may I recommend…

…trying a new recipe? 

Anne and Taylor’s (and Christina’s) Quinoa Chili, which I finally tried after Tay posted it months ago, was delicious.  Matt couldn’t stop talking about it.  Some of our kids were a little lukewarm (predictably), but Ben, our hands-down fussiest eater, actually liked it.  Definitely going in the regular rotation.

Also, I tried this Martha Stewart recipe a few months ago.  I would never have thought to put potatoes and ground beef in a burrito, but this was very, very good.  Don’t leave anything out — the fresh cilantro and lime really make the dish.  Oh, but I did replace the iceberg lettuce (do you think MS actually eats iceberg?) with leaf or romaine, which was great. 

…using the right tool for the job?

After thinking (and talking) about it for months, I finally replaced my 10-year-old drugstore flat-iron with a higher-quality ceramic plate version (mine is a Hai).  I had always balked at the price, but my helpful hairdresser found one on clearance for me (around $50 instead of closer to $100) and I think it might have changed my life.  Faster.  Better.  Smoother.  Totally worth the money.  What was I waiting for?

Also you should get a microplane.

…forgoing the hour wait at Olive Garden and supporting a small business?

If you live in northern Utah, you need to try Nuch’s (2819 S 2300 E), a tiny new restaurant with delicious pizza, pasta, and calzone.  Not your typical pizza parlor, but a little romantic place for a date-night.  I wouldn’t necessarily take kids there.  But I would call and order take-out if I didn’t have a babysitter.

Also for Salt Lakers, we tried O’Falafel, Etc. (790 E 2100 S) last weekend, and it was pretty wonderful, too.  Very casual (order at the counter), fine for kids, reasonable prices, and terrific fresh mediterranean food.  I had a falafel sandwich, which I loved.  Matt, as usual, tried something we couldn’t pronounce, which was also good.  We’ll be back.

New restaurants have such a high failure rate, we like to see the good ones succeed.  And really, do you want your neighborhood to be full of big chains, or fun little places where you don’t know what to expect?

…buying something handmade?

This is a hard one for me, since I buy most of my fashion and home decor at TJ Maxx and Target.  But there is something to be said for buying something truly unique.  Do you love wandering around a seasonal boutique like I do?  I haven’t figured out how to reconcile my desire for something special with my careful budget, but I guess buying  a little something once in awhile is one solution.  This weekend, I bought two little somethings:

No, they weren't selling babies, but isn't this onesie a hoot?

…shopping on Etsy?

Speaking of something handmade, this website seems to be the answer to all of my consumer dilemmas lately.  Remember the discussion about mom jewelry?  Nettie pointed me to the perfect thing in this shop.  I love this because it is so simple (and was also very reasonably priced).

 

Then, last week I was working on a baby announcement (in your mailbox soon) and learned an excellent thing.  I was trying to incorporate multiple pictures and don’ t have the software or skills to put something like that together.  Did you know there are people who will design you a custom card for only $15 and email it to you as a jpeg?  Then you can have them printed as photos somewhere like Wal-Mart or Costco.  Stylish and cheap — what could be better?  I’ll never go back to using the cheesy designs offered for photo Christmas cards at regular photo places.  I used this person, because she had the best design for multiple photos.  But there are tons more if you do a search.

What I cannot recommend…

…either of the movies I saw last week.

Seven Pounds – morbid, dark, and depressing (I’m sorry, was that redundant?).  Tried to have an air of mystery, but was ultimately completely predictable.  The acting was fine, but the story was a lo-ser.

He’s Just Not That Into You — We should have known better.  (Selected because it was showing at the dollar theater — which is now 2$ — at the right time.)  A few funny moments, and even spawned an interesting drive-home discussion between Matt and me (yes, honey, single girls really are that pathetic sometimes), but definitely too crass to be worth it.  Couldn’t bring myself to watch my current Blockbuster online selection “Girl With a Pearl Earring” after this, as both feature Scarlett Johanssen “the other woman”!

now this is more like it

Could every day be this fresh and sunny?

delightful

It is 9 am and the house is quiet, other than the hum of the dryer — big boys are off to school, Thomas is having his morning nap, and Mary has collapsed after a night of blech.  Yes, in addition to the mountain of laundry I do every Monday morning, there is another set of pukey sheets.  All of the kids have had this bug now, so I think we’re finally finished with the puking. 

