Sesame street LIVE!

Woohoo. what a saturday we had yesterday. so so busy. Almost too busy, really. We had all sorts of errands all morning and then we went to SESAME STREET LIVE!!  I won a family four pack of tickets last week so we decided to put them to use!! Kent almost didn't make it- but luckily was working with the nicest residents ever and they let him off to come. He's in his work clothes because we picked him up from the hospital and drove straight to the show.

Both kids loved the show.  We were worried about Ike, but I think that he actually enjoyed it more than Zeb. He danced and giggled and pointed and just sat happily on Kent's lap.  Zeb thought it was over at intermission- and was ready to go at that point.  We ended up staying and he kept asking if we could go- but still enjoyed the last half.  Grover came right up to us to meet the kiddos but Zeb would have NOTHING to do with him. He was pretty creepy looking up close. Very hairy and extremely large.

Overall  it was a really fun show.  I don't think I would have paid the sixty bucks it would have cost for all four of us- but going for free was fabulous.

The above picture is a little strange looking because I'm trying to figure out photoshop.  I tried layering two pictures - one with a flash and one without.  I wanted to show the background- but also get good faces. This photoshop thing is pretty intense.  I need lessons.

After the show we went to a ward baptism with the kiddos. Sometimes I wonder why we take them to church functions like baptisms.  They were so irreverant and we spent much of the time in the hall anyway.
Afterwards we took them home, left them with a sitter, and then went back to the church for a "no kids allowed" game night.  It was really fun and we laughed a lot. Plus, our sitter (one of my seminary students) got both kids to bed. It was fabulous. I think I'd pay to have someone come and put my kids to bed every night.

Yesterday was AMAZING. My kidlets were with babysitters from 9-11 (at the gym) and then 1:30 until 8:30. And I was with Kent.  I'm sorry to those that helped watch my kids, though. They were tired and CRANKY. Thank-you!! I owe you cookies or a treat of some sort.

First off yesterday there was an awards ceremony on campus.  Kent was nominated along with other members of his class to receive the school's "Humanism in Medicine" Award- for student doctors "consistently demonstrating compassion and empathy in the delivery of care to patients" amongst many other things.

They presented the award to twenty-four med students, five residents, and one physician.  Ike and Zeb's pediatrician also received the award and I absolutely LOVE her- so I made Kent get a picture with her! She's a resident that works at our office and we've been seeing her since our regular pediatrician is on maternity leave.  She is one of the best doctors I've seen.  She leaves the program the same time we do- so we'll be able to stay with her until we leave.



Here's a picture of Kent shaking the dean's hand. I told him I'm not sure I'll be able to sit through his graduation ceremony so this may be the best picture we get.  I just hate long and boring  meetings of any sort.  Luckily this ceremony was pretty interesting and relatively short- plus had great refreshments.

After the program- we went and got the squidlets, fed them, and took them to another friend's house so we could drive down to Findlay, OH to go to a seminary teacher's banquet. The weather turned atrocious and only 12 of the expected 38 people were in attendance. Neither of the speakers showed up - and they cancelled the  broadcast afterwards- so we just ate dinner and went home. It was really nice - and there was a TON of food.  The drive home took a LONG time because the roads were so bad but it was just nice to be kidless so I didn't mind a bit.  I wasn't the one driving, though.

our day.

I asked him to give me the nastiest face he could. This is what he came up with. Pretty scary if you ask me.

 

  Yesterday we pulled up next to a fire truck at a red light.  Zeb looked at me and stated, "the fire truck isn't working, mom. It must be out of batteries".

Oh- and apparently Zeb has an Oswald bladder.  This kid can keep more liquid inside than I ever thought possible on a 2 and a half year old.  This is a side view of his stomach/bladder full to the brim. He seriously held it for four hours.  He's been asking to get on the "potty train" lately, so we've embarked. Too bad I think he thinks it has something to do with a real train.  Luckily for us he's been poo potty trained for a few weeks now. He totally did that on his own.  The pee thing may pose some problems.

