in need than get some gum. And Big E has helped pick out a toy for a boy who would possibly not get any others. They frequently go through their toys and leave me with a pile they say they don’t love anymore, to give to kids who are in need of some toys to love. (Granted if I don’t get them out of the house quickly enough, eventually they’ll be rediscovered and magically back in love with…but c’mon, they’re under 5!) As I was saying, there is magic in the season, even without Santa bringing it. There’s magic in their faces watching the snow, watching them decorate their own tree (it’s just their size!), hearing the oooohs and aaaahs (And “Mooom, look! They’re just so bootifull“) over houses and trees lit up with lights. Hearing them recount to each other all the special traditions and meanings of Christmas. Listening to them reenact the Christmas story with the nativity set. Baking cookies, making fun crafts… there’s magic in all of that. Even without Santa.

Here’s some of our magic that’s very easily duplicated…

This was really easy and the kids thought it was really fun. I found a book of Christmas stencils among my decorations, but you could easily hand draw some simple, Christmas-themed things (tree, bell, star, santa outline, stocking outline- they’re all pretty basic) and then had the kids color them in. Next they’ll get cut out and used as gift tags for grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. You could do this on green or red paper and make it even more festive! I didn’t think about that until after!

I got the idea for these from pinterest, which lead me to this lovely blog. Mine is a little different, but definitely the same premise. I just filled 8 clear bulbs with some white glitter, stuck an index finger from each of them into some glue and them put it on the bulb. Then we covered the finger prints in glitter! After they dried I used a permanent marker and made little black hats for their heads and three black dots for buttons on the belly. I also added a red scarf with a red permanent marker. These were so easy and turned out really cute.

And these gems were really just because. I’d gotten some ornament shaped…I don’t even know what to call the material, kind of like a thin foam, maybe? Anyone know what I’m talking about? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Whatever, they’re cute and they were on sale. I figured these could either be gift tags, or I could glue pics of the coordinating kids on the back and make them into ornaments (probably payback to our parents for all the child-made ornaments my grandparents had to have!) This was another glitter and glue project. Dip the whole hand in, put it on the “paper” and shake the glitter! Easy-peasy. Oh, I did Littlest E’s feet instead of hands because on anyone under 2 years old, this is the easiest way to go without doing it in their sleep. (When the kids were babies I’d use a finger paint and sign footprints on all their cards- to daddy, grandparents, uncles, etc.) I don’t even care that these are blatantly “chintzy,” I like ’em!

I saw a few posts about 25 days of crafting, where you do a new and different craft with your kids each day. I am not going to be doing that. I’d be digging myself out of the glitter by day 4. But I liked the idea, and we are doing lots of crafts. Today will be chocolate-covered strawberries, made to look like Christmas lights. They are gonna be cute!! (And delicious) Unfortunately, MissE has been unable to help herself, and she’s already eaten half the strawberries I bought for this, so we’ll just have enough for a post dinner snack. I’m really excited about them anyways (I always get excited about food!) and look forward to posting pictures of our work after!

I have no idea what's on his face... but he looks happy at least!

This is not craft related, or maybe it is… I can’t remember what he’d gotten into! I just like it! And since he wasn’t really a part of the pictures or post, there you go. And here is his contribution into today’s laughter:

Our dog is a huuuge baby. (Have you ever heard of a lab who gets tired of playing fetch after maybe 5 throws? And he’s only a year!) When I’m diligent about it, he gets better, but normally, anytime he hears a noise, he sits at the window, with his head stuck behind the curtain. Barking and/or growling at all the little old ladies that go a-walkin’ through our neighborhood. (Obviously, they are the most threatening of the passerbys.) Today was no exception. Lady walks by, puppy begins to growl. I turn around, tell him to Stop that! And then shoo him to go lay down. A moment later, I hear more growling. I find myself rolling my eyes as I head back to the window, only to find that the growling I heard was coming out of my sweet, littlest boy! The dog, of course, quickly sidled up next to him. And there they stood, growling in unison at the sweet neighbor-lady (that they both know). *Sigh*Headshake*Eyeroll*

Crafts Family Life According To Me Things Kids Say

1 Comment »

Santa: The Good, The Bad, and The Creepy

by motherofwonder

Santa-lovers beware, this post is not for you. My husband hates Santa. Simply put, he creeps him out. I’ve tried to reason with the man, but for some reason my arguments never seem as valid once they become audible. None the less, these are a few of the statements we’ve each spouted to prove our own thoughts’ validity.

