I spend the vast majority of my time chasing around my now 20 month old son. Now I know most people with toddlers know that this can be exhausting and time consuming, but my boy, though I love him dearly, is a destructo extraordinaire. He also changes his mind…frequently. One day he was mad because we were out of milk, and he -always- has milk with breakfast. The next three days he would say “eww” and throw his cup any time there was milk. Then it was fine again… he does this with everything. He also does things like eating/tearing paper, clearing off any and all flat surfaces by throwing everything on the ground… and considering he is a climber, putting things out of reach only tempts him and makes it a safety hazard. Even my mom, who had to raise ME and three other girls, says that she would take all of us on our worst day before him on his best… he just doesn’t slow down!

On the off chance that I get him settled down and don’t have to cook dinner, clean, run errands, pay bills, walk the dog, change the cat box, get some mysterious substance out of my hair, pacify the in laws, or have other pressing business to attend, I’m usually on the computer. This also happens on days like yesterday where Ian just wanted to cuddle in my lap all day. I like to spend embarresingly long amounts of time looking up random stuff. Yesterday it was bento boxes. Several hours of just looking for bento boxes, starting with ones for my sisters for school, then thinking Ian and I should have some for picnics now that I have my bike, followed by once again trying to find information on when asian children learn to use chopsticks and how they don’t poke their eyes out like I know Ian would (still not success in my search). Today its my future christmas present. Unfortunatly I will most likely be getting the much cheaper version… but anything will make me happy! Even a french press! (which I might want anyways). I actually see a lot of people who want this sort of thing just to have it, then it sits and collects dust… it makes me cry. This is something i would use daily… a lot easier then running out for coffee, and tastier then my everyday drip (which I still drink happily!) Wouldn’t that be a great way to get going in the morning, give myself an afternoon boost, and settle down in the evening? Also, I would -so- be one of those people who learns to make the foam designs in my cup of coffee… I bet I could figure out how to make a sunflower! Wouldn’t that be fun! Anyways… I suppose that is enough of that for now… I havent been able to go out for coffee in a few days and I’m going to make myself cry.

Hmm… Now I’m thinking that today seems like a good day for a special mommy-Ian dinner. I don’t have the car, but there is a little italian place I -love- that is in easy walking distance… maybe we will go if it doesn’t rain. I like doing special things with my boy “just because”. One of my earliest memories, I think was two or three, -maybe- four but I don’t remember Casey being born yet… mommy took me to a special “fancy” just us dinner. I don’t know if it really was a fancy place, or just nicer then fast food or Ryans, but I thought it was so nice! I remember being worried that they wouldn’t serve milk, they did though. Mom had me ask, I think it made me feel like a big girl. Sorry, I know thats random… it’s just funny the things that stick out to you.

Oh yeah! Rain! And that is why I always forget my plants. It kept raining so much, and they were getting overwatered, so I got to forget them for a while… now I have to try to remember them. Poor neglected plants… Who ever thought to try to give me anything to grow?!? Here I am thinking to myself how I need to water them… and it looks as though it will rain again. Go figure.

I decided to read just -one- more thing before going to bed… you know how that goes. I found a website with a list of random acts of kindness. Of course, this gets me thinking of things I would like to do… I already have one thing where I take a dollar bill (or 5 or ten) and write on it something to the effect of “May your life always be blessed with love, health and happiness” and I place it somewhere for someone to find. Usually something like inside a mega pack of diapers, or the generic ramen noodles (You know your broke then!) Sure, it’s only a dollar.. but its kindness, thoughtfulness, maybe even hope. I think on monday when I pay my electric, I will bring the people at the electric company, police department, and fire station (they are all in the same area) large baskets of home made muffins, and maybe some fresh picked wild flowers. Just to say thanks. I do something for the holidays, sure… but that isn’t the same. If it’s for a holiday, it’s hardly random, is it? I also read one, bringing coffee and muffins out to commuters in the morning… there are a lot of people who go to Little Rock and the commuter parking lot absolutely fills up every day. Need to figure out the best way to bring and keep heated the coffee, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out. I want to do one personal RAC every day for one month, and at least one where I get a group of people together.. I’ve already created a facebook group, we’ll see how that goes. If anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them!