Oh yeah.  And yesterday I judged a local science fair. It was a blast. I loved every second of talking to those awkward nerdy middle schoolers.  One kid's project was hypothesizing the effects of red bull on crickets!?!?  Maybe somebody should call PETA.   I miss science and teenagers.  Too bad I can't do early morning biology, too.

food.

I need your help.  While I don't mind cooking, baking, making food, etc., I detest FINDING great new recipes to use.  I'm one of those "top ten" dinner gals. I have my top ten and we eat them A LOT!  So, I've been scouring the web looking for the best recipe blogs out there.  I'm looking for those tried and true recipes that are guaranteed to be a hit.  Dinners, desserts, breakfasts, cookies, whatEVER.  What is your favorite recipe/cooking blog? I feel like I've exhausted my resources and I just need some fresh ideas.

Some of my favorites are:

the sisters' cafe

 a year of slow cooking

our best bites 

and, of course,

allrecipes.

free pancakes!!!! the word 'free' just gets me all excited.

Kent made it home tonight nice and early so we celebrated at ihop. Free pancake day has become a wonderful Toledo tradition.  Ike ate more ice chips than pancakes- but still enjoyed his stack.

and zeb didn't take a single bite of his "sandcastle".  This is why kent and I refuse to buy our children meals at restaurants. Once they prove that they can eat a full plate of food at home- then we'll think about actually spending money on them at a resturant.  Or we'll just start leaving them with babysitters.

 p.s. please excuse the cell phone pics.

dinner. strong man. bobblehead boy.

Ahhh. blasted dinner. It sneaks up on me everyday! I'm a lover of breakfast for dinner and almost made my sour cream blueberry pancakes again- but opted for a more well rounded meal.  This lovely dinner came straight out of my head. My recipe. My ingredients. My ideas. Although I'm rather certain there's nothing original about it.

I would have gone all vegetarian but a meal isn't a meal without meat for Kent.  We ate it with whole wheat english muffins.

3 medium potatoes baked and then squared.  

lay out potatoes in pan

cover them with this mixture:

5 eggs.

1/4 c milk

1/4 c sour cream

bunch of spinach chopped

onion and garlic powder, s and p to taste

cheese ( I used very little- but I think 1-2 cups would be fine)

saute:

1/2 pack (1/2 lb) ground sausage with an onion.

sprinkle on top of  potato mixture.

top with quartered cherry tomatoes.

cook for 1 hourish on 350.

It was tasty.  I would definitely recommend ketchup, though.

Ike is older by the day. He tried desperately all day to pick up and move this table around our front room. It was really funny. He kept getting so frustrated and shrieking.  That's his typical day. Frustration (due to an inability to communicate, or a push from his brother, or just plain crankiness) leading to shrieking.

And today there were lions at the gym says Zeb. He told me they say "raaaaawr" and they're "creepy". I asked him about the jellyfish and apparently they've moved on.  I think this picture is really funny.  His head looks ginormous. The only natural light I can use lately is in the corner of our front room by our sliding door. I'm trying to learn about my camera in that small space.  It's the one reason I wish winter would come to end- I just want to get outside so I can figure out my camera more.

happy haircut. and other pictures.

All four of us cut off a lot of hair this week- so I decided to just get it over with and post a picture (although the pic makes my hair look a little longer than it actually is).
Today at church Zeb had these crazy rooster tails popping up all over his head and I just couldn't take it anymore!  Usually cutting hair is like pulling teeth for the Z man- but today (with the promise of a cupcake) the process was much smoother. Ike is pretty chill about it.  Kent loves to cut his hair. And me- let's just say it's always a semi-emotional process. I really like my cut- it's just that I don't cut my hair often and I'm always so self conscious about it when I do.  I have no idea why. I'm not attached to my hair- and I don't even really ever do it- so the fact that it's always so scary for me is a mystery.  But, I'm super happy. I can still barely put it into a pony (with some bobbies) for working out- and the cut gave it a lot more body. Hooray for the haircut.  And I'm always a fan of clean cut and short on the three other millers in the house so I think the whole fam looks great.

