tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18813199604614684542024-02-07T01:37:22.189-08:00random rabblejuliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-9572850285217505472012-07-01T13:47:00.001-07:002012-07-01T13:47:47.217-07:00Conversation after the kids came home from their friends' house:<br />
Me: What did you have for lunch?<br />
Trevor: Meat soup.<br />
Me: Was it chili?<br />
Trevor: No, it was hot.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-28571753471874944672012-06-23T07:53:00.001-07:002012-06-23T07:54:52.514-07:00Noel: I can write an uppercase "N" but not a downercase "n".<br />
Trevor, in the house he's lived in for half his life: Where's the bathroom?juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-22752406060964436452012-04-19T13:41:00.002-07:002012-04-19T13:41:24.307-07:00The kids are playing with polly pockets.<div>
Trevor: Her house looks like an amazement park.</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-17675218319875943512012-04-15T19:54:00.002-07:002012-04-15T19:57:58.969-07:00Funny things kids say, of courseWe parked next to a car that had fuzzy dice hanging on the mirror, only black with white spots. A few days ago we had been playing dominoes.<div>Noel: Look, there's vamanos (with a perfect Spanish accent) in that car.</div><div>Later on, in the tub, the kids were having a contest for the "cleanest, shiniest" face. Trevor insisted we find a real judge.</div><div>Trevor: Get out the sledgehammer! (Just think about this one.)</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-59948377075241490002011-10-14T23:50:00.000-07:002011-10-14T23:56:18.854-07:00Trevor decided today that he will be forming a "secret club". Here are the details he shared with me:<div>The club will consist of eight people; Hailey, Anna, Kozette, Kellan, Will, Thomas, George and Tessa.</div><div>The club will meet downstairs, where they will have a sleepover in his closet, except the kids who are small enough to fit under the bed.</div><div>They will eat juicy foods, but not crumbly ones (except chips.) Juicy foods are constituted mostly of fruit, and an example of a crumbly food is sandwiches.</div><div>I'm not sure why it's secret.</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-30620000070311178872011-08-24T01:13:00.000-07:002011-08-24T01:19:08.092-07:00Cute stuffNoel's pronunciation of bathroom: bat-yume.<div>When talking about an event that occurred at any time in the past, she used to say "yesterday." Now she says "tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow."</div><div>We went to Goodwill and she held up a plastic piece o' junk and asked "is this half off?"</div><div>Trevor has informed me that he wants a stepbrother. He also wants Todd and I to divorce and remarry so he can have two moms and two dads.</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-8167961403337937832011-06-08T17:22:00.000-07:002011-06-08T17:28:52.666-07:00I have to tell you something...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8oE-ce6WV01A31DU-k7AGbqAf8HKErsHFMJlqd2DASUCGE9qrYE1xpxBf2wmbaHpyKgrsA6o_JcixbJFwBWK7ewYf8Xnw5ngrctdkPXKhglTkup4YiZfZi95lO6-KX5lkAi-ByI3edoq/s1600/DSCF6686.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8oE-ce6WV01A31DU-k7AGbqAf8HKErsHFMJlqd2DASUCGE9qrYE1xpxBf2wmbaHpyKgrsA6o_JcixbJFwBWK7ewYf8Xnw5ngrctdkPXKhglTkup4YiZfZi95lO6-KX5lkAi-ByI3edoq/s200/DSCF6686.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616010421687947474" /></a><br />These kids will do anything to drag out bedtime. A drink of water, cover my head, where's special bear? Noel learned from Trevor to say "I have to tell you something." But when you say "what is it?" she says, hmmm. hmmm.<div>The next day she says, "Trevor, I have to tell you something."</div><div>Trevor says, "what?"</div><div>She responds "Trevor, I have to tell you something."</div><div>Trevor says "You can tell me anything, Noel."</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-53586246968170675822011-04-29T20:32:00.000-07:002011-04-29T21:20:08.319-07:00Can I stop relaxing now?While Todd is putting the kids to bed (a lengthy process in our house), I have been washing the dishes, picking up toys and books, wiping off tables, folding laundry, etc., and wondering when to stop. The floor still needs sweeped, there's a pot soaking in the sink and some plastic bags to be washed, and once those chores are done, a string of many more awaits.<div>Reminded me of a funny story so I decided to stop, sit down, and blog.</div><div>Last fall, Todd went out of town for a week and a girlfriend of mine came to visit. I thought it would be helpful to have an extra set of hands. It didn't turn out exactly as I expected, as my friend is childless, single, and lives in a hotel where people cook her meals and clean her room. She was far from helpful in the everyday functioning of the home, but I enjoyed the visit and having the company and felt not the least resentful.</div><div>Most evenings, after I finally got the kids to bed, I proceeded to do the usual stuff that would normally have been done by the lucky parent that got out of bedtime duty that night. (Just the basics so that 7 am wouldn't roll around with me tripping over toys to get to the coffee, only to find a sinkful of dirty dishes and two kids ready to make another mess. Nothing fancy like cleaning the floor or scrubbing the tub, just enough to keep my sanity.) As I loaded the dishwasher, cleared the tables, and swept up the crumbs, my friend would relax on the couch with a magazine and a glass of wine.</div><div>The day came for my friend to go home, and while driving her to the airport, we had the following conversation:</div><div>Her (a massage therapist): My friend S_ has messed up priorities. She would rather spend her money on coloring her hair than getting a massage.</div><div>Me: Well, I would rather pay someone to clean my house than get a massage. That would be more relaxing for me.</div><div>Her: But, Juliette, you clean to relax!</div><div>Me: Go f*** yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't really say that. I just laughed. When my very energetic sister came to visit after that, all she did was relax for hours every day. Our house was so clean! But I did have to complain to my mom that all she was doing was relaxing.</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-75872997980138822332011-04-10T15:39:00.000-07:002011-04-10T15:50:26.149-07:00My favorite store<a href="http://www.dantesdame.com/2008/08oregon/5-17-bi-mart.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://www.dantesdame.com/2008/08oregon/5-17-bi-mart.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a>I love Bi-mart. Where else can you buy oil and and oil filter, Yes to Carrots shampoo, organic cotton sheets and ammo for your 22* all at the same store?<div><br /></div><div>*You're right, I don't have a 22, but I'm hoping you get the point. My actual purchase yesterday was as follows: oil, filter, shampoo, conditioner, 22-oz microbrews, peeps, pez dispensers, colloidal oatmeal bath, and honey sticks.</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-43118990829914739852011-04-09T08:56:00.000-07:002011-04-09T09:09:41.984-07:00<a href="http://www.grassdirtcorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/LacinatoKale.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 499px; height: 373px;" src="http://www.grassdirtcorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/LacinatoKale.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>I've been eating Sunbow Farm's kale every week this spring. The best thing happened yesterday when I made this <a href="http://www.eatingisart.com/2010/04/massaged-kale-salad-with-radish-apple-avocado-and-roasted-sunflower-seeds.html">massaged kale salad</a> with a bunch of the white kale. It has apples, avocadoes, sunflower seeds, and radishes in a lovely lemon-ginger-honey dressing. You must make it!juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-3634152700174468022011-04-05T17:17:00.000-07:002011-04-05T17:27:57.782-07:00Blah, blah, blahMy head is spinning. I tried to start a knitting project no fewer than four times today. Unsuccessful. A dragon would be as big as a giant if they were alive. This parrot is very nice because it's a giant's bird and giants are not nice to dragons. Mom. I think this is a boy parrot. Mom. Do you think this is a boy parrot? Mom! The dragons live in a giant fire pit. They love fiery places. They love fiery places. Mom they love fiery places. Mom I have to tell you something more. They do not like cold and the next reason is they do not like storms. They like fiery places. Mom, remember that time we were at the indoor park and I played ball for a long long time? Mom. The dragons are hopping into their cave. They're eating parrot for dinner.