Winnie the Pooh

Anticipation

I was just remember the day I stood in line, at the bookstore waiting to see Winnie the Pooh. My older daughter, who was 4 years old at the time, learned about the visit from her preschool 2 weeks prior. WHY DO THEY ANNOUNCE THESE THINGS 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE EVENT AND TO A SMALL CHILD... I would never know! Everyday prior to the "Stuffed with Fluff" bear visiting our town, she made sure I know he was coming. She watched her Winnie the Pooh videos daily and insisted I read the Pooh stories at bedtime. So, you can imagine my relief, finally, standing in line waiting to see this bear.

The Line
We arrived at the small bookstore 10 minutes before Pooh's appearance and stood in a long line. The line end outside the door, weaved around the book stacks and ended at a platform set-up, similar to the kind you see at the mall for Santa. However, with the shelves high, and the crowd so dense, it was difficult for an adult to see Pooh on their tiptoes. So, my daughter only had the view of legs, purses and other children. She spent her time talking to me and children around her about her excitement of seeing Pooh. I spent my time trying to breath and fanning myself in hopes I wouldn't faint. However, I was assured, if I did faint, I would not hit the floor. I would of remained on my feet, held up by the people pushing against me. I am not exaggerating... if the fire marshal showed, that bookstore would of being shut down.

The Grand Finale
After being in line for 2 hrs (again, not exaggerating) and trying to bribe my daughter to leave, I can now see Winnie. Only 4 more kids to go! I can breath again, and hopes of lunch was in my future. I lifted my daughter up so she can see him too. However, the wait ended there and then in my arms. She looked at Pooh... her eyes widened... and I could read her mind - that bear was hugh! The Winnie the Pooh we know, is smaller than Christopher Robin and Christopher Robin, should be the size of a normal small child... right? This bear was NOT POOH! As soon as I put her down, she started making her way back through the line and out the door. I heard, "Excuse me... excuse me...." and saw the line parting, but no daughter. Thank goodness a friend recognized her and held onto her until I was able to catch up.

No tears, no discussion she just said, "I'm hungry". And we left.

Lessons learned:
1. I will not introduce Disney to my toddler until she is a teenage
2. I will ignore my child's pleads to stand in long lines to see humans in suits
3. Next time I will pack a lunch and send my husband

"I'm Eloise and I am 6"

(Dear Abby,)

I have been working with Little Bean on saying, "I am 2" or "2 and a half" ... but I have failed. And now she has changed her name to her favorite book hero!

When people ask Little Bean's age, her reply is one of the following:

1. 6 years and 4 months
2. 5 and a half
3. "I'm Eloise and I am 6!"


Do you think I should just give up?

Okay... I'm not so sure. After working with daughter #1 on how to tell time when she was 8,9,10,11 and 12 years old... I gave up. It just was not happening. The expensive watches and cheap plastic clocks just did not work for her.
The problem is today, as a teen, she still can not tell time! Or even understands the concept of time. She wakes up late for school, she leaves late and has no idea when she should be home when out with friends. She uses her lack of ability to her advantage.

So, all the age related scenarios go through my head... like rated R movies, driving, drinking and voting. She will be like her sister and work it to her advantage.

So, I guess that answers my question.

Sorry for wasting your time with such foolishness. ;)

Running with Ease

I am not a runner. However, when I read an article in Self magazine about running 3 miles with ease (by Danny Dreyer), I thought I would give it a try. The short article gave techniques on breathing, foot placement, arms and so forth to help you increase your chances of reaching 3 miles. (personally, I couldn't help but think of Pheobe Buffay from "Friends" and her interesting running style... but don't worry, you won't look like Pheobe if you use Mr. Dreyer's techniques properly... hmm I guess you won't worry if you don't know who I am talking about anyway).

