Mama Bub

Blondies, Parties, Long Weekends

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

Last week was a doozy for us. Well, for me. No one else really seemed as crazed as I was, but then again six year olds don’t really have to do lists. And I just referred to Bub as a six year old in spite of the fact that his birthday isn’t for three weeks. I’m leaving it. It’s an accurate sign of my mental state right now – time is moving so fast and I just need a little glowing cube and the ability to stop time for a few days! (Side note: Is there anyone who didn’t want to be Evie?)

I had cereal, a cupcake and an Arnold Palmer for breakfast, because I will not let all of these leftovers go to waste. We had our t-ball team party on Saturday, and 25 of my husband’s family members over for lunch yesterday. Our fridge is overflowing with leftovers which is great because I am officially over dinner. This is my annual “I just can’t be bothered to make another dinner because everything is the same and the children will just whine about chicken, AGAIN?” moment. It’s timely, because in about a month I will stop planning dinners. I will shop for fruits that aren’t apples and oranges and veggies that aren’t peas and corn. I will buy whatever meat looks good and all of the popsicles*, and we will grill all summer long. One month exactly, and counting.

AND, now that this weekend is over, I can officially start working on the kids birthday party, which is in two weeks. Invitations have been sent, and that’s about it. This week is normal busy, which is to say that now that t-ball is over we have so much time back, but I just looked at my calendar and it’s still kind of insane. I think maybe this is just life with slightly older kids? Playdates and swim lessons and Open House and field trips and holy moly a long weekend ahead of us.

Oh! The whole reason I started writing this is because I wanted to tell you that I made Smitten Kitchen’s Blondies this weekend and you should make them, too. I’ve never had a blondie before and I think I might like them more than brownies, now.

*I have to be in charge of the popsicle buying, because my husband manages to get the sugar free ones EVERY SINGLE TIME and I can’t eat those and then I get the rage about being denied my popsicles. It isn’t pretty.

Makeup Monday–Lips

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:54:00 +0000

I was really disappointed that I didn’t get my act together in time to play along with Makeup Monday last week, so you better believe we’re starting today. I’m starting with lip stuff, because it’s my favorite, and I have a lot of it. A lot is relative, I guess. Of everything, I have the most lip stuff, so we’ll start there.

This is by no means everything, just the stuff I use frequently. I had to throw away several lip glosses since I know they were probably years old. Ick.

Chapstick – Necessary. The spearmint is my favorite, and I have one in every purse.

Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm – I haven’t found one of those Revlon lipstains that work for me, but this is essentially the same thing and I love the color.

Dior Addict Extreme – This must have been in a Birch Box a while back. It’s kind of an insane color in the tube, but it goes on like a balm and I usually layer it with another gloss.

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss, True Color – I think this was in the Sephora Give Me Some Lip Sampler (Recommend!) and it’s basically like, Your Lips, But Better.

Fresh Sugar, Rose – Because of course

Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm, Healthy Blush – From the Allure Summer Beuaty Box and a new favorite

Buxom Lips, Destiny – A little tingly, a little sparkly, kind of fun

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Gloss, Spring Splendor – Not my favorite lip gloss formula, but I do like the color.

Tarte Rise and Shine Gloss and Stain, Mauve – Such a boring color name for such a punchy product. This was also in the Sephora Lip Box and it’s my favorite going out color.

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Gloss, Wallflower – This looks like the color my mom wears, which is not a bad thing, but it’s what I think every time I look at this gloss. It’s a pretty pigmented gloss, but in a neutral color. Like.

Revlon Lip Butter, Berry Smoothie Because I jump on every lip color bandwagon, okay?

I’m linking up with Maria and you should too!

Pinterest Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:14:00 +0000

Part of the challenge of not spending money falls when I start thinking that there’s nothing to dooooo. It’s just a habit that needs to be broken. I don’t need to spend $3 on iced tea when I have even better iced tea in my house, just to kill 20 minutes. I also have Pinterest boards overflowing with projects, so it’s time to get down to business.

Everything I want to do to this house costs a million dollars (hardwood floor on the stairs and the playroom, a custom closet, a new playroom couch that is not the crummy one we originally chose) and all of those projects are on indefinite hold. (My husband would like you to know that the closet isn’t even a budget contender. Whatever. I need custom fit drawers and shelves, so at least my mess is contained in a pretty space.)

So! May Pinterest goals ahoy.

1. Love Printable For the playroom, I think. I have a few other things that need to be framed and hung in the playroom. If I can’t have a new couch, at least we can gussy up the walls a bit.

2. Thai Peanut Slaw

3. Energy Balls

4. Popcorn Cupcakes for the kids carnival birthday party

5. Clothespin picture frames for kid art – also for the playroom

How are we funding these projects, you ask? Groceries are still allowed, as is purchasing for the kids’ party. I’m going to need frames, so I plan to find cheap ones and spray paint them – all supplies paid for via a Visa gift card from my Easter basket.

I know Jennie is doing her own Pinterest challenge. Anyone else?

From the weekend files

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:41:00 +0000

Ways in which I have been tempted to cheat on my May no-buy resolution:
*I wanted a giant iced tea after Bub’s 90 degree baseball game last week
*I desperately wanted/needed a car wash.
*I wanted lunch from anywhere that was not my house on Friday. As luck would have it, my neighbor handed me homemade fried rice at lunch time. It was amazing.

On Friday we had turkey burger sliders for dinner, with strawberries and corn on the cob. It was amazing and felt like the universe was trying to apologize for the stupid heat. It’s only May. Chill California. (It’s raining today, so we’re good. Rain is my favorite, and also makes me feel like a genius not getting a car wash last week.)

We went to the pool on Friday and Saturday, which prompted me to test out one of the sunless tanners from my Allure box. Has anyone tried the Neutrogena mist? The jury is still out over here.