<div>This is my nonstop talking almost 5-year old. He is still talking. He has been talking since 8 a.m. with a brief break when his friends came to play (thank God for Thomas and Tessa!) and a Berenstain's Bear DVD. He is cheerful but driving me batty. I think next I will try some headphones.</div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-34111000141772653152011-03-24T19:59:00.000-07:002011-03-24T20:47:38.716-07:00The Best Vegetarian Chili in the Whole Wide World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img4.myrecipes.com/i/recipes/ck/07/11/hominy-stew-ck-1673030-l.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://img4.myrecipes.com/i/recipes/ck/07/11/hominy-stew-ck-1673030-l.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>Okay, maybe not, but...<br />From <span style="font-style:italic;">The Bean Bible</span> by Aliza Green<div>Never actually made this to the exact ingredient, but the hominy (which I've only used canned) seems to be key. As for rutabagas and celery root, hmmm.</div><div>This is a huge batch.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>1 # dried hominy</div><div>1 1/2 cups dry black turtle beans, cooked and drained, or 4 cups canned</div><div>1 1/2 cups dry red kidney beans, cooked and drained, or 4 cups canned</div><div>8 cups water</div><div>4 bay leaves</div><div>1/2 cup olive oil</div><div>1 # onions, chopped</div><div>1 # carrots, diced</div><div>1/4 cup chopped garlic</div><div>2 28-oz cans chopped tomatoes</div><div>1 celery root, diced</div><div>1 rutabaga, diced</div><div>1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed</div><div>salt & pepper</div><div>1/4 cup chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (including sauce)</div><div>2 tsp. ground allspice</div><div>2 T. dried oregano</div><div>2 T. ground toasted cumin</div><div>cilantro for garnish</div><div><br /></div><div>1. In a large bowl soak hominy in water to cover 12 hours</div><div>2. Drain, rinse, add to pot with 8 cups water and bay leaves, bring to boil, cover and simmer about 2 hours until firm but cooked through. Or you could just buy canned and skip these steps.</div><div>3. Heat olive oil. Add onions and carrots, cook a bit, add garlic, cook a bit, add tomatoes, celery root, rutabaga, simmer about 15 minutes, add squash, simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.</div><div>4. Add chipotle, allspice, oregano, cumin, beans and hominy. Reduce heat and cook for 2o minutes or until chili is well thickened. Garnish with cilantro.</div><div><br /></div><div>The author recommends serving this in cooked acorn squash halves, a cute idea that I have never tried. Also, plan on freezing at least half as it is a big batch. Like any chili recipe, this tasted best cooked the day before and reheated.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope I don't get sued for copyright infringement. I have no idea what the rules are concerning this but seeing as only two people read this blog, if I get in trouble, I think I can figure out who ratted me out. </div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, some shredded cheddar or jack cheese and a huge dollop of sour cream wouldn't hurt.</div><div><br /></div>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-64587907385357616772011-03-18T17:22:00.000-07:002011-03-18T17:40:48.173-07:00Today's recipesI made three recipes today, two from Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book and this <a href="http://"><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/pierce-street-vegetarian-chili-recipe.html">Vegetarian Chili</a></a> from 101 Cookbooks. The bread items are a simple cornbread which is still baking (verdict not out) and "Sea Biscuits" which I would rather call "ship's biscuits". These seemed exciting to me, a kind of cracker made from sprouted wheat berries and rye flour, salt, baking soda, and oil. I also thought my little pirate might enjoy them...they did not go over so great, but I sure had a lot of fun sprouting the wheat!<br />But I am singing praises for the "chili", to which I had to, had to add celery, which I wouldn't call chili but a hippie stew in mass quantity. Just the thing to bring back last summer (fall, actually, but the sun was shining) and an amazing farm tour I went on, which concluded with live music and a feast of local food and drink. The star of the feast for me was a stew much like the one on my stove, thick with pulses and beans and grains. Anything to remember that, yes, summer DOES exist.