Nothing too exciting today. Lazy, lazy, lazy. The kids watched Netflix most of the day and I made meatloaf and potato salad. That’s it. Told ya it was not exciting.
Spring Break – Day 4
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Spring Break – Day 3
There’s gold in them hills! Had a nice trip to Reed’s Gold Mine with neighbor-T and her boys. If you take out the parts where we yelled and threatened our kids for not listening and acting like a pack of wild animals, it was a very nice day. I’m going to have A’s and L’s ears checked because they can’t seem to hear a word I say!
We were able to tour the mine, see the stamp mill in action and had a picnic lunch. The best part was panning for gold and …. both neighbor-T and I found gold!
Real Gold!
I think it might even be worth about 50-cents! Oh well, I didn’t get the giant gold nugget but it was exciting to find the little flake.
Kids panning for gold
Headed to the mine.
Spring Break – Day 2
Today started out fine for about 1 hour. Then, A asked if she could turn on the music. I’m enjoying listening to Luke Bryan sing his country best when all of a sudden my ears are assaulted with screams of “NO”, “No you stop it,” “Leave me alone,” “you better stop” “mo-o-o-o-m,” and lots of crying from L. Oh boy. So I had to threaten them with sitting at the table and doing school work for the rest of the day if they couldn’t get along. That seemed to do the trick.
Grandma sent them some money in their Easter cards so they had to spend it. Since I was headed to Wal-Mart to pick up some plastic bins to organize the refrigerator, we hit the toy department as well. Back home with a train, a Barbie and some plastic bins, I began to clean and organize the refrigerator (future post about this).
On Easter Sunday we had the traditional ham dinner. Even with a guest at our dinner table and sending that guest home with leftovers, I still have a lot of ham. So tonight’s What’s For Dinner was ham and cheese quiche. So easy to make and the added flour helps it to make its own crust.
Spring Break – Day 1
It is Spring Break here in the World of Laura B and since the kids will probably have me very busy while they are home, I won’t be able to post a lot, but thought a quick update of how our days are going through the week could get interesting.
Day 1
The day started off with, L stating that “he just needed a break.” When daddy asked him from what, he said, “mommy.” I guess he must hear me say how “I just need a break from him” too many times. I have a feeling that before this week is over he will hear it again. L is very much attached to mommy right now and has to be where ever I happen to be, and by golly…sometimes I just need a break!
Remember this post – Why Can’t We Keep the Play Room Neat and Orderly? Well, we had to revisit this problem again today and it hasn’t even been a full two months. Why is it that when I again explain how putting our things away properly each time will prevent the mommy-meltdown I get that blank stare and hear crickets?
The rest of the day was uneventful. The kids played with their friends while neighbor-T and I collapsed in her oh-so-comfy lawn chairs and tried to come up with ideas to keep our young ones occupied while maintaining our sanity for the rest of the week.
Can’t wait to find out what tomorrow will bring.
All About Peeps
Easter is this weekend and your Easter basket is not complete unless it has some marshmallow Peeps in it. If it doesn’t, you may have been visited by an Easter Bunny impostor. The real Easter Bunny knows how important those little chicks and bunnies are and will fill your basket with the delicious little softies.
I love Peeps. I thought I knew Peeps, but after a little research, it turns out I don’t know Peep! Here is some Peeps history:
1953 – Peeps became part of the Just Born Company
1958 – the start of new shapes – pumpkins for Halloween (I did not know this – I thought the new shapes were all recent. Like I said, I don’t know Peep about Peeps.)
1960 – the addition of snowman and tree Peeps
1975 – there were marshmallow footballs
1977 – marshmallow teddy bears introduced
1980 – giant marshmallow bunny introduced
1999 – flavored Peeps – marshmallow eggs flavored vanilla cream (yuck – don’t remember these)
2002 – Peeps marshmallow stars for the summer (don’t remember these either)
2003 – Peeps 50th Anniversary
2007 – sugar free peeps chicks introduced (where can I find these?! Have not seen them)
2008 – word shaped Peeps with the word JOY
2009 – Peeps & Company store opens
2010 – Chocolate covered Peeps introduced
Fun Peep Facts:
- In the 50′s it took 27 hours to make one peep – today it takes 6 minutes.
- It would take 70 million chicks to reach New York from LA
- There are 28 calories per chick
- The first Peeps were squeezed one at a time out of a pastry tube and the eyes were painted on by
hand. Now, machines create 3,500 Peeps’ eyes per minute. - During Easter, Peeps outsell jelly beans.
People love their Peeps, and not just for eating. There are over 200 Peeps unofficial websites out there. Here are just a few:
Peeps-tastic – A group for those obsessed with Peeps. Shows pics of Peeps in all forms–wrapped, unwrapped, destroyed, stuffed (softies), etc.
Peeps Research – explores the science of Peeps. Their reaction to cold, heat, low pressure environments, etc. Too funny.
Serious Eats has a recipe for Peepshi. Peepshi is Peeps sushi! I don’t like sushi but I could eat some Peepshi for sure.