He watches them while they’re sleeping! I’ve always wanted a way to watch them when they sleep and actually get some sleep myself- now I have that! Now I’ll have someone awake and watching, in case some old creep would try and break in. (hey, wait a minute…)
He knows when they’re awake- I’m pretty sure neighboring countries know when our children have awoken. So really, the North Pole isn’t that much of a stretch.
You can get your children to behave by spouting a simple, harmless lie. Behaving children? Check. Tricking them? Check! Lying to them? Double check! All the parently attributes I’d hoped to pass down to my young, impressionable children.
Bringing your most precious gifts (your children) to sit on the lap of a strange old man with a beard, who may or may not smell like a liquor cabinet is not weird at all. It’s flat out creepy.
Santa (and his consumerism) helps the economy! Your kid whispers what they want most in this world to a “santa.” Leaving you to buy every toy it could’ve possibly been, just so you can keep the faith alive.
I’ve always wanted my children to find good role models in life, you know someone that will teach them useful tools for their life. Santa does that. If you want your kid to have the best teacher for B&E’s- he’s your guy. Same goes for if you’d like your children to reach expert-level in the Peeping Tom world. (Seriously, all the facebook status updates in the world are not enough, he actually has to see you.)
I googled Santa and came up with TONS of websites dedicated to pictures of creepy Santas. And they were definitely creepy. I think I could smell rum on a couple of them.
There’s a Santa and Mrs. Clause speedo run all over the country every year. I think we can safely add Mrs. Clause to the do not watch list.
He turns sweet, wild reindeer into prancing, flying slaves who perform his manual labor.
When asked if he’d like to meet Santa, this was Big E’s response: He’s not real. Me: So you don’t want to meet him? Big E: It would be kinda creepy to meet someone who’s not real. (He’s got a point.)

Case adjourned.

If Santa would just hook up with social media things could be different. We’d be way less freaked out by someone who just twitters your tweets and pokes your posts… eh, maybe not.

photo credit: ilovecoffeeyesido

Family Life According To Me Things Kids Say

9 Comments »

They like me! They Really like me!

by motherofwonder

As Friday is normally the day I post about thankfulness, what better to start with than how thankful I am to the Domestic Recluse for awarding me this! Be sure to check her out as well. She is an honest, outspoken woman with words worthy of reading! *ahem* But wait until you’re done reading my words, of course! I am always amazed by the array of people that follow along on this journey with me! Yes, my moms (both mine and hubbyman’s), are probably my most avid readers and supporters, but after them, the majority are people I would not have expected. (Except for you, of course I expected you!) 😉 But I am ever so thankful for each and every one of you!

There is great responsibility that goes along with every priviledge… and here are the responsibilities that go along with this award:

Thank the blogger who nominated you!
Add the award pic to your blog post.
Nominate 15 fellow bloggers and let them know about it!
Share 7 random things about yourself.

Ok, well 1 and 2 can be checked off the list. Now I think I’ll skip to number 4, because I love the other blogs so much, I’m a little afraid you’ll skip right out of mine and forget to come back! (Kidding. But seriously…)

