For PEte's Sake

I started this post back on April 23rd, but you see, I have developed this awful, awful habit. When I start the bedtime routine for the kids I have these lofty aspirations of folding clothes, washing dinner dishes, scrubbing floors, but about thirty minutes into the routine, it is all I can do to keep from falling asleep. I either end up asleep with Joe, or I come downstairs, start watching TV just to decompress from bedtime battles, and I am out like a light. The worst part of the habit, is when David gets home around 1 am or 1:30 am, I scramble to wake up, and clean something. Because I know when the kids are awake I feel guilty not playing with them, or it seems so hard to just break away from them and put away folded clothes. Or Joe likes to conduct my cleaning of his room, and it becomes a battle. After some barely productive cleaning, it takes me about 1-2 hours to fall back asleep. That being said I will leave you with these pics, so I can go try to fall asleep. These pics are of the chicken coop (obviously) when the initial batch of chickens were first acclimated. Yes, I said first batch, for various and mysterious reasons we are on our third batch of chickens. I guess, that is why they are $1.50 a piece.?.

Sometimes, when he is being silly, my Dad makes this face.

David worked really hard, I helped hang like maybe two sections of chicken wire. He did it all!

Spoiled

Funny, life never turns out like you plan. Good Friday is one of my favorite days. I think that is because my Mom always made Good Friday special, where all of us girls would go out to eat lunch, or some special errand where we were all together. I have begun a tradition of a nice family lunch/brunch and spending the afternoon coloring eggs, because a) David works Friday night and b) I work the weekend and miss Easter.

It just so happens one of my annual checkups fell on Good Friday. Bummer. This being the case I started making lunch yesterday, so that a) I wouldn't fell rushed to get home and cook, and b) we would eat before 3pm. Brisket was in the oven at 4 am this morning, salad was ready in the fridge, I just needed to come home and whip up some mashed potatoes, and I could make cupcakes while we dye eggs.

While I am in the shower this morning, the power goes out. Other than ice storms, when the power goes out, it flickers back on within a few minutes. Not the case today. Crap, brisket in the oven, and I hope my loaded refrigerator stays cool. But, OK, I am relieved to leave David at home with two kids and no electricity while I begrudgingly head to my appointment. Because, surely, power will be restored to the Toland home as soon as possible.

Once home from my appointment, (gasp) our home is still in the dark, and my brisket is in a tepid oven, and my salad and hard boiled eggs, well, I didn't check because I didn't want any cold air escaping the fridge. Oh yeah, no mashed potatoes, because of my electric stove. I grew up with gas stoves, and I miss them dearly. Executive decision, pack up the kids and go out to eat. We dined at Granny's Chicken Ranch (at Legends), it was decent and hit the spot. With much anticipation, we headed back home. Groan, no power. So Charlotte and I took a nap, and Joe played in his room (yes, I know mother of the year, I napped in his room while he played). When I awoke, (awoke, sounds like a fairy tale, right?) I needed a plan. Still no power, so I called my Dad, to see if maybe we could crash at his house. But he offers to bring out a generator. I guess much of our little town, especially the bigger businesses were without power, and power was not expected until late tonight. Boy, it sure is a daunting feeling to be so reliant on electricity, and in an instance, (when you are most humbled, wet and naked in the shower) Mother Nature decides to turn off the switch.

Anyway, plan is generator. After my Dad hustles to load the generator, gas, power cords and power strip outlets, and he is on his way, the rush of the central air fills the house, the oven lights up and almost every light in the house. Well, "Dad, since you were on your way, why don't you just come over for dinner?" My brother Michael, happened to be with him. I finished the brisket, whipped up some mashed potatoes, simultaneously dyed eggs with the kids. Michael and my Dad entertained the kids, and helped out with dinner. Joe played outside with Michael until dark. Something I never do, because I always feel like I need to clean the kitchen, bathe everyone, finish laundry, clean their rooms, you name it. While I washed dishes, I visited with my Dad while he and Charlotte watched Joe and Michael outside. Maybe not like what I planned, but a good Easter Friday none the less.

Happy Easter!

HOw Time FLieS

I am not sure the day that these chicks hatched, but this is the morning of March 18. We received the chicks March 17. Taken at night on March 22, hence the light of the heat lamp. So, at this point - about a week that the chicks have taken up residence. Note, they love to perch.

Awkward, and not cute. We'll name this one Grumpy.

Kind of cute and endearing.

Taken today. U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi. But one day they will be beautiful hens. The yellowish gold hens, called Buff Orrpingtons, are my favorite. My Dad says not to name them, but I am going to name the Buff ones.

Playgroup and socialization, so that we can hold them when they are full grown.

Two posts in 24 hours, what the heck?

Split Ends

Last Wednesday, I decided that it was time for Charlotte to have her first official hair cut. Obviously, Charlotte did not agree. This was my first and only attempt at a "before" picture. Moment captured!
Jessica, the stylist, sat Charlotte on her lap while she cut her hair, and I knelt in front of Charlotte trying to comfort her and hold her attention. Someone walked over to us and gave Charlotte some Skittles to try to calm her down. She willingly ate the Skittles, but continued to scream and cry with hot tears, lots of snot, and Skittle colored slobber pouring out of her mouth as she cried. A site to be seen, that I wished I could have photographed. But I opted to comfort my daughter as opposed to memorialize this meltdown.

