All these things I've learned

Being a Mom is not an easy job. I know, I'm probably preaching to a choir of my own people. What really takes my breathe away is the manner in which my kids teach me. Change me. It goes both ways of course. But the things I teach my kids, pales in comparison to what they teach me. Sure numbers and letters and how to use the toilet are very important; but so is patience, humility and unconditional love. Just to name a few.

I was a Mom of a girl. I got what I wanted the first time around and loved every minute of it. Shopping for all things pink, dresses, hair bows and little shoes. I had it made. I was a Mom of a girl for 3 years before my son came. I can openly admit today, that the tears I cried on that ultrasound table were those of sorrow. My 'motherly intuition' was wrong. It was a boy, not a girl. That cherished and coveted family dynamic I had dreamed of was gone.

I always wanted a little sister. Confidant, built in best friend. Someone who would be there. Though I wasn't technically an only child, I grew up that way. It was lonely. I had friends, but they came and went. I was jealous of the friends who had siblings, someone who would always be there in the end. Friends are not always the same. They are fickle creatures sometimes. Since I couldn't have that dynamic growing up, I was determined to have it with my children. It didn't work out that way.

I went about most of my pregnancy this way. Slightly less excited than I should be. There is also the whole, second baby syndrome. I felt like people were less excited because it was our second and ALSO because he was a boy. Naming him was hard. I had a girl's name picked out by the time we found out the gender. The middle name was easy. I was going to give him my cousin's name. Twelve days before he was born I lost my Grandpa. Grieving the loss of a loved one while on the cusp of new life is both draining and paradoxical. In the end, I named him for my Grandfather, as I knew no one else ever would.

A scary labor and delivery made me grateful for a healthy baby regardless. Today I can happily say, I have adapted. This is thanks to them, my mini miracles. I can throw a wicked tea party, do elaborate braids and then turn around and poke ants and jump in muddy puddles. I wouldn't change it for the world either.  I know I've avoided catty fights and drama. Tattling about clothes, makeup and boys.

The equally amazing thing is what my kids do for one another. They move around each other like two parts of a whole. One is always looking for the other. They always bypass me and greet each other first when separated. She knows all the names of the trains her brother loves, and asked me for a Thomas dress, so she can wear it with him when we go see Thomas the train next month. On the other side, he can don a pair of play shoes, purse and hair bow and chow down at a tea party like a pro.

My husband I think, is unnerved by this. I'm not. Someday he'll be a hot commodity with the girls, because he knows what they like, and will be more likely to play with them than other boys who don't have sisters. He's learning to care for and love a girl, which will do him well in the world. It always starts with his Mom and sister. How does my Hubby think he got so awesome? Surrounded by women of course!

That's just a small slice, of what my kids teach my every day, and what they teach each other. And today, I am so happy to be a Mom of both. Because as much as Moms of boys tell you, just HOW special the love a little boy has for his Mama is; you never quite know until you're there.  And let me tell you, it's magical.

Thursday Blog Hop!

And now for the grand finale...

Baked goods! Desserts! Well almost all baked good. I added one in at the end. I don't think you'll mind.
On we go!

Cinnamon sugar donuts

Pumpkin and cream bread (low cal!)

Apple Enchiladas

Baked donuts

Pull apart cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread

Frozen hot chocolate

You're welcome, and I'm sorry :D But enjoy!
Fluffimama out!

Dough Delicious

So it turns out my compiled list of DELICIOUS fall/winter baked good recipes was very...long. So I decided to be fair and split it up. One post for bread/rolls and another for dessert type baked goods. So along we go..and keep in mind, a lot of these recipes can be made all year long, but I'm particularly looking forward to them when it gets chilly.

We'll start out with my favorite, screen licking recipe....

Gorgonzola garlic bread

Olive Garden breadsticks













And really, if we have the soup recipe and the bread recipe
why not make a salad and use the.....


Olive garden salad dressing

Cheddar bay biscuits (aka Red Lobster biscuits)

These (above) are a favorite of mine. They are so good, but because of my shellfish allergy, RL is a no-go for me, which means no biscuits.

Last but not least, the very versatile (and dear love of mine)
Dutch oven crusty bread

I think all of these look like awesome contenders to go with the fall/winter recipes I posted. There's nothing better than a fresh warm roll/bread to go with your hot savory comfort food!

Do try NOT to drool on the screen ;)
Fluffimama out <3

Countdown to Fall Recipe Roundup

Below is a definitive & DELICIOUS list of cool weather recipes that are sure to warm your tummy and fill the house with the smell of comfort food. Some of these I have made, some are on my list to try this fall. ALL look promising :D

Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Stew Crock Pot

Homemade Mushroom Soup

Creamy white chicken and artichoke lasagna

Slow cooked butternut squash and apple soup

Chicken gnocchi soup

Now I HAVE made the above, and it is AMAZING. It's dead on for the real thing from Olive Garden. I plan on making this several times through out winter featuring the bread stick recipe I found. That will get posted in the next Fall/Winter recipe segment.

Mustard roast beef

Guh. And NOOOOOOW I'm hungry. Again. No savory comfort food meal is complete without some baked goods. Sit tight and I'll be back in a few days with a list of them to go with these.

Fluffimama out <3

London To-Do list

This is my list of top ten things I'd like to do if we move to London. Some are silly. Some are awesome. I want to do ALLLL of them. In no particular order..

