From the Mouths of Babes

Glee isn't the only thing that's got me laughing these days. Roo and one of his 2nd grade buddies have me cracking up.

Last night, Roo was emptying ice trays into an ice container. When I asked him what he was doing, he replied while he pounded on the tray, "I'm trying to get this bad boy outta here."

At soccer a couple of weeks ago, Roo arrived late to indoor soccer (bad mommy). His coach said hi to him and Roo said "Yo," with a big wave in the air. That kid is such a joker.

During afternoon carpool, Roo and his buddy have devised some excellent uses for mini pretzel twists. One day they asked me to look at them - they occupy the third row during carpool - and I busted up. Roo's friend had broken his pretzel and placed it in his nose like a ring in a bull's nose. Seriously.

The other day they were using the pretzels as glasses.

Leave it to little boys. Their imaginations never cease to amaze me.

I really had no idea pretzels could be so much fun (although I do know that they're a thrifty snack for ravenous kids).

Dogs vs. Skunk

You can guess who won. Since 6:30 am yesterday, we've been dealing with rampant skunk odor. What a way to start the day.

Our lab, Riley, went after the skunk as soon as he went out the door. My husband opened the door as soon as he heard Riley going crazy. Everything we own smells awful. The smell is even on our clothes IN OUR CLOSETS on the second floor.

Luckily we acted quickly to mitigate the damage. We used a thrifty bath for the dogs - 1 quart hydrogen peroxide, one quarter to half a cup of baking soda and a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid. Rinse the dogs with warm water, rub the mixture down to the skin and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Repeat as necessary. Since we were in our morning rush, the dogs only got one bath but needed more.

The poor kids went to school with their clothes and bags smelling slightly of skunk but enough to be noticeable. The nurse at Roo's school called and said Jack was complaining about the skunk smell making his stomach upset. THAT'S a call you want from the school nurse; Mother of the Year, here I come. I sprayed a shirt and pair of pants and beat feet to the school. He smelled much better with the new clothes and because I removed the offending coat and backpack from school premises.

His teacher had a great sense of humor about it, but I think the poor kid was a little traumatized. When the Diva described her experience, see below, Roo said he was humiliated, too. First thing the teacher said was that it smelled like skunk in the classroom. Roo told the story about the dogs, so his coat and backpack were placed outside on a bench. Then, he said, his teacher had to spry the classroom (hence the humiliation). At least he wasn't teased by his friends.

The Diva, on the other hand, had to deal with middle school 'mean girl' garbage. Two girls, supposedly friends, plugged their noses every time they walked by her and each time she opened her locker. Yuck.

My children, I have to say, handled it admirably. Sad faces at pick up, but not long lasting.

When we arrived home, more fumigating. I used Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover on our furniture and carpet and the dogs got three more baths with a deskunking shampoo. Poor Riley's face still stinks to high heaven since he got the brunt of it.

We're all spraying our clothes as we walk out the door to spare others from the smell. We're using Nature's Miracle which is supposed to be non-toxic. But who knows. Although, I'll take chemicals over social suicide any day.

My husband has the funniest outlook in the family. He posted a photo of Bill Murray hunting the gopher in Caddyshack on his facebook page with the comment, "Skunk 1, dogs 0."

Hopefully the smell will do us a favor and leave SOON and things can go back to normal.

Happy Birthday to the Diva

Well, it's happened. The Diva turned 12 yesterday. Sigh.

By her own admission she had a great day. At school yesterday her french class went to Le Central, a french restaurant in Denver. The child tried escargot, moules (mussels), poulet cordon bleu, and mousse au chocolat. Not a bad start to the day.

In the afternoon, her social studies class had a fiesta during which she went down to 32 inches in the limbo. Didn't win, though. Her friend won with only 29 inches (unbelievable).

We had dinner at home - thai shrimp and lemongrass soup, cashew chicken and flourless chocolate cake (more on the cake tomorrow).

