Is Anybody Out There?

Although I'm enjoying writing these little blog enteries, I do it for you, but since I rarely see any comments, I'm just wondering... "Is Anybody Out There?!!?"

If not, I can just go back to journalling in MSWord or even in a notebook. If you're out there, please, say something!

Suzy :D

There's Something Wrong with Him!

Okay. Finally, after FIVE years, I admit it!

"There is something wrong with my son, Frank."

Not only does the kid not like:

SPAGHETTI or

HAMBURGERS or

PEPPERONI PIZZA or

POTATOES or

BEANS or

HOT DOGS or

CORN DOGS or

SODA POP or

JUICE or

KOOL-AID

but tonight I had to FORCE him to eat RAW CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH and, guess what, he didn't like that either!

I mean REALLY!

What kind of kid wants a SALAD for dinner and refuses to eat raw cookie dough? I must have done something wrong! Agh!

Suzy :D
PS: Jack, on the other hand, will eat anything we give him ... as long as it's not MEAT. He hardly eats meat, or potatoes, or beans... wait a minute! Don't get me started on Jack's pallette... he isn't even three and he DOES like Cola, and Tea, and Coffee... wonder who (DAD?) slipped him these things!

Easy Cutting Scissor's

Hey! It's taken me 14 months to get here, but this is my 50th post on my very first (this) blog. And, this post is something new, it's a product review...

I spontaneously bought a pair of Spring Action Scissors, because I liked they're Rainbow Titanium Oxide Finish. They are called Easy Kut and made by Tool Tron Industries. I really like them! (I'd give them 5 out of 5 stars.) They are lightweight and easy to use, plus the blades are quite sharp and when used to trim thread on a project, they get right up against the fabric to leave almost nothing exposed. Also, they were reasonably priced. I paid $12.95 at Odegaard's Sewing Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. I've found them online for as little as $10.95.

Definitely a product I recommend, but won't buy as gifts because long ago, my Aunt Lou told me that "you never buy cutting items for people because it will severe your relationship". Now, I don't tend to be superstitions, but for some reason this tidbit has always stuck with me.

If you do find yourself with a pair, let me know how you like them.

Suzy :D

Hot Hollywood Hunks

I've never been one to oogle Hollywood Hunks... at least not publicly! Today I diverge from my usual "good girl" posts and induldge the need for hunks. This week I've been watching Smallville Season 6 on DVD and I'm having hot flashes over something I've never had before... a blonde Hollywood Hunk! Usually I like tall dark and handsome... some of whom (listed in chronilogical order of my lust) are:

1. Harrison Ford
2. Mel Gibson
3. Sean Connery (did you ever notice that my boys' middle names are Connor and Sean... coincedence? I think not!)
4. Dean Cain
5. Viggo Mortensen

See what I mean? Tall. Dark. Handsome. That's my MO, but blonde and spikey hair? Pretty weird huh? But if you saw Justin Hartley in action you'd see what I mean. I checked him out on the Internet Movied Database and found that he's only been on TV series so far. I look forward to the future and seeing Justin Hartley on the big screen.

Okay. I think I have The Pioneer Woman to blame for my temporary fit of lustfulness... her and her Chaps / Chinks post yesterday plus Smallville's Arrow episode was just too much good stuff for a girl to handle at bedtime last night!

All right, all right! I'll get back to kids and cooking and cleaning and "good girl" stuff like that now...

Suzy :P

PS: Justin Hartley plays Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow in Smallville.

Familiar Ice

Today I found myself thankful for something entirely new (for me)... safe travel on snowy and icy roads.

It was good to spend the day with so much family (even our "crazy" ones). It's hard for others to understand how we get along... but it's familiar (hey, that looks like it's derived from the same word as "family".) Maybe that's one of the good things about "The Holidays", that it reminds us of our familiar roots.

Suzy :D

Whoda-thunk!

I just found this great tutorial and all I can say is... "Aaaaagh!" I JUST donated a pile of Tom's old shirts (and even thought of saving them for a friend who's used them before to make her kids' shirts)... I've never thought of using shirts to make pants/shorts. Could be SO CUTE! My boys are totally into sweats right now (comfy and warm) but I'm not finding them at the thrift store... perhaps I'll pick up a few nice adult sweat shirts and convert them...

And here's another cute tutorial to remember for the summer.

Suzy :D

Cooking for Picky Eaters

I enjoy cooking. BUT. I often find myself dragging my feet about meals for my family. I think it's because I put so much into the cooking and then sit down to a table full of "I don't like this!" or "I don't want to eat this." or "I'm not hungry." or "You put ___ in this!?" I'm sick of it! So. What are my options?

1. Eat the same three bland meals twice every week.
2. Make what I like, get zero appreciation, and eat most of it myself while starving my family?
3. Yell, scream, and issue threats at each dinner.
4. Make four different plates of food at every meal.

I go round and round with this. Actually, while cleaning out some old notebooks today I found a list I made in Arizona titled "foods the boys LOVE to eat"... so, obviously I've been working with and struggling over this for a while. Today I was thinking, "what if I make sure to make at least one dish that each person likes at each meal, and I rotate them to make certain everyone's eating a balanced diet..." Then I thought, "that sounds like a lot of work!"

I've never been one for making lots of special foods, I've always thought they should "eat what I fix". I also think it's my responsibility as a wife and mother to cook foods that are healthy, economical, and satisfying for the whole family.

I always have struggled to plan menus. For some reason, that's just a hard thing for me to sit down and do. I've been doing better at it, but as I do better with planning a menu and shopping for it, it feels like my family does worse for the eating of it.

I'm just not sure what to do. Any bright ideas?

On a related note, here's a super-simple treat I came up with a few years back. I call them my "cheater smores". You take whatever vanilla frosting you like (homemade or store bought) and spread it on two graham crackers. Then, sprinkle a generous layer of M&M's on one of the crackers. Top it with the second cracker and enjoy with a glass of milk. Mmm, yum! Here are a few pictures.

Like I said, super-simple and totally yumilicous!

Suzy :D