My whole family, both immediate and extended, are filled with artsy, creative, talented people… somehow I did not get that gene.
My husband has a lot of foods he “claims” to dislike. I take that as a challenge. And 9 times out of 10, he likes it, at least when I make it. Either that or he just wants to continue being fed. I’m choosing to go with my cooking is just that good.
My children think the best form of entertainment possible is when I dance, and sing, and act out songs. It’s ridiculous but they love it. They frequently tell me, Mom, you should perform this for Daddy when he gets home. Or Want me to do a movie on the camera of your performance? I then bribe their silence with candy.
I truly believe that life is just not long enough to drink bad coffee. That said sometimes I am just too desperate to do anything but drink that bad coffee. Hey, sometimes hubby’s super dark french roast is all that’s left and in those cases, well, you know, desperate times call for desperate measures.
(Mom: Don’t read this!): Growing up, I despised the holiday season. Everything about it. Ok, maybe not everything, but lots of things. It is really only as I’ve been a mother that I’ve come to appreciate the season again. It’s hard to be all grinchy when you have three little people watching you who think Christmas and all that it entails is completely magical. I’ve even found myself listening to Christmas music. Don’t tell my mom, as she is the type to start listening to Christmas music in October, and you can be sure I’ve always given her a hard time about it. I’ll never hear the end of it! (I told you not to read this, Mother!)
Sometimes I hide from my children. Ok, technically I’m not actually hidden, but occasionally when I see them walking by, in obvious search of me, I just watch and don’t say anything.
I am terrible about surprises. At least when it comes to my husband (I can’t help it- I always want to tell him things!) Or at least when it comes to gifts. Seriously. I got hubbyman the coolest gift, one that I knew he’d be super excited about! Only to tell him what it was within 24 hours of its purchase. He half guessed, and then laughed at me for quite some time at my lack of patience. I still intend to wrap it up though!

Ok, now onto the bloggers! Here’s what the Versatile Blogger Award Blog had to say about how to pick the blogs to pass the love along to:

”When you consider nominating a fellow blogger for the Versatile Blogger Award, consider the quality of the writing, the uniqueness of the subjects covered, the level of love displayed in the words on the virtual page. Or, of course, the quality of the photographs and the level of love displayed in the taking of them. Honor those bloggers who bring something special to your life whether every day or only now and then. And, have fun!”

I love lots of blogs and love perusing through random ones as frequently as I can find the time. Here are some that I make a point (ones I’ve been following for some time and some that are still fairly new to me!) to check out!

Ok, I’m taking a quick shortcut here. Because I was awarded this award previously (here), and have already awarded some of my favorites, and the rest have all been awarded by others…. I’m just going to give you my go to list, in no particular order, and trust they know how wonderful I think they are, and hope you enjoy them as well! (If you happen to be one of these bloggers and have never been awarded this, and would like to be- consider this my official awarding- and pass it on!) 🙂

Becoming Cliche (Funny, real, terrific)
If I Were Brave (witty, smart woman who takes life one microbravery at a time!)
Everyday Love, Unforgettable Joy (a sweet lady who posts things about life as a new mom to funny things students say)
Living Is a Process (A lovely writer-lady living a unique life, taking it one step and one word at a time. Her posts are both thought and emotion provoking.)
Stuff I Can’t Put On Facebook (she frequently posts things that truly make me laugh out loud!)
Delete Wheat (Full of wonderful gluten free recipes and life as a gluten free household/person with celiac)
Winsome Bella (Her photographs are beautiful, her stories epic. Reading her posts are always like reading a good book- they always leave you wanting more!)
Lesley Carter (I just love her life. I imagine there are few people who wouldn’t feel slight twinges of *I wish that was me* reading about all her adventures and world travels.)
Searching For Middle Ground (I share her love of pinterest! And she covers a wide variety of things- from home improvement, to how to maintain a healthy outlook on body issues. I genuinely enjoy her.)
Not Ever Still Life (she also had 3 kids in less than 4 years- I feel like we’d get along!)
We’re Jumpin’ (wife and mother, we have lots in common!)
Uniquely Normal Mom (a green living, money-wise, God-loving jewel of a woman!)
Ragamuffin PC (pastor, writer, friend. His words and poignant and thought provoking.)
Enjoying Healthy Foods (a sweetheart of a lady with wonderful, real life recipes. she is the go-to-guru when I’m not sure how to cook veggies, she’s always got great advice and ideas!)
I wasn’t sure I could think of a 15th and now it turns out, I have like at least ten more that I want to share…. instead I will leave you with this one: My Big Cloth Adventure! (It’s Brand new, but I guarantee it’s going to be good!!)

