RTT: Tea Parties, Exercising, and Burlington, VT

It's time for another Random Tuesday Thoughts, currently being hosted by the rebellious Stacy at Stacy Uncorked.

• It seems as though the only posts I am doing lately are Random Tuesday Thoughts! Okay, in reality, that really is all I'm doing, but I suppose it's because they are so easy! I don't have to worry about gathering all of my thoughts into an organized and cohesive post. I've also been busier these last few weeks. Well, maybe not busier, but less inclined to sit in front of the computer for hours on end (because that is seriously how long it takes me to compose anything).

•  In a quest to try to lose those last stubborn baby weight pounds, I have started working out. Kind of. I'm not going to the gym or anything entirely motivating as that. I'm using the Exercise on Demand feature through our cable provider to complete various workouts at night after the boys have gone to bed and while Daddio is at the gym. It's a nice feature to have. I've tried kickboxing, yoga, cardio, pilates, "piloxing", and bellydancing workouts so far, along with various mini-workouts for my abs and buns and thighs. It's been a good experience, but I'm not really seeing too many results yet. I understand that it's only been a week, but come on! That's one of the reasons I have always hated working out; I would prefer to see instant results and tend to lose patience if I don't. But, it has been over one week since I started, so I'm hopeful that it's a sign that I will actually stick to it this time around. We will see. 

•  I am a member of the Friends of the "Small Town" Free Library committee.Basically that means that we are in charge of organizing fundraisers to help raise money for our local public library. We are in the middle of planning an American Girl doll tea party. I am on the crafts committee for it. As a mother of two boys, this will be an interesting experience for me, and I'm kind of excited about it. This is the second year that the tea party has been held. Last year only 30 tickets were available, and it sold out immediately. This year, we changed the venue to be able to host 60 young ladies and their dolls. Tickets were sold out in less than one week! It's crazy how popular this is! Basically, the girls get to dress up and bring their American Girl dolls with them to participate in crafts, and games, and refreshments for a few hours. We also offer items available for purchase and are raffling off this year's American Girl "Girl of the Year" doll, Kanani; she's Hawaiian. I was assigned the task of creating Bingo cards, and I think that I did a pretty nice job.  I had to come up with 15 different cards.

• Spring is finally here. Yay! Hurray for spring! Yesterday our temps were near 70, if not all the way there. Today, we are expecting mid-60s, while the rest of the week will see the 50s. I'm not going to complain, because as long as it's not more snow, then I am a-okay with that!

• In American Idol news, what on earth happened last week?! In all fairness, I should admit that I don't vote, nor have I ever voted, for an American Idol contestant, so I am probably one of those viewers who is to blame for why Pia was sent home last week. I assumed that Pia would make it to the final three. However, I did not think that she would win, (I've already pegged James Durbin for that honor). While Pia has an absolutely beautiful voice, and the image to go along with it, I don't think that she has shown enough personality to actually win. She is not the performer that most of the other contestants are. Apparently that's the main theory behind why people suspect she was booted last week. I think that she should have at least lasted longer than Stefano, but what do I know. 

•  Daddio and I took a mini-trip to Burlington, VT this weekend. I intend on writing more about it in a separate post, so I will just say here that on Saturday, we stopped by my mom's house long enough to throw the boys out of the car, and headed to Burlington for the night. I love my boys to death, but it was so nice having that time without them. I think that we actually enjoyed each other's company for once! Or at least I know I did, I cannot speak for Daddio on that one. But it was a nice stress-free trip together. Next time we're shooting for a whole week. I'll tell you all more about it later, but in the meantime, you can check out some of my purchases while I was there.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

It's Tuesday Already?

So I (almost) completely forgot that today is Tuesday. For whatever reason, I keep thinking it's Monday. Time to whip out a quick Random Tuesday Thoughts, currently being hosted by Stacy Uncorked.

I originally had a list of random ideas started, but I have misplaced it. So let's try to pull something out of nothing...

