Five Question Friday 03/04/2011

Hi, it's Friday so here we go...


1. Have you ever forgotten your child in a store or at school?
Maybe. I can't remember.


2. Where did you go on your very first date? (Like...first first, not first with your spouse or current significant other!)
To the local roller rink, Skate Ranch. I met the boy there and we walked around the rink holding hands and watching the break dancers (hey, this was the mid 1980's) in the back of the building on the little kids rink. I think the boy and I shared an ice cream cone too. We held hands during the Couples Skate. It was all so romantic.


3. What's your "silly" fear? (We're not talking water and heights.)
Not having any chocolate in the house. I've worked to alleviate that fear by having peanut M&M's in my baking cabinet and Dove chocolate in my office. But what if...

4. Confrontation: do you cause it, deal with is as it comes, or run far far away?
I prefer to deal with it when it first comes up because otherwise I'll forget why I'm mad. Really it turns out I've had confrontations I simply do not remember having. It's bad when someone asks you "remember when..."? And you don't. At all.


I wouldn't say I run far, far away, but sometimes I do just check out. I'll deal with an issue if I think it's worth my time and energy, but I've been known to just shut down an issue (or person) and deal with it no more.


5. Wood floors or carpet?
Ah, a very timely question. We just suffered from a mechanical breakdown in our toilet's mechanism and the water overflowed. On to our wood floors. Crap. Not literally, thank goodness, it was the clean incoming water. At least it wasn't carpet. Still we have pulled up floors in our hallway that should be repaired Friday (today). We only have one box of the 10% extra wood left since this was our third flood situation. One more water-floor issue then I'm ripping it all out and putting in tile. Watch it will be 20 years until the next thing happens now.

The down side to wood floors. Water damage. 

As usual it's been a blast. I hope you played. If not this week do make a plan for next Friday. You'll be glad you did!

Five Question Friday 03/04/2011

Embroidered Burpie Cloths

I love my great nephew, my niece's son. He brings out the memories of when my own boys were babies. It's awesome to be able to love on a baby and then hand him back when he gets fussy or has a poopie diaper. MY (yes, I know I'm not his mom, but I claim him anyway) baby is also the recipient of my handmade goodies. Here is the latest giftie I made for him.

It's a burpie cloth with an homage to our beloved Texas Longhorns. I found these cloths on sale and I thought they would be fun to personalize. I used a custom design adding "Troy Boy" (what we call MY baby) to the longhorn design. 


I don't know if I dig this block font, but it might work better on another project. The "T" and the "r" blend too closely for my liking. I also am not sure about the bobbin fill coming up through the top stitching. I'm not sure if that's the top, the bobbin fill or something else entirely. The tension is set to "Embroidery", but it looks like it might need to be a tiny bit tighter. 


But it's good enough to wipe slobber off his chin. 
..

Embroidered Burpie Cloths

Chipolte Lime Cucumbers

I've been trying to come up with some healthier alternatives to snacking that don't bore me pieces. I *hate* hummus so it's hard to get ideas that don't include a hummus suggestion. One day my husband was in the kitchen experimenting and came up with this delicious nosh - chipolte lime cucumbers. 

Start with thinly sliced cucumbers. I use a mandolin to slice the cucumber really thin, but you can use a sharp knife. Lay the sliced cucumbers evenly on a plate. 

Next squeeze a fresh lime over the plate. I use the old metal juicer that used to be my grandfather's. It came from Mexico so it's not only useful, but nostalgic too.

Use chipolte seasoning. I used a spice blend that I bought from the local farmer's market, but I hear Mrs. Dash has a good blend. I haven't tried it, but I might when I run out of what I'm currently using since the vendor I purchased from seems to have gone out of business. 

Serve or nosh while making the main meal. We put these out at our last family lunch while everyone was preparing their part of the rest of the food and we went through 3 cucumbers in 10 minutes. 

Excuse me, I think I need to go make some more now.

Chipolte Lime Cucumbers

A Little Pastry Humor

The other day the older boy and I were making a chicken pot pie for dinner. He's all about helping me out around the house lately. Maybe he's softening me up for something really big, but in the mean time I'm rolling with it. 

So as we pinched the edges of our pie he added his own personal touch.

A pi pie!

A proud group of dorks are we!

A Little Pastry Humor

Five Question Friday 02/25/2011

It's 5 Question Friday and on this post you get a chance to take a tour inside my mind guided my Mama M. over at Five Crocked Halos. 


1. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yep. That's how I learned to drive a car. My mom figured if I could learn on a manual shift that an automatic would be easy peasy for me. While I agree with her logic I think it took way longer for me to learn how to drive that way. But, yeah, she was correct. Nowadays I choose to drive an automatic, but I can drive a standard if needed. 

Me and the boy test driving a ride.

2. What are two foods you just can't eat?
Mushrooms and pork. It's a texture thing. I don't like slimy or stringy foods. I'm weird that way I guess. 
::shudder::

3. Do you buy Girl Scout Cookies? What is your favorite kind?
I like Thin Mints and Lemonades. Truth be told though, the quality of the Girl Scout cookie has gone way down in the past few years. The cookies I've bought tasted stale or as if they had been frozen and then thawed. They were not appetizing. 
This year we didn't buy any GS cookies at all. My mom brought the boys one box which we have yet to open, but we just weren't asked by any GS to buy. Oh sure we got a lot of "we have Girls Scout cookies" e-mail message and Facebook posts, but if the GS doesn't ask me directly I don't buy. I can certainly do without an expensive stale cookie donchaknow. 

4. How do you pamper yourself?
::tilts head curiously::
What is this "pamper" you speak of? Is that like when I get to go to the bathroom and no one is outside the door asking earth shattering questions like "mom, have you seen the remote control"?
Pampering myself usually consists of my weekly Chick Date. Sometimes it's coffee after kid drop off. Sometimes it's a trip to the fabric store or IKEA and then lunch. Once a year or so it's a pedicure. Now we are talking a wine tour. That would be pampering! 

5. What is your nickname and how did you get it?
My nickname is Lainey. It's short for my name, Elaine. It's the same number of syllables so I don't think it's "short" for Elaine. Of course my kids call me "Mom" or "Mama" right now. As they get older and I get stricter I'm sure that Mother will turn into something else. Tough noogies. 


Well that's all for this week. I hope a trip through my brain wasn't too scary even if it was a bit of bumpy ride. Go on over and tell Mama M that you played, you know, if you did.
..

Five Question Friday 02/25/2011