My husband, Luke, and both of my kids are sick. I have been chasing a little green booger monster around the last couple of days and I'm spent. Or maybe I'm lazy and looking for an excuse not too cook. Either way we ordered pizza for supper and I'm not going to lie. It was delicious.
Greasy, cheesy, goodness on a crispy, buttery crust. Green and black olives, onions and mushrooms, I thank you. I don't feel badly for not slaving in the kitchen in order to make my dear family a nutritious meal. Why should I?
I also cheated when I made Amelia's baby food. The gasp that just escaped your lips is not going to stop me from sharing with you the easiest, quickest, sneakiest way to make baby food for your little puckle pastry.
I bake sweet potatoes in the oven along with acorn squash. I steam fresh organic green beans and peas. I simmer peas and carrots on the stove. However, that all takes time and preparation that we busy mommies don't always have.
There are already precooked, ready to puree veggies out there waiting to make your life easier. Yes, yes you could just buy the jars of baby food but where's the fun in that? Plus, it's so much more expensive! I am talking about canned veggies.
Just grab a variety of canned vegetables with "no salt added" on the label. Toss them in the blender or food processor and puree to your hearts content. Add a little of the juice to make sure it is the right consistency for your baby, then poor the finished product into ice cube trays. One can makes approximately 2/3 of a tray.
Place in the freezer and once frozen through, toss the cubes of baby food into an appropriately labeled container or baggie. Done. The next time Amelia needs to eat I'll just grab a cube or two (she's 7 1/2 months old) and pop them in the microwave for 22 seconds (ovens may very).
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Balance
Ok, so I'm back here again. I have not mastered the see-saw in my playground yet. That is, I still have not found a proper balance between my husband and kids, and my selfish self. Before I was concerned (and I believe, rightfully so) that I was not giving my 2 1/2 year old son and my now 7 1/2 month old daughter the attention they deserved.
I felt that I was putting so much effort into getting my Etsy shop up and running and making it successful that I allowed my babies to be babysat by the boob tube. My goal was to find a balance in the month of May and make sure to give Liam and Amelia the best of me.
Well, now here I am, it's the end of May and I my Etsy teeter-totter is up in the air. I love all the time I have with my kids. I don't feel the guilt I was feeling when I would spend every available second listing a new item or packing up a sold item.
The problem is my sales have dropped significantly. I know that in order to get new traffic in my store I need to list new items almost daily. I'm listing one or two new things a week, tops. I also need to keep up with the Storque (Etsy's blog) and keep shopping and finding new favorites. These things all help to put my store's name out there where buyers or sellers can see it.
I am spending quality time with my children. I know that is important but I love it too. I love spending time with them. I would hate to look back on this time and wish I had given them more.
On the flip side, I love my Etsy shop. I love that on a whim I decided to try it out and found something that feeds my vintage soul. I enjoy finding thing I love and finding them a good home even if it's not my own.
My goal for June is to really find balance. I will ask for more help. I will let my husband know when I need to really focus and I will not spend precious time away frivolously. There is a sort of schedule materializing in my head that should help me to separate my work and family time. I WILL be more productive with my time!
I felt that I was putting so much effort into getting my Etsy shop up and running and making it successful that I allowed my babies to be babysat by the boob tube. My goal was to find a balance in the month of May and make sure to give Liam and Amelia the best of me.
Well, now here I am, it's the end of May and I my Etsy teeter-totter is up in the air. I love all the time I have with my kids. I don't feel the guilt I was feeling when I would spend every available second listing a new item or packing up a sold item.
The problem is my sales have dropped significantly. I know that in order to get new traffic in my store I need to list new items almost daily. I'm listing one or two new things a week, tops. I also need to keep up with the Storque (Etsy's blog) and keep shopping and finding new favorites. These things all help to put my store's name out there where buyers or sellers can see it.
I am spending quality time with my children. I know that is important but I love it too. I love spending time with them. I would hate to look back on this time and wish I had given them more.