The stylist offered to take "after" pictures. Charlotte was either clinging to me or trying to climb up me and escape.

Kind of funny, one side of her hair flips out and the other side turns under nicely. Just like my hair.

Expecting

Logging into blogger for the first time in a month and half, I just realized this is my 200th post. How exciting. I have been taking pictures, as you can see from the Valentine cookies below, I have just been too lazy to post. I am no busier than any stay at home/work the entire weekend mom, it is just these kids are exhausting.
Joe passing out cookies on Valentines day. He can be so serious, and he can be soooo....

sociable, and he can be sooooo...

ornery! Look at his shirt closely, maybe a tad trashy and/or inappropriate, but isn't it funny to see some toe headed boy with glasses and dimples wearing a shirt that says "Lock up your DAUGHTERS".

Joe and I both celebrated birthdays since the last post. This is one of only two shots that I was able to snap of Joe. I was busy. It is always busy cooking for 15-20 people. But for some reason I thrive on cooking and entertaining. I love to have parties!?! Not the boozy, get smashed parties, but the few beers, good food, good music, your house is clean and smells good party. Oh, and you just hung your new chandelier party. They are the best.

My birthday feels more special now that I have children. I hope that comment doesn't insult anyone, but I just feel that celebrating being alive, is celebrating them being alive. I went to a conference on my birthday, and while it was motivating for work (I need all the motivation I can get), I desperately missed Joe and Charlotte.

Cupcakes from Babycakes. I plan to take Joe and Charlotte there a few times this summer for random treats. I have to say the dreamsicle cupcake was my favorite.

A decent family picture. At least of David and I.

I love this picture. Look at Charlottes's sweet face. This was the third attempt at this picture.

Now for some big news. I didn't expect them quite so soon, but eight baby chicks arrived at our house on Wednesday. We didn't plan on eight chickens, we planned on 3-5. I planned on 3, and David planned on 5. My dad bought us 8, thinking a few might die. Well, they are eight strong, and my dad says if they have made it this far, most likely they are here to stay.

They are beginning to feather, but are still mostly down. I think we have maybe 2 weeks maximum of the cute stage, then they enter the very awkward pullet stage. Joe and Charlotte love them. Joe calls them his baby chicks, and Charlotte tries to hold them, she is not afraid. Hopefully, more pictures to come, and one day a post on the progression of the chicken coop. It is still in the tidying up phase. I can't wait to cook with home grown eggs. Now, all I need is a dairy cow for some organic milk.

Then I can make true homemade, organic ice cream. I am on an ice cream kick right now. The possibilities are endless.

If you make this, your kids will eat...

That's a pret-ty big claim. In reality, I don't know if your kids will eat this, but my two loved it. In fact, Joe was sneaking bites of it. I will show you in a few pictures.

To copy all of my friends, Friday night has become pizza night. It sure makes Friday nights easy for me to have the meal already planned. I like easy Fridays because I am essentially gone the next two days working. Fridays are my Sunday. I really don't like in my kickboxing class when the instructor excitedly exclaims that "it's Friday", I just can't identify with that.
For a year or so now, David has been purchasing bluebird houses to place around the yard. Meanwhile, I have never seen a bluebird ever, especially in our yard. Well, low and behold, the other day I was standing at the kitchen sink, doing guess what? And a speck of blue caught my eye. My photos do not justify their blue, but trust me these were bluebirds. Look at the entry post on the fence.

Pigtails are funny!

Now, last night I made this purple velvet torte, aka, beet and chocolate torte. Definetly, a far cry from anything I have ever baked . For the sweetener I used agave nectar, and for the oil, grapeseed oil. Sometimes, I get frisky in the kitchen. Check out Elana's pantry for this recipe and others, like, vegan chocolate cupcakes. If any one would like to share your ideas, thoughts and info on vegan cooking and gluten free foods, please share. I am very interested in this way of eating and nourishment, but am a little scared and skeptical to take the plunge. I have always been a meat and potato girl at heart.

Charlotte was digging the beet cake. Well, really she was shoveling. She ate her piece in about two bites! Just like her mother.

Now, before I go gluten free, I need to go hide the bacon (turkey) I just cooked (before David and Joe eat it all). I have been dying to make these peanut butter bacon cookies, and I need to know what I will be missing. Yes, I said peanut butter bacon cookies.

Tipsy Blogging

To all the picture perfect blogs in the world, who want everyone to think their life is perfect, well, guess what? Perfect is boring. My life is far from boring. But what I am actually trying to say is my life is sooooo far from perfect.

My heart hurts daily. Maybe, just maybe, you have noticed a decline in posts in the last 8 months. Well, its hard to post when I feel broken. Instead, I have poured myself into exercising (focusing on me), and focusing on my kids and our health (basically cooking more healthful meals). There is so much to say, but I don't even know where to start. Maybe this chaotic post will keep any readers I have left checking back over the next few weeks to see if I post again.

Can I just say one thing I have learned in my 28th year of life, "do not follow your heart, but LISTEN to your gut", and that is an original quote!