SO, guess what? I am running 3 miles! Never in my entire life have I ever ran (knowingly) 3 miles, until now!
I have arrived!
As a high school athlete - I dreaded any conditioning. Couldn't run a mile to save my life... well that was until my coach made the rule "if you're lapped you have to run another mile". Needless to say, I ran 2 miles for a couple of weeks.
As a college athlete - forget it! Actually, I didn't make it pass "hell" week.
As a professional athlete - yeah,well, if I liked conditioning back in high school, I could of been a million dollar pro athlete. (note to self: brainwash, teach Little Bean to enjoy running).
As an over-weight adult - I can jog 3 miles while watching tv, movies and/or the news. (oh I should try running while eating popcorn too!)

Now, I will go read Danny Dreyer's book, ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running and shoot for a higher goal... actually, I need to go finish the bathroom first.

Wow! Thanks Val!
You are so kind.... now I really feel guilty about neglecting my blog these past couple of months!

Update on the bathroom

Okay, redoing this ugly bathroom is taking much longer than expected! Thank goodness I have the help from my best friend, since my husband is swamped at work!

Anyway, I learned why the contractor (we were originally considered for this job) didn't want to pull up the floor. I was amazed that pulling up the vinyl flooring and the paneling was actually quite quick and easy. Repairing the sub-floor, took a little time and creativity. I guess the contractor and all the home depot and Lowes staff were right, "You never know what to expect until you clean out (or demolish) your bathroom".

So, know we are onto putting up drywall on uneven, non-plumb walls.
...So far...so good.

LOSE YOUR BELLY !?!

If I haven't admitted it before, I will now, I have a weak spot for magazines. I love them! I love the pictures, the articles and the information they provide... I just love them! However, I don't usually pay the store price of $4.99, unless I am thinking about subscribing.

Anyway, I have been working hard at the gym 3-5 days per week for about 8 months. I have noticed a small decrease in weight, a few inches off my butt and thighs, put nothing off my tummy! Boo! So, I my body is quickly moving, especially as I get older, from the "hour- glass" figure to a "square figure". ...you know when your measurements are the same around your chest, waist and hips. like...like Sponge Bob! Oh, no! I have a Sponge Bob figure!

I've tried sit-ups, ab machines and cutting back on carbohydrates but nothing! So, when I saw the big, bold letters "LOSE YOUR BELLY! See results in just 12 days", I put down the candy bar and bought the magazine. I read it cover to cover, learned a little, but never found the belly article and I didn't give it a second thought. Until, a friend who borrowed the magazine, returned it and said, "interesting magazine, but I couldn't find the article on '14 amazing sex secrets'". I guess they wanted to keep it a secret. So, after telling my friend "there is no such thing as sex secrets" (hoping she will tell me hers) and loaned her my teenager's sex education book, I decided to call the magazine.

ME: I bought your magazine for $4.99 at the store and couldn't find a few articles.
Reader Services Lady: OK, what articles?
ME: Well, the one that is published on the front in big bold letters, "LOSE YOUR BELLY!"
Reader Services Lady: Well that is throughout the whole magazine, there is not specific article. Is there any other ones?
ME: ..ahem...14 sex secrets
RS Lady: In 2 articles on pages Blah-Blah and page Blah-blah
ME: 2 articles? So you combine the articles and make them "amazing 14"? ...Hmmm isn't that false advertisement? And with the belly article it specifically says "in just 12 days"... how can you lose belly fat in 12 days with no plan?
BS Lady: No it is not false advertisement and you have to piece together the entire magazine.... personally, I don't think one can lose their belly in 12 days. Ha-ha
ME: (She's got that right!)
Blah-Blah-Blah
BS Lady: well I will defiantly pass on your comments to the editors.

Well, I will personally, pass on buying this magazine again (Women's Health). I am a little bitter about the $4.99... boy was I a sucker! On the bright side I did save $10 by not subscribing to the magazine.

Bye-Bye Ugly Bath

Isn't it lovely? Make sure you get a good look at our asbestos- free vinyl flooring.
After talking to contractors for 2 years, my husband agreed to let me redo the bathroom, with the help of a family friend. So, now I am onto another project. Right now we can only work on the bathroom while Little Bean is at school (mornings 2 times a week) and weekends. Not much time. Hopefully we complete the bathroom in a timely manner... whatever that means!

