Sunday, November 25, 2012
I'll never let go...
Violet was sitting on the couch when I placed baby Ivy next to her, leaning her against a pillow. She isn't sitting yet, so I jokingly said, "Ivy, don't fall!" Violet put her hand on Ivy's head and said, "Mommy, I hold her. She never fall"
Can this kid be any more sweet?
Can this kid be any more sweet?
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Castles in the sky
We were driving on the BQE, right under the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, with the Manhattan skyline directly to our left when Violet saw the skyscrapers and with extreme enthusiasm announced, "Wow! Looks at all the castles!"
Monday, November 19, 2012
Ivy meets David
It was love at first sight! Not exactly, since no matter what we tried, we couldn't get Ivy to look directly at David. I think she was pissed that he didn't give up his seat for her. That David is no gentelman but pickings are slim in the 2-4 months old dating pool, so Ivy will have to deal with the lack of chivalry. He makes up for it with those dreamy blue eyes though!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
13 Minute Meals
Scene setup: It's 8:05am on a Thursday morning and we're already late for work/daycare.
Violet: Mommy, I have an idea.
Me: Oh yea? What's your idea?
Violet: Let's eat rollies (this is the name we came up with for homemade crepes filled with cream cheese or Nutella)
Me: Umm, Violet, rollies take a really long time to make and we have to get to school already. What about having some waffles with syrup?
Violet: I want something else.
Me: OK, what would you like?
Violet: Rollies
I started making crepes at 8:11am and I was done by 8:24am. Boo ya! Take that Rachel Ray and your 30 minute meals!
Violet: Mommy, I have an idea.
Me: Oh yea? What's your idea?
Violet: Let's eat rollies (this is the name we came up with for homemade crepes filled with cream cheese or Nutella)
Me: Umm, Violet, rollies take a really long time to make and we have to get to school already. What about having some waffles with syrup?
Violet: I want something else.
Me: OK, what would you like?
Violet: Rollies
I started making crepes at 8:11am and I was done by 8:24am. Boo ya! Take that Rachel Ray and your 30 minute meals!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Keepin' it together
My memory has never been great, but after two kids, it's probably at its worst. Prior to marriage, kids and other adult stuff, the only thing I had to recall was the number of Two Buck Chuck bottles I had in the fridge. Now there are bills, grocery shopping, school events, extracurricular activities, and numerous doctor appointments that I have to keep track of. I am THAT mom. How do I do it all you ask? (OK, no one has actually asked me that yet) I have a system!
1. Shared Google Calendar- this is a great little tool and not only for the obvious things like keeping track of Birthday parties and doctor appointments but also for reminders to pay bills and various other recurring tasks. The best part is that it is both online and on our mobile devices, so now there is really no excuse for forgetting something. Unless of course you forget to add it to your calendar.
2. Out of Milk- This is a Droid (maybe iPhone too?) app that is basically a shared shopping list. We can both update the list with food items we will need to buy the next time either one of us goes shopping. Since you're able to sync easily, you can also use the app as you're shopping in the store and cross off items once you add them to your shopping cart. If you really want to make your life easy then download the Fresh Direct app and you can shop from the comfort of your cell phone.
3. Bookmarks - This may sound silly but one of the ways I keep organized is by using Bookmarks. It would take forever to explain the method to my madness but each time I want to save something I see online, it neatly fits into one of my bookmark folders. Some of the categories are: kids shopping, travel, nearby places to go, furniture, flash sale sites, etc. Now that Pinterest launched "secret boards" there is definitely a better way to do this. Eventually, I might make the switch but since I use the chrome browser my bookmarks are accessible anywhere, so I haven't had any issues with this method.
4. GTasks- Very basic, but very handy; it's just a list app. This is a good tool if I need to jot down a simple note (ex: call grandma, update blog, research new recipes, etc.)
5. Amazon Wishlists - I buy nearly everything using Amazon Prime, which gets things to my house in 2 days or less. From toiletries to gifts to non perishable food items, Amazon is really a HUGE time saver. I have multiple wishlists and I update them as I see items that I may want to get in the future for myself, the kids, Gene or as gifts for others. Some of the lists are public and I send them to my family and friends when they are looking for gift ideas for the girls.
