Theory

I think I am about to subscribe to the theory of always eat your dessert first. Why? Do I really need to further elaborate on this? I mean, really? Sometimes you just need that instant gratification that a turkey sandwich cannot give. And what better way to get it than skipping the soup and sandwich and going straight to the banana pudding, complete with mushy nilla wafers (the BEST part of BP in my opinion) that have been marinating overnight in the vanilla pudding. YUM!

Am I alone in my theory or can you support eating dessert first too?

This message will self destruct in five seconds...

Super quick post today. I'm thinking about compiling my own cookbook. I have no idea how to do this yet, I just know I want to have a compilation of things I enjoy cooking and possibly something cool to hand down to Sydney one day. I guess the first place to start is by gathering recipes. Obviously, my mawmaw's banana nut bread and Ina's Roasted Tomato Basil Soup will grace the pages of my future cookbook, along with this Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to send me your favorite recipe(s) you feel are worthy enough to grace the pages of my first cookbook or a link to some really cute cookbook making supply websites!

Laughter is the best medicine even when you are not the one who is sick

Have you ever found yourself in such a moment of gloom, a moment that warrants no funny business whatsoever, yet you can't stop laughing? Well, Doug and I had such a moment yesterday afternoon with Sydney, who has been running a fever of around 102-103 since Wednesday. She was still burning up yesterday when he got home from work so I took her temperature once again. It registered as 103.9 on the ear thermometer. We sat there wondering if we should give her more tylenol, another bath, or take her to the ER because our doctor said anything around 104 would certainly get his attention. What were we going to do? I mean, how accurate is an ear thermometer anyway, especially when you have a baby squirming and swatting at anything coming close to her face?

Then it happened. Doug had the most brilliant idea to get an accurate reading. There was only one problem. Neither of us knew how to go about it. So I called my sister, a veteran mother of 3 who would surely have the answer we needed. It seems I had caught her while she was at a friend's house and asked if she could call me back later. I did not let her off the hook. I needed her to impart some motherly knowledge my way. So I asked, "How do you take a rectal temperature?". I didn't think she heard me because she stuttered for a minute, was a little speechless and then was laughing as she tried to give me a graceful answer in front of her friend, who at this point was wondering what was so funny! By then Doug and I were laughing too. So thank you dear sister of mine for giving us a much needed laugh in the midst of a very feverish baby girl.

P.S. Her temperature broke sometime overnight and was only 100.3 when I checked on her this morning. I reluctantly decided to go to work and Doug dropped her off at daycare this morning.

Gimme a break

It seems I've been a little stressed lately. And since I am lacking in the annual leave department along with having no vacation fund, I find solace in chocolate and Sydney. Allow me to share a few pictures that invoke some stress-reducing magic.

Such a bright and happy chair. You should see her push it around the house. At top speed! She can barely sit herself up in it, but it was definitely $14.99 well spent.



Such a bright and happy face. It's impossible to be glum about anything when you see her smiling and sitting in the basket of her stroller!



Especially when you watched her get there!







Lil Miss Peytie Pie :)



I know as soon as I get home those hugs will be for me and not Mr. Bunny :)



Or Pooh.



And we'll snuggle up together.



And read a good book.

Snickers eggs - delish or devilish?

I really wish I was one of those people who can't stomach anything when they are stressed. But I'm not. Yesterday I managed to eat 2 Snickers eggs and a small box of cheezits, all before 10am. Why did I do such a thing? Because I was a tad stressed about work and it seemed like a good idea at the time. My body was craving chocolate and salt, my two worst enemies right after butter and cream. Yet I heart Paula Deen. Ironic, no? So what did I do? I walked over to CVS armed with my extra care bucks and raided the Easter candy. Bad bad me!

Anyway, I made it to the gym last night with the intention of ridding my body of the excess junk I consumed but was only motivated to run 2 miles before I pressed stop and went home. Even though I left early, I was happy with the fact that I ran one of those miles in its entirety and I didn't want to die, a first for me since my endurance/stamina/breath support usually requires me to take minutelong walk breaks throughout. Maybe tonight I'll go for 2 straight. Or I can stay home and watch Gossip Girl on Tivo. Welcome back Chuck Bass :)

So what are your vices when you get stressed?

Focus

It seems today, and yesterday, and Monday now that I think about it, I haven't been able to focus on things that I should be focusing on like work, running, working out, meal planning. You know, the basics. Even finishing a game of spider solitaire is a challenge lately. Thankfully Sydney is picking up my slack.



All I can think about is how I want to be home sitting barefoot in the front yard with Sydney and the dogs, even if it means I'm on nose detail.



Tell me. If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be?

Sydney is all about the slides

Especially climbing them as far as her non-grippy socks will allow.





And sliding down on her belly.



She is fearless.





Wawawawawa..thanks Sierra for teaching her that one :)

Mmmm Mmmm good!

Yes, those are plum tomatoes.

Yes, I made soup with them.

Yes, it is the best tomato soup I have ever had.

Yes, I have a total girl crush on Ina Garten.

I sNOw don't like you in that way...

For those of you who have not watched the news over the last 72 hours, we got a bit of snow here in MD Sunday night into Monday. By bit, I mean close to 12 inches, which really isn't all that much when you look at places like Buffalo or Boston. But for southern MD/DC, this wreaks all kinds of havoc. So I opted to follow our unscheduled leave policy and stay home with Sydney and Doug. Here's what transpired.

Sunday afternoon we went to Y's birthday party.



Sarah and baby M were there. How precious is she???!!! And mom looks great too!



And Logan and E. He's such a good big brother!



And no party is complete without Sydney and her sippy cup.



Here's what our driveway looked like when we got home from the party.



Here's the face Sydney made when Doug let her eat some snow. By the look on her face, you'd think it was yellow. And no, it wasn't.



Here's me begging Doug to help me up off the driveway after making a snow angel. WHAT was I thinking???



My snow angel.



The next morning it was still snowing and we got Sydney all bundled up to go outside. One guess on what she thought...



We returned to the scene of the crime a few hours later.



There were mixed reactions.



The final verdict...she was much happier sitting here with Mr. Bunny.



Or scaling all her toys.



While Daddy was outside doing this.