On the flip side, I love my Etsy shop. I love that on a whim I decided to try it out and found something that feeds my vintage soul. I enjoy finding thing I love and finding them a good home even if it's not my own.
My goal for June is to really find balance. I will ask for more help. I will let my husband know when I need to really focus and I will not spend precious time away frivolously. There is a sort of schedule materializing in my head that should help me to separate my work and family time. I WILL be more productive with my time!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Hello sunshine
our giggly gnome
when I was a kid our lilacs didn't bloom until the first week in June
giggly gnome ready for his big trip
even though it's 75 degrees out I still love my coffee in my favorite spot
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mother's Day
I hope all you mommies had a great day yesterday. If you're anything like me you don't need much to feel appreciated. A great cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll for breakfast. Big smiles and hugs and kisses. A quiet lunch out to a secret spot...cue the screeching record.
We decided to go to a little place in town where they make this simple but delicious sandwich. They pile warm pastrami high on multigrain bread with a little mayo and call it lunch! My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. They also use eco friendly products like forks and spoons made from vegetable fibers and biodegradable straws so that adds extra incentive to patronize their fine establishment.
We ordered our food at the counter and I used up all my tricks just trying to get Liam to stay with us. He finally took off for the fireplace and immediately flipped the switch to turn it on and started jumping on their leather love seat that sits in front of it.
When I tried to get him to come over to our table he started shouting and kicking and making a scene. Ugh! I just didn't have any fight left in me. I asked him if he was hungry or if he wanted to go home. He just started running and I grabbed him and got down on the floor in his face and said if he didn't stop it right then we were going out to the car.
Apparently he really wanted to go to the car because he tried to pull my hand off his arm and run at the same time saying "NO NO NO WAY!". I picked him up and told Luke we'd be in the car and we weren't coming back in. Liam cried the whole way out. There were a few ladies in there who tried to act like they didn't notice but how could they not!?
I put him in his car seat and told him how disappointed I was that we couldn't have a nice meal in a restaurant anymore because he can't behave. He shook his head. He screamed, that silent scream that comes before the blood curdling one, and then let out the most dramatic howl. His face turned red, spit hung in strings from his top teeth to the bottom ones and he tried with all his might to keep me from buckling his car seat.
I slammed the door (ok so I lost my cool a little too, but at least I took it out on the car!) and went around to the other side and got in the front seat. I crossed my arms and just listened to his nonsense for a couple of minutes until he calmed down.
Luke brought Amelia out while they packed up our food and Liam begged to be rescued. After getting our food Luke got in and we took off for home. We actually had a very nice meal when we got back. Liam apologized for his behavior (not in so many words) and he ate most of his lunch. He was told he was going to bed immediately afterwards and he insisted on daddy putting him to bed. He slept like an angel and the rest of the day was relaxing and peaceful.
I love my little monkey and I know one day I will look back on this time and remember how he was naughty sometimes but it won't seem as bad. His cooky antics, chocolate milk mustaches, the hair in his eyes and the way he giggles when he gets tickled are the things I will remember most. It won't be long and I will long for these days so I will treasure them even if he makes a scene in public. At least he said he was sorry, right?
We decided to go to a little place in town where they make this simple but delicious sandwich. They pile warm pastrami high on multigrain bread with a little mayo and call it lunch! My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. They also use eco friendly products like forks and spoons made from vegetable fibers and biodegradable straws so that adds extra incentive to patronize their fine establishment.
We ordered our food at the counter and I used up all my tricks just trying to get Liam to stay with us. He finally took off for the fireplace and immediately flipped the switch to turn it on and started jumping on their leather love seat that sits in front of it.
When I tried to get him to come over to our table he started shouting and kicking and making a scene. Ugh! I just didn't have any fight left in me. I asked him if he was hungry or if he wanted to go home. He just started running and I grabbed him and got down on the floor in his face and said if he didn't stop it right then we were going out to the car.
Apparently he really wanted to go to the car because he tried to pull my hand off his arm and run at the same time saying "NO NO NO WAY!". I picked him up and told Luke we'd be in the car and we weren't coming back in. Liam cried the whole way out. There were a few ladies in there who tried to act like they didn't notice but how could they not!?
I put him in his car seat and told him how disappointed I was that we couldn't have a nice meal in a restaurant anymore because he can't behave. He shook his head. He screamed, that silent scream that comes before the blood curdling one, and then let out the most dramatic howl. His face turned red, spit hung in strings from his top teeth to the bottom ones and he tried with all his might to keep me from buckling his car seat.
I slammed the door (ok so I lost my cool a little too, but at least I took it out on the car!) and went around to the other side and got in the front seat. I crossed my arms and just listened to his nonsense for a couple of minutes until he calmed down.
Luke brought Amelia out while they packed up our food and Liam begged to be rescued. After getting our food Luke got in and we took off for home. We actually had a very nice meal when we got back. Liam apologized for his behavior (not in so many words) and he ate most of his lunch. He was told he was going to bed immediately afterwards and he insisted on daddy putting him to bed. He slept like an angel and the rest of the day was relaxing and peaceful.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Spring Market!
I went to the Saint Joseph Spring Market today thinking, being that it's the last day of the weekend, that it would be picked through and there would be nothing left. Boy, was I wrong! The place was huge first of all, it was indoors (which was nice since the weather was not so great) and there were flyers pasted on every corner saying "Vendors restocking daily"!
The setting was the Saint Joseph Ballroom and it took me an hour and a half to get through it all. Of course, I can't skim through. I have to see everything, you know.
My most exciting find was an adorable vintage houndstooth jacket with cherry-red lining for Amelia to wear in the Fall. Sooo cute! I was pretty stoked to find a faux bois desk lamp for only $4.00 for my workroom. There were some really fantastic things that I had to drag myself away from, including some super charming metal lawn chairs and a shabby iron crib.
I am happy to say I only bought a couple of things for my Etsy shop and everything else was for keeps! I got a bag of magnetic letters for some fun projects to come, a sweet apron, and some enamel pins. Ahhh, retail therapy, vintage style!
The market was very well organized and the pathways were nice and roomy. It was set up like an antiques mall and had individual booths for each vendor, but some of them sold homemade goodies like bread mixes, jams, purses and aprons. There were lawn and garden ornaments including some very creative birdbaths made from reclaimed stools and broken china. The best part: you don't pay each vendor like at a flea market. You only have to pay once at the end and they take credit cards! Well, maybe the credit card part is sort of a bad thing...
If you are interested, they will be open again next weekend too starting Thursday, May 6th at 10:00 am. I'd like to try to get over there again. Maybe I'll take the stroller and bring the kids too...or not. I'll be sure to bring the camera though.
The setting was the Saint Joseph Ballroom and it took me an hour and a half to get through it all. Of course, I can't skim through. I have to see everything, you know.
My most exciting find was an adorable vintage houndstooth jacket with cherry-red lining for Amelia to wear in the Fall. Sooo cute! I was pretty stoked to find a faux bois desk lamp for only $4.00 for my workroom. There were some really fantastic things that I had to drag myself away from, including some super charming metal lawn chairs and a shabby iron crib.
I am happy to say I only bought a couple of things for my Etsy shop and everything else was for keeps! I got a bag of magnetic letters for some fun projects to come, a sweet apron, and some enamel pins. Ahhh, retail therapy, vintage style!
The market was very well organized and the pathways were nice and roomy. It was set up like an antiques mall and had individual booths for each vendor, but some of them sold homemade goodies like bread mixes, jams, purses and aprons. There were lawn and garden ornaments including some very creative birdbaths made from reclaimed stools and broken china. The best part: you don't pay each vendor like at a flea market. You only have to pay once at the end and they take credit cards! Well, maybe the credit card part is sort of a bad thing...
If you are interested, they will be open again next weekend too starting Thursday, May 6th at 10:00 am. I'd like to try to get over there again. Maybe I'll take the stroller and bring the kids too...or not. I'll be sure to bring the camera though.
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