So to sisters, moms, etc. (those who actually really care about my cut)- here's a side shot :)

And here are just some really funny boy faces.  Zeb is so real now. He's a real person and says real things and it's really fun. Today in church- during the sacrament- we were looking at a church book and talking about baptism when he yelled "NO, MOM! I'm not getting baptized in six years! I'm busy".  Lately he's too busy for everything he doesn't want to do.

 

and Ike is the hardest age in the world right now.  Church was so frustrating today chasing him around! He makes the funniest faces while he's eating.  Here's one of them.  And interestingly enough he has the quasimodo eye just like zeb- only with the opposite eye.

and this one's just cute.  I do love little baby features. Teeny arms and teeny noses and chubby cheeks.

20 weeks!

Is this fetus sucking it's thumb??! It must take after my sister, metta! She was a thumb sucker in utero, too. Oh- and by the way- this fetus is NOT mine. Not a stinking chance. I canNOT believe that I was something like six weeks prego with Ike when Zeb was the age Ike is right now. What was I thinking?!?

It's laney (and taylor's) little creature.  And I swear I've been having sympathy cravings and mood swings the past twenty weeks or so.  All I want is weird things like cheddar pita chips and honey and mustard onion pretzels.  I don't even crave food when I'm preggo. Plus- I've been crabb-o-rama off and on for the past twenty weeks, too. So, laney- let's get this over with quickly so I can be normal again.

It's due this summer some time and the gender is a surprise. That's the only way to go, really.  I've got boxes of adorable baby girl clothes just screaming to be used though, laney!

did you know that toledo is the frog city?!

I didn't either until yesterday. Playgroup was downtown at the froggy museum- and although I wouldn't classify the place as a museum, my kiddos had a blast. Plus- my fickle camera treated me nicely so I got some pictures.

At first I was terrified.  There were just three big rooms full of frog memorabilia- all roped off. There were stuffed frogs, toy frogs, electronic frogs, talking frogs, hopping frogs, and every type of frog imaginable. It was  a parent's worst nightmare!  All I could think was "how am I going to keep my kids from tearing this place apart while Ms. Amy tries to talk to them about frogs?".  Luckily she was very child friendly and after a short presentation said the magic words "it's froggy time" and let the kids go WILD. They got to play to their heart's content with everything they wanted. And they tore that place apart! It was frog toy heaven. They even had a frog train.

Ike just wanted the big purple car- that had nothing to do with frogs by the way.

Toledo has the most interesting little spots. I'm glad we get to experience so many of them.  The actual building where the museum is located was really amazing inside. It had all of this great exposed brick- with cool archways and lots of natural lighting. I'd love to take my kiddos back and get some pictures. We ended up "touring" the whole place in search of froggytown.

Here are the rugrats staring at kent as he's eating breakfast and getting ready to head off to work.  It's like they are smitten by him.  They just wanted to sit/stand at his side the entire time he ate.  For Ike it may have had something to do with the fact that he wanted his food- but nonetheless- these kids sure love Kent. 

Just check out Ike.  There's nothing worse than cold milk running down your double chin, huh? 

He had his 12 month well check last week and performed like a champ. He's finally in perfect health.  He's 22 pounds and at 50th percentile for everything- except head- where he's 75th.  I think Zeb wished it was his appointment, though. When the doctor came in, Zeb asked if he could use her "listenscope" to hear his heart beat- and everytime the doctor checked something on Ike, Zeb would ask, "what about me?". 
Zeb was happy to skip the shots but Ike didn't seem to mind.  At this age doctor's appointments with Zeb were absolute torture.  We couldn't even measure his head or listen to his lungs without a writhing screaming banshee.  And with Ike- I am not exagerrating when I say he didn't even cry for the shots. He hollered out in pain with all four- but then got up and gave the nurse a wave goodbye accompanied by a smile. 

our weeeekend.

