Pie Crust, Paper Cranes and Potty Training

I have a question for you: who loves maternity leave? Answer: I do! I do! As I jump up and down, wildly waving my arms. And I have even started potty training Joe. He is doing well, but it is a bit exhausting. So because of the potty training we have stayed home for the past couple of days, and plan to stay home quite a bit over the next few weeks. Any tips on how to encourage him to use a regular toilet? That is probably the biggest issue keeping us at home. I don't want to traumatize him by sitting him on the big potty if he isn't ready.

So in my spare time between potty traing and breastfeeding - which is usually after both kids go to bed - I have decided to learn how to make a pie crust. Every year when Fall rolls round I get the baking bug. So far I have made two pie crusts, using two different recipes, and so far I love the Barefoot Contessa recipe better (of course). Here are some pics of the first pie crust I made. I thought both were fabulous. There is only one thing wrong with me baking, and that is that I want to eat everything I make. I am really starting to pack on the pounds.

I have seen a lot of paper cranes lately. From Pottery Barn to the Songbird Cafe, and I decided I was going to learn how to make them. So with the help from several tutorials on You Tube, I stayed up late one night determined to make a paper crane. Basically, once I started I wasn't going to let myself stop. So here are some of the better ones. I do like to go to craft stores and pick out pretty paper. Because on maternity leave you have time to do things like that.