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Valentine's Garland

2012-02-07T11:30:00.002-05:00

Valentine's Day is a week from today! I decided to do a little V-day decorating: A Heart Garland!

I used this simple picture tutorial I found on Pintrest

All you need is paper (I used cardstock) scissors, and a stapler

Sweet little hearts!

Looks like my draping skills need a little work but I think it adds a pretty addition to our dining room.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Meng Menu

2012-02-06T08:28:00.003-05:00

Sunday: Calzones, salad

Monday: Chili dogs, baked fries, apples

Tuesday: Chicken fajitas, refried beans

Wednesday: Roast beef, baked potatoes, green beans

Thursday: Pork chops, sautéed kale, rolls

Friday: Parmesan baked chicken, pasta dish, broccoli

Saturday: Bacon and eggs, fruit salad

I work on Mondays and Wednesdays and don't get home until around 6pm. Aaron has been working until 6pm too so I have been needing to plan dinners that can be prepared quickly after I get home, or meals that cook while I am at work. On Wednesday, I am planning on slow-roasting a beef roast in the oven and cook the potatoes in the crock pot (just wrap in foil and place in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the potato). Should be a super yummy meal!

How do you plan for dinner on busy nights without resorting to a frozen meal or take-out? Please post your ideas or recipes here or on Facebook!

"A Daughter Times Three": A fairy tale

2012-02-02T09:52:00.000-05:00

It's here! My 2nd short story has been published in Gallery of Worlds, a quarterly e-zine. Click here to read!

"A Daughter Times Three" is a fairy tale--complete with talking animals, a long-lost prophecy, and a magical birthday.

Here's a sneak peek:

Annaka cried harder. She would never be happy again. Mama didn’t remember—how could she? Tomorrow everything would change. She was eleven and three hundred and sixty-four days. Tomorrow she would be Twelve.

Tomorrow she would lose the gift of speaking to the animals.

While my intended audience for this story is children (after all, children still believe in all the magic that the fairy tale offers) but the deeper themes of friendship, loss, and the courage it takes to grow up should appeal to readers of all ages.

If you read it--to yourself or to your child--please let me know what you think! After all, authors make their "livings" on the feedback from their readers.

Meng Menu

2012-01-29T12:56:00.000-05:00

Sunday: BBQ pork sandwiches, baked fries, apples

Monday: Fried Rice

Tuesday: Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans

Wednesday: Shepherds pie, rolls

Thursday: Zuppa Toscana soup, rolls

Friday: Chicken broccoli alfredo

Saturday: Calzones, salad

Here's our menu for this week! I haven't gone shopping this week but I'm pretty confident that I'll be under budget. Chicken is on sale this week and I am using left over pork from last week for two meals. Plus I already had the fixings for the calzones. Looking forward to some yummy meals this week!!

Milk jugs + balls = FUN!

2012-01-21T12:18:00.002-05:00

Today is freezing and rainy--what to do?

How about a fun game of catch with milk jugs? This turned out to be the perfect indoor game!

I found the tutorial here via pintrest

After a few snips to the bottom of two milk jugs (washed thoroughly of the lingering sour milk smell), I put duct tape around the edge to provide a little bit of stability. Add one soft ball and we were ready for some wild fun!

Micah: a good model of the milk jug catcher but so not photogenic

Of course, the OBJECT is to catch the ball in the milk jug. But it is more fun to wildly throw the ball up in the air and then block your brother from catching it!

Yeah! I BLOCK YOU!!!!!

(I love how hard Benji is laughing here!)

Benji: I am READY!

I caught it!!!!

We played with the basketball for about 45 minutes and then moved on to a small bouncy ball which fit through the open spout.

Catch it! Catch it!

We also tried pennies and marbles. The boys are now currently using their milk jug catchers as large scoops to carry their cars.

The scoops were also used as telescopes, megaphones, and robot hats.

This is a multi-purpose toy!

Who knew a couple of milk jugs would be so much fun?

Meng Menu

2012-01-15T19:31:00.001-05:00

Sunday: Fried Fish, cheese grits, steamed veggies

Monday: Pizza braid, salad

Tuesday: Ham steak, roasted potatoes, green beans

Wednesday: Frozen meal (thanks Stouffers), rolls

Thursday: Baked Ziti, salad

Friday: Crockpot BBQ Chicken, baked beans, fruit salad

Saturday: Chicken, rice w/ gravy, broccoli

I've been a menu slacker. In fact, I've been a blog slacker. Not much going on in my life that is blog worthy, I guess. I head back to work tomorrow and I've just been doing a lot of reading at home, hanging out with the boys, etc. Pretty low key at the Meng's house this past month.

I've been trying to include more fish in our menu. We had baked salmon from Sams for the past two weeks which was super yummy but kind of expensive ($14 for two dinners). I bought some frozen catfish tonight for $8 (we'll get two dinners out of the bag) and fried it. Umm....can you say "yum"? I just kept eating because it was so tasty even though I was full. Plus the boys loved it (they loved the salmon too!). Frying the fish probably isn't the healthiest option but it was so darn good!

The baked ziti is a new recipe this week and the BBQ chicken is a repeat recipe (both found via pintrest). Hope these ideas help you plan your menu for this week.

What do you do when it won't snow? Go carpet skiing!

2012-01-03T19:34:00.000-05:00

Aaron has been bemoaning the fact that we have no snow in Virginia right now. It is pretty sad actually. Even more sad for my poor husband because he LOVES to ski.

And he has turned our boys into ski lovers as well.

So what do you do when you LOVE TO SKI and have no snow?

Carpet skiing (and sledding!), of course!

(It was dark when they started so these pictures are not the best)

Here are the boys, saucer-riding down our "slope," constructed by Aaron off our picnic table. The carpet was a craigslist find.

Happy husband! The "ski run" is short, but better than nothing, right?

Whee!! Action shot!

The boys actually skied down it too but I didn't get any pictures of that (Aaron held on to them from the back). They have the cutest little baby skis ever! And a helmet that they LOVE to wear!

So, when winter refuses to send you snow, go carpet skiing instead!

PS. It rained lightly the next day and made the "run" even faster!

When a bird takes a bath....

2012-01-03T19:09:00.001-05:00

...it's so darn cute!

Luna loves to bathe.

And we love Luna!

MICAH! Those are NOT band-aids!!!!

2012-01-03T19:03:00.001-05:00

When your child is in the bathroom too long, it a good idea to check on him.

Aaron was mortified.

I was laughing so hard I was crying.

Aaron firmly informed Micah: Those are NOT band-aids!!!

Meng Menu

2012-01-02T10:12:00.001-05:00

Sunday: Frozen Pizza, cesear salad

Monday: Grilled pork loin, rice, green beans

Tuesday: Creamy chicken and rice soup, garlic bread

Wednesday: Salmon, baked potatoes, salad

Thursday: Grilled chicken, baked beans, jello salad

Friday: Breakfast bake, jello salad

Saturday: Garlic parmesan chicken, mashed potatoes, greenbeans

Holidays are over. Sad. Back to normal, right? There is something nice about getting back to a routine though so here is our menu for the week.

Grocery shopping was great! I spent $100 at Kroger and today I plan to go to Sams to try and buy some Salmon (there is a great frozen brand that we love). So in all, the total will come to around $110 or so.

It almost looks like this is a summer menu with all the grilling I have on the lineup. Aaron's willing to do though and I'm a-ok with that! I love grilled meat!

How are you getting back into the routine? Planning a menu? Cleaning? Putting Christmas decorations away? Writing out your family's activities on your 2012 calendar?

Happy New Year everyone!

What I read in 2011: A literary soundtrack

2011-12-31T14:32:00.001-05:00

It has been one year since I graduated with my MA in English. I remember thinking, "YES! Now I have time for "fun" reading (aka reading that is not required, not that my MA reading wasn't fun....sometimes).

So, I started this little reading log because I wanted to remember the books I've read. It's funny because looking back at this list is like "listening to" a literary soundtrack to my life--like when you hear "that song" you remember where you were and what you were doing at the time? I have some good memories attached to these books.

I am a little embarrassed about how short this list is--but these are the NEW books I read. I didn't record the books that I read over again (um....like reading the entire Harry Potter series in the month of August? Good times). Maybe in 2012 I'll record all the books I read and just to add to that "literary soundtrack."

So, here are the books and my (brief) thoughts about them. Maybe you'll want to add some of these books to your reading list for 2012!

Wuthering Heights (1847) by Emily Bronte: I can't believe I had never read this--hence it is the first book on my reading list. Loved it! Romantic in a totally unhealthy way, sadistic, and violently beautiful--amazing. If you have not read it, DO IT!

The Picture of DorianGray (1891) by Oscar Wilde: I really liked this--a lot! After I finished this book, I updated my status on FB to, "haven't read such a thought provoking book in a long time." Even though this book was written over 100 years ago, it has a timeliness to it that is applicable to all generations. Except for the very beginning and one really long dull chapter in the middle, I couldn't put it down. It was exciting, deliciously depraved, mysterious and haunting. I definitely recommend it. Plus it isn't very long.

Harry Potter’sBookshelf: The Great Books Behind the Hogwarts Adventures (2009) John Granger: Ok, I admit it: I LOVE Harry Potter everything. And I loved this book by John Granger. He has written several books analyzing the Harry Potter series and I really enjoyed his thorough and unique literary analysis of Rowling's works. Plus, he had a chapter about Jane Austen's influence on Rowling's writing which was just the icing on my English-nerd cake. AND I learned about a completely new type of literary analysis: literary alchemy. Must learn more about this.

Marie Antoinette: TheJourney (2002) by Antonia Fraser: This book earns the award of taking me the longest to read: several months. I had to check it out 2-3 times before I finished it. It was really long for one thing: 544 pages. If it was a novel, I could whiz right through that (Harry Potter anyone?) but a biography can be pretty weighty reading. I really enjoyed it though. I wanted to learn more about the French Revolution and I love learning about history though biography. And wow! Marie Antoinette was a fascinating woman. Eccentric, passionate, tragic, and misunderstood. I was brought to tears a few times while reading. Antonia Fraser is an excellent and thorough writer and biographer. I would definitely recommend this book but give yourself a lot of time to read it.

The Days of the FrenchRevolution (1999) by Christopher Hibbert*: See that little star? That means that I didn't finish this book. This is another one I checked out numerous times. It wasn't very long and was pretty easy to read but was definitely not a novel. I would like to finish it though. This one is going on the 2012 reading list.

Walking on Water (1982) MadelineL’Engle: This book, by the celebrated author of A Wrinkle in Time (and a HOST of other wonderful books) was a mixture of inspiration to artists, devotional, and personal memoir. I have very peaceful and contented feelings attached to reading this book--I read it before bed every night. Delightful.

North and South (1854) ElizabethGaskell (read 7/8; saw movie): I should have a * by this book because I didn't finish it but I was so ready to have the darn thing over with! Elizabeth Gaskell is an English Victorian author. And no, it is NOT about the American North and South (um, because she is English). I would give a detailed synopsis of the book but honestly, just watch the movie. Yes. This English teacher just told you to watch the movie. The book was really long and s-l-o-w. The heroine was kind of snobby and annoying. And Gaskell had a social agenda throughout most of the book that got old. So....watch the movie if you are interested in this book.

Till We have Faces (1956)C.S. Lewis: I actually thought this book was one of Lewis' theological works but several (better read) friends of my informed me otherwise. I truly loved this book. It was different from anything else I had ever read by Lewis. In fact, it was different than anything else I had ever read, period. It is based on the myth of Cupid and Psyche (and I LOVE me some Greek mythology). When I think about reading this book, I feel pensive and quiet. Simply beautiful.

Agnes Grey (1847) AnneBronte: After reading Wuthering Heights, I decided that I wanted to read more Bronte novels. After all, I loved Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Bronte) and Wuthering Heights (by Emily Bronte) so I decided to move on to sister #3, Anne. Eh, I could have done without this book, though I did finish it. It was depressing and a bit boring. If you are interested in the plight of Victorian governesses (one of the only professions offered to educated women of Bronte's era), then it is good. If you want a good story that trots right along, not so much. I'll have to try some other Bronte books in the coming year--I haven't given up on them yet.

The Princess and theGoblin (1872) George MacDonald: This is actually a children's book by a late Victorian author. George MacDonald was actually one of C.S. Lewis's literary heroes so there was immediate appeal. Growing up, my family had this book on our bookshelf but I never read it. I wonder why? It was really good! A delightful fairy tale with some wonderfully subtle Christian undertones. I actually recommended it to a friend with a little girl and they enjoyed it too. (I tried to read The Princess and Curdie, the sequel to this novel, but I couldn't get into it. But The Princess and the Goblin is excellent!).

Rebecca (1938) Daphne DuMaurier: I read this FB list of books that all people "should" read, or whatever, and Rebecca was on the list. Oooh! This book was so good! If you love mysteries, this book is for you! It read really quickly and was full of romantic angst and deliciously dark unsolved mysteries. I was truly surprised at the end of the book when "all was revealed." Loved it!

The Help (2009) KathrynStockett: This one had been on my "to-read" list for a long time. And it was worth the wait! Memorable complex characters, unique plot, and satisfying and thought-provoking development. It is a must read for those who love modern, literary fiction. I also saw the movie--it was good but the book, in this case (as in most cases), was definitely better.

The Great Divorce (1945) C.S. Lewis: After reading Till We Have Faces, I went on a bit of a Lewis-fiction kick. I have actually owned this book for many years and tried to read it after my freshmen year of college. At that time, I thought it was really difficult to get into and hard to understand. This time around, no problems. In fact, I zipped right through it in two sittings. I guess this book is just a testament to how much I have matured as a person and a reader. This novel has a really interesting premise (residents of Hell taking a bus for a day-trip to Heaven) and challenged me theologically too. It is one of those books that you could read again and again and have new realizations each time. Plus, George MacDonalad (Lewis's hero, remember?) makes a cameo appearance. How fun is that?

Out of the SilentPlanet (1938) C.S. Lewis: Still on my Lewis kick. I thought, hey, I love the Narnia series (in fact, I re-read Prince Caspian during this time) and the other Lewis novels I have read this year have been winners: time to move on to his Space Trilogy. While I like fantasy, I really have not read (or read and enjoyed) a lot of science fiction, so this was a new genre for me. It was interesting, kind of fun, kind of weird. It wasn't a page turner for me and I'm not dying to read the next two in the series, but maybe one day.

The Hunger Games (2008)by Suzanne Collins: Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon and you should too because this book is amazing! In fact, this novel wins the award of "book-I-read-the-fastest" this year: 6 hours (and considering it is 384 pages, that is pretty quick!). This book was also the first one I read on my new Kindle. I could not put it down. Literally. Amazing plot, unique character twists, and frighteningly appropriate themes for today. Read it.

Catching Fire (2009) by Suzanne Collins: I read this book the next day. If The Hunger Games was a 10, this one would be a 9. Still flew through it and couldn't get enough.

Mockingjay (2010) by Suzanne Collins: The one took me the "longest" to read--I read it over two days. The novel was kind of depressing but appropriate and I loved how she ended the trilogy. Satisfyingly good books and a wonderful way to spend the majority of 4 days. In fact, I haven't been able to stop thinking about these books.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2005) by Rick Riordan: Yes, this book is a kids book (target age: Middle School). And yes, I read it in two days and stayed up late last night to finish it. Loved it! Fun and completely unique, great characters, and amazing way to integrate Greek mythology into a modern setting (and like I said before, I loooove Greek mythology; I felt especially proud that I recognized most of the myths and supernatural beings after having assisted with a World Literature class this semester!). Just plain fun. And no, I'm not ashamed to check books out of the children's section of the library. Looking forward to checking out #2 in the series next week.

