after the weekend: all the things

We had another quiet and lazy weekend. It was the last weekend of hunting, so Adam was gone both Saturday and Sunday until in the afternoon. I was able to get my house cleaned, read my book, catch up on work, and help Adri to decorate her Gingerbread Train (yes, she picked a train in favor of the traditional house). 

We were basically snowed in all Saturday, which wasn't as bad as it sounds. However, the snow let up a bit late morning on Sunday and I took the girls out with me to do some Christmas shopping (I'm all done now except for one gift!). 

Adam was back when we got home and we had another lazy afternoon, making (and eating) Mushroom Pie, catching up on t.v shows, and playing the new game that I got for Adri Rose.

For some reason the girls are not sleeping well at all lately and we've had way too many late nights/early mornings. Today they both woke up at 2:30 am and have been awake since. Piper took a short nap, but Adri is still going strong. Last time this happened she fell finally fell asleep at 10 am and slept for 3 hours. I'm working on a second cup of coffee and drawing on all the strength that I have for a LONG day ahead.

Meanwhile, in our wee morning hours I've been finding new shows for the girlies to watch and today we make a happy discovery of a short little film based on one of our very favorite books (we read it on a daily basis). If anyone else has Amazon Prime, some small ones, and is thinking of curling up with popcorn and watching something on a Winter afternoon I highly recommend this.

Have a wonderful Monday (and hopefully you got a bit more sleep last night than I did!)!

p.s is anyone interested in a What We've Been Watching Lately post? Other than this cooking related one that I posted last year (I think?) they don't seem to get a lot of traffic, so I assume (maybe falsely) that there's a lack of interest? Am I right? Wrong? Let me know!

Round up of the past week

What's this? A Saturday post!?! This never happens, amiright? I'm not going to lie, this past week was a crazy busy one, and it seemed to go by SO slowly! I had a lot of work for the first few days, but thankfully around Thursday things calmed down and I was able to get groceries, and today I got caught up on the laundry and run a few errands. 

I know that the Elf on the Shelf gets a bad rap, but I've got to be honest, I'm having a lot of fun with it. Seeing how excited Adri is to hunt him down makes my morning. It's so cute!

Yesterday we managed to fit in Storytime at the library. The nearest library is the one in town and we go there about once a week or so (they have a really fun play section with a whole little shop/grocery store area). 

However, the library that I used to work at is our favorite, and we go there every week for Storytime.

I just got this book in at the library yesterday (I had it on hold) and am really excited to read it this weekend. Claire (my-sis-in-law) recommended it to me after I told her that I had loved reading Educated and The Glass Castle. 

Don't worry, I'm sure I'll let you know all my thoughts after reading it! 

Don't forget that my giveaway with Jord Wood Watches is ending tomorrow! Just click here and scroll to the bottom of the post to enter.  

We woke to more snow this morning, and I didn't even know that it was supposed to snow! 

That's the second day in a row. Clearly I need to start checking the weather.

I'm hoping that it clears up since I have errands to run, and there are some Winter festivities going on in town later.

Have a great weekend!

Snowy Holiday Drink (recipe)

I've talked in the past about how one of my very favorite things to do is to create a new mixed drink. I think I really hit the jackpot with this snowy holiday one! It's both easy and delicious.  And, bonus, you get to use snow ice cream! 

You will need: 

Milk-about 1/2 cup.

Clean Snow-about 2 1/2 cups.

Sugar-3/4 cups, maybe more, depending on how sweet you want it.

Vodka- 1 shot.

Kahlúa- 1 shot.

To make:

Mix the snow, sugar, and milk all together in a bowl. You want it to start to just melt and everything to be slushy.

Pour mix into a cup.

Pour vodka, and then Kahlúa slowly over the top (they trickle down into the snow cream). 

Serve immediately. 

Makes enough for one large drink.

Piper Mae at Fifteen Months Old

Look who's 15 months old! I still call her "the baby," and think of her as so little, but the truth is she's growing crazy fast. Piper Mae is on the move and not ready to stop! 

As I type this she and her sister have been awake since 2am. Yes, that's right, and it's currently 4:30am. I have a LONG day ahead of me. 

Other than not sleeping, Piper has been busy doing lots of things ;)

At 15 months old she can:

+walk.

+run.

+point/ask for things she wants.

+talk (lots of words and a couple of sentences).

+dance.

+climb everything (including stairs-we a have monkey on our hands!).

+read books (to herself ;)).

At 15 months old Piper loves:

+food.

+books.

+watching P.J Masks, and Masha and the Bear (I hate that show with a passion but my children love it). 

+showers and baths.

+outside.

+did I mention food? 

+any and all animals.

+Adi. Like, for real, she's obsessed with her and her most loyal little Minion.

+she loves "cow beetle" (we got it for her for her birthday) and she and Adri fly around the house, her on cow beetle and Adri on her Cat Car. It's the cutest thing ever. 

a side note: that little wheely car makes the best gift for a one-year-old!

Piper Mae is sweet, silly, stubborn, and we love her so! 

after the weekend: at home

How was your weekend? We had a good one! It was pretty quiet. It was dreary and rainy almost the whole time so we opted to stay in and take things easy.  We made food, Adam brewed beer, I read a book, and the girls played a lot.

