tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86966758842032601922024-03-05T04:37:24.754-05:00My MusingsMy journey to a healthier life, with all of its successes (and failures).Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-46447099489116410762011-12-31T23:16:00.000-05:002011-12-31T23:16:14.224-05:00The Blog is Back!!The blog returns from the moth balls it's been stored in for the last six and a half months. What can I say? It's been a busy time. Baby Girl arrived here on July 27th, and she has kept us hopping. (In a good way). Plus, I finished my masters degree, went back to work, and kept everyone fed and clothed. (which is more of a miracle than you might imagine.) I debated for awhile about just deleting the blog, because most everyone I know who lives far away is Facebook friends with me, so they can keep up with all of our escapades. But, I've decided to take the blog in a new direction.<br />
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So, where are we going? Well, I've been on the beginnings of a journey to try and eat healthier. I stumbled across <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/">this blog</a> a few months ago, and it's been something that's made me think. I <strong>know</strong> that we were eating far too much processed food (even the stuff that's supposed to be "good" for us), so I'm going to try and cut as much of it out as I can. While I'm not going as far as <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/">she</a> does, I hope that by the end of the year 90 - 95% of our food will not be whole foods. My hope is that we'll feel better, I'll lose weight, and Nathan's ADHD symptoms will decrease. Plus, I truly believe that we will save money!<br />
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Over the next few weeks and months, I hope to share recipes I've found (or created!), plus some techniques that I've discovered to help us eat healthier and get more organized.<br />
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Oh, and don't worry. There will definitely still be cute baby and kid pictures. Plus, since it's an election year, you may hear the occasional political rant. Hey, I did say I was opinionated, didn't I?Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-79691804056482878092011-06-15T19:49:00.000-04:002011-06-15T19:49:16.826-04:00We've Been Released!Today was Andrew's visit with the neurosurgeon. It was a routine follow-up from his surgery three years ago. While I was hoping we'd get the all-clear, all of the reading I had done said that they don't usually release patients until they are at least five. So, I figured we'd have at least one more visit before we were done. I was also slightly concerned because the back of Andrew's head was, for lack of a better term, lumpy. If you look at the back of his head from the side, you can see where it indents. I thought that might require some follow-up surgery of some sort which I was NOT looking forward to.<br />
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So, we were supposed to get to his appointment a half hour early at 10:40. Unfortunately, we didn't quite make it. First, I misjudged just how long it would take to get all the way to Scottish Rite. We are a LOT further out than we used to be, and it's a longer trip to just get to 85. Then, once we got into the parking garage, I found a space quickly, but walking out, I had what can only be described as a pregnancy brain cramp. I was standing in front of the elevators trying to figure out if I need to go up or down, but then I saw a sign that said to follow the arrow to Meridian Mark Plaza. I had never done that before, but I thought maybe I had gotten turned around in the garage. (You have to remember it's been two years since I was there last.) So, Andrew and I walked across the garage, across a walkway, and into a building I didn't recognize. Probably should have been a clue. But, I went in anyway. After searching the info board for his doctor's name and not finding it, I came to the very logical conclusion that I was in the wrong place. Back across the walkway, across the parking garage, and to the elevators again. Once again, I stared. Thankfully, a very nice man walked up and asked me if I was going up or down. I had to be truthful and tell him I had absolutely no idea. He helped me out, and we were actually able to make it to the right office building! I still walked in 10 minutes before the appointment.<br />
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Now, the neurosurgeon's practice only has one doctor in the office at a time. Wednesday is Andrew's doctor's day. What that tells you is that if there are five people in the waiting room, you're automatically number six. I always hated walking in when the place was full. We came prepared. I had juice, snacks, and a bag full of cars. Andrew did great. He played with his cars and made friends with a rotating cast of patients. Because we waited, and we waited, and we waited. I stayed pretty patient until one family that had come in after us and said their appointment time was 1:00 pm was called back BEFORE us. By this time (12:20 pm), I was starving, and I had to go to the bathroom. I hadn't wanted to leave the waiting room to go because I figured that that would be the moment we were called back. But, after that family got called back, I finally went up to the receptionist to ask when we were going to be called. She told me next (isn't that what they always say?), and I told her we had to step out, but we'd be right back. <br />
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We finally made it back, and the PA came to see us first. I told her I was a little concerned about the back of his head, and she said she'd mention it to the doctor. She left, and we waited another half hour or so (by now it was after 1:00) for the doctor to come. When he finally came in, he apologized for getting so far behind. He said that they had a patient who came in from Louisana who they had to fit in and the exam took a long time. I'm not sure how one patient could get them two hours behind, but whatever. Anyway, he said that Andrew's head was healing exactly as expected, and it was probably never going to be completely smooth. He was happy with his development, and so we are officially free! We can always call if there are issues (which I doubt), but he doesn't think we need to come back. Unless, it's for baby girl. Apparently, there's a higher risk of craniosynostosis occurring with subsequent children. Well, at least I'll know what to expect. Let's see, this time I could spend Thanksgiving week at Scottish Rite. :-)Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-17147452886032390752011-06-12T22:27:00.000-04:002011-06-12T22:27:25.543-04:00UpdatingThis week, we slowed down a bit. The older two boys had an evening sports camp at a local church. (Well, Nathan signed up for Weird Science and Large Group Games. That's about as sporty as he gets.) It was set up like a VBS, but with a sports focus. They seemed to have a great time, and Andrew loved being by himself in the evenings.<br />
