PSA--soda ring things

Whenever I am getting rid of those plastic rings that hold packs of soft drinks together, I make sure to cut them. If you don't, animals can get themselves stuck inside the rings and in some cases it can be deadly. Our trash winds up everywhere (not just landfills) despite our best efforts, and wildlife can be adversely affected. Here's what to do:

more things i love....

The Rub Away Bar from Crate and Barrel, $7.50. Don't you hate it when you're cooking garlic, fish, shrimp, etc. and your hands get all stinky? Try as you might, you can't get the smell off....well, I just bought this, hoping for a miracle. And I got it!

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=690&f=2774&q=rub+away&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

reusable produce bags

So you bring your own bags to the grocery store---you're a green rockstar! But you'll be even MORE of a green rockstar if you also bring your own reusable produce bags like these:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_21&listing_id=22918184&ga_search_query=reusable+produce+bags&ga_search_type=tag_title_all&ga_page=&min=&max=&order=


Thank you, Andrea from Amkdesigns on Etsy.com!
Amkdesigns offered to help me do a giveaway, so stay tuned!

things I love...

Vacuum bb's from the Restoration Hardware Cleaning Collection....drop a few in your vacuum cleaner bag, and after a quick whoosh around the room, voila! Smells like you've been cleaning for hours! p.s. I am partial to the Meyer Lemon scent...

http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod3490006&navAction=jump

I also love Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day cleaning products in the geranium scent (the candles are great, too!). All of her things are eco-friendly, so you know that gets a vote in my book:

http://www.mrsmeyers.com

why?

I just want to know why little children feel the need to announce LOUDLY and REPEATEDLY that they need to poop in the middle of whatever public place you have to be in (for us, it tends to be Target or the grocery store, because we are always there). I suppose I need to teach them to just say, "Mommy, I need to go to the restroom," but I'm not sure it would work.

We were at the toy store this morning looking for a birthday present for a friend. And TWO SEPARATE times during said shopping trip Abby made me take her to the bathroom to poop. Otherwise we'd have been in & out of the place in 5-7 minutes--seriously. I knew what I wanted to get and just had to have them wrap it up for me. But no, it quickly became a 30- minute errand. Of course she announced her need as I was standing at the counter handing my items to the cashier/saleswoman. I'm sure they are used to it since it's a fairly popular store that caters to young ones (and they have a very nice, clean restroom for public use), but still I felt myself flush (pun intended) and for an instant wished I could just disappear.

Because she pooped twice at the toy store, I felt as if we should be all clear to go to the grocery store afterwards. There's a winter storm approaching and we're expecting as much as 8 inches of snow tomorrow, so I wanted to make sure we were well stocked. But no, we're shopping and Abby insists she has to go potty again. I refuse this time, because I'm quite certain there's nothing left in her intestinal tract. She then proceeds to get angry with me and start shrieking at the top of her little lungs, "I....HAVE....TO....GO....P-O-T-T-Y!" My mind races. What can I bribe this child with to temporarily distract her/shut her up?

There is only one answer, and it's candy, folks. Pure sugar.

Sure enough, I paste a smile on my face and say, "You girls have been so good, I think you deserve a little treat. Should we each pick some candy?" And we pull up to the check out aisle. SCORE. They both jump out of the cart like it's on fire and start tearing through all the packets. They can only identify a few kinds of candy (Starburst, M & M's, and Skittles are really all that they know), so thank God for small favors. I let them each pick one thing and I never heard another word about anyone needing to use the potty again.

Today in Jazzercise...

This afternoon I went to Jazzercise. I keep promising myself I'll go more often, but there have been too many excuses of late. I need to get over it, get off my bum, and just make every effort to get there more than 3 times a week, which has been my average for a looooong time.

Anyway, I started chatting with one of my idols while we were waiting for class to begin. I don't know any of my idols very well, as I am usually too self conscious to start any conversations. This chic has a rockin' bod. She has kids, too, and I'd guess she's around my age, maybe a few years older. Her ass doesn't jiggle, her thighs are long and lean, and obviously there's no muffin top to speak of. She told me I looked good. I think I instantly turned 20 shades of purple and told her I'd been meaning to make it to class more often, but we just moved, etc...and she confessed that she probably goes to class too much. I admitted that she's one of those people I'm always ogling (sp?) and wondering if I will ever look like her/them? I think I need to pay it forward with this and tell other people how awesome they look, because if there was ever a time I needed to hear something nice about myself from some random/anonymous person with no ulterior motive, it's now.