Finally, we ended the day with a trip to Zing in Boulder where she got feathers in her hair. Have you seen this? I'm not sure if it's a Boulder/Denver thing. Basically the stylist glues the feathers into the hair, the same process used for extensions. Crazy, but she was in heaven.

Best of all, she said it was the best birthday ever. It made me feel really good.

Roo vs. The Shovel

It's been snowing like crazy in Boulder over the past 6 hours or so. The ironic thing is that by Friday and Saturday we'll have temps in the 50s and maybe even 60s. Weird.

A thrifty way to clear snow - the kids. It saves both time and money. And it's pretty cute, too.

Here's the Dealio

Some fun finds for a Monday morning:

zulily - Cupcakes & Pastries up to 45% off (some of the cutest girls clothes I've seen in a LONG time)

BoCo Daily Deal - 6 cupcakes for $10 (regular price is $2.50.ea) at Kim & Jake's Cakes in Boulder

Groupon - $59 for 1 month unlimited classes plus first week of classes free (regular price $159) at CorePower Yoga

WeeklyPlus - $10 for $20 purchase at Wild Bangkok (organic thai food)

Today's Dealios

The deals just don't stop coming. . .

BoCo Deals - $39 ($82 value) 1-month unlimited use Flatiron Athletic Club in Boulder.

LivingSocial Deals - $20 ($40 value) toward any class at Bella Glass Studios in Denver.

WeeklyPlus - $25 ($50 value) for 3 yoga classes and 2-week unlimited use at The Yoga Mat in Denver.

zulily - Hazel girls clothing up to 45% off, Trendy Tykes ties for boys (so cute!) over 30% off

HearthSong - 20% off featured item for 3-days

The Container Store - annual 30% off elfa sale

Southwest Airlines - Click 'n Save deals (as low as $144 roundtrip DIA to DC)

LOFT - extra 60% off sale items

Radio Silence

Over the past week I've been mulling over my state of affairs. No writing. Thinking. Reflecting. Considering.

I've been thinking about my day-to-day activities and long-term plans. As a stay-at-home mom, I've got a pretty good gig. I can't get fired, I don't get performance reviews (most of the time), and I get to spend time with my kids, volunteer at school and care for my family. 

But it's no secret that women often lose their identities while raising children. On the one hand, you embark on the best and most difficult job you'll ever have. On the other, you put yourself on the back burner. Oh, alright, you can disagree if you want or think it won't happen to you. I never thought it would happen to me. I would NEVER lose myself or step off my path. 

In college I had nothing but disdain for the female students attending simply to get their "MRS" degree. I had better things to do. However, things didn't go according to plan. As they say, "Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans." Nothing tragic or disappointing. Just not many of the things I had envisioned. 

I am, afterall, the sum total of my choices and experiences. No one held a gun to my head and forced me to do something I didn't want to do. I happily made my choices.

I've been thinking and thinking about what I want to be "when I grow up" and I still don't have a clue. I'm troubled that I somehow morphed from a focused child/young person, seemingly without notice, into an adult in a perpetual state of limbo. It's not efficient (read: thrifty) or very satisfying. I know that I'm the only one that can do anything about it. But it's hard to do. 

Let's face it, I'm not Madonna and don't have her preternatural ability to constantly reinvent herself. 

Damn.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day 11

When we made gingerbread houses yesterday, I got a double bonus. The boys' mom is one of my dear friends and we had time to visit while the kids worked on their houses. She also brought a gluten-free cookie recipe we whipped up together. They turned out great!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies (gluten-free)
Makes 4 (2-inch) cookies

Hershey kisses

½ cup butter 

¾ cup peanut butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cup gluten-free flour mix 

½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add sugars and mix until combined and fluffy. 
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla; stir until combined. 
4. Mix flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Stir into peanut butter mix. 
5. Form into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes. 
6. When cookies come out of the oven, immediately press unwrapped kisses into the center of each cookie. 
7. Remove to a rack and let cool. 