We noticed that Bub’s jeans are allllmost too short. But it’s May! Do we buy new jeans that he’ll wear once or twice, and then likely need a new size by November? Or do we just keep tugging them a little lower on his hips so no one can tell? (You can totally tell.)

My husband had plans with friends on Saturday night, so I rented Pitch Perfect and loved it. You’re welcome for that original and timely movie review.

I am a mom who wears shorts. I used to hate them, and now I love them. If I have to be outside when it’s a million degrees this summer, I will be comfortable. HOWEVER, anything less then a 5” inseam is too short. The end.

Last night I had a dream that I was in college, and someone asked my why I’m so fat. In the dream I was the same size that I am now, which is to say not a size 2, but not of a size that offends people on the street as far as I’m aware. Thanks for that one, subconscious me.

Assorted

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:55:00 +0000

*My Allure Beauty Box arrived yesterday and I literally gave a little whoop when I spotted it. It really is all that it’s cracked up to be, and WELL worth the $50. I’m only mildly disappointed by one item, and that’s the Sation nail polish since I got the same shade in my last ipsy box. It’s a nice nude though, so it’s hardly the end of the world. As always, check out Laura’s fabulous review of the entire box.

I’m not sure I would buy one of these every season, but on the other hand it was a serious steal, and full of things I actually want, so we’ll see. It was fun, as was watching the epic tantrums being thrown by adult women on the Allure Facebook page. I get being disappointed, but the accusations that Allure had shut down access to the page except for people in major metro areas was downright laughable. As for the people who had the time zone wrong, well I’m sorry to you, but this wasn’t an Allure conspiracy. 2500 boxes divided by an entire country of women who like pretty things equals a lot of people who are going to have to wait for next time.

*Having a bathroom cabinet full of goodies makes the decision to put myself on a no-buy for May pretty easy. I ordered a Target beauty box for $5 (still available as I’m writing this) and I have my ipsy box coming this month (prepaid – Christmas gift) so I won’t be wanting for treats. As for spending, the rules are: no beauty or clothes purchases. Nothing for the kids except for necessities. No dollar section treats. No picking up takeout if I’m by myself (including coffee, bagels, etc.) Eating out with friends is fine, as I already have a night out with the school moms on the calendar. Gifts are fine, as is all shopping for the kids birthday party next month. Gift card spending is fine, but I would really like to hold on to those for the month, unless I find summer dresses that I love for a steal.

I think we can all agree I don’t need a single thing.

That picture was taken before I added three new polishes from yesterday’s box, so I think I’m just fine without whatever Essie shade tempts me at Target.

*In other news, The Blathering is dangerously close to selling out. I just sent a half-joking text to my husband about an early Mother’s Day gift, but I don’t think it’s in the cards for me this year. I’ll try to keep the whining to a minimum.

*I got a job, and picked up a little bit of freelance work in the same week. It’s been nice to stretch a few long out of use muscles. In two weeks it will have been SIX YEARS since I started my maternity leave with Bub. I almost can’t wrap my head around that. I’m thrilled about the job, but that shall be the last I speak of it here.

*If you like working up a little righteous indigignation (and who doesn’t) take a look at Dr. Maureen’s post on sidewalk parkers. I still can’t get over the nerve of this people.

Books I Read in April

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Anna and the French Kiss – A recommendation from Shalini.If you like high school romance set in a Paris boarding school, this was perfectly fun.

Unbroken – Amazing. Excellent. Fascinating. Heartbreaking.

13 Little Blue Envelopes – I downloaded this book forever ago, and then ran across it on a Goodreads list, so I read it. So many of the plot points were unbelievable, there were a few moments that were politically incorrect at best, downright offensive at worst, and yet I finished it. I can’t recommend it.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Adorable and funny.

Defending Jacob Oof. Great story, but my parent brain would like to erase all of the What If thoughts I had while reading this book.

Wild – I loved this right through the very last page. I think I’m going to be processing this book for a very long time.

Blame it on Paris – There was some seriously cringe-worthy language, but as far as mindless, just-need-to-get-on-to-another-book-so-I-can-stop-dissecting-Wild reading goes, it will do.

On deck for May: I’m currently reading The World Without You, and our club pick is The Art of Racing in the Rain. I also have a stack of library books that I’m never going to get through before the hold expire. This gives me the same kind of stress that I get looking at my Netflix queue, knowing it will be months before I get to all of those things. First world problems, man.

Pretty Feet

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Let’s lighten things up around here and talk about feet. WAIT. Do not run. We’re talking about pretty summer feet, the kind that make you want to wear sandals every day.

I would usually round up things like this over on Style Lush, but since Style Lush is no longer, I’m bringing you some of my favorites for summer prep.

Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Crème – This is a great smelling, nicely moisturizing foot lotion, perfect for slathering on post shower, and then tucking your feet into a pair of socks.

Deep Steep Foot Stick – I was introduced to the Deep Steep line by the lovely J, and I really love their stuff. My very favorite is their Spearmint Honeydew hand lotion. I put this in my Amazon cart on a whim and it’s great for smoothing over sadly neglected winter heels. This definitely needs a pair of socks post application, unless you want to slip-slide all over the house.

Pedicure Microplane – Before you run away wondering what disgusting torture device the evil geniuses at Amazon are peddling now, let me assure you that this is awesome. Gross, but awesome. After a long winter my feed needed some serious work and this does the job. I’ll stop talking about it now, except to make this comment: follow the directions and use it on dry feet. And the reviews say that you can definitely overdo it, so take it slow and know that you will live to zest your heels another day.

Julep Best Pedi Crème Ever – For a very short stint I was a Julep subscriber, and this stuff came in one of my first boxes. It really is as great as the name says, but it’s kind of spendy for foot lotion. If you sign up for one of the penny boxes (I’m seeing the codes FREEBOX and FREEMAVEN online) then you might score this in your first shipment. Be warned, unless they’ve change their system, Julep can only be canceled via phone if you decide you don’t want to continue getting the boxes.

