The new blog is up and running!

The new blog culminated out of my love (sometimes hate) for cooking and I think my loneliness here in State College. Sadly, I've only made about 2 friends so far (and that may be stretching it!) So I cook (bake and facebook!)
I've tried the whole mommy-group thing, but its just not for me. At the park, I have to chase around 2 demanding boys and cant sit and chat it up like the other moms. Actually, I'd rather be playing on the slide and swings than sitting at the park. So maybe I'm just looking for someone more like me and my mommy-ing style. In about 10 years, my boys wont want me to be their playmate anymore, I'll just be their maid and cook to them! Which brings my tangent back to the main topic, cooking!
I'm not sure if it was my mom or working in restaurants that got me interested in cooking. My mom was always cooking something growing up. Ask me to think of my mom (while growing up) and I picture her in the kitchen, at the chopping block, with a few pans on the stove behind her, the TV is on, tuned to ABC's "Wide world of sports" and we're either watching figure skating or bowling.
It seemed like my mom just opened up cans of this or that and threw it in a pot. Then peeled this and that, it went in to the pot, now a few shakes of this spice and that herb. Stir, taste, sprinkle a little of this or that and then let it simmer for hours. She never looked at a recipe book (unless baking something.) She has about half a dozen staples that she makes and they always taste the same. I used to wonder how she remembered what and how much to put in and when.
When I was a little older, I would experiment with different ingredients. I was trying to replicate my mom's recipe, but really I wanted to make something that tasted even better!
I still try new ideas. I like to use what I have on hand. I hate to find a great-sounding recipe only to find out that I'm missing 1 ingredient...so I improvise. Dave will ask me "What are doing for dinner." I tell him "I'm cooking something"...he askes what I'm making. When I tell him, "I dont know, its a concoction." He gets nervous. I'd say about 90% of the time things come out good!
Things always seem to come out FANTASTIC when I'm home alone and there's no one to share the stuff with. But the worst part about these concoctions is when I want to make it again and can't remember what I used to make it. Hopefully, this blog will rememdy that issue.
The day I decided to start this blog, I did just what I mention. I came up with a great dish totally by accident. I'd love to be able to replicate it, so it'll be a posting within the next week!

My smart cookie!

Every parent feels like their child is the smartest, cutest, most advanced baby ever born!! I try not to be that person, but sometimes Zack just says the most amazing (brillant) things.
Today, Zack was putting a puzzle together, which he's great at (haha) and he decided he wanted a puzzle that was at the top of a 6' bookshelf. He asked me to get it down for him. I was on the recliner with Aaron in my lap feeding him oatmeal, so I wasnt in the position to jump up and get the puzzle. I told Zack that I couldnt reach it, I wasnt tall enough. We need someone really tall like Daddy to get it. Without much thought, Zack retaliates with, "Oh, well you can stand up, lift me up on your shoulders and then I can reach the puzzle!"
Seriously, this amazed me that he came up with this. Its not like we lift him up on our shoulders very often as he usually doesnt like it.

Sous Chef Zack

Zack loves to help me cook. Anytime I'm making anything it always, "what are you making?" I reply with ______. Zack says, "Oh, I can help you!" Depending on what I'm making, I let him help. If I intend on baking, I prep everything ahead of time and ask him to help. I'm not sure but it attribute his passion for cooking to being a clingy baby. For the first 12 months of his life I had to cook dinner one-armed (Zack in the other.) Trying to follow what all the baby-books say, I'd tell him what I was doing step by step. After awhile (meaning when my chubby baby got too heavy), I would let Zack sit on the counter in front of me as I prepared dinner/lunch/breakfast or baked something. I also believe this is why he's very good around the stove and oven.
Now that Zack is bigger, Zack has a chair that he pulls up to the counter and stand on. I've been looking for a child-size apron for him to wear when we cook (hint hint to grandma's reading this) but can't find one locally. Of course I've seen them on the internet, I've just been putting it off. I did however finally get him a little play kitchen.

In the photo above, I was making meatballs. I put on gloves when it came time to mix and form the meatballs. Zack wanted to help and asked to have gloves on too! Now whenever I cook something, he asks for gloves on.

