Vomit, Valentines and Chuckie Cheese

Due to Ethan's barfing lollapalooza Friday night and Saturday's all-day remodel that knows no holiday, we celebrated Valentine's on Sunday. It turns out Sunday is a perfect day for such a holiday with plenty of time to rest, be together and actually enjoy one another.Our Valentine's is pretty typical--sugar cookies, small notes, treats and gifts left on the doorstep, etc. We added a non-traditional gift this year. Our kids have been so neglected with the remodeling we felt it necessary to buy their love. We thought walkie talkies (or "hottie talkies" as Adelaide calls them) would keep them busy as they are left to entertain themselves. They haven't quite figured out the concept. Right now they hold the talkies to their ears like phones and simply yell at each other. Whatever.The only real disappointment was the horrible outcome of a much anticipated dessert. I had been holding on to a new recipe for macadamian nut custard for some time with the intention to make it for Randal and I as a kick-off to the "grown-up" portion of the evening. The dessert sounded very yummy and very sexy. It cooked up beautifully and the presentation was perfect in individual, red custard cups. We both took one bite and gagged. It was seriously gross. We made due with the manhandled sugar cookies and their mounds of sprinkles. So let that be a lesson--"tried and true" is best when setting the mood. (TMI!)

Different topic...

The kids and I joined some friends on a trip to Chuckie Cheese today. It's noteworthy given the hour-long drive to get there crossing the PA border and back again and the fact that it was my first time EVER to the Cheese. (For my kids too, but because I'm so much older it seems more significant that I have never been there.)
We had a great time. The kids played games to their hearts' content. Chuckie Cheese himself appeared. I would have a picture but he terrified Adelaide. A photo of a screaming child is a right I reserve soley for Santa Claus.

Activities like these are a a nice way to observe my children. When Ethan was younger and less able to do things himself, he still recognized that with a little help he could do some things much more easily and successfully. Not Adelaide! She wanted nothing to do with my help at any of the games. Here is a photo of her happily getting nothing accomplished at a bee game:
We would still be there with her futilely tossing skeeball after skeeball if I hadn't finally insisted on finishing the game. I fear the day she is a teenager.

Happy V-Day!

In honor of Valentine's day I'm going to share a little secret...I LOVE Youtube movie music montages. Most of them are next to awful, but I don't care. I've sat through a lot of cheese to bring you this little gem. Enjoy!



I just love a good romance. Here are some more of my favorites:
The Office
The Painted Veil
Lost
And this one did not need any editing, it makes me cry every time:
Dan In Real Life
I'm a nerd. I already know!

Baby Booties

This is the result of a new favorite blog (Tip Junkie), downloading "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" onto my Ipod, and trying to ignore the mess from our remodel:

(Or maybe I'm just baby hungry?)

Now I need something else to do while I listen to the last half of the book.

Random Acts

Nothing and everything happened this weekend.

Adelaide brought me breakfast in bed--plastic food on tiny plates, that is.

Randal decided not to make good on his threats of simply hanging peace beads, instead the walls went up between our kitchen and bathroom. No more looking out from the potty. Yeah!

Although I did find these door beads in the shape of Captain Kirk. Too bad. My mom would have been pleased. She's a Trekkie.Adelaide is speaking in tongues. She says, "alli esta!" ("there it is!") in the proper context. Thanks, Dora the Explorer for educating my daughter.

Ethan's not to be bested. He managed a 111 note streak on "School's Out for Summer". Thanks, Alice Cooper and Guitar Hero for educating my son.

After an entire afternoon of balancing the checkbook, sorting and filing, all my paperwork has a home. Plus my kids got to do their favorite chore--shred.
We didn't lose any fingers during said shredding. Bonus.

Without any prompting, Ethan prayed we would make it to church on time the next morning. We just about made it. Missed it by that much!

Randal made it through his lesson with only one belch out of a deacon--right in the middle of his testimony.

My beehives are angels--none of them burped.

It took me all day Saturday but I now only have one wall left to do tomorrow of that blasted wallpaper.

Thinking of Joining a Cult

Have you ever seen the infomercial for this fine product?Ethan thinks a blanket with sleeves is an excellent idea. He was excited to find them available at Bed Bath & Beyond and tried his hardest to get me to buy one.

Since then Ethan has come up with many useful purposes for a Snuggie:
1. You can play video games in a Snuggie. (no big surprise)
2. You can do somersaults and flips in a Snuggie.
3. You can drive a car in a Snuggie.
4. Better yet, you can fly an airplane too.
But my favorite...
5. You can bring a Snuggie for show and tell.

After a disappointing Ab Roller incident, I promised myself I'd never buy an as-seen-on-tv product again; but Ethan's arguments are so compelling I'm thinking of lifting the ban. I've always wanted to fly an airplane, so don't be surprised if I post a photo with us looking like a bunch of monks someday soon.

My Crush

Is it weird to fall in love with a grocery store? Right or wrong, I officially began my affair with Wegmans today. (I put a link because their site has great recipes.) This is why:

1. It's beautiful inside.
2. Some of their prices rival, and sometimes even beat, a certain big-box store we all know and "love". Plus, I have the added bonus of not feeling my soul die a little as I do when I hand money over to WM.
3. Wegmans is the perfect marriage of utility and specialty foods. I'm excited to learn how to make sushi rolls. I found Wegmans to have not just an Asian section, but three isles of Asian grocery. I came home with all my supplies.
4. After a failed attempt to grow basil myself, I was thrilled to find mature plants I can continue to grow at home.
5. We ate lunch in their cafe. Not bad. I'm always a happier shopper when my belly is full.
6. Finding the mini shopping carts for Adelaide to use ultimately pushed me over the edge into full on Wegmans devotion. It's as if Maceys has come back home to me after a long, heartbreaking absence--only ten times better because of a selection that far exceeds Western Family's wildest dreams.

(photo taken last year at West Jordan's Maceys)

Pretty in Pink

A photo of Randal's fantastic bottom.

Randal spent the weekend working on the remodel. Notice the Disney princess flashlight in the right, tool-belt pocket? He said he found it very useful and to quit laughing.