Confessions of the Day 17

OK I am going to admit this in hopes that someone out there has either done this themselves or will do it one day when they become a parent.  Plus I am sure you will all get a laugh out of it.  My daughter who is not quite 2 1/2 uses a pacifier for nap (when she actually naps) and at night.  Well when she started getting teeth in she started chewing on the paci (as we call them) at night to help relieve the teething pain.  So they would get holes or cracks and we would have to throw them away.  We were pretty much down one.  I was thinking about just letting her go cold turkey when the last one disappeared (as they sometimes do like socks) or got a hole.  But maybe because she's my last baby or because we didn't make her brother get rid of the paci until 3,  I decided to let her keep them and my husband got 2 new ones at the store yesterday.  Well you are supposed to boil the pacifiers (or bottles/nipples etc.) for 5 mins. to sterilize them before use.  So yesterday afternoon I put a pot on to boil and threw the new pacifiers in.  Well life happens and I got busy doing something and totally forgot about them.  I was in the bathroom downstairs when all of a sudden I smell something burning.  I think to myself what is burning??  Then like lightning it strikes me.  OH GOD THE PACIFIERS!!!!!!!!  I run into the kitchen to see and smell a smoking pot on the stove.  The pacifiers are melted down to the silicone nipples.  The plastic has now burned off onto the pot and filling the air with nasty smelling thick smoke.  Yes I let the water boil completely out and then melt down the pacifiers.  Well my 6 year old son comes out from the playroom and starts going on and on about how bad it smells and how he can't see and why didn't the smoke detectors go off (which I am wondering too) and we need to check all the smoke detectors in the house etc, etc....  Meanwhile I am opening all the windows in the house running the fan over the stove and calling myself a friggin dumbass.  My daughter in all of this who already was excited about the new pacis is yelling "Pacis FIRE!"  "Pacis FIRE!" over and over and over.  The smoke is so bad I decide we need to leave and well we now need more pacifiers so we head to the store.  And yes she kept up the "Pacis FIRE!" bit all the way to the store and in the store.....

And this is for Angela over at Craving Cupcakes .  It's my Mom's Pudding recipe.  I have to say it is one of my all time favorite desserts.  Plus I love when it's still warm from the stove .... mmmm.  If I had time today I would make some.  Oh and the other nice thing is you can make more healthy by using skim milk and/or splenda instead of sugar.


Pudding

Ingredients

    2    cup    Milk
    1/2    cup    Sugar
    1/4    tsp    Salt
    3 1/2    tbsp    Corn Starch
    2    lg    Egg -- separate use yolk only
    1    tsp    Vanilla Extract
    1    tbsp    Butter

Instructions

Mix together milk, sugar, salt, corn starch and egg yolks.  Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly.  When the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from heat and add vanilla and butter.

For CHOCOLATE add during cooking:
3 Tbsp. more sugar
2 Tbsp.  cocoa

For BUTTERSCOTCH use 1/2 cup brown sugar instead of white.

 For meringue beat 2 Tbsp. sugar for each egg.  Add 4-6 drops of vanilla per egg.  To brown meringue, bake in 350 oven for 10-12 mins.



And for the good news!!!  I am leaving today to head to Norfolk, VA to get on a cruise ship bound for Bermuda!!!!!!!!!!  My two good friends and I are going on a scrapbooking cruise.  Not that I will be doing a ton of scrapbooking but I will do some.  And no my hubby and children are not going.  It's just a girls vacation.  I have never done a long vacation with friends so this should be fun and interesting!  So if I don't post while I am gone you know why.  I am going to try though.  But don't hold your breath!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  Think back a decade, do you remember what your first cellphone was? Was it as cool as Zack Morris’s phone?

To be honest I really don't remember.  It was what ever phone was either free with my plan or the cheapest.  I know I didn't have one until I was out of college and on my own working. But I do remember when I got my Motorola StarTAC.  It was the smallest cellphone on the market and I loved that it flipped open to answer!!  I thought it was so cool!

2. What is the first children’s book you remember being read to you?


Well I remember One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey.  It's about a little girl who looses her first tooth.  I just remember loving the illustrations and I couldn't believe people lived in places where they had to take boats just to go to the store.

