First and foremost, a noonie (noon ee) is the name for Brooks' pacifier. So get your head out of the gutter this has nothing to do with boobs.
The caper was quick, well as quick as toddlers can move, and started so innocently with kids banging on the sliding glass door. Then the culprit swiped Brooks' noonie and ran as quick as her little legs would go. Upon reaching the precipitous of the step up into the dining room, the culprit had to actually crawl to the top. The victim was hot on her heels, fussing the whole way, that is until she required assistance, there was a pause of game until she regained her footing. Once she was up, the chase and fussing were back on. The culprit toddled all the way across the house and only slowed once she came up on the rocking house, she mounted her steed to make a speedy get away when the victim finally caught up to her, he was able to retrieve the stolen noonie. He promptly placed the noonie in his mouth and the fussing ceased. The culprit was last seen giggling her way into the sunset.
We miss Miss K and I think she enjoys teasing Brooks.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Cleaning + toddler = not fun
We make almost all of our cleaning products except for the bathroom, I
use heavy duty stinky awful chemicals in there. So I like to clean it
while Brooks is downstairs or sleeping, this way I can have the fan on and
then let it air out before he is exposed to it. Today I did not have
this luxury since John wasn't home and The Dude decided that sleeping
was for babies. After trying unsuccessfully to put him down for a nap
twice I threw caution to the wind and decided to clean.
Thinking to myself, "OK, I can handle this", I'll open his room, we just brought a bouncy horse up this morning, he'll be SO enthralled by that thing that I'll be able to spray, scrub and aerate before he notices that I'm not in his room. Why oh why do I dream up such fantasies, I'm always disappointed. This is how it all went down.
Read a few books with Brooks in his room so he knows (yeah right) that this is play or quiet time not sleep time, because every 16 month old is this rational, right? As expected after reading he goes over and jumps on his horse and shows me how it bounces, makes noise and spins. Great, plan is working! I slip out and next door into the bathroom, grab spray, sponge and go to work. All of a sudden, *thud thud thud*, the sound of 21 pounds of toddler coming into the room. OK, not time to lose it, he's not interested in me and my toxins. Then I feel tiny hands beating on my back followed by hysterical laughter. Time to re appropriate toddler, back to his room, "look how pretty the zebra is, can you show me how to jump on it?" This works he goes to town bouncing like, well a toddler. I run back to the bathroom and no sooner do I kneel to start scrubbing then I feel his tiny little hands again. *sigh* So maybe if I scrub really fast it will be better, the fan is on, the door is open...oh until the toddler decides that an open door is not a good idea. Next 10 minutes was spent getting up and opening the door, running over and scrubbing some, getting back up and opening the door, all the while trying to distract the Dude from the poisons I'm using to clean. I'm throwing toys at him, not literally at him, but in his general direction, tossing them out into the hall so he'll run after them, all of this isn't working. Instead of taking my normal 15-30 minutes to clean the bathroom, today's clean clocked in at 1 hour and 20 minutes. I should be grateful that it's clean (ish) and he didn't inhale or eat too many chemicals. Small victories right?
Thinking to myself, "OK, I can handle this", I'll open his room, we just brought a bouncy horse up this morning, he'll be SO enthralled by that thing that I'll be able to spray, scrub and aerate before he notices that I'm not in his room. Why oh why do I dream up such fantasies, I'm always disappointed. This is how it all went down.
