Blueberry Muffin

He's as sweet as the blueberry muffin he's eating...

Yesterday

The abbreviated list.

6:15

Snuggle with Ainsley

Coffee

Cuddle with Cedar, make sippy cup

Put laundry in washer

Put food in crockpot

Feed bears

Clean kitchen

Unload and reload dishwasher

Dress kiddos and myself

Make Ainsley's lunch

Put Cedar in bed for nap

Put laundry in dryer

Greet sitter

9:15

Take Ainsley to Preschool

Gym

Toys 'R Us

12:15

Pay sitter

Grab lunch

Clean kitchen

Get Cedar ready for nap

Shower

Check email

Make dessert for tonight's Moms gathering

Dry hair and make self look presentable

Make phone calls

Pack diaper bag and snacks/drinks for bears

Change Cedar & get him ready

Pick up Ainsley from Preschool

Feed Bears in car

3:15

Go to playgroup

Return home and feed bears dinner

Greet Dear Darling

Get self ready for outing

6:15

Go to preschool Moms meet and greet

Chat with Dear Darling

10:15

Bed

Immediately back up to comfort Cedar

Crash.

Drafts

It's when I turn off the light and lay my head on the pillow that I think of a hundred things to write about. I let thoughts flow in and out of my mind for a while before I try to silence them. Sometimes, they keep me awake for what seems like half the night. Other times, I tell myself that I'll revisit them the next day and develop a blog post. Usually, they get lost in the universe before the next morning.

Maybe I shouldn't write about everything that enters my mind or plagues me. Some topics are definitely off limits. But sometimes, I just can't recall what seemed to be an eloquent dialogue in my head. There are times when I'm driving or walking or doing anything other than sitting in front of the computer that my best "writing" occurs. Maybe there's a reason for that.

I often write drafts that never make it to the blog. I've been doing that a lot lately, although some will eventually be posted. I have to remind myself that this isn't just my personal journal and that you are reading it, too. Sometimes, I forget until I hear from you or you tell me so-and-so had something to say about something I wrote. Usually, it's just easier to stick with posting photos of the bears. There's just always more going on in the den to leave it at that.

Tea

My new favorite tea is Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile. It's nice and soothing and goes especially well with a bubble bath. I've been enjoying cups in the evening while reading or writing. I usually make the first cup and then Dear Darling brings me a second. I'm sipping slowly on this cold Sunday evening, feeling particularly relaxed since I'm starting the week off ahead of the game.

The house is peaceful. Dear Darling is sitting beside me on the sofa with Tiger on his lap. He's watching the History Channel and petting her. She's purring and reaching her paw towards his neck, returning the favor of affection. The bears are tucked in their beds, sleeping soundly. Cedar took a short afternoon nap and went to bed without a peep. After Ainsley's luxurious bubble bath, she was ready to call it a day and snuggled into bed with her loveys. We're all tuckered out after the weekend.

Moving on to my second cup of tea, I'm thankful that I'm not drinking the concoction that I made yesterday. I received a Chinese recipe for a drink that is believed to boost your immune system. It's a mix of ginger root, scallions, brown sugar, Asian pear and cinnamon sticks simmered in water. I didn't anticipate that it would taste fabulous, but I didn't expect it to taste horrible. Perhaps, it was my fault for adding too much ginger. Maybe I should've given it another chance and doctored it a bit with some honey before Dear Darling poured it down the drain. Honey is healing so I'll just stick with my tea.

As I reflect on the weekend, I think about our walk to dinner on Friday night. The snow was gently falling so we bundled the bears and walked down to our neighborhood restaurant. The kiddos always have a great time there and we enjoy watching Ainsley run along the sidewalk. She loves to look for the moon and stars in the sky while Cedar just likes to be out in the fresh air. After a hot dinner in a warm restaurant, we ventured into the cold again. This time, Ainsley wanted to be carried home. The snow was pounding so we walked a little faster and held the bears a little closer. Upon entering a warm house, they danced. And as I drink the last sip, I'm dancing too, if only in my mind.

Knee Socks and Bows

Every now and then, my little Prissy Belle decides to humor me and wear accessories. She doesn't have a good role model for the accessory department, but what little girl doesn't look adorable in knee socks and bows? I'm not saying over do it and wear both at once. Just one every now and then will do. Isn't this why we long for baby girls?

Sunrise

This morning, I was out of the house early enough to enjoy the beautiful sunrise. As I drove by the already busy park, active with runners and walkers, I noticed stick figure trees stretching up to a vibrant pink sky. A new day was here and I welcomed it with a smile. I only wish my camera was in my pocket so that I could share it with you.

Although I wake early every morning, I don't often see the sunrise. After Dear Darling gets up to get ready for work, Ainsley crawls into bed with me to snuggle and drink her sippy full of milk. It's our morning ritual and I've come to embrace Tigger, Pooh blanket and Duckie blanket as part of the package. So, I miss the sunrise but my two year old baby girl's vibrant smile and warm cuddles make me feel as if I'd missed nothing at all.