Deep Steep Foot Polish – Really, I just can’t get enough of this candy cane scent.

Essie Nail Polish – I’ve gone from owning exactly one nail color to having a drawer full of them. Essie is my current favorite for their colors. I want every color in the Spring 2013 Collection, and I’ll be buying Butler Please as soon as my Target has it back in stock.

What are you using to keep your feet presentable for the next several months?

This was not at all sponsored and there’s not an affiliate link in the bunch.

Scenes from a Marriage, Year 8

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:12:00 +0000

After I spent a full minute looking at my face in the mirror trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with my eyes, I realized that I had forgotten eyebrow pencil. I turned to my husband:

Me: Do you see something wrong with my face?

Husband: Do you want to rephrase the question?

Me: My eyes. Does something look different to you.

Husband: Your eyebrows are kind of puffy right there.

Me: What? Are you saying my eyebrows are fat? That is not at all where I thought we were going with this?

Husband: Are you getting Botox?

Me: What? No. If only. Besides Botox goes here not there.

Husband: (pokes my eyebrow) Huh. It’s puffy. What did you do?

Me: I didn’t DO anything. Nevermind.

About an hour later…

Me: Do my eyebrows really look puffy?

Husband: (squints) What did you do to your eyebrows. They’re darker.

Me: What? I fixed them. I penciled them in.

H: Why?

Me: Because they’re not there otherwise. Are you kidding? I’ve penciled my eyebrows every day of our marriage. In nearly nine years of knowing me, you haven’t noticed that I wake up without eyebrows, and by the time we leave the house they appear? Did you think that was magic?

H: I just… never noticed.

Me: I don’t know what to do with that information.

Leashed

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Yesterday I posed a question to Twitter, and I received unanimous support in defense of my position. I love it when that happens.

The question was this: Am I overreacting by saying that dogs should be leashed at all times, unless in a dog park or their own yard? I tend to think I’m righteously on point about something, only to realize I’m being my usual (overly) cautious self. So I asked.

Again, unanimously, the answer was yes. I have a dog, a very nice dog, who is always on a leash. That’s partly because I’m certain he’ll dart away from us at any given opportunity, but also because that’s what you do with dogs. Dogs are animals. People are afraid of dogs. Dogs do not have the ability to reason, so if they feel threatened, even in a non-threatening situation, they are likely to react in a way contrary to their usual personality. Maybe likely is too strong a word. Perhaps I should just say that it’s possible that a dog that feels threatened might do something that you, their owner, would swear that they’re not capable of. Like the dog in our old neighborhood who spent his days lazing on his driveway, who appeared to be the most relaxed dog in all of existence, who took an entire toddlers head in his jaws when he didn’t see the child approach him to pet him. (The toddler was fine, fortunately.)

Also, let’s assume that the unleashed dog IS friendly. Let’s assume that dog would never dart into the street, or bite another dog or a person. What about the other, leashed, dogs around. The dog on the leash might be a biter, but they’re being contained by their leash. Their owner is taking precautions to keep others safe, but that’s nearly impossible when an unleashed dog comes bounding up to greet another dog.

We can even take the worst case scenario out of the picture. Let’s assume no dogs or people are in any danger. Let’s just assume you’re someone who doesn’t like dogs. Or perhaps that you simply don’t want to be greeted by a large dog bounding your way as you make your way to the mailbox. Or even that you would prefer that your lawn remain free of turds from neighboring dogs whose only activity all day will be to meander from their own front yard to yours to relieve themselves.

Back to my Twitter question. Everyone agreed with me. There wasn’t a single dissenting opinion saying, “Weeeeell…” Not one. My favorite sociology professor would like me to point out that these responses are far from a random sample, and that’s true. All the same, we’re talking about something that is so important that it’s legislated by law, and something that a vast majority of people agree is not negotiable. Why then, do the actions of others suggest that this is no big deal?

If I seem like I’m up in arms about this, I am. Aside from the afore mentioned toddler noggin incident, there was a time that I hit a dog. It was awful, and I’ll never forget it, and it was totally preventable. Had that dog been on a leash, it wouldn’t have darted into, and then through – directly into traffic, a bush while chasing a rabbit. His owner had the leash in her hand. Then of course there was the time our own Charlie darted into the street when my husband came home. Miraculously, he was fine. We think he must have run into the car, not the other way around. And, of course, there is the large dog in the neighborhood, who is bigger than Bubette. He’s friendly, but he’s big, off leash, and bounds around like a puppy. If you’re outside, and he’s outside, he’s coming to greet you. He terrifies some of the other kids in the neighborhood.

I know this isn’t going to change with a few hundred words here, but maybe, if you’re one of those people who thinks Not my dog, let’s not have to find out. Leashes, man. Even if only to keep your neighbor’s lawn turd free.

Celebrate Spring– Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:47:00 +0000

It is only this year that I have started to think of Spring as a special thing. (Where have I been for 33 years?) It really is the best of both worlds, and it feels like such a treat. The weather is fabulous, with the perfect mix of warm and cool days, the school year is winding down and the promise of summer vacation looms.

In honor of Spring, oh do I have a treat for you. Once again, I’ve partnered with some fabulous bloggers to bring you this giveaway. We have two prizes, to be awarded to two winners!

A $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video and Pro Audio
Would you choose a camera, a new lens, or something else that I wouldn’t know how to use? (This WILL be the year I get my camera out of auto.)

AND

A $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags.
(I vote for the Songbird, but it’s totally up to you which gorgeous bag you would choose.)

The only thing not to like about this giveaway is the fact that I can’t enter myself. Head on down to the Rafflecopter widget and enter away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Void where prohibited.

All entries are optional with the exception of providing an email address so that we may contact you if you were to win. We will never sell, distribute, or spam your email.