Read a few books with Brooks in his room so he knows (yeah right) that this is play or quiet time not sleep time, because every 16 month old is this rational, right? As expected after reading he goes over and jumps on his horse and shows me how it bounces, makes noise and spins. Great, plan is working! I slip out and next door into the bathroom, grab spray, sponge and go to work. All of a sudden, *thud thud thud*, the sound of 21 pounds of toddler coming into the room. OK, not time to lose it, he's not interested in me and my toxins. Then I feel tiny hands beating on my back followed by hysterical laughter. Time to re appropriate toddler, back to his room, "look how pretty the zebra is, can you show me how to jump on it?" This works he goes to town bouncing like, well a toddler. I run back to the bathroom and no sooner do I kneel to start scrubbing then I feel his tiny little hands again. *sigh* So maybe if I scrub really fast it will be better, the fan is on, the door is open...oh until the toddler decides that an open door is not a good idea. Next 10 minutes was spent getting up and opening the door, running over and scrubbing some, getting back up and opening the door, all the while trying to distract the Dude from the poisons I'm using to clean. I'm throwing toys at him, not literally at him, but in his general direction, tossing them out into the hall so he'll run after them, all of this isn't working. Instead of taking my normal 15-30 minutes to clean the bathroom, today's clean clocked in at 1 hour and 20 minutes. I should be grateful that it's clean (ish) and he didn't inhale or eat too many chemicals. Small victories right?
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I want to hate her, but can't
Michelle Duggar, that is. I really want to not like the woman, but so far I just disagree with some of her decisions, BUT she seems like a really good mom. The kids seem to be as well adjusted, well as well adjusted as sheltered kids can be.
I don't understand why so many people are up in arms about how many kids the woman has. She's not even close to the Russian woman who had 69 kids and never a single birth. Talk about some stretch marks and lack of elasticity. Of course the Russian woman was a peasant and it was 1725, I bet they could share the same wardrobe.
Oh well, good luck Michelle, may the doctor's have steady small hands.
I don't understand why so many people are up in arms about how many kids the woman has. She's not even close to the Russian woman who had 69 kids and never a single birth. Talk about some stretch marks and lack of elasticity. Of course the Russian woman was a peasant and it was 1725, I bet they could share the same wardrobe.
Oh well, good luck Michelle, may the doctor's have steady small hands.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tasty Tuesday - Installment #5 - Gluten Free Edition
When I was breast feeding Brooks had a gluten intolerance, so I had to eat gluten and dairy free. I learned to cook and of course bake gluten free. It's really hard to find gluten free recipes that don't have 50 million ingredients so it makes everything cost 100 million dollars. This recipe is affordable, albeit more than "traditional" baking and EASY!!!!! There was no difference in texture or taste, and approved at a party this weekend, by glutenites and glutenless alike.
Gluten Free Fried Apple Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups gluten free baking flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup + 1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (notice this is NOT baking soda)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup butter (room temperature NOT melted)
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon applesauce
1 egg
Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix sugar, milk and applesauce. Using a mixer slowly add dry ingredients, once incorporated add egg. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes scraping sides once or twice.
If you look at the "regular" recipe, there is not a big difference, which also means there isn't a big difference in the taste. I served these again with the maple frosting and it was VERY well received.
Gluten Free Fried Apple Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups gluten free baking flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup + 1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (notice this is NOT baking soda)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup butter (room temperature NOT melted)
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon applesauce
1 egg
Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix sugar, milk and applesauce. Using a mixer slowly add dry ingredients, once incorporated add egg. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes scraping sides once or twice.
If you look at the "regular" recipe, there is not a big difference, which also means there isn't a big difference in the taste. I served these again with the maple frosting and it was VERY well received.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Halloween 2011
What's the point of having a kid, if you can't dress them up in ridiculous costumes for Halloween, that is until they say "I want to be Batman" for the 3rd year in a row.
Add caption Last year, I stressed for the longest time about what Brooks would wear. One night I was lamenting that our son was going to be in an "ordinary" costume and I was such a failure since my mom always my brother and I awesome costumes, John suggested that he go as Hamlet. DONE! It was really funny, no sewing invovled except that I made him spats since he didn't have black shoes.
This year I thought I had the perfect costume Don Quixote, put a pinwheel on the dog and it would have been great. Then John, the theater designer suggested "American Gothic". We needed a female so I asked Miss K's mom and she LOVED it. I was able to borrow a jacket for Brooks, and cut off the color on a shirt for him so he would have a Mandarn collar. I quickly made Miss K's dress and apron, John made the back drop and we were nerdily ready.
Add caption Last year, I stressed for the longest time about what Brooks would wear. One night I was lamenting that our son was going to be in an "ordinary" costume and I was such a failure since my mom always my brother and I awesome costumes, John suggested that he go as Hamlet. DONE! It was really funny, no sewing invovled except that I made him spats since he didn't have black shoes.