Sitter

Ainsley's preschool schedule has been difficult on Cedar. Her drop off and pick up times interrupt his nap times. When he doesn't have good daytime sleep, he doesn't have good nighttime sleep either. Sleep begets sleep.

Some say, "Never wake a sleeping baby," but I've had to do that for the past two months. With Dear Darling's encouragement, I finally hired a babysitter to help. The sitter will come two mornings a week so that I can take Ainsley to preschool and then go to the gym and run errands.

Today, was Melanie's first day. Cedar got a great nap while I had a super time taking Ainsley to preschool. It was nice to walk her to her classroom, get her settled and focus on her. Cedar was still sleeping during her regular pick up time so I put her in aftercare for a half hour. When I picked her up, her teacher was reading to her and two other children. She was very relaxed and happy. Sometimes, pick ups are hectic with all the other parents and a classroom of kids who recently woke from naptime. Today was nice and calm.

I don't know if I was nicer, but I was definitely more calm. I had some time to think, to exercise and to grocery shop. Nothing glamorous, but what a difference a mental break makes.

Kiddo 'n Kitty

Baby Austen

Yesterday, I held 5 day old baby Austen. She was soft and delicate, tiny and sweet. I could have held her all night, although I enjoy my sleep too much these days. New babies are wondrous wonders.

There's just something about holding a newborn baby that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. As I held her, I remembered holding my own two bears at that age, although they were never that small. She was six pounds of love.

I held her close and she fell asleep in my arms. I observed every perfect feature. Little nose, little eyes, little mouth, little toes... a little baby with a little cry. If they could only stay little, right?

After a moment of wishing my two bears were that little again, I realized that's not really my wish. I loved the newborn stage but have enjoyed every stage since. I wouldn't turn back the clock because I'm so happy with where my toddlers are in their development and look forward to seeing what they learn next. Okay, maybe I would for just one little night.

Congrats, Jen and Nate on your new love. May you enjoy every stage, even the sleepless ones.

Deuce

Today happened to be one of the most beautiful days all year. I know, we have a zillion gorgeous days here, but today was just an unusually warm Fall day. I waited patiently for nap time to end so that the bears and I could go for a walk around the park. When they awakened, I got them ready to go and loaded them into the double stroller.

Oh, what a lovely walk! Just when I picked up my stride with the doublewide, I hear, "I need to go pee." Ainsley had gone just before we left home and we hadn't even made it around the first stretch. Again, "I need to go pee." Fine. I cut through the grass and started making my way to the port-a-potty when Ainsley spots the playground. "We're not going to the playground. Do you really have to pee?" " "Yes," said.

With each step, more dread came over me. I despise stinky port-a-potties and was not looking forward to the time it would take to ready my two year old daughter to go on the potty. We finally reached the blue box and it stunk terribly. TERRIBLY. I whipped out the potty seat from the stroller basket, plopped Ainsley on it and stuck my head out of the door to get some fresh air. I leaned back in, encouraged her to go, and then stuck my head out of the door again. I rushed her out and have no idea if she went or not.

Back in the stroller she went and we were off at a speed walker's pace. Ahhh, what a beautiful day! I was so glad that was over. But then I heard, "I have to go poop." "Really? Really, do you have to go poop?" I asked in the same voice I use when we're in the far back corner of Super Target and she says she has to go potty, all the way in the front of the megastore. "Yes," she said. "Fine. We're going home," I said. "I don't wanna go home!" she exclaimed. I asked her again if she had to go to the bathroom and got the same answer so I turned the stroller around and headed home. The thought of going back to the port-a-potty was just too much. Surely she could make it home. I'd take my chances.

We got home and Ainsley started kicking the leaves around in the backyard while I took Cedar out of the stroller. "Inside!" I demanded. Did she do the deuce? Of course not. But, Cedar did.

Hello November!

After all of the Halloween festivities, we decided to tone things down a bit by walking to our favorite park. Of course, we stopped at the playground before heading home. What a great way to end the weekend and say "Goodbye" to October.

Boo at the Zoo

This was our first time to go to "Boo at the Zoo." My bears, I mean Tiger and Dalmation, loved

trick or treating so much yesterday that we decided to do it again today. Besides, we couldn't pass up an opportunity to spend such a gorgeous day at one of our favorite places. We had a wild time!

Happy Halloween!

The huge snowstorm blew through and we had perfect weather today. My two bears enjoyed being a tiger and a dalmation for the evening. We trick or treated at the Gaylord St. shops and a few neighborhood houses. Ainsley loved asking for candy while Cedar just helped himself.

October Snow

Our first snowstorm came in with a bang! We received close to two feet of snow and it isn't even Halloween yet. The good news is that the weekend will be much warmer for trick-or-treating.

Ainsley was so excited about playing in the snow! She even asked to go skiing and snowboarding! She trudged through the snow, threw it into the air and sat in it giggling. She had a blast!

Cedar toddled through the snow but wasn't sure what to think about the fluffy white stuff. After about five minutes, he dove right in to investigate further! He didn't cry when Dear Darling picked him up from his snow plunge but he did get angry when he had to go inside. He was not ready for playtime to end!