6. Email Filtering- I am not sure where this fits in on the 'time saver' or 'organization' chart, but as modern day consumers most of us get dozens if not hundreds of emails daily with coupons, flash sale reminders, news, facebook notifications and much more. I have a panic attack if I catch a glimpse of Gene's gmail, which has 100s of unread items. This is why I set up rules so that anything that isn't directly sent to me from someone I personally know goes right into a folder.
7. Yelp Bookmarks- Don't you hate it when someone mentions a "hot" new restaurant and you immediately forget the name. Well, now with your handy, dandy Yelp app, you can bookmark it and when you finally get a night out with the hubby or wifey you can just pull up your bookmarks, sort by location, rating, etc., and you have a plan for a night out in minutes. This can also be done with museums, broadway shows, bars, etc.
Hope this list is helpful. Please leave a comment and tell me some of the tools or apps you use to help you stay organized.
1. Shared Google Calendar- this is a great little tool and not only for the obvious things like keeping track of Birthday parties and doctor appointments but also for reminders to pay bills and various other recurring tasks. The best part is that it is both online and on our mobile devices, so now there is really no excuse for forgetting something. Unless of course you forget to add it to your calendar.
2. Out of Milk- This is a Droid (maybe iPhone too?) app that is basically a shared shopping list. We can both update the list with food items we will need to buy the next time either one of us goes shopping. Since you're able to sync easily, you can also use the app as you're shopping in the store and cross off items once you add them to your shopping cart. If you really want to make your life easy then download the Fresh Direct app and you can shop from the comfort of your cell phone.
3. Bookmarks - This may sound silly but one of the ways I keep organized is by using Bookmarks. It would take forever to explain the method to my madness but each time I want to save something I see online, it neatly fits into one of my bookmark folders. Some of the categories are: kids shopping, travel, nearby places to go, furniture, flash sale sites, etc. Now that Pinterest launched "secret boards" there is definitely a better way to do this. Eventually, I might make the switch but since I use the chrome browser my bookmarks are accessible anywhere, so I haven't had any issues with this method.
4. GTasks- Very basic, but very handy; it's just a list app. This is a good tool if I need to jot down a simple note (ex: call grandma, update blog, research new recipes, etc.)
5. Amazon Wishlists - I buy nearly everything using Amazon Prime, which gets things to my house in 2 days or less. From toiletries to gifts to non perishable food items, Amazon is really a HUGE time saver. I have multiple wishlists and I update them as I see items that I may want to get in the future for myself, the kids, Gene or as gifts for others. Some of the lists are public and I send them to my family and friends when they are looking for gift ideas for the girls.
6. Email Filtering- I am not sure where this fits in on the 'time saver' or 'organization' chart, but as modern day consumers most of us get dozens if not hundreds of emails daily with coupons, flash sale reminders, news, facebook notifications and much more. I have a panic attack if I catch a glimpse of Gene's gmail, which has 100s of unread items. This is why I set up rules so that anything that isn't directly sent to me from someone I personally know goes right into a folder.
7. Yelp Bookmarks- Don't you hate it when someone mentions a "hot" new restaurant and you immediately forget the name. Well, now with your handy, dandy Yelp app, you can bookmark it and when you finally get a night out with the hubby or wifey you can just pull up your bookmarks, sort by location, rating, etc., and you have a plan for a night out in minutes. This can also be done with museums, broadway shows, bars, etc.
Hope this list is helpful. Please leave a comment and tell me some of the tools or apps you use to help you stay organized.
How to have a peaceful dinner...
A little oil and vinegar on the scalp never hurt anyone! Tune in next week when I attempt to eat barbeque ribs.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Let the Hunger Games begin...
Ivy was chilling in her bouncer when Violet sneaked up behind her and tried to catapult her up into the air. Luckily Ivy was buckled in....crisis averted!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Pots, Pans or Hats?
Violet was playing with her kitchen set and Ivy ended up as her latest victim of pretend play.
Good Job Mommy!
Me: Violet, let's clean up your toys and get ready for dinner.
Violet: OK mommy, let's clean.
(she then proceeds to idly sit next to me as I clean)
Me: (singing) Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere. Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.
Violet: Good job mommy!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha
On October 29th, in the midst of a very severe Category 1 hurricane (Sandy), Ivy let out her first hearty laugh. Gene was making goo goo gaa gaa noises and she found it absolutely hilarious. Video coming soon!
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