Two winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org). The first winner chosen will have the option of choosing between a $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio or a $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags. The second prize winner will be awarded the item that was not chosen by the first prize winner. Gift cards are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for a cash prize.

This is a non-sponsored post. Prizes were purchased by a group of participating bloggers. B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio and Kelly Moore Bags are not affiliated with this giveaway.

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Awesome graphic by the talented Lindsay Goldner at LLYDesigns.

Picky Eaters, Family Fun and Photography (Sponsored)

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:20:00 +0000

Okay, who remembers Sister, Sister? I’m sorry, but even though that show started nearly twenty years ago, that will always be the first thing I think about when I see Tia and Tamera Mowry. On our flight to Hawaii a few weeks ago, their new show, Tia and Tamera, was part of the in-flight entertainment and I was riveted. Although I still can’t tell them apart, (I’m the worst, I know) it was so surreal to see them all grown up (and perfectly styled – hello jealousy) as moms and wives.

Tia has partnered with a few other moms, in a Circle of Moms video series in partnership with Kia. (The all New 2014 Kia Sorrento makes a cameo in the video and it’s pretty. I covet a push button start.)

In the latest video from Circle of Moms by POPSUGAR, these moms tackle a few of the daily challenges facing parents. First up, picky eaters. Most of the moms copped to bribery of some sort, and the resident expert was quick to point out that bribery maybe isn’t the best choice. First of all, long term we’re setting up our kids to expect a reward for everything. (Do not get my father started on the twenty-somethings he hires who need constant recognition for just doing their jobs.) But we’ve all been there. We just want to get through dinner, and since this is a nightly occurrence, no one wants to spend the rest of their life at the dinner table arguing about veggies.

It was pointed out that kids like choice, and while they have so little control, they can choose what they put in their mouths. This jives with the way we handle dinner. I typically don’t make a separate kid dinner, unless my husband isn’t going to be home for dinner. I do make sure there’s something they will eat on their plate, and hope for the best. I do not fight with them about finishing. I also don’t make things that I know they won’t touch, like anything super spicy.

There was a quick chat about ways to have fun with kids, and my very favorite idea of kid date night came up. It’s no secret that I love having one on one time with my kids. Lately we’ve had a string of overnights with the grandparents and we’ve been able to just chill with the remaining kid. Because they take turns going to the grandparents and we make sure to do something fun with them while they’re here, there’s no resentment about whose turn it is. Well, unless the person being left behind is Bubette, because she really prefers the grandparents to us, naturally.

Finally, I would recommend watching this video if only for the quick and easy demo of the rule of thirds in photography. We’ve all heard it talked about, but I’ve never really understood it. Bonus points for using an iPhone, my preferred camera, in the demo.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to relive my childhood through YouTube clips of Sister, Sister.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kia through their partnership with Circle of Moms. While I was compensated to review the Kia Motors video and write a review, all opinions are my own.

Bright

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:32:00 +0000

I am a California winter girl, but I can get behind Spring for one reason. The sun. We have a ton of windows in this house and the sun just pours into them once Spring hits. In the summer we keep the shutters closed when it gets hot, so we don’t get to enjoy all of the delicious sunshine, but right now it’s so nice outside that we open all of the shutters and shades and I love it. I love walking upstairs to see the hallway soaked in sunlight from the kids rooms. Our last house was attached on one side, so we had a severe lack of direct sun, except directly into our bedroom first thing in the morning. It’s become one of my favorite things to walk through everyone’s room opening the shades and letting the light in.

I’m telling you this because last night at 4:30 am our door opened, and in walked the shortest member of the house. Do you want to lay down with us? she asked, jumbling all of her pronouns, and I dare you to say no to that, with her shortie jammies and bedhead. I dare you.

I lifted her into bed, and despite the fact that she has never, ever slept with us, she curled into the quickest little ball and settled in against me. I’m not a natural co-sleeper, and having to sleep with my head at an angle could have seriously ruined that last two hours of sleep for me, but it was just nice. Maybe it was the novelty of the situation. Maybe it was the realization that in two short months I’ll have a three year old and a six year old and… no babies. Maybe I’ve just mellowed and realized that this isn’t my last opportunity to sleep ever, and this isn’t the way things are going to be for all eternity. I’m still going to order a door monkey though. Oh yes I am.

Today the kids have dentist appointments. It’s the cruelest way to end the world’s longest spring break. It will be no fun for any of us, and after our vacation and Disneyland and play dates and even a day this week when I drove them all the way to the San Diego Zoo BY MYSELF it seems like especially poor planning. So wish me luck and a house full of sunshine when we return. We’re going to need it.

Hawaiian Getaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:33:00 +0000

So we went to Hawaii, and despite the awfulness that is air travel in the year 2013 I want to go right back. (Why is flying so awful now? I took four trips last year, all without my children,(whoa, that was kind of a lot) and except for my one hour flight to Vegas that was upgraded at the last minute, they were all equally miserable, so I can’t even blame my children for the awfulness.) (Okay, so we upgraded our seats on the way to Hawaii and that was a glorious way to start our vacation. Ice cream sundaes for desert? I mean, I can’t eat that, but that was a solid ten minute distraction for a certain two year old.) (The kids were mostly good fliers, thanks be to the iPad, but Bubette earns the award for most ridiculous flier ever for falling asleep while the plan LANDED on our return flight.) (/excessive parentheticals)

You know how people always say that traveling with children isn’t a vacation? It totally isn’t, not in the truest sense of the word, but man if it isn’t a beautiful break from life.

We stayed at the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club, which is on the west side Oahu, near the new Disney Aulani resort. It’s quiet over there, boring if you’re looking for nightlife, but since we were in bed by 8:30 every night that wasn’t a concern for us.