And there we have it… that took a lot longer than I thought it would!

Life According To Me

12 Comments »

It Came!

by motherofwonder

We have a layer of snow on the ground! I’m hoping there’s more in the forecast! There are lots of reasons to not enjoy all the winter we get here… like the fact that it lasts longer than the rest of the seasons combined (we had snow for 8 out of 12 months this last year. From October thru May!), or the fact that it gets so cold you don’t want (and sometimes it’s not even safe) to take your kids outside in it. Or the times you do dress them up to go outside, end five minutes after they get out there, even though you spent close to an hour to get them all ready. See, I get it. I am well versed in the reasons to wish away the white, powdery stuff. But, as I was born in this frozen tundra, I do have some favorites about this weather.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The first snowfall is magical. Especially to children. Being the one to show them the yard full of fresh snow is like being the first one to introduce them to chocolate, or ice cream. It’s priceless.
Every fresh snowfall brings excited squeals from my Biggest E. (As I type this, I overheard him say to his sister, I have a surprise for you. -I’m assuming he then pointed towards the big window- and he squeals, jumps up and down, and says, Aren’t you sooo ‘decided’ [excited] to play in the snow?!). Seriously, every time it snows. I can cover his eyes, bring him to a window, and he lights up brighter than a Christmas tree. (or brighter than mine would be if I actually had it set up. Sigh…)
I love the look of fresh-fallen snow. I do. I just love it. When I was little we moved from the frozen tundra of Minnesota to the powdery slopes of Colorado, and I can still recall the way I thought the mountain passes, covered in fresh-fallen snow sparkled like diamonds. I love it every snowfall. And we get a lot of those here (back in the frozen tundra). Every. Single. One. The more snow, the better.
I love winter sports. Ice skating, skiing, hockey, snowshoeing, snowman building, sledding, snowmobiling…. love it all!!
I love the way a snowfall can make the middle of the night look as bright as day. (Ok maybe not that bright, but certainly not as dark as the middle of the night!)
I love winter foods- all warm and cozy.
I love winter clothes (see reason above^^)
I can get away with making my family (or at least my children) be all matchy
I looooove boots. And have at least 3 pairs that I deem cute enough that I wish I could wear them year round!
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this is the only time it is acceptable to throw something square in the face of those you love! Long live snowball fights!

Family Life According To Me Things Kids Say

6 Comments »

Give Me A Break

by motherofwonder

TODAYMoms and the people over at Redbook (the magazine) have declared today “No Judgment Day!” (The links will not only take you to their sites, but to their articles about No Judgment Day) It’s all about a day of not judging other moms, as much as not judging yourself! And I tell you what- it couldn’t have come at a better time! Today is day 4 of Miss E and Littlest E having running ~~faucets~~ noses, day 2 of Big E being fevered with a sore throat, and the day I woke up feeling like someone had clawed their way down my throat. So while I was looking around my house thinking all kinds of “judgey“things about myself and trying to find the motivation to make myself crawl around the house getting things done while willing my children to stay whinelessly on the couch while I do so. Neither being very likely. Then I read the No Judgment article. So today, since I likely won’t leave the house, I am giving myself a day free of self-judgement.

TodayMom is asking you to go to their facebook page and answer the question, “Don’t judge me because…’ If you go there, and happen to read my answer- please don’t judge me.

Staying true to theme, here is a short list of things I have decided not to judge myself for today (and I’m hoping that you’ll join me in not judging me for these things!).

