Google

Have you ever googled your friends and family?? Some pretty funny things come up. For instance, when I google my name my high school cross country times appear, as do community races that I've run in all my years. (nothing impressive, folks.)

Here's what happened when I googled my eldest child's name: (I know you're shining down on us from heaven, Dad!!)

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Weekend

We have a year filled with fake smiles

or a year of refusal to acknowledge the camera.

Happy birthday to my sweet daisy.

Did I mention that I refused to do anything more than pizza and funfetti? The theme of the party was simple

Apple Picking

This is how we spent our afternoon.

Despite what this picture says, Mr. Incredible picked most of the apples while the girls and I took pictures of ourselves. They wanted dinner and I didn't want to go into labor. (We have a birthday to celebrate tomorrow!)

Stay tuned for some mean apple recipes.

Another Goal Down!

I got up the gumption today to finally tackle the attic. Summer clothes out, fall/winter clothes in. For the girls, anyway. I also took down the diapers and newborn clothes. Yay! Everything is folded and put away in drawers or closets, or shoved in accurately labeled bins.

Most of the clothes are from garage sales or store clearance sales from last year, so it seems like I went on a huge shopping spree. Nearly everything was a pleasant surprise!

In closet

In bin

Ready to go back in the attic.
Go me!

Front Porch Swing

One of the things I've been obsessing about this whole summer is that swing. It stayed with the house we bought. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stain it, make cushions, order cushions, paint it (what color?). So the summer passed by with a dehydrated looking front porch. I finally decided to do something, anything to it. We had primer, we had outdoor paint. Isn't Mr. Incredible great?

Even though it looks a little boring still, I don't mind waiting to find some pretty pillows or even a throw for next year. I'm just excited it looks so much better!

Chill Pill

I've been thinking much about life. It all started a few days ago when I was yelling (okay, screaming) at the girls because they totally were not listening. Not justifying actions, but I also wasn't being completely irrational... okay, maybe a little irrational since they're just short of three and just past 18 months. Anyway. I pulled up the shade in my room, and Ms. Nosey Neighbor had her ear pressed against the screen. You think I'm kidding. NO. Of course I'm humiliated and wanted to lay down and die, but on a positive note this could've been my rock bottom. Maybe that will help me be better. A good kick in pride's knees can do magic. The little pride left that I have, however, would like to share that I am not a swearer, a name caller, a hitter. Just a screamer. Like, require-cough-drops-later-in-the-day screamer.

So I got to thinking why do I scream? I am SO content, I'm SO happy, they are SO young. Then I realized it's the busyness of life. (mmm hmmm I do think vacuuming and playgrounds make a very busy life) I feel like I'm always rushing. I think that is probably the perfectionist in me. I want everything done, and everything done RIGHT, so it takes a way from my children.

So everybody, let's rise up and all take a chill pill. Really. No matter where you are in life, make it the best time of your life. Love it. Love what you do, do what you love. Useless anxiety is... useless.

Random Thoughts, Lazy Blogging

This can almost sum up how I feel right now. Blogging is difficult. I take a break, and inspiration is gone.

I was hoping to choose a few post partum outfit inspirations to put up, but even that, just too tootin' lazy. (tired, irritable, cranky.... lazy.) A good start to that, though is to check out the Shabby Apple Fit to Flatter. Unfortunately I had to go on dictionary.com to look up words to describe my body. Willowy? Rubenesque? The problem is, I wouldn't describe myself as any of the options they gave me. Just one of dem days.

this is one of the dresses the website suggested. yay.49.jpg

Sorry, no pictures today. Thank God tomorrow is a new day.

Potato Leek Soup

Sometimes it is difficult to verbalize emotions when you don't exactly know what you're being emotional about. My week, for instance. Tears, insanity. If I weren't 22 days away from child labor, I would ask to be put away for a while. Like an adult time-out.

One way (the only way) I can express my emotions is food. More precisely Potato. Leek. Soup. After pulling myself up by my bootstraps, wiping away the tears, and smoothing my apron, I made the ultimate comfort food (potatoes? butter? soup? need I say more?) and am well on my way.

Let me soothe your worries and tell you how to make this 20 minute soup:

Peel potatoes. (I did a 5 pound bag so I could freeze some soup. Decided instead to have my parents enjoy it with us.) This was a push to use my food processor that I got last Christmas. I don't know why it intimidated me so much. A little brain power saved me a lot of chopping. And I suppose this is the part that mentions how much I LOVE it.

4 leeks(that's how many I was in the mood for. 3? 5? fine.). Chopped. White and light green parts only.

Saute leeks in butter. I know the picture of melting butter in the pot is unnecessary, but it's just so beautiful.

After the leeks are softened, add the potatoes and some broth (I used chicken) just enough to cover the potatoes. Let the potatoes boil until they are soft. Then mash everything in the pot. Or blend it (remember hot liquids expand in a blender). Or use this blender stick/wand thing. I love it, particularly for soups.

