Was Snow, Now Ice

But we hit it while it was fun!

My family in the snowstorm of the decade.

That last part may be sarcasm.

Max and Molly got hit by a snowball!
The treacherous climb up the mountain, we are working on the ski lift.

I think Molly likes it.

Aubrey is a little more cautious but loved it!

The driveway is now covered in a solid inch of ice. Fun times people, fun times!

Weekend Sum Up

Isn't it intersting that the news is still saying there is a 20% chance of snow when it has been snowing for over an hour? Seriously, I want that job. Where you are standing IN THE SNOW saying there is a 20% chance of what you are standing in to actually happen, while it is happening.

But, had a great weekend. Friday night after the kids went down I made a couple of crab quiches to freeze for another time:

Crab Quiche Recipe - easy and soooo yummy!
2 beaten eggs
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c milk
2 TBLS flour
MIX
Fold In
1 cup Crab (I use the whole container)
2 c Shredded Swiss
1/2 cup chopped green onion
POUR into pie shell
Bake in 350 degree oven for 38 minutes or until set. This can be frozen after it is cooked and remember to defrost before you reheat

I also made some Crab Dip for a dinner Sunday, which we didn't end up going to so it is in the freezer as well.

Hot Crab Dip
1 lb lump crab meat
16 oz softened cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1 TBL Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBL Old Bay (or more... shake in what you like!)
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Mix all ingredients except crab and cheese
Fold in Crab
Top With Cheddar
Bake 350 for 30 minutes, no cover
Serve with crackers, bread, pita chips, or carrotts and celery

On Saturday morning, Aubrey and I went to her swim class where she learned the breaststroke kick and then headed to my mom's for a Jewelry party (which was so fun). I learned someone was pregnant, saw another friend that is quite pregnant and got to see my 2 month old niece, babies, babies everywhere. PLUS I got to try on tons of fun jewelry.

After the party we headed to see Grandy who had knee replacement surgery a week ago and is doing great! Neither kid had napped so we were quite the train wreck but no one got hurt.

Sunday the girls and I did a couple of Valentine's Crafts.

We took brown paper bags and cut out hearts, then covered the hearts in glue and I cut up a bunch of tissue paper into small squares that they glued to their hearts. Very cute.

We also made heart shaped bird food for our birdie friends, 3/4 cup birdseed, 1 TBL flour, 2TBL water, mixed together, grease and place a heart shaped cookie cutter on a cookie sheet, fill, add a half of a straw to the top of the heart and leave in (this is where your ribbon will go to hang), then bake for one hour at 170 degrees.

After that I everyone had lunch and naps, and I woke up SICK, blah! The floor was moving, it was the strangest thing. Daddy took over and I slept the day away!

Also, 2 new blogs I am following that I really like:

1) http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/

2) http://tipjunkie.blogspot.com/

Proud and Random

I don't know about you but the pride in America and the hope for the future is pouring out of me. But I don't have the words, just tears and big smiles!

And I have gone cold turkey on Twitter and Facebook, 2 days in and the shakes are getting much better.

So this is what is on my mind:

1) When you try to make red, white, and blue M&M pancakes for the inauguration dinner at home, don't, it doesn't work. Pancakes turn brown and M&M's lose their color in the batter. So while it tastes good, it is not pretty.
2) Being a good blogger apparently requires instructions when bragging about things you make :) Sorry about that! http://www.recipezaar.com/Home-Baked-Bagels-26168 This is the recipe I used and it was fairly easy and intuitive.
3) When you give up paper towels cold turkey, you really only miss them when you make bacon. Anyone have any tips on making bacon without paper towels to drain them? It has been 11 days in our house and no paper towels have been used! Pretty cool.
4) I really need to head to the client site for a meeting in 10 minutes, oops.
5) But I think it is sooooo cool when Barack grabbed the mic at the Neighborhood Ball and said, "Isn't my wife good looking".

Bagels

Aubrey and Daddy were off to swim lessons in -3 degree weather. Molly and I cleaned the house and then needed something fun to do, so I decided we should make bagels.

We had a blast and here is how they turned out!

In the oven!

Just out of the oven and ready to eat, and eat we did! They were delicious!