I made banana cream pudding for breakfast and the kids are on their second bowl. I really made it because it was what sounded good to me.
While I eyed the laundry in need of folding, I just faced the other direction, wrapped myself in a blanket, and cuddled with my kids while watching a cheesy Christmas movie.
We chopped a little tree last Thursday, but it’s in water outside as I still don’t have a stand for it…
I have no Christmas decorations up/out
There are more toys on the floor than in their bins (that may be a slight exaggeration, emphasis on the slight.)
I know it’s before noon, but now is when I usually decide what to make for dinner (so that I can have things thawed/marinated/know what to send hubbyman to the store for), but I already know that I don’t want to make dinner.
I have a house full of fruits and vegetables (and meals made from them) and I have no interest in any of it. Only banana pudding. And a craving for a some spaghettio-s.
I may just make soup for dinner, even though I know hubbyman won’t like it. (the only soup he deems acceptable is tomato, and only as long as it’s paired with grilled cheese. Otherwise soup does not constitute a meal. If he sees soup he’ll continue looking through the kitchen/oven/fridge hoping I also prepared something else to go along with it.)
I’m thinking nap time should begin at 11am today!
I refuse to get out of my pajamas today. I labeled MissE’s pajamas as “comfy clothes” to get her to join me in the pajama wearing party.
I have no even thought about Christmas cards. And I’m refusing to give them another thought today.

Are there things you judge other parents for? Are there things you feel judged on by other mom’s (or dad’s)? Are there things you judge yourself for? Give yourself -and others- a free pass today! And try to carry a little less judgment through the rest of the year!

Family Life According To Me

8 Comments »

Signs My Children Are Evil Geniuses

by motherofwonder

Ok, maybe they’re not evil…. and maybe they’re not geniuses (I’m saying that for the sole reason that there are parents out there whose children are not geniuses, and if that’s you, I want you to keep reading with a clear mind, instead of one muddled with thoughts of how your children are under-achievers.. Obviously, mine actually are geniuses.)

Sign #1. As I typed of them truly being geniuses, my youngest stripped off his diaper, only to immediately pee on the floor. And then cry about being wet. My children love to make a liar out of me, or maybe just a fool. Either way they win; I lose.

Sign #2. The men on my husband’s side all need to be fed before they get hungry or disaster ensues. So if one of my boys says they’re hungry, for the love of all things peaceful, feed them and feed them quick! My oldest always seems to get hungry just as I’m in the middle of doing something tedious/time consuming/I have to get done which means that I’ll make him something fast like a PB&J (this kid would live on it if he had the choice) instead of cooking an entire meal.

Sign #3. They keep me guessing. MissE will whine and whine and whine. Just when I think I’m, going to lose it with her, and the constant questions, requests, and flat out whining, she’ll respond with, I was asking if I could have this orange to share with Big E, because we’re hungry and it’s healthy for us so we’ll grow big and strong. They do all these childish things and then spout out some grown up paraphernalia. Yesterday, MissE’s complaint was that Littlest E just didn’t appreciate her. Yes, those were her words.

Sign #4. I’m guessing most people with a dog probably also have this problem, but I’m adding it in as collective evidence. Something they don’t want to eat but have been told they have to? It inevitably gets spilled on the floor where the dog lay in wait, before I could even think about the possibility of making them eat it anyways. (I’m not specifically saying I would, just saying it’s gone before I could even process that thought!)

Sign #. This may be the most telling sign of all. My children are good helpers. Big E wakes up and lets the dog out, often all on his own. Miss E is my “fetcher” (as she woman looks for objects where as my boys “man look”- which either means that it truly is genetic, or Big E is a bigger evil genius than I realized), and even Littlest E loves to help put away toys. They love to help so much that they often argue over who gets to do what. If I ask someone to let the dog back in and one keeps playing, while the other goes running… the one left behind falls into hysterics as they obviously wanted to be the one to do it. And heaven forbid I ask one of them specifically to do something for me, the other is always hurt that I didn’t ask them to do it. Which means that sometimes I weigh the time spent calming them down vs. time spent doing the job itself. And I admit there are times when I just do things myself because that’s easier than dealing with the but-I-wanted-to-do-it fall out. Which just may be exactly what they wanted….

She *looks* so unsuspecting, doesn't she?

Family Life According To Me Things Kids Say

4 Comments »

The White Fluffy Stuff (that isn’t marshmallows)

by motherofwonder

Can I just say that the Saturday before Thanksgiving is not a great time for a quick trip to the grocery store?? I spent twice as long in line as I did shopping. After returning from our outing, I sat down for a(nother) cup of coffee. When I filled my cup, there was nothing going on outside. By the time my cup was empty (like 30 minutes, maybe 45), I glanced out the door and scared hubbyman by gasping, Look! The deck was covered, along with all the roofs of our neighbors and most of the yards. (Backstory; Big E has been asking every morning if today will be the day it will snow. I’d been telling him all week that Saturday would be the day. And he’d already asked a couple times on our trip out if it was time for the snow yet.) So I flew downstairs and grabbed my biggest boy, covered his eyes, and brought him to the window. His eyes widened and he shrieked, It’s snow!! He helped his daddy shovel the driveway and made a snowman. He has since been very concerned about doing everything possible to not let the snow melt. Including trying to convince his parents to move his snowman into the freezer. That’s a reasonable request, right?

Another thing keeping me laughing during all the craziness that the holidays can bring on… every time I’ve looked at Littlest E this morning he says, Shake! Booty! And then starts dancing. Highly entertaining!

A few days ago Littlest E did some raking. This weekend Big E shoveled the walkway. Wonder what child labor I can find for Miss E this week?

Family Life According To Me Things Kids Say

Is Today Over Yet?

by motherofwonder

So this morning has been a little chaotic…and it’s not quite 9am. I rolled over in the nighttime to find that Big E had climbed into bed with us, which normally I actually don’t mind, but it was the 3rd night in a row. Once a month I’m totally ok with, once a week I could probably ignore, but three nights in a row is it for this mommy. Which, unfortunately for his daddy, means the next few nights if he gets up, his daddy is taking him back to bed. I should mention, Littlest E was already in there with us. So now there were 2 wiggley boys…one who likes the blankets on, and one who likes them off, and two that don’t sleep if anyone else is touching them. At least they got some sleep. So now you know how I slept, would you like to know how I woke up? No? Too bad, I’m telling you anyways! I woke up to Littlest E pulling my laptop down off the ledge (right above my bed) and onto my face. I still have the headache to prove it.

And I only had enough of my coffee to make one cup… which pretty much ensures that this will be a day where I ~~want~~ need more than one cup. I thought of mixing it with hubbyman’s dark french roast…but decided that would be wasting the one perfectly good cup. So I went ahead and made what I had. Only to have Littlest E pick up my freshly-poured cup and dump it. I was able to whisk the laptop out from under his wrath, but his sister did not fare so well. And was much more vocal. In frustration, and defeat, I bargained for some quiet by offering to turn on Strawberry Shortcake for her. Which is perhaps the best bargaining tool for my little girl. Only to not be able to get the wii going (to play netflix on). Next I moved onto our new logitech revue (basically a fancy-schmancy remote within a keyboard that turns your tv into a “smart tv”… which doesn’t seem to have any of the actual features I’d been duped with in order to purchase it). I’d beg to differ about the “smart” part because for the life of me I could not figure out how to get the remote to actually work to run. After trying to figure it out for over 30 minutes. I gave up. There goes my bargaining tool. The next 30 minutes were spent trying to convince my little red-head that Cat in The Hat was just as good as Strawberry Shortcake. She finally relented, or moved on to silent loathing, you can never be too sure which. Just in time for Big E to wake up, and request watching a certain show, that of course is also through Netflix. He was fairly certain that it would work and that I just didn’t want to stop cleaning the coffee out of the carpet. Now, I’m not big on cartoons, but I’m pretty sure that even I would rather watch his kids’ animation than to clean my one-cup-of-good-coffee stain out of the carpet.

And then I sat down, decided to write a brilliant, funny post and wouldn’t you know, as I wrote the last sentence. All but the first two sentences deleted. And while it normally saves every couple of minutes or however often it does that… this time, it of course saved after the deletion. Ok, I can’t promise that it was brilliant, or that there were more than a few moments of laughter-inducing words…but the rest of it is true. Good thing it’s Friday! I’m going to focus on the fact that we have a rather plan-free weekend ahead of us, instead of panicking over the plan-filled-holicraze that begins next week.