<br />Try it, it's hearty!juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-5987807705863530312010-08-14T18:45:00.000-07:002010-08-14T18:52:42.481-07:00Hmmm.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGUpbpPnolgKBv_3NxHc_tezYMg13ax91hcWgV91VPe3IkbuLBCsxG969jTE8jNmRoMGOIwnUJ3C5wgQuUwDZj0KJu-M6zDpmcoeQi9LVIMu4gK69sN1sk0dUF3H6QxoEocgSsF210koK/s1600/2009_0311FLA20090226.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505447855358047906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGUpbpPnolgKBv_3NxHc_tezYMg13ax91hcWgV91VPe3IkbuLBCsxG969jTE8jNmRoMGOIwnUJ3C5wgQuUwDZj0KJu-M6zDpmcoeQi9LVIMu4gK69sN1sk0dUF3H6QxoEocgSsF210koK/s200/2009_0311FLA20090226.JPG" /></a><br /><br />As our family photos scrolled past on the computer, Trevor spotted this one from Noel's baptism and asked "Is that God?"juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-31798347091017650222010-07-14T20:35:00.000-07:002010-07-14T20:41:47.528-07:00Potty capersNot that anyone's doing anything serious with it, but I got a potty seat off Craigslist and Noel sits on it sometimes. Yesterday, Trevor was going "#2" on the big toilet and Noel ran into the bathroom, excited to sit on her potty, too. I said to Trevor (from the safe distance of the living room), "teach your little sister how to use the potty." The next comment I heard was Trevor saying "Okay, Noel...SQUEEEEZE!"juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-17060372860132812122010-07-13T20:35:00.000-07:002010-07-13T20:54:00.299-07:00Noel's 20 month word listmama, dada, madada, done, please (peez), more, eat, butter, cheese, apple, berry (sounds like bey-ee), baby, baba (sheep), boa, no, yeh, uh oh, anna, annie, bubble, pool, bee (means ant), hat, doo-doo (means shoe), poopoo, peepee, night night, hi, bye, star, moon, choo-choo (sounds like too-too), up, high (for swinging), ball, balloon, woof (means dog), bear, egg, nanny (candy) nana (banana), help, MINE!, drive (sounds like dive), bike, aguagua (water), out.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-51748748613505844202010-06-18T21:22:00.000-07:002010-06-18T21:51:54.641-07:00I'm back<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljMLOqMFKB1mhVJen_dxB2SSyNZvWO1vganbr-0XM0TORNtSLgjNuGWrU86Tt3P6i1qSpVCM0xEbdPoUVzyokuZkgsYZcuEFxaNuNtPZE6PCyhFYSoeNgytQPvTLcX-UJx7s3vP_L7wX_/s1600/2010_0530big40014.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljMLOqMFKB1mhVJen_dxB2SSyNZvWO1vganbr-0XM0TORNtSLgjNuGWrU86Tt3P6i1qSpVCM0xEbdPoUVzyokuZkgsYZcuEFxaNuNtPZE6PCyhFYSoeNgytQPvTLcX-UJx7s3vP_L7wX_/s200/2010_0530big40014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484339898321081666" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqKNqNG2opINC8-4Pm2UkiOu_uHGEp57qcpR_NaXwO_mgPsGOL0zphkPmwbIixRUpMHAhDR5GItkIBtMGk3Qn3y39da3OY4Q3Drn889MC2TTMMy8ZI-wWo25FAj81UNwAcO-vBcYULDDJ/s1600/2010_0530big40006.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqKNqNG2opINC8-4Pm2UkiOu_uHGEp57qcpR_NaXwO_mgPsGOL0zphkPmwbIixRUpMHAhDR5GItkIBtMGk3Qn3y39da3OY4Q3Drn889MC2TTMMy8ZI-wWo25FAj81UNwAcO-vBcYULDDJ/s200/2010_0530big40006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484339887547535362" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgSdp841hTunRxyPx0afwTW-1-GMEHgKZSOIDeNYRPfZds6nKzBtV4GWmS48J1F3tb18E_NIcgq_L47DP1Ovmnk4pO6222CHkClDINmfgwyWjF04ztzF2IIg9992jl3NaaDDPBLSZ7B0e/s1600/2010_0530big40071.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgSdp841hTunRxyPx0afwTW-1-GMEHgKZSOIDeNYRPfZds6nKzBtV4GWmS48J1F3tb18E_NIcgq_L47DP1Ovmnk4pO6222CHkClDINmfgwyWjF04ztzF2IIg9992jl3NaaDDPBLSZ7B0e/s200/2010_0530big40071.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484339872916111074" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgss3Psop5SJfcnEf2Qtl7USD5O2F1PeX4a88kTpXfz7aux_VCMxKtGeLIkaHDlbsImnCaF7420u_VIiHCaW5nV2r1NvqZScpeD29f2Vj2wPOsUBNzoP8WDbEf0fyV1CaBJEhQqmTonFM2k/s1600/2010_0530big40041.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgss3Psop5SJfcnEf2Qtl7USD5O2F1PeX4a88kTpXfz7aux_VCMxKtGeLIkaHDlbsImnCaF7420u_VIiHCaW5nV2r1NvqZScpeD29f2Vj2wPOsUBNzoP8WDbEf0fyV1CaBJEhQqmTonFM2k/s200/2010_0530big40041.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484339863283833394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWktMSnBw4an6hMyPti69ZFjKTV23iobwYMWyZRww-Xb1SJanp0udbCtg4TorFmhN3TKsNh-lX9eq0gFZI3cMfyt7hUjSGBVN47U3X2kifAjVCy4uMLI0AyQRPk3YN-VyT-PZz7VcLFhil/s1600/2010_0530big40024.