Cool Way To Peel A Potato

I make potato salad a lot during the summer and grew up eating it because we made it for family functions.  We always boiled the potatoes, had to let them cool and then peeled them.  I was just sent a really cool video on how to do this, and I am gonna try it the next time I make potato salad. I must be living in the dark ages to have not figured this one out sooner.   So cool!

Toddlers and Why They Don’t Listen

I had just recently put up a post about my two and the fact that they don’t like to be told NO and they are always telling me “no mommy.” I just recently came across a really interesting article on toddlers and why they don’t do what they are told. It makes a little more sense and here I am thinking that my two are going to grow up and people are going to think that my two are not well behaved.

This article is from Live Science, I am not familiar with them but the article was somewhat interesting. According to the article, toddlers hear what you are saying but they basically store the information for later use.

A test was set up to measure the pupil difference in 3 yr olds versus older kids to determine the mental effort of the child to study the cognitive abilities of 3-and-a-half-year-olds and 8-year-olds. What they found was that pupil measurements showed that 3-year-olds neither plan for the future nor live completely in the present. Instead, they call up the past as they need it.

I thought it was pretty interesting because we as adults basically have expectations of our little ones. You know they can understand what we are saying but I think they process a whole lot differently than we expect. You can read the entire article here

Wordless Wednesday

Different Styles Tongue and All

Renewing My Driver’s License

Well today was a real adventure.  I got a notice in the mail that my driver’s license had expired (tells you how much I look at the thing) so I had to figure out how I was going to get there.

I thought about going on Saturday when the husband was home, so he could watch the boys, but the place was closed on Saturday.  So at about 10 am this morning I decided I would try and go.  For the most part during my week, we are home bodies, due to the fact, that it is such a pain to get everyone dressed, and out the door.  I wasn’t all too sure how I would handle my two, take a vision test and keep an eye on them etc, so I was very nervous about what to expect.  Call me a wuss, but honestly being a first time parent, I just get neurotic about taking the twins out by myself, especially if I need to concentrate on getting something done.

So we show up, and there are only 3 people in line, and I think to myself “this cant be too bad, sat the boys up on the benches, and notice that I don’t have enough cash.  They only take cash or check, and the cost is $24 now (holy cow!)  I had $20 on me thinking this has to be more than enough for a piece of plastic..Nope!  So we head back out the door, load up the boys in their car seats, and head to the bank.  Get back and there is no one there in line which is a relief for me because then I wouldn’t have to worry about the boys.

The lady behind the counter was a complete snarky snob.  They ask you questions like you are a criminal, and she is the warden.  Meanwhile, I am trying to read the 4th line and say where the red dot is,get the boys to sit after they knocked over the plastic poles with the plastic chains that defined where the lines should stand.

I have a beef with the viewfinder, I think they make those things blurry on purpose!  I have perfect vision but the 3’s look like 8’s and vice versa.  This woman was not nice and I was glad to get the hell out of there.  My picture, I won’t share, but it is indicative of  how flustered I was  lol.  It sits in my wallet for the most part, and who feels glamorous when you get pulled over anyway?  I accomplished my task, but I was stressed out, and the boys were actually good, the poles they knocked over were light as a feather, so I think they bumped them and it was a chain reaction.  Ahhh the adventures of motherhood.

I Received an Award!

I received a lovely surprise in my mail from Tara, a friend of mine through blogging. This lovely friends award. Thank you so much Tara this was such a huge pick me up after a long day!

So along with the award comes some rules…here they are…

Rules do accompany this honor:”These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

1. Tanya at MommyGoggles
2. Nikki at Evilflu
3. Shera at A Frog In My Soup
4. Rhea at Mommy23Monkeys
5. Trisha at Sweet n Sassy Girls
6. Suzanne at So You Dont Get Any Phone Calls From Me
7. Trisha at Momdot
8. Cat at 3 Kids and Us

Small Talk Six Things I Love or Hate About Spring

Small Talk Six

Six Things I Love or Hate About Spring

1. I Love The warmer weather and the fact that I don’t have to stuff my boys into 15 layers and coats!
2. I Love the green grass and all the beautiful flowers
3. I Hate Bugs.  Yeah and if you want some amusement read this
4. I Love all the new Spring clothes
5. I Hate that my babies are getting close to being another year older *pout*
6. I Love the sunshine, after a long winter stuffed indoors, it is so nice to feel sunshine on my face again

Toddlers and NO

Yep it’s just been one of those days!  I have twins yep, I know you knew that, but I hear everything resonating in my ear times two.  There are some days where I feel like I am the kid in the house.  I find myself discussing things with my two year olds, and feel just like stomping around the house and telling everyone NO!

We are at that ever so wonderful stage of toddlerhood where my two boys are asserting their independence.  Every other word is accompanied by the word no in this house and “no mommy me do it allllll by myself” and I think I am about to lose my mind.  I know that this is just a test and a battle of wills, and sometimes I feel like I am failing miserably.  Everyone, assures me that it is just a phase, and the promise of it will get better bellowing from the mouths of people can sometimes sound like nails on a chalkboard.

