Homemade Vanilla Wafers

Yummy! I found a recipe for homemade vanilla wafers on a forum that I frequent and just had to make them. They are delicious. And much cheaper than the boxed variety too! To make them more "crunchy" like the store-bought ones, you can leave them in the oven a little longer until they are completely golden. I took ours out just when the bottoms were golden, so they're a little softer on the inside. :)

Vanilla Wafers

1/2 Butter (softened)
1 c sugar
1 egg
1-1/3 c flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 T vanilla

Cream butter & sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by small spoonfuls 2 in apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 12-15, or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool. Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

Gross.

I can't believe I forgot to post this when it happened. Last week, we went to the park. We've been going to the park a lot, now that the weather has gotten nicer. We decided to try a park that we don't usually go to, but left early because it was pretty dirty (and no one else was there!). As we started walking down the walkway to the car, Jack picked up an old, dirty, empty water bottle that someone left on the ground. As soon as I saw him pick it up, I yelled at him to PUT IT DOWN and as the words were coming out of my mouth - he stuck the bottle IN HIS MOUTH.

Ugh.

That is THE grossest thing he has every done. I wanted to put hand sanitizer in his mouth and make him swallow it.

As of today, he hasn't gotten sick from it. That we know of.

Food Wars

For the past few weeks, dinner has been a nightmare for us. Screaming, throwing food, bribery, time-outs, and lots of tears. The only things Jack will eat without a fight are peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, quesadilla, and fruit. And, bummer for him, I am at the point where I refuse to make him a special meal just because he doesn't like what I make. I realize that he is an only child and it isn't difficult for me to throw together a sandwich for him, but I believe that would spoil him. I spend a lot of energy and time planning menus and cooking food for our family and I think it's only fair that he eats what the rest of the family is eating. Besides, it's not like I make disgusting food that no child would eat. So, from now on, he can eat what I serve or he can go to bed hungry. I am done forcing him to "try" anything. He'll learn eventually, right? RIGHT?

What brought all of this on? The battle of the century took place in our dining room last night. Jack sat at the table for 1 hour and 10 minutes because he refused to eat one bite of sweet & sour turkey meatball. A meatball. Covered in sugary sauce. Not even beef. One bite. I think he would've sat there until midnight if we let him. He ended up going straight from the table to bathtime and then bed. I don't know who "won" the battle...I'm pretty sure he thinks he did. And, another battle this morning. A chocolate chip muffin. Seriously. A muffin with chocolate in it. He ate his grapes, but refuses to eat the muffin. So, I told him that he couldn't eat anything until snack time. So far, we've only had one tantrum over it. (It's only 7:20 am though)

On another, completely unrelated, note....we have a beautiful lilac bush/tree/thing in our backyard and I really wanted to bring some of the flowers in. So, Lonnie cut some off last night and I put them in water in the kitchen. Apparently I am allergic to lilac flowers. As soon as I walked into the kitchen this morning, I started sneezing and couldn't stop. Eyes watering, puffy, congested, the works. Lonnie eventually took the flowers upstairs and I opened the window. Now I'm much better. I am so bummed though...the flowers are so pretty to look at! Guess I'll just have to enjoy them outside for now.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Chicken Caesar Salad with garlic bread (I'm making my own dressing - yikes!)

Tuesday - Sweet & Sour Meatballs with rice

Wednesday - Linguine with Zucchini, Browned Butter and Garlic

Thursday - Mac & Cheese (yes, the stuff out of a box) with hot dogs (I know...shame on me)

Friday - Everything Lo Mein

Saturday - Nasty Nachos

Sunday - Turkey burgers and fries

Dinner tonight might change because there's a possibility we'll be going over to someone's house for a BBQ. In that case, everything will get moved over by one day!


Head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menus! :)

When I was pregnant, I thought he was going to be a girl...

Things that have happened today to prove to me that I have a BOY:

1. Random grease spots showing up on his elbow, hands, and shirt. I have no clue where they came from.

2. Dirt. Everywhere.

3. A new-found love for stepping on ants.

4. Grabbing the clothes out of a package Nana sent him and throwing them on the ground, looking for something else in the box.

5. Wiping snot on his arm, therefore smearing it all over the side of his face.

6. Pudding stains on the back of his shirt. How?

7. Truly believing that his new sandals make him run faster. :)

8. Chewing a chicken nugget, spitting it out and eating it again.

9. Trying to poke the dog's eyes out.

10. Laughing hysterically after he "toots."


Ahhhhh, I'm so in love with my boy. :)

Sad News

I just heard that Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria, was killed yesterday. She was 5 years old and was hit by an SUV in their driveway by her teenage brother. I can't imagine the devastation the entire family is feeling right now. Steven Curtis Chapman is a huge adoption advocate and has an organization, Shaohannah's Hope, that helps families fund adoptions. Maria was adopted from China.

I realize that I don't know Steven Curtis Chapman personally, but hearing of this tragedy is heartbreaking. His music has had a positive influence on my life since junior high and he seems like a truly wonderful man of God.

Here is an article about the incident. Please keep this family in your prayers!

S-L-A-C-K-E-R

That's the song I should be singing. :)


Let's see...Mother's Day was spent with my sick, grouchy child. My wonderful husband got me a very cute camera and it's gotten a lot of use over the past week and a half. Lonnie was out of town the week of Mother's Day (Monday through Friday), so Jack and I spent most of that time outside enjoying our spring weather (FINALLY!). Jack is sleeping in his big boy bed and has gotten much better about falling asleep when he's supposed to. We actually slept in until 6:30 am today. Unheard of for the past few months.


Every day I think of something I should blog about...and then I don't get around to it. I get too busy reading other blogs and puttering around on the internets. And then Jack is climbing up my legs/back/front/arms, begging me to let him "sit wit' you!" and then he starts screaming and then he sits in time out and then it's all downhill from there. I love being the parent of an almost-3-year-old. LOVE IT. Anyway - I am going to try very hard to get better about blogging. I love writing and this is an outlet for me.


Not much else to share. Here's some pictures from my very cute camera.

If you want to entertain your child in the car, give them an old cassette tape!

What we did while daddy was gone.


So OVER the park.


Eh???


Oh, and my camera has a very cool self-portrait setting that I've been playing with. Maybe a little too much.

B-I-B-I-B-L-E

It's amazing what a little bribery will do (notice that he asks for a jelly bean at the end!). :)

Simple

Sometimes it amazes me what entertains a 2.5 year old. Yesterday, it was blowing a piece of styrofoam on the floor. He did not even notice me until I said his name. This was right after he woke up from his nap. I apologize for the clothes on the floor...they get thrown out of the drawers when someone doesn't want to take a nap. :) I also apologize that the video is dark and kind of long. But trust me, the ending is worth it. It's typical Jack.