Friday QT

1. So last night I made the Mongolian Beef that Beth recommended. And... yep. It's a keeper for sure. I will tell you that I do not do spicy so I just skipped the jalapenos all together and I didn't miss them. Also, 1 inch of ginger is the most open to interpretation instruction I think I've ever read in a recipe but even still... mine turned out quite tasty! We served ours with rice and broccoli and the kids enjoyed dipping theirs into the sauce. A meal my kids actually ate? YES.

2. What are your big plans for this weekend? We aren't really doing anything. And that is maybe my most favorite thing to type to you right now. We haven't had a regular weekend since October 6! We had the food show, M's birthday, Halloween, dog sitting and Elton John. Yep. I am ready for a comfy cozy weekend.

3. I read a couple of good books this past week or so.

I feel like everyone read this back when it came out, but I just got to it. I enjoyed this read that is written for twelve-year-olds. It's fun, it's bookish and has a good little life lesson about playing fair. 

This was a very wonderful and thought provoking read. There were times the readers were able to piece together more of Eleanor's life than she was, and there were times where we were completely in the dark over what was going on. 

This is a book I know I will reread to try and glean more insight out of. It is beautifully written and is definitely up there as one of the better books I've read in 2017. It made me feel a lot of feels but I also don't think it's for the faint of heart. It definitely touches on some dark themes. 

This was a fun read though slightly confusing at times until it all came together. I hope there's a sequel in the works because I'd love to know what these characters are up to. 

4. So in case you're wondering how my Goodreads Book Challenge is going... 

It's going pretty well. And I think I am going to set a higher goal for 2018. 

6. I am having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that Thanksgiving this week. I mean... that basically means it's 2018 already. I am not a good Advent-er. In fact I kind of really dislike Advent. But Colleen is going to focus her Advent on her marriage and I think that sounds lovely. I am going to do the same and come out on the Christmas side of things a better wife. 

7. I have never been one to find myself with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) but November has been rough on me with the gloom. These past few days it actually has been sunny and I have forced myself to get outside and get some of that sunshine into my pocket. I am going to be getting some Vitamin D and kick my step count into gear to make sure those doldrums don't turn into something yucky. 

Probably also going to make a super upbeat playlist so I can dance it out every day. Dancing it out is good stuff. 

Okay everyone. Happy weekend!! 

What's Up Wednesday?!

I would love to say that I am nearly done Christmas shopping but the reality is that I am getting there. I have my lists made however, which is the hard part sometimes. Or at least it is for me. Except for what do you buy for a person who hates gift cards but also doesn't like anything? Anyone got any brilliant ideas? Me neither.

One of the items for C came today and it was the wrong size! It was a 3T and I know you don't know my kids really but they have long torsos and are always a size up in shirts from their age so even M isn't in a 3T. But Disney is magical magical magical and not only are they sending the correct size for C but they want me to donate it to someone in need. I will definitely be looking for an angel tree recipient who likes Cars (the movie) and needs a 3T! Then we can get some books and other goodies to go along with the shirt. 

It's hard sometimes for me to not get overwhelmed with life and ALL. THE. THINGS. Monday is our last free yard waste pickup of the year and I just want to get the yard looking good. But Fall is tricky. If it isn't flurrying like on Sunday it's drizzling. Wet leaves are impossible to deal with. Today is windier than all get out but it is blessedly sunny. And there's that saying...

So you better believe I went out and used my new leaf toy (that sucks them up and mulches them) and got two bags full. Which doesn't sound like much but it's a lot of leaves. But it's so windy it doesn't look like I did much at all. And then there's the fact that this is the third post in row about leaves. Leaves. For the sake of all that is good, you don't care. I shouldn't care. But I care. 

In other news that is not related to a household chore or task I need to accomplish do you have an IHOP by you? We do but we truly never go there. We were on their website yesterday looking at Swedish pancakes but we found this:

Fluffy the snowman? Come on. The cutest! For the record, IHOP WAY over charges for Swedish pancakes if you were wondering. And also, yes we definitely bought some mix and lingonberries so I can make my own! And I am looking forward to them immensely.

And in totally unrelated topics here is today in Microfashion:

Featuring two kids rocking outfits of their own choosing and one boy with a new as of yesterday haircut. 