Parenting.com – all kinds of ideas such as Peeps on a Stick, Peep Fluffernutter Sandwiches, Peeps Centerpieces, Bunny Dips, Deep Fried Peeps, Peeps Topiary.
And, of course, the official Peeps site: Marshmallow Peeps
Finally, a lot of people have a Peep eating preference: fresh or stale. I prefer stale – I like taking a knife to the packaging and let them sit for a few days to get a little crunchy before I pop those sweet little marshmallow cuties in my mouth.
How do you like your Peeps?
Teaching My Son The Meaning of I’m Sorry
If my son, L, who is 4, was a telephone, “I sorry” would be in the number one spot on his speed dial. I think he says this more than anything else right now. Actually, it comes out more like “I sowwy.”
Me: ”L, did you write on the ceiling of the van with that colored pencil?”
L: ”yeah, I sowwy.”
Me: ”L, did you climb up your dresser to get this picture off your shelf?! Do NOT do that, do you want the dresser to fall on you?”
L: ”okay, I sowwy”
Me: ”Do not pick up french fries out of the parking lot and eat them! That is so disgusting. Do you want to get some kind of disease?”
L: ”I sowwy. What’s a disease?” (I think he thought it was something else he could eat)
Me: ”Do not hit your friend with the light saber. Say you’re sorry.”
L: ”Sowwy”
This evening after dinner, his sister, A, says, “Mom, guess what L did with his crayon on….” and before she could finish the sentence, he is screaming “sowwy, sowwy, sowwy.”
I am beginning to realize that I am failing to help L understand what I’m sorry means. He thinks that by saying these magical words it is his free ticket out of trouble-ville, but I want him to understand that they are not just words that excuse him from bad behavior.
Saying I’m sorry means taking responsibility for bad behavior and taking steps to improve or correct it. By letting L just say he’s sorry without helping him understand why he’s saying these words and what he can do to improve the behavior, I am missing out on some very important teachable moments (one of my husband’s favorite sayings).
Going forward I will let him know that it’s okay to make mistakes and say I’m sorry, but we are going to have a little talk about why we are sorry and what we can do the next time to improve the behavior.
And, L, for just coming to this realization ….”I sowwy.”
Easter Peeps Banner
I love Easter. It is second to only Christmas when it comes to decorating the house. I like to add at least one new decoration every holiday and this year it’s the Easter Peeps Banner! There are many recipes and craft items you can make with Peeps, and I will cover a few of those in another post, but for now, it’s the Peeps Banner.
I have had my eye on this for a while. I love Peeps.
…the bunnies and chicks have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Usually I’m more of a traditionalist, and I don’t like to have my favorite things messed with, but I couldn’t be happier with the addition of other holiday Peeps. Seeing my little sugar-coated marshmallow friends at Christmas, Halloween, and Valentines Day always puts a smile on my face.
Unfortunately, I cannot eat them like I used to, so I have to satisfy my Peep cravings in a different way. Thus, the Peeps banner.
I won’t recreate the wheel here and make my own tutorial since there is an awesome one available at Danamadeit.com. I didn’t place my Peeps as close together, I alternated yellow and pink and I used a brown Sharpie to color in the eyes and nose. It was a quick and easy project.
Isn’t it adorable?!
Changes – New Header
Making a few changes. I wanted to create a header that was uniquely mine, so after many many days of trial and error, I finally have something that I am happy with. Here is a breakdown of what makes this new header mine alone:
- The pink carnations represent motherhood. Something I waited a long time for.
- The two butterflies represent my two chosen children and our new lives together as a family.
- The black cat represents my beloved Emily cat who was my bff (best furry friend) during the some of the biggest changes in my life. She has gone over to The Rainbow Bridge and waits for me there.
- The scroll is just some added design.
Hope you like it. It was just something that I really wanted to get done and now I can move on to more posts and updates!
Freezer Dinner Tonight
Allergies are keeping me down. Darn you North Carolina and your high pollen! So, What’s For Dinner? Let’s see what in the old freezer….
Dinner Bags
Yes, dinner made from bags. Chicken nuggets, french fries and veggies. The sad part is despite the time and effort I normally would put in to dinner, this is the only time son L has asked for seconds.
Launry Room Before & After
Amazing how quickly things happen once you put it out there in cyberspace! I was planning on painting the laundry room in the next week or so, but a couple of painters were doing a job next door and approached my husband who said, “go ahead and paint our laundry room.”! Yippee! Since I had to take down the ugly wire shelf that was in there, hubs said, “get whatever you need.” You don’t have to tell me twice!
A trip to Ikea for some cabinets and shelf and a light fixture ordered from Home Depot online and it’s done. Needs a few more decorative touches but the major work is complete.
Here are the before and after pictures:
So Narrow!
After
Amazing what a little paint can do!
Before
After
I love the new laundry room!
Here is my new light fixture…don’t you love it?
Mini Chandelier
I absolutely love my updated laundry room. It is now my favorite room in the house! It is so crisp and clean looking. I like to walk in just to look at it.
Love
Now if I only had the HE washer and dryer…..