3. What was your first car? Did you love it or hate it?

My first car was a white 1986 Toyota Camry. It was my mom's old car and I got to drive (she made it clear is wasn't my car.  My brother and I had to share it.  Which meant that when I went off to college he got the car).  I LOVED that car!  I still LOVE that car.  It was so roomy and ran great.  We have a Camry now which is a great car but I swear the interior is smaller now.  I used to be able to sit in the back seat of my '86 Camry and have enough leg room (I am 5' 10" so leg room is important) and I swear there is not nearly the leg room in our new Camry.

4. Who was your hero growing up?


Sally Ride the first American woman astronaut.  For the longest time growing up I wanted to be an astronaut.  So I really looked up to her being that she was the first woman on a space shuttle.


5. Think back to your first kiss. Was it everything you dreamed of?

My first "real" kiss as I am defining as sloppy and not just a quick peck.  Anyway it was eye opening.  I'm not sure how much I had dreamed of it but it sure wasn't what I had expected.  It was enjoyable but nerve wracking and really wet.  LOL wow now that brings back memories....

6.  What was your first BAD hairstyle choice? (Extra points for embarrassing photos)


Honestly my hair really does not change much.  It's almost always long.  The most I do is bangs or no bangs.  The reason behind this you ask... (well maybe you didn't ask but I'm gonna tell you) is because my mother always had me have short hair growing up.  I know why she did this.  It was simply easier to deal with. But oh how I longed for the long hair with ribbons and bows I saw the other girls have.  So here are a just two unfortunate examples of my childhood haircuts.

I think I was 4 in this picture

3rd Grade.  Really bad period in my life...

7. What was your first realistic dream? (One where you had to think “Oh dang, was that a dream?”)


I'm not sure how old I was but it was the point in my childhood where I had a loft bed.  I dreamed I was on top of a skyscraper and I was being pushed off the roof by an imperial guard from Star Wars (the guys who wore all red and guarded the Emperor).  As I was falling I could see people and events from my life in the windows as I was going by.  Just as I was about to hit the ground I woke up suddenly and was about to fall off my loft bed and onto the very hard hardwood floor.  Strange right??

8. What was the first phobia you remember developing?

Snakes.  Again sometime in childhood we were at the zoo in the snake/reptile house and the tag on my shirt was bothering me.  It felt like a snake slithering inside my shirt and it freaked me out.  And I still to this day will not even touch a snake.  They just freak me out.  In fact I don't even like watching them on tv.

9. Which character on Sesame Street do you most identify with?

Elmo's mommy.  That's just where I am in my life.

10. What was the hardest goal you ever accomplished?


Hands down being a stay at home mom.  I love it but it is the hardest non-stop job ever.  Not to mention most people don't think you are very accomplished because you are a SAHM.  Sorry but raising good human beings is a lot harder than you would think.  But before that getting my masters degree was the hardest thing. There were times during the program I wasn't sure I was ever going to get through it.

And the winner is ......

The winner of the Katiemade frame giveaway is Andi!!!  She had comment #4 and 4 was the random number picked by my iPod.

She is the winner of  this frame called Citrus Flowers.  So Andi please email me your full name and address at katiemommy4@gmail.com and I will ship out the frame to you!  Thanks everyone!

Giveaway Continued

Well I forgot after a very long day yesterday to extend the giveaway.  So I am going to keep it open until Sunday night the (April 25th) around 8PM.   So you still have a chance to enter.  So head on over here to enter!!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  What two cities should be moved closer together?


I would have to say New York and London.  New York is quick plane flight from here and if London were closer to New York then I could get there more often.  London is one of my favorite cities and I would love for it to be closer.

Parliament as taken from a sight seeing boat down the Thames on my last trip to London in 2007

2. What was the first plane ride you took?

I think it was a flight from Denver to Hawaii when I was about 11 months old.  My family flew out for my Aunt Sally's wedding to my Uncle Gordon (he just passed away January and we all miss him dearly).  But I would have to confirm that with my mom. 


3. What continent would you most like to visit?

Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. What’s your favorite place to window-shop?