They are Fabulous!

This was a couple days after Christmas.



You gotta watch about 30-37 seconds in, hilarious!

And Molly wants to be just like her sister...

I Pledge Allegiance

In what I find a very timely lesson, Aubrey's class started learning the Pledge of Allegiance on Monday. Last night (Wednesday), after only her second day of practicing, here is what we have.

Pretty cool!

Wordless Wednesday - CHEESE

Daddy and Molly

Glimpse of My Mornings

5:45am Molly is yelling, "Mama I gotta go potty"
I JUMP out of bed, grab her and put her on the potty.
Molly toots and says, "I all done, I needed a toot".

6:00am Aubrey comes in and says, "When I grow bery bery bery big my dresses will be shirts".

MOMMY NEEDS COFFEE!

Wordless Wednesday - Fever

Which Do You Recognize?

I often step back from talking with the kids and laugh at how I could never imagine putting words together the way I need to sometimes.

Exhibit 1:
Please stop dunking Scooby in your milk, toys are not for dunking, just Oreos.

Exhibit 2:
Please stop licking your sister's hiney. Stop, licking her hiney, NOW!

Exhibit 3:
Yes, you are a pretty kitty cat but mommy doesn't like kitty cats or puppy dogs to lick her.

Exhibit 4:
Please don't put your carrott in your ear.

Exhibity 5:
Jumping up and down and singing, "She can sing and she can dance and she won't poop in her pants, YAY MOLLY".

Have any of these happened to you?

Mirror Mirror

I am doing a couple small things in Aubrey's room (like framing some of her art work). Santa brought a magnetic calendar that we hung up, and while I was at IKEA (for inexpensive white frames) I picked a mirror and then headed to Michaels for some "jewels".

With the girls this morning (hubby is at work), we started our masterpiece! And it was finished by 10am.

Up: Before

Down: Just getting started! Aubrey's area.

Finished! Once it is all dry we will clean it off and hang it!

Daddy's Girl

Molly has always been a daddy's girl. She demands that Daddy put her to bed, help her get dressed, put her plate on the table, get her milk (but not that CUP, THIS cup), and on and on.

I try not to let this hurt my feelings or start to make me feel like I am doing something wrong. But it is hard. And often my feelings do get hurt and I question if I am treating Molly fairly - am I doing and providing the way I did when I only had one daughter. And while I know I can't do it EXACTLY the same, I think I am doing OK.

Especially when, in the middle of the night, Molly yells out MOMMY first, when she is scared or sick, or just waking up, she yells, "MOMMY". When she doesn't think about it, her first instinct is to reach for me. Yes, often she stops and says, "I WANT MY DADDY" or "YOU DON'T".

But I hold on to that instinctual yell for me. It reaffirms that I am doing OK, or maybe even better than OK. She knows I am here for her - even if she chooses to ask for her daddy. Which I think has a lot to do with just proving to me she can... and get away with it. And that is OK too.

My New Lens OR Christmas Exploded OR Close Ups OR Paparazzi Has NOTHING on Me

So I got a new lens for my D40, it does close ups and it rocks. And I am enjoying it like you wouldn't believe.

I think to say the girls were excited is an understatement, instead I will say that the Pony was a critical component to Santa's Success this year.

Aubrey with her Hannah Montana wig, her Sharpay Doll, her new outfit, and the pony.

The cutest turtles EVER!

This kid is funny!

And can be unbelievably sweet.

Everybody is tired from a long couple of days!

Love of my life.

Christmas Pictures

Happy Holidays! I love creating new traditions that come out of the personalities and group dynamics of the family we have built. But I also love the traditions that come from who I was before I was a wife a mother, when I was just "daughter" and "sister". The history and the excitement are a gift from the traditions my family created and I want that same thing for my kids.


Part of these traditions is forcing my children to get pictures taken for Christmas Cards and a picture with Santa every year.

Seriously had alot more to say but have been fighting with trying to post these pictures since 8am this morning... so hopefully I feel like talking soon :)

The Halls are Decked

Saturday morning we got up early an started cleaning out the toy room/living room to make room for a new tree. We got boxes and boxes and boxes of decorations from the attic and we went to it! The train table is set up the mantle is beautiful. And the tree is up, lights on it, waiting to be decorated. And to make it a truly magical day, there is snow.