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This week, he'll love it even more, because Nathan is off to Cub Scout Day Camp all week, and Matthew will be going to another VBS with a friend from school. (Sending my boys off to every free VBS in the county. That's how I roll!) So, Andrew will have the house to himself every morning! Of course, he may not get too much of a chance to enjoy it. Monday, we're going to go to storytime at the library, and Wednesday is his big doctor's visit. We haven't been to see the neurosurgeon for two years, and this was our summer for a follow-up. I'm assuming that we'll either be cleared completely, or he'll want us back again in two years before we're released. One visit makes for a long day. It's about a 45 minute drive, and then we'll wait for a good hour for a 30 minute or so visit. But, I am thankful that we live so close to Children's Healthcare. If we were still in Indiana, the trip would be a whole day, since the only pediatric neurosurgeons work out of Riley in Indianapolis.<br />
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Speaking of hospitals, I'll be checking in to one on July 27th to meet this little one! At my visit on Monday, the doctor and I were able to come to an agreement on a date. I was hoping for July 25th, but they won't schedule c-sections until you are 39 weeks exactly, and that puts us at the 27th. I was OK with that, because it's still in that week. I didn't want to go into the next week, because that puts us right up against school, and I really need to be home for those final preparations (both for the boys and for my classroom).<br />
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Our last bit of news is that Jeremy may have full time job! We got word today that it looks like everything is a go, but I don't want to say too much and jinx it. (We've had way too many ups and downs for me to risk anything!) Hopefully, we'll get final confirmation this week. That will definitely be an answer to prayer as we get ready to add one more person to our household!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-70563996088501116732011-06-02T21:15:00.000-04:002011-06-02T21:15:53.992-04:00Signs of SummerSo, apparently down here in the deep South, we've finished with spring and have gone right into summer. The last few days have been in the mid-90's, and it looks like it will continue for another week or two at least. UGH. Needless to say, we haven't been spending a lot of time outside. However, we did spend yesterday afternoon at the pool!! It was a great 2 1/2 hours. First of all, all three boys burned off a ton of built up energy since they haven't wanted to be out in the heat. Secondly, the water felt wonderful. And, finally, there's something so relaxing about sitting in water when you are pregnant. We all came home a little pink. (And yes, annoying man at the pool, I did put sunscreen on the three year old. It's not my first time at the rodeo.) Plus, everyone fell asleep <b>very</b> quickly last night. <br />
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Another sign is the fact that Matthew's off to camp again this week. He went last year with our church and loved every minute of it. While we could have sent Nathan this year, we decided against it for a couple of reasons. First, he's not even eight yet, so he would be one of the youngest. Plus, we still struggle on occasion with sleeping, and I didn't want to subject someone who didn't know him very well to that. Next year, if Jeremy can go as a chaperone, then we'll send him. Matthew is going to be in the same cabin as one of his best friends from school. He was up this morning early and ready to walk out the door before Jeremy was even dressed to take him! He'll be home on Sunday afternoon, tired, hot, stinky, and hungry.<br />
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We're still in a holding pattern about setting a date for baby girl's arrival. I was hoping that I could do it at my last doctor's visit on Tuesday, but he told me that they wait until 32 weeks to schedule. I have another appointment on Monday, so hopefully (fingers crossed) we'll be able to nail down a date then. I have one in my mind, it's just a matter of getting the doctor to agree to it.Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-10991657220801941162011-05-21T21:45:00.000-04:002011-05-21T21:45:21.763-04:00The End is Near!!No, I'm not predicting the End of the World (I'll leave that for the 89 year old crazy dudes). But, for us, the end of the school year is close! The last day for students is May 27th. It's so close, Nathan can smell it. He lives for this day every year. I have to go back on the 31st to finish cleaning up my room. Most of it will be done before then, because I have 20 little eager helpers next week who will need to be kept busy. (Don't worry, I have academic things planned too!) Plus, the beginning of summer means that this pregnancy is winding down. It's hard to believe that in about 2 months there will be another baby in this house. We'll have to spend some time getting ready. Right now, I just have "stuff" shoved into the closet. Once I'm home, and we've got some time to figure out where everyone's going to go, we'll be able to start organizing.<br />
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The boys will be busy the month of June. Matthew leaves for camp on June 2nd. He'll get back on the 5th, and then he (and maybe Nathan) will go to an evening sports camp at a church near us. Nathan goes to day camp the week of the 13th, and they both have Backyard Bible the week of the 20th. By then, it will be the end of June, and their summer will almost half over. Plus, I'm getting our pool passes soon, so there will be lots of afternoons at the pool! (I can't wait!)<br />
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And, the fun all starts in just one week!!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-63088554173267550452011-04-21T19:30:00.002-04:002011-04-21T19:30:33.588-04:00Sorry for starting every post with. . .<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">. . .It's been so long since I posted. Really, it's not that I don't mean to neglect it, life just has a bad habit of getting in the way. With baseball for Matthew, Cub Scouts for Nathan, potty training for Andrew, plus KidzLIfe at church, grad school coming down to the wire, and the school year winding down, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Oh, and did I mention we're having a baby? So, I have only about a quarter of the energy that I need. (By the way, if you haven't heard, we have a new species arriving at our house. Baby #4 will be a GIRL. Not quite sure what we're going to do with one of those.)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I do keep telling myself that once the next 5 weeks are over, I'll have a lot more time. And I will. At least I won't be getting up everyday at 6 am and getting home at 4 pm (or 4:30). Plus, there won't be another 2 or 3 hours of work ahead of me every evening. (Like the two papers that are calling my name right now as I blog.) And, I'll have more time to READ!! Not books about Action Research, but books I actually <b>want</b> to read. I'm trying to squeeze that in now, but it's hard. I did take some time last night to read Diane Ravitch's new book <u>The Death and Life of the Great American School System</u>. I haven't gotten too far, but I'm enjoying it. For those of you who have never heard of her, here's an interview that she gave Jon Stewart.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">(OK, I tried for five minuted to embed the video, and I just couldn't get it to work, so here's the link instead. Enjoy! <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-3-2011/diane-ravitch">http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-3-2011/diane-ravitch</a>)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Once I finish the book, I'll definitely post my thoughts. I agree with her in a lot of things, but there are a couple of questions I have about some of her ideas.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Anyway, I better go and cut hair. Easter is coming up soon, and we all need to look nice!</div>Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-63831226600500157662011-03-15T22:09:00.000-04:002011-03-15T22:09:36.444-04:00No, We Haven't Fallen Off the Face of the Earth!We've just been incredibly busy! Our first big news, if you haven't heard yet, is that our family is expanding by one! Yes, we will be having a new baby in late July or early August. (Late July if I have my way, early August if the doctor has his.) And, yes, we are hoping for a girl. At least, I know, Matthew is. He told me the other day that he and Nathan have been praying for a girl. I think they've had their fill of brothers! Of course, once they live with a temperamental, emotional girl, they may change their mind! We'll find out on March 29th, so stay tuned!<br />
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School has also kept me hopping. I'm in my last term of grad school (YIPPEEE!), but it's been hard keeping up with that and my teaching. Plus, we had a week off in January because of snow, so we've had NO breaks since Martin Luther King day. It's been a long haul. I'm so looking forward to Spring Break. <br />
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The boys are keeping us busy. Matthew played basketball this winter, and now he's got baseball starting. I don't mind baseball so much, since we can be at the park, and Nathan and Andrew can play. Basketball was hard because it's a little difficult to convince a three year old that he can't run out onto the court and play with the basketball. Nathan's in Cub Scouts. Right now, he's working on his Pinewood Derby car. It's green with yellow dots (don't ask). It may not be the best looking car in the Derby, but he likes it! Andrew still loves going to school and seeing all of his "briends". So between the three of them and work, you can see why I haven't posted much. I will be better! I <s>promise</s> hope!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-18915984973350048872010-11-13T15:38:00.000-05:002010-11-13T15:38:01.134-05:00I Succeeded. . .in living off of the food in my pantry for a week! Yes, I know it doesn't sound like a huge accomplishment, but it is for me. I'm the kind of person who can't just look in my pantry and freezer and be able to figure out a meal. I need a plan. Usually, I plan out my meals (or <a href="http://www.e-mealz.com/">e-mealz</a> does it for me), and then I know what I'm having every day. Unfortunately, last Friday I left all of my coupons, my e-mealz plan, and my grocery list from Publix on the printer at school. I went out and bought a few things for the weekend, thinking that I would go out either Monday or Tuesday night. But this week was conference week, and Monday, Nathan had Cub Scouts and Matthew had basketball, so no time to shop. So here's what we ended up with for the week:<br />
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<ul><li>Monday - Cheese Jambalaya with Chicken</li>
<li>Tuesday - Smothered steak with roasted potatoes (Yukon Gold potatoes are the BEST!)</li>
<li>Wednesday - KidzLife</li>
<li>Thursday - Spaghetti - My CSA share had the tiniest carrots you've ever seen in it, so I chopped a couple of them up and threw them in the spaghetti sauce.</li>
<li>Friday - Smoked Sausage and Mac and Cheese</li>
<li>Tonight - Pizza (I did have to go get some mozarella cheese.)</li>
</ul>Not bad if I do say so myself! But, I did make sure that I brought all of my stuff home this weekend, so I can shop. I doubt we could go another week!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-57850451333786210812010-11-07T17:35:00.000-05:002010-11-07T17:35:20.221-05:00Holy Cow It's Been A While(with apologies to Harry Carey)<br />
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So, nothing like having THREE months between posts. Anyway, here's a quick update on all of us.<br />
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<ul><li>Matthew is in third grade now, and enjoying it. (Sometimes too much, if you get my drift.) He is definitely my social butterfly and can often be gone for a whole afternoon playing with the other kids in the neighborhood. He has had some problems remembering to come home at meal times or when it gets dark, but usually a couple of days stuck inside the house helps remind him. He took a martial arts class offered by the school at the beginning of the year, and now he's about to start basketball.</li>
<li>Nathan's in second grade and has the most wonderful teacher. She has been incredibly patient and understanding with him and his various issues (fire drills, wind, rainstorms, thunder, and the computer program that he has to do every week that he hates). He also took martial arts, and he joined Cub Scouts! That's right, we now have a Wolf Scout in our house. I was a little nervous, but it has proven to be wonderful so far. His den is fairly small, and he's learning some valuable social skills.</li>
<li>Andrew's in school too! He goes to preschool two days a week at a church near our house, and he loves it. He even goes to chapel once a week. His speech is now up to the level it should be at which thankfully means he won't have yet another specialist. (YAY!) He doesn't see the neurosurgeon until next summer, and I'm fairly confident that we'll be released from the doctor's care then. (Double YAY!)</li>
<li>We are enjoying the new house (except for the septic issues we had earlier this week), and the boys are loving their new school. Everyday, I am more and more thankful that we made the move both to the house and the school. </li>
<li>I'm halfway done with grad school!!!! I just have this term and next, and I want to be done by the end of June. Hopefully, I'll be able to survive my capstone project. :-)</li>
<li>Jeremy's hours were cut at the radio station in the middle of August. Right now, he's only working weekends. While it's been nice because he gets to stay home with Andrew, he's hoping to find something that gives him more hours (and more pay). He's got a couple of leads, so we're hoping something pans out. </li>
</ul>Here's hoping it won't be another three months until my next update! :-)Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-87430072684451573612010-08-07T23:18:00.000-04:002010-08-07T23:18:56.195-04:00My Homemade LifeAs I was making chocolate chip cookies today with my crock-pot of milk on the counter beside me and the pizza crust mixing in the bread machine, I realized just how much homemade stuff I make. I talked about the granola bars earlier (which I'm still making almost every week), but I make so much more. I've started making my own yogurt in the crockpot. (<a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html">Here's the recipe I've found</a>.) It makes the best yogurt, and you can add anything you want. The boys scarfed it down with maple syrup and vanilla the other day. I've put honey and diced peaches in mine. YUM. It's unbelievable cheap, plus there is not a single additive in it. (And I can vary the amount of sugar.)<br />
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Not only do I make homemade varities of yogurt, cookies, and granola bar, but I'm also making all of my own cleaners. I make my own all-purpose cleaner, floor cleaner, window cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, and fabric softener. Plus, I just started making my own shampoo and conditioner! When I go to the store, the only cleaners I'm buying are baking soda, vinegar, washing soda, and borax. I've also bought a couple of varities of castile soap (<a href="http://www.drbronner.com/">BEST STUFF EVER!!)</a> and essential oils. It takes almost no time to make any of these things. The floor cleaner, window cleaner, and fabric softener is just plain vinegar. I add tea tree oil to the vinegar when I mop the floor because tea tree oil an anti-bacterial. I also add either orange oil or lavendar oil to the fabric softener. The toilet bowl cleaner is simply borax that I sprinkle in, swish around, let sit for 30 minutes or so, and then flush.<br />
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Here's the recipes for the rest:<br />
<strong>All Purpose Cleaner</strong><br />
1 tsp washing soda<br />
1 tsp castile soap<br />
32 oz hot water<br />
(I also add a few drops of tea tree oil)<br />
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<strong>Laundry Detergent</strong><br />
1 bar castile soap (grated)<br />
2 cups borax<br />
2 cups washing soda<br />
Use one tablespoon - it will not suds up alot, but it cleans really well! <br />
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<strong>Dishwashing Detergent</strong><br />
Mix equal parts borax and washing soda. Use one tablespoon per load. I also use vinegar as my rinse aid.<br />
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I just started making my own shampoo, and I LOVE it. It will take a few days for your hair to adjust. I started using this over the summer, and just wore my hair in a ponytail for a week until my hair started looking decent.<br />
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<strong>Shampoo</strong><br />
6 oz. strong herbal tea (I used fresh rosemary and mint and let it steep for 30 minutes)<br />
2 oz. castile soap<br />
I put it in a spray bottle because it will be very thin.<br />
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<strong>Conditioner</strong><br />
Equal parts herbal tea and apple cider vinegar. (Do not use white vinegar. I've heard that really bad things happen!)<br />
Once your hair dries, it won't smell like vinegar. I promise!<br />
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Why did I start making all of this stuff? Well, one reason was to save money. I hate spending $3.00 on the stuff I spray on the pee around the toilet. Plus, as long as I stay stocked up on borax and washing soda, I can pretty much clean everything, so there's none of the "We're out of laundry detergent!" attacks in our house. But I also started reading about all of the chemicals that are in all of these cleaners, detergents, and shampoos, and I decided that if I could make some replacements for as cheap (or cheaper) that worked as well, then I wanted to do that. And, they're safer. All of my cleaning products (except for the borax) are non-toxic. Andrew could ingest them, and while he wouldn't feel great, I wouldn't have to call poison control either. Definitely a good plan in our house. :-)Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-79666981232443154222010-06-22T22:23:00.000-04:002010-06-22T22:23:28.241-04:00The least of theseI've been a little fired up lately, so fair warning. :-)<br />
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It's election season here in Georgia. There's campaign signs on every corner. And I'm paying <strong>more </strong>attention this year than I ever had, because the people who are elected will directly affect some of the dearest people to me. My kids.<br />
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No, I'm not talking about the ones I've given birth to (though they will be affected somewhat). I'm talking about the group that will be coming to me in August. I'm talking about the 20+ children whose lives will intersect with mine for the next 10 months. And I'm talking about the kids who will come to school hoping to escape the chaos that they live with everyday.<br />
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But, you see, lots of people at the State Capitol don't seem to understand that. They seem to think that we can perform miracles. I don't know how many times I've heard one of the legislators say "Our schools need to do more with less." Really? See, the problem is the fact that these guys are middle class. They've come from middle class homes, and they send their kids either to middle class schools or to private schools. They don't seem to understand that too many times, the schools are the only refuge many of these kids have. I don't worry about the "brain drain" my students will suffer. I worry that some of them won't eat very much during summer. Let me tell you a story to illustrate this. The teacher next to me last year had a student who I'll call A. One day, A comes to school about 2 hours late, and when she walked in, she looked awful. Her teacher asked her what happened, and A tells her that she walked to school because she missed the bus. (She lives about 5 miles from school.) Why didn't her mom take her? Well, her mom wasn't home. The day before had been her mom's birthday, so she hadn't come home. A was left with her older sister who sent her off to school with a "nice lady walking by." What would have happened if the person walking by A's house hadn't been so "nice"? I wonder about A during the summer. Is she getting fed? Is she spending more nights alone? Is someone making sure her clothes are washed and her room is clean? Does anyone tell her that they love her, that she is a valuable person, that she can be anything she wants to be?<br />
<br />
Where am I going with this? Well, my conservative friends may not like this too much, but I'm going to be honest. The Religious Right is the cause of so much of this. They've listened to too many radio shows telling them that people can lift themselves up by their bootstraps, that helping the poor is enabling them, and that small government is more important than making sure that kids are fed. They don't care about the kids like A. Oh sure, they say they do, but whenever it's time to make the hard decisions about making a state budget, they want to cut taxes, cut services, and cut public education. Who's reaching out to the least of these among us? Who cares about the kids like A who have no where else to go? Sure, we can talk about the failure of society, about too many parents having kids out of wedlock, and about parents not taking responsibility for their children, but it seems that all that does is point fingers. It seems like all conservatives want to do is assign blame, while the kids like A, and others like who walk into our schools everyday need someone to care, they need someone to reach out and love them. Teachers try. We give everything we can, but next year, I could have 25-some kids in my room. While I know that I can teach them all, I worry that I'm going to miss the lost ones. Am I going to have to time to see when a child is hurting and reach out to them? Am I going to see the ones that need that extra hug, that extra minute, that extra encouragement? Is it really worth the extra $20 a year you may save in property taxes?Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-23697076885730070362010-06-15T14:22:00.000-04:002010-06-15T14:22:40.430-04:00Summer's here and the living is easy!Or hot, as the case may be. Since the temp has hovered in the 90's for the last couple of days, we decided to head to the pool yesterday! It was so nice to be back. Andrew even had a good time (once he decided that he liked the water). Nathan got into the water more than he ever had. He even went down the smaller slide, which is something he hadn't really ever done before.<br />
<br />
Our park system has about 100 rules for the pool. Their rules include how close you have to be to your child (under 6 must be within arm's reach), how many kids you can have with you (no more than 3 per adult, though I'm not sure how they would enforce that if you had 4+ kids), and what type of clothes you must wear (bathing suits, no cut offs). They even check babies who have to wear swim diapers AND plastic pants AND a bathing suit. But, I think they are missing some of the most important rules.<br />
<br />
<ol><li>If you are (how shall we say it?) umm, well-endowed, especially if you've had at least one child, then please stop shopping for your bikini tops in the junior section. They just don't give you the support you need. Seriously, it's embarrassing for you (even if you don't notice).</li>
<li>If you have to shop at Lane Bryant (which is OK, I love their clothes!), then please remember that string bikinis are <strong>NOT</strong> your friend. Nobody wants to see that much cellulite.</li>
</ol>I also have a 2a to pregnant women. When you come to the pool, wear a suit that covers your stomach. Yes, pregnancy is a beautiful thing, but stretch marks are not.<br />
<br />
If I could post these rules, and have everyone follow them, I would be one happy swimmer!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-49622787732558225832010-06-10T14:49:00.002-04:002010-06-10T15:02:40.865-04:00No Scare Tactics, Please!Tuesday night, I went to a "Mom's Night Out Goes Green" at a farm near me. (Yes, we do have farms in metro Atlanta! You just have to drive to get to them. I'm actually closer to "the country" now that we've moved.) Anyway, one of the presenters was one of the moms on <a href="http://www.gwinnettareamommies.com/">www.gwinnettareamommies.com</a> . She owns her own company selling cloth diapers and other "green" products to moms. (Here's her <a href="http://www.mommysecretsonline.com/">site</a>.) She was great. She told people easy and fairly inexpensive things that they can do to use less paper products in their homes. She's even (almost) convinced me to buy some cloth training pants for Andrew! I learned some great ideas that I can use at home right now.<br /><br />I wasn't as crazy about the 2nd presenter. She owns a company that sells bulk grains, baking products, etc. (It's a place my Aunt Sandy would have LOVED.) But, instead of teaching us how to use more natural products in our cooking, she resorted to scare tactics. You've heard it before: Even the "healthy" products at the grocery store are bad for you; the way food is prepared means that there's no nutritional value in it anymore; you must make everything from scratch (I'm a working mom, so it's not going to happen!). It may just be me, but I'm completely turned off by that. Believe me, I know that there are lots of things that aren't good for me, but when someone tries to tell me that nothing you buy at the store is good for you, I have a tendency to go "Seriously?" It was just a real turn-off. While they may have had some good products, I just wasn't even interested in buying them. Not the best way to promote your product.<br /><br />But do go to Emily's site! She's got lots of great things there!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-55628592930117661192010-06-06T20:09:00.002-04:002010-06-06T20:20:00.538-04:00A New MilestoneWe've reached a new milestone here in our family. Matthew went off to camp yesterday. He's been gone about 36 hours, and it's been very, very quiet. (That could be, in part, because Nathan has no one to fight with. I'm just saying.) He's up in South Carolina right now, so it's very weird knowing that my eight year old is in a whole other state without a single family member. He <strong>is</strong> with a group of rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from our church. To be honest, while I miss him, I haven't worried about him. First, Matthew is <strong>very </strong>social. Just ask his teachers. :-) The chance of him being homesick is very, very low, because he'll be having too much fun hanging out with all of the other kids. Second, he is with a group of adults that I trust implicitly. I know most of the chaperones that are on the trip, and I know they will take care of him as well (or better!) than I would. And finally, he's old enough to be on a trip by himself without Mom or Dad around. At some point in time, you have to let your kids grow up. While I love having them around me (most of the time), I also know that my job is to help them learn to live without me hovering over them. So, I sent him off with $8 to buy junk food (plus snacks in his suitcase) and a reminder to listen to the leaders. He'll come back tired, dirty, with a pile of laundry, and hopefully with lots of wonderful memories. Isn't that what parenting is all about?Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-8430804097178170642010-06-05T20:13:00.004-04:002010-06-05T20:28:35.658-04:00Yum!!So yesterday I said I was going to try and make my own granola bars. After searching up and down the aisles at Publix to find honey (I hate shopping at new stores!), I finally found it and tried this recipe.<br /><br /><strong><em>Homemade Granola Bars</em></strong><br />Recipe by <a href="http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/09/homemade-granola-bars.html">For the Love of Cooking.net</a><br />2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats<br />1/2 cup sliced almonds<br />1/3 cup of honey<br />1/4 cup of brown sugar<br />2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for pan<br />2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />1/2 cup of shredded coconut<br />1/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips<br /><br />Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.<br />Spread the oats and almonds onto a baking sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.<br />In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.<br />Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the brown sugar mixture, next add the coconut and chocolate chips then stir to combine. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes.<br />Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Cut into squares or bars, wrap individually in saran wrap then store in an airtight container for up to a week.<br /><br />I made them without the coconut (I'm not a fan) and accidentally used 1/2 cup of brown sugar. (That's what happens when the recipe is on the computer across the kitchen from the cook.) I also added some wheat germ (about 1/4 cup or so). Anyway, despite those changes, they turned out great! Nathan even gave them two thumbs up. I'd add a picture, but I haven't a clue where my camera is right now. They made 16 granola bars which will last us a week, and the only thing I'll need to get to make another batch is more oats (I'm almost out). Definitely a once a week recipe! Next time, I may make them with raisins (or peanut butter!).Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-31080460508008822202010-06-04T21:44:00.002-04:002010-06-04T22:19:49.275-04:00Busy, busy, busy!The last two weeks have been unbelievably busy around here! In the space of a week, I moved my entire classroom (just across the hall) and all of our stuff to a new house! That's right, we are officially in new digs. Our new house is in a neighborhood with a ton of kids. We haven't been out much to meet anyone since we're either unpacking boxes or it's raining (or too darn hot to go outside). Today, the next door neighbor stopped by this evening to say hi and tell us about the kids in the neighborhood. It looks like there are at least a couple that are Matthew's age.<br /><br />I also picked up my first CSA share yesterday. A CSA is <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/csa/">community supported agriculture</a>. Basically, every week I will get a bag of produce from a local farm. I love it because I get fresh vegetables without having to grow (and kill) a garden. This week, I got red potatoes, vidalia onions, salad greens, spring onions, swiss chard, and . . .collard greens. (I need to find someone to take the collards off my hands. We don't eat greens.) I made fried red potatoes tonight for supper. I steamed the potatoes, chopped up a couple of the spring onion bulbs, and fried them all together with some mushrooms I had in the fridge. A little salt and pepper (and granulated garlic since my fresh garlic is still at the old house) and the onion tops at the very end. Yummy. The boys saw the onions and refused to touch them. That's OK, more for me!!<br /><br />Besides the produce, the farm also sells eggs (from the chickens that are scratching around the farm) and lightly pasteurized milk from a farm near here. I got a dozen eggs, but I don't know if I'll get any milk. It's $5 for a half gallon, and we drink at least a gallon a week around here. They sell chocolate milk, so I may buy that as a treat for the boys. They also sell Greek yogurt, and a homemade veggie cream cheese which I can't wait to try. I'm so excited about the next 25 weeks!<br /><br />Of course, having this fresh food is making me want to serve less processed food to the boys. So I went searching for a granola bar recipe. I think I found a <a href="http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/09/homemade-granola-bars.html">really good one</a>! I'm going to try it tomorrow (when I get my baking dishes from the house). I'm also going to make frozen banana pops too! It's going to be a delicious summer!<br /><br />That is if I ever get the boxes unpacked.Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-45064814273714699522010-05-09T21:59:00.002-04:002010-05-09T22:12:52.217-04:00Mother's DayThis is a total stream of consciousness that came to me during church this morning, so if it doesn't make sense, that's the reason why. :-)<br /><br />Today was Mother's Day, and for some reason, I was missing my grandmothers more today than I have in a while. I think it started a couple of weeks ago when I heard an advertisement for flowers, and the announcer suggested that you could send the flowers to your grandmother. I don't have anymore grandmas, and it's a hole that won't ever go away. Today, our pastor preached about teaching your children their faith story and making sure that they know where they come from. For me, it's easy. I had a wonderful, godly great-grandmother who prayed for me (and all of her offspring) every chance she got. I got to keep my great-grandma until I was already married. And I'm selfish. I wanted the same things for my kids. Both of my grandmas were fantastic women. They each had their own way of living out their faith, and they would have been wonderful examples for my kids. They both got to meet and love Matthew and Nathan. (I will be forever thankful that we were able to visit my grandma in New York when Nathan was just a few months old. It was a rough trip with two babies, but those pictures are precious to me.) Andrew won't have any of those memories. I don't know if it will be something that bothers him, but it makes me sad for him. But it makes me realize that I have to work harder to teach my kids their history. My heritage was living right in front of me, so I couldn't miss it. I'll have to intentionally teach my boys their heritage. Sometimes I get so tied up in the here and now that I forget the foundation. I have three precious souls that I've been given.<br /><br />On that happy (?) note, I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-5129660025353301012010-03-22T19:26:00.002-04:002010-03-22T19:33:37.847-04:00Happy Birthday Matthew!Today at about 1:30 (or so) am, Matthew turned 8. He was sleeping at the time (and so was I, for that matter), but I like to remember that he is my one who arrived in the middle of the night. Doesn't every mom need one? <br /><br />His birthday celebration started slightly off on the wrong foot. He didn't feel very well yesterday, so I let him stay home from church. By evening, he was back to his insane self. Of course, this morning, he was back to complaining that his throat hurt, and his head hurt, and his stomach hurt, and he just didn't think he was going to make it to school. Well, I didn't bake a huge batch of cupcakes for nothing! I was mean and made him tough it out. Strangely enough, he was healthy enough at 8:00 to ask me if he could go and get breakfast from the cafeteria. Hmmm.<br /><br />He was supposed to have a baseball game today, so I made cupcakes for him to take to his team. Unfortunately, winter is hanging on by its fingernails here in Georgia, so no game. We ordered pizza instead. He did get a chance to play with the new Lego Star Wars set he got. (Suddenly, Star Wars is hugely popular in our house. There are worse things I guess.) This weekend, my parents are coming up, along with my brother's family, so we'll have a celebration then. It's even supposed to be warm!!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-28148864606290950892010-03-17T21:06:00.002-04:002010-03-17T21:15:41.087-04:00Poor, Neglected BlogTo my blog:<br /><br />I am sorry I've neglected you lately. It's been a very busy couple of months. I've started new classes for grad school, and I'm doing a lot of reading about behavior management and intervention. Plus, I had conferences a month ago and report cards come out this Friday. Matthew's starting baseball, so there have been practices and his first game (which he won, by the way). On top of all that, I've been spending a lot of time writing my state senators as they try to pass a bill basing my salary on how well a seven year old does on a three day test in April. As you can imagine, that's gotten me pretty upset. Thankfully, some of our state legislators have decided that rushing into this is a bad idea, so it's being put off until next year. Hopefully, I will have more time to devote to you (and the three people who read you.)<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />MeCarriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-62788722740208453312010-01-25T21:16:00.002-05:002010-01-25T21:22:49.567-05:00What is there to share?Over the last couple of weeks? Honestly? Not much. Our lives have stayed pretty boring. (Which is a good thing!) We started back to KidzLife three weeks ago, so that's brought our Wednesdays back up to full speed, but that's been about it. We do have colds going through the house. I kept Andrew home from church yesterday because he still had green goop oozing out of his nose and eyes. (He and Nathan both have the same quirk. When they get a cold, their eyes get all crusty and gross. Looks like pinkeye, but it's not.) Thankfully, it solved a major dilemma I had. I take the boys to church at 5:15 on Sundays so I can go to "Big Church", but the Colts played at 3:00 yesterday. They would be starting the second half just about the time we needed to leave, and the game would be over by the time we got home. I didn't know what to do! But with Andrew's cold, I could stay home yesterday evening without feeling any guilt. Plus, it was a monsoon all day yesterday too, so I didn't have to try and go out in it. I heard our pastor's sermon was fantastic, though, so I downloaded it to my iPod. I'm going to try and find time to listen to it sometime this week.<br /><br />So that's our update! I know, you didn't know how you were going to live without it, did you?Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-927293797438649342009-12-31T14:20:00.002-05:002009-12-31T14:30:27.940-05:00If Only. . .I'm a big Harry Potter fan (not like up at midnight to see the first showing of the latest movie fan, but a fan), and recently I've converted Matthew to my ways. Well, I didn't so much convert him as he converted himself. One day, Matthew was flipping through the channels on the TV, and he came across The Sorcerer's Stone. (Great movie, by the way) He loved it, and quickly discovered that I have the DVD of that movie. So now, he watches it at least once a week. I was watching it with him the other day, and I decided that I need some magical powers. At the end of the movie, Dumbledore claps his hands, raises his arms, and the Great Hall's decorations are instantly transformed. I would love to have that power. I clap, raise my hands, and the laundry's folded. Or the family room is cleaned up. Or my bed is made. I wouldn't use it for world domination or anything of the sort. Just to get stuff done around my house. Wouldn't that be great??<br /><br />Or maybe I'll just be happy for a magical power that will help my kids get along.Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-34674317738353302992009-12-26T18:54:00.003-05:002009-12-26T19:04:01.964-05:00Woo Hoo! Post 150!<div>According to blogger, this is my 150th post. Wish I could make it more exciting, but this is what you get. We had a pretty good Christmas. The boys got what they had been wanting.</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419697928401236642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp1EVDsgTiNQQ2lvx_c7BT-UOxI-03pILHzQCDnypn_TMyBH-2q7jE4CwxHONTehbasxN5kAhY3G7Bd6QJeSFCXVaDr6vw-PHxdUpUk4X4BuVUTQBfDCc5W1NLHnBwWdmK462kZMMUrA/s320/PC241023.