Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Time out Backlash

My weekly column is up over at Athens Patch
and I would like to invite you all to join in the discussion.
It has been suggested that time outs
are emotionally harmful to children.


Do you think that it is helpful or harmful?
Please click here to read the article and
leave a comment over at Patch to let us know your thoughts.



Places We Love : Sisters Creole

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There is the cutest little joint
just up the road from me
called Sisters Creole.

Driving by the adorable building makes me smile
but stopping in to grab a bite to eat
makes me smile even bigger.

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The sign out front just begs
you to head on in and sit a spell.

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I was lucky enough to beat the lunch crowd yesterday,
so I had the place to myself.
It was just me and Otis Redding songs
playing over the speakers.

The vibe is so reminiscent of a time long gone.
It's such a soulful place to eat.

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The sisters who own the place
are from New Orleans and paid
careful attention to all the details
to make it an authentic experience.

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You can feel the love they put into their food.
You can taste all the spice of Louisiana
that they carried with them to Georgia.

I can tell you one thing,
their Sweet Potato Tater Tots are divine
and their Fried Shrimp Po Boy is so yummy.

If you saunter in there,
Ann, Carla, or Lenore
will greet you from behind the counter
with a huge smile.

Be sure to tell them that Leigh says hi!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 51

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I love watching the boys
climb all over Roger.


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They climb up his legs as if he were a tall ladder
that reached all the way up to the sky.

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They do death defying tricks and poses as if
they were performing
in the circus together.

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They do daredevil flips
or just happily hang upside down.

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He is easily transformed into a horse
that they can ride all over the room.

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Inevitably, the other joins in
and they all end up

in a huge pile
of laughing boys on the floor.

It makes me so happy
to watch my husband enjoy being daddy
and to see how
much the children adore playing with him.

A house filled with laughter
is a beautiful thing.

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Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Friday Night Dates : Week 32

I'm inviting romance into my life
one Friday Night Date at a time
and documenting each one here on my little ol' blog.

I want to remember every detail
of these splendid home spun dates.

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I have to make a confession...
normally Roger makes the food
for our Friday Night Dates
while I put Griffin to bed.

It's really nice to have my man
cook for me
but this weekend, I made our treat.
It was my first time baking anything French
and it went smashingly well.

The film was so much fun and romantic.
We felt very French as we sipped our martinis
and nibbled on the Chouquettes.

It was a great night!

Here are the recipes...

French Martini

Directions


  1. Mix all ingreidents in shaker.
  2. Shake well.
  3. Strain and pour into a Martini glass.

Chocolate Chip Chouquettes

Bring 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 of whole milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 7 tablespoons of butter (cut into 7 pieces) to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Once the mixture starts bubbling, add all at once 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour to the milk mixture and stir briskly with a wooden spoon. You want to "cook" the flour mixture for 30-40 seconds. The mixture is ready when the flour is fully incorporated and forms thin crusty film on the bottom of the pot.

At this point, immediately take the pot off the heat and start adding eggs to the dough, one by one. (You should have 6 large eggs on hand, though you may only need 5 depending on the humidity in the air or the type of flour you use, etc.) Stir very briskly with a wooden spoon after each egg is added. The first 2 additions will require quite a bit of muscle work, but after that the dough will slowly become a batter, making it easier to stir. After the 5th egg has been fully incorporated, stop to check the status of your batter. Scoop up some batter with the wooden spoon and see if the batter in the bowl detaches itself from the batter on the spoon and slowly folds over itself. If it does, you don't need the 6th egg. If the batter forms a stiff peak instead of folding, you need to add one more egg.


  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • With two small spoons, drop the batter onto the prepared sheets by teaspoonfuls, leaving 1 1/2 inches of space between each round. You want to have about 18 rounds. At this point, don't worry about symmetry yet. We'll fix that later.
  • Bury 2-3 chocolate chips inside each round and top them with the remaining batter. You should end up with 36 one-inch rounds (which will almost double in size in the oven).

  • With wet fingertips, beautify your asymmetrical and spiky choux as well as your level of dexterity allows. After the touch-up, your choux should be round and smooth and the chocolate chips should be completely enclosed (enshrouded, encapsulated, buried, hidden, embedded, etc.).
  • Sprinkle the pearl sugar on top; lightly press it with your fingertips into the choux to keep the sugar crystals in place. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chouquettes are brown on the outside and feel light and hollow when touched. Transfer the chouquettes to a cooling rack.

    Chouquettes are best served warm right out of the oven.
  • Did you do anything sweet with your sweetie over the weekend?

