Ten for Tuesday 3.02.10

Warning! Long post! Apparently I've been cooped up at home for too long and need someone to talk to!

1. Welcome March! I cannot tell you how happy I am that it is March! Spring has got to be coming. . . right?! Please?!

2. Besides sunshine and warmer weather and Easter candy and seeing the green tips of tulips and daffodils poke through the ground, I am really ready for some spring produce. Bring on the strawberries, blueberries, asparagus, artichokes, and mangos! As much as I like grapefruit, I don't know if I can stand to eat another one for a very long time. I think I've eaten at least 4 or 5 of those huge Costco bags this winter, and I'm pretty citrused out. Please give me some variety!

3. Speaking of Costco and food, I just discovered that I like Edamame. Costco sells it in a big box with single serving bags that you just pop into the microwave for 3 minutes. Super easy way to eat veggies! Even better is that a couple of my kids actually like to eat it too! The first time I had edamame was five years ago when Reed and I were at a fancy fusion restaurant in California when he was taking the Bar exam. The server brought it out as an appetizer and Reed and I both popped the whole pod into our mouths---and chewed and chewed and chewed---and eventually spit it our in our napkins. We had no idea how to eat it! I am happy to report that edamame tastes much better when you take the time to pop the beans out of the pod!

4. So, besides being obsessed with food, another beautiful side effect of being pregnant is that I am a complete klutz. Now, I have to admit that I've always been a little bit this way. It's like I was born with spacial impairment or something. I remember when I worked in the MBA office several years ago I had a permanent bruise on my hip because I would bump into the corner of my desk every time I got up to walk around it---which was about 100 times a day. I've also been know to do random things like bump the front of my teeth with my toothbrush or drinking glass. But seriously, the last two weeks have been bad. I am constantly getting after my kids to pay attention and be careful to not spill their drinks, but I cannot even tell you how many things I have spilled in the past few weeks. It's a lot. And, it's really a bust because it's getting hard to get down on the floor to clean it all up. Pretty much if I drop something on the floor, it's gonna stay there until somebody else comes along to pick it up. There is something completely unnerving about trying to change a light bulb and knowing you are going to drop it and shatter glass all over the bathroom. When that happened, I slammed the door and decided to go take a breather for awhile. When I discovered Reed had cleaned it up for me I nearly cried (another side effect of pregnancy). That's how badly I did not want to deal with the mess I'd just created. I have a feeling that Reed will be almost as happy when this pregnancy is over as I will be.

5. So lately, it feels like we just continue to pour our money down the drain fixing things that shouldn't be broken (4 new tires on a car that is barely 2 years old?). The biggest one I can think of is the patio that we just ripped up out of the back yard, but I can think of plenty of "little" things that are just plain irritating. I had to take in a kitchen chair and a barstool that had to be repaired, and last week I took my mixer in because it won't start anymore. The mixer will likely cost more to fix than it is worth. Which brings me to my next point. . .

6. Kitchenaid or Bosch? Not that I really have the money to replace it right now, but let's pretend anyway. The one I had was a mini Bosch that I was pretty happy with, but I was wanting something bigger that could handle more bread dough. I could get the larger Bosch mixer, but it has a doughnut shaped bowl that I really don't like. It costs a fortune, and it's not even compatible with the blender that goes with my mini (the one I just replaced---not cheap either). Plus, the Kitchenaids are much prettier. And that's important! I'm not sure I'll be able to replace the mixer any time soon, but I'd like some opinions on which one would be a better choice. Also, anyone have a blender that they love? I've been really surprised how many times I have thought about making something in the last week only to realize that I can't because I don't have either a blender or a mixer that works.

7. This was the scene at our house a few nights ago. I was at Target and noticed they had Tim Tams on sale. Tim Tams are wafer cookies that Reed used to eat on his mission, and I've never seen them in the stores before, so I thought I'd bring them home as a special treat for Reed. After eating half the package, I decided I better actually save him a few, so I restrained myself. After dinner Reed gave the boys a lesson on the proper way to eat a Tim Tam. Michael was sure that he didn't need to be taught how to eat a cookie! But, Reed assured him that the only way to eat Tim Tams involves biting off opposing corners and sipping hot milk through it like a straw---until the whole cookie threatens to collapse into mush---at which point you slurp it all up into your mouth. Note: it helps to have a really big mouth!

Ty wasn't really happy when he dropped his mush into his milk.

Here is Reed consoling Blake who burst into tears when Reed told him he was doing it wrong.

Michael at least enjoyed the experience! If you'd like your own lesson on eating Tim Tams, bring over a package, and I'm sure Reed would love to show you how it's done.

8. A couple of weeks ago my little sister Maddy came to stay with us for a few nights while my parents were out of town. We took a mattress down to the basement for her to sleep on. Our basement blinds hadn't arrived yet, so I told her if she wanted more privacy I would find some cardboard to cover the windows with. She assured me she was just fine and that little things like that don't freak her out. So, the next day when she came home from school and sat down at the table with me to talk. Her eyes got big, and she said something along the lines of "Oh my gosh! Jessica, it was so freaky! In the middle of the night I woke up and. . . " I totally thought she was going to say she could see someone peering at her through the window! It turns out that our little Ty decided to go visit her at 3:30 in the morning. She woke up and he was standing next to her bed talking to her. She couldn't understand what he was saying, and finally sent him back up to bed! Apparently Ty thought that Maddy was staying at our house because Reed and I were going out of town. So, he woke up and needed something but he thought we weren't home, and he trekked all the way to the basement to find Maddy. Seriously, sometimes I really wonder what is going on in my kids' brains! But, I can vouch for Maddy. It really is creepy to wake up in the middle of the night and see one of your kids standing inches from your face!

9. Last night Reed discovered another little sleep walker in our house. Reed got up around 4 am to turn off the hall light. I thought maybe Michael had gotten up to use the bathroom. It turns out that Blake had once again figured out how to get around the child lock on his door, and he went to sleep on the chair in Michael and Ty's room! He did not want to go back to his room either! I think he'll be excited to share a room with the boys once the baby comes. In the meantime, how am I going to make sure he stays in bed at night? The last thing I need is a wandering two-year-old in the middle of the night!

10. Keeping hair and fingernails trimmed is a full time job at my house. If these boys weren't so darn cute, I think I'd have to demand overtime pay.