PLAYING KETCHUP

*a quick catch up from the past few days*

LOVE.

I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY.

I LOVE CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES.

I HATE THAT THEY ARE SO EXPENSIVE.

I LOVED MY "VALENTINE'S DINNER" LAST NIGHT.

I HATE THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF SAID DAY.

I FIND IT DUMB TO BE ROMANTIC ON A SPECIFIC DAY.

BUT...

Here are two of my valentines.  Coop "angry" about my picture taking.  

Jay won't allow pictures of us, so I just take pics of the kiddos.  They ate pizza at Carrabba's and while Jay and I were enjoying our Marsala's (he had pork, I had chicken) they were enjoying their "hot fudge sundae".  (I had been at the gym, so Jay picked up the boys at the gym so I could go shower before dinner.  They ate their pizza while I was at the showers).  A pitcher of Sangria split between us, and then I had an extra glass.  I could have had 2X the amount of Marsala, Lentil Soup, and Sangria and still not have had enough.  I LOVE that stuff.  

I had to change what I ate while there, since being GF.  I didn't get to eat any bread, so I stuck my finger in the olive oil/garlic dip.  I also had Italian green beans instead of my usual pasta side.  I miss that pasta side.  It was devine.  I miss so many things.  I had to ask for the GF version of the marsala.  It tasted no different.  I was so happy about that.  Thankful they have that option.

I haven't had any alcohol in a while now.  I slept like a baby last night.  It was great.

So, as much as I dislike V-day.  I LOVE that it gives Jay a reason to take me to Carrabba's.

coop on the velcro wall

Over the weekend we had planned to go to the San Antonio Stockyards and Carnival with some friends, but the weather wasn't cooperating.  So we went to a local indoor "playplace".  I had never been but so glad we went.  There was a lot for the kiddos to do, at a reasonable price (way cheaper than the stockyards).  The velcro wall, miniature bowling, a rockwall (no pic) and lot's of bouncy things.  They also had batting cages (kids didn't do, but I had wished they did).  They had fun, and it wore them out.

tato on the velcro wall

coop bowling

tato bowling

Monday I made homemade turkey GF meatballs.  I didn't have any GF breadcrumbs, so I had to make some.  Then put them in the crockpot with a can of cranberry sauce, some ketchup, a little grape jelly (because I put too much ketchup, then I had put too much grape jelly, so had to add more ketchup.  I guess that is why most people follow measurements) and some frozen chopped green bell pepper...oh and a dash or so of red pepper flakes.  I put those on "keep warm" until dinner.  My crockpot sucks, and "keep warm" is more like medium/high.  I guess I only have one temp on my crockpot now.  Oh well.  Need to look into buying a better one.

raw, rolled meatballs

baked meatballs, i cleaned off the "fat" before putting in the crockpot

the after product.  steamed rice and Asian cucumbers

So I made 35 meatballs, and after everyone had dinner, there were 4 left.  Bade ate 10 by himself...and wanted more.  I had to stop him because Jay wasn't home yet, so he hadn't had dinner.   Bade and Cooper always have a fruit with dinner, and this night Bade had BB and Coop had strawberries.  Since Bade was still hungry after his meal, he ate a banana.  The boy must be growing.  I have no idea where he puts it all.  He is a rail.

Baseball season officially starts this Saturday.  First practice is next week.  I CANNOT WAIT!!!

the faux

WOW!

HOTTIE.

This is a picture I found of how Bade fixed his hair this morning.  It's not quite this long, so it's not exact.  I could have found a picture that was more like Bade's hair, but I couldn't resist this cutie to adorn my blog.

Bade is quiet.  He is simple.  But he is getting to the age where he is trying to "fit in". I hate this phase.  I want to tell him how dumb it is to conform to the people around him.  He needs to be Bade and no one else.  I know I succumbed to peer pressure when I was his age.  I mean who didn't wear birks with socks, wind-shorts, a t-shirt tied in a knot at the hip, and a side ponytail.  Well, I did...even if no one else did.  Or wants to admit it.

So this morning when Bade was ready to leave, I noticed his hair fixed this way.  He looked adorable.  I asked who at school wears their hair like this.  He promises that no one does, or that he isn't doing it because some one else is.  I guess I need to take his word for it.  I am just happy he cares about how he looks.  Even his P.E coach noticed his "new do" when he got out of the car this morning.

On another note...

I posted about a couple recipes and have some updates on them.

The  cookie bars were awesome.  Be sure to refrigerate them after they cool.  They are sooooo GOOD.

The roast I cooked last night was pretty good.  The only thing I could find wrong was it was a little "vinegary".  The next time I won't be using the balsamic.  I might try apple cider vinegar.  And a little less than the recipe calls for.

I also found this today.  It looks wonderful. 

Dreamsicle anyone?

The Situation

Not for the faint of heart.  Or really anyone, but it's one for the record books.

This morning as I was getting coffee and Cooper's breakfast ready, I hear, "Mom, could you come here please and look at this?"  

 Now, every morning while I am getting his breakfast ready, he is usually doing his normal "just getting out of bed pee"  TMI, well I am sorry, I am a mom...there is nothing that won't be discussed here.  Gross.  Yes.  Part of life.  ALWAYS.

So of course, I am aware that "this" is in the bathroom.  Great.  Here we go again. (Yes, again.)  Morning disgust.  Life of boys.  Yay!

 Coop was fixing to go pee, but stopped himself in disgust to have me take a look in the toilet.  Let me just say that Bade had obviously forgot to flush.  There was something still there.  I don't want to go in to detail.  I won't go in to detail.

So, I roll my eyes and flush the toilet while Coop starts to discuss how Bade needs to remember to flush the toilet...etc.  

Well, "it" wouldn't go down.  It just sat in the toilet.  Didn't budge.  I flushed a few more times...NOTHING.  Coop by now, has decided he will just hold it and leaves the room to leave me with "it".  

JOY.

Jay is in bed because of a really late night of work, so I decide to leave it there.  Maybe a soak in the toilet for a while will help it out. 

I go on about my morning business and get started on some chores.   To my great joy, I get the opp to Facetime with my friend for a while.  During my chat, Jay is getting ready to go to work and I inform him of the "situation" we have in the bathroom.  "Great" was his reaction.  So before he gets ready to leave, he takes a look at the "situation".  He is shocked and in the middle of my chat with Jenny (who is fixing to be a mom...of a boy) Jay asks me for a plastic knife.  He couldn't believe Bade was the culprit of something so massive.  I can, I have seen this before.  Sadly.  I inform Jenny that it quite possibly was the size of (her hubby) Willis's foot.  She laughs.  But one day, she will be having this conversation with her husband while I am on the other side of FaceTime.

I am disgusted.  The mere thought of what Jay will be doing with said plastic knife is making me dry heave.  He can't seem to understand that we don't have any plastic knifes, and he says that I better give him something to "break it up with" before he uses a utensil that I like.  I beg him to just get a hanger and bend it up to make it strong, but he refuses, and poor Jenny is getting to hear all about Bade's poop.  He attempts to flush it once more...and surprise!  It breaks in half and goes down.  Finally.  Now I just need to plunge the toilet. 

The situations we parents find ourselves in.

Now that all the gross stuff is behind us, let's talk food.  I know I am hungry after reading that post.  

Tonight for dinner, I am making this

 It sounded so delicious when I was searching for recipes.  It is Gluten free, as long as you use G-free soy sauce.  The recipe was so easy, I hope it is good because it will be a go-to for me.  I love roast.  I am also not using my crock-pot because it cooks way too fast.  The meat is always tough.  So I am using my Paula Dean cast iron dutch oven.  I love it.  I can't find it online, I got mine from Ross.  Don't guess she makes them like mine anymore.  I use it to cook everything.  It goes on the stove and in the oven.  It's easy to clean.  It's HEAVY.  Get one.

So we will see how this recipe turns out.

my boys

I can't go any further into my blog without mentioning the heartbeats of my life.  I love these little men more than they will ever be able to comprehend.  Here are some quick photos of the beautiful blessings I have been granted.  Words will never suffice.

Bade at 3 1/2 years.  We were eating at Steak and Shake on our way to the NICU at Brackenridge hospital to see our 'lil guy Coop.

Here is our 'lil guy.  He was only a few days old here.  This was taken while I was still at the hospital as well.  That's Bade's hand on his head.  

My handsome sleeping angel.  All those trips to see Coop really wore him out.  He was 3 1/2 years here too.  

Here is Cooper.  He was about 10 days old here.  Still in the NICU, but he was doing awesome!  Loved his elephant knees.  Still can't believe he was ever that small.

And here they are now...well a year ago.  I really need to start taking more pics.  I am slacking.

I could never have asked for anything more special to me in my whole life...

except my furry boys.

Here they are.

 Cinch & Wrangler (my furry heartbeats)

Oh how I love them all!

Slippery When Wet

Rain. Rain? 80%?  

Sometimes I wonder where these meteorologist get their information.  The government might actually do a better job of predicting the weather.  

Who am I kidding.  

The government couldn't, but I betcha I could.  Jay says I am "negative" on the subject of rain, and that it might actually rain if I believed it would.  So today...today I tried to believe the forecast.  Look what it got me.  Not a drop of rain.  So...sorry for the negativity, but I am going to believe my predictions over those of the weather dude/dudette. 

I am posting about the weather because, well, the forecast ruined what could have been a great day at the gym.  I decided not to get my butt to the gym today because I didn't want to fight traffic in the "pouring rain".  I could have very well made it to the gym, and probably without a hitch...but no, I stayed home and worked on a diaper cake for my bestie's baby shower, cleaned house, did laundry, searched recipes, went to the grocery store, and topped off my outings with a trip to the hardware store.  (project pictures to come from the two projects I will be starting soon)

It was productive, don't get me wrong.  But I would rather have gone to the gym so I wouldn't have to go tomorrow.  Tomorrow.  Evening.  Late.  I hate getting the boys home so late, but I will place blame on the weather this time. 

On a positive note, I found some delish (they looked delish, we'll soon find out) recipes and made a dessert tonight. I had to tweak it to make it gluten-free, but I am pretty sure "my" version is just as delish as the gluten-full recipe.  I found this recipe while searching for dinner ideas, so I added what I needed to my grocery list, and set out on my way to conquer the grocery store with both boys in tow.  I have to say here that this was a long, annoying, very badly behaved (on the boys and me) outing to the store.  One boy at a time to the store is simple, but both.  They just feed off each other, and it makes. me. nuts.  I apologized later.  They did, too.  All is right in the Holland house again, but now I remember why I try to get the grocery shopping (and any errands) out of the way while the oldest is in school.

Anywho, where was I?  Yes, okay, so instead of the cake mix that this recipe calls for, I used Pamela's yellow cake mix which is shown here.

I have never used it to make a cake, I have my own recipe for that, but I have used it for a topping in a pumpkin bar recipe and it seemed to work just fine.  So, I figured it was worthy.  IT WAS.  It was very worthy.  It did the job, and these things are so yummy.  Rich, so cut them into small bars.  From what I have read, the instant vanilla pudding is already gluten-free, so no need to find a replacement for that.  So follow the recipe as stated, but use the Pamela's cake mix instead.  Easy Peasy.