Rules to live by...according to M

Step 1 - Dance
Step 2 - Sing a Song
Step 3 - Sing the ABCs
Step 4 - Play with your Cat
Step 5 - Help People and Ellis
Step 6 - Clean Up
Step 7 - No Wrestling
Step 8 - Listen
Step 9 - Be Nice to Ellis
Step 10 - Do Not Burp on Purpose
Step 11 - Do Not Brag
Step 12 - Do Not Whine
Step 13 - Do Not Cry

the great groundhog day blizzard

...or...Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse, Snowlapalooza, Fiascsnow, Blizzaster, Snownami, Thundersnow. You could even call it SnOMG.

20 inches of snow fell in 24 hours...winds howled...and we all experienced a blizzard

Call it what you want, I have never in my life experienced anything like this. The weather started up around 2:00 in the afternoon, and escalated through the night. We endured through this afternoon, and by the time it was all said and done, we are wading through 20 inches of the white stuff. That, on it's own, wasn't so bad, but add in 30-50mph winds, and we had a full blown blizzard.

 yep...snow up to my knees

It was complete white out.

 ...and this was this morning looking at our building. Last night was intense.

Here's a few things that made this something big...

 (not my picture...borrowed from chicagofree.info)

Lake Shore Drive CLOSED! After a series of accidents, Lake Shore Drive became a parking lot. Through out today, towing companies removed around 300 abandoned cars. Some people were stranded for up to 12 hours.

Sheridan Road (the road in front of our house) CLOSED due to zero visibility. It wasn't reopened until this evening.

Additional craziness...

• Possibility of a 25 foot wave washing over Lake Shore Drive!
• Thundersnow! WOW!
• Pieces of the roof of Wrigley field blew off!
• 2000 flights canceled & counting

 Looking down our alley. I'm really wishing I would have thought to move our car before all this.

 Outside the back door...after a snow blower made a pass.

 the courtyard

 This storm shut down Chicago. I just can't believe it.

bright aqua

Along with typography, I love Pantone color. Being inspired and affected by design seems to lend itself to these things. Anyway, I saw this on one of my favorite blogs, Pancakes and French Fries. & I would agree with her 100% in saying that I felt it was my duty to find out my colorstrology. You just find your birth month and day, and it's just fun. Give it a shot! I was amazed how accurate my personality profile seemed to be.

he's a super runner...

...& every super runner needs...wings on his shoes! I just couldn't believe it when I saw these on etsy. As the mother of a self-proclaimed super runner, I was obligated to purchase these no matter the cost.

When they arrived, there was an excitement in M's eyes that let me know I nailed it. & those of you who know M might be surprised to see that his pants stayed on while he was being this super runner!

Leaping over puzzles in a single bound...& so fast, you can barely see him...right?

They work!

my quotable kid

 Has anyone seen this journal?  Very cute. Here's a little something I would be writing in it.

...driving to school on Tuesday, M asked what he would be doing today...

Mommy:  On Tuesdays, we go swimming at school.
M:  What do we do on Threesday?

I love this kid...

skinny kids, rejoice!

M is a skinny kid.  Not many of his pants aren't of the adjustable waist variety.  But, while collecting his winter wardrobe, I noticed that last year's 3Ts had shrunk in the leg pretty dramatically and I just couldn't justify buying 3Ts...again.  So, I bought 4Ts only to find the waist is WAY too big, like 4in. too big.  I know, smart mommy...geez.  Anyway, off to the solution.

I had placed four pairs of his winter pants in the "to sew" pile when, while browsing one of my daily deal websites, I had a "why didn't I think of that!" moment.  & hey! I had something that would do the exact same thing without having to spend the $10 to get it.

 

 A simple mitten clip will solve my problem without having to bust out the sewing machine.

  

 Ha! Sometimes it's just too easy.  

Really, it was more difficult getting the preschooler to model than it is to fix these pants.

 falling off to nice and snug.

The post where I talk about a spoon.

 My Cheerios spoon from my childhood.  

Oh, yes...my mother held onto it.

We are quite the cereal aficionados (thank god for spell check) here in this home, and I can say that this is probably the best cereal spoon ever.  I think about that fact every time I get it out of the drawer.  It's got a nice shape and the milk to cereal ratio is perfect because of it.  I remember using it all the time as a kid...M uses it all the time now.  Thanks, mom.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Seriously...if I could just stop finding these recipes, I might have a bit more success in losing this weight.

Here's a question for you.  Do you hate it when your snickerdoodles get dry and stale within hours of taking them from the oven?  If you're like me, you didn't even know you hated it until you read that question.  Well, even if you didn't know you needed it, here's your answer for that.  This recipe will stay soft and chewy and delicious, even overnight...if they make it that far. Yum.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  

Snickerdoodle Blondies
this version of the recipe was found at Dozen Flours

2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat until well blended.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. 
5. In a small bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon.
6. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the baking pan.
7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack. While still warm, cut into squares with a sharp knife.
8. Share with friends and family. Enjoy! 