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tasty Tuesday - Installation #4
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
Why chocolate chip cookies and not just chocolate chips you ask, because who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie and who doesn't love a cupcake? If you answered "me" to either of these questions, please step away from the blog.
I made these using a mini muffin tin only, I tried them using a bigger one, but they were really rich and I didn't enjoy them as much, so please note that when making them. These are by FAR the easiest I have made.
The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
1 cup semi sweet Chocolate Chips
2 1/4 cup(s) unsifted flour
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 cup(s) (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup(s) sugar
3/4 cup(s) packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoon(s) vanilla
2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup(s) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F and line mini muffin tins.
As with all of my recipes please make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. I used a stand mixer for these with the paddle attachment. Mix flour, and baking soda in a bowl. Cream butter on medium speed add sugars and blend till fully incorporated, add eggs one at a time until full incorporated, scrape down bowl if needed (it will be needed so just do it). Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the flour mixture, once it's all in you'll probably need to scrape down the sides of the bowl again, on slow speed add vanilla and milk. Once you have everything in and blended add the chocolate chips. Mix on medium speed for just a few seconds until everything is good and mixed in.
Fill muffin tins and bake for 10-15 minutes, which means I baked mine for 13 minutes and they were perfect, but who puts 13 minutes in a recipe? Let them sit in the tins for a bit before placing on a rack to cool. I couldn't wait for the rack and stuck mine in the freezer, but you didn't hear that from me.
Icing
1 stick room temperature butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Again using my trusty stand mixer I whipped the heck out of the butter, put the stick in the bowl, walked the dial up to high and let it run for 3 minutes before adding anything. Once the butter had lots of air, I started adding the sugar in 2/3 cup increments, of course use low to start and walk it up to high, I let it whip on high for 1 minute between installments. I know this takes forever, but it's so amazingly awesome that it is worth the extra time, I SWEAR!!!! This recipe makes a bajillion, so you may want to half it the first time, unless you are having a bajillion people over, in which case, this is the way to go!
Why chocolate chip cookies and not just chocolate chips you ask, because who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie and who doesn't love a cupcake? If you answered "me" to either of these questions, please step away from the blog.
I made these using a mini muffin tin only, I tried them using a bigger one, but they were really rich and I didn't enjoy them as much, so please note that when making them. These are by FAR the easiest I have made.
The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
1 cup semi sweet Chocolate Chips
2 1/4 cup(s) unsifted flour
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 cup(s) (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup(s) sugar
3/4 cup(s) packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoon(s) vanilla
2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup(s) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F and line mini muffin tins.
As with all of my recipes please make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. I used a stand mixer for these with the paddle attachment. Mix flour, and baking soda in a bowl. Cream butter on medium speed add sugars and blend till fully incorporated, add eggs one at a time until full incorporated, scrape down bowl if needed (it will be needed so just do it). Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the flour mixture, once it's all in you'll probably need to scrape down the sides of the bowl again, on slow speed add vanilla and milk. Once you have everything in and blended add the chocolate chips. Mix on medium speed for just a few seconds until everything is good and mixed in.
Fill muffin tins and bake for 10-15 minutes, which means I baked mine for 13 minutes and they were perfect, but who puts 13 minutes in a recipe? Let them sit in the tins for a bit before placing on a rack to cool. I couldn't wait for the rack and stuck mine in the freezer, but you didn't hear that from me.
Icing
1 stick room temperature butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Again using my trusty stand mixer I whipped the heck out of the butter, put the stick in the bowl, walked the dial up to high and let it run for 3 minutes before adding anything. Once the butter had lots of air, I started adding the sugar in 2/3 cup increments, of course use low to start and walk it up to high, I let it whip on high for 1 minute between installments. I know this takes forever, but it's so amazingly awesome that it is worth the extra time, I SWEAR!!!! This recipe makes a bajillion, so you may want to half it the first time, unless you are having a bajillion people over, in which case, this is the way to go!
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