Barnes & Noble is one of my faves because I love books.  Target for clothes and home accessories and just about anything else.  I also love window shopping at Lowe's Home Improvement or Home Depot for ideas for new bathroom or kitchen fixtures or lighting or floors.


5. What’s the least fun you’ve ever had at a place specifically tailored for fun?

3 words ..... Chuck E. Cheese.  CEC as we call it in my house is one of the worst places to go as an adult.  On a busy weekend it is my idea of hell on Earth.  Over crowded, loud, rude adults, rampaging children on sugar highs, bad animatronics, bad music, unruly children, dirty play areas, broken games, money sucking and well you get the idea.  Now the pizza isn't half bad and on an empty weekday I kinda like it because no one is there.

6.  You’re stuck on an island with plenty of food, a companion, and a relatively stress-free lifestyle. What do you say when the rescue ship comes?


Let's go home I miss my family.


7. Which day of the week do you look forward to most?

Friday because my husband either has Friday off or only teaches one class so he's home by noonish and so it means the start to the weekend.

8. What’s your favorite place to enjoy the great outdoors?


At a park with my kids enjoying the day and watching them have fun.

9. What’s on your “to do” list this summer?


Get a job :(.  My time as a stay at home mom is coming to close.  Not because I want to but because I have to.  I have already applied for a job at the local community college but haven't heard anything yet and I thought about going back to school for Esthetics (facials, skin care, waxing etc.) but one college wants waaayyyy too much money but is quick and the other is cheaper but takes over a year and I just don't have the time plus the economy right now is tough for that.  But it's something that's on my radar for later down the line.  Anyway I guess I will head back to teaching if I can find a job if not we will just see what's out there.  For now I am concentrating on my craft business on Etsy and don't forget my giveaway going on now check it out here!!!!

10. Which natural disaster freaks you out the most?


Ok now I know this will sound really weird but the apocalypse or ends days.  I might just have watched too many bad movies like Mad Max and I am Legend but I sure don't want to be in the last wave of humans on the earth.  I would much rather go in the first wave so I didn't have to deal with humanity breaking down around me.  See that is really strange I live in hurricane country so you would think that would freak me out but no I have been at least 6 since I moved to Wilmington and as long as you get out for a category 3 or higher you will be fine (your house might not but that's a risk I take living here).

Giveaway!!!!!

Ok I know you have all been waiting with bated breath to see what my giveaway is right??!?!!?  Hmm sometimes my sarcasm doesn't come across so well in written word.  Oh well I hope at least a few of you are excited.  So here's the deal I am giving away an original Katiemade frame. Yes that one right there!

This is called Citrus Flowers and I personally think it's quite cute.  It holds a 4x6 photo and comes with a peg for standing. But it does not come with the Farrah photo sorry.  I will personally deliver (if winner is local) or ship it out to the winner.  Winner will be chosen based on a random number generator from the comments.  And the giveaway will close Friday the 23rd at 5PM (EST).  I will then announce the winner later that night.

Ok on to the important stuff, there are several ways to win.  First way is visit my Etsy shop here and then post a comment here telling me which of my items is your favorite and why (I need feed back on my stuff so any and all comments are welcome).  Second way is to become a fan of Katiemade Crafts on Facebook the link  is here .  Once you become a fan just leave a comment here telling me you are a fan.  The next way to enter is to post a quick blog entry about my Etsy shop on your blog (post the link in the comment section here) or if you don't have a blog send out an email to 5 friends about my Etsy shop and copy me into the email (katiemadecrafts@ec.rr.com) then just post a comment here after you have done it.  And lastly you can subscribe to this blog just post a comment after you have subscribed.  The best news is you can do any or all of these so you have up to 4 chances to enter!!  Good luck!

Tease...

Just a quick post to play catch up.  I spent all day Saturday scrapbooking with some great friends.  I got about 20 pages done which isn't bad for me.  And I am almost all the way through 2008.  Yes 2008 I am OVER a year behind in my family album.  I am Just about a year behind in Marley's.  I spent today catching up on the house and reorganizing our mail/junk pile situation.  It's almost under control (I just have to get my dear husband to put up the wall mail organizer we bought at Target today).