    Winner : Titanic Edition

    We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.
    Marcy
    As the cutting-edge yoga instructor guided
    the young woman on the new pose,
    all her stored-up toxins came out through her nose.

    Moooooog35
    Jen's fateful decision to have her nose
    replaced with a herring would turn out
    to ruin many romantic moments with Ted.

    Sue
    My heart will go on and on...
    My nose? Not so much.

    And the winner is...
    Marcy

    As the cutting-edge yoga instructor guided
    the young woman on the new pose,
    all her stored-up toxins came out through her nose.

    Marcy
    is the funniest blogger in all the land.
    Please visit her blog
    and marvel at this fantastic award she just earned!

    Photobucket

    Thanks to all the people who played.
    Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

    Friday, February 24, 2012

    Freakshow Friday : Titanic Edition

    It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, I love it.

    "I'm the king of...pain!"

    You got a better one for me?
    If so, you may just when this awesome award
    and have bragging rights forever.
    Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
    You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

    <span class=

    If you win then I'll link up to your
    Blog and make a big deal
    about how funny you are.
    Simply leave your funny caption or story
    in my comments section.

    The winner will be announced on Monday.

    Thursday, February 23, 2012

    The Stay at Home Mom Chronicles : Imaginary Play

    I'm realizing that my days around here seem to run together.
    Ordinary moments unfold around me daily
    and I need to stop and relish in them.
    One day, my boys will be out living life
    and I will miss these everyday experiences.

    So, I am taking the time to document
    the simple moments that pass between us.
    I'm calling this little collection of memories...

    <span class=

    Koen has started grabbing household items
    and using them in an imaginative way.

    Photobucket

    For example, he recently discovered
    an old cell phone charger
    that we no longer use.

    It's been transformed into his phone.

    Here is a typical "conversation"
    with his imaginary friend...
    "Hello?"
    "Oh, you go to school?"
    "No, I stay home with mama, we work."
    "Yeah, I'll go to school in August."

    Sounds like somebody
    is gearing up to go to school soon.

    (sidenote: that is a cake batter moustache not a facial injury)

    Photobucket

    It also serves as a great "charger"
    to hook up to any broken down
    overturned
    remote control trucks.

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    Perhaps my favorite example
    of my toddler's ingenuity
    is the "hose" that he created for his firetruck.

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    A pop gun with a tape measure shoved inside
    makes for an amazing display
    of water spraying from his pumper truck.

    His little voice makes a big siren
    and he'll yell
    "Calling all cars, calling all cars,
    there's a fire in mama's living room."

    It's just about the cutest thing ever!

    Wednesday, February 22, 2012

    Inflation and The Tooth Fairy

    My weekly column is up
    and this week it asks...

    has the economy kept The Tooth Fairy
    from visiting your house?

    Has it made you cut back on
    how much she leaves behind?

    How much do your kids earn per tooth?

    Please click here to read the story
    and join the discussion by
    leaving a comment over at Athens Patch.

    Thoughts on Motherhood : When They Try to Need You Less

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    I've realised recently that I am clinging a bit to the bedtime that unfolds in Griffin's bed. We snuggle up beneath the covers and he twists a lock of my hair between his fingers. Sleepy words escape my lips as I make up stories to lull his mind into a peaceful slumber. Sometimes, I stroke his cheeks with one finger just as my Mammaw would do to me as a child when we cuddled in her Lazy-Boy Recliner.

    Those sweet moments are coming to a close, I can feel it. I know that my big seven year old should be able to fall asleep on his own but we both enjoy the ritual so much. I am well aware that is my job to usher him into independence, no matter how wonderful the present is.


    He has requested to try to do bedtime on his own. With piles of books stacked beside him, he reads silently in his bed beneath the light of the lamp that sits on his bedside table. Not quite brave enough to do it completely alone, I sit on my bed , where he can still see me while I read a book as well. The French doors that separate our rooms are closed tight but the curtains are drawn open, so we can check on each other from over our books. Security is barely a room away. He looks so big to me, sprawled out on his bed with his gangly legs spread out over the covers.


    He pretends to read until he makes a mad dash to me, throwing open the French Doors to ask me to pronounce a long word that had caused him stumble in the story. He scoots off back to his bed, pulling the doors closed again but looking at me over his shoulder. A few minutes pass and he is back in my bed to tell me about a moment in his day that he forget to tell me earlier. This goes on for about 15 minutes until he eventually asks me to lay in bed with him and tell him a story. He can't quite do it alone just yet but he wants to be independent so desperately. Soon enough, he'll be there soon enough.