Okay. Have a super swell rest of your Wednesday. 

The Weekend!

My parents came into town on Thursday night! My kids were so so excited to see them. We had a pizza party and watched Sing with popcorn for a movie night. My parents had never seen Sing and my kids really like that movie. As it happens, it is a really not-annoying kid movie. The only part I wish wasn't in there was the rabbits who start singing "Baby Got Back" but the rest of the movie is pretty great. They were so excited to tell my mom that Johnny was singing "Elton!" They are getting good at identifying his songs!

My kids LOVE to watch popcorn pop. We just make it on the stove top and shake the pot around a bit. My dad didn't think that was safe for the kids so he got us a popcorn popper on Friday. I'm not going to lie, I am pretty excited about it. We of course made popcorn again for out snack and the kids loved it again.

My dad and I also went to Home Depot together and then he helped me mulch up more of my leaves. It was so weird because it was Friday so Husband was at work but it totally felt like a Saturday! We got the yard pretty well cleaned up but never fear, it already looks like we didn't do anything yet again, only now they're all wet so I have to wait for them to dry up a bit. And there's still plenty more on the tree. YIKES! Free yard waste pick up ends next Monday so I hope my tree gets the memo!!

Friday night was the main event... Elton John. And let me tell you, he did not disappoint. Even a little.

Our seats were really pretty good even though our pixely pictures don't seem like they were. He started exactly at 8:00 and played for a straight two hours without an intermission or anything. It was actually very cool. I mean, the man is 70 and he was playing the piano so hard. It was awesome. 

He sang everything I hoped he'd sing. Including Levon which is my favorite! It was awesome!!! We had so much fun and laughed and sang. I just really enjoy spending time with my mom so I am so happy I got a special night out with her. I would post a picture of us that I took and love but she would be horrified if I blogged it so I will not. :) 

On Saturday before they left we went to a craft and vendor show at the elementary school right by our house. That was just okay because there were only like three craft vendors and an awful lot of MLM vendors. And, as a Scentsy consultant I have nothing against MLM vendors at all, but I was really hoping for holiday crafts. But again, fun quality time with my mom! 

Yesterday was blah! It flurried. 

I know it's November and snow is possible. But people, I am not ready emotionally for snow. So Mother Nature better calm it down a bit and hustle herself back to some sunny Fall days. Alas, Winter is coming. I know that's a Game of Thrones reference but I don't get it since I don't watch that show. Is it wildly inappropriate? Can I just say it anyway because it's true?

Anyway, now we are back to Monday. Have a good one everyone!

A Tale I Will Tell You

You may recall, when I left you yesterday my backyard looked like this:

M and I went to pick up C from school. And it was the darnedest thing, as we pulled up to the school M talked to me. When it was our turn to collect C, I asked her a question and she didn't respond. I asked C if she was asleep and he said yes. I confirmed that she was "for real asleep" and not "pretend asleep" but no. She was asleep.

Well we got home and she was deeply and wonderfully asleep.

I wasn't going to move her. And since that meant I needed to be outside anyway I got to work on raking the leaves. C helped. Sort've. 

At least he had fun. (I totally had him take his jacket off for a classic in the leaves photo but he put it right back on.) After about an hour our lawn looked like this:

The leaves really were falling faster than I could pick them up. But it was much improved anyhow! But one little girl was still totally completely asleep. So I got back into the car, with a little Halloween candy and read a book.

Then a little while later, she woke up and we resumed the playing outside, only this time with two kids. Soaking in the sunshine until it was time to start dinner. (And the sun was pretty much sayonara anyway...)

Now that's where this story ends. Because it certainly doesn't continue to the point where everyone under the age of six wouldn't eat their enchilada at dinner and didn't get desert. Certainly not. And already at the time of writing I could rake the leaves again already. Oh Fall. So much work.

Wednesday

What's up Wednesday?

Last night our school had Ladies Night Bingo! It was a really fun fundraiser for the Home and School Association. No one from my table won but I am glad I went. I am really going to try to attend events for the next few years at least!

Our church and school is going through some construction for the next bit here and we are going to be worshiping in the fellowship hall until just before Holy week. Bah. However it will be nice when it's done and they are trying so hard to decorate and make the room feel more "sanctuary" and less "basketball hoops and cafeteria window."