But on to my tease ... make sure you come back tomorrow because I will be doing a giveaway.  Yes I said giveaway.  I tried it once before but only for coupons so it wasn't a big hit.  But I will hint that it will NOT be coupons this time but something pretty and useful.  That's my hint for now.  So come on back tomorrow and find out what you will be getting a chance to win and how you can win.

Random Thougths and Questions

Why am I 34 years old and still watching 90210? Is it just to catch up with my old Beverly Hills 90210 characters like Kelly Taylor and Donna Martin???  Yes in part but they haven't been on much at all and yet here I sit still watching these 17 something year olds go through their teen angst.  I can still kinda relate but they just seem whiny most of the time. Oh and stupid.

It is sad just how much I have been enjoying texting since I got my new Samsung Intensity with slide out keyboard.  I really couldn't stand nor really understand the fun of texting when I had my old Motorola Razor where I had to double or triple punch a button to get the right letter.

I know my mom reads my blog (never comments but reads) and I have a some subscribers but how many of my real life friends and or family really read???  Just curious...

It's a little nuts but I sometimes watch my 2 year old daughter play with my cup full of paint brushes for a good 45 mins. straight and I wonder if she is autistic.  She found a cup of clean paint brushes in my craft room the other day and she has been obsessed with pulling them out one by one and brushing her leg with each one then putting it on the floor.  Once she has gotten all the brushes out she puts them one by one back into the cup.  She then gets up walks around shows me the cup or who ever else is around and finds another spot to sit in and goes through the whole process again.  I have a masters in special education and I know the signs so maybe I am hyper sensitive.  She talks and is loving and social but she loves to walk on her toes and has some weird habits (like the paint brushes and throwing all her toys out of their bins but doesn't play with them).  I worried that my son was autistic too.  It's not that I wouldn't love my children less if they were autistic but I just want what is best for them and early identification is huge and I don't want to stick my head in the sand and not admit there is a problem.

Ten on Tuesday

1.  What book, movie or song has made you want to travel to a particular place? (eg. I went to Prince Edward Island because I was such a Anne of Green Gables fan)

I have always wanted to go to Japan but after reading Memoirs of a Geisha and seeing the movie it made me want to go even more. 

2. Aside from your significant other, who would you want to take with you on a dream trip?

I would have to say my Nana.  She loves to travel and it would be a nice way to say thanks for all the incredible trips she has taken me on.

3. Where would said dream trip be to?


Japan, Australia and New Zealand

4. If you were hosting guests or providing tips, what three things would you show visitors to your hometown? (be it where you live now or where you grew up)


Well since we are the beach and it's a great beach we would head to Wrightsville Beach for a morning or day.  Historic downtown Wilmington is so great with museums, historic homes, river walk, shops and restaurants that it would have to be a stop along with a USS North Carolina Battleship tour. 

And for the last tour stop would be Airlie Gardens especially in the spring. 

5. If you had a long weekend ahead of you, where you head – beach, city or country/mountains?

Since I live at the beach it has lost some of it's appeal at least as far as vacations or long weekends go.  I would head to the mountains.  I am a Colorado girl and I love the mountains and I miss them.

6. Do you have a passport? If so, did you get it for a particular trip or just to have, in case?


Yes I have had a passport since I was 16.  I got it to go on a tour of Europe with my high school chorus.  That was such a great trip!!  We his 7 countries in about 2 weeks!  We sang at about every stop and the highlight for me was my solo in the La Madeleine Church in Paris.

7. Are there any travel souvenirs you collect? If not, is there something else you collect?

I don't have a standard thing like shot glasses or spoons that I collect but I always get extra post cards to take home and I try to find some sort of wall hanging or local art to bring home.  And thanks to my wonderful Uncle & his partner I have lots of framed artwork from my travels (visit their website for their Frame shop here).


8. If you could name a paint colour, what colour would it be and what would you call it?

Hmmm .... this one is a stumper for me.  I love blue so I would choose a bright almost indigo blue color and call it True Blue Katie.  Not very original at all I'm afraid...


9. If you were heading away for a weekend city break solo, where would you go? (forget about practicality here and flight times, assume you can get to any city in the world for the weekend)

I would head to NYC to stroll the streets do some shopping, see some Broadway shows and just enjoy being in a big city.


10. Is there a song or a smell or something that you strongly associate with a particular holiday/place/time, such that it always takes you back?

This is random but my mom had this little ghost coming out of a jack-o-lantern wax or plastic (not sure which I was young and don't remember) figure from Avon and it smelled like vanilla but it was a very distinct vanilla one that I haven't encountered much at all.  Anyway when I do get that exact vanilla smell it always reminds me of Halloween during my childhood.

Confessions of the Day 16

Part of me feels bad that I haven't posted a new blog since last Tuesday but then another part of me just doesn't have the energy to do it or to care that much.  I love my blog and it's such a great outlet but I have had a horrible cold combined with allergies.  The last week has been so miserable because of the cold/allergies.  I was taking naps every chance I got and going to bed as soon as the kids were in bed.  So that left me no time to do anything but take care of the kids and do minimal house work (and I do mean minimal).

I LOVE Glee.  There is no way I can describe how much I love this show.  In fact I think FOX knew how much I loved it so as a birthday present to me they are starting up the new shows tomorrow Tuesday the 13th on my birthday!!!  I think one of the major reasons I love it so much is that I was in chorus all through Jr. high and high school.  It wasn't technically a show choir like on Glee but my high school chorus was big and really good and did some dance routines (I was terrible at choreography but thank god for my friend Jennie who was awesome at it and made me practice and helped me get right).  But I loved being in chorus and it was a whole subculture at my high school but a good one not like on Glee.  I also just loved singing in a chorus!  That is something I miss a lot and why I love watching Glee.  And I confess I have all the music from the show and the DVD.

Ten on Tuesday

1.  If you could travel back in time, would you?  What decade would you visit?
Of course I would! Are you kidding if I had a shot at time travel I would do it in a second.  Now where in time would I go.  That's a hard one.  First decade off the top of my head is the 50's because of the music and the fashion.

2. What was your best Halloween costume?  (fun to make? most creative?)
Well as a child one of my most favorites was a princess costume my mom made.  It was actually a flower girl dress for my mom's cousin's wedding I was in but she also made a pointy princess hat out of the same fabric for Halloween.  I LOVED that dress!  A few years ago I had to come up with a costume quick and I came up with Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. 

It was all made with stuff from my house.  I used  an old graduation robe and I found a piece of jewelery that kind of looked like the time turner.  I printed out the Griffendor crest and pined it to the robe and teased my hair (it's long and brownish like hers).  We even happened to have a Harry wand my son used for dress up.  So not a bad costume for stuff around the house!

3. Do you like your name?  If you weren’t called by your name, what would you want to be called?
I like my name.  I went through a period in 5th or 6th grade when I hated my name and wanted to be named Lisa Ramsey.  Don't ask me why I just thought that was a great name.  But now I love my name.  My full name is Katherine and there aren't a whole lot of Katherines around (spelled the right way too).  Plus I like it because I go by Katie too.  But don't ever call me Kat or Kath or any other shorted variation other than Katie.

4. In the past year, what is the BEST recipe you made.  Please share it!
Not sure when I first made this recipe but it's a fairly recent addition to my favorites.  Everyone in my family loves it even the kids and it's easy to make.  It's pretty healthy too.

Barley, black bean and corn burritos

Ingredients

    15    oz    Beans, Black -- 15 oz. rinsed and drained
    10    oz    Tomatoes W/Green Chilies, Canned -- 10 oz. undrained
    1    cup    Barley (quick cook kind)
    2     cups    Vegetable Broth
    3/4    cup    Corn, Frozen
    2    oz    Scallions -- 1/4 cup chopped
    1    tbsp    Lime Juice -- fresh
    1    tsp    Cumin  
    1    tsp    Chili Powder
    10    oz    Chicken -- cooked (optional)
    1    clove    Garlic -- minced
    1/4    cup    Cilantro -- chopped (optional topping)
    8    oz    Cheese, Cheddar -- shredded (optional topping)
    4    oz    Salsa -- (optional topping)
    1    head    Lettuce, Butterhead -- (optional topping)
    4    oz    Sour Cream, Fat Free -- (optional topping)
           

Instructions

Put first 11 ingredients into pot, stir and cook according to the barley directions  When mixture is done fill tortillas with desired amount then add cilantro, sour cream, cheese and or salsa.


Exported from A Cook's Books -- Recipe management for Macintosh

5. Look around – what is the nearest object or picture hanging on the wall?
The nearest object is my Tivo remote.  The nearest picture is a print of one of Henri Matisse's cut outs called Nuit de Noel.

 
6. What was the last movie you saw in a theater?  Would you recommend it?
I took my son to see How to Train your Dragon last Friday with a friend and her kids.  It was a great movie!  I wasn't expecting much because kids movies are not always entertaining for adults.  But this one was funny and visually amazing and even made me get a little teary.


7. Did you go to summer camp?  Will you/do you send your kids to camp?
I did go to summer camp.  I was raised by a single mother who had to work so my brother and I were always at some summer camp every summer.  We mostly did local day camps but we also did a sleep away camp once.  It was a good experience and I will most likely send my kids to camp too at some point.  But hopefully we won't have to send them all the time we had to.

8. What kind of ringtone do you have?
Well since I refuse to pay for ringtones I am using what ever ringtone on my phone I like.  But I have a different ringtone for different people so I know who is calling before I look at the phone.

9. Where is the farthest away from home you have ever been?
The farthest east I have been is Salzburg, Austria and the farthest west I have been is Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati.

10. Has anyone ever written a song or a poem for or about you?
Yes my first boyfriend Tracy wrote me a poem while I was in Colorado visiting family.  It was very sweet.  I also had a boyfriend draw a picture of me which was nice too.

What is a House Party you ask

So I am all about free stuff.  I mean really who doesn't like free stuff??  A year or so ago I was invited to my first House Party and I had no idea what it was.  But it was for Fisher Price toys and it was a good excuse to get my then 1 year old daughter out of the house to play with some other babies her age.  Well I quickly found out how awesome House Parties are!  First off you have to apply to host a party but that's not bad at all.  But if you get picked to host you get a box full of freebies and party favors based on the theme of the party.  I have now hosted 4 House Parties.  A South Beach Living Party, a MetaboLife Party,

a Kristin Hannah Party

and most recently a Ziploc Party.

Pretty much every House Party gives the host a few things to share and then keep along with coupons for the host and the guests get coupons and party favors.  Each party had different things and each was great in their own way.  I got  and gave water bottles and coupons for the South Beach Party,  exercise bands, stress balls, and lots of coupons for the MetaboLife Party, 12 hardback copies of Firefly Lane,  2 hardback copies of True Colors, and one preview copy of Winter Garden (awesome book!!) for the Kristin Hannah Party, and  I got tons of Ziploc bags, containers, Sharpies, note pads, and coupons for the Ziploc Party.  So if you like a deal like I do check out the House Party site and try applying.  Plus if you start having parties your friends will want to too and then you get to go to other parties too which is always good!

The State of our Spring Break

I am exhausted! I figured with it being spring break it would be a relaxing week filled with fun activities.  We have been doing lots of fun activities but it means running around with the kids most of the day and dealing with a lot more fighting between the two.  We are hardly inside since this week has been the most perfect weather (this is why I live in southeastern NC).  So you would think I would be going to bed early to deal with the long days running around outside but you would be wrong.  I am up late reading.  I mentioned (check it out here) a few weeks back that I was obsessed the Sookie Stackhouse books.  I am still reading them and still obsessed!  I am on book 7 right now All Together Dead.

I will most likely be done with it in a day or so.  But I don't have book 8 yet because I on a huge waiting list for it on Paperback Swap (PBS).  Part of me wants to just go out and buy books 8 and 9 so I have them when I want them but then my practical aka cheap side kicks in and I know I can wait until I can get them off PBS.

The fun won't stop anytime soon either.  We have another long fun filled day planed for tomorrow as well and add on top of that my brother and his family is coming into town for Easter.   So a long weekend of fun, family and eggs (hard boiled and hopefully some Cadbury Creme ones and Cadbury Mini ones).  I LOVE Easter candy!  Anyway so this will most likely be my last post until next week because this weekend is going to be so busy.  Enjoy your Easter candy too!