Two of a Kind's Ergo Giveaway

Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House is having a giveaway for an Ergobaby carrier, backpack, and front pouch. You have until March 16 to enter.

I'm No Supermom's Great Giveaway

I'm No Supermom and Parenting By Nature are having a giveaway for a BabyHawk Mei Tai.  Giveaway ends March 6.

I don't think I have to tell you how excited I was to see this giveaway.  I'd be so excited to win.  

 

Dinner

I Won an Award: The Passionate Blogger Award

I got an award from Alexia at The Mommy Rambles the other day (well it might be a few days now. I'm a bit slow at getting things done at times) And I wanted to tell her Thank You!

I've never received an award online before. It's the Passionate Blogger Award.





Rules:
1. Put the logo in your blog
2. Write five things you are passionate about apart from blogging
3. Tag 5 people on your lists and let them know you tagged them


My five things:

1. Jesus
2. My Family
3. Reading
4. Board Games - even though I don't get to play that often
5. Spring - is it here yet?


I'm giving this award to:

1. Tami @ Tree Swing Reading
2. Andrea @ The Laughs Will Go On
3. Katrina @ Stone SouP
4. Jessica @ The Dietzel Family
5. and I'll have to think about this last one.

A Bit of New Orleans at Home

Today is Mardi Gras. Happy Fat Tuesday.

We've had a bit of New Orleans in the last couple of weeks. Jambalaya, King Cakes, Beignets and Cafe' au lait from Cafe' Du Monde. Yum!

I made a King Cake from the brioche dough, recipe for dough is found in the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book.

I forgot to take photos of each step but I did manage to get a picture just before consuming it. It was so good. I made 2 and filled one with apples and a cream cheese spread and the other contained lemon curd.




With the leftover dough I made beignets (a french style doughnut) and in the tradition of Cafe' du Monde (a coffee shop in New Orleans), I piled them with powdered sugar. These were delicious as well.




Want to read a bit more about our trip last year to New Orleans during Carnival season?

Here are most of the throws I caught last year. That is a bathtub full of beads.

We Love Stickers

The girls love stickers. I have a large shoe box filled with all kinds. They are an easy craft project, gives them great fine motor practice, and keeps them occupied for a long time. But sometimes the stickers can get a bit crazy in the house. I often find them places I shouldn't. Here's a few of those locations in the past couple of weeks.


Not such a bad place. On paper like they are supposed to be.



On the humidifier. Nope shouldn't be there.



On the stairs.



On an old computer. Nice Pattern



On the wall.



On the washing machine door.



On a remote control.



On the back of a door.



And eventually we see this. On a kid. This kid is Pony.



And one more from 2005 when Buttercup was only 18 months.

I Never Grew Up is Having a Birthday

Make sure to visit I Never Grew Up's Birthday Bash. It ends on Feb. 28.

missing posts

where are my posts? they're lost!!

*Update - They're back. Whew! I thought I lost them all.

Wordless Wednesday: House Guest

For more WW fun visit 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordless Wednesday

King of the Icicles

A few weeks ago, I was outside walking around the house when I spied a ginormous icicle hanging off the back of the house. I grabbed Buttercup and ran outside for another look, well after bundling her into several layers of clothing. We rounded the corner and there it was. She was amazed at it's size. It was very thick and froze it's way to the ground. It was the King of all house icicles. But alas, he is no more. About a week ago it really warmed up and was rainy. I heard a loud crash coming from that side of the house. He collapsed into a heap and melted away.

Wordless Wednesday: A Visit from the Snarl Fairy

Want more WW? Visit Wordless Wednesday or 5 Minutes for Mom

Empanada Lesson

Every so often, my family and I (mostly my mom and I) get together with my aunt to learn a new recipe. We take turns bringing something to share. One time my brother and mom taught my aunt how to make onion rings. She's taught us how to make alfajores (a popular Argentina cookie). This last time we got together, we learned how to make empanada dough. I also taught her how to make a batch of bread from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book (speaking of this book, I made a King Cake the other day and I'll post photos soon). It was a long day of cooking and dough.

We came with all of our ingredients to make the dough and our filling. Our filling consisted of shredded pork with green chilies. It was very good. My aunt had a ground/shredded beef filling. I'm not sure what exactly was in her filling. The traditional Mendoza style filling has ground beef, green olives, and hard boiled eggs. You really can fill the empanadas with anything you want. Vegetables, fruit, and meat of all kinds make great fillings.

The photos are of my aunt making her empanadas. I didn't think to get the camera out until we were finished with ours.

Our dough was a bit thin after it was all rolled out and cut into circle so it was a bit hard to work with. Next time we will keep them a little thicker.

Filling the dough

Closing the empanada

Here's the hard part. Folding the edges. There's a special technique to folding them. I didn't quite get it figured out. I need a bit more work on the folding. I did manage to make a few that looked decent.

Here's the finished empanada. Isn't it pretty.

Here is our completed (unbaked) empanadas. Don't look too close. Some of them are a bit scary. We did eat most of the mangled looking ones that night. And they tasted good.



And here is the final product. This one contained potatoes, hard boiled egg, and pork.

Rockin Mama's Potty Party

Rockin Mama is having a Potty Party. Are you in the midst of potty training? Head on over to get some advice and see some great potty products. Pony is working on potty training so I'm headed over right now.

Bebe au Lait Burp Cloths

Bebe au Lait is a company you've probably heard about.  I've mentioned them a few times.  They make wonderful nursing covers and many other products as well.  I automatically associate their name with their nursing covers but did you know they also have burp cloths, reversible double bibs and a new product being released soon, hooded towels.  

I received a burp cloth a few months ago and it's the nicest burp cloth I've ever seen.  It's 100% cotton terry cloth on both sides.  And is the perfect length to keep you covered front and back.  There's even a chic fabric swatch on one side created from their exclusive prints.  Burp cloths come in a pack of 3 for $20.   

I haven't used the burp cloth for burping any babies because thankfully the girls are past that age.  But these burp cloths would make a wonderful plush wash cloth.  I'm sure there are other uses I haven't thought of for these cloths once your past that burping stage.  Maybe you could give me a few more ideas.  

Starting tomorrow, if you make a purchase from Bebe au Lait, you will receive a free sample of Mustela No-Rinse Cleansing Fluid.

Make sure you keep an eye out for the launch of their new hooded towels.  They look like they are going to be amazing.  And if they use the same terry cloth they use for their burp cloths, they are going to be very soft. 

Laundry Confessionals

The other day I did laundry and had a realization. I have an addiction.

Here is what my laundry basket held when I was finished with laundry:

3 jeans
1 khaki pants
2 tshirts
6 shirts
4 hoodies
various undergarments
14 sets of pajamas

Do you see that?! 14 sets of pjs not individual pieces but tops and bottoms counted together. I think I have an addiction to loungewear. I admit there are days that I get up in the morning and put on a clean set of pjs to hang around the house in. I also admit there are days I hang out in the pjs I wore to bed that night.

When I get home and know I'm going to be staying home, you bet I'm going to be changing into something more comfortable. Currently, I'm sitting at the computer wearing last night's pjs of a snowman shirt and Santa Clause pants. They don't match and they each have their mate somewhere in the drawer. I was just too tired to match them up last night. I rarely actually match them up.

This year for Christmas, I received 2 more to join my 3 drawers full of loungewear. 3 drawers full! That is half of my clothing space in my dresser.

I don't intend to stop this addiction but I thought I'd share my laundry revelation from the other day.

*UPDATE* I got dressed today.

A Very Important Question. Please Answer

I've got a very important question that I need to ask and I'd like all of you to leave your answers in the comment section.


How long do you wear your jeans before washing them?

a. 1 time
b. 2-3 times
c. I don't wear jeans
d. 4-5 times
e. As many times as I can get away with
f. Mine could stand on their own
g. A week
h. I give 'em a sniff and if they smell fine I put them on
i. As long as there are no stains on them
j. Wear them once and then in the wash because they are my only pair
k. Are you guys still reading these selections?
l. Stop reading and go comment and let me know all about your jeans
m. Really, stop reading and go comment


I wear mine about 2-3 times and then they get washed. I only have 3 pairs so they need to be frequently washed.

Photo of our washing machine with way too much soap

Random Observations

• Fm static and Am static sound different. (I was using it as white noise to keep Buttercup asleep in the morning after Pony had already woken up)

• You probably shouldn't reek of alcohol when you go to Secretary of State. (I think the guy next to me needed this information)

• When I decide to use my camera the batteries always seem to be dead or as my camera says they are "exhausted".

• My "C" key doesn't always want to work.

• Now that I'm a year older my memory is going. (I had some other things I was going to share but can't remember them now)

• I love Ghiraradelli brownies and chocolate muffins.

• Um, now my "R" key doesn't like me. Maybe the batteries in the keyboard are "exhausted" just like my camera.

• Pinata's are super fun.

• Swinging is fun even in the middle of winter (photo taken winter 2007)
  

Celebrate

Today is my day and I just might celebrate!

I Want an ERGO from Jolly Mom

Jolly Mom is having another amazing giveaway.  This time it's for an ERGO baby carrier.  I would love, love, love to have one of these carriers.  The girls are getting so big and I've heard great things about how ERGO's work with larger kids.  I'm Keeping My Fingers Crossed for this one.  

Oh you have until Jan. 27 th to enter. 

Have Some Fun at This Full House

This Full House has a super fun giveaway right now.  You can enter to win an Xbox 360 Elite.  You have until Jan. 20 th to enter.