Chit Chat With Tay

Taylor is constantly asking me questions, and pretty smart ones at that. I can explain almost anything to her and she'll retain it verbatim. I used to be able to lie to her. Like at the mall last weekend, she asked me to buy the DVD of 101 Dalmatians and I lied and said, "Oh, Tay! We already have that one." Well today, a week later, she asks to watch 101 Dalmatians to which I reply, "We don't have that one." In her most know-it-all voice she says, "No, Mommy. Remember last time at the mall you said,'Oh, Tay! We already have 101 Dalmatians.'" Guess this means I can't lie to her anymore, or if I do I better be able to back it up.

Yesterday we went over a small book full of farm animal facts, and then answered questions about the animals. On the last page there was a picture of all the animals on the farm and the instructions said to "name each animal." Taylor ponders the instructions for a minute, points to each animal and proceeds to name them. "That one's Clifford. That one's curly. That one's Sparkle. And that one's Lulu." I just about died laughing. She is a beautiful and wonderful little girl.

Taylor drew me a picture and said it had my name on it. Sure enough, it says mom. I didn't help her or prompt her at all. Such a smart girl.

My Martha Stewart-esque Post

So it's February, and a little over a month ago we all made our New Year's resolutions. If you didn't, kudos to you. You must have figured you'd forget about them anyway, so why even try? A valid point. Well I wrote mine down, just like everything else in my head. (I swear, when I die I'll be MORTIFIED when everyone finds and reads my old journals, blog entries and loose pages of absolutely pointless rhetoric.) I jotted down a few personal goals and things I'd like to attempt this year. I find that if I can get it on paper, it's more likely that I'll actually accomplish it.

Resolution #1- Stop cooking crap!

One simple goal was to cook edible food that doesn't come out of a box. No kidding, people. It's no secret that I'm not exactly a culinary genius. I think it has something to do with my lack of patience. I'm not a fan of standing around and chopping up stuff, and then waiting for it to simmer. My ADD kicks in and I try to hurry things along which makes for big chunks of food instead of diced pieces, and luke warm sauces that didn't have a chance to boil. But I know it's unhealthy to eat so much processed junk, so I've made it a priority to learn some new recipes and incorporate more fresh foods. I'll just have to work on the whole patience thing along the way.

So I found a magazine at the grocery store with recipes that I've tried out, and they've ALL turned out delicious. Below is the recipe for a Cheeseburger Pasta. It is SO good. Wes loves it, and I know he's being honest because he goes back for seconds instead of lying and saying, "Oh wow! I'm so full. I just can't eat anymore," like he usually does. I wish I could say that Taylor liked it, but she's just picky and doesn't like anything that isn't a gold fish cracker or chicken nuggets. This has all the ingredients of a cheeseburger, just without the bun and mixed in with noodles.

You'll need:

1 lb hamburger

4 tbs. ketchup

4 tbs. mustard

4 tbs. relish

1 small can of diced tomatoes with onion

2 cups penne pasta (or any small pasta will do)

1 bunch of green onions

1 cup of cheese

First you brown the hamburger and boil the pasta while you're waiting. Once the hamburger is browned, drain it, and mix in the noodles. Put in the can of diced tomatoes, the ketchup, mustard, relish. Mix it all together, then finally add the cheese and top it off with the green onions. Super easy, but really good and it'll feed a family of 6.

Resolution #2- Get organized

I love that while I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I haven't even attempted this one yet. I have craft supplies, pictures, and preschool items that NEED to be organized! In Parents magazine this month it had some cool ideas on organization and what to do with broken, old toys so I'm sharing what I've learned with you folks in case someone else out there in Blogland is as disheveled as I am.

A cool way to make stamps with old blocks.

I love this one. Use old stuffed animals as book ends by taking out the stuffing and filling them with sand.

Using an old, broken jack in the box as a tissue box.

And this one is a must. Using big rubber bands around cups to remember which cup belongs to who.