• I would like to know whose bright idea it was to package plain oatmeal in a box with blue coloring and with a picture of real blueberries on top of a bowl of oatmeal on the front. The strawberry oatmeal comes in a box with red coloring and a photo of real strawberries on top of a bowl of oatmeal, so I think that's it's a pretty safe bet that a mother who is scurrying through the grocery store with two hungry and tired boys is going to quickly glance at the box and assume that it is blueberry oatmeal and throw it in the cart. This is why I don't go grocery shopping. I wonder how many other distracted mothers were fooled by this. 

RTT: Disney is clueless, and Mother Nature is a tease

I wasn't going to participate in Random Tuesday Thoughts this week because Keely from The Un Mom has gone on hiatus, but apparently Stacy at Stacy Uncorked is picking up the torch until Keely decides to return.

Stacy Uncorked

Is anyone else upset over the fact that Jennifer Garner has been cast to play Agatha Christie's iconic Miss Marple? Apparently Disney is in the works to "reboot" the character to give her "youthful and more modern spin". Bad idea? I think so. The age of the character matters because it is what makes Miss Marple such a success. Her years of experience in St. Mary Mead and the time that she has spent observing human nature is what makes her so successful at what she does. (That coupled with the folks who underestimate mental abilities and view her as a batty old lady who knows nothing). If they were going to “reboot” the character, then why not just create an entirely new character altogether? Am I the only one who feels this way?

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Owen just called me into Ben's room. He and Ben are sitting in the glider chair together, cuddling. (Awwww). But then he tells me that Ben is picking his nose. No. That Owen used Ben's finger to pick his nose. Gross. Boys will be boys. 

RTT: John Lithgow, Muffins, and Cops, Oh My!

It's another Random Tuesday! Brought to you by Keely from The Un Mom.

Did anyone happen to catch How I Met Your Mother last night? (If not, then be prepared for a minor spoiler). I was excited to learn that Barney would finally be meeting his dad! And after all of the drama and hype surrounding his father, how utterly disappointing to see that John Lithgow was cast as his father. I have never been a fan of his, especially when he starred on 3rd Rock from the Sun, but I did not mind him as Lord Farquaad in Shrek But casting aside, this storyline provided Barney with several touching scenes as he came to terms with reconnecting with his father. I just about bawled when he confronts his dad with the fact that yes, he is now a "Suburban Dad", but why couldn't he be that for Barney? I think it was also great that the viewers were given a chance to see through some of the cracks in Barney's shell and get a glimpse of the pain he feels. But I still don't like John Lithgow, even though he admittedly did a fantastic job with the role. (Click here for a much better recap than I was able to produce).

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Lesson learned this week, if a recipes states to bake muffins at 400 for 18-22 minutes, DO NOT listen! The last two recipes I've used have both directed this, and both times, the darn things burned on the bottom. From now on, I'm sticking to the usual 375 for 20-25 minutes. I really don't know what else could have been the problem. I have not moved my bottom rack at all, so they should not have been too low. Who knows.

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RTT: Idol, Spring, and Imperfect Facebook Grammar

Thank goodness it's Tuesday! I haven't had any inspiration, nor motivation, to sit down and compose an organized and thorough post about anything lately. Time for some randomness! Brought to you by Keely at The Un Mom.

It's quite possible that I'm the last person to be posting Random Tuesday Thoughts today. I was not really prepared ahead of time to be doing this.

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Last week I had a revelation, a reminder as to why I stopped watching American Idol in the first place; the results show. And I think it's grown worse over the last few seasons that I stopped watching. Really. Can they cram any more product placements or pointless scenes into it? How many more Ford music videos are they going to subject us to? Or awkward group performances? They should use that hour to allow the viewers to get to know the contestants better. Afterall, we are the ones voting for them. (And by "we", I don't mean me, because I don't actually vote for anyone). This week, I'm tuning in for the last five minutes to find out who gets cut, and that's it. Or maybe I won't even do that. I might just read about it the next day. We shall see.