It’s a timeshare property, and although I’m the most disgruntled time share owner you’ll ever meet, this vacation thawed my cold maintenance fee paying heart just a touch. It’s not a full-service hotel – no room service, no daily housekeeping, but the rooms make up for that. We stayed in a one bedroom villa, the smallest of the rooms, and had more than enough space for the four of us. With a full kitchen, dining room and living room and completely separate bedroom, this is not your mama’s family vacation. Let me just say this – Bubette could nap in one room while the rest of of sprawled all over the other room, playing cards, reading, watching movies, whatever. TWO ROOMS. When we put the kids to bed, we could watch TV or a movie without worrying about waking them up. I mean, we could do these things in theory, but we were usually asleep about four minutes after the kids because we are senior citizens on vacation. (What? 5pm is not a normal time for dinner?)

There were a ton of on-site activities for the kids, from fish feeding to an Easter Egg Hunt.

It’s just too bad no one was interested in the Easter eggs.

These bubbles were a huge hit. HUGE.

We spent a day driving up to the North shore, stopping at the Dole Plantation and Haleiwa, and Banzai Pipeline, where just the day before Heidi Klum had rescued her children from the rough surf. We just watched from the shore, and took photos that don’t even begin to capture the magnitude of the waves.

It was raining and quite cold while we were touring the Dole Plantation, so I’m sure it’s beautiful, but I was shivering in my seat because I took this liquid sunshine business to heart and was wearing shorts. I packed jackets for everyone, and the one day we needed them we didn’t have them.

I’m not going to tell you that my children were angels who appreciated just exactly how awesome a Hawaiian vacation is. They made a sport of arguing over the dinosaur sand toy, so much so that I didn’t even care when we lost it in the sand on the North shore. Still, two parents with no other obligations other than drinking all of the best juice in the world and finding the best chair on the beach, makes for two rather happy kids.

It really is for the best that they don’t sell this here, because I would drink this around the clock and weigh 800 pounds because it is loaded with sugar. Delicious, passion fruit and guava flavored sugar.

I’m the kind of person who is ready to go home the minute I check out of my hotel. I’m always sad to pack, and then the minute we’re headed home, I want to BE home. Teleport me please. It’s an advantage, because the pull of my own bed and DVR dulls the ache of leaving Hawaii behind. Unfortunately for me, I have a camera full of photos of my smiling family, and I would like to go back right now. My DVR for that view every day. (Maybe.)

Until then, I’ll have the memory of my kid doing the hula on stage in front of 1000 people. (And video too!) I think that’s even better than daily shave ice.

Hello, Spring Break

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:18:00 +0000

Since today is the first official day of Spring Break, we naturally made plans to go to Disneyland. I’ve been feeling extra protective of my kids feelings lately, and extra sensitive to things that are happening at school, and with friends, so it’s nice to have them all to myself for a little bit.

***

And now it’s Wednesday. I started this on Monday, and now it’s not Monday anymore because two kids at home, and a husband working late means no time for writing. No matter. On Monday we went to Disneyland. We were in the car when I realized that we had no stroller, and considered scraping our plans because a stroller is kind of vital for my sanity at the big D. But it was 7:15, we were all dressed and in the car, and I didn’t really want to come up with something else to fill the morning, so off we went.

We were only there for a few hours, because I knew we were working on borrowed time with Bubette’s willingness to walk the entire time, but I surprised them with churros on the way out, and that perked up their walking feet enough to keep them moving without whining.

We even scored the coveted back of the monorail special seating on the way back to the parking lot.

On Tuesday we went to the park for a Easter egg hunt with friends, rode the train, and got Bub a much needed haircut. We also brought home a giant stack of books from the library, and when I sat them down for lunch (we did all of that before lunch!) I was feeling so proud of myself and all of our wonderful Spring Break togetherness.

Naturally that was the moment when the sibling rivalry kicked in. You know, because someone was looking at someone. I don’t know, but I’m sure I pulled these same shenanigans on my own mother, so hello full circle moment. Fortunately, Gramma is coming to the rescue today and taking Bub to her house overnight. This day has been long-planned, and Bub has been counting down the days for weeks. Bubette got to go a few weeks ago. I fear a bit of a meltdown is on its way when Gramma shows up and doesn’t take Bubette, too, but I have a few tricks (read: bribes) in my pocket for that one.

Books, recently

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:56:00 +0000

Son – I really liked this book, and felt like it did a great job as the final book in the series. I felt like there was just enough wrapping up of all of the loose ends in the previous three books, as well as enough new story to keep the book interesting.

Last Night at the Lobster – Eh. I thought this was fine, if kind of a downer. It wasn’t Emily, Alone, that’s for sure, but I do like these behind the scenes looks into people’s lives.

Where’d You Go Bernadette – I loved this. Loved it. Funny and completely engaging. This is the first book I’ve paid for in a long time, and it was totally worth it.

I started reading Life After Death, and needed a break, so I took in the form of three straight doses of brain candy.

Here I Go Again – Jen Lancaster’s first novel read a lot like one of her memoirs. The characters were similar, the stories were similar, the dogs were even similar. This was enough of a departure for me, that it didn’t feel like I was just reading about the part of her life that she makes up while doing her hair in the morning. (What, don’t we all do that?) This is a good read, as long as you’re looking for the lightest and fluffiest of reads. (I was.)

Jeneration X – You either like Jen Lancaster’s memoirs, or you don’t. I do, and I liked this one too.

Where We Belong – All I could think about while I was reading this was some internet kerfuffle that surrounded Emily Giffin recently. I couldn’t remember the details, but every few pages I would try to remember what happened. Anyway, the book was fine – a story of a girl who goes in search of her birth mother when she turns 18. It was a little bit sitcom – we’ll wrap this up in a neat little package before the end! – but that’s kind of what you get with Giffin. I happen to like that sort of thing sometimes, so this falls into the good category for me.

Bloom – This was decidedly not light and fluffy, but I did enjoy it. I loved the glossy pages with pictures on nearly every (or maybe every?) page. Definitely appropriate for a blog to book sort of situation. This was raw and beautiful to read.

How to make molded candy

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Several years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a stack of candy molds. The belonged to her mother, and I’ve been afraid of them ever since they made their home in our kitchen. Also, making anything with them seemed like a giant, impossible pain. I tried them last year, and it wasn’t so bad, so I decided to try them again this year. I had thirty minutes, and I managed to fill the molds using two different colors of candy in that time, including the melting time, so I would say we’re not talking about a majorly difficult task.

You’ll need: candy molds, candy melts or chocolate, and a ziploc bag (optional)

If you don’t have a family heirloom set of candy molds, you can find them at Michael’s and they’re all over Amazon, but I have to take issue with these mustache molds. I draw the line at eating something in the shape of HAIR. Perhaps we’ve taken this mustache trend a touch too far.

Melt your chocolate or candy melts according the the package directions. I melt mine at half-power in one minute increments until you can stir it all together.

Put you ziploc bag into a measuring cup, or any cup, and scrape your candy into the bag. You can skip this step, but this is the easiest way to get the candy into the molds. Wilton makes a funnel that would be awesome for this step, but I’m working with what I have.

Twist the bag the way you would a piping bag of frosting. You want to continue to twist as you’re dispensing the chocolate so you keep air bubbles out of your candy.

Clip a tiny piece off of the corner. You can always clip a little more, but you’ll have a big mess on your hands if you clip too much.

Drizzle the candy into the molds. I prefer to under-fill the molds, and I’ll show you why in a minute.

Tap the mold gently on the counter to smooth out the candy. Fill in any spaces where the candy doesn’t reach, like that space you see below. Tap to smooth.

If you’re making lollipops, add the popsicle sticks and add a strip of chocolate over the sticks to hold them in place. Again, tap the mold against the counter to smooth out the back of the candy. The photo below is pre-tap.

Once your candy has fully dried, twist the mold ever so slightly to remove the candies. You can see below what happens when you over fill the mold. It’s hard to see from the back if they’re too full, so I try to under-fill them just a touch so this doesn’t happen. You can clean up the edges while the candy is still melty, but that’s kind of a pain.

I think the next step is to try to gussy these up by adding accents, which you would do by adding different colors directly to the mold (using a toothpick?) before filling the mold with your main color. Maybe next year.

Weekly Menu Plan: Reruns

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

I’ve made a real effort for the past several weeks to make new things, and that’s been good. We’ve found some things that we like, and I have broken out of my dinner rut. I don’t feel panic in the afternoon because I have a plan, and I have a pantry and refrigerator full of things to execute the plan. However, I also have a long list of recipes that work for us. We’ve found things that we like, and there’s something comforting about making something and knowing that it’s just going to work out, the end.

I also realized as I was scouring my Pinterest boards that I was trying to make this week’s menu interesting for the sake of the blog, and while that’s fine, what’s more important is that I make this something that works for us, otherwise I’m just creating more work for myself.

What I’m saying is that I intend to keep planning out our meals, and I intend to keep posting them here, but I make no promises that each week’s menu will contain a list of entirely! new! recipes!

Onward to the menu!

Enchiladas – Nothing fancy here. I’ll make salsa chicken in the crockpot, add black beans and cheese, and roll everything up in a tortilla. I really like Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce, so we’ll use that, plus more cheese on top. I love that I can assemble these at any point during the day and then just toss them in the oven whenever we’re ready.

Turkey Burger Sliders – Just for fun.

Sweet and Sour Chicken – This recipe calls for dredging the chicken, and browning it before baking, which can be an extra annoying step. Wendy pointed out that you can just add the sauce to the chicken and bake it, which we’re going to try! I’ve done the dredging part before, and it’s YUMMY, but messy.

Sweet Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Chinese Chicken Salad Too much chicken? I don’t know, but for some reason this combo sounds delicious to me.

We’ll be finishing off these Cookie Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies this week, too. And by “this week” I mean “today” because we powered through an impressive number of cookies this weekend. They’re so, SO good. Despite their name, they aren’t too sweet, and there’s exactly the right amount of salt. Make them immediately.

For more menu inspiration, check out Wendy’s weekly menu. (Wendy, I’m coming over for Wednesday’s shrimp.)

Cookie Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 04:15:00 +0000

I suddenly feel the need to do something special for every holiday big and small, which explains why I’m drawn to so many cute green desserts for St. Patrick’s Day. What I’m not drawn to are the insane amounts of food coloring in each of these desserts. I’m not sure why food coloring is my particular hill to die on, but I’m not into it. I know there are natural alternatives, but that’s not helpful NOW, when I want a cookie NOW.

I decided cookies are special no matter their color and went with a reimagined classic. I recently saw this recipe, and was inspired to try baking with cookie butter, but that wasn’t exactly the flavor I was going for.

(Yes, I’m very aware of the irony of shunning food coloring in favor of an ingredient made from… cookies. I can’t explain my logic.)

I tried these tonight and they’re AMAZING. Make them right now!

Cookie Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 stick butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup cookie butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup old fashioned oats
2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.* Mix butter and sugars. Add cookie butter, vanilla and the egg until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour, salt and baking soda. (I also added the oats at this time. I was using the paddle attachment, not the whisk, on my mixer so the oats weren’t obliterated by mixing.) Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop into small balls (I used a small cookie scoop, and it was the perfect size for these cookies) and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

I found that the edges of these cookies browned quickly, so don’t make the mistake I’ve made in the past and add all three cookie sheets to the oven at once. There’s nothing worse than burning ALL of your cookies. Fortunately, I didn’t burn a single one of these, but I still baked a single pan first.

*My oven runs hot, so I baked these at 325 for 12 minutes and they were perfect. I’m always burning cookies if I forget to lower recommended temperature a bit.

Seven Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:21:00 +0000

1. About three hours after I boldly proclaimed that I would not be joining the ranks of the Candy Crush addicted, I caved. I’m now on level 65. I find myself both highly annoyed with the nerve of a game to CONSTANTLY ask for money, and unable to stop playing every time my lives refresh.

2. Bub seems to have really responded to our toys want to be played with bit. Earlier this week, he woke up and reminded us that there’s a little boy next door who might want his train table. Also, ANOTHER little boy on the other side of us. Still no luck selling the table, so my angst may have been for nothing.

3. We’re going to Hawaii! Soon! We’ve been planning this trip for so long that I can’t believe I can see the dates on my calendar already. I feel like I have so much to do before we go, but I spend most of my time packing and repacking our carry on bags in my head.

4. A trip to Hawaii deserves a few new dresses, I think? I mean, nothing says NEED TO SPEND like an already pricey vacation, right? I’m loving these eyelet dresses that Old Navy is advertising to death right now. I hope I love them as much in person. The reviews, as always, are mixed on the website.

5. After much hemming and hawing, I think I’ve decided to have a joint birthday party for the kids this year. With their birthdays just four days apart it makes the most sense. I think we’re going with a carnival theme, and I’m busy filling up a Pinterest board with all of the red and white striped items in the land.

6. We think a carnival party is appropriate for a six year old, right? Bubette will be turning three so I’m not worried about her, but I wonder if Bub is just on this side of too old for such a theme? I don’t think so, and I think the games will be fun for kids his age, but I’m not 100% certain. All thoughts, either way, are welcome in the comments. (There will be tons of kids between two and six at the party.)

7. I was prepared to tell you how the time change hasn’t affected my kids! At all! Until I realized that while they’re going to bed without a problem, and waking up at a reasonable time, (for them. I will never say 6:00am is reasonable) Bub has been up at all hours of the night many nights this week.) Whatever. It’s sunny after dinner! Even this self-proclaimed summer-hater can get on board with that.

Linking up here. Head on over to Conversion Diary for more quick takes.

Easter Gift Tower Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:58:00 +0000

My love for sweet things has been well documented here, which is why I’m excited to have partnered with Gourmet Cookie Bouquets to bring you this giveaway.

You guys, it’s three levels of cookies and treats. 18 gourmet cookies, 12 cut out cookies (look at the bunnies!) 12 brownies bites and a handful of foil wrapped chocolates.

This would make a great gift, or a perfect centerpiece for your Easter celebration. I love to bake, but I’m always happy to take a little help for the holidays, especially when the help is this cute, and comes in those adorable striped boxes.

You can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Winners must be eighteen years of age or older and live within the continental United States. The contest ends March 24, 2013.

(If you’re viewing this post in Internet Explorer, the Rafflecopter widget doesn’t seem to be loading. Try… anything other than IE.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The End of an Era

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:30:00 +0000

I just sent an email to my MOMS club, full of photos of Bub’s train table. My parents gave him the table for his 2nd birthday, and for two solid years he played with it every single day. It was the centerpiece of many playdates. When we moved into this house, we chose rooms based on the fact that one of the rooms had the perfect niche for his table, and it still got steady use for about another year. Since his last birthday, the train table has seen less and less kid time.

Last night I took it apart, photographed everything, and moved a pile of other toys in to the train table space. He hasn’t played with it in months, but as I sit here I’m worried that I made the wrong decision. He cried when he saw that it was gone, and I felt awful, but I think he’ll be happy not to crash into his Tinker Toy and Lego creations every morning, because we’ve created a space for those things. My husband reminded him of how happy the toys were at the end of Toy Story 3 because they had a new kid to play with them. I had to leave the room because I had something in my eye.

He’s asked for Star Wars sheets for his birthday (well he asked for them, and I added the for his birthday part, because he already has three sets of sheets,) but what he really wants is a new bed, the cool blue bunk bed in fact. Which, I mean, we love you very much, but we just bought you a new bed when we moved into this house, and perhaps we’ll just stick with that one for a while. I would be willing to consider painting your headboard navy blue, however. (I really loved spray painting Bubette’s name letters this weekend.) Time marches on. Buhbye Sir Topham Hatt, Hello Darth Vader.

While we were purging, we also sold his bike and listed a few other garage toys. We’ve reached maximum capacity in the garage, and we’re trying to figure out exactly what the next step is. (Me: STORAGE UNIT Husband: MAKE IT WORK FOR FREE) On the one hand, it feels nice to trade these unused items for cold hard cash, and on the other hand I’ve seen that train table every single day for nearly four years. It was a shock to walk into his room and see so much space this morning.

I wonder if I’ll do this every single time I get rid of something that was such a significant part of their lives, or if it’s just with the stuff that’s such a part of their little lives. I mean, I have a hard time imagining getting weepy over donating old video games, but you never know. Change makes me do crazy things.

Weekly Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:11:00 +0000

This was not our best weekend, and it was also kind of great. Bub had his first t-ball game of the season, and we had $1000 in fraudulent charges on our debit card. We had a double date night, using a free babysitter (swap with friends!) and my husband got quite ill as we were leaving the restaurant. We had a Sunday blissfully free of plans, and I spent the day on the couch not feeling well myself. Add in a time change, which means screwed up sleep schedules, but also sunshine after dinner and I’m not sure which way is up.

On to our dinner plans.

Cashew Chicken – This is the kind of slow cooker recipe that isn’t simply for the winter. We use our crock pot in the summer when we can’t bear to turn on the oven, and I’m hoping this will be a good alternative to take out.

Lasagna and Garlic Bread – Cheating! My husband and kids love Costco lasagna, and my husband always buys it when he goes to Costco, which he did this weekend. This is the perfect dinner for a night when I have dinner plans.