Thank goodness my bears love the snow-- we have some snow people to build!

Getting Ready for the Snow

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Let's just say that my little tyke liked his dinner so much that he even tried to eat the cup. He's pretty skilled at feeding himself with a spoon and loves to dip things. He got a fair amount of food on his face but you should have seen how much he got in his tummy.

First Snowstorm of 2009!

The first snowstorm of the year has hit our city. The snow began to fall yesterday evening and isn't supposed to stop until sometime tomorrow. I'm in my warm cozy house watching the snowflakes dusting my pumpkins on the porch and drinking hot peppermint tea. As I type, I see a person running. I feel like flagging him down to talk about his addiction. I suppose there are a lot of things worse than exercising, but still, I question his sanity. It's cold and there are several inches of snow on the ground. What better excuse to skip working out for one day? I chip a nail and don't workout for a month.

Preschool was closed today due to the storm. Since Ainsley only goes twice a week, missing one day is a bummer. Being stuck inside with two bears is no walk in the park. Can I have a raincheck for another day? How about a snowcheck? I think I'm onto something, so don't steal my idea. Snowcheck, please!

Today was also supposed to be her Halloween party at school. I baked sugar cookies for the event, and sadly, have been forced to eat most of them. Maybe I should have thrown on some gear and joined the runner. It was probably a sign from God that I should get moving. Anybody have some snowshoes I can borrow?

How about that photo of Dear Darling? Is there nothing that man won't do for me? Those silly reporters stand outside during hurricanes to show how hard the wind is blowing so it wasn't a big deal for Dear Darling to stand in the snow in the name of good blogging. I needed a good snow photo so that all of you can see that I'm not exaggerating the amount we've gotten. I know you watch CNN, but it means a lot more when you personally know someone who is living the Headline News.

So, how are we going to dig our way out of this? Hopefully, that nice guy with the kickin' snowblower down the street will be in a charitable mood and make a pass down our sidewalk. But wait, here is my opportunity to burn some calories. I actually like to shovel snow, although I haven't done it since having kids. Yes, I'll add that to the list of things I haven't done since having kids. Dear Darling is much better at it anyway and I don't have the stamina to shovel our corner lot or ten feet of snow. OK, two feet.

While Dear Darling is shoveling tomorrow, my job will be to keep the hot beverages flowing, the heat cranking and the bears happy. Snow and all, it's just another (fabulous) day.

Pumpkin Recipes

In my family, pumpkin pie was always secondary to sweet potato pie. Sweet potato pie holds a prominent place on the Thanksgiving menu, alongside Southern pecan pie. It's almost as important as the turkey. But, I always snag a sliver of pumpkin pie, just because it seems like the Thanksgiving thing to do. It's sort of like cranberry sauce to me. If it's so good, why is it only served once a year?

While I usually don't bake pumpkin pie, I do make other pumpkin recipes. The first is pumpkin dip. It's an easy, kid-friendly recipe that Ainsley likes to help me make and Cedar loves to eat. It's delicious smeared on top of ginger snaps and various types of graham cracker snacks, fruits or toasted breads.

Recipe adapted from The Very Best Baking Kitchen

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 15 oz can of pumpkin

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Beat cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for one hour. Let toddlers dip until their hearts' content.

When I'm looking for a healthy snack for the bears, I'll make whole wheat pumpkin muffins. The recipe is right on the can of 365 100% Pumpkin Solid Pack from Whole Foods. Or you can get it below.

1c all-purpose flour

3/4c whole wheat flour

3 tbs sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 beaten egg

3/4c skim milk

2 tbs butter, melted

1/2c canned pumpkin

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Lightly oil muffin tin. In a large bowl, stir together the first 7 ingredients. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk and butter; stir in pumpkin. Stir contents of the small bowl into the large bowl, just until moistened. Spoon into muffin tin and bake for 15-18 minutes. My bears love these muffins served warm with cold milk. Me, too.

A Fall Weekend

Sometimes on Sunday nights I find myself asking the question, "Where did the weekend go?" Tonight, I'm just feeling like it was a wonderful weekend, played at a steady pace. I'm happily content, wrapped in a warm blanket on the couch with the Cardinals-Giants football game on in the background.

Yesterday, Ainsley had soccer practice in the park followed by time at the playground. We always enjoy hanging out with other families while the kiddos play. It was a beautiful Fall morning and the park was buzzing with activity, including a cross country race. I escaped to the mall in the afternoon while Dear Darling played with the bears. To top it off, we ordered pizza and had a relaxing evening.

Today, we went to the Fall Festival at Ainsley's preschool. There were so many activities, I don't know where to begin! Ainsley enjoyed playing the games (fishing for prizes, bowling, plinko) and jumping in the bounce castle. She loves the bounce castle so much that we should just buy one. Cedar had fun on the riding toys, especially the little car. He enthusiastically said, "Beep-Beep!" while driving and honking the horn. Dear Darling and I enjoyed the hayride through our neighborhood even though Ainsley said the horses were "stinky." The bears had a blast and were playful all evening. Everyone was happy. And that's the way it should be.