On another topic

Thanks SARA! For your kind words on your blog! I think you are far more wise and interesting than me and I always look forward to learning and hearing from you!

Pre-school Application

Little Bean started Preschool today. She didn't cry plus it took some coaxing to get her to say goodbye. Actually, once she was in the classroom, I think she forgot that I even existed. So, I stuck around a little longer than the teachers wanted. I guess if she cried or clung to me a little, it would of been easier for me to leave at a more reasonable time. Oh well, there is always next year.

Here are some questions from her application, the questions are real, the answers are not... well, for most of them.

Child's Name: (Little Bean)
Name you call her: Bean
What she likes to be called: "Your highness", Princess, Queen

Any problems with eating: Not unless you count throwing food
Food allergies or restrictions: She will not eat anything without cheese, yogurt or sour cream and the promise of ice cream.
Is your child toilet trained: Yes and that is about it.
Words she uses for toileting: "potty", "uh-oh"

In what particular ways can you we help your child?: Teach her to listen to her parents ... actually, there really isn't enough space here to answer that question. However, she really is a good kid. Really.

Are you working on skills at home?: Yes, coloring inside the lines on the wall paper, cutting straight lines in the curtains, writing her name with crayons on the furniture and saying things to push my husband's buttons.

Is there anything else you want us to know about your child?: She already thinks she knows everything like cooking(oh, thats another post), how to use the computer, what is good and bad for your health...etc. So... good luck!

Ahh Summer!

Got a new bike and a trailer for Bean! We are enjoying the nice weather and having fun. I will be back soon!

Almost forgot

I am almost finished with my woodworking project. My last class was back in March. All that is left to do is sand and paint.












Bean thought her stuffed dog added a nice touch to the office organizer.


















Lessons I learned from this project:

1. Choose your wood carefully. I had help, but the guy was good about getting rid of unsellable wood to this novice woodworker. Instead of staining I am painting to keep the wood together.

2. Don't hammer or force in other wood while other pieces are drying. I actually lied to the teacher and said, "I don't know how that gap got there...hmm". If you look up close you can see some of my gaps, but luckily the biggest one is in back covered by the back piece.

3. Don't put the drawers in without attaching the knobs first. What is funny, I didn't do that, the teacher did! After quite a bit of struggle, a pocket knife did the trick of removing the drawers unharmed.

4. Be well rested before working with those big machines. I actually, took a night off, because I was so tired and afraid I might loose a finger.

5. Make sure you understand the dimensions. This office organizer takes up 1/3 of our desk. I guess I'll have to build a shelf or a side table for it next time.

MEME Tags

I was tagged for 2 memes. Sorry it took me so long to complete them. So here goes my first and last MEME post (I hope!)

Meme #1 -- Tagged by MommaVal

1. Post the rules before you give your answers.

2. List one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name or your mother's maiden name.

3. At the end of your blog post, tag one person (or blogger of another species) for each letter of your middle name. Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged.

My middle name: Zinnia (not my real middle name, just wanted something shorter and more interesting).

Z - zzz lacking sleep right now, but when I was a kid, I could sleep anywhere at any time for up to 13 hours.

I - I love homemade ice cream. I often hint to my family that an ice cream freezer would be a great gift, but to this day I don't have one.

N - Nasty Boys - love that song by Janet Jackson.

N - Normal - doesn't describe me one bit, even though I have a semi-normal life (at the moment).

I - I have lived or visited all of the "I"states with the exception of one (my college internship fell through so I never went).

A - Aquatics - love water sports, with the exception of water skiing.





Meme #2 - tagged by Ainse

The rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

1. I sky dived as a self challenge after saying, "I will never do that". Thats when I knew that had to be my challenge.

2. I do a pretty good pigeon call.

3. I will choose sweet tarts over chocolate any day.

4. I have been crocheting since I was 6 and I only have 2 projects to finish (I am pretty good at follow through, no matter how long it takes).

