Ears Lookin' at You

It's been a while since I visited my beloved YMCA. So, today was the day.
After many weeks of minimal exercise (due to my lovely plantar fascitis, yeee-ouch!) I decided today was it. I was going to the Y and exercising. Hubster was bringing the kids after he was finished mowing lawn, so here was my chance.
I got there, changed my clothes and headed out to work out. Now, I wasn't foolish enough to try and rock the treadmill with my awesome (or, well, really, totally non-existent) running talent. So, I stepped on the stair stepper. Plugged in my headphones and pushed the tv button. I started moving (& groovin', at least in my mind) on the machine but much to my dismay, my tv wasn't working. Well frankly, the tv is about the only thing that makes that instrument of torture, I mean, machine, bearable. So I wasn't about to continue on without something to watch so off I stepped.
Unfortunately, I forgot one little thing. I was still plugged in to the console. Let me just say that it is not comfortable having the earplugs ricochet out of your ears as you walk away. And, surprisingly, they can whip around pretty darn fast after pinging out of the ear canal.  Sorta like a mini, white bungee cord.
I nonchalantly backed up, reached over and unplugged. I tried to pass it off like this was all in my master plan but I don't think my exercise neighbors were buying it. Their snickering was the first tipoff. The weak ass barely contained laughter was the second.
Once again, I am the new Y story.
Lovely.

Summer's in Full Swing

Only 2 weeks into summer and it's been a whirlwind. We've been strawberry picking, bike riding, bowling, numerous library trips, tennis lessons, fencing, prepping for VBS, we're halfway through Camp Invention this week and preparing for camping next week. Oh, and we're trying to get the van fixed from my stupid-a** rear ending accident late last week. But, that's a story for another day.
I got awoken this morning with a tap on my shoulder at 5 am. 
"Mama?" C asked
"Hnmmgph?" was my incoherent reply.
"I just threw up"
There's just nothing that gets the blood pumping and me outta bed faster than those 4 words. I mean, you'd think I had the energy of a 20 yr old the way I bounded after her.
"Where?" I asked.
"In the potty" C said, "but my tummy still hurts".
Off we went to clean up and comfort. Needless to say, she's home from Camp Invention today. She's doing quite well but since there was an upset tummy involved, she's resting up.
Whether she wants to or not.
But what I realized this morning, as I was snuggling with the puker (although not too close and with my Lysol and hand sanitizer close by), is that in our hustle and bustle of the summer, it's so easy to lose track of what's happening at the moment. I am constantly planning ahead and checking the calendar and making sure everything will, hopefully, run smoothly, that I sometimes forget to appreciate what's right in front of me.  And, frankly, sometimes it's just much easier to keep looking forward and not down at the mess that's right in front of me.
But, in reality, that mess is my mess. It's there because we made forts in the living room, crafts in the kitchen and played in the sandbox. It's there because we made jam and chocolate chip cookies and snack mix. It's papers from Camp Invention and the library reading program. It's evidence of our lives being lived.
So, my goal for the rest of the summer? Well, the planning will continue, I can't change THAT much. But I'll also take some time to really look at what's happening and appreciating my life right at this moment. Because, frankly, it's pretty darned good. Even with the upchuck.

Chopped Chicken Salad

There's nothing better than a hot summer day and a yummy cool salad for lunch.
Here's what I made yesterday, it was quite tasty. (This is a Hungry Girl recipe found while I browsing the net).
If you make the whole thing, it's a big salad (I'm still enjoying it for breakfast today after having it for lunch & dinner last night).  I highly recommend this dish!

Chopped Chicken Salad
1 package broccoli slaw
12 oz cooked and diced chicken breast
1 cup water chestnuts, drained and cut into strips
1 can mandarin oranges, drained & rinsed
1 cup scallions, chopped
3/4 cup Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesamee Ginger Dressing

Toss together & refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
5 servings/salad

Weight Watcher Points for Salad: 15
WW Points for serving: 3

Why Measuring is Important

I had the dreaded/delicious Amish bread here. So, every ten days, I made a couple loaves. I got tired of that quickly, as although it was yummy, it was not so good for us here. By we, I mean me, and my waistline, or hips. Take your pick.