10. Find the nearest chippie and have authentic fish & chips out of a paper bag

9. Shake my bum at the palace guards. I will refrain from posting a photo
of my bum and settle for the palace guards.

8. Go big hat/fascinator shopping. I'm hoping they have a shop at
Heathrow. I like peacocks :)

7. New hair. I'm thinking victory rolls with a pink/teal color combo.
No one had a photo of the two together :(

6. Go hunting for The Doctor (10 & 11) and listen for the Tardis.

5. Ride a double decker bus.

4. Abbey Road photo shoot. Nuff' said.

3. Track down Number 4 Privet Drive Little Whinging, Surrey. Make owl calls.

2. Ride the London Eye.

1. Visit The British Museum.


There's a LOT more that I can think of, but we'll save that for another day :)
Fluffimama out <3

Possibly going expat....maaaaaybe.....

We may in the next couple of months, be going expat as a family. To the UK. Mekius is in the interview process and awaiting an offer. If the offer is good, we go. If it's not good we counter. If they say no, we stay.   It's been a multitude of emotions here. We told the kids, though Sunny is the only one who 'gets' it. Bubber, well he'll just grow up with it being his norm.

There has been a lot of excitement, but a lot of sadness too. Maybe more sadness on mine and my daughter's part. Lots of tears. Some fighting. It's not easy telling your 5 year old that she'll have to leave most of her toys behind. 

We told our close friends, who we leaned on for support. Who got us through the first few days where we wondered if we could even CONSIDER it. That made us strong enough to tell our parents, who needed to see us confident and assured that we COULD do it, so they could worry one tenth of an iota less for us. Then we told some extended family. Then it was FB official. One paragraph posted and most of our circle knew. Now you all know. I'm telling you, because I want you to be with us if we take that journey. Knowing me, I'm sure it will make for some AWESOME reading. 

It's surreal right now, hurrying up and waiting for things to happen on the job end. Meanwhile, school starts HERE for Sunny in 32 days and I don't even know where she's going to school. Two weeks from now we could be packing. It's really hard not knowing and not having enough answers. 

Our parents/friends/family have been amazing and supportive this far. Maybe more so than I expected. I half expected everyone to stop talking to us. Because if I was on the other side, I might want to as well. I hope someday everyone knows what that has meant to us so far. Because for everyone sniffle and every tear held in, it's double that for us. 

That being said, I am incredibly proud of Mekius. This is what he has always wanted (the job, maybe not the location). He has worked so hard and he deserves this. As much as I am sad and don't want to go, I think I want it just a tiny bit more, even if just for him. Where he goes, we go. Even if that mean we cross the pond.

So stay tuned, I promise to keep it coming, and add in some more UK goofy goodness on my part, because after reading this post, I have decided I'm a Sad Sally lol.

Fluffimama out <3

The word of the day is....PANTS.

I love pants. They're warm and cozy and I have probably 50 pairs* of yoga pants that I live in once it gets to pants season. Problem is, it is not currently pants season. It WAS shorts/t-shirt season until last week and it then became sports bra and shorts weather. But I digress. This Illinois/Wisconsin girl was not meant for 105+ temps. I was built for Chicago winters. Ask my thighs, they'll tell you!

So to say we were miserable last week is an understatement. Curtains drawn, lights off and air cranked. It still only ever cooled down to about 75, which is you've ever been to my house in the summer, is SWELTERING. At this point you're probably looking over to you're neighbor and whisper 'really, weather? that's what we're going to talk about today?' 


Yes it is. Now shut it :D


Normally we slog through our cold, icy and snowy winter and straight to a rainy spring. That is supposed to make summer an oasis in the middle of the icy tundra, which we claw and drag ourselves toward. Except winter and spring got kind of....HOT. Weird, I know. So I wasn't actually salivating after the idea of summer. I would have been perfectly content carrying on as we were. So after the heat wave, I'm looking forward to fall. Fall will in the next week or so, get it's own GLORIOUS post, because it's my favorite season. EVER.

So to sum up the heatwave in my neck of the woods, my grass is dead. My plants are dead. My flowers are dead and a squirrel drowned himself in our pool.

That is all.
Fluffimama out!

*(This is a gross exaggeration. I only own 4 pairs. I hope to someday add a couple more pairs.)

Eyeball melting stress

I am around, I promise and still alive! I am stressed to my eyeballs and might have some exciting news soon. I promise my lovelies I have not abandoned you and will think of something witty and awesome to share with you soon <3

-ZombieMama

Baby shower post part 2 the crafts

Annnnnnnnd, now for the rest of the baby shower awesomeness. Most are self explanatory, not needing a tutorial, but if there is a request for any of them, I can rustle one up. Enjoy :)

Favors. Ordered little jars. Printed and cut a label for the top
Decorated with pretty pink/yellow ribbons and tied a bow
Filled them with lemon sugar hand scrub

Part of my gift to Miss Emily, a pink/white pettitutu.

I'll do a tutorial on these soon. I also did one in purple.

Just one of my sewing projects as of late. I made the blanket
and had the embroidery done locally.

My friend and I got together one day to make these.

She made one for her son and since my kids each

has these already I made one for Miss Emily :)

Those beautiful tissue paper flowers were made
by the Mother of the expecting Mom from the first
shower, and she graciously let us use them after.
All the favors lined up and waiting for guests :)

Making of the banner. Circles/letters via

my Cricut, ribbon, tulle and the hippo was cut

from an invite using an exacto knife.

Finished product all hung up. Just beautiful in the picture window!

More tissue flowers with the matching balloons

Empty oatmeal can, wrapped in wrapping

paper and with ribbon glued around the lid. 

Great storage for infant/toddler/girls headbands

both on the outside and in.

French memo board as bow board. Painted letters
at the top for her name and then just add bows.
We had bow supplies and instructions out for guests
to make a special hair bow for Miss Emily!

A good time was had by all and we were so happy to do this for our friend. She is currently 20 days from her due date and very close. We're keeping our fingers crossed for happy/healthy Mama and Miss Emily <3