Ok, I said above that I was a little ashamed of how short this list is but this break down of all the books took me a long time to write! Whew! And here's a little disclaimer before you scream "throw off that mask of false humility, you "I-am-a-little-ashamed-of-how-short-this-list-is" woman! I haven't read a book in...umm....when was(were) my child(ren) born? Yeah, before then."

This list seems short--for me! I mean, I am an English "person". Reading is, well...what we DO. In fact, my husband guessed 10 books higher when I told him to guess-how-many-books-I-read-this-year. So for me, I'm slackin' (ok not really).

(And if you read more books than me this year, give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy your warm and smug feelings).

I really love to read. And it has been great remembering the new books I've read in 2011. Looks like I love the English Victorian era (1850s-1900ish), C.S. Lewis, pop fantasy fiction, and young adult literature. Oh, and Harry Potter. Yep. Pretty much sums me up.

So looking forward to a year full of reading new books. In fact, my fingers are inching toward my Kindle now--two new novels are calling my name!

What did you read this year? Do you keep a reading log to record the "literary soundtrack" of your life?

Lace Embellished T-shirt

2011-12-30T13:38:00.001-05:00

Another t-shirt refashion, this time with lace!

Lace embellishments are very fashionable right now and I wanted to jump on the bandwagon because, hey, I like frilly and girly.

I used this tutorial that I found on pintrest

The tutorial was really easy to follow and the whole project took me about an hour.

However, I decided it looked even better on my best friend, Candace!

She loved the shirt so this simple, yet lovely, embellished t-shirt is now hers! Happy (belated) Christmas, Candace!

BAM Diaper end-of-the-year SALE!

2011-12-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

Is one of your New Years Resolutions to save money in 2012 by using cloth diapers? Jump start that resolution by taking advantage of my BAM Diaper end-of-the-year sale!

These 6 diapers are left over from my sewing this year and I am selling them for $12 each or 25% off normal retail ($16 each)! This is a great price for an AIO diaper.

Each of these diapers is a Medium or 20-30 lbs.

Click here for more details about the BAM Cloth diaper

UPDATE: Both yellow diapers and the pink diaper have been sold (as of Dec 28)

Want an even more economic way to diaper your little one? BAM Diaper covers and prefolds are a great way to go! Each cover (10-20 lbs or Small & 20-30 lbs or Medium) is $10 each.

Click her for more details about the BAM Diaper Cover (scroll down for pictures)

Send me (Brittany) an email at bmeng@liberty.edu if you are interested! I ship too ($5 extra)!

Kids say (and DO!) the darndest things: 2011 in Review

2011-12-28T15:23:00.002-05:00

I went through my Facebook status updates and copied them ALL the other day (took me about 6 hours in total). People are always telling me to write down the funny (or super-sweet) things the boys do and say so HERE THEY ARE!

The Meng twin funnies for 2011!

Feb 6: ‎Instead of sleeping, mythree-year-old child decided to poop his pants and destroy his room. I put himback to bed and took some advil.

Feb 9: (To Debbie) Remind me to tell you how my kid peed on a wall in publiclast night....

Feb 24: the boys are wrestlingand spitting on each other. They seem to like it. (???)

March 7: my son is trying to sticka blown-up balloon up his bare bum because he wants to be a stegaraurus. Oh myword...

March 15: earlier today, the boyswere pretending to be knights. Swords? Painbrush and plastic pipe. Dragon? Thevacuum.

April 15: looking forward toplaygroup today. Oh, have I got a story to share....let's just call it"The Great Vasaline Disaster of Last Night" by Micah Meng

April 17: ‎(any parent with a senseof humor should appreciate this): Benji:(very excited and proud) I made a bighotdog!!!

April 20: my son just learned thatif one places a small metal car in the microwave, it will produce big fireworks.

April 24: WHY OH WHY do my childrendo they things they do? Blog post coming soon....(poop and baby powder)

April 30: it's all fun and games until someonepoops his pants....at Kids Cove

May 10: ‎:Benji is sleeping with3 Gideon New Testaments under his pillow tonight.

May 13: just tried on my full regalia fortomorrow. Micah asked if I was a policeman and Benji said I looked silly! LOL!

May 31: Benji said to me: You are the best ever!:D

June 1: while giving Micah a hugI said, "I love my boy!" He kissed me and said, "I like mygirl!" ::heart-melting::

June 6: Dollar store water guns =euphoric happiness for 3 year old boys

June 18: at 3.5, Micah is acomedian in the making--complete with a hysterical funny voice

June 24: Micah gave me a SpiderManbandaid so I could "feel better." What a sweetie.

June 29: Me: (holding Benji'shand) Your hands are nice and warm. Benji: Yours are nice and cold. :)

July 2: at 27 years old, I justgot my first temporary tattoo, courtesy of my children. I am now cool.

July 3: The boys' reactions tothe fireworks: "It's a party!" "Ooooh! That's so cool!""Let's do that again!!"

July 7: Benji: Daddy, we'rewatching "Stick in the Booty" (aka "Sleeping Beauty")

July 13: kids are disgusting (It really wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Benji peedwhile standing on the toilet--while it was closed. Just completely fed up andgrossed out)

July 19: ‎:BENJI! Eat your food!Ketchup is NOT a food group!

July 21: Biting and hangerthrowing....just a few ways my boys have "loved" each other today...

July 24: Micah (pointing to the Trix box): See that bunny?That spells delicious!

July 26: wet pj's at 5:30; poop inthe hallway at 6:30. Good morning Tuesday...you've got to go up from here....

July 27: my son calls me,"Honey." Cute or Freudian?

July 28: we asked the boys whatthey would name a guinea pig (if we got one); Benji said, "Squeaky!"Awww!

July 30: Benji (at 7pm): I want to go to the moon!(I just put him back to bed (at 9:40) because he was up staring out his widowat the moon--"Look, mommy! Look! See the moon?")

Aug 16: the boys seem to thinkthat the arm of the armchair is a napkin. Ew.

Aug 18: both boys de-pantsedthemselves at at preschool orientation today. Yea.

Aug 25: Benji lost his shoe thismorning (a frequent occurrence). His first response when I said "WE HAVETO FIND YOUR SHOE!" was "I want to pray!" Maybe I am doingsomething right....

Aug 25: Boys to their preschoolteacher-- Micah: "When it rains, I grow antlers." Benji: "Whenit rains, I get a bit crazy!" Those are my sons.

Aug 28: my children are laughinglike maniacs at AFV. It might be worth it to video tape them watching it!

Aug 30: this morning Micahtattled to Aaron that Benji had peed in a cup. Sure enough, when questioned,Benji proudly pointed to a small plastic kids cup on his bedroom floor. Justanother typical day in the Meng household...

Aug 31: I think it is time to getout of the house. The boys are rolling around the living room floor like twoscrappy little puppies.

Sept 1: Aaron superglued myglasses back together this morning. They were supposed to be indestructibleaccording to the sales lady at my eye doctor. Apparently, twin boys were not onthe "destruction" radar...

Sept 3: Aaron is teaching theboys to play Wii golf. They are so excited they can't even pay attention to ourattempts to give them directions...

Sept 3: Micah (while he isplaying golf): Mommy, when I say "SCORE!" you say "YEA!"ok?

Sept 13: Micah: Can I watch TheLion and the Woodchip (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)?

Sept 19: tried to pick out abirthday card for Aaron at Walmart today: The boys picked My Little Pony,Tangled, and Dora, and "You're FIVE!" Cars cards. I decided we shouldshop another day.

Sept 26: the boys talked to eachother on the phone for the first time tonight (1st time they have been awayfrom each other for the whole night). There were many "I love you's"exchanged.

Sept 28: we heard a child cryingin another room and I suggested we pray for him/her. Benji prayed: Dear God,thank you for him to feel better. Help him with the medicine in his bottom.Amen. (I don't think the memory of the enema is going away any time soon).Thanks for all your prayers for US!

Oct 2: So, the guinea pig's nameis...."KITTEN"! HAHAH! Benji named him. Blog post with picturescoming soon! In Micah's words: Mommy, the guinea pig makes me happy!

Oct 10: GAH! My children aregoing to put me in the insane asylum!

Oct 16: I've been cleaning mybathroom floors multiple times a day thanks for my little boys' insistence onstanding up to do their business

Oct 19: I am convinced that my children emit aninvisible slime that is both sticky and grainy and have slimed every hardsurface in my house

Oct 21: My kids got up at 2:45am, convinced itwas morning (put them back to bed). Then they got up at the crack of dawn andtogether devoured a half a bag of candy corn before I got up. Benji thenproceeded to sing Veggie Tales songs at the top of his lungs, with a strongresemblance to the musical masterpiece, The Flight of the Bumblebee.

Oct 23: Micah: Mommy, I pee wild? Me: No, Micah,please. Do not pee wild.

Oct 27: At school this morning, I heard Micahcorrect a friend for the first time with, "No, I'm Micah. Not Benji!"I'm afraid it won't be the last time, son.

Nov 7: When Micah grows up....he wants tohave a big knife. Guess which profession he associates this with (blog post)

Nov 10: Micah: Mommy, you so really cute!You look like Kalina!:D

Nov 14: the boys are "playing"the piano together while singing the "Bob the Builder!" theme song.:)

Nov 18: maybe letting the boys watch theNarnia movies is a mistake...all they want to do is reenact the fightscenes....UG

Nov 18: hearing "Hey there BigMommy" from your son just doesn't have the same ring to it as saying"Hey there Big Guy" to your son...

Nov 22: Micah keeps saying "HumpyDumpy" (aka Humpty Dumpty) and it is making me giggle...

Nov 27:Micah: Mommy, I like crack! (referring the nut-cracker on the mantle)

Nov 30: just successfully playedCandy Land with Micah! (Benji is at the doctor) Click like if you realize whatam amazing accomplishment this is for a hyperactive 4 year old! :)

Dec 2: No son, eating all of Mommy'schocolate was not "an accident"! So much for my teacher gift...:P

Dec 4: ‎"BOYS! Trying to pee in thepotty at the same time is NOT a good idea!!!!!"

Dec 17: just pulled a 3 lb ball of wettoilet paper plus two empty toilet paper rolls out of my toilet. GAH!! ThankGod he did not try to flush!

Dec 22: Micah: "We went to thegrocery store and got some grosch" Makes sense, right?

Dec 23: tonight while we were in the car,Benji could NOT stop talking about Santa coming (even though we haven't talkedabout Santa hardly at all!). Micah, annoyed, just kept saying loudly,"Santa's NOT HERE! Santa's NOT HERE!" HAHAHA!

Dec 26: the boys are playingfootball...with an imaginary ball. Seems to be working out pretty well forthem. Must be a twin thing. :)

Want more? Click on "Humor" under Labels on the right and read to your heart's content! :)

Luna the Lovebird

2011-12-20T15:11:00.002-05:00

It has been several months since my beloved 22 year old lovebird, Polly, died. You can read about her here. I have really been missing having Polly, or just having a bird, in my life, especially in the afternoons when the boys are napping, in the evenings, and when Aaron is gone. I just loved having a little friend in my life to keep me company!

So.....

...today, we got a new lovebird! I had been thinking about it for a while and had even picked out a breeder but sadly, that breeder sold out before I was able to secure a deposit on a bird. Sad!

But a few days ago, my friend Debbie sent me the link to a craigslist post--someone was selling baby lovebirds!

The seller hand-raised this little bird (she is about 8-9 weeks old, hatched mid October) and we drove an hour to pick her up. We only paid $40 for this little beauty!

I named her Luna, after Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter fame. Luna is an eccentric, quirky and lovable character in the books and lovebirds are much the same.

I think it is a perfect name for this little sweetie!

She is very tame and sweet. I am already in love!

I look forward to many wonderful years (another 22? I hope!) with my new feathered friend.

"Squeeze your cheeks!"

2011-12-14T09:04:00.003-05:00

We only have one bathroom and inevitably, sometimes the boys have to go to the bathroom at the same time. If it's #1, we usually have one of them pee in the tub. Gross, right? But ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

Last night though, both their little bowels were in sync and Micah got to the potty first. Benji came running back to the dinning room where Aaron and I were talking and frantically said, "I gotta go poop too!!"

Me: Well, baby, you need to hold it! Can you do that?
Aaron: Yeah, squeeze your cheeks, son!

Benji looked at us for a second and then pressed his little palms to his face and squeezed.

I hope that helped. :D

Disclaimer: No accidents occurred during the making of this story.

Meng Menu

2011-12-12T12:48:00.003-05:00

Sunday: Bourbon Street Chicken, rice, broccoli

Monday: Beef Stroganoff, mashed potatoes, green beans

Tuesday: Frozen Pizza, salad

Wednesday: Bacon, eggs, toast, fruit salad

Thursday: White chicken enchiladas, salad

Friday: Broccoli cheese soup, homemade bread

Saturday: Leftovers/Sandwiches

I went a little over on shopping this week: $129. But that's because I bought our Christmas Turkey! Nineteen pound turkey for ~$15! YEA! So, going $4 over budget was worth it.

I really enjoy trying out new recipes and have had a blast perusing pintrest for ideas. Last night we tried the Bourbon Street Chicken and it was great! We all loved it. It is a definitely-make-it-again recipe.

Where do you find inspiration for your weekly menu? I hope that the "Meng Menu" helps give you yummy ideas to help you put food on the table for your family!

Meng Menu

2011-12-04T14:30:00.001-05:00

Sunday: Grilled Salmon, baked potatoes, caeser salad

Monday: Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole, steamed broccoli w/ garlic butter

Tuesday: Frozen Beef Ravioli w/ marinara sauce, Greek salad

Wednesday: Cheeseburger pie, green beans

Thursday: Chicken stir fry w/ Raman noodles

Friday: Garlic parmesan chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli

Saturday: Frozen Pizza, salad

Can you tell chicken was on sale this week? It was BOGO for Tyson Frozen Chicken (any variety) at Kroger so I bought two! I was actually a little nervous about shopping today, feeling that I was sure to go over our budget of $125. Aaron needs to do this experiment for his Anthropology course and he picked cooking salmon on cedar planks for his little project. In my mind all I saw was $$$. BUT, when all was said and done, my total bill was......

$109.41.

YES!

I saved $36.13 with my Kroger card and an additional $5.25 with coupons that Kroger so graciously sends me in the mail weekly. So, I was under-buget by quite a bit. And I am quite happy. And REALLY looking forward to Grilled Salmon on a cedar plank tonight for dinner. :)

Frugal Festivities: Decorating for Christmas on a Budget

2011-11-27T22:14:00.001-05:00

It's the first Saturday and December and if you aren't the "buy/put-up-the-tree-the-day-after-Thanksgiving" type, you are probably buying/putting up your tree today and thinking about how to make your home festive for the holidays!

Honestly though, if you weren't ~~smart~~ lucky enough (I wasn't) to score major sales on Christmas decorations on on December 26th last year, decorating on a budget can be a daunting task.

Here are some simple projects I've made this year (or in past years) that make my house feel like Christmas:

Homemade Sweater Stockings

I made these stockings a few years ago from felted wool sweaters that I bought from Goodwill.

(felting = wash and dry on HOT)

I found a simple stocking pattern online used that as a template. Stockings are such a family tradition and even though I had a beautiful knitted stocking from growing up, I wanted new ones for my new family.

You can personalize your homemade stockings in many ways, especially from a sweater--for mine (in case you couldn't tell, the hurts-your-eyes pink one above. I must have been acutely feeling the testosterone in my home the year I made this) I used the cowl collar of the sweater for the opening of the stocking. Pretty!