Here are some pictures!

Here we are, at the tree farm... just 4 houses down from us! The place was packed! Apparently Saturday was a great day for tree getting.

Grandy and Max joined us. It was very special.

My girls, too cold to cooperate with a picture :)

Daddy is showing Grandy and the girls the Gunpowder River at the bottom of the hill.

Could this be our tree?
Or how about this one?

Apparently this tree hugged Aubrey BACK so this is the one we took home.

And honestly, every tree there was a keeper.

In the front window in front of the globe is the tree, the lights are up, and in the bay window to the right is our train table all lit up.

It really was a fun day. And while the kids were napping I finished addressing our Christmas Cards, in front of the fire, and then started a knitting project.

And at 7:20 this morning, Doug is plowing and salting, kids are playing with the train, I am blogging and drinking coffee. Doug is taking Aubrey to see The Wizard of Oz in DC with 2 other Daddies and their 4 yos. Molly and I are going to bake cookies and candy. I love this time of year!

Tear to My Eye

Last night during bed time chaos, Aubrey asked if she could give her sister a hug and kiss and sing her to sleep.

Molly was throwing a fit, but when we walked in she stopped. Aubrey helped her into bed, put the covers to Molly's chin, leaned down and kissed her, hugged her, and then stood by her bed - while Molly laid without moving - and sand her a made up song (a combination HSM Gabriella song with a couple christmas lyrics thrown in).

It was wonderfully sweet.

For Baby Libby's Parents

Recipe 1 Crock Pot Chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
1 cup chicken broth
4-6 slices swiss cheese
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing
1/2 cup butter, Melted
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place chicken breasts in crock pot. Pour Chicken broth over breasts.
Put one slice of Swiss cheese on each breast. Combine both cans of soup and milk.
Cover chicken breasts with soup mixture. Sprinkle stuffing mix over all.
Drizzle melted butter on top.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Simple Grilled Salmon - you can broil instead of grill.

1/4 teaspoon olive oil

1 (4-ounce) salmon fillet

Pinch of salt

Pinch of lemon pepper

Wedge of lemon
Preheat grill to medium heat. Rub olive oil over salmon, coating evenly. Sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper. Grill salmon over medium heat about 6 minutes on each side, or until it flakes easily when pierced with a fork (for ease in turning salmon, a grill basket coated with cooking spray or a wide metal spatula can be used). Remove any skin. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Catchin' Up Picture Style

Since Jessica is complaining that no one blogs anymore, even her, I thought I would post some pictures. I have been having issues with our home network in getting pictures from our shared drive to this blog, so I am doing this the "dirty" way - you know taking the actual memory card and connecting it RIGHT to my computer. Crazy, I know. So here are some extremely random shots of my girls.

Sunday, Aubrey is very sad because GTaw's Hammock is down for the season.

Saturday, Molly was reading a book.

Last weekend, in the leaves in our yard. Aubrey likes to pose.

This is what happens when you ask Molly to smile.

Seriously, Aubrey poses all the time. I don't like this pose.

Mama Said There'd be Days Like This

But seriously?
1) Baby girl still sick with fever, have to go to work for a few hours anyway.
2) Stop at gas station, wait in line, get to pump - NO FREAKING GAS!
3) Traffic backed up about oh you know 20 out of the 30 miles I drive.
4) Elevator is OUT at my building, in downtown Baltimore, with lots of stairs and my laptop I make it, only to find:
5) THERE IS NO DIET COKE!
And the biggest reason my morning isn't great:

I have 16 minutes stuck in my head from HSM3 (the way we play tonight, is what we leave behind, over and over and over and over and over again).

So let's talk about the good things:
1) Margartaville came on the radio
2) Hubby talked Comcast into lowering our bill by more than half - getting core channels only and ending up paying LESS than when we just had Internet.
3) Made everyone at work laugh.
This:

So Cute and So Volatile

This morning Molly was being Molly. Doug turned to her and said, "You are so cute and so volatile".

I can not get over how TRUE that statement is.

I needed to preserve it...so here you go.