Happy Monday, Ya'll

Our weekend started Thursday night as HH had taken it off to use up a holiday. HH and I had fabulous weekend plans that were altered Thursday night by a cold visiting our house. We didn't get as much date time in, but we still managed to have a restful weekend.

Friday was our busy day that turned into my busy day so that HH could stay home with the sick child. (My SIL had the three older kids.) In the morning I had a meeting with a friend, but the rest of my day was to be filled with shopping, shopping, and more shopping. As I got ready for the day I decided I'd wear my yoga pants to my friend's house since it was a cozy meeting.

When I checked myself in the mirror before I left I thought, "Man, I look confused. I'm all dressed nice...and then there's the yoga pants." Instead of embracing the shame of wearing my yoga pants outside of the house, I decided to name my outfit.

The Mommy Mullet

 Business on the top, Mommy on the bottom. (I'm still not good at taking my photos.)

Lesson here: Embrace the cozy and then give it a name. Happy Monday, Ya'll!

I think I'm on to something here...

First. A little history/back story. Just so this makes a little more sense.


We attend a super small home church out in the almost middle of nowhere. We don't meet in the same house every week. We like to switch it up between about four or five different houses of the attendees. We either have really short attention spans or we just like to be confusing. Or both. One of the houses we meet in is the one my parents share with our friends. 

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This last Sunday our church was meeting at my parents house. Being that it's like a second home and that I knew we were staying for lunch after church, I decided to dress down this week. Dressing down isn't very different from normal church clothing since since the normal garb is jeans and a nice shirt.

I was going for comfy so I pulled out my black yoga pants and wore them with a blue and grey flannel shirt/white long sleeve t-shirt combo. I've been trying to avoid the frumpy mommy look and so I've not let myself wear yoga pants outside the house very often. (Taking Abiah to music class is about the only time it's been personally acceptable lately.) I felt like I was still presentable since my hair was done up, make up was on, and I had made sure to wear my good yoga pants. Not the ones that look like a mouse has chewed them up.

Surprisingly I wasn't self-conscious of my wardrobe choice. I was comfortable and that was good enough I suppose. I felt that my appearance rating was comfy/cute.

Here's the funny part. This week three different people came up to me and complimented my appearance. No one actually mentioned my pants, but still.

So, maybe yoga pants aren't so bad after all...?

A Course In Justification: Session 2

I know that we still have about a month before school starts, but I assure you that this is one class you'll want to take year round.

I recently found out that I am allergic to soy and eggs. This has caused some major changes in my shopping and cooking. But the biggest (and saddest) change has been the lack of chocolate around the PnP Castle. Because SOY IS IN EVERYTHING! It's been so long since I've had chocolate that I'm convinced my body is shutting down.

So, for health purposes only, I decided to make a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

How do you make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies without soy and eggs you ask?

Well, I purchased these soy free chocolate chips, which taste exactly like regular chocolate chips. They are a little on the spend-y side, but a momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do. Which means making these babies last!

To replace eggs in baking there are a few options: egg replacers, or 1/4 cup veggie oil or applesauce per egg. I chose applesauce. Because I'm healthy like that.

So, I made up my favorite recipe. And then I had an epiphany.

No eggs = no salmonella poisoning=eating all the cookie dough!

I think my body is on the mend. I know for sure when I finish of this plate of cookies.


OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Mix together: 1/2 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar.

Add: 2 eggs or egg substitute, 1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl mix together: 1&1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt.
Add to creamed mixture.

Mix in 3 cups oatmeal.

Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

For Hannah: Justification 101 Class Is In Session

My dear friend Hannah is in Africa on a way-to-long-extended three month trip. I've know Hannah since she was born and, as one of her babysitters, had a front row seat watching her and her three crazy brothers grow up. And now she watches my kids for me.

Hannah isn't just my kids babysitter though. She has become one of my friends. And as someone 14 years her senior I have taken it upon myself to impart tidbits of wisdom into her life. (I know. I'm just all kinds of generous.) She has been a fine student. Always attentive and eager to learn.

The main topic I started teaching her this last summer is justifications. The good kind. To me. I'll give you an example.

I got up one morning and exercised before going to a chiropractor appointment where I had physical therapy and was forced instructed to do these awful butt-lift crunches. I was pretty proud of myself just for getting up and exercising and, of course, was planning to reward myself with some ice cream that evening (justification #1). But after those crunches from hell I was totally okay with having an extra scoop of ice cream (justification #2). Plus it was half the fat ice cream which made it totally okay to have a smidgen more (justification #3). Like Pooh's smidgen. Not Rabbits.

So, to sum up, three justifications in one story. Ice cream for exercising. Extra ice cream for the extra exercise and more extra ice cream for eating half the fat ice cream. You got it? Okay.

So, I went to buy some groceries for making my Christmas goodies and found the next justification lesson just waiting to be taught. Since Hannah is in Africa I figured I could write to her here and you all could eavesdrop on our conversation.

So, Hannah, we've made plans to make those Cappuccino cookies I told you about when you get home and I think you'll really like them. I like them but want to leave the cinnamon out this time. I really don't like cinnamon with chocolate. Anyways, when I bought the chocolate chip (Nestle of course) I was pleased with what I saw on the label. Let me show you.



Do you see it? Here's a close up.



That's right! ALL NATURAL! You know what that means? It means that it's totally okay to have another cookie or two when you use these chocolate chips because they are good for you! Genius, right? I know. So, now you just have to hurry up and come home so we can start the baking.

We miss you, girly, and know you are right where you are supposed to be. But we still want you to come home. And now I leave you with pictures of my adorable children to help entice you all the more.


(Abiah's "homeschooler" look. Oh, and notice the color of the walls? New paint!)


(Hazel. Yes. Those are her training pants outside her clothes. She got into the laundry. Clean laundry.)


(Amelia's favorite past time. Freaking mommy out. She thinks it's pretty funny. I think she's pretty cute.)