Kitchen Gadgets

I got a few new kitchen gadgets for Christmas that are super fantastic (DD).

Instant Pot Programmable Pressure Cooker

This puppy can make steel cut oats, veggies, meats, rice, everything, the kitchen sink, and everything.  It doesn't take up one of your burners on the stove.  It is easy cleanup.  I have a goal of making a side / veggie in it every night.  I have also found many great recipes to try and have pinned some of them here. 

Paderno Tri - Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer

One word for you....zoodles..thats zucchini noodles.  I can't explain why I love this little gadget so much, but I do.  I like my zoodles with marinara or with garlic, olive oil, and salt.  I have done a few cucumber spirals.  I tried sweet potatoes while some screaming kids were distracting me.  I was zoodling every week and Hunter was making fun of me.  Z to the Oodles...lets eat some veggie noodles.  I also want to try apples or something else fun like that.  This goes on sale frequently with amazon and you can get for ~$15.  I don't usually like little gadgets that take up space, but this one is a keeper...for now.  Keep the blades away from the kiddies. And the accident prone adults.

What's Cookin

I am still having some connection problems at work so today I put on makeup, real clothes (already have spit up on em), and have prepped dinner. 

Tonight we are trying Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole with Ham and Peas.  We had all the stuff and I have been looking for a reason to use Gnocchi (which I have never tasted).

I snagged some blood oranges off of my dad's tree, so I have been looking for some fun recipes.  Maybe this Blood Orange Loaf Cake or maybe this Meyer Lemon Bread with Blood Orange Glaze.  It needs to be special.

I am trying to use up a truckload of kale from the in laws garden.  So far we have had this Blueberry Kale Smoothie.  I want to try Kale Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. 

Junkity Mail

I have lived in 4 places in the last 2ish years, and that is a lot of address change forms and mail going to wrong places and junk mail and all kindsa fun.  I feel sorry for the people who have to get and deliver my old mail. 

Since I can't login to work today due to some technical problems, I did research to try and get this stuff to stop.

I followed the instructions on this page right here.  I permanently opted out of prescreened offers of credit and insurance.  I also got on the Direct Marketing Association's Do Not Mail list.  All free (aside from a stamp) and took me less than 5 minutes.  Do the needful and fill yours out too.  I am assuming this actually helps.  Big ASSumption. 

I submitted stop requests for catalogs using Catalog Choice a few months ago, and I haven't seen a big improvement yet.  This site gets mixed reviews.

Here is hoping for less magazines, catalogs, credit card offers, and other junkity junk junk.  Anyone else have success stories or other ways to stop the madness?

I am about to start going to each individual retailer and finding a way to get off of their catalog mailing list.  Just kidding..aint nobody got time for that. 

Kate - 3 Months

I play with toys now

My favorite toy is my hands..nom nom

Sometimes I am full of joy

Sometimes I am still a baby vegetable..with chins and cheekies.

Baby Kate (11ish lbs) is bigger than Wyatt was at this age.  Baby Kate seems to be talking to me earlier and interacting more.  Baby Kate has not adjusted to life in the real world (Target, Chick Fil A, family and friend's houses) as well as Wyatt.  Baby Kate has sensitive skin and we have only been able to use Aveeno unscented soap and put lotion on after every bath.  Baby Kate fought naps less than Wyatt.  Baby Kate does not hate strollers and sun in the eyes like Wyatt.  Hunter, can we pretty please buy the double Bob running stroller now? Baby Kate is growing up too fast and I am NAWT that sentimental ooey gooey pooey mushy mommy.  Or am I?  Maybe that is what happens with a second one.

And just so big brother doesn't feel left out, here is a picture of him from our 3 month photoshoot.  GAWSH he looks like Janet Jr here.  He is 2.33ish years old.

Some New Makeup Stuff

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer - The first primer EVER that doesn't cause me to break out. I have worn it under powder, concealer, and foundation. 

Thanks to MaskCara I got into the highlighting and contouring game.  I bought her HAC pack which I like, but is a little heavy for day to day for me.  The main take away for me, was how to highlight and contour based on face shape.  I used sites like this to determine my face shape.  I used a piece of floss to measure height vs width etc.  I am a heart shape as I suspected.  Use these images and tutorials to see how to highlight and contour for your face shape.  I also used her recommendation for a contouring powder and bought The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer.  I love it, and use it every time I wear makeup. The key to contour powder is matte and dark (at least darker than I would have thought).

WFHM Round 2

I now contribute to the world again as I am a work from home mommer.  I spent a day and a half working with the tech support area trying to login to the system.  The people on the phone were all "does your internet work" and "close your browser" "are you sure you are typing in your password correctly".  I am all "YES I AM A MODERATELY TECHNICAL PERSON".  Please just listen to me and look at your little systems that provide access and find where I don't have access.  And they finally did.

And Wyatt climbed out of his crib while I was trying to work while both kids were supposed to be napping.   I knew the crib climb out was coming, but did it have to be today?  I kinda wanted him to get a very tiny bobo or get scared when he fell over the edge so he wouldn't do it again, but I don't think that happened. 

And Hunter is all "see you never" because he loves to work right now.  When he gets home its usually after we eat and we are both grumpy and just want to sleep but there are dishes and baths.  I could just go to chick fil a every night?  No dishes, cooking effort, and Wyatt will be happy.  Very tempting!  That is why I work right? To fund our chick fil a outings?

The moral of this story is I hope I don't regret working. I have 12 code reviews to catch up on and some exciting new action items with due dates in the next few weeks.

Sooo anyways, here are some exciting updates:

Wyatt:

• If he sees me without my phone or baby monitor, he brings it to me.  Signs of a bad mom, but isn't he sweet?
• He started sleeping with a blanket (tractor quilt) and teddy bear.  For some reason this makes me think he is growing up.
• He doesn't allow me to cover him with the blanket.  I hang it on the end of the bed, and then after I leave the room he pulls off the blanket and covers himself.  What does this represent?  It stumps me.
• He loves school right now (break from baby kate?) and loves peanut budder samiches.  
• He wore his first pair of heels and glitter purse while playing at our neighbors house with their 3 year old.  He had problems keeping the purse on his arm while clomping in heels and pushing his tractor in a shopping cart. 

Kate:

• She naps like a champ, plays happily on her play mat, loves bath time, and giggles/ smiles enough to make my day.  
• The statement above is only true if we don't leave the house for long that day.  My best guess is she doesn't like people, noise, or lights and don't mess with her naps! So crazy mama if we stay home all day and crazy mama if we leave the house. 
• Her routine....Wake up at 7, eat, play for 30 mins, nap for close to 2 hours....repeat, repeat, bath as soon as dinner is over, bed by 7:30.  I wake her up at 10 to feed her and then she wakes me up at 3:00amish.  Not too bad, but I would be ok with the 3 am going away.
• She loves bath time.
• Every time she wakes up, she rolls over immediately and then gets ticked off because she rolled over. 
• She stuck it out for about 25 minutes in a jogging stroller that wasn't moving the other day.  Do I dare take her on a run?

Sorry I am so slacking in the posts lately.  I do keep writing posts in my head and I do keep putting occasional items on my tumblr page http://funfiveminutesago.tumblr.com/ .  

A Public Service Announcement

In the past month, we have been a bunch of sick peeps.

Wyatt 3
Kate 1
Hunter 2
Janet 2

Our most recent visitor was the durn stomach bug.  I spent the time I would usually spend eating looking up how to keep the virus from spreading to the kiddies.

So here is my PSA.  Clorox and Lysol wipes DO NOT kill stomach bug usually caused by rotavirus, norovirus, etc.  You know what does?  Lysol disinfectant spray. Yup! The stuff I only use for spraying the trash can.  You can spray this on almost all materials including fabric. And yup, these pesky viruses can live on fabric for up to 3 weeks!!!!  The spray needs to stay on the surface for 10 minutes to kill the virus. 

While researching all of this, I did find a Clorox wipe product that will kill stomach bug...Clorox Healthcare Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfectant.  I believe this product was originally only available for health care professional type people and places but I found it on Amazon.  You bettah believe I Amazon primed us some of that immediately.  I got tired of inhaling the fumes from the Lysol spray so I think this will be a nice alternative.

Here is hoping I don't need to use these products for the next 20 years or so! I dropped 5 pounds in one week, but by the end of the weekend I will probably be right back to where I was.

Tumbling More and Blogging Less

I rarely sit down at a real computer now so writing real posts is hard. Not that I ever have real content anyways but even my fake content is lacking.

I have been checking out Tumblr and am writing a few posts there. Tumblr has an excellent app for iOS and is more for the random thoughts and pics I like to share. 

http://funfiveminutesago.tumblr.com

So find me here sometimes too until I find a way to integrate these or sit at a computer more or Blogger gets a better iOS app. 

Now. I feel better. My work for the day is done. Planning on changing out of jammies here soon too. Is everyone surviving back to work/school/life?

Hello Followers

Happy new year! I am waiting a few more minutes so I can wake up Kate and feed her...so we can maximize our night time sleepy sleepy.  I decided to write this lovely post instead of stare at the tv and count down the minutes.

My vacation is over as of today since Hunter goes back to work tomorrow. I am spoiled rottenish.  Now I have to get kid #1 at 7:00 AM instead of sleeping until kid#2 wakes up.  Kid #2 is technically only waking me up once at night most of the time because I don't count 5:00-6:00 AM wake ups.  Pretty tolerable. 

We had a great Christmas! Lots of family time.  We just don't know where to fit all of the new gifts.  We hid a bunch of them in the closet so I can pull out new toys on a day where I need to buy some time or happiness. Our new year was pretty crazy too.  I had about 3 sips of champagne before I got grossed out and then tucked myself into bed around 11:00.  I got to watch the last 2 minutes of the Aggie football game with all kids asleep. And a win!

I took advantage of Hunter being home and went out for 3 runs over the past week or two.  The lungs and heart feel great.  The legs get tired.  I was sore, but could walk the next day.  I signed up to play in a high school alumni basketball game this Saturday and I am scared I will pass out trying to sprint up and down the court. I did run 5 sprints yesterday in preparation for the event.  I call that a pretty good training plan don't you?  I will need someone to step in and play the role of mom on sunday because I will probably not be physically able to.

I need to write a post about some of the awesome gifts we received for Christmas.  We have been doing some cooking with our new kitchen gadgets:

• Prime rib soup pho style - had to use up some leftover prime rib and used the bones to make a good broth. Pretty tastay.
• We cooked an 8 lb ham (sammies, quiche, omelettes).
• We made brussell sprouts, green beans, collard greens, mustard greens, and black eyed peas. 
• Skillet pizza

I have not made any new years resolutions.  I am debating on when I start my part time job again.  Kate is 9 weeks.  I should probably start that but it seems too fast.

Time to wake the sleeping baby so this mama can sleep.  Nighty night.