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day 10

Yesterday one of Roo's classmates and his two little brothers came over to make gingerbread houses. Wow, they came up with some great designs. Several attempts were made at gabled roofs but no dice. Some pretty clever solutions, though.

Raising the walls

The 3-year-old's creation. When I said I liked the gummy bear forest,
he informed me that it was a hockey game.

Roo's buddy's house.

Roo's house. Notice the power line on the toothpicks.

The 4-year-old's design. I love the flat roof and 50s vibe.

Last, but not least, the Diva's.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day 9

Mexican Wedding Cookies, aka Russian Tea Cakes, are my favorite cookies, hands down. Luckily I found a high altitude recipe in Pie in the Sky that works like a charm.

Mexican Wedding Cookies
Makes about 40 (1-inch diameter) cookies
Recipe for 5,000 feet

½ pound butter
2½ cups sifted cake or all-purpose flour
½ cup sifted confectioners' sugar
½ generous teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon almond extract
sifted confectioners' sugar for rolling and storing cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and divide oven into thirds. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or leave ungreased.
2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, preferably with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually beat in flour, sifted confectioners' sugar, salt, nuts and extracts.
3. With lightly floured fingers, pinch off small lumps of dough and roll them between your palms into balls about 1 inch in diameter, then set them on prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, or just until the tops are a pale golden color; don't let them get too brown.
5. When cookies come out of the oven, set the pan on a wire rack and cool 4-5 minutes. While cookies are still warm, roll in sifted confectioners' sugar to coat well. Set on waxed paper to cool completely.
6. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container, layered with additional sifted confectioners' sugar.

They're not perfectly coated or ready for their close-up, but they melt in your mouth nonetheless. Delish.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Days 7 and 8

Goin' old school. . .

Magic Cookie Bars
Makes 24 bars

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup butter, melted
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1⅓ cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press into bottom of prepared pan.
3. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. 
4. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly brown.
6. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm, cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars or diamonds.

A newbie, too. . .

Drop-and-Bake Lace Cookies
Makes 36 cookies

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
⅓ cup very finely chopped pecans
¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine butter, sugars and cream and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans, flour and salt.
2. Drop level teaspoons of the warm batter, spacing them 4 inches apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. If the batter cools between batches and can't be scooped, rewarm it slightly.
3. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool on the sheets until firm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Phew! I'm finally caught up.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies/Treats - Days 5 and 6

Roo and I have been down for the count for a couple of days and I'm incredibly behind in my cookie, candy and treat efforts. Plus, the Diva has been at sleepovers two nights in a row and couldn't pick up the slack. She cleaned the kitchen for me, though, between her social engagements, and it was a huge help. Since I've been sick, I haven't been able to even look at food. So here's to catching up on lost time.

Peppermint Bark
Makes 24 (2-inch) pieces

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup crushed candy canes

1. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler over low heat.
2. Spread melted chocolate evenly into an 8 x 8 inch pan.
3. Sprinkle candy over chocolate (quick tip: sift crushed candy through a fine sieve to remove the powder).
4. Let cool two hours in the refrigerator.
5. Break into bite-size pieces and enjoy.
6. Bark will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks.

Marshmallows
Makes 20 large marshmallows

Nonstick cooking spray
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (4¼ teaspoons)
¾ cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
⅔ cup light corn syrup
⅓ cup refrigerated egg white product or 2 pasteurized egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons cornstarch
⅔ cup powdered sugar