Even if you already have stockings, monogramming them can add a special personalized touch to your holiday decor.

Countdown to Christmas Garland

I did a blog post about our 24 day Countdown to Christmas Activities here...

...but this fun activity also doubles as a garland for our mantle.

(if you click on the picture you can see that the decorations on the Left are stacked holiday tins. These were left over from cookies and hot chocolate gifts that I received in years past. Totally free!)

So, you may be saying, hey...your stockings are on the mantle in your previous pictures. Well, last year they were, but this year I have them hanging from the top of our upright piano. The bright colors of the stockings contrast beautifully against the dark wood.

Placing your stockings in a unique location can add freshness to your holiday decorating and provide color and cheer to a perhaps neglected area of your home.

Twiggy Christmas tree

I wanted something simple and striking to grace a small bookcase by my front door so I decided to fill a vase with rice and poke some branches in (collected from my back yard). I added a few simple red balls and a photo ornament from when the boys were one and ta-da! Unique and fun! (Later I added the BAM letter ornaments that are on my blog header to this twiggy tree)

DIY Paper Stars

I found this tutorial for these paper stars via pintrest. Though they are a little hard to see in the picture due to the glare of the sun, they look absolutely beautiful and add a special touch to my dining room.

I used cardstock for these but I've had some friends make them out of wrapping paper too! Pretty!

They look great in a window or would be absolutely magical if hung from the ceiling in your child's room too!

DIY Festive Phrases Painting

I can't take credit for this project because my sister-in-law Brittany (yes we have the same name. There were two Brittany Meng's in the same family for a few months before she got married) made me these little beauties last year for Christmas! How much fun is this? Simple and sweet but with a big decorating impact. She used small canvas cards (they aren't very thick) from a craft store.

"Ho! Ho! HO! Would be a fun combination too!

I am really not much of a decorator. This is actually the first year that I have actually decorated my house (beyond simply a Christmas tree) for Christmas. I love it and it feels very festive! I hope that these ideas inspire you to add simple and inexpensive decorations to your own home for the holidays.

DIY Gifts for Grown-Ups

2011-11-27T22:07:00.001-05:00

Christmas is coming!

How about some DIY gifts for the grown-ups in your life? (Can you tell I spend most of my days with kids?)

Buttercup Bag

Check out this awesome PDF pattern here

(The lady who designed this bag offers a FREE pattern on her blog for a small purse.

I bought the larger pattern for an extremely low price. So worth it!)

Even a beginning sewer can complete this easy purse.

I made bags for all my sisters and sis-in-laws and best friends a few years ago for Christmas.

What made this project super economical was the fact that I made all the bags from upcycled clothing and fabric that I got at Goodwill (the lining of this purse is new fabric). This pink purse is made from a lady's blazer. I also made bags from corduroy pants and curtains.

Every purse is one of a kind!

If you are into fashion and going green, this is the project for you.

Sewing Machine Pin Cushion

If you have a mom, grandma or hey, even a best friend that sews, this is a sweet, fast little project.

Click here for how to sew this simple pin cushion that ties onto your sewing machine. No more rolling your pin cushion onto the floor!

Monogramed Ornaments

Last year, I made monogramed ornaments for every member of my family and extended family. Wow! That was a big project--but fun too! With just a little craft felt, crochet thread, ribbon and hot glue, you can make a personalized gift for your family and friends to grace their Christmas tree year after year.

Click here for how to make these ornaments

Christmas Cards or Note Cards from Kids Artwork

Do you have a ton of your kids' artwork that you don't know what to do with? Cut it up and make note cards out of it to give to your parents, grandparents and teachers!

Click here for how I made these and more beautiful examples of these cards

Favorite Sweatshirt Pillow

Ok, I know these ideas are low on the scale of male ideas. And aren't men the hardest to shop for? Here's a little idea of what to do with his favorite sweatshirt that is just not wearable anymore. Make a pillow out of it! (Be sure that he really is ok with you cutting up his shirt though...believe me.)

I made this soft pillow a friend's request and he loved the outcome!

And I loved that it was so fast and easy to make.

Food!

When all else fails and you don't know know what to make for all those people on your list, make them food. Everyone loves food, especially cookies!

These Mint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are DELICIOUS, easy, and super economical--the base is cake mix!

Hope this gives you some DIY ideas for your family and friends!

Coming soon: DIY Christmas Decorating on a Budget

DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids

2011-11-27T22:05:00.001-05:00

Christmas is coming!

Are you planning on making gifts this year for the kids in your life? I'd love to share some ideas from my past projects with you. Most have links to blog posts or tutorials--feel free to use them for your gift making this year.

Play Food

All kids love play food! This would be a great gift for boys or girls age 2 on up!

Here's how I made this little personal pan pizza

Everyone loves sandwiches! Grilled cheese....

...or peanut butter and jelly!

Click here for how to make these yummy play sandwiches

Felt Mr. Potato Head

Mr. Potato Head--out of felt!

This toy is so inexpensive and can easily be customized for a little boy or girl (Mrs. Potato Head, anyone?)

Felt Puppets

Do you have a budding performer in your family? How felt puppets to spark their imagination?

We made a lion and a chicken at our house!

Click here for the tutorial

Treasure Bags

Does your little guy or girl need a special bag to stash their stuff? Make a simple bag (with or without a zipper) to for your little one to keep his or her treasures!

Super Hero Mask and Cape

My boys love to play superheroes!

Mask:

1. Cut 2 simple mask shapes from felt

2. Stich around the outside and eye holes

3. Stich elastic to fit your child's head

Cape:

1. Cut out the back of a large men's t-shirt in your super-hero's favorite color

2. Cut out a simple letter from felt or knit and zig-zag to the back

3. Hem sides and top with zig-zag

4. Add a hook and loop closure

SUPERHEROES!

Dinosaur Tails

Make a dinosaur or dragon tail for your little monsters!

Click here for the awesome tutorial I followed to make these awesome tails for my boys.

Character Pillows

Character pillows are a FAST and EASY project....

....even for the beginning sewer.

Score one of those 40% off coupons from Joann's and this project will be very inexpensive too!

Softy Owl

Make a sweet softy owl for your little one. Draw a simple shape on paper first and then use your pattern to cut out. Use felt for the eyes and beak.

Click here to see a picture of the adorable fluffy tail on this simple toy!

Homemade Bibs

Upcycle your old receiving blankets into bibs for your little or big kid.

Click here for the tutorial!

(UPDATE: Two pieces of flannel work great too. Reversible bib, anyone?

Christmas Dresses

Every little girl needs a Christmas dress! A new dress doesn't need to break the bank. All of these outfits were made of upcycled clothing

Click here for how to make these adorable matching Christmas dresses

Click here for how to make a sweet little two-fer dress with ruffle rompers

Monogramed Blankets

Even a simple blanket can be personalized for that special little one in your life.

Add a monogram for a special touch to your Christmas gifts.

Topsy Turvy Doll

I wish I had a blog post about this doll but sadly, I do not! I made this a few years ago for my little niece and I adore how it turned out. It took a little time but the end result was totally worth it!

Check out this FREE pattern here

Stay tuned! DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Grown-ups is coming up later this week!

DIY Countdown to Christmas

2011-11-26T16:25:00.001-05:00

Christmas is coming!!!

When I was a kid, I always loved one-a-day countdown to Christmas activities. We usually had one of those Advent calendars where you opened up a little "door" a day or this Advent calendar (we had this one when I was a kid and my parents very generously bought it for us this year!)

(Photo curtesy of this website)

In addition to our one-a-day Nativity Advent Calendar, I made a one-a-day Countdown to Christmas using this picture via Pintrest as my inspiration. I made the envelopes out of fleece by hand-stitching them together and embroidering the numbers. I also made the buttons out of Sculpy clay and sewed them on (I started this project last Tuesday and finished today so it took me a few days).

I am going to put little gifts or pieces of paper with fun activities that we will do each day leading up to Christmas

Thu1. Tow Mater Socks (Dollar Section at Target)

Fri2. Make Cookies with Mommy/Christmas Party!

Sat3. Make Christmas snowmen ornaments

Sun4. Mini Candy Canes

Mon5. Corduroy Christmas Book (a lift-the-flap book I got at the used book store)

Tue6. Make Nativity toys (been saving the toilet paper rolls!)

Wed7. Drink hot chocolate with marshmallows

Thu8. Chocolate Candy

Fri9. Make Handprint Christmas tree

Sat10. Watch Veggies tales Christmas movie

Sun11. Mini Candy Canes

Mon12. The Night before Christmas book (used bookstore)

Tue13. Play games on the computer (evening)

Wed14. Ride on Train at the mall

Thu15. Chocolate Candy

Fri16. Milk jug ball catcher game

Sat17. Bubble bath (Dollar Section at Target)

Sun18. Mini Candy canes

Mon19. Make Christmas Cards for Teachers

Tue20. Play games on the Wii (evening)

Wed1. Snowman printable

Thu22. Chocolate Candy

Fri23. Go look at Christmas lights

Sat24. Away in the Manger Book (used bookstore)

We don't have a lot of money for Christmas presents this year but I am hoping that we can make some great memories together with these special activities

I am looking froward to celebrating the whole month with Micah

...and Benji.

Oh, and Aaron too. :)

How do you count down to Christmas? Please share your ideas and traditions!

Meng Menu: Thanksgiving +(Recipe for Apple Sausage Stuffing!)

2011-11-20T15:44:00.001-05:00

Sunday: Calzones, salad

Monday: Ham, roasted herbed red potatoes, green beans

Tuesday: Stuffed Shells w/marinara sauce, greek salad

Wednesday: Cheeseburger Soup, rolls

Thursday: Thanksgiving = Turkey, Apple Sausage Stuffing (RECIPE BELOW!),Mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, Cressentrolls, blueberry pie

Friday: Turkey Pot Pie

Saturday: Turkey Sandwiches, leftovers

So, I had such a hard time coming up with menu planning this week before Thanksgiving--I had turkey on the brain! We are just doing Thanksgiving alone this year (sniff!); our plans to go to FL fell through due to copious medical bills....oh well.

We budgeted at total of $300 for groceries for this week and last week because of Thanksgiving shopping but I am proud to say that we didn't need the extra $$! I spent $122 last week ant $119 this week! YEA! Plus, included in the $119 was shampoo and conditioner, paper towels, a brining bag for the turkey, plus a few extra "yummies" like root beer, goldfish crackers, and egg nog! YUM!

I am looking forward to holiday food--we are still trying to figure out how we are going to cook our turkey: fried or smoked?

I am looking forward to a break from school this week--relaxing, crafting, holiday decorating, painting the livingroom, and cooking (oh, and grading...:P) coming right up!

Apple Sausage Stuffing

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

2 stalks celery, finely diced

3 small (or two medium) apples (I used gala), peeled, cored and finely diced

1 red onion, finely diced

1/2 pound mild sausage

3-4 TBS butter

One bag Pepperidge Farm herbed stuffing

2 cups hot chicken stock

Make it:

1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Drain and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the veggies and fruit. Saute for 5-8 minutes, or until tender-crisp.

3. Pour stuffing into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and add veggies/fruit and sausage.

4. Pour chicken stock on top and mix everything together.

5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cover with foil if you like a soft stuffing, or leave uncovered for a crispy top.

Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Three years of pictures: How they grow!

2011-11-16T10:47:00.001-05:00

10 months old (2008)

(Sorry, year 2 got skipped for the professional photo shoot)

3 years old (2010)

4 years old (2011)

(How I feel often as a mother of 4 year old twin boys)

(not my favorite photo of me--one of those "do I really look like that in real life?" pictures and a "I need to lose about 10 pounds" pictures)

But, for the sake of comparison to photo one, WOW! How they grow!

And it is the same kid in both pictures on the same side: Micah on R, Benji on L in both pictures!)

(All Photos taken by Sabrena Carter Deal)

The Birds and the Bees?: How to Talk to Your Kids about Sex

2011-11-14T14:30:00.001-05:00

CAUTION: Extremely candid post coming up. :)

Ok, this title is a bit misleading because I actually havenot had “the talk” with my kids (4 year old twin boys) yet.

BUT, sex-education for the sake of sexual knowledge andsafety is a topic that I am very passionate about and, in light of the recenttragedy at Penn State, a very applicable topic for all parents of youngchildren.

Though my boys have never uttered those heart-stopping words“Where-do-babies-come-from?” (Which I am deviously looking forward to answeringwith “When a mommy and daddy love each other very much…”), my husband and I dotalk about body parts with blush-inducing bluntness at our house.

In fact, we even use the words “penis” and “vagina.”

(My anatomically correct words end there because we also say“balls” and “boobs.” Somehow, saying “testicles” and “breasts” seems like amouthful).

Before I had kids, I was very adamant about using thecorrect words for genitalia, not that I am against substitutions like“pee-pee,” “peanut,” or even “dinker” (as one friend told me they called “boyparts” in their family). Pet-names are fine in my book as long as kids know thereal names too and, more importantly, that those parts are PRIVATE.

While in the bathtub or getting dressed, kids are oftenmesmerized by their own bodies and parents usually eagerly point out the names of their child’s ears, nose, belly button, legs and toes. But we often shy away,or even shame away from the proper names of our children’s private parts.

Why is this? Partly, I think, because in our adult minds,genitals = sex, and in our culture (maybe particularly in a ConservativeChristian culture?) sex = bad, or at least, “bad” until marriage so, therefore,don’t talk about sex, and don’t talk about your…that thing!

Perhaps this is an extreme example and definitely not thecase in all families, Christian or not. However, rather than be embarrassedwhen talking about genitals, what if parents celebrated every part of theirchild’s healthy body, while at the same time teaching them the precious needfor privacy and protection?

Of course, talking about genitals openly and frequentlyopens the doors for acute parental embarrassment.

For example, my boys will be chattering about their dayat the dinner table and then, out of the blue, one will pipe up: “I have apenis! Those are my private parts!”’

—to which myhusband and I heartily agree and then apologize to any dinner guest at our table forour son’s extreme candor.

While those dinner time outbursts may make me or my guests blush, I am secretly proud that my boys know that they “have a penis”yet more importantly, that they are “private parts.”

This means that those bathtime conversations have sunk in,conversations that start a little something like this:

Son: Mommy, what’s that?

Me: That is your penis. And your balls (really, I shouldjust say “testicles” but we all have our hang-ups, right?)

Son: Oh! It is very cool.

Me: Yes, they are. Those are your private parts.

Son: Pwivate Pwats?

Me: Yes, “private” means that we don’t show them to anyoneor let anyone touch them, unless it is a doctor and mommy or daddy is with you.If anyone does touch you and you feel uncomfortable, you need to tell mommy anddaddy right away. You can talk to us about anything that makes you feeluncomfortable, ok?

Son: Ok.

End scene.

I’ve had this conversation with my boys many times,sometimes simply talking about their wonderful bodies and sometimes emphasizingthe “no-touching” part. My hope is that these brief conversations we’vehad between the ages of 2-4 will build a safeguard around them against sexualpredators, as well as open up those would-be awkward conversation lines dealingwith sexual topics.

But the “no-touching” mantra has also helped when my twinsthink it is funny to grab at each other in the bathtub. (AHH! PWIVATE PARTS! NOTOUCH!)

I’ve also used the “private parts/no touching” when it comesto teaching them about the female body. I want to help my boys develop arespect for a woman’s body—and that begins with me.