Guess we will see how it goes on Sunday.

Overnight, like real actual overnight, our tree lost most of it's leaves and our yard looks like this right now:

Yikes. I can't decide if I should go out there and rake for a while this afternoon or whether to just leave it until Saturday when Husband can mow it all down and bag it up. He can't get to it until then because it's pitch dark before he even leaves work. Drat that saving time thing. But I am loving that it's sunny today, it makes ALL the difference in our attitudes that's for sure.

Tomorrow my parents are coming! Woot! Because on Friday my mom and I are going to the Elton John concert. I was super excited about the concert anyway but when I realized on this world tour he had United States stops in Las Vegas, Indiana and of all places my area? That makes it even more fun. On the Facebook event, there are posts from people around the world flying in just for this concert. Like people from Ireland are coming here?! AKA to a very uninteresting, not much to see, smallish city at best. I have no idea how Elton John's people picked this venue but I am not going to complain!

PLUS his new album comes out on Friday so that's pretty cool too. When I saw Prince in concert in 2004 everyone got a copy of his brand new CD, maybe Elton will do something like that too? I mean, doubtful but maybe he feels like channeling his inner Oprah?

Anyway I am excited and ready to check seeing him off my bucket list. Is it weird that my bucket list is comprised mainly of musical legends I want to see live? Still haven't seen Cher...  but I get to see Elton John. Now, my mom is really the Elton fan but I have definitely come to appreciate him. I am so excited that we have some fun things to do together. We saw Neil Diamond (musical legends live I tell you!) once in 2007 and it was so much fun! I hope one day M will want to join us as she gets older!

Time will tell!

Frankencrayon

We survived Fall Back. Well... so far so good anyway.

Yesterday we made a Frankencrayon.

You know the titular character from Michael Hall's acclaimed book?  

Don't worry I had never heard of it either. But C has been fairly obsessed with The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home for a while so when he asked for Michael Hall's two crayon books from his book order, I figured he'd love them too. And he does. 

My kid loves crayons and art and reading. So... pretty much right up his alley. 

Books about crayons? Who knew? But anyway, we made a Frankencrayon and it was surprisingly harder than I anticipated. I went straight to melting them together and then bonding them with tape per the illustrations. Purple and orange bonded well from the start but green clearly had a higher melting point or something and it took a lot more TLC to get them to stick together. 

It was kind of fun though and since we used pieces that were in fact already broken we almost just redeemed them a little because now they are loved like no else. 

Today Frankencrayon has gone on many adventures and has been able to act out his book several times. And all for the low low cost of free. (And a little effort.) 

So if you need me today there is a good chance I'll be playing with crayons, reading about crayons or cleaning up crayons. 

Is Any Daylight Really Saved?

Before kids Madeline is dying inside. Dying. Because it's daylight savings time Fall Back tonight. And BKM was all like "an extra hour, let's stay up late, doing something fun and watch our phones switch over!" Seriously.

Because current Madeline is all like "Go to sleep immediately after the kids are in bed!" Because we are looking at a huge heaping dose of this: 

Woosh. Tomorrow morning is not going to be pretty. 

Today was it's own version of special too though. Never fear. Let's sum it all up by saying I have never been in an Old Navy with a line as long as the one I saw today. Never. And the employees had all the registers open too. 

Let me paint the picture for you appropriately. This is a quick little doodle of what our Old Navy is like. 

On your typical day the line to check out isn't that long. Maybe like the blue line that doesn't look blue in the picture but is surrounded by green. And they have like 2 registers open. But no. Today the line was the entire green line. Luckily they didn't have what we were looking for. And I rejoiced inside. 

Because we had just come from Michael's next door and it was so crowded there was a line of people waiting for our cart when we left. But that was at least a productive trip and we got some cute Thanksgiving crafts to do. 

So it redeemed the outing for sure! I like spending time with my kids doing fun things. Hopefully they remember those moments over the "It's so darn loud, please just be quiet for five seconds!" moments. 

And hopefully tomorrow goes smoother than I am currently anticipating. My prediction is that it won't. But I am open to being proven wrong!