1. Lightly coat an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap, or line bottom of pan with waxed paper or parchment paper. Coat the plastic or paper with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside.
2. In a large metal or heatproof bowl sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup cold water; set aside.
3. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan stir together remaining ¼ cup water,1¾  cups of the sugar, and the corn syrup until combined. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Cook without stirring, over medium-high heat until the thermometer registers 260 degrees, 12-15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat; pour over gelatin mixture in bowl and stir well to combine (mixture will foam up).
5. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form, 3-4 minutes. Beat in vanilla until combined. 
6. With the mixer running on high speed, gradually add gelatin mixture to egg white mixture, beating about 7 minutes or until thick (like the consistency of thick, pourable cake batter). 
7. Quickly pour marshmallow mixture into prepared pan, spreading to edges of pan. Lightly coat another piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray; place, coated side down over marshmallow mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or until firm.
8. Remove plastic wrap from top of marshmallow. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle ¼ of the mixture onto a large cutting board. Loosen sides of marshmallows and invert onto cutting board. Sprinkle the top with some of the remaining powdered sugar mixture. Using a knife that's been dipped in warm water, cut into 20 marshmallows. Place remaining powdered sugar mixture and a few marshmallows at a time into a resealable plastic bag and toss until coated.
9. Store marshmallows between sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before serving.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day 4

Hopefully you enjoyed (and/or endured) my foray into Wordless Wednesday. I didn't make this up; it's a practice that's somewhat common in the blogoshpere. On Wednesdays you post a photo that speaks for itself and leave it at that.

Yesterday's cookie was Chocolate-Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, from Pie in the Sky.

Trout Dale Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

[Recipe for 5,000 feet]

Makes 55 cookies (2-inch diameter)

Line cookie sheets with baking parchment, nonstick baking mats or lightly coat with butter.

Rack in center of oven; bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.

1½ cups plus 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
Generous ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Generous 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs at room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
2. In a large bowl using a sturdy spoon or an electric mixer, preferably with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft and creamy, then beat in both sugars. Scrape down the bowl and beater, if using, and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, and scrape down the bowl again.
3. Stirring slowly, or with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually work in the flour mixture then the oats and any mix-ins. The dough will feel very stiff.
4. Drop the dough onto cookie sheets by heaping tablespoon, places cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for the time indicated or until the cookies are golden brown, the longer they bake, the crisper they will be.
5. Cool cookies on a wire rack. When the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container.

I modified the recipe and added 1 cup dried cranberries and 1 cup chocolate chips rather than raisins.

Today's cookie is another sugar cookie, published in the December 2010 issue of Country Living.

Basic Sugar-Cookie Dough

Makes 24 cookies

Line cookie sheets with baking parchment, nonstick baking mats or lightly coat with butter.

Rack in center of oven; bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1½ cups confectioners sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer at medium-high speed.
2. Add eggs, vanilla and salt, beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour and mix until smooth.  

We added red food color to ¼ of the dough to decorate candy cane shaped cookies. Roll dough to ¼-inch thick and use cookie cutters to shape, and decorate. Bake as directed.

A couple of Roo's friends - Doodle and Rabbit - came over to help decorate.

They started in a very traditional mode, then went all Picasso on them. 

The unusual shade of gray is the result of mixing the red and green sugars into the vanilla frosting. Doesn't look very appetizing to me, but, according to the kids, they tasted good.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies- Day 2

Baking at high altitude isn't the easiest. Well, no. It pretty much stinks.

When we first moved to the mountain states seven years ago, from sea level no less, I quickly learned that baking was going to be a whole new ball game. I tried baking a batch of Toll House cookies and couldn't believe the results. They were completely flat and far too crispy. How can you bomb Toll House cookies?

Refusing to accept defeat, I set out to find a decent high altitude baking book. The recipes in the first book I purchased didn't work very well. A huge disappointment.

I moved on to other books until I found one that turned the whole thing around. Pie in the Sky - Successful Baking at High Altitudes is the best.

The author, Susan G. Purdy, is a baking teacher, journalist and author of 30 books. What I especially like about the book, - in addition to the fact that the recipes work - is that all of the recipes were tested in home kitchens at sea level, 3,000 feet, 5,000 feet, 7,000 feet and 10,000 feet. How comprehensive is that?

You may have guessed that today's recipe is from Pie in the Sky. The cookies turned out beautifully, made by the Diva entirely by herself. We used the instructions for 5,000 feet, which I've included below.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Makes 50 cookies (2-inch) diameter

Line cookie sheets with baking parchment, nonstick baking mats or lightly coat with butter.

Divide oven into thirds; bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.

12 tablespoons (1 and a half sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

2 and three-quarters cup all-purpose flour

three-quarter teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, preferably with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then scrape down the bowl and beater. Remove bowl from mixer stand.
2. Place a sifter over the bowl and measure the flour, baking powder and salt into it. Stir/sift the dry ingredients onto the egg mixture, then beat with a sturdy spoon or the mixer at lowest speed until well incorporated. Form the dough into a ball. If it feels too sticky, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour, until it is easier to handle.
3. Work with about a third to one-half of the dough at a time and keep the rest in the refrigerator. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to one-eighth inch thick on parchment or baking mat. Dip cookie cutters in flour to prevent sticking, then cut shapes. 
4. Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

The Diva chose to sandwich chocolate filling between the cookies. Yum!

12 Days of Christmas Cookies/Treats - Day 1

It's time for the parade of cookies. Luckily the Diva is helping; we've got a lot going on this week. Concerts at school, swimming, Christmas parties. The days fill up pretty quickly.

Our first recipe is for Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies. They turned out great!

Makes 36

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.
3. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.
4. Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies - Martha Stewart Recipes 

12 Days of Christmas Crafts - Day 12

The 12th day of the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts. I have to admit it's a bit of a relief; I need to move on to other Christmas preparations. It's another knitting project. Very crafty, quick and it makes a great gift.

Simple Mohair Scarf

A skein of mohair yarn

Size 15 needles

Finished size 4" x 72"

Cast on 16 stitches (or the number needed to make the scarf your desired witdth).

Knit every row until you reach the desired length.

It's a light and airy scarf you can wear any time of year.

That's it. Really easy.

Don't forget - the parade of cookies starts tomorrow.

Holiday Shopping Deals - Zulily, Barnes & Noble, LOFT, JCrew and More

Consider me your chatty girlfriend. Have I got a gazillion holiday shopping deals and ideas to share!

zulily - up to 65% off fleece-lined crocs
Barnes & Noble - up to 70% off DVDs and blu-ray; more deals during Black Friday Week
LOFT - extra 30% off sale items
JCrew - 25% off orders of $150+
Spoon Sisters - 15% off order of $25+
barefoot yoga co - 15% off all orders 25% off order of $99+
amazon.com - Black Friday Deals Week
Rowan - free knitting patterns
Uncommon Goods - great gifts for him, her, and kids
Williams-Sonoma - top 20 gifts
Sur La Table - Entertaining sale 20-40%

The Diva's Inner Foodie

Still on the food topic. I must have food on my mind since it's getting cold. I'm getting ready to hibernate.

The Diva's creativity is beginning to soar. She's always been crafty and a bit of an interior designer. As a small child she constantly moved objets d'art around in Grammy's living room and they looked good. Now she's becoming a little foodie.

We eat at home most of the time; tres thrifty and healthful. Cashew chicken is a go-to recipe for us. I've made it so often I can almost prepare it with my eyes closed. Last week I made it yet again and the Diva asked if she could plate the dish. I let her go for it with minimal supervision; it is so nice that she is old enough to do things herself.

She started by sprinkling chopped scallions on the plates.

Then formed sticky rice into spheres. It didn't quite work the way she would have liked. Had I known she wanted to form the rice into a shape, I would have made sushi rice. She was a good sport about it, though.

Next she went on to plating the rest of the dish, including a finishing touch with the sauce.

I'm very impressed with the results. Now I'd love for her to make a meal start to finish. It really is a beautiful thing to watch your child blossom.