We started off with a great Friday night at the roller skating rink. It was crazy. The music, the lights, the skates, even the smells- they all just screamed Junior High at Classic Skating. We even did the hokey pokey and the YMCA.  Plus, my kids loved the evening.  Kent had to work- but we went and celebrated the birthday of a friend.  I was shocked when they said they had skates small enough for Zeb!  He got the hang of it pretty quickly and was able to shuffle around after a bit.  He did complain that the music was too loud, though!  

Ike just ran around like a banshee and I ran around after him making sure he wasn't run over and that he stayed out of the men's restroom.

I took my regular point and shoot camera- and I have to say that it has about bit the dust.  I realize that I am kind of a picture/camera snob now- but it's really having technical difficulties and I can't stand using it!!

Saturday Kent had to work again- but luckily got off mid day so we could celebrate an early Valentines.  Holidays (besides Easter and Christmas) on Sunday are not my favorite thing.  Too bad V day AND my birthday fall on them this year!! grrr.  We ended up going to see Avatar in 3D.  The only movies we've paid to see in the theaters since we've been married have been the Harry Potter movies- and I remember why now!  They are INSANELY expensive.  Plus- since it was 3d - it cost even more!  11 dollars for a matinee?!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!  had they offered non 3D I would have taken it merely for the three dollar discount! Plus- once we started watching the movie I realized that 3D is NOT for me. Maybe it was all the hype- but I was a little disappointed in the movie.  I am glad that we saw it on the big screen and not at home, however.  Kent and I decided we would have been super disappointed to watch it on our scrawny tv!  Plus- it was nice to be kidless for three hours :)  and I'm not sure if I've blogged about his before- but Kent and I love this website- kidsinmind.  We usually check it out before we watch any movies because it is so detailed and descriptive about what exactly is in the movies. 

After the movie we came home, put the kids to bed, and ate dinner while we caught up on missed Project Runway episodes. I do love just being at home and cuddling on the couch under a blanket and eating a bowl of brownies and ice cream.

Sunday ended up being really nice for a sunday holiday.  Both kids took looong naps/quiet times and we could just relax.  I love Sundays knowing that we aren't going to do ANYthing. No pressure to go out anywhere- or workout- or get anything done!  Zeb and Kent raced home after church and decorated the living room with balloons and streamers and m&ms.  Zeb was SO excited when I came in the door. He kept telling me it was for me for valentine's day. It's really fun to have him be so "grown up".  He gets so excited for everything and loves to participate in everything that we do.

 And here's Ikey not very excited about the decorations after waking up.  He's such a turkey right now.  He's trying desperately to tell us everything he wants but it all comes out in shrieks and screams and it's getting crazy annoying!!

 And I spent after church finishing off Kent's final Valentine's present.  I did the 14 days of valentines for him and it ended up being crazy long! Over the past 14 days I made him 105 hearts with 105 notes and 105 "gifts".  I did cheat on more than one heart- but it was a lot of work still :)  I've always wanted to try a fruit bouquet.  I lucked out that fruit has been very reasonably priced lately! and that we have a great little fruit market right down the street.  I learned a few things for next time (don't include bananas! they go mushy and brown immediately- and mangoes look like cheddar cheese chunks).  We also made my favorite dip. Cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, and the juice of an orange. And had Cafe Rio Pork Burritos for dinner. mmm. 

happy valentine's day.  I guess having it on a sunday wasn't all that bad because I got kent all day long. I shouldn't complain.

My kids love this place. And so do I! Although ike only has eyes for the foam pit- and it's pretty obnoxious to try and keep him out or watch him like a hawk when he's in so I don't lose him to the bottomlessness of it.  I tried various forms of containment- but he just got angry.

It's the perfect place for zeb, though. He's in pure heaven on the rings and bars and trampoline.

Everybody needs a ymca gymnastics center.

can you see all of his bumps and bruises on his forehead?!

This kid is ALWAYS falling forward onto his little noggin.  He hits wall corners, chairs, people, and sometimes bends over just a little too far and falls directly onto his head. It's ridiculous, but I'll take the bumps and bruises over coughs and not sleeping ANY day.  And both kiddos are healthy right now (cross your fingers) so I am quite pleased.  Ike does have a nasty little diaper rash, though.

It must be really hard to be a kid sometimes. No real conrol over your body,  little ability to comunicate properly, and constant misunderstanding of emotions.  Most of these rugrat's injuries could be prevented if they'd just learn those basics!

me (my craft. my recipe. my award.)

We are set to get one of the "big" storms today and I guess that means the schools decided to take preventative measures and just cancel school before the snow even started.  Too bad they didn't announce that until AFTER six am when seminary had already started!  That's okay though- it was a great morning. And the snow is REALLY coming down now. I love it. I even had to re-scrape my windows after running in to meijer just to get milk!

Yesterday I finally finished my valentines craft. I don't like crafts. I don't do crafts.  But my house was missing it's Christmas decorations and after I'd seen so many "easy" and "doable" valentine's crafts by friends, I decided to take a stab at something myself.  My number one requirement- NO SEWING.  So here is my felt heart banner. I scoured the web forEVER in search of the perfect simple banner and then finally found this one on my friend emilee's blog. Why didn't I just go there first?  She's a craft genius.  And this was super easy. So I stole the idea.  Totally copied it.

I couldn't get a direct shot because of the lighting- and I forgot to take pictures before hanging it- so this will have to do.  I even cut out the letters FREEhand.  no tracing. nothing.  Maybe I am meant to craft.

Oh- and how could I forget.  One of my favorite things about blogging is "meeting" new people.  I've made a few new friends in the blogging world and recently found jessica- from here in toledo! and she nominated me for a blog award -"the beautiful blogger".  It's my first- so thank-you so much jessica. I love meeting new people-  and even better that she's from here.  Jessica- we should definitely be real friends and not just blogging friends ;).  Along with the award I have to list seven unique things about myself.  It's so hard for me to think of things people don't know already.

1. I really really like to do hard work- like physical labor. I love mowing lawns, working out, digging pits, etc.
2. I love to teach. It's one of my favorite things to do in the world.
3. I'm a reality tv junkie- unless it's The Bachelor(ette) or the Amazing Race. They both give me anxiety/drive me crazy.
4. I really wish that I was more organized. My closets are embarassing.
6. I've just recently (within the past year and half) become a daily flosser and it's changed my life. Now I CAN'T go to bed without flossing.
7. I am perfectly happy with my life (even though I complain about rugrats).

I am supposed to nominate seven people- but I am very bad at nominating.  Plus I am a blog addict and can't really just choose seven- so if you need something to blog about- steal this award and post it, please.


And finally- a new recipe.  The crock pot is my go to dinner. It's fast,  it's easy, and you can throw just about anything in it.  Tonight I made my own version of applesauce chicken as found on a year of slow cooking. It's a great site when I have no new ideas and very few unique ingredients.  I didn't include a picture because it isn't a very lovely looking dish.  It did taste pretty good, though.

 

1 1/4 c applesauce (unsweetened)
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 small onion diced
garlic
1/2 pack dry onion soup mix
1-2 sweet potatoes chopped small
chicken breasts.

Really I just chucked it all in- frozen chicken and all.  It takes about 2-3 hours on high and 4-5 on low. I served it with my favorite new boxed side- Chicken and Herb Classico Whole Grain mix from rice a roni. You can also add peas (we add peas to almost everything!).

snow weekend.

I'm not entirely sure why I never found time to blog over the weekend.  It certainly wasn't because we were busy with a weekend full of excitement!  It was nice weekend- but pretty mellow. Kent works every saturday this month so things are pretty low key.  We lucked out that one of the other students he's working with classified herself as a "heathen and athiest" and volunteered to take all of the Sunday shifts including Valentine's day! I am pretty grateful. I'd rather have Kent on Sunday than any other day of the week.

We did decide to have a snow day on Saturday afternoon- but it ended up being more like a snow minute. Ike wanted to go back inside as soon as we got out.  Here he is giving kent the pleading face.  Maybe it had to do with the snow on his hands and face.  It was pretty cold out.

Zeb loved it and stayed out with me for awhile. His facial wound is healing nicely and I think the dermabond is going to fall off soon.

They actually spilled some of it right under his eye and it dried immediately so it looks likes he's had toothpaste on his face for a week now.  It makes me look like an even more delinquent mother.  Plus, Ike took a dive onto the corner of a cookie cutter this weekend and also has a face laceration.  At church people kept asking if they'd had some sort of battle.  I'll try and get a picture.

The worst part of the whole thing is the Augmentin they have him (Zeb) on.  He needed antibiotic for the cut- but he also had red ears so the doc prescribed augmentin.  He HATES the stuff. He keeps asking if he can have the "pink stuff" instead.  When Ike was on antibiotic- it was pink. Apparently he thinks it will taste better if it's a different color.  It all smells terrible to me.

Here he is trying to talk me out of the medicine. He's getting pretty good at arguments these days.  Last week driving to the gym he whined- "I can't go the gym, mom!". When I asked why- he responded with, "It's dangerous".  I asked him how it was dangerous and he informed me that "There are jellyfish at the gym. They sting people. And crabs, too. They are dangerous". 

Zeb's trying to steal his thunder!

Zeb got a little jealous of all the attention we were giving Ike for his birthday and decided to take matters into his own hands.  He did a face dive off his bed and on to the sharp corner of a drawer and ended up with all of Kent's attention for the next hour and a half as they waited at urgent care to get stitches! I could tell immediately that it was really deep.  At first all I could see was white stuff (probably his cut facial fat) but then it just filled with blood and started oozing pretty steadily. And actually- since the cut was on his face the doctor decided that dermabond would be a better plan because it makes for less scarring.  Plus it's less painful and lots faster for wiggly whiny two year olds.  I've included the picture of the poor little rugrat right as he was headed off with Kent.  He was actually quite the champ about it and only cried for two or three minutes.  Although that may have something to do with the fact that I turned into a softy and told him he could have his binky.  I just felt so bad for him and wanted him to feel better!!  I stayed home and put Ike to bed while he went with Kent.  In the car he asked- "Kent, where are we going?" to which Kent replied, "to the doctor to fix your face".  He then responded "oh yeah, to fix my face".

 

Up until the injury we'd had a very nice evening.  Ike wanted NOTHING to do with his cake.  We thought if we covered it with Zeb's toys that for sure he'd at least try to destroy it- but no such luck.  It doesn't surprise me though. Zeb didn't want his cake either, if you remember.  My kids aren't crazy sweets eaters.  Zeb did however want this cake.  Here is he lining up Thomas and Percy to check it out. He's got the angry face because we have to keep reminding him that it's for Ike.

 

Ike had his own little spill into a wall corner (check out his forehead!) right before cake time and maybe that's why he was so grumpy towards it.  It may also have been because he was scared of the dinosaurs.

 

And here he is after I force fed him some frosting.  He spit it at me.

                                                                                      

Really- He enjoyed his balloons and chucking his new train tracks with Zeb more than anything else last night.  The two of them just kept throwing things and giggling. Zeb thinks the new tracks are his so it appears we are still going to have battles about tracks- but at least there will be more to battle over.  And thanks for the books and pjs and valentines aunties and gma and gpa!!

And I should include a picture of Kent AND Zeb here.  Zeb licked off the frosting while Kent finished off the cake.

happy number one, kiddo.