It's a Wheat Thing

So somewhere along the way I figured out that I had wheat flour, not just bread flour. This is my story:

I was getting all my devilish ingredients out to make my weekly batch of chocolate chip cookies (throw your head back, evil laugh). I was ready to pull out the white store-bought flour and my hand fell on whole wheat flour. ::::::::LIGHTBULB::::::::: Whole wheat cookies! Healthy and tasty! Could it work????? Well, I was going to make a double batch so I had plenty to take to my VT, but maybe I would just make a single batch and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out...you know! What did I have to loose other than a little time and my favorite food and the whole world, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, ok so I had a lot to loose, the stakes were high, but the pay-off would be great. Healthy, yet delicious was the ultimate goal!

So I slaved away for like 10 minutes. Because I have the recipe memorized after years of cookie monsterering. I noticed it took MORE flour to get the same consistency, but I kind of expected this, anyway, they baked up and then the ultimate test.....the critical mouth a.k.a. DH!


"What's different?" "I can't really taste anything? Well, maybe a little...what did you do?" "They are made with my whole wheat flour!" I exclaim. "What? You mean the stuff you use for your bread?" "YUP" "Pretty good huh?"

So they passed with flying colors. I think these whole wheat goodies might be a permanent adjustment to my cookie repertoires. Ok well, almost, can you imagine WHITE, sugar cookies....NOT white? Ok I don't think I'll take it that far...

....2 days later, fast forward to Sunday morning, or waffle morning. Home-made waffles get me out of bed. As I'm jaunting down the staires:::::::LIGHTBULB::::::: I can try them with ....ok you get the picture, HEALTHY and DELICIOUS!

They turned out delicious, almost as good as the bread with a big whip of butter slathered all over it, just add syrup! :) YUM... I think I'm on to something :)

Saturday, we "farted around" that is Cochran for "laid around and did very little"....then around 4:00 we headed to the pool. The pool water is so warm, it's almost like bath water, we LOVED IT!

First DAY of school, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Get Ready to Learn to Get Some KNOWLEDGE! Come on dad, get up, it's my first day of school, you promised!"

What movie is that from???? Well, this is what I was repeating as I strolled Ryan and Ethan towards Ryan's new school around the corner from our house the first morning. Our little red wagon was the vehicle of choice. Yes, Ryan was happy, though not excited. You see this is why...BEFORE

Yes, for Ryan this is "been here done that." Ryan started kinder in Greenwich, CT last year. Last year I was worried. Is he too young? Are the older kids going to make fun? Is he going to get in trouble too much because he is young and his mind drifts? Is he too little. THIS WAS ONE YEAR AGO!!Blah Blah Blah. This year, there are little to no worries. Why? Because Ryan is a good kid, he's smart AND he has 1/2 yr. of kinder already under his belt + he was in all day summer camp for 5 weeks out of the summer...so as one could say, "HE'S COOL DUDE!" THIS IS THIS YEAR!!!

Awww, he is just so darn cuttie-pahtootie!! In fact, the night before school our conversation went something like this..."ok Ryan tomorrow your back to kindergarten so you have to do your stations (get dressed and brush teeth, have daddy pour you a bowl of cereal) BEFORE you play! " "OK LISA" and that was that.

So drum roll, please, he is walking in to his classroom for the first time! The mom that says HI is the cry babies momma...see below....such a nice lady!

There was the big whooo hah with all the parents standing around the tables like there was a circus performing...it's kinda funny. I love this pixs below of him yawning...notice the kid in the corner boo whooing....he was the class cry baby. I guess ever class has to have one. Today Ryan came home and said, "Dillan is ALWAYS crying!" His poor momma, she is a nice lady and they already held him back from kinder one year already.

Ryan is such a chill kid that you really have to poke at him to get any big reaction about anything, but when school let out and I picked him up and enthusiactically said, "I really like that school! and I learned a new word!" I reply, "oh ya what's that?" He says matter- a - factly, " un-esported" hmmmm, OH, "you mean, un-escorted?"

Ya because we live around the corner, about 2 blocks from the school, he is labeled an "un-escorted walker" even though I meet him at the school and walk him home. It was cute. He talked about the stations, his favorite was the "weigher" this is what he meant..... On the way home from school Tuesday he decided he wants a "scooter scoot" (scooter)for his birthday... and on Wednesday, he told me he made a card for his sick teacher and if he lays down during rest time and closes his eyes and pretends to be asleep, they put a marble on his blanket and then at the end he gets to put the marble in a jar and when the jar fills up they get something...

Anyway, his teacher is Mrs. O'Keefe and we are excited because she was "the teacher to get"!!

So all is well, I cryed last year, Ryan got used to school last year, and we are thoroughly enjoying this year!

Ethan and mommy are baking cookies, learning our colors, playing "knock down the blocks" going to the gym, playing at the park, and shopping at target where he always gets his own big bag of popcorn and apple juice! Good Times! This is what I caught him doing the other day...dad look at what he is reading :) No, I did not sit him on there, so maybe this means he is ready! AFTER THE CRUISE BABY!!!!

Hope all yall's first day's went smashingly!

Check this out....

I come home from a friends house and this is what I find....oh, GREAT!

Positive: He moved them, not where I wanted, but he did move them.....AIRCONDITIONING....and now my neighbors don't have to look at two ugly buckets in my front stoop.

Negative: I have two ugly buckets in my house! Blocking my front door...I have to hound Seth some-more....

I GIVE UP! I WILL DO IT MYSELF!!! ............tomorrow...maybe.....I'll ask one more time....

For all those who thought I was a girly GIRL...

Ok, I know I may look the part...of being a girly GIRL.....but there is a reason why I believe I have become a mother of BOYS...

1) I don't mind bugs. I am the "official squisher" of the house. Seth is more afraid of them than me. If I see a spider. I just walk over and squish it. Non of this scream like a GIRL!

2) If I see a frog in the yard, I catch it with my bare hands and make a little house for it and show the "boys" what mamma caught.

3) I jump in the pool like a boy (in my cute suit) and get my hair wet...all the way.....

4) Sitting around and chit chat OR fish, run, ski, play,surf....I'll take the later...

5) I don't mind getting dirty, as long as I can clean up later.....

6) I love cars....the faster the better...it has to be a manual...if not B-O-R-I-N-G!!

We rented a Red Box tonight. I volunteered to take it back....he he. Seth caught on to my scheme...windows down, moon roof open, music LOUD!!!! First gear.........try not to take it over 4.5 r.p.ms....I took the long way home. I'm telling you that was as exhilarating as it gets folks. I never went OVER the speed limit. Doesn't matter how long it takes you to get up to it does it? This is the only side of my car, YOU'LL ever get to see!

So I play like a man, but who says I can't do it looking good?

Still there...

So you know how I am Betty Crocker now? Well I ordered some wheat, well a lot of wheat, well like 50 lbs. of WHEAT! It finally arrived about 6 days ago.

Me : "Honey, have you seen what's on the front porch?"

DH: "No, what is it?"

Me: " A ton of wheat!"

DH: "oh, what's it look like?"

Me: 2 ,25 lb. buckets of wheat that I am not strong enough to carry!" wink wink

DH: "OK, I'll get them later"

Day 2, Day 3 "Honey the wheat is still outside" "OK, I'll get it", Day 4 open the door to let my neighbor in, there still there, therefore have to explain to her why I need two buckets of raw wheat

Day 5, Day 6 Open the door to let the furniture repair man in, I watch glumly as he steps around 2 white buckets of wheat.....SIGH

OK tonight I'm putting my foot down.... right on his throat!

Sign up, show up, or GET OUT!!!!!!

Anywhere, Texas. Home to friendly little subdivisions with playgrounds, pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, elementary school, and beautiful walking trials through your very own preserve over looking Lake Austin.

"Oh what a family friendly little neighborhood!" Me and every other mother in the world thought so too.....

Issue One: Pre-school, Sign up early, get in fight if necessary...

In fact, unless you already have a child at the school and get the PRE-registration forms and fill them out and submit them with your $85 dollar check to hold your spot...then YOU GET A SPOT! If you don't have a child already in that pre-school you better get your boxing gloves on because you are going to have to beat down every other mother in West Austin for the two remaining spots on the day, no the morning, no 1/2 hour before the school opens the morning of registration.

Not realizing any of this I decided to take my time and look at other pre-schhol programs before deciding on a school for Ethan. Which I did. And WHAT HAVE I ACCOMPLISHED!!!!! BY LOOKING AROUND???????? Two things

1)WAITING LIST #1, waiting list #2, waiting list #3, and waiting list number #4. Oh and I am like between #3-#20 down on the list and they all accompany a $40 wait-list fee!!!!!! What in the world is a "WAit-list fee!!!!" That's like Walmart running out of diapers and you pay them $10 to put you on a list of the next people to receive them when they become available again!
2) "Next year"- I have accomplished "next year" Each pre-school administrator has assured me that by being on the wait-list for this year, it gives me not first, (because first goes to families of kids already in the school) but second dibs on a spot for NEXT YEAR!!! I just about fell out of my chair when they said, I was literally going to have to wait till NEXT YEAR!!!! I thought ok maybe we wait a month, two months, even three months, but no DUE TO MY BAD BAD BAD procrastination BAD BAD BADNESS, my little ETHAN who was so so so so so so so excited to start pre-school CAN NOT!!!!

Issue Two: The Gym
Every morning I wake around 8 a.m., eat breakfast, check my email, pack lunches, get the kids dressed, take Ryan to pre-school/summer camp, and then head for the 9:30 exercise class at my wonderful little gym. It is the perfect time 9:30 a.m. They rotate the classes to alternate cardio/strength training for me so I just have to show-up and I am guaranteed a good sweat....well almost....