Anyway, I attempted to make a large double batch to use up what I had left of my dough. I was quickly measuring and mixing and flying through the prep, talking with the kids, helping with homework, tripping over the dog, answering the phone, etc. etc. In general, I thought I was paying close attention to what I was doing.

I put the dough in the pans, put it in the oven and a while after it was baking, it smelled really, really good in the house. "MMMmmm" I thought smugly.

Shortly thereafter, it smelled really, really burnt in the house. I opened the oven and this is what I saw:

A large goober of dough overflowed the pan(s) and landed on the bottom of the oven. I had never had that happen before. I happened to glance over at the dirty measuring utensils and saw that instead of 1/2 tsp baking soda and baking powder, I used 1 1/2 tbsp. Oops!

This is how the first 2 loaves turned out:

Not too bad, just a little funny in the middle.

This is how the last 2 loaves turned out:

But, they tasted good even if they looked like they had massive belly buttons that reached to the bottom of the pan.

Moral: Read recipe and check measurements BEFORE baking.

Lesson learned.

Cakes and Cupcakes

I have a secret, well, more like a confession. I like to bake. I really, really like to bake. I especially like to make cakes and cupcakes. I find it fun to bake them and decorate them. Even if it's a bit tedious at times.

S asked for sunflower cupcakes to bring to school on his birthday. Here's what they looked like:

Then, for his birthday party, S requested a cake that looked like a present. "OK, no problem" I told him. Then I silently panicked as I realized I had no idea how to do that. But, I figured out something and this is what his party cake looked like:

Then, C asked for 'special' cupcakes and pretty much left it up to me to figure out what that would be. I made really cute cupcakes, the cupcake itself looked tie-dyed with a large fancy dollop of frosting on top with colored sprinkles on it (the closest thing to cupcake bling in my cupboard). Here's what they looked like:

Well, you'll have to guess since I forgot to take a picture. Ooops!

For C's birthday party, she didn't want cakes or cupcakes, but she requested cookies. I made the largest flower cookies I could manage. At the party, I frosted them, the girls decorated them and they were quickly devoured. I'd post those, but they're still on my camera. Even though it wasn't cake or cupcakes, they were still fun to make!

Change Worthy

S is a saver. Of money. Really, the boy gets his allowance, it goes into his ATM bank and he carefully keeps track of every penny he has. He is always trying to save up enough to exchange his changes (bills & coins) so he can get a $20 bill in return. (I may have, on occasion, had to borrow some cash from him because I was running low, ahem.)
S walks, a lot of the time, with his head down, scanning, looking, hunting, to find the spare penny, nickel, or if he's really lucky, quarter on the floor, parking lot, sidewalk. He is usually successful. (And then he likes to rub C's nose in it).
I have always thought that the saving habit was a nice trait that he has.
Until, that is, until today.
S had a doctor's appointment and afterward, since we were so close to the bread store, we stopped in to buy a few loaves before I dropped him off at school. I thought he might like to go with me because I knew  that there are various treats at the bread store. Like hostess cupcakes and zingers. Yummmm! I thought a little treat before school would be fun for him (and perhaps rate me in the Cool Mom category. Yeah, I will so pay for this vanity later). 
So, in we go. He's fascinated by the little store, even considering that it's 80% bread. We find the bread we need, and after perusing the various treats, he picks out a single Hostess cupcake. Suddenly, he drops to the floor, gets on his hands and knees and sticks one side of his head down on the floor. I mean, one whole side of his face is plastered to the floor (eeeuuuuu) and I can't tell what the heck he's doing.
"WHAT are you doing?????" I asked (I prefer to think that I asked this rather quietly and calmly, apparently not as quietly as I thought as the other 2 customers in the store were now staring at the two of us rather strangely).
Now, at this point, he is laying on his stomach, crawling commando style, underneath the shelves (and all I can picture is the amount of dirt on the floor) and I hiss "S, get up!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? GET OFF THAT FLOOR!!! Dignity is going fast because the 2 other customers are now looking anywhere BUT at the Floor Crawling/Cleaning boy & his Mom. I smile weakly at them and kinda shrug my shoulders.
"S, get off that floor this instant!!" I command, holding back because I soooo wanted to stamp my foot along with it too.
"Mama, I'm almost done" S says. "I'm just looking to see if there's any change under there" S replies.
Seriously??!!
All was well, however. S found a penny and declared it 'totally worth it'.
Heaven help me if he keeps this up.