And in light of me trying to change my outlook on this day, here are some things that I actually am thankful for:

children. As crazy as they can make me feel, never a day goes by where I’m not struck by how blessed I am to have each one of them.
hubbyman cleaned out the dryer vent and it not dries waaaaay more efficiently. Like half the time, at least! It’s amazing.
That it’s boot season. I know that’s not life-changing, but I love my boots. And if that’s what gets me through how long winters here are, I’m ok with that.
That my children play so well with one another for so much of the day.
That I have not let the house get out of hand this week (it happens so fast sometimes!).
That this weeks meals were met with rave reviews (Big E requested that we have my meatloaf and “smashed ‘tatoes” every night.)
That we may have measurable snow this weekend! (Yes, I just complained about the length of winter, only to say I’m thankful for snow. I get the irony. Color me Minnesotan.)

Littlest through a blue vase

Family Life According To Me Thankful Fridays Things Kids Say

2 Comments »

(Simple) Game Day Foods!

by motherofwonder

To go along with my football post this morning, today’s Simply Impressive recipe will be game time foods! Which is one of my favorite things about football season! One was a first time taste-testing and the other I’ve made several times, but always forgot to post it on here…and I was having a hard time deciding which to post! But after some encouragement from my facebook wall (haven’t “liked” labor of wonder on facebook yet?! Well, get on over there and do it!), I decided on both!!

The first is my trusty jalapeno popper dip! This is seriously easy and seriously good! I’ve made it a handful of times, and find myself craving this anytime there is football on! (Yes, I crave it a lot) I found it/created it when I was really craving some actual jalapeno poppers, but it sounded like a whole lot of work and time to make… naturally, I searched for an easier way to fulfill this craving! I got the basis of my recipe here, but of course, made it my own way! Not a whole lot different, but just enough that I feel more like it’s mine! (When I googled this dip this morning, a flood of websites and blogs came up, each with a little different twist. So you can do it basic or find something fancy-shmancy if that’s what you’re looking for!)

I used peppers from my garden!

2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayo

6 oz jalapeno peppers (I found this amount to not have much heat to it, so this last time I used a whole 12 oz jar of them plus about 2 tbs of the “juice” but we like heat!)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Optional Topping:

1 cup of crushed croutons/breadcrumbs (I used chili cheese GF “protons”/croutons with lots of protein)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. And spray pan. (I use a square 7×7 or my deep dish pie pan)

I do this all in my food processor so that I don’t have to chop anything, but you certainly can chop the jalapeno by hand. (If you bought whole jalapeno, remember to seed them! If it’s canned, don’t drain! If they came in a jar, use about 2 tbs of “juice.”) So, I throw in my jalapeno for dicing, and then I add in the cream cheese, and cheddar cheese until well blended. You can add more “juice” if it’s very dense, as you want it to be nice and creamy!

Now for the topping. I find it kind of unnecessary, as does my hubby, but if we’re going for more of a traditional jalapeno popper look and taste, then you might want to do it. (If you do skip the topping, I’d still sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese.) In a small bowl, mix the croutons or breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese and melted butter, then sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Until dip is bubbling and top is browned! My hubby prefers it served with tortilla chips (which is also an easy way to keep it GF and simple). If you want to gourmet it up a bit, I’d serve it on top of some really yummy bread! (All this talk of it, is having me reheat it for lunch!) *One note, if you’ve used the topping, when you reheat it, for the love of all things tasty, do so in the oven! Just throw it in (even as it preheats) and it’s done in a couple minutes (like 5ish).

I couldn't find a "end result" photo... but it's pretty hard to do wrong!

Now for the simplest, easiest, mini pizzas you’ve ever made! While cruising through some blogs, I came across this article from This Italian Family, showing where she’d made these mini deep dish pizzas from Dashing Dish (both of these blogs are wonderful! I also kind of hate them for the amazingness of their photos. Let’s just say my camera is less than mediocre and in dire need of replacing! Most people’s phones take better pictures than my camera…that’s just sad. If any of you ever hear hubbyman griping about not knowing what to get me, have him refer to this post!) Back to the pizzas…. they remind me just a little of my lasagna cupcakes, due to their saucy-ness (which is what -obviously- makes them like a mini deep dish) but they were really, really yummy. The kids were not sure about the looks of them, but when biting into it, Big E exclaimed, “This is delicious! Were you trying to trick me?” They each requested more and more. There were no leftovers!