5. I had to wear braces on my teeth twice.

6. I drove through my neighbor's fence (age 12 - I shouldn't of listened to my older brother's driving instructions). My dad came out of the house fast and angry. Looked at me, looked at the car, then he looked at the fence and try his best not to laugh when he sent me in to talk to my mom. Mom listened to the story, punished me and sent me over to apologize to the neighbor to offer to fix the fence. The neighbor answered the door with tears in her eyes as I proceeded to apologize, boy did I feel bad... until, she looked at my dad and started laughing really hard. Boy did I luck out!


Ok, I tag laughingmama, San Diego Momma, A boy from India and John at EzGreatlife

I know I am not following the rules, but who cares!?

Tagged-Folks, take it or leave it, choose one, do both or don't do it at all. But you have been tagged. I won't be offended if you ignore this.

Cherry-Chocolate Chip Eggless cake recipe

Sorry Oprah 21 cleanse folks, this recipe has sugar and gluten....but it is eggless. This is an adapted recipe, I found on allrecipes.com , Plain Eggless Cake. However, I made a few changes. In the end the consistency was like cake made with eggs and very yummy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tablespoons of white vinegar
  
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 10 ounces jar of Maschino cherries diced (reserve juice)
  
• 3/4-1 cup of juice from the Maschino cherries (if not enough reserve substitute orange juice)
  
• 3 tablespoons almond extract
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 10 inch round pan or a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the sweetened condensed milk, orange juice, almond extract, vinegar, cherry juice, cherries and melted butter. Beat well with a electric hand mixer. While blending gradually add mini-chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
   
3. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
   Note: I go the full 60 minutes, but it really depends on where you live and your oven. The top might crack a little, before the center of the cake is fully baked. The cracks don't matter if you plan to turn the cake upside down before frosting.
   

Mom left, but I "have to...."

Mom left earlier this week. Now it is back to my regular routine.

After the bra incident with mom, things here were pretty uneventful for the duration of her stay. That is if I don't count that her mothering aggressiveness was increasing day by day along with her verbal "have to" lists. I congratulate my husband for keeping his bloodied tongue between his teeth, give or take a couple of slips. However, I didn't do so well. Don't worry I behaved on the most part, just reminded myself, she will soon be busy again with my brother and sister's lives (HA-HA-HA!).

Since, mom has left I have talked to her on the phone almost daily. Each time receiving a list of "have to..." Sometimes, I hear them, sometimes I don't, most of the time, I just get frustrated for even listening to her. I guess this is what it is like for my teenager.

Anyway, there was one "have to" she mentioned a couple of weeks before she left. Prune the roses. Now, I thought those roses were my neighbor's, since they are on the property border along with the rest of her beautiful garden. She did talk to me last year about the roses, our first summer in this house, but I can't remember what she said. I think I still had postpartum mush brain (hmmm, can I still use that excuse).

One day, mother set out to prune the bushes. Before she did, I asked her to talk to the neighbor and make sure those were our bushes. So, she did and started in on the task of pruning the bushes. Now, I was feeling guilty for not pruning the bushes last year. If I understood them to be our rose bushes, I would have taken better care not to have unruly bushes beside the neighbors beautiful flowers.

Before leaving, my mother reminded me to finish pruning the rose bush, along with a few other things "you almost need a bigger clipper to take out all those dead branches..." So, yesterday, I set out to finish the job. Said,"hello" to the neighbor and her visiting friends before going about my business of chopping up the rose bush. If I could, I would just pull it up, but there was still some life inside the thick, dead thorny branches. After, I had a few thorns in bedded in my skin and a pile of dead branches up to my knees, the neighbor call out,

Are you going to take my whole rose bush out?
Your bush?! But my mother told me.... Ah my mother!
Your mother!
We will talk later

The neighbor laughed and went back to talking to her friends. I quickly cleaned up my mess and went into the house to call my mother.

Mom, you told me the neighbor said those were my rose bushes
She did... She said, those bushes are yours to prune as you like.
Mom, I don't think that means they are mine, I think she was referring to Little Bean's safety... now we know.

