A few years ago Mrs. Bailey Park told me about this lovely citrus drink Mr. had been making. I added it to my recipe collection and every Winter when citrus is so inexpensive I make it quite a lot. It’s been in my fridge almost constantly since early December. We go through it so fast (really, I could drink an entire batch myself in one afternoon as I seem to be part camel with this baby) I usually make a double batch so it will last us a couple of days if I control myself. Go make some. You’ll be happy you did.
While at Voldemart the other day I came upon bags of Meyer lemons for a really good price (less than regular lemons even!) so I grabbed several. While the kids were having nap/quiet time that afternoon I made a lovely lemon blueberry tart, as I’m wont to do this time of year. I also used the Meyer lemons in the latest batches of the aforementioned citrus drink and it’s especially awesome.
A few nights ago a friend posted a recipe on facebook for a faux Frosty. I love Wendy’s Frosties and was excited to try it. I was a little skeptical that it would really be like the real thing but it surprisingly was! I can’t remember how big my freezer bowl is but only about 1/4 of the recipe would fit in my bowl at one time. The only thing that was missing for me was some french fries to dip in it – yep, I’m one of those people.
I’m roughly 24 weeks along now. I’m pleasantly surprised to find I’m not still spending my days nauseated. With Peanut I was still barfing regularly at this point and with Wingnut I was still mostly in non-functional. I actually got to enjoy a little time of feeling semi-human before getting uncomfortable this time around. Now I’m to the point of not being able to breathe when I bend over and I still need a nap most days but the nesting instinct has seriously struck and I find myself willing and mostly able to accomplish some things. Despite the urge to get things done I’ve still shied away from making any resolutions because I know the energy will come to an end before I know it and any long-term goals will be down the tubes with the delivery and subsequent upheaval of a new little guy. So my one and only goal for the year? Have this baby. It’s definitely reachable, don’t you think?
Pardon the bright lamp behind me.
Since I’m not completely incapacitated anymore I’m trying, somewhat successfully, to ween my kids off endless TV again. While feeling like crap they pretty much have free reign while I wallow on the couch trying not to barf so they get plenty of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Sesame Street, and Wild Kratts. They still beg for it but I’m more able to find things to occupy (read: distract) them now that I can remain vertical for longer periods of time. This morning I had to explain to Peanut that she only got to watch so much TV this fall because I was feeling like utter garbage but now that I’m feeling better that doesn’t fly anymore. She was rather disappointed and asked in a hopeful voice a few times throughout the day if I was feeling icky yet.
The kids are really giving me a run for my money lately. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just me because I’m overflowing with wacky hormones but ODD assures me he’s been feeling the same way so it’s definitely our kids. I don’t know if they can tell things are going to change soon with the baby or what but lately Peanut and Wingnut cannot stop pestering each other. They know one another’s buttons and constantly push them. I may as well not say a word for all the good it does. Both of them seems to have their ears painted on yet I persevere. This can’t last forever if I consistently work with them on it, right? RIGHT!? The last couple of days I’ve been doing a marble jar with Peanut and that seems to be helping, though today we had an I-don’t-care-what-you-say kind of day where she started with 10 marbles and was down to 5 by dinner. I’m hoping tomorrow goes a bit better. Speaking of getting better, I’m about to have a Dr. Pepper and veg with ODD. I’m pretty sure that will help me feel better.
For Christmas every year since I can remember we have Orange Junk as part of our Christmas Eve dinner. My grandma L used to make it, my mom makes it, and now, when I make Christmas Eve dinner, it’s always included. It’s kind of a Christmas staple at our house but with citrus available for such good prices this time of year, it’s something that can really be made all Winter. The orange and pink wedges mixed together in a bowl are hard to resist.
Orange Junk
- 1 grapefruit per person
- 2 oranges per person
- sugar
- Sprite or 7-Up (optional)
Segment all the fruit into a bowl. To segment a citrus fruit begin but cutting the ends of the fruit off, exposing the flesh. Set the fruit on one end. Beginning at the top cut the rind off in slices until all you have is the flesh.