 

Anyways, off to bed for real now. G’night folks.

Wait, where did she go?

 

Sorry its been so long, life interrupted me again. I’d talk all about it, but that would take too long and I’m lazy. However, you can read about the biggest part, a vacation at disney,  in my moms new blog www.MyLoonyverse.com and see a few pictures there. I would have my own, but my lazy genius sister wont email them to me! I can promise I’ll blog more often now, though. My mom promised me a carton of my new favorite raspberry dark chocolate icecream if I write a blog for every day this week! Maybe I can make that a regular thing. Also, if I blog often enough and get enough traffic I’ll probably start doing contest for whatever random thing I’m in love with this month… except icecream, shipping that would be messy. 

 

One thing going on that I am certain no one has missed is the gas prices rising. I barely get the car since hubby works 3pm-3 every day (about to switch from 3am-3 instead, yay!) and I still notice. Between gas being insane and general lack of car, I have decided to get a bike with a baby trailer. Now, it will be a bit of a challenge… we don’t have the worlds greatest sidewalks here in nowhere, AR, but a lot of them are actually being repaired already as I see more and more people on bikes. I figure, the more people use it, the more people are likely to fix it up a bit. I live close enough to get to a few stores, either in laws house, and a couple of friends. I’m still not sure about the type of bike or trailer I’m getting, so any tips would be wonderful! Also, I need your opinion… Should I attach a bell, or a horn? And is there any way to get streamers with bells at the ends? I like to ride in style =P Anyways, I should be in bed soon, good night, sleep tight!

As I mentioned, I am making my son a ducky cake for his birthday, using the uber cute Wilton ducky cake mold (yeah, I cheat) and that part is fine. The icing…not so much. Despite it being near freezing outside, my kitchen is hot. I’ve had the oven going since the early hours of last night, and, well, it just stays hot in my house. The icing on the cake is melting, creating one of the most pitiful sights I have ever seen. The second incident is the cream cheese for my pumpkin pie cheesecake. You see, you are supposed to blend it with a hand mixer. I have one, have for years. Well, today I could not find it where it belongs, or any of the logical places where it does not belong but may end up anyways. I eventually found a mixer above my microwave… a cupboard I cant reach, so I only use it for things I pretty much don’t use. And it wasn’t my mixer. And the only attachments around are the ones that belong to the mixer that I know I have…and do not fit this new mixer. And by new, I mean brand new….cord wrapped and prong protector on and everything. But no blendy part. And it is ugly…I never would have bought it for myself, especially since I love my my perfectly good if not a little beat up one I already have. Or had. I get the feeling the Dragon Lady is to blame for this…she did not like the look of my old crockpot so she replaced it for me…she got me a new one as a christmas present under the condition that I ditch the old one…my old one was, well, old, with a very nice heavy lid and cooked better then my new one. I love my new one for things that take a few hours, but with a steam leaking lid it just does not cook an all day roast the same. Ah well. If anyone knows the wearabouts of my old mixer, or some attachments to fit the new one, please let me know! The cream cheese does not mix the same by hand so it is all chunky and yuck…I’m actually going to my moms house to finish both my things….this has been an eventful thanksgiving and it is not even 10 yet! 

Actually, I have been busy, and my computer died. But now I have a new Mac. Yay mac!So, I’m getting ready for thanksgiving…I don’t have much to cook myself. Several cakes though…it is Ian’s birthday on saturday so I’m doing the birthdays with the families, who blend as well as oil and vinegar, and then one for friends. That means three duck shaped birthday cakes! One of them, I think it is Duncan Heins, is cherry chip flavor…and YUM! It is sooooo tasty I can’t wait to have it. I have also been setting up my tree…but I need more lights. I only had 8 strands, and I have 4 and a half feet of tree to cover! Not near enough! I’m not even halfway to the bottom. I am learning from my moms mistakes though, and not plugging them all into one thing. If I remember correctly, she blew a fuse 8 times last year…and she only had one of her trees up. I love christmas lights so much…and christmas in general. Now that I have a computer again I want to make a website, and its basically going to have a home-made cooking show on it ^_^ Starring me in all my spasticness of  course! Expect lots and lots of christmas cookies!I am actually wanting to somehow turn a website into a means of living…no matter how much hubby makes, not generating an income really sucks. I really think I will be able to do it though… wish me luck! 

First of all, Ian got his stitches out, yay! There were seven, but it is all better now and he barely fussed (except for the actual taking out part where he busted my eardrum, but that one doesnt count.)

Today I went shopping with my friend, who is in great need of a destresser. Why? Her family is taking over her wedding. Yeah, fun stuff. Well, we went to The Kitchen Store, which just happens to be having a summer clearance. I got some wonderfully tasty smelling soy candles, some in chocolat malt, some in hazelnut, and I got the Dragon Lady her christmas present. It is an ice bucket with instruments and musical notes….usually priced at $45, today I got it for ten. Gotta love a bargain like that!

Now…about the dragon lady… She is driving my bonkers! She wants to take over, well….everything. First of all, my mother and I have -always- made our own costumes, I refuse storebought (how unoriginal is that c’mon! Buying pieces or a base is fine, but dont let your kid run around as the 576th green ranger from wal-mart.) Well, she and her family always did their costumes as well, sometimes home made, sometimes store bought. She is INSISTING on getting Ians, but because she doesnt have time to make it, she wants to buy him one from a catalog! NOT HAPPENING! I told her my cousin is doing the sewing part of what I want, and that this was arranged months ago. Now, mind you, this is after she said she wouldnt have time to make one…she wanted me to get her plans to it and said she would make it! I told her my cousin already got started…no harm in a little white lie, right? They are always big on halloween, as am I, but if things keep on like this she’ll be lucky if we drop by just to say hi.

Anyways, that is more then enough about that. Oh, and for anyone curious, Ian will be a Moogle for halloween…yes, one of those cute little cat-bear things from Final Fantasy. It is awesome =P

I believe I will start the day with a recipe for a favorite tasty treat of mine, Finnish Pancakes. No, they look and taste nothing like pancakes you know. They are better, yet indescribable, so just cook them to know what I’m talking about okay ^_~

Finnish Pancakes

preheat oven to 400

• 4 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 4 TBSP melted butter

1. Beat eggs
2.  Add milk, sugar, salt, vanilla and flour, mix well
3.  Add melted butter and mix until blended, this will be a thin batter.
4. Pour into greased 9X13 pan, bake 40 mins until custard is set and the top is lightly browned 

Traditionally I think you serve this with powder sugar and either jelly or syrup, I also like it plain, or with either jelly or syrup with powder sugar. Good thing about cooking, there are not rules, just guidlines.

Well, one rule…Never mix water and chocolate, but that is a post for another day.

First I suppose I should inform everone of why I started this…boredome is a big part. Really. I have no life. Well, if I didnt say it enough yet, I am a mommy, I have a wonderful nine month old boy, Ian, and he is my life.

But seriously, why did I decide to start this blog? I’m learning all kinds of new things, and would like to share my discoveries with as many people as are intersted. In this blog expect to see information about parenting, green living, cloth diapering, not so green living (hey, I try!) cooking, recipes, budgeting, those things that I blow all the money I saved by budgeting on, eventually homeschooling, and who knows what else. Want to hear my thoughts on something? Just ask. Dont want to hear what I have to say? Dont listen, because I dont like bieng politically correct, I do not sugar coat what I have to say, and while I will listen, it is not very likely you will change my mind about anything without a really strong argument.

Now, onto the blog itself!

I have recently decided to give myself a challenge every month, and for the month of September it will be to see exactly how little money my family can eat off of. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Full, well balanced meals, and some snacks. I have a bit of a start from already having some groceries, but I will still estimate how much it would have been had I had to buy them. As I concoct it, I will put my menu and any good recipes here to share. My special challenge to this is an incerdibly picky husband…he doesnt eat beans, most vegetables or fruits, and not much of any of the sides I make such as rice and pasta, so my uuber challenge will be making these things appealing to him.

I suppose that is all I will write for now, I have a menu to begin pretending to get to while I actually contemplate going to bed before my husband gets home, versus getting up and doing dishes.