Eventually, I am going "to have" to face the neighbor. Yet, even more so, I am going to "have to" face my mother on her "have to" lists.
Or do I have to?

Nap time accomplishments

Whew, yesterday was a good day for getting a lot done during nap time!

1. Mowed the lawn (pat on the back)
2. Dug up dirt in front lawn and planted flowers
3. Watered flowers and plants
4. Ate chocolate
5. Bathed
6. Paid 2 bills

I think I have bragging rights, especially after mowing the lawn and not waking Little Bean.

and I thought buying a bra with my mother in my teens was bad

Ok, is it just me or am I the only one that doesn't like having their Mother in the dressing room with them?

Personally, I really, really do not want my mother in there. She make comments on my butt, my stomach and even my chest.

Today, she topped herself while bra shopping.

AHHHHHH!

While I was trying on bras, my mother waited outside the dressing room (where she should be!). This was the one time, I should of insisted she come into the dressing room with me .
I heard her say to one of the sales ladies
"My daughter needs help, can you go in her dressing room and help her out please?" .
What! did I ever say I needed help! I already carefully sized myself at home and used
this program to make sure I was accurate... and I was!

So the sales lady knocked on the door.
"Your mother says you need help."
"No, I don't"
"I can make sure you are finding the right size bra"
"No, I am fine"
Just as I finished my last statement, Little Bean opens the door and said,
"Come on in"
Oh no she didn't!

At this point, I was furious with my mother and I tried hard not to take it out on the sales lady who was standing in front of me with a measuring tape.

I just stood there while my head spun inside... trying to find a coping mechanism, like screaming, or fainting or better yet going to a tropical island to make this whole scene disappear.
...please, please be a dream.

Nothing worked, so, I let her measure me and confirm I was in the right size, but maybe not quite the right style. So, she picked up a few different bras for me and I tried them on.

In the end, she did an awesome job of finding me great fitting bras, but that doesn't excuse my mother nor Little Bean's hospitality.

As I thanked the sales lady, I let her know,
"Ten years ago, you wouldn't of gotten through that door" (who am I kidding... 2 yrs ago, there would of been no little hands opening that door.... 10 yrs ago, #1 daughter probably would of shown the same hospitality as Little Bean did today). Thats with the assumption that my mother wasn't in the dressing room with me, pushing the button for help.



Side note: ladies try out the bra sizer it worked out well for me :).

Give me a food item..any food

Give me any food item, with the exception of fruit and vegetables, and my family will find research that says it is or it can be harmful to your body.

Background:

If you haven't guessed, my mother is visiting.

As the main cook in the house, I have 5 people to feed right now. No problem. Except, I have to consider everyones preferences.

Not to mention, 4 out of 5 eat a vegetarian diet and no eggs. 1 out of 5 is diabetic and has to have well balanced meals (and desires lots of sugar).

#1 Daughter is not a fan of tomatoes, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese food. Also, her body can't handle overly processed foods and should eat foods made from scratch. Figure this out when she was around 5 or 6.

My mother can't handle spicy food, regular milk and cucumbers. She doesn't like soy burgers, artichokes, soggy, baked French fries and radishes.

My husband is not a fan of too much garlic, bland, processed and sweet food. Has problems with uncooked spices and loves salty, spicy and sometimes fried food.

Little Bean doesn't like onions and tofu. She prefers lentils, beans, spicy food, most green vegetables and most fruit.

As for me, I can't handle too much corn, oil and potato chips. There are probably more, however, I do most of the cooking, so it doesn't really matter.

The Issue:

If someone ask, "What's for dinner" , I usually say, "I don't know". This is mostly an honest statement. If I know what I am making for dinner, a lot of times it turns into something else.

However, if I decide to answer the question honestly, someone has something to say about it.

"Pizza?!... you know how bad the cheese on pizza is...? "
hmm, you mean the same cheese you put on your tacos last night?
Later that week, I get an email about how bad pizza is for your health. Pizza I make from scratch, with a 1/4 of a cup of cheese (rather than 2 cups) and cover with vegetables.