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWktMSnBw4an6hMyPti69ZFjKTV23iobwYMWyZRww-Xb1SJanp0udbCtg4TorFmhN3TKsNh-lX9eq0gFZI3cMfyt7hUjSGBVN47U3X2kifAjVCy4uMLI0AyQRPk3YN-VyT-PZz7VcLFhil/s200/2010_0530big40024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484339850193871138" /></a><br />In case anyone is checking my blog every day (for funny stories, new pics of the kids, and product giveaways), here are some funny stories, new and not-so-new pictures, and, sorry, no product giveaways yet.<br />Nana, you will appreciate this one. Especially since you're probably the only person reading it! We sometimes sing the kids a lullaby that Todd remembers from his infancy, the one about Blanket Bay. Oh, I don't really know all the lyrics, but it begins with being wrapped in a cozy blanket and ends with sailing away to Blanket Bay. One night last week, Trevor and Noel were wired and taking forever to get to sleep (they're sharing a room now so they can really get each other going). One or another of us would have to keep going in and saying go to sleep, time for bed, close your eyes, etc. It was one of those nights when a third parent would've come in handy. I said "get in your boats, it's time to sail to Blanket Bay." Trevor decided it would be a race, and of course his was a speedboat. Fifteen minutes later, Noel was still yelling "mama, mama" so I went in to tuck her back in one last time. Trevor was sleepy but still awake, and as I left the room, he said "I still have not yet found Blanket Bay."<br />A few pictures from Trevor's birthday. He did a 1/4 mile run in the morning, and celebrated in the afternoon with a few friends. Todd painted the beautiful dragon. For his birthday dinner, he chose "beans, rice and cheese."<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/tntpics1/FourthBDayBash#"></a>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-86210854285821737942010-02-05T14:35:00.000-08:002010-02-05T14:58:20.889-08:00I don't know if this is as funny as it is disgusting.We have had lots of runny noses around here lately and I said to Noel "go get a tissue." Well, she went straight to the bathroom waste basket, opened the lid, pulled out a soggy wad of used tissue and very proudly wiped her face with it. YUCK.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-42023262304380256252009-11-12T10:58:00.000-08:002009-11-12T20:45:13.669-08:00Birthday Week<A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5Pot3g1n-hFyiHDJNRZz8oU7j1gJvfuiMhyKz47-V0cnETO4JMKNteCYSOcu3yqGsLAsriO6TDBp6FP3wVoxdlmoUTyfX75o5zsk4UbfTb2INsHlZP2H81HuU0M1dPNfuV964JeOYLP1/s1600-h/2009_1111Aquarium0046.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403433358012855714 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5Pot3g1n-hFyiHDJNRZz8oU7j1gJvfuiMhyKz47-V0cnETO4JMKNteCYSOcu3yqGsLAsriO6TDBp6FP3wVoxdlmoUTyfX75o5zsk4UbfTb2INsHlZP2H81HuU0M1dPNfuV964JeOYLP1/s200/2009_1111Aquarium0046.JPG" border=0></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFtF1y9qKon07VQQTyDIOTdvwRjfSWRxBZimMb7D9cY0X8CPWqzCXaT2F0V7j710TAiJofAh3R5L2WxldqtHCXkVBj_agV-_6ZVw7xQhkFqS_R9QBfzbzlhhlbRgdasi0TBV3DC6tEfXc/s1600-h/2009_1111Aquarium0069.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403433348509924178 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFtF1y9qKon07VQQTyDIOTdvwRjfSWRxBZimMb7D9cY0X8CPWqzCXaT2F0V7j710TAiJofAh3R5L2WxldqtHCXkVBj_agV-_6ZVw7xQhkFqS_R9QBfzbzlhhlbRgdasi0TBV3DC6tEfXc/s200/2009_1111Aquarium0069.JPG" border=0></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXO11nXwGTxeyQ1NkgIphIz_gKmX3J8ivVE0GFWZdVHahLUs7VAfYIorVDZLZNXM-lHKERxqkQilkzf2xRO1Ajmi57V9aqA4gw3dhwR9950QSNcf7vv3JNHjn8QhUG6Qe8z1kxgcMjNlC2/s1600-h/2009_1111Aquarium0052.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403433342450625506 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXO11nXwGTxeyQ1NkgIphIz_gKmX3J8ivVE0GFWZdVHahLUs7VAfYIorVDZLZNXM-lHKERxqkQilkzf2xRO1Ajmi57V9aqA4gw3dhwR9950QSNcf7vv3JNHjn8QhUG6Qe8z1kxgcMjNlC2/s200/2009_1111Aquarium0052.JPG" border=0></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw07zwHttvDWDZAGRS9_uSw5RU7wKQhYL-eFu4UNJL1csfPCnVWXdWgh7N-J3AeDW2sRhN0ftB6HhLhpogq-WUj0Znqdc-JUOdjL2yygJdFcJlBGxdSYAitbBsP0G8sce9WKDEQtjM5yqk/s1600-h/2009_1109noelbday0050.