I really wonder what I could look like if I went to class more like 4-5 times a week...we have a wedding to go to in Atlanta in early May, so perhaps that's incentive. And once winter is really over (ahem, snow in the forecast again this weekend, wtf?!?) I intend to resume running. Not sure how often or how much, but thinking in conjunction with the Jazzercise it will be really good.

When I'm jumping around in Jazzercise I can feel so many parts of myself jiggling. Yuck. I always stand in the back row so no one can watch this. And as I stare at the other girls who look so amazing, I always wonder what it really takes to look like them, whether it's attainable or even realistic? I also wonder what they eat and if they diet at all. I think if you are working out 4-5 times a week, you can probably eat more of what you want (within reason, I clearly don't mean McDonald's and ice cream) and not worry so much. I have never been good at denying myself or curbing cravings. I love food too much. Just call me "Hoover."

:-)

fun baking stuff---VGABS, the Virtual Great American Bake Sale

Go to:

http://stolenmomentscooking.com/virtual-gabs/

How To Participate:

You can participate in one or all of the following ways:

1.) Submit a baking recipe to be included in the ebook(s). Submit a recipe before April 5th. The recipes will be compiled, and the ebook(s) will be available for purchase on April 13th. You can submit a recipe here or via email - virtualbakesale@gmail.com

2.) Spread the word! If you have a blog, ask your readers to submit a recipe for the ebook. The deadline for ebook recipe submissions is April 5th. Feel free to copy and paste any information in this post when you spread the word. Make sure you offer your readers either a link to this post or the email address, virtualbakesale@gmail.com, so they can submit their recipes.

3.) Tweet! Spread the word about ebook(s) and the Virtual Great American Bake Sale through twitter. Please use hashtag #vgabs.

4.) Participate in the Virtual Great American Bake Sale. If you have a recipe you’d like to share, write up a post, include a link to the ebook purchase page (the link will be available the 12th), and then send me the URL to your post by April 12th. I’ll post a master list of all the VGABS participants on April 13th.

5.) Add a button in your sidebar that links to the ebook purchase page.

6.) Spread the word about the ebook.

our first manis & pedis

Abby & Izzy were invited to a friend's birthday party over the weekend, and all of the little girls were treated to manis & pedis at a local nail salon. I wasn't sure how they'd handle it, but we often paint their nails at home. This, however, was our first formal visit to a nail salon.

struggling

I've been struggling with my thyroid again lately and finally called my doctor yesterday. Of course he's out of town all week, so I spoke with his nurse. I've been having that feeling of tightness or fullness in my throat/neck again, so much so that it kept me up a lot of last night. Today I started feeling short of breath. These symptoms are ones I've had before, but not since immediately following my radiation treatment last September. As far as I knew, that procedure essentially obliterated my thyroid gland; so it's strange that it is apparently still capable of doing something, i.e. swelling up like a balloon inside my throat.

The nurse fit me in with another doctor on Thursday afternoon and ordered labs prior, so I went and did that part today so that she'll have the results in time for my appointment. I am hopeful it's a fluke, that it's nothing, or something easily resolved (again) with some steroids and beta blockers (like last time). I guess I feel like a dimwit because I know so little about my own disease. I was thinking maybe a trip to the library and some research is in order. Silly me, I thought the radiation was the end of the road and the solution to all my problems (and perhaps it is, I could be jumping to conclusions), but perhaps I was wrong. I sincerely hope I won't end up having to have it cut out anyway (which is what I was hoping to avoid from the outset, and the reasoning behind the far less invasive radioiodine ablation therapy).

It's also strange because my labs were getting better, even as of last month. My endocrinologist has been tweaking my Synthroid dosage slowly to get things just right. I have even noticed that the depression I was experiencing has gotten a lot better, and I'm not as short on patience with my kids. I thought things were getting better. I'm still really exhausted a lot and I've gained weight. That is par for the course, but I do hope once this gets fixed that I can lose what I've packed on.

My dad, Kory, and Kevin are driving up here Thursday to spend the weekend with us. The girls are very excited, and they keep asking when they're going to arrive.

My Judaism class meets tonight, and I need to go freshen up. More updates soon!

last pics for today

these are some goofy glasses the girls got as prizes at last weekend's Purim carnival:

mezuzah

forgot to share with you---our rabbi came this week and helped us hang our mezuzah at the new house. here it is, and it was actually a gift from my dad, who found it on a visit to Prague a few years ago...