Come to find out what's good for me is also good for the thousands of other west austin mammas and thier ideal little family neighborhoods once again! The class starts at 9:30. Get there at 9:10 sign your kids in for their kids center and you walk to the class and stand there and watch all the fake boobs walk in the room. The is Option #1 and THE ONLY OPTION!!! Get there at 9:15 and you are staring at all the boobs in low-cut tank tops and daisy duke shorts in the lobby of the kids area for another 20 minutes!!!!!!! And you guessed it, you are on another WAIT LIST! This time it doesn't cost you extra though I guess because you write your own name on the list and stand there till you get in instead of expecting them to call you???

When you pull in the parking lot, you scan the area for any IMWK (pronounced eem-wauks) this stands for "incoming moms with kids." If so, we go into emergency, "move as if your pants are on fire and it will not extinguish until you get the kids out of the car and beat every other IMWK to the front gym doors. Don't make eye-contact though because they will stare you down and try to intimidate you with there guilty-pouty "your not going to rush in there and beat me in there and make me have to put my name in the waiting list, are ya, are ya, are ya?????"

Issue Three: Area Association Youth Sports

Fact one: Registration opened Aug. 1
Fact Two: Practices and games begin on Sept. 1
Fact Three: I forgot about fact one and just knew that it wasn't time for fact two

So after Seth reminding me I went on the website last night and this is what it read,"Registration is now closed for our fall programs: Please note that we will accept a limited number of wait list registrations through August 23" Oh You've got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luckily I persisted and found that there actually was ONE spot still available for the baseball program....BUT now instead of it already being a whopping $140/ for two months....it was $195!!!! You guess it because of a late registration fee!

HOW CAN YOU BE LATE FOR SOMETHING THAT DOESN"T START FOR TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!!!

I am sick sick sick of wait-list, wait-list and more wait-list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have learned my lesson I guess.

The moral of the story is "get there early and sign up for things even if your not sure you want to do it...."

or GET OUT!!!! or pay another 20%. That works too.

Give thee thy Daily Bread

OK call me Amish, call me June Cleaver, call me Betty Crocker....call me whatever you dang want, but this sista can BAKE!

It all started about 3 months ago when I went to a activity where this really cute little lady showed us how to make yummy whole wheat bread. The thought popped in my head that I like the taste of this delicious bread more than food storage food....so instead of stocking up on random dried yucky food storage I would invest in a industrial strength, commercial mixer/blender and a mill and learn to make my own BREAD!

Lucky for me my mom's cousin owns the company Blend-tec (former K-tec) and she can get me 1/2 off this sweet machine. It does everything for you. You select your button that corresponds with what your mixing and it just goes and senses everything for you. I love the smoothies button. This machine is so powerful...I think he started with a vacuum motor and put it in a blender and after 20 years of tweaking ended up with this little marvel...Tommy has his own You Tube show called , "Will it Blend" check this out

So first I milled the grain. Yes you take whole grain, pour it in this bad boy(it kinda sounds like an airplane taking off) and it grinds it into flour...sweet!

Then I threw everything in my machine and push mix. Then I hit the another button and it kneaded it for me. I scooped it out of the bowlIt was STICKY!!!!! Then I put it in the pans to raise...In the oven and out of the oven.....the SMELL, you can't beat this SMELL!!!We ate 2 loaves that evening! I might need more Wheat! Anyone know how to get some cheap?And this is my happy, HEALTHRY, whole wheat eating BOYS!
I love Ryan's face, "ugh dad, gimme my bread!"

There are better ways to save on gas money.....

...than a three day house arrest! It made me appreciate my world though! Keys glorious KEYS!!!

First I went to Target. I think I had my priorities straight! Awww it's like a drug. Tarjay pharmaceuticals.

Then it was a trip to the nail salon for a much needed pedicure and nail fill! I have been going to the same place for 6 months and I know them by name now. Tammy does my pedicures was excited because she is becoming a US citizen. I told her she probably knew about American History than I did sadly. I told her I needed a pedicure and she looked at my cracked, 1/2 gone polk-a dot polish and LAUGHED!!! "WHY" she said? I was shocked by her humor and thought are they really that BAD? I guess so! Tracy is my nail tech. The best one I ever had. She does so good that 3 weeks later I hardly EVER have any lifting.... she is 4 months pregnant and she said she is trying to eat a lot because her first baby only weighed 3.5 pounds and she thinks it was because she didn't eat enough...poor thing! Ryan came with me and built some really cool Lego structures. When we were leaving the my nails girls started squawking in Vietnamese and Ryan goes, "WHY are you talking crazy?" HUSH....gotta go! It does sound funny though, but I guess English sounds funny to them!

Then I headed to the grocery store...I was so happy! So happy to have my keys and be able to shop and buy this......

This is no grocery store cake! They import these babies from Canada which means....they are really divine! Moist and moussi...YUM

I really am a desperate housewife....except I'm not having an affair with my handyman that is keeping a secret about killing someone's mom...and my daughter is not pregnant with the neighbor's son that is really in love and sleeping with my daughter's best friend....my husband did not quit his job to start his own pizza shop and I don't go around the neighborhood in a bikini and roller blades!!!!!