Although not entirely necessary, add some cream or milk. I like to use fat free evaporated milk because it gives the illusion of cream, but without the fat. (I actually do care about my fat intake, no matter what my posts or the butter says.)

Add cheese and sour cream if you like it. It is great sans dairy, too.

Try to remember what is was that drove you to insanity. I know! You can't recall.

Maid of the Mist

We only live a half hour from Niagara Falls, so it is crazy that Mr. Incredible had never been on the Maid of the Mist. So I'm sure you can guess what we did for our Labor Day. Yes! We went on the Maid of the Mist! It was the girls first time on a boat, and they were super excited. I recommend to anyone visiting Buffalo/Niagara region to spend $13.75 and hop on that boat! You get wet, it's thrilling and it is an experience.

I didn't mention. It's beautiful. Better than pictures that you've seen. I'll never get sick of visiting the Falls.

Any true Western New Yorker will direct you to La Hacienda Italian Restaurant in Niagara Falls. (or at least that is what I was raised to believe).

Great Italian food with lots of Mexican decor. A little mentally jarring, wouldn't you say?!?

It was a good day

Name this Flower

I am shamefully bad at knowing what the names of flowers and plants are. I can identify mums, daisies, snap dragons and impatients. Anything beyond those is VERY hit or miss. Does anyone know what these are? We have gardens across the street from our house, and we are graced with the sight of them out our front window. But I want them in my garden! They meet all of my criteria: big, beautiful, bushes, colorful, and deer resistant (evidently because they are across the street from my house). Help me! Help me!

(And if they are something very common that everyone knows except ME then feel free to spare me some humiliation by using the scientific name ;-) )

One Goal Down!

Just a quick update...

Last night, last minute I called my mom to see if she could watch the girls for a date for a movie. I surprised Mr. Incredible by calling him at work and telling him to pick me up at my parent's. Yay! We went out for hot dogs then to see Julie and Julia.

Now, I'm sure this is not such a feat for many people, but it is for me. Mostly because I am irritable and tired, but also because Mr. Incredible has a work schedule different from most which makes it particularly difficult to coordinate.

We had a grand time. We ate limitless popcorn and Twizzlers and Diet Coke. The movie was good- a little less than what I'd expected. I love to cook and I love to bake. I used to watch Julia Child with my Dad when I was little. Oh, and I love to blog. So I had some grandiose ideas of what the movie could've been. But I'd watch it again. So don't let this post discourage you from seeing it.

Eat, Pray, Love

It seems the older I get (or is it the more pregnant I am? Maybe the more kids I have? Or would it be the more o r g a n i z e d I get?) the slower I become. Yes, yes, I am a ripe old age of 23 and I'm slowing down. This book I just read Eat, Pray, Love typically would have taken me 3 days. Uhhh, I've been working on it for a bit more than that. Although I am happy that that is the way it worked out because i loved it. and I miss it. You know how good books can be great friends. All you want is more, more, more? But instead the last page comes and you may laugh, may cry, may just leave with a smile, but the next morning rolls around a you're sure that you're missing a piece of you? Yes, well, Liz Gilbert, tomorrow will be a day that calls for Prozac in my Wheaties. My how I'll miss that book.

So, this may be my grieving process, but more likely it is my recommendation. Read this book. Elizabeth Gilbert is honest, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny. But wise. Not pushy, though. Just somethin' good to chew on for a while.

Audrey Hepburn

Today has been a particularly rough day. I'm not sure why, but I most certainly woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I actually think it is because my day had very little structure.

My dear friend told me once that she loved my forehead because it is so Audrey Hepburn. ? I'll take it.

So let her inspire me for tomorrow. Since today is regretfully over.

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness; for lovely eyes, seek out the good in people; for a slim figure, share your food with the hungry; for beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day; for poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. "

Audrey Hepburn

Celebrate September!

There is no better way to celebrate any occasion than by having plans and a goal. So I shall welcome September by doing just that. Bring it.

• Go on a date with Mr. Incredible. A far too long overdue date, that is. We would both really like to see Julie and Julia. Lunch? Dinner? Dessert? I don't care. Just a date. Alone.
• Read the Iliad. My sister and Dad and I have our own 'book club.' We have a list of books that we'd like to read. We don't discuss the books. We figured that there is no better incentive to read classics than by having a book club. Anyone in?
• Have a simple, but wonderful party for a very special 3 year old. Pizza party in the morning.
• Go through our bins of newborn baby clothes, put the finish touches on the nursery, pull out the swing, the cloth diapers and the moby. And pack a bag for the hospital.
• Have this baby?!??! I've been 4 days late for each of my other pregnancies, which means I deserve to go 8 days early this time. september 25th. Stay tuned.

I realize that these are very simple goals for a whole month, but my motto is to keep it realistic. I do not want to be overwhelmed, and of course I can always do extracurriculars.