Hamentaschen pics

My pics are in reverse order. Cannot figure out how to change this. Anyway, here are the finished products, these are strawberry (which proves that the reds do not run as much as the oranges)...

finished apricot hamentaschen

ready to go in the oven (this one has not yet been baked)

cutting out the circles of dough

filling

rolling out the dough

the dough, fresh out of the fridge

Hamentaschen

Okay, so this darling Jewish girl brought homemade hamentaschen to our Intro to Judaism class Tuesday night. I copied down her recipe since they were so delish. As many of you recall, I attempt hamentaschen annually with mixed results---generally they taste pretty good but look quite ugly. I just can't seem to get it right, which is really no surprise since I'm no culinary expert.

I thought I'd share her recipe with you in case you want to try. I've been taking pics along the way, but will not be able to post them until Dan gets home and shows me the "new" way how to upload....

You will need:
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
(preserves of your choice and/or nutella)
Yields 30 hamentashen.

Combine all (EXCEPT preserves & nutella) ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. Roll out dough and use a small glass to cut circles out of it. Fill each circle with about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of the preserves of your choice (I have been warned that reds run more than the oranges, but my first batch would prove otherwise), then pinch the sides together so that you end up with three corners (evil King Haman's hat). Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

That being said, I used apricot and strawberry preserves in this morning's batch (forgot to get Nutella at the store), and the strawberry ones look beautiful, while a few of the apricot ones collapsed/spilled over. Oh well. You'll see when I post pics later.

We are going to a special Purim service tonight with the girls, and then taking them out to dinner somewhere nearby. I'm looking forward to it.

Happy Friday!

new house pics

upstairs guest bedroom

study/office (view of desk is obscured)

basement

back porch

girls' room

master bath

our room

playroom in basement

bar in basement

formal living room

dining room

view of kitchen from living room (we've since rearranged the furniture)

i heart my husband

my husband kicks ass! even though we are having serious computer issues, he figured out how to load some pics onto my laptop (desktop computer is not working and my laptop won't recognize our digital camera)....so i'm able to update! thanks, danny!!! woohoo!!!

Finally! First snow in the new house---3/1/09

today

today was so long and horrid i'd imagine gouging my eyeballs out could have been far less painful. we were stuck at home all day due not to bad weather, but instead having to wait on various service people to fix little things around here. one being our bed, which collapsed last night. "oh," you might be chuckling, "erin & dan must've been having some really HOT & crazy sex!" no. it would appear the movers reassembled our bed incorrectly upon arrival here at the new house last week. fun times. and some of the tv wiring had to be adjusted and a few other random things. still having internet troubles (no wireless, which means i cannot blog/facebook/email at will while i am simultaneously playing tea party with my kids) and still no USB ability, so photos will be a long time coming. damn it.

we are mostly settled in here, but still trying to get organized. we are about 95% unpacked and even have pictures/art on the walls. that would be due to my OCD husband, not me (but i know you were thinking it was me!!!). i admit that does help it feel more like home.

the girls are going to school tomorrow and i am getting my fat arse to Jazzercise. i've really let myself go lately. ugh. i disgust myself.

g'night!

My life in Haiku--through mine and my daughters' eyes

(inspired by recent Real Simple)

Izzy says, "Damn it."
I try hard not to giggle
Pleased it wasn't "shit."
_____________________

We can wipe ourselves!
Clogging toilets is so fun!
Please use the whole roll.
_____________________

Abby's precious gift:
A slimy, hand-picked booger.
So thoughtful, honey.
_____________________

Dora panties stuck
"Mommy, I have a wedgie,"
Loudly in Target
______________________

Snuggle time on laps
Suddenly a bad smell wafts
"Excuse me," says Izzy.
______________________

Stuck inside, I cry.
Nasty weather breeds boredom
Kids watch hours of tv
______________________

I hear loud crying
Blood-curdling screams ensue
Can't I just poop, please?
______________________

Time for healthy snacks
More high-fructose corn syrup?
It's in everything.
______________________

False advertising
Box reads "nutritious fruit snacks inside."
sugar high contradicts
______________________

En route to Starbucks
I need my fix to survive
Coffee save me now!
______________________

Bath time for our kids
Equals bad monsoon season
Watch out for splash zone
_______________________

I want pink pants, too!
Izzy has some but not me.
That's not fair, Mommy!
_______________________

Laundry never ends.
Maybe I should sleep in here?
Yay! Tide doesn't snore!