I have also received emails on Msg, soy, importance of protein, E.coli in spinach, E. coli is strawberries(I take back my previous statement about vegetables and fruit. No food is innocent, were my family is concerned), to name just a few.

You get the picture?

Conclusion:

It is almost impossible to cook in this house! However....

I Am the Cook! I will take your preferences into consideration, scream in my head, and continue making what I planned to make.

If I listen to everyone, we would just have home made bread, water and a side of green beans every night for dinner.

New Vocabulary with Little Bean

New Word: Impossible

Used in a sentence:
#1
While Little Bean is being assisted in the bathroom by her father she stated, "Papa, this is impossible!" (Don't know if that meant she didn't want her father helping her or she didn't really need to go to the bathroom)

#2
Me: "I have an hour to get dinner ready, can you sit in your high chair and help?"
Little Bean: "No, that's impossible"

Now I ponder

How is it that I can wear 2 sizes smaller than I did in High School and be 20 pounds heavier?
-And "NO" my pants are not tight.
-And "NO, NO, NO" my head didn't get bigger.
I do know they changed the sizing requirements, but that is a little much.

Help! I 'm becoming my Mother!

Or am I? I hope not.
Well, I guess it wouldn't be too bad (oh yes it would!).
Either way, I will not, I repeat not:

1. Put a teaspoon of rum in my child's milk to get them to go to sleep
2. Cover their faces with 2 inches of Vaseline to protect them from the cold (maybe just a thin layer). ---Talk about competitive Mommies... I think back in the 70's, Moms liked to show off their winter-snow, dressing skills. If everything was covered including the eyes and the child could barely walk due to layering... you were doing well as a Mom.
   
3. Make casserole surprise every night (I refuse to make casseroles to this day).
   
4. Say for the 101 + time while eating popcorn, "This is my laxative...it really cleans me out"
   
5. Go to their school dances and dance the old school way in the middle of their friends
6. Sing or sing the wrong words to songs while their friends are in the car
7. Wear bright, funky, flowered clothing
8. Store a whole meal in my purse from the church potluck
9. Talk to everyone in the store about anything and everything
   
10. Try to find a learning, behavior or any abnormal diagnosis' for each of my children (my children are perfect, until otherwise notified... and even then I may not agree)

The good news, I have a husband who will tell me when I am being like my Mother. This usually snaps me back into shape.

Flower cake

Pastry Chef B gave me the challenge of decorating a cake for Little Bean's b-day. So when Chef B was out visiting a few weeks ago we went out and bought the cake pan. Later, she mailed the frosting tips, bags and coloring that I would need.

Now, if you read the last post you probably already figured out, I didn't get the cake done (not even started) for Little Bean's party. I barely had time to frost the cup cakes. However, I did try to make it yesterday for her family party.
I thought I had the leisure of the day to make it.
Ha! Husband was super sick and we spent the day at the doctor's office. Reached home in time to make her favorite dinner and started on the cake. After dinner I set out to decorate the cake. By 9:30 p.m. I was done (way past bed time, but Little Bean was waiting).

So here it is:
Note: The cake picture above is what the cake is supposed to look like, but different colors and slightly different design. The flower middle is supposed to be the same design, didn't quite get that effect.


Ran out of time and butter cream frosting. Learned after the fact, that you should double the Wilton Recipe. "The Wilton's recipe never makes enough." So, I kept adding milk to stretch the amount of frosting. By the time I got to the center, the frosting was a little too runny.



Here is a photo after we ate. Little Bean was trying to serve up more pieces. but was just slicing up the cake and the design. It was kind of painful to watch, but I was also proud to see her generous hospitality.


I will definitely try my hand at cake decorating again. It was a lot of fun.
However:

1. I will allow enough time to bake and frost the cake 2-3 hours total
2. Double the Wilton Recipe
3. Take my time and fix the errors with a toothpick.
   

By the way, this was an Eggless Cherry Chocolate Chip cake. It turned out wonderful, my best eggless cake so far. I will share the recipe another time.