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I am so happy that spring is finally just around the corner! I checked our local weekly weather forecast and it's starting to warm up! "Warm up" as in high 40s. And yes, that makes me happy. Although they are calling for some snow showers on Saturday (boo!). I love spring, especially when the flowers and leaves start to bloom/bud. It also means that the boys and I can get back outside for walks. (Yes, I realize that we can go for walks during the winter as well, but that's is so not happening. I am not a winter person). 

RTT: 100 Posts Later....

It's another Random Tuesday Thoughts hosted by Keely over at The Un Mom!

 

It's official! This is my 100th post! I wanted to do an extra special post in celebration, but really, who has time for that? Or the motivation. So this will have to suffice. What would have been really nice is if I had acquired 100 followers by my 100th post, but as it stands, I still only have 20. 20 brave souls who are following me publicly, that is. I like to believe that I have 100 anonymous followers out there. :-) But thank you to those of you who are still with me, 100 posts later! (OBG, SMW, and Laura were my first three followers! And an extra thanks to Laura for being my first non-family member follower).

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 Okay, I have to say what I'm sure all ladies around the world are thinking. Thank you Charlie Sheen for enlightening us all on what we have obviously been missing out on for years! I think it's time to update our checklist for the "Perfect Man" and add "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA" to the list. Who knew that these things even existed? No wonder so many women have been unlucky in love! We've been looking for the wrong thing! (Seriously, how many men do you think are going to start adding "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA" to their profiles on dating websites? My guess? Thousands).

Tasty Tuesday: Magic in the Middle Cookies

Warning: These cookies may result in a serious addiction. Especially if you love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Bake at your own risk.

Magic in the Middle Cookies

Yield: 26 cookies; Prep: 25 minutes; Bake: 10 minutes + cooling

Random Tuesday Thoughts- My First One!

So I'm participating in my first Random Tuesday Thoughts. It may also be my only Random Tuesday Thoughts, but we'll see.

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I watched the Oscars this weekend, mainly because I felt as though I needed to make up for missing the other award shows. I gotta say, I was not impressed. First of all, I just don't get what the big deal is with James Franco. Where's the appeal? I don't think he's cute or entertaining. I vote to bring back Hugh Jackman! And speaking of which, I've never really been a fan of Anne Hathaway, but that poor girl pretty much carried the hosting responsibilities. I loved her "tribute" to Hugh Jackman! And felt sorry for her when her nervous "geekiness" peeked through. I also think Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law would be great hosts!

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In related news, am I the only one left who still asks, "What the hell is this Twitter thing?" Seriously. I still don't get it. Obviously, I'm not signed up for it or know anything about it. But I'm in no hurry to make the choice to learn more about it. Maybe that's because everyone is doing it and talking about it. I'm sure that if I checked it out, I would get it, but not happening. I also think that it was rather rude of James Franco to be Tweeting while hosting the Oscars. 

Tasty Tuesday: Lemon-Blueberry Oat Muffins

Back in July, I posted a recipe called The Best Blueberry Muffins. I was mistaken. I have since found a blueberry muffin recipe that I enjoy even more than those and have decided that they are now the SECOND Best Blueberry Muffins. Here are the BEST blueberry muffins:

Lemon-Blueberry Oat Muffins

Not my photo

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour*

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 egg white

1 cup fat-free milk

2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*

TOPPING:

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, softened

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the egg, egg white, milk, butter, lemon peel, and vanilla; mix well. Add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in berries. Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use paper liners; fill two-thirds full with batter. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 for 20-22 minutes or until top is lightly browned and springs back when lightly touched. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Nutritional Analysis

*Note: I use whole-wheat flour, frozen blueberries, and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice instead of the peel, because I don't keep lemons stocked in my fridge. I have not tried these muffins made as directed, so I don't know if my substitutions change anything.