In the midst of this, my boys were having quite an amusing conversation a couple of days ago about how many words there are for vomit (ralph, upchuck, etc.).  You have to laugh about this kind of stuff, or you’d always be crying. 

So here’s something else to laugh about.  Mary, who is completely obsessed with the color pink, somehow managed to have pink vomit.  (She had made the strawberries and blackberries offered as a side dish last night her complete dinner.)  It was actually kind of a pretty color.  Am I the only one who thinks that’s pretty darn funny?

things to be happy about

I had a great weekend.  You should read about it on Anne’s blog.  Just don’t feel like detailing, plus I didn’t have a camera (left it home with Matt and my four older kids).

The last few days I’ve been a little blue.  Probably the let-down of coming home from a fun trip.  And a couple of other things which I choose not to blog about.  Anyway, I’m not morose.  Not despondent.  Just a little blue.  And the trouble with that is that I’m inclined to spiral downward.  Because being blue does not make me want to do dishes or put away laundry.  And seeing piles of dirty dishes and clutter makes me even more blue.  Also, it’s snowing right now.

So I have now convinced myself to make a happy list.  And we’ll see if it helps.

1. giant box of giant strawberries from Costco

2. sharing a slice of Costco pizza with Mary (I really like Costco pizza — anyone else?)

3. beautiful baby who has finally recovered from infant acne, mystery rash, and unfortunate first sunburn (mild — don’t hate me!)

4. everything is starting to bloom, and Matt mowed the lawn for the first time, making the yard look spring-y and beautiful

5. only 8 more weeks of school (will fly by), and we are ready for lazy summer days

6. have you seen this? 

I’m sure there are more, but I’m starting to feel better already.  Off to tackle my mess.

just another whiny post

I know I sound like a broken record, but I’m starting to take this “spring” weather personally.  Could we get a day that is nice enough for a walk?  I just don’t think I should still be wearing my wool coat in April.  And the rain/snow mix that persists day after day here is doing nothing for the blooming bulbs I look forward to all winter.  Can I blame my rotten mood on the weather?  I think I can.

And please don’t tell me I live in a desert and should be glad for the moisture.  I know.

spring in Utah

Sam looked out the window this morning and said, “Spring is ruined!”

Mary, on the other hand, has been telling me lately, “Today is a happy day!”  (Sometimes I have to remind myself over and over again.)

our Sunday best

I keep trying to get a picture of Tom smiling.  This is as close as I’ve come.  Please notice the lovely handknit sweater made by a special friend of ours named Doris (only Mary thinks it’s Dora):

Also, my friend Katy made these great shoes, which for my money are as good as Robeez, especially for a newborn.  Katy, maybe you should post the directions?

did you remember today is pi day?

Besides making a pie (I’m making this), could I recommend teaching your children the following (you could say it as a rhyme, or if you’re really into it, make up some moves and pretend you are “math” cheerleaders):

tangent! secant! cosine! sine! three point one four one five nine!

Say it out loud and it will make sense. You’ll never forget the value of pi if you know this.

p.s. I knew a lot of nerdy people in high school, but a very cute and un-nerdy boy actually taught me this.

weird things my kids have said today

You just can’t make this stuff up.

1. Mary: Can you help me put my shirt back on? Me and Ben were doing armpit farts.

2. Me: Sam, what’s that bandaid on your forehead?
Sam: Ben poked me with his toenail.

3. Sam: Mom, can you make Jon wash his hands? His fingers taste gross!

4. Mary: Mom, my nose is runny — take a picture!

delicious tomato soup

(and I don’t even usually like tomato soup)

2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
28 oz. can whole tomatoes
14 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
8 oz. can tomato sauce
6 oz. can tomato paste
4 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups milk

Saute onion in olive oil until almost translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, sauce, paste, and stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in blender until desired consistency. Add milk and seasonings and simmer 5-10 more minutes.