    As we glide to his bed, hand in hand, I treasure that I am still invited to take part in his bedtime ritual. We snuggle up and I tell him grand stories about pirates or mystical dragons. The words float above our heads and I want to grab them and hold onto them forever. Pretty soon, he will stop asking me to tell them.


    I am taking in every single detail. His grubby fingers twist and turn locks of my hair, his sleepy breath slows as his strong chest moves up and down, and he drifts off to sleep. The fleeting moments are so peaceful and beautiful...I wish that we could just linger in that place together forever. I know that I have to boldly let it go, though.

    Tuesday, February 21, 2012

    52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 50

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    We took Griffin to see
    Circus Athena the other day.


    Which was described as...

    "A never-before-seen assembly of
    Athens’
    own circus performers
    attempting
    dazzling feats
    to wondrous live music"


    Really, it was more like

    a circus put on by The Little Rascals.
    It was so cute and fun.


    Highlights included
    but were not limited to...


    Photobucket

    girls who balanced
    swords on their heads
    while a handsome fella
    played a saw like a violin,

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    a very dapper unicycle rider,

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    flying dogs,

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    scantily dressed girls shaking their hips,

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    and one amazing trapeze artist.

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    My favorite part was when
    the whole crowd sang "Hey Jude"

    as the hand painted lyrics
    scrolled across the stage.


    It was a fun and magical afternoon.

    Photobucket


    Want to join me in my quest
    to scout out happiness for a whole year?
    Simply post a photo of something that
    makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
    Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
    Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.


    Monday, February 20, 2012

    Winner : Shirtless Edition

    We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.
    Linda D.
    Everyone on shore leave wanted to show off
    their new tattoos except for Brian,
    whose new tattoo was hidden south of the border.

    Andrea
    Not all mullets are created equally!

    Moooooog35
    Scene from the Walmart-funded independent film,
    "The Three Mulletsketeers."

    And the winner is...
    Moooooog35

    Scene from the Walmart-funded independent film,
    "The Three Mulletsketeers."

    Moooooog35
    is the funniest blogger in all the land.
    Please visit his blog
    and marvel at this fantastic award he just earned!

    Photobucket

    Thanks to all the people who played.
    Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

    Friday, February 17, 2012

    Freakshow Friday : Shirtless Edition

    It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, these fellas are menacing!

    We got three tickets to the gunshow for ya!

    You got a better one for me?
    If so, you may just when this awesome award
    and have bragging rights forever.
    Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
    You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

    <span class=

    If you win then I'll link up to your
    Blog and make a big deal
    about how funny you are.
    Simply leave your funny caption or story
    in my comments section.

    The winner will be announced on Monday.

    Thursday, February 16, 2012

    Meet the Newest Members of our Family

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    We took the kids to a Kid Expo
    and there was a clown making animal balloons.
    The boys waited and waited in line
    to watch him twist and turn the balloons
    into the shape of T-Rex dinosaurs.

    Photobucket

    They were both bursting at the seams with excitement.
    Griffin named his "Rexy" and proclaimed
    that he was never ever going to get rid of his new friend.
    I didn't have to heart to tell him
    that Rexy would one day deflate.

    Photobucket

    Koen was equally in love with his new friend
    and named it "Monster".

    For the rest of the weekend
    Rexy and Moster went with us everywhere.
    They sat with us at the dinner table when we ate meals.
    The boys begged to sleep with them at night
    but I refused to let them sleep with a balloon.

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    Monster had an "accident' and quickly became a sword,
    Koen still loved him dearly.
    Rexy came untwisted twice and both times
    a heartbroken Griffin begged me to fix him.

    With a few twists and turns and a
    little dental floss to hold them in place,
    I was able to save Rexy's arms.

    Eventually, both of their beloved balloons
    started to deflate.
    It was a slow and sad process.

    One afternoon, Griffin came into the kitchen
    while I was unloading the dishwasher
    with a wilting Rexy and announced
    that he wanted me go ahead and pop it

    He just couldn't watch Rexy suffer anymore.

    So, we had a mercy killing of our beloved dinosaur.
    Griffin was brave and there were no tears
    but I know that he misses him.

    I'm thinking of printing out photos of the boys
    with Rexy and Monster to frame and place
    on their bedside tables.

    I know that they miss them so.

    Wednesday, February 15, 2012

    Stranger Danger


    My weekly column is up! A little girl in Ga fought
    her way out of a would-be kidnapping last week.
    Would your children know what to do if they were abducted?
    Do you let them walk around the store alone?
    Do you talk to them about stranger danger?

