Author: Melissa

I’d give you a personal tour, but right now my feet are glued to the floor with bright pink frosting and I might trip over the 11 billion sprinkles that are all. over. the. place.

Seriously, how can 24 cupcakes for a preschool class take ALL AFTERNOON to make? They’re not even from scratch!! Or fancy! I need a nap before I tackle this mess….

… makes me want to crawl back in bed and hide under the covers.

Ugh.

Anyway, Husband and I are just about worn out. For the last two weeks, he has been home 3 nights. Including weekends. His travel schedule has been insane and its not over yet. (He is taking several extra trips that he wanted to squeeze in before le bebe arrives.) But meanwhile, single parenting is wearing. I’m tired of only having conversations with 4-year-olds. I’m trying to keep them busy so that they don’t miss him too much. Saturday I took them to Chuck E. Cheese. (But that is a whole ‘nother post…)
Anyway, lots to do this week. Kids are off school Monday and Tuesday. (You think, “Hey, weren’t they just off school? Why, yes! They were!) Appointments here and there that I need to drag the children to. Plus, Ellie’s birthday is on Friday, so we have all of the accompanying festivities. Like the party at school, party at home, family coming to visit, etc.   And Ellie is bouncing off the walls, she is soooo excited for her birthday. Which is annoying Grace, who is getting a mite tired of having it rubbed in her face that Ellie will be getting presents this week and not her.
Oh well. Just do the next thing, right? This week will probably fly by. And starting in March, we will have a normal schedule again. Thank goodness!!

I was given this very nice award from Jenny at Chased By Children like three weeks ago. And I am just now getting around to posting about it. Maybe I should be winning a giant “L” for “Lazy!”

So now I will share the love with…..
Mel over at A Box of Chocolates – She is not only a mom, but somehow has the energy to be an elementary school teacher at the same time. Seriously. She deserves a box of chocolates. Or two.
And Misty at Rainy Day in May. Because she is a great writer. And she’s fun. And she has bravely just decided to start homeschooling her daughter.

Scientists have finally decided that “Pregnancy does cause memory loss.” See? See!?!?! Its not just in my head!

Michelle over at Scribbit is giving away a brand new Evenflo car seat this weekend! Go enter! And send it to me when you win!

If you haven’t been reading BooMama and Rocks in my Dryer this week, you are truly missing out. They are both blogging from Uganda, where they are on a trip with Compassion. Go read this. And especially this – this one made me cry.

Seared Scallops and Tenderloin Steaks with Manhattan Sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Four 1-inch-thick beef tenderloin steaks (about 4 to 6 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large diver sea scallops, trimmed
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup sweet vermouth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped or snipped chives

1. Drizzle olive oil over the steaks and season with salt and pepper. Get a large nonstick skillet screaming hot and add the meat. Cook the meat over high heat for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare, 4 for medium to medium-well. Remove the meat from the skillet and pull the pan off the heat to cool.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the scallops and season them with salt and pepper. Get another large skillet very hot and cook the scallops over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until caramelized.
3. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium skillet.
4. Return the meat pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and reduce by half, about 30 seconds. Add the butter to the pan to finish the Manhattan sauce.
5. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus and dress with the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
6. Place 2 steaks on each plate and drizzle with the Manhattan sauce. Place 2 scallops on top of each of the steaks and garnish with the chives. Serve the asparagus alongside.

My kids have been driving me bonkers this afternoon. Seriously, combine cupcakes, punch and a class party where everyone hands out more candy and you can imagine how hopped up my kids were. At one point, Grace was literally running around the room in circles singing at the top of her lungs. They have been so annoying! Finally, in an act of truly spectacular parenting, I said something along the lines of “Will you please go find something to do that does not involve noise, jumping or driving me crazy for 5 minutes?”
So 5 minutes later, I came upstairs and look what I find on my bed:

I think someone’s sugar high has finally worn off…..

Yesterday, we went to one of my kids favorite places on earth: Ikea. They just love to go there. And now that they are big enough to be dumped in the free childcare land, I love it too.
So while they were jumping in what was surely a very sanitary ball pit with 10 other healthy, clean children, I got to wander around Ikea All. By. Myself. I didn’t have to tell one single person to “Stop touching that”, “Get over here!” or “Watch out! You almost knocked over that gigantic display of wine glasses!” Wonderful. I picked up curtain rods and 2 cute picture frames I planned to hang in our newly painted bathroom.
Then we had our favorite gourmet lunch of Ikea hot dogs and, as a special treat, since I was in such a good mood after having a little alone time, I let the kids get a ice cream cone. Then proceeded to sit for approximately 3 hours while they ate said ice cream cones as slowly and messily as possible. Good grief, now I remember why I always insist my kids get a cup of ice cream at Dairy Queen instead of a cone. I do not have the patience for that!
Anyway, I got home and I was so excited to see how the new picture frames looked. And was ready to scream. Ikea – who prides itself on being different/unique – makes their picture frame opening 8 1/4 by 10 3/4.  A standard picture size is 8 by 10, is it not? Why on earth would they do this? Besides being annoying on purpose?? Ugh.
Now I have a return to Ikea on my to-do list.

Gracie: pushing her stomach out as far as she can “I just can’t eat any more dinner. My tummy hurts and the baby is kickin’ me.”

Ellie: very frustrated with Grace “She is on my nerve!!”

As Husband tried to explain to the girls what he does at work…
Husband: “I help people with pain in their backs get better.”
Ellie: “My teacher has paint on her back!”
Husband: “No not paint. Pain in their backs.”
Grace: very impressed “You put toothpaste on their backs?”
Husband: “What? Nevermind. We’ll talk when you’re older.”

Ellie: “Mommy, I decided I want to be a fairy when I grow up.”