On a side note: Today, as I started making lunch for the boys, I got side-tracked and started prepping for dinner, which turned into cooking meals and making snacks for the week. As I was slicing red peppers and grating carrots, I realized that I'm a foodie. This isnt exactly a new realization, I've always loved to cook and bake. But what I came up with today is the desire to share my passion and love for cooking. That means a new blog just for my culinary concoctions. I'll share any cool new tips I come across, recipes or ideas on how to sneak those veggies into meals without the fam realizing!
http://parmesan-cilantro.blogspot.com/

Spring Critters

As the weather warms up, all the little chipmunks and squirrels are nosing around for all their buried treasures. The mulch in front garden is speckled with squirrel divots, yet we rarely see the squirrels. We stole an idea from our neighbor and made a little snack for the squirrels (birds or chipmunks.)
First, we collected some nice and big pine cones. This portion of the project was enough of an adventure for Zack and Aaron. When we got back to the backyard, Zack dumped our bucket out and asked if we could go get more!! We had about 2 dozen pine cones already!

The next step I tried to let Zack do on his own...but...there were a few clitches that I didnt consider. The next step was to cover the pine cone in peanut butter, then roll the pine cone in bird seed.
I bought a jar of peanut butter to use JUST for this project, so any debris from pine cones does not end up in the peanut butter we use for lunches. The clitch that I didnt consider is how much Zack loves peanut butter. I showed him how to do the first pine cone, then I let him have the spoon. He scooped the peanut butter and put a dolup on the pine cone and then licked the spoon...then scooped more peanut butter and took another bite! I finished up the project. I had images of him licking the pine cones.
The final step was to place our pine comes where we could easily see them. We put 2 right outside the front window, one by a hole we know a chipmunk lives in, we hung one in the small pine tree in the back yard and I put one on the fence in the back.

About 10 minutes later, we had a squirrel nibbling on the pine cone in the front yard! 20 minutes later, the pine cones were gone, the squirrels took them! Aaron and Zack sat for about 5 minutes just fascinated by the squirrel.

The pine cone that I hung from the tree disappeared the next morning. All that remains is the string! We never did attract any birds. I may have to invest in a squirrel-proof bird feeder!

Bowling

About 2 months ago, Dave and I actually went out by ourselves. It Dave's birthday, so we went out to dinner and then bowling. After dinner Dave wanted to go back to the house, get Zack (leave Aaron with the babysitter) and take Zack bowling with us. I told Dave it was getting a little too late for Zack to be out and it wasnt fair to Aaron. So we agreed to take Zack (and Aaron) bowling some Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Well, we finally went this past Sunday.

Zack had alot of fun! It was a rather slow game of bowling. Dave was helping Zack at first, but after awhile he didn't want any help. It was so cute watching him carry the 6 lb bowling ball. He couldnt walk in a straight line. After about 14 frames, Zack became more interested in the billard tables and video games. He was also searching for "h-air hockey."

Aaron was in awe of all the balls at the bowling alley. He immediately ran over and tried to pick up a ball off the rack. He did it too! He just happen to pick a 6lb ball, but then dropped it right away. It didnt land on him but it scared him and started crying. Aaron seemed a little scared of all the noises, pins crashing, people cheering but when people would throw their balls reall hard or loud he clung a little tighter to me. After he had a snack, he built up more courage and wanted to join in.

I (or Dave) would take him to the line and let him push the ball (I'd give it an extra nudge) and he would smile and throw his arms around me. The one time I didnt give his ball an extra push was the longest 2 minutes ever! I thought the ball was going to stop on the lane. When it reached the pins it did stop and started rolling backwards! This must have triggered something because the thing for the pins came down to push the ball all the way to the end.

The watering can.

One of the boys brought in a toy watering can from outside. Aaron discovered it today and then found some water to put in the water can. I came around the corner just in time to see Aaron dunking the watering can in the toilet and taking off down the hallway...watering the carpet!

Let's go fly a kite!

Wednesday was surprisingly nice outside. We were in the backyard playing and Zack found his Kite in the shed. It was actually a perfect (windy) day for kite flying. We walked across the street to the golf course, away from powerlines and trees. It took Zack a little while to get the hang of kite flying. He'd run and get the kite up in the air, then stop and down came the kite.

