Being Unforgiven

As I sweep the floor this morning, my kids all run, screaming "Hurry!  Hurry!  Mom will sweep us up!  Hurry!".   Then my oldest daughter calls out to our dog "Eli!  Come here baby so mommy doesn't sweep you up like she did Norman!" as she sweeps (no pun intended)  him up in her arms. 

Norman is our other dog.  A cute, fluffy, sweet boy who has sadly lost his sight and hearing in his old age (he is turning 17 this year).

cute, huh?!

And, although we are very careful to watch out for him, well.......you can imagine there are times that you just can't help.   There are times he walks into doorways or into your legs as you are standing still.  I have fallen down the stairs trying to avoid stepping on him.  Yet, most days guests at our home never know there is anything wrong with him.  He loves his basket of toys and on good days will grab a toy & play fetch with himself, running circles & acting like a puppy.  Still, we have our moments and the "sweeper incident" was one of those times.  

The story goes.....I was sweeping the hallway upstairs and just as I was about to descend down the stairs, Norman decided to come up the stairs.  A perfect trifecta of horrible timing, my sweeper being in the air about to be placed on the step, and his tail being very long & fluffy caused a moment in time that I will never live down thanks to my kids unforgiving memories.   It really wasn't the end of the world....I immediately stopped the sweeper and had the five year old hold Norman while I fetched some scissors to cut his hair out of the sweeper.  He ran off and I finished sweeping, but the emotional scar lingers on. Hence, the calls from my kids every time I sweep!  I guess the fact that their mother did something unfathomably  non-motherly is enough glue to hold the memory in the forefront of their mind forever.  And ever.  And ever.   Sigh........maybe I could use it as an excuse to have them sweep??

When Life Gives You Snow.....Make Snow Icecream!

It's snowing!  It's snowing!!  I'm not sure who is more excited-the kids or me!   I just adore snow days....they are a great excuse to get nothing done AND be a big kid for the day....does it get any better??  Yes, in my house it takes a full 40 minutes to get everyone bundled up and 2 hours to get them undressed and the snow cleaned off my floor, but it is soooo worth it!  There is just something magical about sledding and snow angels :)  And when we are lucky enough to get that perfect snow for snowmen, it makes snow days all that much better!  

After we they have wore ourselves  me completely out from all the fun and  we  I am thoroughly froze, we have what I call "The Great Snow Harvest" where we collect our bowls of snow to take inside with us.  Our favorite snow day activity is definitely the making of snow icecream :)   It really is so good!  Now, my husband is completely repulsed by this, but we set our bowls out to collect the falling snow or are very careful about skimming it from the top of a very clean site.  It tastes like custard-base homemade icecream and takes 5 minutes!  We have made chocolate, strawberry, strawberry-banana, and raspberry and they were all super-yum!  (recipe below)  I also whip up a batch of quick, easy muffins or cookies and, of course, some hot coccoa while the troops are devouring their snow icecream so we can (eventually) warm up.  While everything is finishing baking,  it's time to engage in a lively game of go-fish or connect four, which usually ends in someone angry that they did not win, no matter how many times we play (what can I say....all 4 of my kids are very competitive & have never played a game "just for fun").  To placate the losing party, turning our living room into a tent city (read-every blanket & chair in your house) usually helps....especially if we all pile in & watch a movie with some of our yummy baked goods :)

There is nothing better than a glimpse of being a kid again~other than sharing the moment with your own kids!   Snow days allow us one of those opprotunities; to be there in a real way, sharing the joy with our kids.

Snow Icecream

1 can sweetened condensed milk

8 c snow (if it's really fluffy snow, you may need more....or use less of the sweetened milk)

1 tsp. vanilla

mix together & enjoy immediately.   If you want to try flavors, just mix in any add-ins to to suit your taste.

 OR if you don't have sweetened condensed milk....

1 gallon snow
1 c sugar
1T. vanilla
2 c. milk

mix & enjoy :)

Snappy Cinnamon Rolls & No Sleep



February 2011 ( *slightly*  more snow!)

 This week my kids are off from school for "Mid-Winter Recess" despite the fact that we haven't really had a winter yet.  So, I'm doing my best motherly duties to make the week fun, engaging, as exciting as February can be when you're stuck at home for a week.  So, last night all four of the kids had a sleepover.  I know, I know...as a seasoned parent I should know better, but evidently I'm sub-consciously going for my instant sainthood award.  Unfortunately, after last night I can't remember my name to be bestowed with my award.  In fact, my children may all be grown up and moved out by now~it feels like at least a decade since I've had sleep.  Sleepovers are really a drift-in-and-out-of-consciousness-while-listening-to-squeals-and-excited-chatter-while-trying-to-make-sure-no one-escapes-or-does-something-forbidden-nights.  I guess someone decided it was too long of a name :)

But this morning,  as I had children pouncing on me and running throughout the house exclaiming they were starved, despite my sleep-deprived state, I decided I would whip up some of my favorite morning food EVER~Cinnamon Rolls.  Now, I have the recipe my great grandmother and I used to make, but I also have my go-to recipe that takes a fraction of the time and effort because, let's face it, I don't often have hours of time or energy to spare.  So, for my first post (finally)  I'm going to let everyone in on my secret recipe :)


Snappy Cinnamon Rolls
taken from Taste of Home

4 1/2c biscuit/baking mix
1 1/3c milk
2T softened butter
1/4c sugar
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/3c raisins (optional, but very yummy!)

1. Combine mix and milk.  Knead 8-10 times on floured surface (although I cheat & sprinkle some flour on top & knead right in my big bowl)
2.  Roll dough into 12 x 10 in. rectangle.  Spread with butter.
3.  Combine cinnamon, sugar, & raisins (if you are using them) & sprinkle over mixture.  (A cheat here is to use the 2c measuring cup from your milk to mix this up in~saves a bowl!)

4.  Roll up jelly roll style.  pinch seam to seal.  Cut into 12 slices & place cut side down on a greased baking sheet. (I also use 9in pie plates so you can frost them right in the baking dish)

5.  Bake @450 degrees for 10 min or until just starting to turn brown on top.  Don't over bake or they will be too dry!

Icing

2c confectioner's sugar

2T milk
2T melted butter

1tsp vanilla

Mix until smooth.  I frost mine when the rolls are still slightly warm, as the icing goes into every yummy crevice & saturates the roll.  Enjoy!!

OOOEY GOOEY YUMMINESS!!

This is to document my journey, my winding road, my bumpy path that parenting takes me on.  I am inspired, amused, and encouraged by the stories of others and hope that I may do the same for others.  I would love to say I will have wonderfully amazing craft ideas, gourmet recipes, and pictures of perfectly coiffed children, but I haven't quite gotten that far down the path of balanced parenting :)   Expect the unexpected and go with what you have seem to be the recurring themes of my life, so......here we go!