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403433336648912642 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw07zwHttvDWDZAGRS9_uSw5RU7wKQhYL-eFu4UNJL1csfPCnVWXdWgh7N-J3AeDW2sRhN0ftB6HhLhpogq-WUj0Znqdc-JUOdjL2yygJdFcJlBGxdSYAitbBsP0G8sce9WKDEQtjM5yqk/s200/2009_1109noelbday0050.JPG" border=0></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJUDsIjndq1RrrAf7W3_gEnfNj0vvNmz2xEoOfAnYEl1Ot5ZadrosCLP5MJKzjlTE0cRfrqC601wzFhXs9T-44CFQPPdQHE0z0owZHGGMqztuHSaDgQ7a53-W_jFVIvn5AnDoocwRS8J8/s1600-h/2009_1109noelbday0015.JPG"><IMG id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403433326974616066 style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJUDsIjndq1RrrAf7W3_gEnfNj0vvNmz2xEoOfAnYEl1Ot5ZadrosCLP5MJKzjlTE0cRfrqC601wzFhXs9T-44CFQPPdQHE0z0owZHGGMqztuHSaDgQ7a53-W_jFVIvn5AnDoocwRS8J8/s200/2009_1109noelbday0015.JPG" border=0></A><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yKTnj27RP8s&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yKTnj27RP8s&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-88705135191893995022009-10-30T21:39:00.000-07:002009-10-30T21:51:52.523-07:00Help! I'm addicted to Ebay!...So I've officially added it to "my favorites," my eyes are fogging over from staring at the screen for hours, and although I've only bid on and purchased one item (so far), I'm starting to abbreviate everything (EUC, NIP...) and use words like "webinar" in everyday conversation. I admit it was craigslist for awhile, but it was a kind of drudgery, like an alcoholic compelled to drink two six-packs of Busch every day. Nothing good ever came of it. I haven't even looked at craigslist since this afternoon! <br />Gotta run, an auction is ending.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-41520999535029071812009-10-18T22:12:00.000-07:002009-10-18T22:29:49.995-07:00Trevor the politician...or maybe used car salesmanTodd's department at work celebrated its 100th birthday last week and we took the family to a dinner event. The kids behaved very well for the most part. Trevor sat through dinner without too much fidgeting, then it was time for the speeches. The department head (ask Todd for an impersonation of her husky voice if you want a laugh) began the lengthy introductions. Here's how it went: she delivered her punchline, hahaha polite laughter...two beats...Trevor's fake and hearty chuckle (loud) followed by sincere cracking up. And so it went for several minutes. I am just about to fall off my chair thinking about it now.<br />We did not stay for the speakers.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-55151543757121685112009-09-24T21:31:00.000-07:002009-09-24T22:04:29.705-07:00Date NightMy apologies for no new pictures; the children are adorable and sweet, but somehow we cannot locate the charger for our camera battery. You'll have to trust me that they're cute. Trevor's latest hobby is making great piles of stuff--toys, books, clothing, framed pictures, pillows--piling it all up and calling it something, like a barricade or something, I'm usually too annoyed by then to care much about the creative process. Although I admit I had to laugh today when he took a painting I recently purchased at a used art sale and stacked it on the piled-up couch and called it the gummer. Noel's favorite activities now involve crawling quickly toward the stairs, chewing on electrical cords, putting shoes in her mouth (she also likes the little white thing from the bottom of the toilet), wrapping my purse strap or any other ribbonlike object around her neck. She wouldn't last twenty minutes on her own. She also loves the baby swing (whew, she's restrained) and makes a happy noise when I ask if she wants to swing. She points at airplanes in the sky and waves at everyone. What a cutie pie.<br />Last week was our anniversary and we celebrated the beginning of our sixth year together by going out on a date. It works like this: You hire a sitter and leave your children at home while you go do stuff you wouldn't normally do with children. We went out to dinner* and then it was a toss-up between going to home depot to look at flooring samples and taking in a movie. We went with the movie. A movie theater is a series of large rooms filled with soft chairs, and in each room there is a different movie which is projected onto a large screen. Sometimes people eat popcorn and drink pop. I might do it again; it's cheaper than a new floor.<br />*Dinner out is something you can do with children, but it's usually about getting to the end of the meal so you can leave before your 3 year old asks you to take him to the bathroom for the fourth time. I guess Block 15 does have pretty nice bathrooms. Plus minors aren't allowed in the bar area of Aqua, where you can get a fabulous meal off the happy hour menu, plus two beers for Todd and a weird rooibos-infused cocktail for me (not recommended) for under $30.