Daily Archives: September 6, 2007

Welcome to the food network. Where all we think about is food. All the time.

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The chowdah (gotta say it like you are from Boston) and cookies were highly successful yesterday, thanks for the inquiries.

I am actually away from the house (Gasp…What? I Know!) at the moment, so I’ll post the recipes later on tonight.

But, yes, it was nice to have some good homemade nutrition for dinner. I think J. enjoyed his soup, it has jalapenos in it (totally optional), which he loves, but come to find out, it is not so nice to kiss someone who has indulged in them. So remember that. Be nice to your significant other if you make this chowder and/or if you would like any cuddling later on in the evening.

And the cookies! Let’s just say I’ve “tested” the cookies several times since last evening and they keep getting better with each taste test. So we may have a winning recipe. Finally. Now I need to slowly (s-l-o-w-l-y) wean myself off of them. Will you all just send me some random emails? Just title them “Carrie – Step away from the cookies. Now.”

Must. Stop. Eating. Cookies.

Because soon, our house will be flooded with cakes, cupcakes, puppy bone cookies, puppy chow and hot dogs.

We are on T-2 days and counting til A.’s birthday party. That is our menu for the event, so far. It has been really kind of fun prepping for it. I haven’t figured out, or bought, any of the food yet, but the girls and I have been putting together all of the “crafty” stuff for it.  J. and I cut 12 pairs of puppy and kitty ears out of felt the other night. (This is what constitutes a “hot night” at our house, aren’t you so jealous?) And then Em helped me glue them all together yesterday. And I made some little cards that have puppies on them and say “Doggy Bag” for the kids to take their goodies home in.  Em was so excited to glue them onto the little bags, so I expect that is what she and Denise are doing right now.

The hard thing is that I have to remember that A. is only 2, (although sometimes she acts like she is 4, like Em) and yet a lot of the kids that are coming are 4, 5 or older. You invite one child, and have to invite the other sibling sort of thing. Then it all snowballs. Anyways, I’m trying to do fun things for Addie that the big kids will still get “into” as well.

I’m also trying to decide whether to have a “pin the collar on the kitty” or a “pin the bone in the puppy’s mouth” game. I have some craft paper and I’m just going to draw it out, but I don’t know what would be cuter.

I was leaning towards doing more of the “puppy” side, I found this really cool doghouse cake that I thought she would flip over. So we are in the craft store and they actually had the pan, even though it is sold-out all over the internet. I showed it to A. and she said, “OH!  Puppy. Puppy in a house. Cute puppy.”

“Sweet,” I thought. And then A. squeeeeaaals, “Mama! A Smokey! A Smokey, Mama!” (All cats are “Smokey” right now.)

Sure enough, she found the only cake pan in the mountain of pans that can be made into a kitty. And as she pulled it out to carry it around, I realized the doghouse was so not going to happen.

So we are making a “Smokey” cake. Em thinks we should make it gray, black and white like our Smokey. Which I think is a fine idea, because black frosting is so much fun to work with and clean up.

Sigh.

I know. I know! It will be gray, black and white. Don’t worry.

Small Change #8 Wrap-up and Challenge #9

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I didn’t hear from anyone? Did anybody donate some school supplies for kids in need this past month?

I honestly did want to do this one. I kept a lookout for a drop-off area where I could dump some supplies, but never really found one. I was actually disappointed, because if you recall, I have quite an affinity for all things fall, and start-of-school, related.

The girls and I did however donate money to an organization here in Pasadena which helps buy coats, shoes and back-to-school clothes for underprivileged kids in the area. I figure that counts, too, right? Just as necessary as pencils and paper. The organization was at a table set-up outside of the Ralph’s.

Now, I usually really dislike when people sit outside a store and ask for donations. When I am on a mission, dragging 2 children who are usually not pleased to be visiting the grocery store, trying to remember what is on my grocery list, which was left at home on the table, and trying to get in and out of the store before a major meltdown – the last thing on my mind is to stop and dig around looking for a few bucks.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a grinch. In fact I know we are very fortunate and we try to be very charitable, but I just like to pick when and where I give our donations. It allows me to really know what we are giving is going where I think it is. But since I was seeking out a place to do this month’s challenge, I did stop, gave a listen, donated, and got a receipt – mostly for tax reasons, but also so I could remember the name of the place and could post it.

And now, I cannot for the life of me find that stupid receipt. So long story short, we did it. Sort of. And you’ll have to just trust me on this one. I’ve got no proof.

This month’s challenge I think is fantastic, though! I love the whole “pay it forward” idea.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it is…

“Do one thing every week this month completely out of the blue for a total stranger. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru line. Stick a scratch off lottery ticket under the windshield wiper of a strangers car. Leave a very large tip for a very small bill at lunch. That one small thing you do could change someone’s life.“

Cool, huh? At first I thought, “Wow! We could get some great stories out of this!” But in reality, you’ll probably never get to see the effect your “small thing” will have.

But just think of how you feel when you get a kind word from a stranger, or someone just holds the door for you as you struggle with children, strollers, bags, etc. Doesn’t it brighten your day?

The other day when we were in the grocery store and A. was having a complete meltdown and another (definitely had to be a mom) lady looked over at me and offered up a sweet “been there” smile. I rolled my eyes, shrugged my shoulders and said, “well, she’s almost 2 – what do you do?” And we both laughed and just that one moment, helped me get through the rest of the trip. The rest of the day. And I have vowed to make sure I give that smile now anytime I see a mom battling with her child. Who knows, maybe it will help her get through what would have otherwise been a miserable, tough day.

See how it works? Try it, and come back and let us know if you do.