3-4 tortillas (I used GF tortillas and threw them in the microwave for about 15 seconds so they’d be soft. If you can do wheat, go ahead and use regular flour tortillas, or make it even healthier and use whole wheat ones!)
1 (15 oz can) pizza sauce- you may have some leftover (I used our homemade spaghetti sauce! sooo good! If you have spaghetti sauce on hand, just use that!)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
mini pepperoni (or large/regular cut into 4 pieces)
If using already seasoned spaghetti sauce, you can omit these. If using plain pizza sauce: 1 tsp basil/oregano mix (or Italian seasoning), 1/2 tsp garlic powder, pinch of sweetener (I added one packet of stevia)
pinch of black pepper

*Add in whatever your favorite pizza flavorings are! (I added mushrooms to the sauce of half of the pizzas!)

Preheat oven to 425 and spray a 12-muffin tin. Lay each tortilla out individually, cutting out medium circles. (I used the lid to my jar as a guide, and the original poster used the top of her can. Can also use the top of a cup or a circle cookie cutter.) It doesn’t have to fit the entire side of the tin, just fit snuggly!

Pour pizza sauce into a med. bowl, add in the parmesan cheese, and the rest of the seasonings. Stir until well combined. Spoon (about 2 tbs) into each tortilla. Top evenly with mozzarella cheese and top cheese with the mini pepperoni! (I did about 6)

Bake about 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Wait for pizzas to cool (not cold, but cool enough to touch and kids to eat- they hold their form better if you’ve waited for them to cool.) and then they just pop right out! And I’ll just mention once again- these aer ridiculously easy as well as ridiculously good!

They looked cuter than the photo portrays! Unfortunately, they were eating them before I could get an out of the pan shot!

Gluten Free Impressively Simple Recipes Things Kids Say

3 Comments »

Football For Life!

by motherofwonder

I am a girl who very much likes football. Really. My whole little family could be a walking Viking commercial. (In looking for pictures to post, I found I had more pictures of us in Viking gear than I thought and had a hard time choosing!) I like football, in general,so much I will (willingly) watch games that are not featuring “my team.” Now before the rest of my contemporaries throw me under the bus for “betraying my kind,” know that it is a great bonding time with my hubbyman, one that the kids have gotten in on. Seriously, Big E would sit and watch a whole game with his daddy when he was too little to be watching tv! And they love “our” team so much that they have a hard time accepting that a) there are any other teams, b) anyone would cheer for any other team, and c) that their beloved Vikings could not win a game. (All Viking fans have this problem, I’m sure. Please, withhold your laughter. It’s bad enough to be a fan. Don’t kick us while we’re down.) I came across this video via the f’book this morning and laughed watching it…and I assure you, you will too. And if you’re not laughing, you are probably commiserating.

This is just too hilarious, sad, and true…and anyone that knows my children, knows how easily this could have been a video of one of them (I know I already said this, but it bears repeating!)! In fact, when I showed them this video, they responded in 3 ways:

Watching a game with daddy. Really.

Big E: The Vikings show? Is it time for the Viking show now?

Me: No, that was a couple days ago.

Big E: Did you forget to tell me what time it was?

Me: No, you watched a little bit of it, but you were watching a movie in the playroom instead.

Big E: I don’t think you told me the Viking show was on. Daddy would have wanted me to watch the Viking show with him. He likes me to see them win and do the touchdown.

Me: I know he does. But the Vikings didn’t win this time.

Big E: (getting very upset) Yes, they did.

Me: I wish they had, trust me, but they didn’t win this time.

Big E: I am never going to trust you because I did want them to win and I didn’t want to watch a movie instead of the Viking show.