Do As I Say Not As I Do

Is this you?

Do you expect your kids to do things that you yourself don’t do?

Or do you ask your kids not to do things that you do?

I definitely fall into this category. I expect my kids to study and get good grades when I myself rarely studied and was a pretty poor student.

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I don’t allow my kids to curse but sometimes cuss like a sailor.

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I get angry with my kids when they yell. How do I show I am angry… I yell.

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What’s with all the hypocrisy you might ask?

Best I can figure we want our children to be better than we are.

No where is the hypocrisy greater than when it involves our kids safety.

I mean how many of us where bike helmets? However all kids are expected to wear helmets when riding their bikes.

When my kids were little we started them out skiing and immediately got them helmets. All children on ski slopes wear helmets nowadays.

One day my daughter asked me why I didn’t wear a helmet. I am rarely at a loss for words but I had no answer for her.

Why didn’t I wear a helmet? There really was no good answer.

It’s certainly not because I am such an expert skier.

Was it vanity? I can’t imagine since ski slopes are not runways and everyone looks like a big marshmallow anyway. It’s very hard to perfect the ski bunny look on the slope.

Since words were escaping me I had to face the reality that I was again asking my kids to do something I didn’t want to do.

The result we went off to the store and bought a helmet. We are now a proud helmet wearing ski family.

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Posted in Diet & Nutrition, Family, Life, Motherhood, Skiing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Bouquet of Valentine’s Treats

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Yesterday while under house arrest Amelia and I whipped up this cute and easy Valentine’s Day Treat. With all the snow we couldn’t get out to the store so we had to use what we had in the house. The result was a delicious bouquet of flowers perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients:

marshmallows

icing -pink

sprinkles

lollipop sticks

wax paper

Directions:

1.) I used Pillsbury strawberry flavored whipped icing, but any pink flavored icing will do. Spoon out 1/2 cup of icing into a bowl and microwave for 40 seconds.

2.) Place the marshmallows on the lollipop sticks.

3.) Dip the marshmallows into the melted icing. Completely cover the marshmallow.

4.) Then cover the marshmallow in sprinkles.

5.) Place on wax paper until dry.

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When we were all done I arranged them into a pail to like a bouquet of flowers. I stuffed tissue paper in the pail and cut a paper plate to fit the top. I poked holes into the plate and then taped it on top. After they were arranged I wrapped Valentine’s Day garland around the pail.

So easy and so cute!

Posted in DIY, Food & Snacks, Holidays, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Say it Ain’t “Snow”

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Snow.

Snow.

And more snow.

I can’t recall a winter where we have had so much snow. Today marks the 4th snow day for my kids. I think they are even sick of the snow and school closures.

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The first snow day is a novelty. Filled with fun and excitement, at least for the kids. No alarm clocks, no school work, a leisurely morning followed by sledding and playing in the snow.

Of course for moms not always so fun and rarely exciting. The biggest mistake I consistently make on snow days is thinking that because I have the day off I can tackle every project I have put off for months. Simply put I plan to do too much. Of course none of these projects are accomplished and I end up feeling as though I wasted my day.images-13

Where does the time go?

Well, everyone being home equals more mess which results in more cleaning. Then there is the constant cooking, what is it about snow days that makes everyone ravenous? In addition there is the mad search for the snow boots, snow pants, snow hat, etc. Followed by the trek to the garage to locate the sleds. In hindsight I should probably bring the sleds into the house so they are easily accessible, but why make life simple? The aftermath of sledding and playing in the snow is the shedding of wet snowy clothes- a huge mess- and the immediate need for hot chocolate.

Amelia’s blind sledding run!

That’s the first snow day.

The second snow day is a treat, third snow day is an annoying and the fourth is enough already!

photoSo for now we are all snowbound and wondering what bright sunny day will we be in school to makeup for this missed school day. Unfortunately, I heeded no winter storm watches, warnings, or advisories and did not race to the store for the bread, milk, and eggs. My family will have to forgo the french toast for today.

Luckily we have lots of undelivered girl scout cookies so at least we won’t starve.

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Everybody Counts: Harry Bosch TV Series

Remember when Prime Time tv shows could only be found in one of three places NBC, ABC, or CBS. I am talking about a time before there was even a network named FOX.

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Do you remember?

Prime time shows were scripted, you knew where to find them, and the season started in the fall and ended in the spring. Life was simple.

Then along came the Sopranos.

What a tv show on a cable station? It can’t be!

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It was, and it was awesome.

Thus started the influx of every cable stations creating their own television series. Then television took a turn for reality and now you can’t throw a rock without hitting a reality show.Unknown-4

Now Amazon, your favorite place to buy anything and everything is throwing their hat in the ring. This month they are premiering their second pilot season with 10 new pilots available to stream for free. The pilot shows can be viewed on Amazon Prime Player which is available to all Prime subscribers. You can watch on your Iphone or Ipad or even on your television through Xbox or Apple TV.

