Cheerios Anyone?

I do my best to ensure that the wee ones eat healthfully. We don't eat out as often as many people I know. I (fortunately) like to cook from scratch, so the majority of our foods are not processed. I'm lucky that the wee ones like a variety of foods - including fruits and vegetables - and that they eat them at most meals.

Breakfast is a big meal in my house. I'm pretty insistent that they eat healthfully for breakfast. They rarely get sugar at breakfast in an effort to keep them as focused as possible throughout the day. I ensure there is always protein at that meal, too.

But some days, I go the easy route. I don't have the time (or don't make the time) or the energy to have a completely homemade breakfast. That doesn't mean I don't insist on something I feel comfortable feeding them. I have a few go to choices in the house - that the wee one are always offered even when I'm also offering up the choice of omelets and oatmeal or other more labor and time intensive options.

This morning was one of the days where the wee ones weren't getting the ideal breakfast. It was Mother's Day. And I'm getting a nasty cold and so am just wiped out. And my husband has been gone coaching all weekend, so he's not around to parent.

Little Miss woke me up this morning at 7:14 by singing "Happy Mother's Day to Mom" although I remained only half conscious for awhile after that. I just couldn't convince my body to get out of bed. As clock continued to march forward, I knew the wee ones were going to be getting hungry.

From downstairs, I could hear them playing Uno together... until they decided they were too hungry to continue. I groaned internally as I waited to hear the tromping up the stairs to beg my help. Instead, I heard almost silence. The refrigerator door opened and closed, and I could hear them whispering to each other.

Finally, I managed to drag myself downstairs to see what mischief they'd gotten themselves into.

Oh my wee ones have grown up! (And check it out - Little Miss got her protein in with the sushi left over from dinner the night before. Apparently that was the fridge opening and closing.)

Somehow, though, no matter how much they grow up, I don't see them ever outgrowing their love of a simple bowl of Cheerios. I may no longer be placing them on a high chair tray one by one or spooning the cereal into their mouths, but this is one house where there will always be a box of original Cheerios open and waiting. And two wee one who have learned that this is a breakfast they can make all by themselves!

In the interest of full disclosure, this post was written as part of the Cheerios Blogger Circle. I was not compensated in any way, and all opinions are my own.

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Happy Mother's Day!

Ok, so I've been very much MIA. Needless to say, I've been swamped with my preschool fundraiser and then I got sick. I'm still recovering and may actually head to bed as soon as I get this posted, but I figure I ought to write something again at some point!

Regardless, Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. Whether you're doing it on your own or in a great partnership, you're doing the best you can, and today is the day to celebrate the joy you bring to those little lives and the impact you make!

Around here, I was spoiled with the wee ones waking me up - Mister Man in particular - with a special present. He gave me a dollar bill from his piggy bank. Awwww.

He also created a lovely hat from a coffee filter for the Mother's Day tea at his school (and no, I will not be posting any pictures of me in it, thank you very much), which was oh so sweet, as well as a lovely nosegay. And the requisite marigolds. I now have six.

Little Miss provided me with the handprint lilies that she created on a laminated sheet of paper. She also "wrote" me a greeting on the back. While it's in her handwriting, I don't believe her claims that she spelled it out all by herself.

Yes, I will be putting it in her memory box to save forever.

My husband also provided me with presents. He sent me an Edible Arrangements basket, as he does regularly for major holidays. It was a cute little orange pail, and the wee ones were excited for the fruit I'd share with them.

My only disappointment? The strawberries in this bunch were way overripe. In fact, they've already started to mold, and I put it in the fridge immediately after receiving it. The fruit we've had before has always been perfect, and after a bit of dithering, I called to ask if there was a problem with the strawberries.

They claimed there were no issues and that I must have just gotten the last of the previous batch and offered to give me a free box of chocolate covered strawberries to make up for it. At least it was something.

I drove over to pick them up, and I received six chocolate covered strawberries to replace my ten chocolate covered strawberries on my arrangement. That was a disappointment. Even Mister Man didn't want to eat the chocolate covered strawberries on the plant, and he's not exactly a food connoisseur (yet).

I think we'll give them another shot, as this is a new franchise, but I may be at the end of receiving healthy (ok, relatively healthy) and unique presents from Edible Arrangements. And that's too bad.

Fortunately, my husband also picked up a gift certificate for massages, and those don't go stale. Now if I could just find some free time to schedule that appointment, I'd be all good!

Here's hoping you are properly spoiled on your Mother's Day.



PS I have a new giveaway up for a Family Pizza Party from Pillsbury on my other site.

Hey, It Could Be A Vacuum Cleaner

You know they're truly sweet and innocent, but we had some great encounters yesterday that just prove the wee ones are also hysterical. To me at least.

In the morning, I tried to hold back coming downstairs so that my husband could do all the prep work for Mother's Day. As I emerged from the bedroom, Mister Man shouted to me.

Mister Man: Guess what! You have presents downstairs!
Me: Oh, how fun. Thank you, Kiddo.
Little Miss: Yeah, you got candy.
Me: Oh, yum. I bet it's good candy, huh?
Mister Man: Yep, it's leftover candy that we forgot to give you last year.

