Thursday, December 30, 2010

If you write it down it will come true

I believe this is true, when you write down a goal it will come true.

So I am here to write a promise to myself and family the following:

   When potty training is all over with my Lil' Miss, we will begin planning a family trip somewhere that involves getting a stamp in our passport.

There I said therefore it will come true.

Potty time

On this evening the day Lil' Miss turned 18 months, she used the potty. Oh wait, she used the potty! She has watched her big sister and picked up all her tricks, put potty seat on, take off pants, sit, wipe, flush. Lil' Miss knows the whole routine but never did any business just wasted a lot of toilet paper until now.

After the kids' bath, she is running around her room diaper-less until she stops stands still and looks at me. Oh crap, seriously, please don't poo on the carpet. I ask if she needs to go potty and she laughs at me. I whisk her away to the toliet without any trails behind us. We sit in the bathroom for a couple minutes, big sister in there too. Her bottom is "talking" and we cheer for that. Then I hear the plop plop, yeah! My baby did it. Lots of high fives and cheering is taking place. This plop plop, cheers pattern continues for a couple more minutes. We wipe and Lil' Miss flushed her own mess away!

Yeah!

Oh eff the potty training begins. Honestly, I did state, to myself for no one else to hear, that I would begin potty training when Lil' Miss turned 18 months. I did not realize that was today.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Oatmeal Bread - Recipe

Oatmeal Bread has been used for French Toast, sandwiches, toast


Taken from Cuisinart Recipe Booklet


3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbl unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbl maple syrup
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 tsp yeast


Combine all ingredients in order listed into bread machine.  Use cooking setting for 1lb white bread.  Cool on wire rack when cycle complete.

This recipe will be archived on Recipe page.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Eek! Last Minute Holiday Card Orders!

     The holidays are here! The holidays are here! Every year the season sneaks up on me and each year I have the brilliant idea to order those gorgeous holiday photo cards.  You know, those adorable ones with the photo collage and just enough room to put all your favorite pictures from throughout the year.  I get giddy with excitement when I open holiday cards from family and friends.  Displaying the cards we receive is like my own popularity contest, and I feel extra special when the number of cards we receive each year increases.  There is something about sharing with others how our family grows but even more rewarding knowing that my friends want to share with us the same.

     The first Christmas of my oldest I was organized enough to get a family portrait taken at a professional studio.  After the dramatics of the family photo process,  I was disappointed that I was unable to find photo cards within budget. But this year, I am determined to succeed.  

     I have spent countless hours searching for the perfect store.  Shutterfly has it all! Great selection and fantastic deals, so my challenge is deciding which of the fabulous cards to go with. First I can take the easy route using a snapshot of the girls with a short message.  Maybe I could insert a newsletter of 2010 with the stationary card.  My vote is usually the simple one that requires the least amount of work.


      The next selection would be the best of everything I had in mind when sending out holiday cards.  It has room for three pictures and just enough text to share the best family adventure tales.  Eek, already the decision is getting stressful.


     My last selection is a holiday card that doubles as a keepsake calendar.  How can it get any better, pictures of the family and a nifty calendar.  Ahhh, I'm in love with Shutterfly.  Of course, I could just get the year's worth of cards for every occasion in one order. Yes, it would be nice to be ahead of the game.

      This post was part of a series sponsored by Shutterfly.  Do you want 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly? Click here to go to Shutterfly for information on how you can get 50 free cards this holiday season, and make sure to select Clever 1000 as the referral source.