With a paring knife, cut and scrape each segment away from the membrane and into a bowl. When all the segments have been removed, squeeze the remaining membrane shell over the bowl to release any more juice it might be harboring, then toss it in the trash pile.
Sprinkle the bowl of segments with sugar to taste then let it all sit in the fridge for a while to chill. If you want, you can add some Sprite or 7-Up to the mix as well. I don’t usually do this but I remember my grandma serving it that way and it’s yummy.
I like serving mine in a dessert wine glass.
At Christmas Eve dinner Wingnut loved fishing out all the little orange segments with his fat little hands, and at almost nothing else the entire meal.
Saturday morning we woke up to snow! With no snow since October we were beginning to wonder if we’d ever get any so it was a nice surprise. ODD did his usual Saturday breakfast thing with the kids then suggested we go sledding. I was a little hesitant because at 23 weeks pregnant I don’t have much energy for tromping through snow, up and down hills. We thought it would be a fun thing to do with the kids, though, so off we went. On the way we got a new sled that fits all of us nicely and is way better than our old sled. We were pleasantly surprised to find our usual sledding spot almost deserted with loads of untouched snow.
Wingnut thought it was fun to toboggan down the hill but was just as happy to sit at the top watching everyone else. He and I spent most of the time chilling at the top.
Peanut, I think, went down more than anyone and even seemed to like dragging the sled back up the hill until the very end when she got too tired.
Once, after a trip down the hill, ODD introduced Wingnut to the joy of eating fresh snow. Wingnut wanted to do nothing but eat snow from then on and would only eat it out of ODD’s or my hand.
After a few hours of sledding and lying in the snow we made our way back to the car. Wingnut was tired and hungry by that time and cried most of the way home until he fell asleep and Peanut wasn’t far behind. I don’t blame them. I took a nap myself when we got home. All the fun wore us all out.
I’ve lightly considered getting a Kindle for a few years but didn’t know much about them so never really gave it serious thought. I thought it might be like reading a computer screen and they were probably really expensive. Besides, I like real books; the smell, the weight, the feel of the pages. Then last Christmas my dad got a Kindle. Within a month or two my mom had one, too.
Both of my parents have always been readers but with work and other obligations my dad had a harder time getting to the library or bookstore than my mom. With the Kindle my dad suddenly had easy access to all the books he’d wanted to read but couldn’t pick up before. He almost always has it with him and loves being able to read any time he has some down time. Seeing how much both of them loved their Kindles got me thinking about getting one myself. I tried them out and really liked them but it wasn’t until I found out my local library now offers Kindle lending that I decided to ask for one for Christmas.
I debated between the newest Kindle and the Kindle Keyboard and decided on the smaller one with fewer buttons. I don’t care for touch screens so I didn’t even consider the Kindle Touch and I don’t need all the fluff of a Kindle Fire, though it is nice to read illustrated children’s books on. I’m sure my kids would never leave it alone if I got it. The simple version is just right for me.
In anticipation of getting a Kindle I made myself a case for it based on the measurements online. I’d made one for my mom in November for her birthday and they went together pretty quickly once I decided how I wanted to do it.
I love the way it turned out and my Kindle fits perfectly. I tend to read while lying down on the couch or my bed and it’s so nice to not have to finagle a several hundred page book every time I finish a page. I’ve read at least four books on it since Christmas and it goes almost everywhere with me. Peanut likes pushing the page turning buttons and I’ve started reading aloud to her from it which she thinks is pretty cool. Wingnut has only shown mild interest in it so far, thank goodness. If you’re considering one I highly recommend it. It’s been my favorite Christmas gift this year. Thanks mom and dad! I love it!
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Hello. 
I'm HairyShoeFairy. In general I blog about random crap - everything from crafts to cooking to my family to anything that's on my mind.
My Family ODD - My husband.
Peanut - My 5 year old daughter.
Wingnut - My 2 year old son.
Nut #3 - Yet to be named, coming April 2012.
Please Don’t Steal Stealing = Bad!
Linking=Good!
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