Life According to C.

**Side note: Ok, wow, so I totally failed the posting every day in November thing. Sorry! We had waayyyy too much going on including Thanksgiving, A's birthday, a trip to Disney World, and several friends' parties, just to name a few.

Ok, on to life according to C:

Me: Uh oh, mommy made a bad choice.

C: WHAT!>?

Me: Mommy made a bad driving choice.

C: Not a really bad choice though, right? I mean, just a little bad choice? You're not going to have to go to women's prison are you?!?!

Not My Child! Monday!

It was not MY child who tried to show me how to "pee pee" standing up, and then, after hearing an explanation of why girls (including mommy) do not stand up to pee pee, loudly pronounced to anyone who would listen "Daddy doesn't have a penis, he pee pees like mommy!"

It was also not MY child who had to be carried out of the dollar tree kicking and screaming because he could not have a piece of candy. It was also not my child who used a noise maker (like at a football game) in the middle of that same store. My children always behave like little angels in public.

Finally, it was not MY child who had a choclate covered doughnut for breakfast today because mommy was in a hurry to get to work. They always eat well-balanced meals. Plus, I wouldn't actually buy chocolate doughnuts.

Yay!

Yay!! Toys R Us reopened! Our local TRU was closed after some storm damage and there were questions as to whether it would reopen at all. Well, it did! Phew! We've been doing our Christmas and birthday (A turns 3 on Saturday) shopping at Target and Walmart and the selection there isn't great. Would you believe we don't have any other toy stores? It's crazy!

DH and I met at TRU today over lunch and, except for ONE thing, we finished the boys' Christmas and A's birthday shopping!! Yay for us! The bad thing is, we haven't purchased anything for anyone else. Boo! I'm going to get right on that and order my mom's gift. I can't say what it is, because I think she reads this sometimes :) Let's just say it's amazing, I want one, and it's sorta kinda blog-inspired!

I hope that everyone had a fabulous weekend and that you are marking things off of YOUR Christmas list as well. 45 Days left!

Brownie Bake-off

Well...we didn't win :( But, that's ok, we had a blast! It was so much fun and it was for a great cause, so what better way to spend the afternoon? We also had some repeat customers (one family came back 4 times to buy brownies), so I know that they were good. I'm going to post the recipe anyway :)

Sunkissed Brownies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened and divided
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4 blocks of semi-sweet baking chocolate
Nuts, if you like them in brownies. (I don't)

Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Melt chocolate with half a stick of butter over low heat. Add chocolate to flour mixture. Add remaining butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest and beat with a handheld electric mixer until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until brown and set. When cool, ice with sunkissed icing (below).

Sunkissed Icing

1/2 stick butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest

Beat the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy and light. Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the orange juice and zest and beat until thoroughly combined

***Note: This recipe is an adaptation of Paula Deen's orange brownies

A quickie!

In keeping with the NaBloPoMo or whatever, I have to post today, but i'm swamped, so this is a quickie.

Wish us luck! My mom and I are entering a charity brownie bake-off tomorrow. We are making orange brownies w/ cream cheese frosting. YUM! Our team name is "orange you glad we're here!?" We're so corny.

If it turns out well, I'll post the recipe :)

Taking Deep Breaths....

How stressful is it when a family member goes too far in their 'advice'? Even when they don't MEAN to be harmful, it can be. Very. A member of my family has been VERY vocal with me regarding the H1N1 vaccine, and insists that the boys should have it. While I very much appreciate the concern for my children, I'm beginning to resent the implication that I cannot intelligently evaulate the situation and determine what's best for my kids on my own. I really DO have that ability. In fact, My husband and I made a decision about the vaccine after conversations with the pediatrician, a nurse practitioner, and our own research.

The resentment has been building over the past few days because I have recieved daily emails with additional information from this family member. Today's email takes the cake. Let me share with you just a few lines:

"I came across this study on handwashing/prevention of disease in children under 5. We should be able to reduce the number of incidences of illness with A and C during flu season by being slightly more diligent."

"Here is the copy/paste from the Lancet on handwashing (not trying to imply that your/our house has conditions like rural Pakistan at least not on most
days!)"