The interesting twist is the fate of these pilots lies with the viewers. Whether or not Amazon continues to produce these shows is based on viewers’ input. Viewers through positive feedback will choose the shows that will be made into a series. If you love the show it is important to rate it and share it to ensure Amazon continues to develop the series.

One of the series premiering on Amazon is Bosch. The pilot centers around the life of maverick LAPD detective Harry Bosch based on the novels written by Michael Connelly. I was besides myself with joy when I heard the news that my most favorite book series might be turned into a television series.

My initial excitement turned to trepidation as I pondered, could it be done? Would Bosch live up to my expectations? I have read each and every Bosch book more than once and he is one of my favorite literary characters.

I love everything about Bosch from his no nonesense demeanor to his inability to get along with authority. But what I really love is his  clear sense of right and wrong and his motto that “Everybody Counts or Nobody Does” He is a little dark a little sweet and a little tortured all rolled into one which results in a phenomenal compelling character.

Unknown-3However, bringing a book to life whether on the big or small screen is a difficult task. How many books have been ruined when they were turned into bad films? Too many to count. I mean we all saw The Firm, right?

Bad movies aside, Sunday I finally settled down to stream the pilot. I was filled with nervous excitement because I was still concerned it wouldn’t live up to my expectations and I would be disappointed. Thankfully my fears were unfounded, and I was completely thrilled with the pilot. They hit it out of the park. Titus Welliver’s portrayal of Bosch is perfection. He absolutely lived up to and exceeded my expectations.Unknown-5

The pilot was mainly an intermingling of two Bosch stories The Concrete Blond & City of Bones with some characters peppered in from other titles as well. Although some of the characters and events were changed, very little was altered and the pilot stayed true to the spirit of the books.Unknown-8Unknown-9

In the pilot Bosch finds himself in court defending a civil suit for killing a suspected serial killer, The Concrete Blonde. Bosch, always the hard working detective, continues to work during his trial and finds himself involved in the murder investigation of a young boy, City of Bones. The pilot set up the story and I am eager to see how the rest of the series plays out. It promises to be exciting and suspenseful.

Even if you have never read any of Connelly’s books you need to check out this series. If you are not a Prime customer you can still view and give feedback for all of their series this month for free. Go be counted!

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Posted in Entertainment, Reviews, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sick in Bed

sick_momsI am a MOM and MOMS don’t get sick!

MOMS can’t get sick!

MOMS take care of everyone and everything. There is no time for sickness!!images-6

Apparently my body does not know or abide by this rule because all this week I was sick as a dog. Not really sure the origin of that expression. Are dogs especially sickly? They seem pretty happy and  healthy to me-but I digress.

Sunday night we just had arrived home from a ski weekend and everyone was pumped up for the Superbowl. I however was feeling a cold coming on and excused myself from the Superbowl and went to bed. Fortunately I could care less about the Superbowl and knew I wouldn’t be missed.

images-7Before I went to bed I dragged the weekend bags into the living room but I was too tired and achy, congested and coughing to deal with them. I was a miserable mess my throat was sore my head hurt and I was sooo tired.

In the morning I was blessed with one of the many snow days we have had this year. I promised the kids I would make it up to them and they could play and sled another snow day if they would just be good today so mommy could stay in bed. They agreed to be perfect angels and were for the most part well-behaved. They even tried to play nurse a few times, and I only had to venture out of the bedroom twice because it sounded like they were killing each other. Thankfully both times were false alarms.

The next morning, full of rest and over the counter meds, I felt good enough to go to work but collapsed as soon as I got home and was asleep by 6. That pattern would repeat for the next two days. The drawback was that at around 1:00 every night I would wake up and couldn’t go back to sleep worrying about all the things I had to but wasn’t because I was basically just working and sleeping.

Finally now it is Saturday and I am on the road to recovery.

That is of course until I took stock of the house.

The bags from our trip… still in the living room, no longer zipped up and looking a little ransacked.

Dishes in the sink but nowhere near the dishwasher. I seem to be the only one who knows where the dishwasher is located, conveniently next to the sink.

Laundry piled so high it’s taken on a life of its own.

Mail and papers of all kinds strewn about the kitchen counters and dining room table.

Coats scattered around the house. Backpacks all over the floor.

It’s so trashed it looks a little like Jake’s house from Sixteen Candles. SixteenCandlesReally, it is enough to make me relapse.

Looking on the sunny side of things they really need me around here. There is something sweet in that. Often times I wonder whether they really need me or is it just my delusional sense of self-worth. That question has now been asked and answered.

That thought will be my inspiration as I spend the next 48 hours getting this house back in shape.

And once it is back in shape I am going out and getting a piggy bank and the next time I get sick I am hiring a maid!Unknown-1

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Posted in Family, Life, Motherhood | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments