Cooking with Chell

When I was in junior high, I found out a perfect way to get breakfast every morning...really compliment the person who is making it, so they WANT to make it for you. So, every morning I would yell from bed, "But Chell, you make the best toast in the whole world. No one makes it better than you." So she would get out of bed and make toast for both of us. Then, it turned into our favorite after school snack too. Again after school, I would say, "Chell, I would make it, but you just do it so much better!"

The thing is, she really did make a NICE piece of toast. To this day it's the best toast I've ever had....until Dad found out how she was making it and put a stop to it. She was buttering the bread BEFORE she put it into the toaster (which makes it taste fabulous by the way) but it shorts out the wires when the butter drips down and is actually a little dangerous. So, the toast days were put to an end.

She is a good little cook though. Maybe it's my toast that got her started. Check out her cookie recipe on her blog (link above). I think I'll try it today!

Can I be honest?

Okay, I don't know who even reads my blogs anymore, so read this at your own risk. I remember when girls used to get cramps in high school, and I was like, "Buck up Camper, it's not that bad." There was this particular girl on dance team (Jayme and Chell, remember Amber T.?) who would curl up in a ball even on competition days and would just cry her cramps hurt so bad.

Fast forward 15 years (wow, has it been that long?) I have the world's worst PMS. The cramps are bad, but my emotions are out of control. Everything offends me and everything irritates me. EVERYTHING!!! I seriously wanted to scream at the clerk who asked if I wanted paper or plastic. What the hell, does anyone use paper anymore? (Don't worry I recycle the plastic.) Then Mikayla and I got home and as I was trying to put away groceries, Mikayla ate apple chips, a piece of bread, two yogurts, sour cream and onion chips AND bologne. THEN, she asked for lunch. She's TWO!!!!!!!!!! I was so irritated. Then I sit back and I'm like, "Man, it's not that big of a deal, why am I freaking out?????" Oh, it's because I have PMS!

Now, you can tell me to get on some drug or whatever to get it under control, but I already went off the pill two years ago because it made me completely crazy after I had kids. I also never really had cramps or PMS until after I had kids. So, I guess I can just deal with it.

JUST DON'T CROSS MY PATH IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS, AND IF YOU MUST, TALK QUIETLY AND ONLY SAY THINGS LIKE, "Man, you are the best mom and never yell at your kids. You are so skinny and aren't bloated at all. Your face is so clear right now, I can't even see the small mountain on your forehead."

I'll see you in two days, I'm going to eat a box of Dots, drink four Diet Cokes and climb into my cave.

Oh, on a positive note, my fabulous friend Miki is taking the girls OVERNIGHT Friday night for my birthday...how cool is that?

Did you know?

Free Money? Could it be true? Ya, kind of. There is this financial guru on the radio (Clark Howard) who told his listeners about a website called MissingMoney.com. Anyway, you put in your information and it will find money that is owed to you but never paid...from previous jobs, insurance, stocks, etc. I didn't find any money for me, but I found two checks for my dad from our old Logan address and one for my brother-in-law in Texas. Michael's was only $103, but hey, the check is in the mail to him and he didn't even know it was out there. I told him I would take a percentage of it or he had to use it to come and visit us! Anyway, check it out...and check it out for your family and friends. It's easy and kind of fun.

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no clue what happened to my blog, but I think I fixed things...stay tuned for a most-intriguing blog.

Grateful

Today I was unloading groceries with Mikayla after taking Amelia to school and my neighbor across the street was in her new boat checking things out. She saw us and ran over and offered to take Mikayla for a little while. I know it seems like a little thing, but in that hour I got all the bathroom floors swept and mopped, the upstairs vacuumed, all the groceries put away, the area rugs downstairs shaken out AND the stairs swept and polished. She brought Mikayla home so happy and gave her a little break from me too.

I guess my point is that she will never know how much that meant to me...just to have a little break and get so much done. I will remember this forever and a few years from now when my kids are in school, I will return the favor to a mom I see with young kids who just needs an hour break on a random day!

Fashion Girl

This is what I love about my Amelia:

• She is totally her own person...when most girls her age say their favorite colors are pink and purple, Amelia proudly tells them hers is GREEN.
• She tells me all the time she is a "Fashion Girl" and she really cares about what she wears. The thing is, it's her OWN version of what's "fashion." It has to have sparkles and be purple or green and then she wears it for at least five days straight. This picture is of the outfit she wore the first seven days of school in a row (a purple sparkly shirt is under the jacket).
• She is so sweet to her sister and very protective of her.

• She is a daddy's girl, but she worries that it makes me feel bad, so she will run and hug me and then jump right back in daddy's lap.
• She loves to get dirty and play outside more than anything else. She is truly the dirtiest kid I know. This picture is of Amelia and her worms.
• She wakes up every day happy and wants to go to school.
• She loves art and making messes with paint, Play-doh, stamps, etc. and is very creative.
• She is the best little help in the kitchen...and I mean "real help." She sets the table and stirs and never lets us forget to pray before a meal (although she insists on saying the prayer they say at school).
• She makes our family complete and we love her so much!