"Handwashing with soap prevents the two clinical syndromes that cause the largest number of childhood deaths globally-namely, diarrhoea and acute lower respiratory infections. Handwashing with daily bathing also prevents impetigo." (From the article).

Try as I might, I am really having a hard time with this. I want to express that the email crosses a line with me, but I don't want to step on any toes. GGrrrrr. I'm so mad!

Life According to C

C: Grandma...please stop talking. They are focusing on you and people should be focusing on me.

******

This morning:

A and C: Can we have a peice of trick or treat candy?

DH: Yes, AFTER you eat your breakfast.

A and C: Ok.

A few minutes later.....in comes A, chewing.

DH: What are you eating?

A: MMHHsie LLLLL (read: tootsie roll)

DH: Are you eating your tootsie roll?

A: **nodding** (after all, he has a mouth full of tootsie roll)

DH: Didn't I tell you that you could have your candy AFTER breakfast?

C: I unwrapped it for him, daddy. I know what's best for my brother.

*******

The other day we were at a stoplight and I was searching through my purse for makeup. The light turned green and I didn't go right away.

C: Mommy, you shouldn't go through your purse when you are stopped at a light. The light might go green and you might not go in time.

Me: You're right, Connor, I'm sorry. I won't do that again.

C: OH! You don't have to apologize, mommy! Just don't do it again.

Sometimes I forget he's just 4.

College Night

Tonight I get to venture out of the armpit of Florida to participate in a perspective student college night in Georgia. Wesleyan College, my undergraduate institution doesn't have an admissions rep available to go, so I get to go as an alum. Last year was my first year participating, and I love it. The best part is that another alum will be there too, and it's always great to relive the glory days!

Wesleyan is a women's college, and attending was the best decision I have ever made. I truly grew so much in the four years that I was there and am now part of a wonderful sisterhood that spans many generations. I love going out and meeting future Wesleyannes and talking to them about my experiences. Some scoff at the idea of attending a women's college (I did!), but one visit to the campus and most are hooked. It's truly an amazing place.

Wish me luck in recruiting tonight!

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Gotta love not me! Mondays!

It was not me who took a phone call in a bookstore this weekend leaving my DH to lead a very frustrated and very LOUD two-year old away from the train table in the kids' section. Not me!

It was not me who had to run to the toy store 30 minutes before a birthday party started in order to buy a gender-neutral gift for the birthday....kid, because I didn't know if the child was a boy or girl even though they've been in A's class for six months. Not me! I know the names/ages/genders of everyone in both boys' classes!(The answer: BOY)

I also would NEVER take a few minutes to read a book before going to my in-laws house when A, C and DH left a few minutes before me and I said I'd "be right there." I always enjoy family gatherings and rush to join the fun!

It was also not me who used "I need to dye my hair" as an excuse to be late to the in-laws. I'm never late anywhere. Ever.

Finally, it was definitely not me who let the boys wear their Halloween socks three days in a row because we were late and I couldn't find any other matching and clean pairs. My children are always impecibly dressed, matching, and clean. At all times.

National Blog Post Month

Ok, so I'm taking the lead from Nat and Steph and taking part in my very first ever National Blog Post Month (NaBloPoMo). I'll try to post every day in November. Nobody even dare mention that I didn't post yesterday, thus already failing at posting every day. I'll post two today to make up for it....ok?

So, since I JUST decided to do this, i'm going to give you some bullet points of my thoughts at the moment:

~I just moved offices and the Shift key on my keyboard sticks. It is maddening.

~I am SUPER excited about a family trip to Disney World for A's birthday in three weeks.

~I miss my brother, but I am really really proud of him for tackling and succeeding in medical school.

~I am SUPER psyched about visiting him and his wife in December.

~I need a new job.

~My husband is fabulous, even when I've not been the best wife as of late.

~I love getting to work early and having a quiet office all to myself.

~My car is a level three disaster.

~I need to have a garage sale.

~I started a new diet again today for the 3424th time. Even I am sick of me.

~Both of my boys were batman this year for Halloween, even after I went all over town and poured over the internet to find a Diego costume for A.

~I want a new couch, the old one smells like dog.

~I have a newly formed addiction to La Croix water. Connor says it "tastes like pee pee"

~My office is no longer quiet so I need to work.