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>We didn't get them too much else. I thought that the one big gift would probably be enough. I think we could have gotten away with just getting them the Wii and nothing else. :-) They've played it ALOT since they got it. Actually, they're playing it again as I type this. It is getting them up and moving. I played Wii Boxing today and ended up winded! It's hard work!</div><div> </div><div>My parents and sister were here for Christmas too. It was fun to have family here for Christmas. This is actually the first time we've had family here on Christmas day. Last year we were up in Indiana, and the two years before that we were here by ourselves. I got a Honey-Baked ham for Christmas Dinner, (Manna from heaven is all I can say) and my mom made her Cheesy potatoes. Yum. We spent the day relaxing and watching the boys play Wii games (or playing them ourselves). Matthew is good. I mean, REALLY good. He beat all of us at pretty much everything. He has a lot of hand-eye coordination, and he picks up the games very easily. Even Nathan started getting the hang of the games. He has a tendency to get frustrated if he doesn't get something right away, but he was very patient and worked his way through it when he was stuck. I was very proud of him!</div><div> </div><div>Hope that you and yours had a wonderful Christmas!</div>Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-79535641703191105252009-12-12T21:33:00.006-05:002009-12-12T22:04:13.114-05:00Christmas Cookie Time!Today is December 12th. In exactly four weeks, I will be taking my Praxis exam on the Foundations of Special Education. I also have a Literature Review that needs to be done in a month. Plus, my school bag weighs close to 1000 pounds from all of the papers I have to grade before Friday. But did I do any of that today? No, of course not! I made these:<br /><div><div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414545016269662130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjop_hMJsZqAqHUaf0Y0qdMxhs2alSF3wepiqtfHCvS5DGC0AKLg3Oas_hTXc4cyAxnzcYCI864t7Jt6VBxXZwD7twZm-1cve74uXfppzd_ZYjc_XAFaL4ZXr0ulofo0k7VvKF2anu-8Fw/s320/PC120957.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>and these:</div><div></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414545020486040674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBnQKuDO98_G2nqXlZZuoBF56jRQuxcaWJKPxT_kz3XWO4d5XZpv3SMj4U9gO5sIXVtjNSypWxBaZQGt1D6b3n6SFAuSF-RSGrSUR77uThJ_fIcRkDcywSdld9TzQmnDnfYE2TlNCujA/s320/PC120958.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div></div><div>and even whipped up these for supper:</div><div></div><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414545024758939874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGxt8DF70t1w_ezAbSwYkPKJlPMN7uRfdfa5-213yKjEOEzCG0saYACWPu6IKLEx-Ixgqpz37K5sG6LQyldAyhota-vw-cLiNRi7PhvfDDt3AJqISab3PJCCo9FqGL2ra-HUV3XyKtws/s320/PC120960.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div><br /><br /><br />It's Christmas baking time at our house! Matthew helped me with the Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches while Nathan was at choir practice for the Christmas Eve service (<a href="http://www.christmasevegwinnett.com/">http://www.christmasevegwinnett.com/</a> if you're interested in coming! You won't be disappointed!).<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414546903850361890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYgx2skfWcFA7hpRboqS8O1nXzL85DUXf85hKj_PJ0d5oKzb-peIk-gnqgRyvqN6Trj_B3KoCf4c6qSFLki2JTkOfzur5f7G9UUgJMOfCesJNMfMO3UvvRpWVDblyjUkyuLfMQYzo3pk/s320/PC120950.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />And both boys helped with the cut out cookies. (For a while at least)<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414546910829549554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKh8H5T1zN3FEJiPGq0gMHdBfrj30Dw81wDQD4o7w9ie9zc2M7C-bYr_HB_LSDJkE0hI95Z1hfoRF84RH5G_tKrhkinPvJYJ4AnYhq5C1abl44TAuAOERqxZ4KVHmC-94rNsBLoVUZ1rs/s320/PC120953.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414546916246102514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXfyo1Q8SOp4LthSdKna4tlUsa9kwCUnfHjj32yESyCCj6GKSPAyETZBsbn5hI-7rbGHLnhsj0dyeQj5lEYRHsnMeZl31NUWNX9e3JpLKruhjJz8ngAd-NJYYeqnAwbDMRWP37t1UyUw/s320/PC120954.JPG" border="0" />Yes, that would be Andrew's hand you see at the bottom trying to sneak a scrap of cookie dough. He's very much like his mom! He was our little helper.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414546925783296834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQvVG_VAtIU81m0bzyWuTwlRDpijJJb0KMKG08G24DUDHm8yib5FAYmeLqGMjYJm868hJjxiiM9qVy0dQXzZUYVklQOIhZTr8lXEhQXtK3f8cjA0ALg9V7-PFedqwdYwEmd7lEv5UgGI/s320/PC120951.JPG" border="0" /><br />I finished by making potato latkes. Two other teachers and I served them yesterday to our classes to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, and they were fantastic! I picked up some potatoes when I was out grocery shopping today so I could make them tonight. They were almost completely traditional, right down until the point when I served them with bacon. Not very kosher of me. :-)<br /><br />Finally got everything cleaned up. Just in time to make my cinnamon swirl bread I always make for Sunday morning. Tomorrow, I'm going to make caramel macchiato thumbprints and biscotti. I've never made biscotti before, so wish me luck!Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-52643846297789312072009-12-11T23:24:00.003-05:002009-12-11T23:25:22.107-05:00Come Back Tomorrow. . .and see the pictures that I'm planning on taking as Matthew and I attempt to make cut out Christmas cookies together. It should be something to behold.Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8696675884203260192.post-85684605991537860802009-12-05T22:09:00.002-05:002009-12-05T22:19:54.629-05:00It's Up!Amazingly enough, it's only December 5th, and I have my Christmas tree up. If you know me, you know that it's something I put off every year. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. A lot. What I don't love is getting out all of the decorations, putting them out, and finding a place for all of the things that are displaced because of the Christmas decorations. If I could go to bed one night and have little elves come and decorate my house, I'd be thrilled. But Matthew and Nathan have been bugging me to do it, so we got the three out, and got the lights and garland on it. We're going to put the ornaments on tomorrow. I even got lights on one set of bushes out in front of the house. I don't think they'll win any decorating prizes, but at least we don't look like the Scrooge family anymore.Carriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18005452588890278716noreply@blogger.com0