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-73006080882625811392009-08-21T21:59:00.001-07:002009-08-21T22:22:06.950-07:00Not-so-green Confession<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/3069616730_9071810a22.jpg?v=0"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/3069616730_9071810a22.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I love bleach. Yeah, that's right. Good Ole sodium hypochlorite. I don't use it often because I must have heard somewhere that it's not good for kids (or adults) to breathe or ingest it. But now and again my towels get stinky and I can't think of anything else to do but break out the strong stuff. Also, around about January when everyone's got the stomach bug, I get paranoid and go around and bleach all the door handles and such...as if one day of compulsive cleaning will protect us from months of domestic neglect. But still, my kitchen towels have a nice clean bleachy smell right now and none of us barfed in January.<br />Don't tell me about the eco friendly alternative that works for you...because I have tea tree oil and I have oxiclean (like them both) but sometimes the only thing to do is pull out the big guns.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-69720150514588496412009-08-13T22:12:00.000-07:002009-08-13T22:33:21.102-07:00I can't even catch up now.So I'll just summarize and skip ahead. My sister Donna and niece Elizabeth visited for three weeks and helped us move. If anyone needs help moving, I recommend having Donna help you. She also watched the kids a bunch and fed Trevor gelato every day and Noel cheerios. It seems like we did a lot of stuff while they were here, but the time flew by.<br />Noel has been crawling everywhere and pulling up on stuff and eating lots of food even without any teeth. I'm pretty sure that it's all that sitting and standing that is disrupting her (and my) sleep. Trevor has been saying the funniest things, as usual. The other day as we were walking by our neighborhood cemetery, Todd said "that's where the dead people live." On the way back by, we saw a woman jogging through, and Trevor asked "Is she dead?" The day before that, a baby squirrel fell out of a tree in front of our house. He was really worried about it and fussing over it and then he said "can we have it for dinner?" In case PETA is scanning this blog, I'll have you know we brought the baby to the wildlife rescue center and he's doing well.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881319960461468454.post-13003007250360349812009-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:002009-08-13T21:57:54.850-07:00The Joys of CampingI am shivering beneath a urine-soaked sleeping bag on a poorly inflated air mattress; my toe, which I recently broke by kicking Trevor too hard, is throbbing and my lower back is aching from the rigors of lifting Noel in and out of the pack n play. I'm lying there listening to some yahoos (it sounds like they're about six inches from my head) going on about f-ing this, f-ing that, as they have been going on all night. I went up to Moonshine with my friend Betsy, my two kids, and her three, leaving the men to follow the next day. It took us three hours to just get out of town; what with all the items necessary to stave off children's whining or certain death, we couldn't have squeezed a bottle of valium in her minivan. (Tsk, tsk.) Then we had to set up our tents (at least she had a clue, I could barely comprehend that the blue pole goes in the blue slot, the green one in the green slot), feed kids, put them to bed. So finally, I have no idea what time it was, I'm lying in the tent, hoping baby Noel won't wake up for the nineteenth time (I don't think she's a fan of camping; either that or her ears were freezing off). I am planning my elaborate, early escape from the trip, and willing morning to come so the nightmare will end. I could've kept smiling, even with the loud rednecks and infants, the aches and discomforts and aromas, but for one thing that pushed me right over the edge: the tent was positioned in such a way that the restroom light on a motion sensor shone directly in my eye.<br />Moonshine, never again.juliettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06958037928679110349noreply@blogger.com2