I'm planning on posting more updates on my resolutions, or at least the ones I accomplish. I figure it'll keep me accountable. Please comment if you have any recipes you'd like to pass my way (they have to be easy), or any cool ideas on organization.

Below are totally unrelated pictures of Valentine's Day (which was lovely), and our surprise Disneyland trip.


Taylor is constantly getting next to Corinne and saying, "Cheese!" with that strained, 3 year-old smile that I love. She's such a great sister lately.
Everyone loves a Valentine cookie.

Our co-op preschool Valentine's party.


Tay's heart wreath.

Showing off her new gymnastics outfit from Nana.

Ready to meet the fairy "Rosetta." It was her equivalent of meeting a rock star. She was SO excited! It was worth the long line to see her face.
Love the sun shining down on Nana.
Could just eat her up, she's so flippin' cute.

She's spotted Tinker Bell off in the distance. Another rock star.
SO happy after a slight afternoon melt down and stimulation overload.

Awesome balloon hat

Corinne playing the drums on Daddy's head.

Tay and "Rosetta." She was totally star struck, and I had to pry her away after her turn was over so the next little girl could get a turn.

No Good, Dirty, Rotten Day

Here's a summary of last Thursday's events, written in incomplete sentences since I can't bring myself to write about it any other way.

Both kids up night before. Very, very tired. Corinne coughing. Taylor coughing. About 1 pm, time for Corinne to take a nap. Up the stairs I go. Don't close baby gate at top of stairs, because Tay's downstairs and baby will be in crib anyway. Rock and rock baby. Baby not falling asleep. Give up. Put baby down to pick up phone, call Wes. Talk to Wes for 2 minutes, hear a bunch of "thud, thud, thud" sounds. Heart stops in my chest. Already know what happened. Baby fell down stairs. Steep stairs, to tile below. Run fast, so much adrenaline, have no idea how I got downstairs. Pick up baby and her eyes are rolling around in head. Go into panic mode. Grab Taylor who is 3 and very maturely telling me, "Just calm down, Mommy. Calm down." Run across street to friend's house. Thanking God we know everyone on the street. Neighbor speeds out of driveway and whisks us away to urgent care. Baby still slightly awake but out of it and dripping blood from mouth. Arrive at urgent care with baby. Ran out of car before came to a complete stop. Baby crying. Good sign. Receptionist realizes it would be a bad idea to ask me to have a seat and wait. Dr. sees us right away. Baby waving at him. My heart starts to beat a little more evenly. Dr. checks out baby nonchalantly. Must see this a lot. "It happens," is his only response. Baby has two gashes on bottom and upper lip. Teeth are fine. Head is fine. Her face took the brunt of the fall. Looks a bit like the character Sloth from "Goonies" at this point. Especially when attempting to smile with two fat, Octomom/Angelina Jolie lips. Baby pronounced totally fine, just swollen. Dr. sends us for x ray. Must be to check bones. Not so. Turns out, baby has bronchitis. Pediatrician must have missed it last week at her one year appointment. Great. Must get perscription. Time to go. I look down. Realize I have no shoes on. Eww. Go to waiting room and notice Taylor has no shoes either and is in her gymnastics leotard. Long, long afternoon. Feeling of being worst mom on face of Earth has diminished slightly. Everyone seems to have a, "When I fell down the stairs," type of story. Just glad baby is o.k. Will be looking for a one story house when we move. Baby still darts for stairs any chance she gets. Has not learned lesson. Wishing I could put children in plastic bubble until they're 30. My big girl.

The baby who loves danger.
Wes bought me flowers out of sympathy for having sick kids for 2 weeks, followed by an urgent care visit.

Taylor had to have her

picture taken infront of the fire truck

at the grocery store.

VIDEO Taylor's gymnastics class.

VIDEO Typical Corinne, dancing in the kitchen. Accident prone and hilarious.

VIDEO More dancing.