I found this at My Own Sweet Thyme which, by the way, is an awesome food blog that you must check out.

Here's an interesting series of pictures.

Most of our house is pretty active...

...except for the fattest cat...ever.  

She's snoring on a pile of blankets, as I type.

The Cheesecake Factory has nothing on this...

There is no arguing that the Cheesecake Factory is a most delicious place to dine, but sadly, not many pocketbooks will allow too frequent of visits (& neither would our waistlines).  Anyway, my favorite dish to have there is fettuccine with chicken and sun dried tomatoes.  Y-U-M.  While trying to set the menu for this week, I ran across this recipe and thought this might just satisfy my cravings for the CF dish, at home.  Well, we had it for dinner last night and I can say this is as close as I think I could get without making a reservation.

I followed the recipe exactly this first time around, but next time, I'll use more sun dried tomatoes and add some Italian seasoning.  The best part is that it makes two dinners worth...so we have one already made in the freezer.  yeah!

How I know this dish is a success:  After taking his first bite, M yelled out, "I love this!" 

(recipe and picture courtesy of Martha Stewart Everyday)

No really...best banana bread ever

I love banana bread and I'm always happy to see a couple of overripe bananas sitting in our fruit bowl.  That being said, it's safe to say I've tried my fair share of recipes.  This one blew my mind.  So, just throw away any other recipe you may have (unless your grandma gave it to you), because here is your replacement.  The changes I made to the original are in italics.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (substitute with  applesauce)
• 1 cup mashed bananas (2)
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar (1 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• (Additionally, I added 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon)

Directions  

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray one 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray coating. 
2. Blend together the eggs, buttermilk, oil and bananas (& vanilla). 
3. Sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt (& cinnamon). Add to banana mixture and stir in pecans. Mix just until combined. 
4. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Homemade Granola Bars

Inspired by my friend, Melissa, I've been making more and more of the everyday convenience foods we eat.  Today, it was our granola bars.

Recipe taken from Cooking with My Kid

I used raisins and cranraisins as our dried fruit and I found this recipe to make 24 "bars" instead of 12.

I know, they are circles...not bars, but these were chewy and moist and I didn't have to cut them. Just pop them out of the muffin tin and enjoy!  These are delicious and good for you too.

I have awesome friends.

I noticed some adorable shirts on my friend, Christi's, blog about a week ago and just took it for a - Wow, what cute little shirts Christi bought for her cute little children.- scenario.  A subsequent post of hers led me to believe that she, herself, made the shirts.  I immediately left a comment, "Am I to understand that you made these shirts??? If so, I would like order two..." 

So, Christi, over at Ni Modo Todo, brought my boys a special package a mere four days after I made my comment.  Yes, in addition to being a sick, pregnant, super-mom of two, who is working on opening her own coffee shop...she made my kids shirts...& these are only the things I know about.  That's right, I have awesome, talented friends.

Enjoy the cuteness...

I swear, I didn't pose them like this...

& thank you, Christi, for being such a kind, thoughtful friend to me and my boys.  This was a wonderful surprise.

These are going to become a yearly project for the boys so we can remember some of the little things.

inspired by Simple Pleasures

Feast your eyes on THIS!

It would be easier to lose this baby weight if I could stop finding recipes like THIS on the internet.

These are referred to as the Best, Easiest, Most Melt in Your Mouth Deliciousness, There Won't Be Any Left in the Morning, Moist Brownies You Will Ever Eat by Living with Lindsay. I'm here to say that, oh lordy...she is right. They are super simple to make and don't take any special ingredients...right up my alley. Enjoy!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 c. cocoa
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
dash cinnamon

Mix ingredients and bake in greased pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Now, wipe the drool from your mouth and go make some brownies...

love these boys

Valentine's Day couldn't have been any better spent than with all our boys.

M's cars are quite photogenic...

...if you can get him to NOT play with them long enough.

...have I mentioned that I love my new camera?

Nicknames?

Mo Town

El Train

Andrew and I...we're the A-Team. Cue the theme song!...da, da, daaaaa, dum, dum, dummmmmm...you were humming it anyway.

At this rate, I'll be bald by Tuesday...

Why did I pick Tuesday? I don't know, it's just that this hair loss is THAT dramatic. I'm not saying I'm stressed out or even pulling out my own hair in disgust. No, no, it's hormonal and since this will be the only time in my life that I allow something to be blamed on my hormones, enjoy it. E hit the 3 month mark, my pregnancy hormones disappeared, and my hair is choosing to live in the trash rather than on my head. It is falling out by the handful and this is NOT an exaggeration. It falls out when I wash it...it falls out when I style it...it falls out when I stand perfectly still! My brush looks like a yeti and I'm constantly picking off stray hairs from E and all my clothes. Gross, really. Here's hoping this doesn't last too much longer...because really...at this rate, I'll be bald by Tuesday.

Before
After