Oh ummm, thanks? I think?

An Open Letter To The Man Upstairs

Dear Sir,

I know You’re very busy, what with all the wars and sicknesses and everything else that You have dominion over. You have the most stressful job in the world, without a doubt. And I have no right to ask You for anything, as You’ve already done so much for me.

However, I think it’s possible that You may have forgotten something this year, as hectic as it's been with the cries from people hurting from rising gas prices and conflicts with Iran and people being diagnosed with terrible illnesses and all. Today is May 11, and I’m wearing a wool sweater. It’s pretty cold and yucky outside. I think that maybe You forgot to let spring progress here.

I’m all for winter being over, and thanks for that. But my furnace keeps kicking on because there isn’t enough sun and warmth that I can trap in my house to keep it warm enough. It’s even kicking on during the day.

And at night, my husband has started turning the bed warmer back on (best present anyone who lives in a state not named Arizona btw), which I had thought I was done with a month ago. Plus, with all the warm then cold and wet and rainy, people are getting really sick a lot, and they tend to be quite crabby, too.

I’m still hoping to plant a garden this year, but the weather keeps me worried about frost still coming. I will say that it’s beautiful that the tulips haven’t been killed (or at least those belonging to the neighbors where the deer have yet to eat them; as you know, mine never bloomed), but I’m waiting for them to turn so that I can dig up the bulbs so I can replace all my landscaping.

The whole April showers bring May flowers thing just isn’t happening really. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with the late winter flowers of tulips, daffodils and crocuses. The deer have eaten all mine (except the daffodils, which apparently are beneath them), and it’s looking really barren.

Besides, Little Miss and Mister Man are really outgrowing all their winter clothes, and it’s starting to look a little silly with their ankles and wrists poking out of the ends, but I can’t quite justify buying a whole new winter wardrobe right now.

I know, I know, I’m starting to sound really selfish about this, and that’s the last thing You need. But please, I promise it isn’t just me. If You wouldn’t mind, can You please take a few moments to switch spring onto full strength?

Thank you for your attention,

Michelle

PS Thank You for the rain today. I’m grateful that my husband’s baseball became a non-issue. (Of course, if You could get it through to the league commissioner’s head that playing on Mother’s Day, in particular, and somewhat on Father’s Day just isn’t cool, I’d really appreciate it.)

Oh yeah – and a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers reading! Here’s hoping your days turned out as you’d hoped. I will say that I slept in until 8:05 this morning AND had my sushi field trip (including fancy Japanese desserts) to prepare for dinner tonight plus gift certificates to a local sushi restaurant!

For Women Only....

Ok, maybe I named this a little hastily. There may be some men who are interested in this, too. After all, Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I know not everyone has completed their shopping yet. Mostly because I haven’t finished shopping for my mom yet.

I’m easy though. While in Houston, the other bridesmaid and I decided what we wanted for Mother’s Day. Apparently there’s a really cool new water spa that opened up in Burr Ridge. Check it out! I’m debating what package my kids should buy for me. Maybe the Mother’s Day Package? Of course, they need a significant raise in their non-existent allowances.

On the other hand, maybe something from ELF is more in line for them. A friend of mine sent me an email well, several days ago now, but I’m about a week behind in reading email (sorry, Paul – really, I’m not ignoring you!).

Per the email, Nordstrom is buying ELF and will be rebranding all their products to Nordstrom, so they’re clearing out everything for a dollar. My friend’s email stated that she’d ordered from them and even had a coupon for $7.50 off a $15 purchase. My kids could afford a dollar, right?

Except that I’m a skeptic when it comes to Internet anything. So I started looking up information on this acquisition. That took me to Nordstrom’s site:

09/04/2007
Customer Alert!We have learned that some of our customers received e-mails regarding the website eyeslipsface.com. We want you to know that Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com are not affiliated with eyeslipsface.com or the e.l.f. product line, nor with any e-mail regarding that website or product line. Nordstrom does not sell e.l.f. products. Please know that Nordstrom would not ask for your account information through e-mail communication.

Hmm. That raises a red flag, no?

In looking further, it sounds like there are mixed reviews on the company. Some people have purchased and had great success – although there seems to be a general agreement that the eye shadow and eyeliner aren’t the greatest – while others have had disastrous experiences. They are suddenly spammed, their orders arrive with product missing, the orders take forever to arrive, etc.

It goes back to the saying that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. For a dollar, there are a ton of things that I could find that would be fun for my kids to “give” me for Mother’s Day. But not at that cost. Besides, I think I have enough makeup.

Ok, next idea.

Flowers? Nahhh… the cats will eat them. (Seriously. I’ve learned this the hard way.)

Chocolates? Eh. I really only like good chocolate, and my husband isn’t too great at picking it out. Plus, it takes me forever to eat them, which irritates my husband when I haven't devoured them immediately.

Ooooo, I know! I want sushi. Lots and lots of sushi. From Mitsuwa Market. And maybe one of their pastries. And the kids should help pick them out. Which involves driving to Arlington Heights and back. Family field trip! Now to clear this with my husband.

Hello. My name is Michelle, and I'm addicted to sushi.

Can anyone tell I’m all over the map today?

What do you want for Mother’s Day this year?