Small, Fuzzy, DEAD

If you're a huge lover of nasty, disease-infested critters....Do Not Read Ahead....

You ever have those things that you just can't get rid of?  You know, like a stain in clothing.  You work and work, and spray and spray, but the darn thing just won't come out.  Then, one day.....you give it one more shot.  Lo and behold the stain is gone.  Remember that feeling of pride because you beat the stain?!  Well, I had my moment today.

We've had these annoying (and quite loud) mice.  I've set 2 different traps, 3 different times.  All 3 times on both traps the mouse has gotten the bait and eluded the trap.  And those things are NOT fun to set.  Luckily, I haven't had any squashed fingers.  Just bait thrown across the kitchen and a bad attitude.

Finally, I decided to use peanut butter.  The little sucker can't just pull peanut butter off like a piece of cheese, right?  Each morning I look under the sink and on the floor in the pantry to see if there's a body.  This morning there was....under the sink.  And thank heaven he was dead, not alive and kicking.  I honestly thought I would gross out, wig out, or just feel sorry for the little thing when this day came.  But you know what?  I felt none of those.  I felt like Rocky Balboa....a hero, a fighter, and utterly succesful!  Only I didn't have to suffer any of the punches.  DA NA NA, DA NA NA!

Asics - Try These Running Shoes on For Size

 



Okay, is it weird to adore shoes?  Cuz I adore these Asics running shoes.  They are by far, so far, my favorite.  They weigh nearly nothing and I almost feel like I'm running on air.  I don't want to stop running when I'm in them.  Extreme, I know.  We usually buy new running shoes every 5 months or so, depending on budget and how worn our current shoes are.  I've flipped between Asics and Saucony.  I'm back to Asics after this pair.  I want to go ahead and get my next pair because it seems we hardly see the same shoe twice at Academy when we go.  If I get them now, I don't have to worry about the tears and heartache that would come if I weren't to find them again.  Okay, really extreme now!  Seriously, great shoes.

Chicken Pot Pie...I did it! And Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins Too!

Two proud baking moments so far this year.  The first, homemade chicken pot pie:

 

I've never made a really good chicken pot pie before.  Now I have!  And it's all homemade (well, except the crust).  No cream of anything, no cans.  Even the broth was homemade.  Yes, this was a proud moment for me.  The unfortunate thing is that none of my kids like chicken pot pie!  That's okay....it just left more for Daddy and me!   The recipe is here.

 

 

The second, chocolate chip muffins:

 



 

 

 

 

I love it when I'm right.  To clear the air, it doesn't happen often (especially in cooking), but the few times it does, I like to soak in the moment.  I had told Avery we could make pumpkin muffins (Weight Watchers recipe...just white cake mix and pumpkin puree), but when I went to get the cake mix I found we only had chocolate.  After suggesting we try making them with the chocolate mix, I got horrified and grossed-out looks from Avery and my hubby.  So, I got on-line and googled "what muffins I can make with chocolate cake mix".  The second item that came up was called something like 3 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Muffins.  I definitely liked the sound of that.  When I clicked on it, take a huge guess what ingredient #2 was.........YEP, PUMPKIN PUREE!    Yea for me.   We made them, and they turned out so yummy and so moist.  Here's the credit where credit is due:  3 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Muffins. I found out this recipe is simply a tweak on the Weight Watchers recipe we make....all the better!  If you're thinking it sounds gross to mix the chocolate mix with pumpkin, you're not alone.  However, you really can't even taste the pumpkin after all is said and baked.

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A Little Chili?

I love it when my kids decide to try something new.  I love it even more when they don't really know they're doing it.  I made chili the other night....for the nice cool rainy evening.  Benjamin immediately reverted to his ole stand-by (and quite frankly, life support) - peanut butter and jelly.  So, as usual, he sucks down his peanut butter and jelly while the rest of us enjoy the chili.  I decided to try the old, "Benjamin, wanna try some of Mommy's?"  Usually I get a turn of the head with a very quick, "No, yuck!"  This time he decided to go for it.  I started small and hopeful, with just a bean.  To my utter amazement I heard, "Ooo, yum!"  I'm not about to stop now.  I raise the bar with a bean and some beef.  Same reaction.  Then I just go for the whole spoonful.  Who cares that he ended up eating all of MY meal (in addition to his).....the boy ate chili for the first time....and he liked it!

Any bets on whether or not he eats it next time?

 

God is Great at Finding!

Whenever I've searched and searched for something and can't find it, and I find myself getting really frustrated, I pray and ask God to help me find it.  I have to say, it has worked every time!  I may not find it right away, but it eventually shows up, usually within a day or so.  And no, I don't think it's coincidence.  I believe it's God, caring about even the small things in my life.

So, the other morning I'm trying to get all the kids ready for school.  Ian wants his microphone and he can't find it.  I try to tell him he'll have to wait until after school because I don't have time to look for it.  He's gotten way better at actually looking for things himself now, but after a while of not being able to find something, he starts the whining.  ARGH!  (However, not much different than myself!)  This particular morning I decided that we would ask God to find it.  Never waste a good teaching moment, I say.  So, I told Ian we were going to pray and ask God to find his microphone.  We did just that.  I asked Him to help Ian find it before school, but if He didn't, then that I would stumble upon it during the day (because I definitely would not remember to purposefully look for it).  I continued on getting the kids ready for school and Ian seemed satisfied.

About 5 or 10 minutes later here's the conversation:

Ian:  "I found it!"
Mom: "Yea!  Who did we ask to help you find your microphone?"
Ian:  "God"
Mom: "So who should you thank?"
Ian: "God"

What a fantabulous teaching moment!  What a fantabulous boy!  What a fantabulous God!

Baseball Practice, Games, and Gymnastics

Yes, it does my heart good!  I actually get to say, "We have baseball practice", "No, can't do that because we have a baseball game", "Oh, maybe later, but at that time I have to take Avery to gymnastics".     Ahhhh, the joy of feeling like a normal mom for a bit.    Sounds crazy, I know.  But it really feels 'normal'.  Honestly, how often do I get that in my life?  Exactly.

We didn't put Ian in baseball in the spring because he complained too much about it....and it was hot.  Heat and Ian don't mix well.   For fall, I decided to sign him up and see what happened.   So far, so good.  It's Miracle League baseball, so it's not real taxing on him and they have a lot of fun.  This year, the coach has practices (Jim laughs).  But I think it works out much better because Ian gets to be with the kids more than just showing up at a game once a week.  He gets to get more involved in the game too.  He's even started to get out his baseball and bat at home (could be scary).   Basically, on practice nights, I just pack him up in the van and don't tell him where we're going.  That way he can't really think about not wanting to go.  Then on game day, I don't make a big deal as he's putting on his uniform.   If I don't make a big deal, he doesn't seem to make a big deal.   Since Jim is not exactly "Mr. Positive" with the whole thing, I've freed him from having to take him to any of the games and practices.  Works for both of us.  I get to take Ian and jabber with the other moms for an hour, and Jim gets to stay home with the other 2 kids.  :)

Avery has surprised the heck out of me with gymnastics.  A friend of hers and her enrolled for the same class, which helped her not be so nervous.  But even since the first time, she really didn't seem to have any anxiety.  After her free introductory class, she said she wanted to sign up.  It's been really good for her.  I know it's helping to strengthen her poor little low toned muscles.  She works them hard.  After her second class, she's still enjoying it and looks forward to going.  And me????  Well, I get to sit and jabber with the other moms, of course!

Chocolate Milk and Cookies - Something New

The other night after dinner, Ian wanted dessert, which is not so strange.  But he didn't want the icecream his sister was having like he usually does.  He went to the pantry and pulled out some 'healthy' cookies that Daddy kept telling him he didn't like.  He kept insisting on it.  Then, he started asking for chocolate milk, which he has NEVER done before.  We weren't quite sure where he was going with all this, but we followed along anyway.  So, he sat down with his cookie and his chocolate milk and a big grin on his face.  But wait.......

Then, he dunked his cookie into his chocolate milk!

I have no idea where he got this idea from.  I figure either at school or on one of the shows he watches.  But that little boy enjoyed that cookie and chocolate milk......and the success he had in letting us know exactly what he wanted, even though it was totally new.

Dip

 

Check it out!

 

Yum!