Recipe for "The Best Dinner EVER"

Sunday night the kids and I were on our own for dinner. We were all out of chicken nuggets and fish sticks (our normal "dadless dinner" choices)...what to do, what to do? Aha! Pancakes!


I know this isn't a new idea...we grew up doing this all the time. Breakfast for dinner was so fun and such a treat. Why hadn't I thought of it for my own kids???

Needless to say the kids were THRILLED!! I couldn't help but laugh inside each time a compliment was made such as, "MOM I LOVE THIS DINNER" or "This is SO YUMMY!" or "We should have this dinner EVERY NIGHT" like I had just mastered rocket science or something. If only they knew how easy it was. If only they knew my desire for simplicity and speed. If only they knew how OFTEN they will be having pancakes for dinner in the future! Ha ha.

QQ 1/27/09

I'm hesitant to even share this since it reveals what a great mom I am and how often we eat out, but it was so funny I will put off my pride for two seconds...

Today Emma and I were playing "restaurant" as she calls it. I was the customer and she was the waitress. She would ask me what I wanted, then leave the room, and return with my pretend order. This went on for several rounds and I would order different foods and drinks. At one point I couldn't think of anything to order so I asked her for a suggestion. This is how it played out:

(Emma) What would you like? (Julie) I don't know. What do you think? (Emma) How about a bacon egg and cheese biscuit?

[This is only funny because this is something Emma and I would sneak and get after my prenatal appointments. I usually cannot stomach fast food breakfast. But there is something to be said for those bacon egg and cheese biscuits from Hardees.]

So it continues:

(Emma) What would you like? (Julie) How about a burrito? (Emma) MOM--this is HARDEES, NOT TACO BELL!!!

Craft Closet Cleanout 2010

While Andrew is away for a few days I am trying to clean out my crafting closet by completing as many unfinished projects as possible. (And so I can actually find the floor in there.)
So far, 2 down, a gajillion to go. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Here are a few pics of what I've done so far...

#1
This is my Valentines Day garland inspired by this blog: Made by Rae. So fun and easy. I was able to use left over red felt from Nate's cape. Now I actually have SOMETHING Valentiny !! Yea!!
I also hung one in the kitchen, but its harder to see because of the lighting this time of day.
I still have a bunch of felt scraps left over and think I might need to make more for random places around the house or maybe to give to some of our Valentines! Hmm...

#2
Emma's new comforter (I've had the fabric and batting since 11/08!) Wish I hadn't procrastinated for so long considering the small amount of time it took me to actually complete coupled with the fact that a whole year+ has gone by and she won't even be in the toddler sized bed for too much longer...maybe another year??? It is also reversible and I love the flowery fabric on the back as much as the striped front. We will have fun flipping it over and over.

click on this to enlarge so you can see how CUTE the fabric is!!! Anyone know how to rotate this?

As long as we're in Emma's room...
I finished this letter mirror redo a few months ago but didn't hang them til my mom was here to help with Brandon. She helped me make...okay... she made the bows while I watched. I think they turned out great! Thanks mom.

Stay tuned for more projects...on my list:

• Little girl's dress from dad's dress shirts (I have a pile of 10+ of Andrew's old shirts)
• monkey pj's for the kids from fabric purchased 11/08
• snuggies for kids and one lucky friend
• Market skirts for Emma and one lucky cousin
• puppet curtain for Emma that Santa was supposed to bring but didn't finish in time...Bad Santa
• stocking for Brandon
• etc...this list could go on and on and on... How many do you think I can finish before Andrew gets home?...just stay tuned.
  

QQ 1/22/10

Nate: Mom, I can't sleep. I'm scared.
Julie: Dad and I are here, we'll protect you.
Nate: I'm still scared. There are monsters upstairs.
Julie: Nate, monsters aren't real. They are only on tv. Have you ever SEEN a monster?
Nate: YES! UPSTAIRS!

Quotable Quotes

For those of you who only read our blog via email, you miss out on our sidebar of "Quotable Quotes." So for now on, I think I'm going to post them first, then add to the sidebar.

So last night Andrew was playing a little Mario Kart Wii with Nate. Nate won the first round, then Andrew won the next. Nate was a little upset about losing and this is what followed:

A "You need to learn to lose sometimes."
N "YOU need to learn to MAKE me WIN sometimes." said in an angry voice which unfortunately just made Andrew and I laugh.

Ho Ho Ho

It just occurred to me that I hadn't posted ANYTHING from Christmas...
As Harris Family tradition dictates, here is our "Christmas morning on the Stairs" picture.
Yes, I even had Brandon in matching pj's. Thanks to Grandma Leah for making them bigger...I made them a few weeks before I knew I'd be having such a chunker!

As promised...

Just some fun pictures from Grandpa Hansen's visit...