Christmas Pictures

So I am very thankful that I have started stressing less about the small things. A few examples - I used 'very' instead of truly in the first sentence of this post because I'm never really sure how to spell truly and don't want to look like an idiot. A new motto - never use big words when little ones will do! Second, I love this picture! We randomly went to the mall to return a pair of shoes (by the way - if you don't bring the box, they won't return the shoes even if you have the invoice). Derek saw Santa and we waited in line for almost an hour. The twins were hyperventilating they were so tired and you can still see traces of Derek's chocolate milk around his mouth. Finally, we were next in line, and, of course, Derek had to go pee-pee. As I'm standing with the twins screaming and Greg is booking it with D to the closest bathroom - Santa's helper came to sing and dance to the boys and they both started laughing! Greg made it back just as I was getting the twins out of their stroller and into Santa's lap. The picture tells it all - but the best part was the advice Santa's elf shared with me - the pictures with the scared, miserable, crying kids are the ones you appreciate most in the end. So -- I'm going to keep this imperfect photo and submit it to any contest I find - this sums up what happens when you stress less, go with the flow a little more - and embrace the moments where if you don't laugh a little, you may just cry!

Sweet Potato Waffels

Ok, so I'm starting with the first post on my way to getting our cookbook off the ground.

After our Thanksgiving meal, I had a few sweet potatoes left over, so I decided to try to use them up by making Sweet Potato Waffles - thanks to Alton Brown.

I obviously didn't need to cook the sweet potatoes since they were done from the meal. I may have had more than the 1 1/2 cups of sweet potatoes because I used almost twice the amount of milk called for - plus I added cinnamon and vanilla.

I also served them with the Orange Molasses Butter that I had left over from dinner.

I think the kids enjoyed them!!!

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter."-Dr. Suess

Question #2

What would you do if you weren't afraid????

JMK's Response to Question #1

For the past three days, I've been contemplating what to write in response to Question #1. I've pictured myself writing a long, single response. In reality, there are many things I've learned over the past year that I'd like to share / take note of

1. If answering multiple choice works, no need to write an essay (see above)
2. Life is much more enjoyable, when you don't spend every evening/weekend working
3. Adding clove to blueberry preserves elevates it to kick-ass (thanks Kate Sandusky)
4. It is true - you will blink and your kids will be grown. When the hell did Evan get to be five?
5. While I believe in the power of forgiveness and that I know our parents did their best, I harbor resentment of the destruction their relationship caused many, many people
6. I do not know how to be nurtured. In realizing this, I've also realized that I want to surround myself with people who do not take this (thus me) for granted but those who will work with me so that I learn how.
7. Miracles can and do occur (condo selling / ghost incident)
8. Being in sibling relationships focused on supporting each other brings much more joy than being funny at the other's expense
9. Financial instability is a gut-wrenching fear that, when present, is always on the surface in everything you do
10. While having young kids is amazing - it is also fucking hard

Question #1

Think of this past year as a mother, wife, daughter or sister. What is a lesson you have learned the hard way that has impacted your outlook on life?

Keep it Going

This will only work if we keep it going....... Do we need a theme or a set of questions to get started?

My Halloween Favorites

This was my newest Halloween favorite this year! I had ceramic pumpkins made with our last name and I had 3 little ones made for each of the kids. Even though at first I thought it was kind of hokey, I really liked it. I have found myself for the past few years feelings as though I wanted to do more with holiday decor, but I never did. I finally thought, a little at a time is what I am going to do. Last year I bought 3 black cloth bags and had the kids' names embroidered on them. Then, we helped them decorate their bag with fabric paint. When we pulled them out this year, the kids were so excited to see them. So, last year was the bags, this year is the pumpkins. A little at a time.....

I'm In!

I love this idea and I'm in! I'm wrapping up the evening, hanging out with the family on the couch and thinking about the weekend. We have friends visit so we went to Round Barn, where we got married and then came home and had dinner that's become my 'Halloween' weekend dinner tradition (last year Dave and Laura were in town and we had the same thing). Its a turkey-pumpkin version of goulash from Bon Appetite. Today we carved pumpkins and I made applesauce to freeze. The making of applesauce became 100x easier with a new gadget I borrowed from my boss - it may just be my favorite things this holiday season!

This made me wonder - what are my sister's favorite Halloween traditions??

No one else

There is no one else who understands me like my sisters.

No one else who makes me laugh as much.

No one else who truly gets me.

No one else who makes me feel free to be myself.

No one else who can get me out of my funks.

No one else who can call me out without making me feel judged.

No one else who makes me feel unconditionally loved and accepted.

and no one else I would do a blog with.

(although, no one else would have asked me to.)

attempt number 999...

I'm the girl that starts multiple blogs. I start them... and write once or twice... and then stop. I don't know if its just that I can't commit or if I get lazy, or if I just need a push to keep me going, but I don't want to not attempt to continue just for the fear of stopping, so I'm going to re-try. I figure I can try again with three of my favorite people (plus, if their peer pressure, sarcasm, bossy-ness can't keep me going, I figure nothing can!). So I'm opening this up to all of us and see if we can get this thing going. Love you!