10/24/2010

The party was so much fun!

We all had a great time, just sitting around and talking while enjoying some yummy treats. As promised, here are some pictures of the treats. My guests are already trying to talk me into having a another coffee party. Perhaps I will....







One favor, clear coffee mug with chocolate spoons, coupons and a coffee scoop. 

Other favor White and black mug with the same stuff.





Coffee Central

Homemade chocolate spoons.

Treats! 
My biscotti that came out really good!



Banana Split Cake
and a close up. 
Lemon Bars







10/22/2010

So, I'm having a house party tomorrow.

What is a house party you may ask? Well, I was picked by www.houseparty.com to be a host for one of their parties! I am so excited. It is for Folgers coffee and Land of Lakes Half & Half. So I invited a whole bunch of friends over for coffee, desserts, and some girl time Saturday night. Which, yes required people to RSVP. *giggle* I did get more rsvps this time around, but you know what? I am not letting it bug me as much this time. It is their loss. So on the menu is chocolate chip biscotti, ( I am making them for the first time from scratch, we shall see how it turns out.) banana split cake, lemon bars, coffee cake, and butter cookies. I may also make some brownies or cake. I also bought some flavored creamers and plan on buying some Kahlua. Yummy. I'm sure that the people I invited are shocked that I am hosting this at my house. I haven't had a party or get together at my house in over  4 years. Not since Nick's 3rd birthday party when he pushed my niece off the bed and she ended up with 7 stitches in her head. Our place is not big and it is cluttered. I tend to be very self conscious of it. However, those are my issues and the people that are coming tomorrow night are not coming to critique my cluttered bookshelves or stick there nose up at my unmatched kitchen chairs. They are coming as friends to just hang out.  I hope this is one step closer for me to realize that good enough is well, just good enough.  Don't worry, I will delight you all with pictures of Saturday night's spread. Now I am off to take a peek at the biscotti......

10/14/2010

I've been missing my mom a lot lately.

I mean, I always miss her, but when she passed away  a hole formed in my heart that will never close. I think that is probably what happens when someone you love dies, they take a part of you with them. Life has been, well, life. What more can I say? The month is flying by so fast and before I know it the holidays will be here. Yikes. I think that is part of what has me missing her so much. Even though this will be second holiday season she won't be here, it feels very much like the first time. Last year I was numb I guess you could say, but now the pain is seeping in. I have been having more panic attacks than usual and I know a lot has to do with the feelings of grief that threaten to take over, but I try to repress for the sake of my family. I hate going to my parents' house. I mean I truly hate it and just the thought of going there causes the panic to rise. I still go once a week to see my dad and help out around the house as much as I can. The entire time I am there however I keep looking at the clock and wondering how fast I can duck out. I don't know how he can stand living there alone. I am always on edge and short with the kids when we are there. My mom brought so much life and happiness into the house that now it just seems like an empty shell. When we would walk in she would always have a smile even when she was sick. I would go over there and stay all day on Saturdays. My husband works a second job, so it was a good way to break up the day. The kids and I would go over and clean the house and just hang out. That is probably why I may be the only person who dreads the weekends. Saturdays just seem to stretch forever. While I enjoy not having to worry about get lunches made at 7am or the fights about getting ready, I find myself to this day going to call her. Because if I wasn't at her house on Saturdays, you can bet I was on the phone multiple times with her.  I am not saying that I don't have people to talk to, I do but most of them are busy with their own families and husbands on the weekends and I hate to bother them. Thankfully my mother in law doesn't mind my calls. Last weekend she came over to help me with the house. I was feeling so overwhelmed and was having such a bad panic attack. I feel sorry for people who don't like their in-laws. Mine are great even though they can get on my nerves, but no more than my own parents and siblings do. ☺

                                           Here is my mom and me at my preschool graduation.

10/08/2010

Okay my latest gripe with people.....

R.S.V.P  according to the dictionary, it means 

  1. Definition of RSVP
  2. : to respond to an invitation
  3. Origin of RSVP
  4. French répondez s'il vous plaît
which translated means please respond.


What has happened to society that people no longer to feel the need to RSVP to something when it clearly states to please do so? We don't put that 4 letter abbreviation on invitations just for the fun of it. Is it really that hard to call someone and say yes, no, or maybe? Because, if you can't make it, I am not going to expect a reason and my feelings won't be hurt. What hurts is when people act as if you never invited them to something. Even if you call and say maybe, that would be a heck of a lot nicer and considerate than just completely ignoring the invite all together. So from now on, the next time I have a party and you don't RSVP in some way, then I will assume you will not be there. So don't be surprised when their might not be enough food, games, favors for you and yours. I will no longer be calling people to see if they are coming either, because that makes me feel like pain in the ass. Okay, griping is over. Oh, and have a great weekend!

10/07/2010

The person you need

is Nanny McPhee. Capital M capital P. Heck yeah, bring it on. Nanny McPhee is my new hero, even though she is a fictional character. What mom doesn't dream of a person swooping in and getting their children to behave and listen? She is the woman of our dreams.  Seriously though, this whole job of parenting is a lot harder than it looks. I can usually tell the people who have no kids or perhaps just one infant in the stores, they are generally the ones who look at me like I am a horrible monster while I am pulling Alexander out of Wal-Mart  and he is screaming "You awe huwting me!" (He still doesn't have his r sound down pat.) Even though I am barely holding on to him while he is throwing a fit because I refused to buy him a toy that he does not need nor deserves. It feels as if they are judging me as a bad parent, someone who can not control their child by just the one outburst. While a lot of the times, the people with children give you a look of sympathy, stay out of the way and often times whether they realize it or not are smiling to themselves and thinking "Thank God it is not me this time!" I understand now more than ever why God has made babies and children so cute and adorable, it is so you don't realize how hard it is going to be. The same can be said for puppies and kitties. Take Miss Lauren for example, at least once a week she determines that I don't need but a few hours of sleep at night. As much as I want to be annoyed, I can't. After all, who can resist the loud smacking sound of an 18 month old's kiss? Or how when she hugs me, she still likes to sway back and forth and hum to me?
Now that Allison is 8, she is starting to get out of that adorable stage and has jumped right into the attitude, you can't tell me what I need to do. Oh boy, shouldn't there have been some sort of gradually going into this stage? The first time she told me that I didn't to need to tell her what to do and that she could do it on her own, I stood there with my mouth open. After all, here was my sweet helpful one who I never had a problem with and she's telling me no!  I don't know how long I just stared at her. I knew I had a choice I could let it slide or attempt to address the situation. After taking a deep breath, I told her that it was fine, but she was not to ask me for anything for the rest of the day.  Fine! She responded to me and turned round mumbling something to herself. Let's fast forward to a couple of hours later when said child wants me to make her hot chocolate. Guess, what I said? No. I explained that since she feels she does not need me to do things I ask of her and that she doesn't need me anymore that she was on her own. Needless to say she didn't get her hot chocolate that day. Perhaps it was an immature way on my part to react, but I need to teach them that I deserve the same respect they give their teachers and friends' parents. I ended up getting an apology from her that evening and I did not continue the next day with not helping out.  I think hope she learned her lesson. I guess that is something we will find out soon enough.