Tasty Tuesday: Butternut Squash Waffles

Hey, don't knock 'em until you've tried them!

Owen wanted waffles for dinner one night, and I had just baked a butternut squash to make muffins with. Knowing that I would have plenty to go around, I decided to use some of the squash in place of sweet potatoes in a waffle recipe that I have. (I have yet to try it with sweet potatoes. You can find the original recipe here). I didn't tell Owen what was in the waffles until after he finished TWO of them, (both he and Ben wanted seconds), to which he said, "Mmmmm. I LIKE squash!" Success!

Butternut Squash Waffles

 

2 cups biscuit/baking mix

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg

1 1/3 cups milk

1 cup cooked, mashed butternut squash

2 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the biscuit mix, brown sugar, and spices. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, squash, oil, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined.

Bake in preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Serve with syrup.

Note: The original recipe called for a nut topping which I eliminated because of allergies. 

 

Tasty Tuesday: Crumb-Topped Apple & Pumpkin Pie

I have never really been a fan of apple pie. (I know. How un-American of me). But when I came across this recipe in my Light & Tasty magazine it sounded promising. I made it for the first time for Christmas last year and it received rave reviews. I made it again this past weekend when I hosted a game night and a separate dinner night at my house. It received even more rave reviews and several requests for a copy of the recipe. They plan to make this for their Thanksgiving dinners.

Crumb-Topped Apple & Pumpkin Pie

APPLE LAYER:

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
2 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

PUMPKIN FILLING:

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

TOPPING:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons cold butter
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry. Transfer pastry to a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon. Spoon into crust.

In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin filling ingredients. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

For topping, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly; stir in walnuts. Sprinkle over pie. Bake 20-25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted into pumpkin layer comes out clean (cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary).

Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 10 servings


Note: I made a couple of changes from the original recipe out of convenience. Instead of a sheet of refrigerated pie pastry, I used a deep-dish pie shell (from the freezer section). I also used 2 eggs instead of the egg substitute. I eliminated the chopped walnuts in the topping due to allergies. I also found that I had to add at least around 1 tablespoon of butter to the topping in order to get it to crumble properly.



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Tasty Tuesday: Dinosaur Cake

I was having a very difficult time deciding what theme to choose for Ben's first birthday, (but technically his second party). I asked the boys what I should do for his (second) cake and Sam said a dinosaur, while Owen said a house (which is what we did for his first cake). Sam won and for whatever reason, I was feeling very adventurous and decided to make the cake myself. I found some directions and templates online at two different sites (here and here) and sort of did a mix of the two. Here is a step-by-step of what I did:

What you will need (for MY version):

*Two different cake mixes
*Two 8-inch round cake pans
*Four cupcakes
*Frosting
*Food coloring
*Decorator's frosting in a tube
*Graham cracker crumbs
*Patience

Step 1. Prepare cakes according to package directions. (I used 1 dark chocolate and 1 classic yellow mix, but this is completely optional, as you can make this same cake with just one mix, but I chose to be complicated by having more than one flavor cake). Pour half of each mix into lightly greased cake pans. (I used the rest of the cake batter to make cupcakes to freeze for another time). Bake according to package directions.

Yin and Yang

Step 2. Allow cakes to cool completely. (There may be a SLIGHT chance that I put more chocolate batter in the pan than yellow. But no biggie; everyone knows chocolate is better anyway.)

Step 3. Cut each cake in half. Use frosting (I used a can of classic white frosting) to join the two cakes together, round sides facing out. Frost the flat side before placing on a tray to ensure the cakes stay firmly in place. Seal both cakes together with frosting, (See photo in Step 4) to even out any inconsistencies in cake size. (This is especially important if your chocolate cake turned out twice the size of your yellow cake). This will also help to seal in any lose crumbs before applying the final layer of frosting.

"Two players, two sides-one is light, one is dark."