Mostly ourconversations go like this:

Scene: Mommy is using the bathroom. Unfortunately, 4 yearolds do not have a sense of privacy so they are also in the bathroom.

Son: Mommy, you going potty?

Me: Yes….(grrr)

Son: Mommy, where’s your penis?
Me: Mommy doesn’t have a penis. Mommy has a vagina.

Son: A ‘gina???

Me: Yes, those are Mommy’s private parts.

Son: Oh. Ok. (pause) So you don’t have a penis?

End Scene.

Actually, we have conversations about boobs much more frequentlyand this is where I stress that boobs are also private parts and should berespected as such (hopefully I will hammer this lesson home before they gettheir first girlfriend!)

Micah is very fond of feminine curves and will oftencompliment me on my “ very nice private parts.” (Freud anyone?) However awkwarda compliment like this is from my son, I am glad that we have talked aboutbreasts as private parts because while I do want to celebrate my boys' admiration of feminine beauty, more importantly I want them to respect women and their bodies by teaching them whichparts need respect and privacy.

In the days after the tragedy at Penn State, TV commentatorshave been quick to remind viewers of the staggering statistics that 1 in 4girls and 1 in 6 boys will be molested (or perhaps worse) before they reachadulthood. These numbers terrify me as a parent as I want my boys to grow upwhole and healthy, with a wonderful appreciation for their bodies and sex as itwas meant to be.

I know we’ll have the real “Talk” in the future but for now,I’m going to keep talking about “penises” and “private parts” and hope and praythat these brief bath-time conversations will help my sons to form a layer ofsexual protection around their bodies and hearts.

What about you? How do you protect your child against sexualdanger or sexual temptation? How do we move past our personal embarrassment andshame to tackle this issue? Please share your thoughts so that we, as parents,can help prevent sexual abuse in our own communities!

Meng Meng

2011-11-13T18:55:00.001-05:00

Sunday: Roast Beef, smashed red potatoes, broccoli w/ cheese sauce

Monday: Pork loin, roasted potatoes, green beans

Tuesday: Fried rice w/ pork and Asian veggies

Wednesday: Apple Sausage stuffing, cranberry sauce (bringing these two dishes to our small group potluck!)

Thursday: Fajita casserole

Friday: Calzones, salad

Saturday: Leftovers/sandwiches

I scored on grocery shopping today! I saved FORTY-SIX dollars with my Kroger card--my grand total was $122! I got a jump-start on Thanksgiving shopping today--including my turkey! Kroger had an awesome sale on turkey: I bought my 16 lb turkey for 59c a pound! YES! (woah...overload on !!!)

Plus I bought two bags of Pepperidge Farm stuffing and three cans of cranberry sauce. Almost everything I bought was on sale today! WOOT!

I have to brag a little bit on Sunday's dinner. I have been notoriously bad at making roast beef. Pretty much every beef roast is dry and gross, no matter how I try to cook it. Well, tonight I made a delicious, tender, juicy, rare roast beef. So exciting! FINALLY: Roast beef victory!!!

Enjoy your week everyone! Hope this menu helps you out with your meal planning for the week. :)

Mint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-11-11T15:56:00.001-05:00

Doesn't that title just make your mouth water?

Christmas is coming and these are the PERFECT cookies for all those holiday parties! Plus, they are fast, super easy, and taste AMAZING!

Ingredients:

Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the cake mix, oil, eggs and peppermint extract. My mixer is broken so I just used a spoon. A spoon works fine but you gotta bring your big-girl guns as this dough is really thick.

After the cake mix is throughly incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.

Form walnut size balls (about a tablespoon) and roll in powdered sugar

Place on a greased cookie sheet (mine are exceptionally craptastic so I cover them with foil. My cookie sheets came from my husband's dorm before we got married. You don't want to see what they look like under the foil).

Bake for 11-13 minutes. The tops should be cracked and but not wet-looking. The cookies will be very soft when you bring them out. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool.

Sprinkle with more powdered sugar if your little heart so desires.

Mmm! They are SO good! Crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle with the decadence of the devil's food and chocolate chips and just a hint of mint.

These are my go-to Christmas cookies this year!

When I grow up....

2011-11-07T13:11:00.002-05:00

Micah really likes to help me cook in the kitchen. The boy is a natural at whisking.

Today, we saw a short segment on PBS kids that featured a chef in a restaurant kitchen. Micah got ALL excited and started jabbering away.

So, I asked him if he wanted to be a chef when he grows up.

His answer?

"YES!" He said enthusiastically. "I'll be a chef like Ratatouille and then I can have a big knife!"

That is my son. It all comes back to weapons.

Chef = big knife

(big knife or not, I dearly hope that my love for cooking rubs off on him. I think he is well on his way....)

Dining Room Clutter: Before and After

2011-11-02T13:48:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Brittany and I have WAY too much clutter in my house.

It's pretty embarrassing actually.

Well, today I decided to tackle one of the worst offenders: The Dinning Room Buffet (or hutch. or whatever this piece of furniture is called).

BEFORE

(sorry the photo is a bit washed out on the Left. The sun was blazing in the window)

Ak! Horrible, isn't it? I'm sad to say that it has been this way for months (Um...maybe longer...)

There are medicine and vitamin bottles, sewing projects, cookbooks, phone books, CDs, tapes, pictures, craft projects, candy, tools, napkins, bibs, etc, etc, on this poor little hutch.

It was also screaming for a good cleaning as it has collected, oh, FOUR years of children's grimy fingerprints.

DURING

This isn't even all the stuff. I didn't get a picture of the kitchen counter or the dining room chairs.

AFTER!!!!

Ahhh!!! So much better!

And so much cleaner! I'm telling you, my washcloth was black from scrubbing those doors and drawer fronts.

Ew.

(note to self: must clean more often. Looks like there are still fingerprints on the upper Left drawer...)

I even cleaned out and organized the top 3 drawers and the right cabinet. YEA!

This took me about two hours but the result is SO worth it. More organized, open, and clean.

Do you have any clutter that needs tackling? Go ahead--take the plunge. I have, um, a couple more rooms (read: all) in my house that could use a good de-cluttering.

But first, to tackle the laundry.....

Meng Menu

2011-10-31T18:38:00.002-04:00

Sunday: Papa John's Pizza

Monday: Cheeseburger Soup, bread

Tuesday: Baked potatoes w/ chili, salad (going to try the baked potatoes in the crock pot idea while I'm at work)

Wednesday: Pan chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, greenbeans

Thursday: Fried Rice with chicken and veggies

Friday: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad

Saturday: Wraps, chips, apple slices

May end up changing the Fri/Sat menu as my in-laws may be coming into town. But I only spend $120 this week! YEA!

Meng Menu

2011-10-23T20:33:00.001-04:00

Sunday: Chicken Parmesan Bundles, pasta, salad (we didn't end up having this on Saturday because we went out to eat. Score!)

Monday: Roasted Pork loin, rice, steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Baked Creamy [Pork] Taquitos, salad

Wednesday: Small group potluck (bringing French Bread)

Thursday: Spinach and Sausage Ravioli, Greek Salad, Bread

Friday: Sloppy Joes, baked fries, apple slices

Saturday: Biscuits and Gravy, fruit salad

Grocery shopping victory! TOTAL (drum roll, please....) $98!!! I guess I am making up for these past few weeks when I have gone over. Basically I am trying to use up a lot of left-overs and am trying to use our meats creatively. I bought a 4 lb pork roast last week and used it for the Pork Tacos on last week's menu. I have a lot of that pork left so I am making the Taquitos with it. Plus I am roasting the other half (sliced it lengthwise when I got it home from the store and froze both halves) on Monday. So, three meals from one roast.

Plus I am doing double-duty on the spinach and sausage. The spinach is going into the Chicken Parm bundles AND the Spinach and Sausage Ravioli. And the sausage is two-timin' it in the Ravioli and Biscuits and Gravy. Being creative, my friends. That's what it's all about. At least when you are trying to shop on a budget.

Has Facebook distorted our view of "Friendship?": A Guest Post

2011-10-22T14:02:00.000-04:00

This post was written by my student, Ashely Altis. I think her topic and writing are very applicable to today's culture. Please comment so she can get her some feedback on her writing (either here or on Facebook)! What do you think? Has Facebook cheapened our view of a "friend"?

True Friends

By Ashley Altis

The word “friend” is a word that is of great importance in the world. The word is not one to be taken lightly or underappreciated. It is a title that carries much responsibility for the holder. However, many people in the world today seem to have forgotten this. Culture has shaped the word “friend” into one that boasts of much less importance than its true meaning. This has happened especially through the invention of Facebook. Since the coming of Facebook, the word has taken on a more shallow meaning in some ways. Facebook has reduced the meaning of the word “friend” to little more than that of a “fan” or “follower,” but a true friend is a person who stands by someone, is able to be there for that person in a real way, and is able to spend time with that person.

Culture has shaped the word “friend” and changed its meaning dramatically since the invention of Facebook. The meaning of the word “friend,” in terms of Facebook, has been reduced to one more like the meaning of a “fan” or “follower.” A “friend” is now someone that can be viewed on a computer screen with no face-to-face interaction required, and “friends” can view each other’s interactions with others over the internet. People can have friends that they have never even met before and ones they have only talked to a few times. They can also have some friends that they cannot even remember how they know. In real life, most people would not claim anyone who fell into any of those categories as a friend, but Facebook clearly defines this differently. “Friends” are now defined as people who can view each other’s profiles to “get to know” each other.

Because of Facebook, many people have distanced themselves from the true meaning of the word “friend” and taken on this newer and easier version of the word. If the Facebook meaning of the word "friend" is thought to be the real meaning, then people no longer have to try and work as hard at having friends. In fact, Junghyun Kim and Jong-Eun Roselyn Lee, writers of the article “The Facebook Paths to Happiness: Effects of the Number of Facebook Friends and Self-Presentation on Subjective Well-Being,” say it this way: “In the world of Facebook…it does not take much effort to become ‘friends’ with other Facebook users; once formed, the ‘friendship’ does not require strong attachment or close connections” (360). Thus, in the technological world of today, where people have become more accustomed to using technology for just about everything, being a Facebook friend is often easier and more convenient than being a real friend. Many people have resolved to take the easy way out, and in doing so, they have left behind true, meaningful, “in person” friendships.

Contrary to what many of those in the world of Facebook have come to believe, a true friend is a person who stands by someone and is able to be there for that person in a real way. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word like this: “One joined to another in mutual benevolence and intimacy” (“Friend” def. 1a.). Unlike many Facebook friends, a true friend is someone who is always there and can always be counted on. An “in person” friend can often provide much more help and comfort than a Facebook friend can with words on a computer screen. Facebook friends cannot give hugs, help someone up when she falls, or give any other form of physical connection from their computer screen. Real friends are able to share one another’s burdens, as well as laughter and happiness, in a more real way than friends on Facebook are able to. Unlike Facebook friends, an “in person” friend has the privilege and the chance of physically being there for someone. This kind of interaction gives real friends a more concrete quality that is unattainable by Facebook friends.

In addition, friends that are physically together are able to spend time together. They can go to the movies, have sleepovers, or have long conversations while lying out under the stars. Facebook friends, however, have a little more trouble doing this. A Facebook “friendship” mostly consists of chat conversations, wall posts, and commenting on things that the other person posts, “likes,” or uploads. Unless Facebook friends chat or message each other quite often, it can be hard to know what is really going on with a person. Most people on Facebook do not post about everything that is going on in their lives, especially the personal things, since everyone that is “friends” with a certain person on Facebook can see all that that person posts and does. Most people do not want to share the most personal parts of their lives with everyone, so they do not post about what is really going on in their lives. Thus, Facebook users are likely to be more disconnected from their friend’s “real” lives than “in person” friends are.

Although culture and the invention of Facebook have given new meaning to the word “friend,” it is imperative that people always remember what the true meaning of a friend really is. In a world such as today, where technology reigns and Facebook is a supreme form of communication, people can easily lose sight of this. However, the world cannot allow this to happen. “In person” friendships are a very important part of life. They are a more real and meaningful source of comfort and connection from one person to another. Without “real” friendships like these, people would be left with a more shallow and disconnected view of the world and what it means to be a “friend,” and they would never have the chance to experience the joy and richness that comes from having “true” friendships.

Works Cited

“Friend.” Def. 1a. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. Print.

Kim, Junghyun, and Jong-Eun Roselyn Lee. “The Facebook Paths to Happiness: Effects of the Number of Facebook Friends and Self-Presentation on Subjective Well-Being.” CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 14.6 (2011): 359-364. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 September 2011.

Meng Menu

2011-10-16T17:30:00.000-04:00

The Meng Menu is back! I feel like our life is finally getting back to normal after our hospital stay with Benji, Micah's surgery, and the boys' birthday. I actually made a menu last week but I didn't get organized enough to blog about it. It was too bad too because I used some great recipes that I would have loved to blog about. Maybe next time.

Sunday: Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes and gravy,steamed broccoli

Monday: Creamy Chicken pockets, garden salad, cantaloupe

Tuesday: Frozen meal--thank you Stouffer's.

Wednesday: Salmon patties, pasta dish, California veggies

Thursday: Slow cooker Mexican pulled pork w/ tortillas and tacofixin’s

Friday: Crispy Cheddar Chicken, rice, green beans

Saturday: Chicken parmesan bundles, pasta and sauce, caesersalad

Ooo! Look at all those lovely links! I am really excited about trying some new recipes this week, namely the Creamy Chicken pockets and the Crispy Cheddar Chicken. Speaking of Crispy Cheddar Chicken, I forgot to buy Ritz crackers. GRR! I guess I'll have to pick up those and the cream of chicken soup I forgot (picked up chicken noodle instead...wow. It happens)

Grocery shopping was $130 this week but I am defending myself by noting all the non-food stuff I got, including copy paper for the printer ($6), craft glue, dishwasher soap, liquid dish soap, eye liner, vitamins for the boys, and chapstick. So....I'll forgive myself for going $5 over budget.

BTW, I joined pinterest and have LOOOOOVED pinning recipes. It made putting together this blog post so much easier! My username on pinterest is menaglings.

Happy Cooking this week!

Cute Owl!

2011-10-15T19:11:00.000-04:00

My second owl was a cute success! After gathering some ideas from pictures online, drafting a new pattern, and using felt to make the eyes and beak, I really love the end result!

Now I just need to fill out my hospital volunteer application and get the ball rolling to sew a few for kids at the hospital. But I think this little owl will go to my niece Taegen for her first birthday (this Tuesday! I better get it in the mail ASAP!)

Same cute tail!

Shake your tail-feathers, Taegen! You're turning one! :)

Ugly Owl: Sewing for a Cause

2011-10-14T19:52:00.001-04:00

I made an ugly owl today.

It wasn't supposed to be ugly. It was really cute...in my head. But it turned out ugly. Here it is.

It looks a little like a devil. Maybe it's the horn like ears. Or the slightly scary looking eyes.

Creepy.

The tail is cute!

This owl was my inspiration. It isn't that cute either (hence the one "in my head" was cuter but we all know how that turned out).

This owl was given to us in the hospital after Micah had his surgery. During our time in the hospital over the past few weeks, we received many toys from the nurses and doctors. When we got this little owl, I realized right away that it was hand made and I thought, "I could make something like that!" ("and probably make something way cuter.")
But we all know how that turned out

This owl has a cute tail too.

So, my next owl will be cuter. And I will post a picture of that when it turns out (maybe it will be owl 3 or 4). But I want to sew some owls for our local hospital to give to kids who come in, maybe just for a few hours, or a few days. (I am in the application process with our local hospital to become a volunteer.) We received so much love and care from the nurses and doctors during our recent time in the hospital--and from the nameless person who gave her time to make sweet, soft toys for kids who were scared, bored, and anxious.

Who knows? Maybe even my ugly owl might make a little child's day better.

I hope so.

Like I said, stay posted for hopefully cuter owls (and maybe kitties) in a future post. :)

Happy 4th Birthday Micah and Benji!

2011-10-14T19:33:00.000-04:00

My babies are four years old! WOW! Where did last four years go?

(Awkward) Family picture with our big boys

We love our Grandma!

Aaron's mom stayed with us for almost 2 weeks while we were dealing with Benji's hospitalization and Micah's surgery (see the bandage on his neck? He was doing great when this picture was taken, two days after surgery. He calls his neck "my new neck").

Birthday morning! Muffins with Cool Whip and candles. The boys were singing Happy Birthday to themselves. :)

Blow out the candle!

Chocolate cake after dinner: 4 candles for each boy!

(I had a nice picture of the cake with the candles lit but unfortunately, my son was grabbing his crotch in that picture so...I decided not to post it...)

YUM! We love chocolate cake!

Who needs a fork?

Birthday Benj!

Here's a few things about Micah and Benji at four years old:

Favorite Foods:

Benji: Eggs, string cheese

Micah: Anything (not a picky eater, that one). I actually just asked him what is favorite food was and he said "Thomas food." Which leads into our next fun fact.

Favorite Toys:

Both: Thomas the Train, Cars, Planes

Favorite TV shows:

Both: Caillou, Dinosaur Train, SuperWhy!

Favorite Movies:

Toy Story (Benji does an awesome rendition of the Potato Head outtakes on Toys Story 2. "And a plastic steak! A rubber ducky? And some blue playdoh! Some teeth? Be careful! They chatter! Wooooah!)

Cars

Veggie Tales

And a host of others (they love to act out their favorite parts of the movies too)

Favorite Colors:

Micah: Green

Benji: (I just asked him and this is his answer) "Spencer. Spencer is a steam engine" That is Benji to a "T"

Weight:

Micah: 30 lbs

Benji: 27 lbs

Height:

Not sure...we need to measure!

But...short. :)

Favorite thing to do:

Run around like crazy

Wrestle

Favorite Bedtime songs:

Micah: Create in me a clean heart (Psalm 51)

Benji: Spring Rain (Hosea 6:3)

Favorite Places to go:

Kids Cove

Library

Park

Pet store

Sweet Frog (frozen yogurt)

The Dollar Store

Church

Preschool

Other things they love:

Magnets

Kitten the guinea pig

Curious George

Fish and fish tanks

Dogs

Kittens

Daddy

Mommy

We love you too, little guys! Happy Birthday! We can't believe you are four already!

Poop Squirrel: A True Story

2011-10-09T19:31:00.005-04:00

Scene: Meng Family riding in the car on the way home from church. Suddenly a very strong skunk smell fills the air.

Micah: I smell some-fing.
Mommy: That is a skunk.
Micah: No...that's not a skunk! That's a squirrel.
Mommy: A squirrel? No, a skunk made that bad smell.
Micah: No, not a skunk. That bad smell is a POOP Squirrel.
Mommy: (loosing it laughing) A poop squirrel?
Micah: Yes. A poop squirrel.

(...just the beginning of the poop stories and jokes of the day. Guess we have entered "that" stage.

LOL.

Does my child have Pica?: Our Story

2011-10-05T15:10:00.001-04:00

For the past few months I've had the nagging worry that something was not quite right with my almost- 4-year-old son, Benji. He would often say, "I feel sick" or "My tummy hurts." But because he would say these things before mealtime or bed time, I chalked it up to a rumbly, hungry tummy or feeling tired.

Still, that nagging worry remained. Because there was another issue I had to consider: He likes to eat non-food items, his favorite things being string, fabric, and paper products (toilet paper etc).

I had heard of Pica, the eating disorder where people crave and eat non-food items, but I thought, there is no way that is what is going on. A little online research revealed a list of things that Pica-eaters usually consume (dirt, clay, paint chips, plaster, chalk, cornstarch, laundry starch, baking soda, coffee grounds, cigarette ashes, burnt match heads, cigarette butts, feces, ice, glue, hair, buttons, paper, sand, toothpaste, soap) and, by golly, STRING was not on the list so we were safe.

Right?

To be EXTRA safe (or maybe just smart), I talked to my pediatrician about Benji's little habit a few weeks after it first started. He said that it might just be a phase but to keep an eye on him.

And I did. I watched him like a hawk. I never let him play by himself in another part of the house. I constantly told him "TAKE THAT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!"

My litmus test for the "seriousness" of the situation was if he still had a BM regularly. Hey, if things were passing through then it was ok, right? Doesn't EVERY kid eat weird stuff? Admit it, we all went though a stage where we ate play-doh and the paper lolly-pop sticks. And a little dirt never hurt anyone.

Right?

I was determined that my son would not be the next "victim" of "My Strange Addiction."

We talked to Benji' constantly about not eating non-food items. We told him it hurt is belly. We told him it was no fun to poop string (no fun for mom and dad either. I will leave it at that). He would cry and repeat our mantras. However, we still would catch him again. And again. And his woven baby blanket, lovingly named "Blankie" kept getting bigger and bigger holes in it.

Finally, after weeks or realizing that "Blankie" was the main culprit behind the string addiction, my husband and I realized that we need to take some drastic measures. We got a new blanket (fleece, no strings) and put "Blankie" away for good. Benji made the transition quite well but it was still hard (for me, especially!)

What was "possessing" my child so much that he could not stop eating string (and other things)? Punishing, talking, threatening, monitoring wasn't working. I was constantly worrying.

And last Sunday (Sept 25), the crap hit the fan, as they say. Benji's twin brother Micah came in our room at 6am and told us that Benji had "Big Spits" (throwing up). A bit of close examination revealed that it was not the stomach bug that was going around pre-school. Benji was throwing up strings, fabric, plastic, and paper. We quickly called our pediatrician who (to make a long story short) told us to see if the vomiting stopped and then to call back to make an appointment at 9am (when the office opened). Poor Benji could not keep anything down--water, crackers, nothing--and threw up for 3 hours. We called the doctor again at 9am and he told us that we should go the ER in Roanoke (an hour 15 minutes away) to get checked out (the reason being that our hospital does not have a pediatric GI specialist).

We made our trek to Roanoke at 10am and were in the ER until 4pm. The doctor who saw us seemed to think we were "those" parents, to some extent. You know, the parents who are over-reacting and over-protective because Benji didn't throw up once while we were there and, in a weird moment of self-revival, joked and laughed with the ER doctor while being examined ("My belly is like "squishy play-doh!" he laughed).

And X-ray revealed that his little GI system was full 'o poop. Full. With little white objects floating around in it that looked like confetti. Like a party in his intestines.

"Very interesting," the doctor said. "Very interesting."

They took blood, gave him IV fluids, and a prescription for a laxative medication. "His iron is a bit low" was the result. So we headed back to Lynchburg with a very sleepy boy.

When we got home, our normally bouncing-off-the-walls boy just laid on the living room carpet in a tiny little heap. He was gray. We tried to get him to eat a little bit. We managed to get his first dose of meds in him.

Then, right as we were putting him to bed, the throwing up started again. And again. He was limp, so tired and sick he could barely keep his eyes open. We called Roanoke again and talked to the GI doctor (whom we had NOT seen earlier that day but who had been consulting the ER doctor) and he told us to come back--after hearing how Benji was doing, he thought that Benji should not have been released earlier.

It was 9:30pm by this point and we loaded the whole family into the car with a few blankets for the boys and a toothbrush for me (they talked about admitting us over night) and headed back to Roanoke.

After a few more hours in the ER we were admitted to a room on the pediatric floor at 2am. Poor Benji looked and felt horrible. He had another IV and was back in diapers rather than big-boy underwear. I slept (sort of) beside him in the fold-out chair all night. Aaron and Micah scored a room at the Holiday Inn Express for $125 (ouch).

Benji was officially diagnosed with Pica and we ended up staying in the hospital for four days. He had an endoscopy (under anesthesia) to check for blockages in his stomach. Thank God there were none but his bowel was impacted and he had to have 3 enemas in one day and many doses of Miralax.

Holy crap-o-la. Enemas work. When they finally kicked in, that poop was epic.

(Sidenote: Funny/sad story. After the enema-day was over, every time we heard another kid crying (which was frequently), Benij asked if they were getting medicine in their bottom. Poor kid. Then, one time I suggested we pray for a child who was crying in the room next to us. Benji said, "I'll pray. Dear God, thank you for him to feel better. Help him with the medicine in his bottom. Amen."I can't tell that story without laughing but still, poor little guy. The "medicine in the bottom" will not be forgotten).

It turned out the Benji was SEVERELY anemic. His iron level was at a 12. Normal range is 50-120. There is a theory that states that craving and eating non-food items is caused by iron deficiency. And like-wise, eating non-food items can cause iron-deficiency. A vicious cycle. Needless to say, we are hoping (and praying!) that by treating the anemia, we will help treat the cravings as well.

I wish I had asked the pediatrician to check his blood levels for low iron the first time I suspected pica. Maybe we could have started treating this sooner.

Of course, the next question that all parents would ask in this situation would be, how did my child get anemic in the first place? A unique situation came to our minds: Benji (and his twin brother) had his tonsils out at the beginning of the summer. Benji was one of the rare patients who had post-op bleeding (you can read about that "adventure" here). He lost a fair amount of blood that day but not enough to need a transfusion. But maybe just enough to make him anemic--and start the pica cycle. Just a theory on our part but, I believe, a logical one.

I realize that blood loss is a unique situation for most kids when thinking about the underlying "causes" of pica. Many children who have pica have other developmental challenges such as autism or mental retardation (neither of which are related to Benji). Some kids have OCD (we think Benji may be, a little bit) and like the taste and texture of non-food items. For other kids, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to why they start to eat "strange things."

This is what is so scary about pica. Parents want reasons. They want solutions--NOW. And a lot of times there seems to be nothing they can do.

The good news, for us, is that the enemas and laxatives worked and are working (Benji is still taking meds every day. We've been home from the hospital for exactly one week). Though we still have to monitor him closely and remind him not to eat string (etc), he has been able to poop every day and his appetite has sky-rocketed. In fact, he has gained one pound in one week. WOW! We are finally seeing 27 pounds on the scale (he is a tiny boy). He takes his iron supplement like a champ and when we have our follow up with the GI specialist on October 21st, I am sure the deficiency will be gone.

I hope the cravings for string and other things will fade away with the anemia. That's the other good news: the vast majority of kids grow out of pica.

Thank God. I can now readily accept that my son has pica (a very real eating disorder) but I really don't want to be on "My (Child's) Strange Addiction."

Kitten the Guinea Pig

2011-10-02T18:31:00.001-04:00

We got a guinea pig!

We had been talking about getting one since earlier this summer after we pig-sat for my friend Debbie's guinea pig, Keat. The boys had such a good time playing with Keat (and Aaron and I did too!).

After Polly died we knew that we wanted to get a new pet eventually and talked about getting a guinea pig for the boys' birthday. Well, the big day is a week from today and while we were out running errands today (sans kids, OH, how nice!) we stopped into PetSmart to price everything.

Pretty soon we were saying, "Well? Should we get one today? Why not!"

So here is our guinea pig!

We set up his super-cool cage (made even more super cool by the fact that it was on sale) while the boys napped and then eagerly waited for them to wake up.

Benji woke up first and went right toward the cage. "It's a 'piggy-pig!'" He said, excitedly.

And Micah said the same thing when he got up. You would think they were twins or something.

I asked Benji what we should name the "piggy-pig" and he promptly said:

"Kitten"

So, "Kitten" it is.

This is Kitten, our sweet little guinea pig.

Hello, Kitten!

He is so soft.

He is a little shy and a little freaked out by our crazy-almost-four-year-olds. But he loves to snuggle in the boys' laps on top of a blanket (because "he has sharp claws!" as the boys say).

But we hope that our sweet "piggy-pig" Kitten will be a great addition to the Meng Household.

How much drama can one dinner-time hold? A 3 year-old demonstration

2011-09-24T18:46:00.001-04:00

My friends with girls have bemoaned the fact that their 3-4 year old girls are dramatic. I think it's just the age.

My dear first-born has learned the art of the fake cry, complete with big ol' tears and convincing "a-HEH! a-HEH!" sobbing. Though I am usually pretty compassionate when it comes to my kids crying, sometimes the fake-drama just gets old.

For example, tonight at dinner Micah cried because:

...we asked him what he liked at the pet store today (somehow this question produced intense anger)

...because he wanted cheetos ("not until you finish your sandwich")

...because he wanted a kitten (like we saw at the pet store)

...because he wants a BB gun (no, son)

...because he put all his kool-aid in his mouth at once, swished it around, thereby inducing a fit of coughing, and spewed kool-aid all over his shirt and food.

...because mommy yelled at him for spewing kool-aid everywhere (ok, I am guilty on this account)

...because his food was wet.

...because he wanted cheetos

...because he wanted a kitten

....because mommy would not let him have cheetos until he ate his sandwich

...because his food was wet

...because Brother had cheetos (Brother ate his food)

....because the cheeto mascot reminded him of a toy he lost at Kids Cove 3 weeks ago

....because his food was wet and he WANTED CHEETOS!

Finally, he decided to eat his food. And he got a small handful of cheetos.

Holy crap. D.R.A.M.A.

Dinner and a show, right?

Yeah, right.

Meng Menu

2011-09-24T15:26:00.003-04:00

Saturday: Roasted Pork Loin, roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli

Sunday: Chicken wraps/sandwiches, chips, fruit salad

Monday: Sloppy Joes, green bean casserole, baked fries,blueberry pie (Aaron's annual requested birthday dinner!)

Tuesday: Frozen meal (thank you, Birdseye Garlic Chicken w/ veggies)

Wednesday: Homemade Clam Chowder, salad, French bread

Thursday: Fried rice w/ pork loin and Asian veggies

Friday: Egg and cheese puffs, toasted French bread, fruit salad

Back on track with the grocery budget this week: total = $116, including Pantene shampoo and conditioner, and dishwasher detergent. YES!

It's a birthday week for us! Aaron turns 28 and his favorite meal is still sloppy joe's. We eat sloppy joe's frequently anyways so to make this b-day meal special, I am making a blueberry pie--his favorite. I'm taking some help from the store for the filling but I am going to make the crust.

It is finally getting cooler so I am breaking out our favorite soup recipes again. This week it's clam chowder, one of our all time favorites! Bacon, canned clams, potatoes, onions, and light cream make this a winner. Paired with homemade french bread (my recipe above) and Wednesday should be an awesome meal! Yum!

What are some of your favorite cool weather soups or recipes?

Four-year-old photographer: What I did while Mommy made puppets

2011-09-19T20:53:00.001-04:00

Hi! My name is Micah and I am almost 4 years old. I really like Mommy's cool camera and today I took pictures of the things I like while Mommy sewed the puppets!

Here is my Mommy! I like her a lot. When I took this picture I said, "Aww, that's so cute!"

This is our fireplace. I helped Daddy make a fire on Saturday. I really like fire.

This is a log. We burn logs in our fireplace.

These are my feet! Mommy drew them and I took a picture. Cool, huh?

Mommy is using the glue gun to glue my chicken's face. I really wanted to use the glue gun. Really. A lot. But Mommy said no. :( :( :(

This is my red car. It goes by itself. It has batteries. Today I made it go into Mommy's feet while she did the dishes. It was so funny that I did it about 12 times in a row.

I love cars.

See Mommy's eye? She is giving a puppet show!

Ok, Mommy took this last picture, at my brother's request. These are Benji's favorite cars.

I took more pictures but Mommy deleted them because they were mostly super-close blurry versions of my Thomas the Train, cars, or pictures of the TV (I wanted to take a picture of Walle on TV but it didn't turn out).

I love taking pictures! Mommy thinks I might have an eye for it! :)

Kids Crafts: Felt Puppets (A Tutorial)

2011-09-19T20:26:00.002-04:00

A week ago we went to the library and played with their wide assortment of puppets. I had so much fun carrying on a conversation with a giraffe, astronaut and little girl (with Micah) that I wanted to try my hand at making some puppets to play with at home.

Want to make your own?

Here's what to do!

Supplies:

Wide assortment of felt pieces

Paper

Marker

Scissors

Glue gun (or tacky glue)

Sewing machine

First, trace around your hand imagining your three middle fingers as the head and your pinky and thumb as arms. Be sure to leave a wide opening at the bottom for the hand to slip in and out easily.

Fold paper in half and cut out to ensure a symmetrical puppet pattern.

Fold your pattern in half and pin to your felt. Cut two.

Decide what animal you what your puppet to be and cut out face shapes: eyes, ears, nose, mouth (you get the picture). This little guy is a LION so he has a bright orange and yellow mane!

Hot glue the face on (or use tacky glue if you don't have a glue gun. Elmer's is too thin to really grip the felt so use a thicker glue. Wait a few hours (or over night) to enjoy your puppet if you don't use hot glue)

All glued!

Pin the mane. This may be a bit tricky if you cut your mane out of a straight piece of felt like I did--it works though!

Lots o' pins!

Pin the ears on too. I put a fold in the ears to given them a little 3D body.

I used a straight stitch for the body and then switched to a zig-zag for around the head.

Since there is no turning in this project (I didn't want to lose any volume in the puppet by turning it), sew really close to the edge.

The zigzag stitch gives a little extra detail to the head (especially for the lion's mane!) and it helps grip all those pieces you are trying to sew together.

After you are done sewing, check your seams to be sure that you caught both the back and the front. I had to sew around the head again.

Yea! Your lion is done! Let's play!

(Micah took this picture! Pretty good for an almost-four-year-old, right?)

My sweet Micah with his lion.

(We just can't time the smile with the camera click. Oh well.)

A puppet is a good TV watching buddy

Benji with the Lion

But one puppet isn't enough! We made a chicken too! (At Micah's specific request! And this is another one of his pictures too! I think the kid has an eye for this sort of thing...)

Micah captured a crazy moment with Mommy and the chicken.

(Yes, it does look a bit like a turkey. But he picked out the colors. Go figure. It is a nice, brown chicken)

Have a puppet show over the back of your couch!

(Let's hope the Lion and the Chicken don't realize they are on opposite ends of the food chain. Right now, when asked, both Lion and Chicken state that they eat "seeds." Though, there is a different, more hilarious, answer in the video below)

Yea for PUPPETS! Go ahead and make your own!

The best part of this short video is Micah's answer when asked, "What do chickens eat?" LOL

Meng Menu + Mexican Fajita Casserole Recipe

2011-09-17T15:16:00.001-04:00

Saturday: Hot Dogs, pretzels, jello salad

Sunday: Cheesy Italian chicken and pasta with spinach

Monday: Mexican Fajita casserole (RECIPE!)

Tuesday: Frozen Chicken Alfredo meal (thank you freezer section), salad

Wednesday: Pan seared pork chops, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli w/ garlic butter

Thursday: Soft Tacos, refried beans

Friday: Bierocks, salad (had left over meat from last week!)

I did not stay in budget this week. Pooh. Total was $138. BUT, in my defense, I spent almost $30 in non-food items (deodorant, foundation, trash bags, upholstery cleaner, etc, etc.). So...ya win some, ya lose some.

I feel like I might have to defend how many times "Hot dogs" are on our menu--lol! Here's why: Aaron really likes hot dogs and so do the boys. I do too (not as in-love as the men in my family though). I feel like I try to "redeem" the hot dogs by buying the Hebrew National reduced fat ones. And they were on sale this week. Score.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I am always trying to think of something easy and fast because I am exhausted after work and don't want to cook. This week I have a frozen meal (Stouffer's I think) for Tuesday and then I am going to pre-cook the taco meat and get all the fixin's ready on Wednesday night so dinner will be easy for Thursday night.

Oh! And the bierocks were a HUGE success! They were so yummy! In fact, I had planned to eat them for two meals last week and we ate so many (lunches) that there weren't enough for dinner. So we ended up eating out on Friday night. No complaints there. :) But I did have leftover meat to make more so I am going to make some more dough and make more for Friday night.

Here is the Recipe for the Mexican Fajita casserole. I made this a lot when we first got married and we got a little burnt out on it. But I think that it is time to bring this recipe out of retirement. (do you have recipes like that? Used to be a favorite and you made it so much that it got boring? I'm excited to make this one again! It's a winner.)

Mexican Fajita Casserole

Ingredients:

2 Cups cooked rice

1-2 TBS olive oil

1 red pepper, cut into short strips

1 green pepper, ditto above

1 small red onion, ditto

minced garlic to taste (I love me some garlic)

Salt and pepper

Chili powder, to taste

Cumin, to taste

2 medium chicken breasts, cut into cubes

Cream of Mushroom soup

1/4 cup milk

2 cups Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Make it:

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add peppers and onions and saute until tender-crisp. Add garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Add a bit more olive oil to skillet. Add cubed chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Add chili power and cumin to taste. Add any other herbs that you think will taste delish in this dish (a little oregano? hot red pepper flakes? Go for it!) Brown chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes (you don't want to cook it too much because the casserole is going into the oven).

Add peppers and onions back into skillet. Add Mushroom soup and milk. Cook until bubbly and then remove from heat.

Assemble it:

In a two quart casserole dish, layer rice, chicken mixture, cheese. Repeat and end with cheese on top. Bake in a 375 oven for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top.

Cool slightly and serve!

This makes a ton of food. It will easily serve 6-8 hungry adults and it is really good left over.

Enjoy!

Encouragement for Discouraged Moms

2011-09-14T15:24:00.002-04:00

Lately I have been so discouraged as a mom--like in "the depths of despair" to borrow the emotionally ridden sediments of Anne Shirley. And by depths of despair I mean "downright depressed" some days.

Because motherhood often seems like running on a hamster wheel--I run and run and run as fast as I can and I feel like I don't get anywhere. The boys still disobey, the laundry is still overflowing, the whining never stops, the kitchen table is still sticky, and the sink is still overflowing with dishes. There is no getting ahead, no moving forward. It seems.

Contrasted with going to work--where I get the emails answered, I see my students "getting it," I see the syllabus getting accomplished for the semester--the hamster wheel seems unbearable at times.

Just being honest.

So, there have been lots of tears, lots of questioning, lots of soul-searching, lots of praying. And do you know what? God really does give comfort when we are in "despair."

Here is some of the comfort I have received just this week about being a mom.

A great conversation with my friend Debbie who encouraged me not to "put so much pressure on myself" to be perfect.
A listening ear from my BFF Candace who, though she is single and has no children, is always a comfort to me
A wonderful FB chat with my sister Kalina who, though she is a single mom, gives me such a good perspective about being thankful for what I have
A deep conversation with my husband, Aaron, who listens to my doubts and identity-crisis-blathering and still tells me "I love you"
And a host of timely internet articles that have brought tears to my eyes with their honest, refreshing wisdom about being a mother of small children.

Here they are if you need some encouragement yourself:

Feeling Invisible? I do at times. This article gave me some beautiful perspective
I judged this article before I read it (thought it was going to be super-spiritual jargon) but I was wrong: Motherhood as a Mission Field
And finally, Will you Survive Motherhood? Sometimes I wonder. But I think the answer is yes.

But I want to do more than just survive. I want to thrive--find joy.

And God knows, his joy is my strength. And that strength, just a little bit, came in the form of playgroup conversations, Facebook chats, and online articles.

Just what I needed to peek over the top of those "depths of despair" and realize that motherhood can be, well, fun. :)

PS. Here is a small picture of the fun morning I had with my almost four year olds: We watched "The Lion and the Woodchip" (aka The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) this morning. Then we took Aaron lunch, went to the library, grocery store, made cookies and had a picnic lunch in the living room. And I kept my cool the whole morning--no crazy, screamy mommy! Plus, while the boys have been sleeping, I helped two students revise their papers (over email) and posted final grades for a class I taught earlier in the semester. Overall, it's been a great day. Thank God! :)

Meng Menu

2011-09-10T21:06:00.000-04:00

Saturday: Hot dogs, baked fries, carrot sticks

Sunday: Bierocks, greek salad

Monday: Roasted Whole chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy,green beans

Tuesday: Leftover bierocks, fruit salad

Wednesday: Spinach cheese roll ups, caeser salad

Thursday: Candace bringing dinner

Friday: Sloppy Joes, baked beans, corn

Grocery shopping success! Total = $116 and I bought a bunch of extra non-food items (mascara, potato peeler, gum, etc) too! YEA! I love being under budget AND excited about yummy food for the week!

So, you maybe be wondering, what the heck are "bierocks"? They are German thing. And a Kansas thing actually. I had them as a kid--a family friend shared them with us, though I am also German (Maiden name "Arpke") and from Kansas (WOOT!) Apparently, as I read online (who knows how accurate the source was though) German immigrants brought bierocks over to Kansas.

So back to the "what-the-heck-are-they" question? They are kinda like the original hot pocket--a sweet dough wrapped around beef, cabbage, onion, and cheese mixture. I am not a huge cabbage fan but I really like it in these. I am going to tweak the allrecipes recipe (above) and add a few other goodies. I hope they turn out! As I recall, they are delicious left over and the recipe makes a ton so we are having them two nights this week. Like I said, I hope they turn out! I am going to make my own dough from the calzone recipe--with a little extra honey thrown in for sweetness.

Plus, tomorrow I am super excited for Sunday Breakfast--I'm making Egg and cheese puffs and cinnamon rolls (wack-a-can. Love 'em). My BFF Candace is coming over for breakfast and then to church with us. AND we are going to go see "The Help" tomorrow afternoon! Should be an awesome day!

Meng Menu + Fried Rice Recipe

2011-09-03T14:08:00.000-04:00

Saturday: Homemade Eggrolls (never made these before! Excited!), Raman noodles (kickin' it old school!)

Sunday: Fried Rice w/ pork and asian veggies (Recipe below!)

Monday: Hot dogs, chips, corn on the cob (Happy Labor Day!)

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, baked fries, carrot sticks

Wednesday: Calzones, salad

Thursday: Parent Night at Preschool (out to eat)

Friday: Chicken Pot Pie

Grocery shopping victory!

I spent $106 today which included pull-ups AND sherbet AND cake mix (those little extras!) YES! Plus I wanted to try to cook something new this week (eggrolls) and I bought a lot of fancy-schmancy ingredients (can you say "oyster sauce"?) to make them and I STILL didn't break the bank! YEA!

See? you don't always have to deprive yourself of treats or cooking new things to stay on a budget. You just have to cook smart--like I am making Calzones two weeks in a row because I have most of the ingredients leftover. Plus they are yummy! Want to make your own? Here is the recipe!

And here is another recipe:

Fried Rice
Serves 4-6 (big portions)

This recipe is a great way to use up leftovers, it is quick, tasty, figure friendly (despite the name "Fried Rice" there is very little oil in this recipe), and kids love it--and so will you!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (make extra one night and this recipe will go even quicker!)
2 cups diced cooked meat (I have used left over pork loin but chicken, steak, or shrimp would be great too!
1 egg
1-2 TBS vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil (I have this on hand but you could leave it out if you don't have it. It adds a wonderful asian flavor in the background though)
Frozen asian veggie medley OR leftover veggies in fridge (green beans, carrots, broccoli, whatever!)
2 green onions, greens diced
1 tsp minced garlic (or to taste)
Powdered ginger (to taste)
Ground mustard (to taste)
Hot sauce or red pepper (to taste)
2-3 TBS + one dash soy sauce (or to taste)

Make it:

Heat large (as big as you've got) skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray when hot.

Scramble egg with one dash of soy sauce. Pour in hot skillet and scramble with a wooden spoon until cooked and resembles little crumbles/ribbons. Egg will cook quickly! Remove from skillet.

Add vegetable and sesame oil to skillet. Throw in frozen veggies and toss to coat. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to boil. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic.

Add meat, green onions and egg back into skillet (if using leftover veggies, simply heat oil and throw veggies in with meat, etc). Stir frequently until warmed through.

Add rice (if using cold leftover rice, warm in microwave until warm/hot before adding). Before you stir in the rice into the veggies/meat, add soy sauce, ginger, ground mustard, pepper on top. Stir everything in and heat through.

Serve!

My husband and kids love this--and so do I! You will too!

BAM Diapers: Blue and Pink!

2011-09-02T14:59:00.001-04:00

Introducing NEW COLORS for BAM diapers....

....for your baby boy or your baby girl.

Royal blue for your little man--you don't get much more "boy" than this blue!

Powder pink for your little lady

(I am in love with how sweet this pink diaper is. Maybe it is because I don't have any girls. But seriously! How perfect is this for your sweet and soft baby girl?)

The BAM Diaper has a unique tri-fold soaker of bamboo fleece and cotton.

Sewn in at one end....

....yet free at the other end, this soaker is super-absorbent yet is able to unfold in the wash to get extra clean.

Plus, this all-in-one diaper dries in one drier cycle.

Even better? There is no stuffing involved!

Want more color options for your baby?

Sunshine yellow is available

as well as Aqua Blue

Send me an email (bmeng@liberty.edu) or FB message (Search: BAM Cloth Diapers) if you would like to order a BAM diaper or BAM cover (prefect for prefolds!)

Sizes:

Small = 10-20 lbs

Medium = 20-30 lbs

Prices:

AIO diaper: $16 each

Cover: $10

Kid Crafts: Crayon Creations

2011-09-02T12:33:00.000-04:00

One of the blogs I follow posted this fun project earlier this week and I knew that I had to try making some fun Crayon Creations with the boys.

Supplies:

Crayons (I used our less-than-awesome RoseArt Crayons)

Knife

Paper (thicker works better--we used marker/paint paper from an art pad)

Paper towels

Iron

(This is definitely a mommy-needs-to-help craft)

First, peel back some paper from the end of the crayon and carve some shavings with the knife. The boys picked out the colors and I did the shaven'!

Next, fold the paper in half and sprinkle some crayon shavings on one side

Fold the paper

Lay a paper towel under the paper (on the counter) and place a folded paper towel on top

Iron over the paper towel for 20 seconds (I had the iron heated to Cotton/no steam) rubbing back and forth along the paper

Open your paper up and enjoy your Crayon Creation!

Let dry in a cool place.

Benji helped me make a few but I didn't get any pics with him.

Here is one of Micah's

Micah took this picture!

The boys assigned "bugs" to all of them: "That one looks like a Butterfly/Caterpillar/Beetle/Etc"

Proudly display your Crayon Creations! Each one is so unique and pretty!

Recipe: Calzones

2011-08-31T17:02:00.002-04:00

Mmmmm! Who doesn't love Calzones, or pizza in a pocket? I can't think of a man, woman, or especially, a child who would refuse such a dinner! Plus they are super budget friendly as you can use leftovers veggies and very small amounts of meat!

Calzones are really easy to make, especially if you use a store bought pizza dough (the kind found in a pop-open tube. Pillsbury sells a good Thin Crust one that is perfect for calzones!). One tube of dough makes 4 calzones (Four calzones were enough to feed our family of four--the boys shared, I ate one, and Aaron at two). But, if you have time, make your own dough--it is delicious! Really. It is worth it.

Ingredients

Dough:

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2-3 cups flour

Filling:

Shredded Mozzarella or Pizza Blend Cheese
Favorite Pizza toppings:
mini pepperoni (or large pepperoni cut into fourths)
sausage (crumbled breakfast or Italian. Save some out after Spaghetti night! Or crumble up leftover meatballs)
Ham (sandwich meat)
peppers and onions, diced (sautéed until tender-crisp. I used leftovers from fajita night)
Black Olives (leftover from taco night?)
Mushrooms, lightly sauteed
Etc.

Favorite Pizza Sauce for dipping on the side (I have made these with sauce inside but they are better with just the filling and cheese inside and sauce on the side)

Make it!
If using store bought dough, unroll and cut into four rectangles.

OR

Soften together yeast, water and honey.

Add salt and flour to make a soft dough.

Knead 10 minutes (It seems like a long time but keep at it. The kneading is what gives the finished crust that nice chewy pizza quality), or till smooth and elastic, adding flour if necessary to keep from being sticky.

Cover and let rise till doubled (about 1 hour - less if using rapid rise yeast).

Punch down. Divide into six sections and roll out in rounds 1/4 inch thick.

Spray cookie sheet (not air bake) or pizza pan generously with cooking spray (You'll need two if you make homemade dough). Assemble the calzones on the baking sheet so you don't have to transfer the doughy packets later.

Add filling--I like to add cheese on the bottom, then top with veggies, meats, etc, and then top with a little more cheese. That way you get cheesy goodness all around. (my mouth is watering as I type....)

TIP: don't go crazy with the filling. You want to be able to close the calzone.

Fold dough over filling, tucking in any stranglers. Use a fork to firmly crimp the edges.

Spray tops of calzones with cooking spray or brush with Olive Oil. This will give the crust a nice shiny, crispy top. If you like, sprinkle lightly with garlic powder, Italian herbs and onion powder.

Cut 2-3 small slits in the top of the calzone with cooking sheers to let the steam escape.

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Calzones are done with they are golden brown on top.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes (as they will be screamin' hot and you will burn the roof of your mouth trying to scarf down the goodness that is the calzone if you try to eat it as soon as it comes out of the oven).

Serve with warmed pizza sauce on the side and a big ol' salad.

Hey family! Dinner's ready!!

(Dough recipe curtesy of Food.com)

Meng Menu

2011-08-28T18:31:00.001-04:00

Sunday: Homemade Calzones, ceaser salad

Monday: Shrimp and grits, steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Frozen Pizza, salad

Wednesday: BBQ Pork Ribs, baked beans, baby carrots

Thursday: Pan Seared chicken, rice, green beans

Friday: Sandwiches/wraps, chips, fruit salad

Saturday: Leftovers

Grocery shopping victory! $104!

Stay tuned for a recipe for the Calzones soon! Yum!

Sewing for me: The Dolman Darling Sweater

2011-08-27T22:50:00.001-04:00

I made a new shirt!--really, I guess, a sweater since the fabric I used is a super-soft woven knit. It is my own design--and really easy at that! It is a Dolman sleeve sweater, which means it has a front and a back, no separate sleeve pieces!

Here is a little of how I made it (I didn't document the whole process since I was a little unsure of how it would turn out...)

First, I placed a shirt that fit well on the fold of my fabric and traced it with chalk

(I made sure the stretch of the knit was going horizontally across the front of the shirt, not vertically. So, as you are viewing the bottom photo, the stretch is going from north to south....I think I am confusing myself....carry on...)

(please excuse my horrific chalk drawing. The boys decided to smash my tailors chalk into tiny bits so I used...um...sidewalk chalk instead. It was challenging.)

Basically, the idea of the Dolman sleeve is that it is attached to the main body piece. I gave a generous curve under the arm and shortened the body of the shirt because I added a 4 inch hem piece at the bottom.

The wide hem piece was smaller than the body of the shirt so I stretched it a bit while I sewed to make sure it had a nice, snug fit.

The back view

(Sorry for the blur. It is a bit hard taking pictures of yourself while you are not facing the camera)

I also did a cuff around the bottom of the sleeve with the same stretching technique I used for the wide hem.

Rocking my pearls with my Dolman Darling Sweater

This sweet little shirt came together in less than two hours! That's my kind of project!

Plus it is perfect for work, church, or casual wear. :D

"I want to pray!"

2011-08-25T14:28:00.000-04:00

I hate losing things, mostly because I hate looking for things I've lost. Even more than I hate losing MY things and looking for them is having to look for things OTHER people have lost. It just makes me want to ROAR!

Sadly, I have been roaring a lot lately because, as a mother of small children, I am constantly looking for things that other people ::ahem--said children:: have lost. This morning was no exception.

We had approximately 4.2 minutes to get shoes on, grab briefcase, lunch boxes, and blankies and rush out the door to preschool and work. And Benji couldn't find his shoe.

This fact is particularly annoying because looking for his shoes is a frequent occurrence; no matter how many times I stress "YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR SHOES IN THE BOX SO WE DO NOT LOSE THEM, OK?????" he forgets. Because he is three (a fact I need to remember more often).

Plus, even more annoyingly, he will. not. wear. any. other. shoes. At all. That kid is OCD about his shoes if there was a kid ever OCD about anything. Thank you, dear Husband, for imparting this wonderful part of yourself to our child. I am praying it manifests itself in more productive facets (such as your timeliness and organization) when he gets older.

Anyways, he couldn't find his shoe. I am mad because I am rushed, running late, and hate looking for other people's things.

Me: (roaring) WE NEED TO FIND YOUR SHOE!!! LOOK FOR IT! NOW!
Benji: (crying a bit) I want to pray.
Me: WHAT?
Benji: I want to pray!

I didn't actually fully comprehend what he said the first time, though I heard the words he said. The thing is, last time he lost his shoes, we looked for them for a very long time (30 minutes +) and I was ballistic by this point. Then that gentle inner whisper reminded me that I need to slow down, take a deep breath and ask God to help us. So we prayed. And we found the shoes.

My little son remembered that prayer and wanted to pray for the shoes today.

Me: (kneeling down and holding him) Do you want to pray?
Benji: No, you do it.

So I did.

We didn't find the shoe instantly but pretty soon after that. I was so humbled. When I was running around roaring like mad, my son's first instinct was to pray. Which I know should be my first instinct. I do actually pray a lot when I lose things--but not before running around, slamming doors, and muttering wildly inappropriate words under my breath. I know when I stop and pray, it isn't about saying the magic words to suddenly make the item appear--it is about changing my attitude, slowing down, and realizing that I need help. And then I always find what I am looking for. I know God has used my habit of losing things to build my faith.

Praying for lost things was an attitude that I wanted to pass along to my boys as a way to build their faith.

And it did even more for me today. My sweet son, whimpering because Mommy was ROARING about losing that darn shoe, challenged me to stop immediately and pray.

I feel like I am constantly convicted about how I am not doing enough to teach my boys about the Lord and Christian character.

Well, today, my son taught me.

We found the shoe and hastily threw a "Thank you" up to heaven as we ran to the car.

And I'm thankful for more than that, right at this moment.

Character Pillows: A fast and easy project

2011-08-20T20:12:00.000-04:00

This is a super-fast, fun and EASY project for those of you who think you can't sew "fancy-schmancy" toys for your kids--Character pillows! Your kids will think you are a GENIUS!

A friend of my gave me these Cars decals (iron-on/sew on). I cut a pillow shape from some green/gray velvet in my stash and sewed around the edge of the decal (is that the right word? Cannot think of another one at the moment so there ya go...) Then I stitched up the pillow, stuffed it and machine sewed it shut on the end. DONE! EASY!

And happy kiddos! Thanks Mom!

(I was actually having a really bad morning when I made these. I'll blame it on PMS. Anyways, I spent a good 20 minutes chucking Lightning McQueen and the Policeman pillows at the boys. They thought it was great fun. And I got some aggression out. Win-win, right?)

Goin' Crunchy: Homemade Laundry Detergent

2011-08-16T13:45:00.004-04:00

I guess I am a little crunchy--you know, granola? Hippie? Make your own stuff-kinda-girl? Maybe it's my obsession over cloth diapers, who knows?

Anyways, I finally got up the courage to make some Homemade Laundry Detergent!

Supplies:

Ivory Soap

Borax

Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda)

Hand grater

Container

Tablespoon

Maybe you have never heard or seen Borax and Washing Soda. They are actually really easy to find--I bought mine in the laundry aisle at Kroger. Amazing! And you can find Ivory soap anywhere. Ivory is good for this because it is pretty much pure soap--no fancy extra stuff.

Stay pure, my friends.

Directions:

Grate soap with hand grater. If you had a food processor, I'm sure this would go much faster, but, alas, I do not have one. It really only took 3-4 minutes.

Admire your pretty pile of soap shavings.

Then dump them into your container

Add one cup of Borax. Add one cup of Washing Soda.

(I doubled my batch today)

Stir for a few minutes (yes, minutes) with a wooden spoon. It takes a bit of stirring to combine everything completely. Smash any lumps up with the back of your spoon--the Borax tends to clump.

When you are done stirring (2-4 minutes), it should look like this: Nice and smooth/crumbly

Add a Tablespoon to your mix. Cover.

DONE!

To use: Add one-two level tablespoons per load. We have an HE washer and this is perfect because it produces very low suds.

This is the second time I have made this (I didn't want to advise others to use it until I had used it myself for a while). One batch makes 32-64 loads, depending on how much you use. I have found that I need 2 TBS per load, as I like to cram as much in my washer as I can and I live with 3 stinky boys. I have also found that a warm/cold wash works better than cold/cold but this detergent works fine in cold water too.

As there are no added fragrances, the clothes come out of the washer smelling slightly of soap--a nice fresh, clean smell.

Also, there are no brighteners or stain lifters. To compensate for that, because I live with 3 boys, I add one scoop of generic oxyclean to the drum of my washer (on the clothes, not in the dispenser). This seems to really help with stains and odors. Of course, pretreat really bad stains as you normally would.

This soap works wonderfully for all laundry and would especially be good for Cloth Diapers, as diapers must be washed in additive free detergent to prevent build up and stink issues.

The really, really nice thing about this detergent is it is so cost effective. I bought the Ivory soap (3 bars), Borax and Washing Soda for a little over $14. After making three batches, I still have over half a box of both Borax and Washing Soda left. I will need to buy more Ivory next time I make some (which will be in a few months since I made a double batch today) but three bars at Walgreens cost less than $2. Math has never been my strong suit but I believe the final tally comes out to 3-4c per load. I would always cringe when I shelled out $20+ bucks for HE laundry detergent. Now, I have found something that is super cheap and works really well!

So go ahead, be crunchy. Make your own laundry detergent.

It really works.

The New and Improved BAM Diaper Cover

2011-08-15T20:01:00.001-04:00

Remember this post: "BAM Diaper Cover: An Experiment"? I had several wonderful moms try out my diaper cover, some as far away as Alaska and Rhode Island!

Here is what they had to say:

I started using this diaper cover when my daughter was around 8 1/2 lbs. Since our prefolds are all too big and bulky for this cover, I use my small gDiaper inserts. That insert length works perfectly with this cover and keeps the messes in very well. I haven't had problems with leaks and the cover and insert make for a very trim-looking diaper. I love how easy this cover is to wipe off and clean. The velcro fasteners create a very snug waist and fold back easily for washing. I use several (size small) BAM all-in-one diapers and this cover has the same trim fit. Overall, great cover! ~Erica

I wanted to update you on our Diaper Experiment. it's going GREAT! it has washed up well (no fraying or anything like that), we've had no leaks or blow outs, and it fits really well- even with xavier's chunky belly and thighs. so far so good! thanks for letting him be a guinea pig. :O) i like all-in-ones more than any other style of cloth diaper (just way easy!) but this is a close second. we're using mock g-diapers and that isn't going nearly as well as your's. ~Aya

So far, I *love* the cover . . . I really like how trim the cover is- the tabs over the hips are much thinner than bummis/motherease/kissaluv covers that I've used. This is really nice, because I feel like it makes it easier to move around in. The downside to the trim fit is that I doubt the cover would fit well over contours or fitted diapers. I have been using flats or infant-sized prefolds (which is my personal preference, since we change with every wet- about every hour the babe is awake). I did *JUST BARELY* manage to stuff a regular sized prefold in once, but there were big gaps around the legs from the overstuffing. I'd personally like to see a little more space in the butt of the diaper- we didn't have any "blowouts" while trying the cover, but I am a little nervous bc of the cover's tight fit that the it might not hold the mess in. ~Rachel

OKAY-We tried the cover over the last two days-with inserts, with pre-folds and with flats. The main problem we had was the fit. The material around the edges seemed to fold in on itself after it was prepped so that was tough also. It didn't want to stay flat while I was trying to get it on my son and since the fit was so small, it made it even harder. I don't know if the size was just off-my son is 9 weeks and just over 12 pounds now. I couldn't fit it over the flat diaper without tons of the diaper coming out. It was very trim, which I like but a bit too trim to really fit the diaper. I also couldn't get the waist tight enough while being big enough around the thighs. Aside from the rolling and the fit issues, it seemed to work well. The material left a bit of a red mark around the waist and thighs but it could have been from me trying to get a good fit. There were no leaks during testing either. ~Laurie

So, there were some good things going on with the BAM cover:

Trim fit

No leaks

But some obvious problems too, the biggest being fit, a pretty important issue.

I went back to the drawing board and designed a new cover, inspired by the FLIP system of diaper cover. The new BAM cover has been tested and it works well!

So I would like to introduce the NEW and IMPROVED

BAM Diaper Cover

Same shape as the BAM All In One with fold-back laundry tabs

IMPROVEMENTS =

One layer of PUL (still thoroughly waterproof)

Wider through the legs and tush area

Improved elastic gussets in the legs and back

Pocket in the front and back to keep prefold diaper in place

The most important aspect I improved was the fit around the legs. I made sure that the prefold would fit in the cover securely without sticking out at all.

The prefold (Chinese prefold, green trim) pictured is an Infant size and fits perfectly in this Small cover. However, a Regular size prefold will also work if you fold the short ends in (as opposed to the long ends, as pictured above. Hope this makes sense).

Using a cover and prefold system is a very economical way to cloth diaper your baby. For every dozen prefold diapers you buy (roughly $1.50 each), you only need 3-4 covers.

BAM Diaper Covers:

Small (10-20lbs): $10.00

Medium (20-30lbs): $10.00

Please email me if you would like to place an order: bmeng@liberty.edu

Happy Cloth Diapering!

Meng Menu

2011-08-15T13:18:00.000-04:00

Saturday: Broiled Flank Steak, loaded smashed potatoes, salad

Sunday: Whatever

Monday: Chicken tacos

Tuesday: Fried Rice w/ pork and asian veggies

Wednesday: BLTs, pretzels, applesauce

Thursday: Italian baked chicken, pasta dish, green beans

Friday: Baked Chicken Tenders, baked fries, jello salad

Grocery shopping success this week! Can you tell that chicken was on sale? :) I spent $109 on food. YES! (I also went to Walmart to buy some school supplies for the boys as they start preschool NEXT WEEK and I also bought some stuff for the Kidz Kraze community yard sale so I am "over" budget concerning all those items. But as far as food goes, UNDER! YEA!!)

