I managed to come up with all seven quick takes this week. Yeah me! To join the carnival, click here.
1
I am going away next weekend to a women’s retreat with my church. Henry is staying home with the kids. People always ask what I look forward to when I leave the kids behind. Here is my list: eating all my food all on my own without little hands picking items out of my salad or off my plate, similarly drinking all of my drinks by myself without little mouths leaving spit on my cup and backwash in the bottom of my water glass (or even worse – little floating things), a cup of hot tea at every meal and before I go to bed (I don’t like to have hot drinks around my babies), and going to the bathroom by myself with no one sitting on my lap or asking me to get up so they can go. See…. you’re jealous of my life, aren’t you? And you wish you were going away too, don’t you? I’ll see if they have wi-fi so you can live vicariously through me.
2
This little baby has been by my side for the last 12 months…. read that and weep, ladies. Twelve whole months. I recently retired her for good. Aaaahhhhh…. that is my breasts relaxing. I know why I did it and I would do it again in a heartbeat, but I cannot believe I lugged that thing around pumping every 3-4 hours for a year. Ry-Ry, you better appreciate it when you are older!
3
I am doing well on my baking ban. I decided after all the snow storms when I was baking something e v e r y s i n g l e d a y that I needed to cut back. You know it’s bad when your three-year-old brings you a cake mix and when you tell her you aren’t baking that day she says, “But you didn’t make us a treat yet today.” As if one should expect a treat every day. (poor Ains has the biggest sweet tooth I know.) I will say, however, it has not been easy. As I type I am ignoring an enormous craving to make chocolate chip cookies. I started using Hershey’s morsels instead of Nestle because they were on sale one week. I got a few bags and used the recipe off the back just like always. And, oh my! Hershey’s recipe is to die for. Nice and crispy on the edges with a soft, chewy middle. Excuse me, I’ll be back in the amount of time it takes me to whip up a batch. Kidding, of course.
**UPDATE: I broke down and made the cookies.I’m not a huge chocolate chip fan so I always put half the chocolate chips and add something else. This time it was butterscotch chips. Yum! Oh, and I did pilates while the cookies were baking. There is something inherently wrong with smelling fresh cookies while doing pilates.
4
My niece is 2 1/2 and she’s a pickle… into everything, smart as a whip, and a climber. My sister has to lock the bedroom doors just to keep my niece from climbing on her sibling’s dressers to get their candy. Let’s just say my niece watches a bit of Dora for entertainment. She is now known to say after falling, “Ayudame, ayudame” (help me, help me) and Arriba! (similar to the English phrase ‘whoo-hoo’). It’s a good thing my sister has seen a few episodes too or she would have no clue to help Abi up when she falls. Kids!
5
My sister, Katie, says that Ainsley gets more blog time than Natalie. For that I apologize. But for the record, Natalie’s label has more entries than Ainsley’s. Hmmmm…. and honestly, I think one issue now is that I have an hour by myself with Ainsley three times a week in between dropping Natalie off for school and Ainsley going to preschool. It has given me a chance to see Ainsley by herself and she absolutely cracks me up.
I love Natalie dearly and think she says hilarious things too for those of you worried I am playing favorites. Let’s not even compare the girls’ blog time to Ryan’s. K?
6
I just made the best Butter Chicken the other day. The first bite I took was heaven (disclaimer: I didn’t have time for lunch so I was extremely hungry). You can find the recipe at one of my favorite sites: www.goodlifeeats.com . Click here for the post with the recipe. The only changes I made were to leave out the jalapeno since I wanted kids to eat it and used chicken thighs instead of breasts because I was at Whole Foods and didn’t want to spend $6/lb on meat. It was incredible AND after pureeing the sauce in the blender I poured it directly into the crockpot, threw in the raw meat, half a stick of butter and a 1/2 cup cream and set it on high for four hours. No need to finish it all off in a pan… I made it at lunch time and it was ready in time for dinner. Oh my, need I say more?
7
Does this every happen to you? This is a wedge of cheddar I took from the fridge to make burritos the other night. Not sure if you can tell, but there are teeth marks in the side. I’m thinking there is either a very large mouse who lives in my house or a very hungry giant. You decide which.
What strange thing occurred around your house this week?
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss
Comments (13)
Delightful! I love the pictures and your sense of humor. #1 had me lol! Those were the days = )!
I would love to get away. My sanity would be grateful.
I quit sharing my drinks with my toddlers after my oldest daughter left egg floaties in my water when I was pregnant with my 2nd. Now they can share a drink and I get my own!!
OOO to get away. I have been trying to get away but can’t find anyone to get away with! UGH! If I go by myself I am sure I will just sleep the whole time. heehee.
Something strange..hmmm. Well this has turned into the norm lately, but it is strange. My number 2 daughter likes to go number 2 at 3:30AM, but will not call for anyone until umm lets say 5AM! I think she falls asleep in there. Poor thing. So we set up the baby monitor in there so I can hear go in and turn on the light and set up the potty seat. 🙂
Have a great getaway!
Oh yes, the cheese looks familiar. My 2 year old took a 2 bites of hot dog *through the package* while we were in the store.
I loved the Medela Pump in Style! Was my best friend for 13 months after Polly was born! And, I’m sure Ryan’s little body thanks you very much for all that great breastmilk. It does a baby’s body good!
Love ya, Richelle
You crack me up….I love reading your blog, it just makes my day.So happy for your get away you very much deserve it. Your a super great mom:)
You are awesome for pumping like that! I am still pumping at work once and at home once daily. This is much less than before. I have never missed one day and my kid is 18 months (trying to keep her from getting, asthma, allergies and eczema). The cheese thing…I bite it too! My hubs hates it!
Jeffra
Had to add a weird thing…I caught Abby in fridge yesterday eating a yoplait yogurt with her fingers. I took away the yogurt and told her it was yukky because it was half eaten and had no lid. When I went to shut the door of the refrigerator, I noticed all the yogurts had toddler finger size holes in the lids. Someone has made those yogurts very accessible for snacking.
haha your kids are funny. Also you are funny to kid about making cookies and then to actually do it. Now I want some cookies… instead I just drank a bottle of sprite and had some potatoe ships… classic junk food.
I’ll try to keep blogging even when my life becomes less exciting lol
I just have to say that you are amazing for exclusivly pumping for a year. I did it for about 4.5 months until my heart baby (also named Ryan)was healthy enough to nurse. Happy birthday to your Ryan and enjoy your new found freedom from the pump.
I am so excited about the retreat. This is my first year and I can’t wait to hear from Kelly.
Congratulations to your breasts!
I am so glad that you post the mommy rejuvenation moments like the retreat. And WAY TO GO to pump for a full year! You beat me with my two babies!!
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