Korean Beef – The comments on this are so positive that I’m dying to try this.

Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled Pork Sliders – I’m not sure why, but sliders seem like a fun meal to me, and I’ve been trying to make something that feels like a treat on Friday nights.

As always, I’m dying to know what you’re making.

Seven Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:19:00 +0000

1. The crib transition has gone well in that she’s fine sleeping in her new bed. Her room is becoming so cute, and I’ll take pictures as soon as it’s finished. However, we’ve had more than one 5:30am wake up. She has NEVER woken up that early in her crib. I mean, maybe two or three times in the last year and a half and we told her to go back to sleep and she did. We were so spoiled. I’m ordering an OK to Wake clock today.

2. Fortunately, the clock also has a nap timer. We never really got back on track with her naps, so we still have a nap time every day, but she doesn’t always sleep. This was fine while she was in her crib, but now that she can just get down and open her door, it’s less fine. There’s no way for me to know if she’s going to take a nap or not, (although these 5:30am days are almost a sure bet. High point.) so I just go through the nap motions every day. She can either fall asleep, or not, but she needs to stay there for a while. Even Bub still has quiet time every afternoon.

3. I haven’t made any of the meals on my meal plan this week, with the exception of the frozen lentil soup. (Which I didn’t so much make as unfreeze.) My husband hasn’t been home for dinner, and it’s extremely frustrating to make dinner for kids who declare that they don’t like it before they sit down. So, I’ve taken away the annoying part of the equation and I’ve just made things they’ll eat. They’re in heaven.

4. Bubette is pulling all of her princesses out of a bin, announcing them like she’s Rod Roddy. “I got BELLE! I got MERMAID!” (I’m trying to teach her to say “have.”)

5. After all my talk about not being a pushover, I completely stepped in it earlier this week. Bub had a music program at school, and I made the mistake of asking if siblings were invited. Keep in mind, it was a 20 minute presentation at 10:30 am. EVERYONE was going to be bringing their little ones. But, I was told no, she couldn’t come. Since I’m a people pleaser, I listened, and my neighbor and I shared a sitter. Then we sat through the kids singing with the other parents, and roughly 30 siblings. I’m still mad. (Next time, don’t ask stupid questions, self.)

6. I bought my first ever can of spray paint to paint the name letters in Bubette’s room. I’m super excited about it. We’re also moving her old dresser into my closet this weekend, because I keep blaming the mess in there on the fact that the space just doesn’t work for me. I need to do something about the space, so hopefully the added storage will kick me into organization mode.

7. Did you know I have a Facebook page for the blog? I would love you forever if you would join me over there.

What I Wore–Sandals, Boots and Flats

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:42:00 +0000

Our weather has been all over the place. We’ll have a string of 80 degree days, and then a week of temps in the 50s and 60s. Do we all know where I stand on this? I’m firmly on Team California Winter. I do not like the heat. 70? Fine. 80? Not fine. I don’t like sweating, and my skin is so fair that it feels like the sun is burning it the moment I step outside. But! This day was an odd warm day in the middle of a cold stretch, and my husband had a non-student day, so Bubette and I met him for lunch. This outfit makes me happy, even if the top now has a hole in it and needs to be tossed.

Tank: Nordstrom, Jeans: Gap Sexy Boyfriend, Shoes: Target

I love this outfit. I just really, really do.

Shirt: Old Navy, Tank: Old Navy. Jeans: Old Navy Sweetheart Skinny, Boots: Steve Madden, Niceklace: Target

This right here is one of the reasons I started photographing my outfits. I needed a motivation to stop wearing the same few things over and over again. I need to either wear the things in my closet, or get rid of them. This sweater has been sitting there for over a year. I’m still not sure how I feel about it, but here it is.

Sweater: Old Navy, Tank: Old Navy, Jeans: Gap High-Waisted Trouser, Shoes: Target

Bonus dog with a cone!

You better believe I’m going to wear these boots as often as possible because soon it will be hot forever and ever and these won’t see the light of day until next December.

Sweater: Nordstrom, Jeans: Gap Always Skinny, Boots: Steve Madden

The Path of Most Resistance

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:01:00 +0000

Since I’m the team mom for our t-ball team, I ordered our team banner. I triple checked that everyone’s names and numbers were correct on the banner, and left the proof sitting open on my desktop for a day so I could make absolutely certain that everything was right. Then I plunked down a credit card and ordered it. When it arrived, I checked all of the kids names and numbers. All correct. I packed it away for opening day.

Last weekend was opening day, and when I was loading everything into my car the night before, my eyes went over the banner one more time. Only this time they stopped on our coach’s name. Which was wrong. Four letters long, same first initial, WRONG the rest of it.

I panicked. I raced in the house and opened the proof and said a million tiny prayers while the computer was taking it’s sweet time to open the file. I looked at the proof and it was… correct! Not my mistake!

Still, no time to fix the banner before opening day and team pictures. I made a patch with felt and fabric markers and sent an email to the banner people and went on with our day.

The banner people were very apologetic and gave me two options: 1)Ship it back to them that day (yesterday) and they would reimburse me for shipping and have it back befor our game. 2) Drive it to their office and they’ll fix it on the spot and reimburse me for gas. (This will take about an hour round trip.)

Now, the $10 gas/shipping reimbursement they’re offering is nice, and it seems like the problems is solved, yes? I mean, I’m driving there this morning to have it fixed because I couldn’t squeeze in a trip to the post office, plus another trip somewhere to buy a box, AND still manage a nap for Bubette. I’m confrontation avoidant, so I took one of the options they offered me, but should I have gone for not-offered option #3? Ship me a new banner since this was your fault, and even if you reimburse me I’m still out an hour of my time?

I’ll choose the path of least resistance in this scenarios every time. I mean, I HAVE the time, and it WOULD be waste of materials for them to create an entirely new banner. What would you have done?