I showed him how to get it back up in the air by himself and he took off running down the fairway with kite in tow! He was doing great until he the fairway curved and now he was running straight for a tree. I was about 75 yards back with Aaron, who was only interested in collecting items from the golf course...pine cones, leaves, fairway markers!!


I yelled to Zack to come back, but it was too late, he tangled the kite in the tree! I tugged on the string but it was stuck. I surveyed the tree and decided that I might be able to climb the tree and reach the kite. I was able to climb the tree and I was about 3 feet from the kite and the winds picked up. I had to move closer to the trunk of the tree to keep from falling. I had momentary flashes of me falling from the tree and getting hurt and stranded there with a toddler and preschooler crying (because the kite is stuck!) So I decided I couldnt reach the kite and climbed down. I found a really big stick and was able to pull the limb down. I got the body of the kite down, but the tail was too tangled in the branches. Zack went on and on about the tail being stuck.

Good Mornings

I love mornings with my boys, they're so sweet, happy and cuddlly. Aaron usually wakes up first. Unlike Zack at this age, Aaron wakes up happy. I usually hear him scampering around his crib, just chattering away. When I pick him up out of his crib, the first thing he says is "Zack!" and he points towards Zack's room. If I set him down to walk, he runs straight for Zack's room and pushes open his door, runs to the side of his bed and tries to climb up! I usually do not do this unless its approaching 9 am and Zack's still sleeping.
Zack cried when he woke up until he was about 2 years old. Now he usually just sits up in bed and calls "moooommmyy, maaah-meeee!" over and over until I come to his room. When I wake in he tells me, "Mommy, I'm wake and its daytime!" The other times he just gets out of bed and goes downstairs. He's so cute when he does this because he comes downstairs with a big (excited) grin on his face. He runs over and gives me a hug. Aaron runs over and gives Zack a hug.

A taste of spring!

I've been looking forward to today for about 10 days. That is, since I saw the forecast for on the 10-day planner, 10 days ago. Today's forecast only got better the closer it got. Originally it was supposed to be 47 and partly sunny. I know, I know, its not 79 and sunny, but compared to 15 and snowy, it sounds pretty good!
Its been so long since I've been able to play outside with the boys (with boots, mittens, hats, scarves.)
So after lunch, Aaron went down for his nap and Zack and I headed to the front yard. (which, btw is really a courtyard area) After about 10 minutes we took out jackets off because we were getting warm. Zack and I were preparing the front garden. He helped me plant seeds and move rocks and shovel some dirt. Zack then taught me how to make a hat using only a stick, rock and a leaf!
When Aaron woke up from his nap, we came inside to him. Zack decided he wanted to watch some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. So I turned it on for him, but Aaron and I went back out to the front yard. After about 3 minutes, Zack was calling me asking to come outside too! (I had the front door open, but the baby gate was locked to keep the dog inside.)
Now that we were all together we headed over to the playground. I think these two have gone through playground withdrawal. I haven't seen these two so happy in a long time. Aaron was feeling brave too! He's gone down the slide by himself before, but he always goes down feet first, on his tummy, sort of a superman-flying-backwards position. Today, he pushed Zack out of the way so he could go down in a sitting position. I had visions of him lying back and banging his head, but he just sort of slithered to his side and squealed with joy the entire time (every time!)
I was going to take my camera outside, but decided not. :(
I can't wait for spring!

Rights of Passage

Every night Zack asks Daddy to play tackle with him. One day last week, we were all up in our bedroom. Aaron and I were playing and Zack and Dave were playing tackle on our bed. Zack kept farting, no big deal. Then out of nowhere, Dave sticks his big ass over top of Zack and says, "Zack, I'm gonna fart on your head!"

AND HE DID!!!

What kind of father does this? I was appalled, I still am. Dave says its Zack's right of passage as a boy. I asked him if his father ever farted on his head? His response was that he and father don't have that kind of relationship! I'm sorry, but I'd opt for the relationshihp where no one farts on my head!! Seriously, there is something wrong when a father farts on his son's head and laughs!!!
Please tell me other father DO NOT do this!!