    Please click here to read the article
    and join the discussion by
    leaving a comment over at Athens Patch.


    Leigh vs. Cake Pops

    Griffin and I decided to make Cake Pops
    for his Valentine's Day gift
    for his friends at school this year.

    It seemed like such a great
    project to do together in the kitchen.
    We started off having fun
    as we mixed the red velvet cake
    and licked the bowl of batter as we went along.

    Photobucket

    About 5 minutes into the fourth step,
    things went awry in the kitchen
    for me and the little guy.

    After much complaining that he was bored
    and a crushed red velvet ball or two,
    he abandoned his post
    and escaped to the living room
    to watch Spiderman on TV.

    Photobucket

    It was just me alone in the kitchen with melted white chocolate
    that hardened way to quickly but then
    somehow managed to ooze and drip once on the stick.
    as the cake pops sat on their posts.

    I got mad at the sprinkles twice
    for getting all over the place
    and then my back started hurting from all the dipping.

    Photobucket

    For all my complaining, they looked and tasted awesome
    but what was supposed to be a fun project
    that Griffin and I could do together
    ended up being a project
    that made mommy stay up way too late to complete.

    All of the dipping, sprinkling, packaging, and bow tying was worth it though,
    his friends loved them and Griffin told me that he proudly
    announced to the class that he and mommy made the cake pops together.

    I suppose that I'll let him take the credit.

    Tuesday, February 14, 2012

    52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 49

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    Roger and I pretended that Valentine's day arrived
    a few days early and went to see the B52's in concert.
    It was SO much fun!

    Our camera battery ran out at the beginning of the show
    so I will have to tell you about the highlights,
    please just imagine photos of the following:

    *REM sitting two rows in front of us in the crowd.

    *Michael Stipe carrying a metallic clutch.


    *Big huge gay men wearing beehive wigs and feather boas.


    *Middle aged women wearing beehive wigs and Go Go boots.


    *Me dancing like a 1960's lunatic with motor control issues.


    *The entire room freaking out when they sang "Love Shack".

    *Fred Schneider walking around the stage like a pissed off grandma.

    It was a blast!!!



    Photobucket


    Want to join me in my quest
    to scout out happiness for a whole year?
    Simply post a photo of something that
    makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
    Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
    Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.



    Monday, February 13, 2012

    Friday Night Dates: Week 31

    I'm inviting romance into my life
    one Friday Night Date at a time
    and documenting each one here on my little ol' blog.

    I want to remember every detail
    of these splendid home spun dates.

    <span class=

    Date #
    31

    Photobucket

    Stardust is such a dreamy film...
    watching Claire Danes glow when
    the two dance made me glow for my man.

    It was a sweet and delectable evening.

    Here are the recipes...

    Stardust Cocktail

    INGREDIENTS
    • 4 parts Vodka
    • 1 part Crème de Cacao
    • 1 Bottle of Goldshlager
    • Cocktail shaker and cracked ice
    METHOD
    Pour first two ingredients into a cocktail shaker have full of cracked ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Slowly pour in a small amount of Goldschlager and watch as a snowstorm of golden stars drifts down.

    Chocolate Fig Bundles

    Ingredients

    3/4 cup butter, softened
    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    1 tablespoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 cup milk
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    2/3 cup dried figs, snipped
    2/3 cup chopped pitted dates
    1/3 cup pine nuts
    1/4 cup raisins
    1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel or lemon peel
    3 tablespoons orange juice
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 egg
    1 tablespoon water
    Coarse sugar

    Directions
    1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in milk, 1 egg, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough into fourths. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
    2. For filling: In a food processor, combine figs, dates, pine nuts, raisins, orange peel, orange juice, and cinnamon. Cover and process with several on/off pulses until chopped.
    3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet; set aside.
    4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to an 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. Using a fluted pastry wheel, trim dough to a 10x8-inch rectangle. Cut with the fluted pastry wheel into 2-inch squares. Place half of the dough squares on prepared cookie sheet. Spread 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of the filling onto the center of each square on cookie sheet. Using a small sharp knife, cut an "X" on top of each remaining dough square. In a small bowl, combine 1 egg and the water. Brush some of the egg mixture on edges of squares with filling. Place cut squares on top; press edges together to seal. Brush tops with egg mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
    5. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat Step 4 with the remaining dough portions and bake as directed. Makes about 40 cookies.
    Did you snuggle up to your sweetie over the weekend?