There are days I tell you, I feel like a complete idiot trying to carry on a conversation with not one but two, two year olds.  Today I sounded like an auctioneer, repeating myself…no no no, come here, come here, would you stop please.  I am sure I look a bit comical, chasing my naked son who decided to take off his diaper and RUN!  Here I am running circles around the couch and praying like heck he doesn’t pee all over the carpet.  Needless to say I am exhausted.

So how do I get them to cooperate?

I have found that instead of saying “No” all the time, I offer them a choice.  Something about being negative all the time seems to make them retaliate.  Granted there are some things that are just plain no.  Giving them a choice sort of empowers them a little and makes them feel like they are part of the decision.  “No you may not have candy but you can have this instead”, almost never works because they are already set on the candy.  So instead I offer them two things they CAN have, and say “Do you want a banana or some grapes” and it seems to work about 99% of the time.

They are starting to understand more, so at meal times things have gotten easier.  I tell them if they want their dessert or treat that they must eat what they are going to eat.  This seems to motivate them just to eat well.  I do not force them to clean their plate but expect them to eat reasonably so they aren’t filling their stomachs with treats.

Time Outs:  We are still tweaking with these to see if they actually work.  For one of the boys just time out anywhere in the house works.  For my other one he has to be separated from everyone, and this is very upsetting for him but it seems to actually work. Me on the other hand, am emotional about a lot of it and sort of feel like I am not doing the right thing, so it is tough.  As a parent you want your children to grow up being respectful individuals.  I am always worrying if I am being a good mom, I think we are our worst critics.  And why is it that everyone tells me how good they are, yet I am still pulling out my hair?

I am sure it is all just a phase and this aspect will get better, but there is another phase around the bend I am sure.  I hope my mommy armor is tough enough to withstand!

Easter Is On It’s Way

Today was a beautiful day and the weather was so incredibly nice. While I was out putting a new screen in our sliding door ( yes folks I am a handy woman)  because I got so sick of my screen flapping in the wind that I decided to do something about it and it dawned on me that Easter isn’t too far away (thinking about two things at once).

Last year the boys were semi into the whole Easter thing but had not completely grasped the concept. We took them to our church Easter egg hunt which they divided into ages, and the boys got a few eggs and were happy. This year they definitely seem to get the concept. I can hardly wait to go to the local egg hunts because I know they are going to love it!

So I got to thinking about what to do for their Easter baskets this year. I am not a huge fan of overloading them with candy and I like to sort of cater to their interests when I am putting together their baskets. I thought I would give some ideas that they seemed to love last year, and I may go the same route this year.

1. Sidewalk Chalk: This is especially exciting for toddlers because they get a big kick out of drawing on the driveway and sidewalk. With the warmer weather this is a perfect family activity and it gets you outside.

2. Magna Doodles: Last year I found the cutest little travel Magna Doodles that were shaped like and Easter egg, the boys still play with these and they are perfect for car travel as well.

3. Hot Wheels: My two love these things! We have a whole bucket devoted to hot wheels and they are always playing with them.

4 Stickers: I found these little activity books, but you can but a small blank notebook and draw pictures to put their stickers in a scene or just let them stick away on blank paper.

5. Stamps: I like the washable inks that are non toxic and kid friendly. You would be surprised how much kids love these. My two love to get their hand stamped and the washable stuff comes off in the bath or comes off your walls easily.

6. Bubbles: Kids always love bubbles and again are a perfect thing to entertain them outdoors.

7. Outdoor toys: A frisbee they can try and toss around i perfect, or a jump rope. I found this neat little ball that has a parachute inside, and when you throw it up the parachute opens. The boys love this thing.

8. Plastic Eggs: I will buy some candy but then get fun kinds of eggs to put it in. My two loves all the different eggs, like soccer ball, and character eggs more than the candy that was inside them.

9. Bath toys: Any small bath toys are sure to make them happy and my two love their bath time

10. Crayons: I buy the bug chunky crayons that are easy for them to grasp.

11. Small little books: I found a few of these that are tiny but perfect for little hands

12. Spinners with lights: I found a couple of fun Easter ones and they are sure to entertain.

13. Playdoh

14. Little figurines:  Fisher Price has some cute ones and I just found the Little Einsteins (gonna be a huge hit!)

These are some ideas to get you started, and there is so much more you can do without overloading your kids with sugar. I like things that are more useful and encourage them to play and use their imagination. I always have some goodies in there for them, but they really like getting things they can actually play with. Leave me some of your creative Easter basket ideas!

Wordless Wednesday

Smiling Eyes

Sick Again

Today was a beautiful day but all of us are sick. It never seems to fail that when the weather changes we all get sick. I am hoping to get some much needed sleep tonight so I can actually function in the morning. When the boys are sick it seems like I am waking anywhere from 6-7 times in the night. My poor little bubs can’t seem to get comfy and when you can’t breathe through your nose, it just makes matters worse. The boys were a little crankier than usual but they still wanted to play outside.  I lnow that when I am miserable, all I want is my bed.  I never know if I should be keeping them sort of quiet or let them just play. We decided to let them go out but I think the boys overdid it. I just hope that this crud  goes away soon so we can enjoy the warmer weather!

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