Tribute to my wonderful bird, Polly

2011-08-12T14:44:00.002-04:00

My beautiful lovebird, Polly, passed away yesterday. She was born in 1989. Yes, you read that right. She was 22 years old. OLD, OLD, OLD for a bird. Really, for any pet. Lovebirds typically live 12-15 years so she was a senior citizen for a while. Her health had been failing for a while: she was blind, couldn't fly any more, didn't have a good grip, and would randomly fall off me onto the floor (sad, right?) Her favorite thing to do was snuggle with me, right next my neck with her feathers fluffed out--so sweet and warm. She had been having seizures for a while and the night before she died she had a few really big ones and Aaron and I could just feel the life ebbing out of her. I stayed up extra late that night holding her and stroking her and she seemed to be doing a little better when I put her to bed. But in the morning I found her stiff and cold at the bottom of her cage.

Yesterday was rough.

I got Polly for my 6th birthday. I had been wanting a pet for a while and the thought of a bird just really struck my fancy. On the day of my birthday I eagerly unwrapped a huge box that revealed a birdcage. Squeals of joy followed as my parents told me that we would be going to pick out my very own bird tomorrow after my sister's violin lesson.

Well, that violin lesson was the longest violin lesson EVER. Seriously, it was like 3 hours long (definitely longest 30 minutes of my life!). We FINALLY went to the bird store (yep, they just sold birds) and picked out this little cutie. The store workers told us that lovebirds were especially good for young children as they were steady, friendly, and sturdy.

"But don't lovebirds need a partner?" we asked.

"No," the worker replied. "If a lovebird doesn't have a partner, he or she will bond with the new owner."

So that day we brought home this little bird, barely 6 months old, in a paper bag ("Don't sit on your bird on the way home!" the worker winked) and our magical bond was formed.

One of the first things I taught Polly (named, at my parents urging, after Polynesia, the parrot in the Doctor Dolittle books) was to sit in my shirt--kinda weird, I know, but that way I could carry her around everywhere and kiss the top of her head every time I wanted to. Plus I didn't have to worry about her getting catapulted off my shoulder as I ran around my house like the crazy 6 year old I was. Though she never learned to talk, my sibling and I taught her several tricks: how to give kisses, climb a ladder, play hide and seek (ok, not really) and ultimately, how to be really, really spoiled. I did teach her to poop on the trash can--one of our greatest achievements. I got to know her signals for when she needed to poop so I would swoop here down to the edge of the trash can so she could do her business. For a long while after that, she would fly to the trash can and perch on the edge (she didn't always sit in the right direction though to pop a squat. oh well).

She loved to be out of her cage and would shriek to high heavens if she wanted to come out. Since I was homeschooled, I usually carried her around all day long in my shirt, her head poked out the top, or sometimes out the arm of my sleeve. She loved to shred paper and chew on Kleenexes as well as do a funny bobbing sort of dance at the bottom of her cage to get attention. She also loved to swing--once her swinging was so enthusiastic that the swing came off the hook at the top and she fell to the bottom of her cage.

She also LOVED, I mean LOVED, people food. I probably indulged her way. too. much. She loved cheese, fruit, bread, and especially, candy. If I was eating a lolly pop, she would tug on the stick so hard that sometimes she pulled it out of my mouth. Then she would carry the lolly pop, her head hanging to the side because it was so heavy. She also loved to sit on the edge of water glasses and drink out of them, even if there were only drips at the bottom--she would stretch all the way down, with her toes barely hanging on the edge and lick up the liquid. Talented, that bird.

When she was younger, she also loved to take baths. She would splash in her water dish, a glass of water, or a running tap in the sink and get completely soaked. She could come away from the bath looking like a cross between a drowned cat and one of those scary lizards with the big neck frill.

We were separated during my college years but happily reunited during breaks. When I got married she came to live with me again--oh happy day! Thankfully, Aaron understood my obsession over this little bird and came to love her himself--though he often called her "Loud Fricker" under his breath (or out loud...). In our first house, he even build her a little bird house with a perch and food dish that she could sit in while she was out of her cage. They became friends--but I was still her favorite.

That is, until I got pregnant with the boys. For the first 3 months of my pregnancy, Polly would not come near me. She only wanted to sit with Aaron. I would even get her out, shield her from Aaron by putting her on the opposite shoulder, and she would run across my collarbone and jump over to this shoulder when he was sitting next to me. I guess she could sense that something was different with my hormones. Crazy, huh?

When we brought the boys home from the hospital, we wondered how Polly would do with two little people competing for her attention. She was the perfect "big sister"--the first thing she did was preen Micah's head by running her beak down his fine downy hair. She preened and licked his head for about 5 minutes. It was the sweetest thing ever.

Me with my three babies

(right after the boys came home from the hospital--hence the zombie-like look on my face)

(Baby Micah)

Polly was great with the boys and really gentle

(Baby Benjamin)

Of course, there was the one time that one of the boys roughly yanked about 6 feathers out of Polly's back. She was a little wary of them from then on.

Micah especially, loved to hold Polly on his shoulder, even when he was a toddler

The hardest part so far (other than finding her yesterday morning) has been realizing that she is not there. My clockwork habit has been to immediately go to her cage after the boys go down for a nap or at night (she would remind me, even in her old age, with a chirp if I waited too long to get her out after the boys went down. She knew it was "her time"). Last night, as soon as I gave my last kisses to the boys, I automatically went to her cage. And it hit me hard. She is gone. The tears came again. And then the horrible, ugly, snotty wrenching weeping took over while I stroked my precious, beautiful little bird while Aaron dug her grave in the back yard. Death is so cruel. I had to put her in the earth and cover her up. How wrong and ugly and dirty and CRUEL.

(I told Aaron, at least when she was in the freezer (where I had kept her all day) I can look at her whenever I want. He asked me if I wanted to keep her in the freezer, clearing indulging me as I was blubbering all over his shoulder. I said, I would say yes, but even I know that would be a little crazy. My sweet husband hugged me and agreed, yes, it would be).

But I was crazy about this little bird. She was my best friend. She kept me company as a little girl and a confused teenage. She used to lick my tears off my face when I cried and nap in the little hollow under my neck on Sunday afternoons. She was soft, warm, sweet, and had a huge personality. I will miss her cheeps and her little head-butting "rrrents!" (only my family will know what I mean by that. :)

I love you, Polly and I miss you so much.
You were the best pet ever and I will think about you every day.

Meng Menu

2011-08-07T18:13:00.000-04:00

Saturday: Date night!

Sunday: Leftovers (cleaned out the fridge! YEA!)

Monday: Baked Chicken tenders, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn

Tuesday: Salmon patties, cheese grits, steamed broccoli

Wednesday: Hot dogs, chips, fruit

Thursday: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad

Friday: Grilled Pork loin (on sale at Kroger this week!), rice, green beans

Grocery shopping was two-fold this week. I had to go the the store yesterday (with the boys) for the essentials (bread, coffee creamer...you know, the essentials!) and I also bought some school supplies for the boys (they got a list from preschool. Yes. In preschool, they already have a LIST. I am trying to buy a few things a week so that we can afford it). Anyways, I spent $39 yesterday. And I spend $97 today, which included $17 for pull-ups. So....overall, food-wise, I am under budget but as far as overall weekly shopping goes, I am $11 over. Stink. Oh well. I am not going to beat myself up too much.

In other news, I am planning on making Cinnamon Swirl bread (from my Big Red Cookbook) for the 2nd time. I made it last week and it was absolutely delicious, especially toasted with butter. Yum!

Sewing for me: Date Night Sorbetto Shirt

2011-08-07T11:04:00.000-04:00

Aaron and I went on a date last night! I actually don't remember the last time we went out by ourselves--sad, huh? As a thank you to Aaron for his service as youth pastor for the last three years (and a good bye gift as this past Sunday was our last week at church), our church gave us a gift certificate to a super nice (expensive!) restaurant in downtown Lynchburg (right along the James River) called Shoemaker's Grille.

Like every girl, I wanted a new outfit to wear out on our date! So, I decided to sew a new blouse. I have been following the Sew Weekly blog and she just did a series this past week on the (free pattern!) Sorbetto Shirt: check out her awesome variations on this blouse HERE!

Here is my version:

I altered in a bit to fit me. The measurements said I was a size 8 for the shirt; however, while it fit in the bust, I had to take in the sleeves (pattern found here) and the sides of the shirt about 5/8 inch on each side. It still feels a little tent-y but the eyelet lace fabric I used has a lot of body to it. I am looking forward to sewing this pattern again with a fabric that has a little more drape. I also lengthened the shirt a few inches.

After sewing the pleat the whole way down (as shown in the original) I didn't like the look. I unpicked it to a few inches below the bust line and really liked the way the blouse flows out at the bottom--very retro sixties.

The best part of this pattern? It was so simple and I sewed the whole thing in just a few hours yesterday afternoon.

Paired with skinny jeans, a pink tank, peep-toe heels (sorry they don't show in the picture--they are my current favorite!) and my bouncy curly hair (I used this tutorial to achieve SUPER easy, heatless curls)...

(Aaron spent the whole day outside rafting with the youth group and playing softball...hence the sunburn)

...and we were ready for our date. We had such a nice time. The restaurant was beautiful and the food was DELICIOUS!! We got calamari for an appetizer and before our entrees we ate sour dough rolls and caesar salads. Aaron got a man-sized steak and amazing mashed potatoes with basil. I got to-die-for salmon stuffed with crab on a bed of garlic spinach with dijon sauce

::singing angel voices::

I could only eat HALF of my entree--I was so full after all the pre-meal food. I would have loved to try the key lime torte (my all-time favorite dessert) but my skinny jeans were feeling uncomfortably tight by the end of the meal. Maybe next time.

Amazing food + wonderful conversation (uninterrupted by two extremely talkative three-year-olds) + feeling pretty in a new outfit while out with my husband = a perfect evening.

PUBLISHED! "Tallow and Tuffet"

2011-08-05T13:42:00.002-04:00

Remember this post: "We are pleased to inform you..." ?

My story came out in Gallery of Worlds a few days ago!

Want a sneak peek?

“I don’t want to live this way anymore, Lila.” Jack patiently explained again. “The Traditions—they don’t make sense to me anymore. Maybe they will again some day, but right now, I’m…” he searched for the right word. “I’m defined. I just want a chance to write my own definition.”

The characters in this quote from my short story “Tallow and Tuffet” are curiously “defined”: both are characters from familiar children’s nursery rhymes—Jack of “Jack be Nimble” fame and Little Miss (Lila) Muffet. The nursery rhyme backdrop provides a sense of child-like familiarity, but the themes of searching for identity, breaking away from “safe” social constructs, defying tradition, and taking risks are ideas that young adults wrestle with as they move from the safety of socially-defined childhood to self-defined adulthood.

This fantasy story is set in “The Dell” where nursery rhyme characters live together, performing their personal traditions with acute daily faithfulness until one day, Jack’s candle is snuffed out unexpectedly. “Tallow and Tuffet” uniquely begins and ends at the same moment with both Jack and Lila experiencing a type of loss that enables them, for the first time, to begin a journey of self-definition.

Check out "Tallow and Tuffet" in Gallery of Worlds on page 39!

(Please leave me a comment here on Facebook if you read it! I'd love to hear your feedback!!)

Watercolor Porch Painting

2011-08-04T11:12:00.000-04:00

Need a creative project for your kids with little mess? Watercolor paint on your porch! No paper needed, no mess--if they spill the water, no big deal! We braved the morning heat and painted away. The boys loved it!! (Which always amazes me when I find a project that captures their attention for more than 5 minutes).

Shadows curtesy of our tomato and peppers plants

I was asked to paint Walle.

Benji is painting in the eyes.

It got unbearably hot to we moved the painting indoors. Unlike the 25 focused minutes we spent painting outside, the inside painting lasted about as long as it took to take this picture. Oh well!

We had a blast porch painting! And the best part is, just spray off the porch to clean up!

Family Fun: Kiddie Pool!

2011-08-03T16:36:00.001-04:00

This past week we set up our blow up kiddie pool! We actually bought it two years ago (wow, we were over ambitious parents) but this is the first time the boys have actually been able to enjoy it. In fact, we ALL enjoyed it last Saturday. Sadly (fortunately?) I don't have pictures of Aaron and myself in the pool--but we were living it up red-neck style, swimming' in the back yard.

Hope you enjoy the pictures of the boys getting a break from the summer heat!

(Look at the camera boys! Ok, look! No, up here! Ok, 1, 2, ok, over here! 3! ....oh well)

Onesies to Undies: A Tutorial

2011-08-02T13:03:00.003-04:00

When I started potty training my twins, I ran into the problem of 1) not having enough underwear, 2) not having enough money to BUY underwear, 3) the underwear I DID buy being too big for my skinny two year olds. So....I decided to make my own!

Undies from onesies are perfect for moms who want to potty train early (before age 2 or so. It is seriously hard to find underwear to fit itty bitty children) or for really small kids (like mine. The boys were swimming in the 2 year old trainers I bought from Wal-mart when we starting potty training last summer).

Here is my super-simple tutorial for turning your onesies...

....into undies!!

Supplies:

Onesie (one one pictured above is an 18/24 month, I believe) And it has a stain. PERFECT!

1/4 inch elastic

Sewing supplies (machine, scissors, thread, pins)

Kid who needs underwear (ok, not really a "supply"...)

First, decide where you want to cut. I used a pair of store bought underwear as a guide. CUT!

Next, cut off the snaps along the seam

Fold the bottom part up and pin. Get creative about putting the fabric under your sewing machine foot. Zig-zag across. If you want to put the material right sides together so the raw edge doesn't show, go right ahead. I wanted to minimize the seam so it wouldn't scratch or be uncomfortable for...you know. Plus this way is WAY easier.

Next, set your machine to a stretch stitch. It's the letter D on my machine. This is for stitching elastic. (whaddaya know?? You learn something new every day!)

Lay your elastic 1/4 from the edge. Don't cut the elastic to size. It is much easier to use a big long piece and then cut it off when you are done.

Keeping your child's waist size in mind (hmmm....skinny minnie or buddah belly?), stretch the elastic accordingly. My kids are SKINNY so I pull it pretty tight. (If you are conflicted about how tight to pull it, make a pair, try it on your kid and then adjust accordingly for future pairs).

See how the elastic bunches up the fabric as you sew? SO much easier than making a casing and threading the elastic through (believe me, I tried this way). And since you are sewing on knit, there are no worries about raveling.

When you reach the end of your waistband, double over the ends of the elastic and backstitch the heck out of it. Then snip the elastic and threads. DONE!

If your machine doesn't have a stretch stitch, you can use a zig-zag (which is what I actually used here because I was so caught up in taking pictures for this exciting tutorial that I forgot to switch the setting on my machine....).

There! Wasn't that easy?

I promptly tried the undies on my child--you should too!

(Yes, he is 3.5 and can wear the 18-24 month onesie underwear. We're skinny like that in the Meng household)

You can even embellish your new undies by using the picture from the top of the onesie! Just cut out the picture and zig-zag around the edges.

Go ahead! Knock yourself out! You kid is going to pee through 25 a day when you start potty training. (ok, maybe that is just my kids....)

By the way, I made these unders last summer and they have held up beautifully.

Hmm....now what to do with the top....if it WASN'T stained (and I had a daughter), it would be perfect for making the Little Two-fer dress!

Oh, the refashioning possibilities!!

Happy sewing!

Sweet, Sleepy Babies

2011-08-01T21:06:00.000-04:00

Does it get any better than this?