Our Elf on the Shelf finally made his appearance (and brought two Advent calendars with him) and now Adri is on the hunt to find him (his name is Happy) as soon as she comes down the stairs every morning. 

I'm trying to slow down and drink in this season. I have a tendency to feel a little low in spirits as the sun hides (here in NY we go for weeks in Winter without seeing sunlight) and I'm trying to not fight it this year.

We light candles, read books, watch more t.v than normal, and take hour long showers (the two girls and I get in our huge upstairs shower). So far it's been a slow and steady uphill battle, but I'd like to think that I'm winning ;)

Don't forget that there are only 6 days left to enter my giveaway! There are not a ton of entries so your chance of winning are GOOD ;)  If you are looking for the perfect gift this holiday season for someone that you love, Jord doesn't disappoint!

Adri and I also worked on her new KiwiCo crate that she got this weekend. I've got to admit, I am NOT a subscription box person, but we LOVE KiwiCo and I feel like it's worth every penny. 

If you use this link you can get $10 off your first order, if you feel like giving them a try! 

We did have plans to go to playgroup today, but it's been canceled, which is actually fine with me since today is a busy work day and I have a lot to catch up on. 

Have a lovely Monday! 

shortcut to mushrooms

'Hallo there!' called Farmer Maggot. The advancing hoofs stopped short. They thought they could dimly guess a dark cloaked shape in the mist, a yard or two ahead. 'Now then!' said the farmer, throwing the reins to Sam and striding forward. 'Don't you come a step nearer! What do you want, and where are you going?'

'I want Mr. Baggins. Have you seen him?' said a muffled voice, but the voice was the voice of Merry Brandybuck. A dark lantern was uncovered, and its light fell on the astonished face of the farmer.

'Mr. Merry!' he cried.

'Yes, of course! Who did you think it was?' said Merry coming forward. As he came out of the mist and their fears subsided, he seemed suddenly to diminish to ordinary hobbit-size. He was riding a pony, and a scarf was swathed round his neck and over his chin to keep out the fog.

Frodo sprang out of the wagon to greet him. 'So there you are at last!' said Merry. 'I was beginning to wonder if you would turn up at all today, and I was just going back to supper. When it grew foggy I came across and rode up towards Stock to see if you had fallen in any ditches. But I'm blest if I know which way you have come. Where did you find them, Mr. Maggot? In your duck-pond?'

'No, I caught 'em trespassing,' said the farmer, 'and nearly set my dogs on 'em; but they'll tell you all the story, I've no doubt. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Merry and Mr. Frodo and all, I'd best be turning for home. Mrs. Maggot will be worriting with the night getting thick.'

He backed the wagon into the lane and turned it. 'Well, good night to you all,' he said. 'It's been a queer day, and no mistake. But all's well as ends well; though perhaps we should not say that until we reach our own doors. I'll not deny that I'll be glad now when I do.' He lit his lanterns and got up. Suddenly he produced a large basket from under the seat. 'I was nearly forgetting,' he said. 'Mrs. Maggot put this up for Mr. Baggins, with her compliments.' He handed it down and moved off, followed by a chorus of thanks and good-nights.

They watched the pale rings of light 'round his lanterns as they dwindled into the foggy night.

Suddenly Frodo laughed: from the covered basket he held, the scent of mushrooms was rising.

The Fellowship of The Ring.

J.R.R Tolkien

Winter Bucket List: 2018

We woke to more snow this morning! This was a little bit of a surprise since it wasn't forecasted in the weather. There's nothing like waking to a Winter Wonderland. As much as a hate snow I still think it looks pretty.

It's that time of year again when I write out everything that we have planned from this Winter season. I'm keeping it short, the same as Autumn's, since I feel like this year has been a particularly busy one and I need a break. But still, that doesn't mean we're not going to have fun, right?

Okay, here goes...

+read lots of books. 

+break out the Elf (he's arriving Dec. 1st at our house ;)).

+take the girls to see their first movie in theaters (I was going to take Adri to see The Grinch, but we got busy).

+go skating.

+take a trip to the Children's Museum.

+get our Christmas tree.

+bake cookies.

+make snow ice cream.

+watch alllll the Christmas movies. 

+write out my end of the year blog post (it's a LONG post to put together and usually take a week or so).

+make venison jerky.

after the weekend: it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Happy Monday! We've had a crazy couple days here. Saturday the girls and I arrived home from Connecticut, and then Sunday morning Adam got sick. I took the girls and went shopping, picked up Adam's version (he shot a deer!) and got our Christmas tree. Once we came home we found that Adam was even sicker. The end result he had/has food poisoning. He was sick all night and not holding any fluids down. I took him to the ER at 3:30am and they gave him an IV and sent him home a few hours later. He's on the mend (slowly) and it looks like he'll be home a couple more days before feeling well enough to go back to work.

One thing I am thankful for is that no one else seems to be getting sick. I was a little worried that it was a bad stomach bug and that we were all going to get it. 

It's been a super gloomy rainy day here. I spent the morning running errands around town and this afternoon working. The one bright spot is that we have our tree up and decorated and everything inside is festive. We are getting in the Christmas spirit over here! 

Don't forget about the giveaway that I have going on over here! 

A couple posts that pertain to all things Christmas-y:

25 BOOKS TO READ TO CHILDREN AT CHRISTMAS TIME

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES.