Bring it, Day #4

Reporting from Day #4 of The Poop Intiative....

Yes.


We.


Can.

Wonderful successes so far and now can see the light at the end of the, um, tunnel.

More inspiration:

(Thanks to Guy Kawasaki...)

Selling Our Souls for Health

(We now take a break from potty training to bring you a message about germs and Hell... Oh, don't worry, poop talk will continue soon. MUWAHAHAHAHA...)

We didn't go to church yesterday. In fact, I don't remember when we last attended.

I think it was when S & J caught an awful cold from some snot-nosed kid in the church-provided daycare so we decided to take a "church break" until cold season was over.

O.k., that's telling... So, clearly (since FALL is cold season) we maybe haven't been in a year.

I suddenly feel even worse.

We had a good run there for a awhile but the church we attend really doesn't enforce the "no sick kids" rule and time after time we brought home some Super-Horrific-Sticky-Green-Mucus-Pukeazoid-Bug that felled the kids, and sometimes us. And to say that it's tough to deal with sick twin toddlers when you are also sick is a massive understatement.

Like saying that breastfeeding twins is a gigantic freak show.

A BIG, FAT UNDERSTATEMENT.

And now I'm feeling so guilty.

And now I feel like maybe I have to make a choice: Eternal damnation or healthy kids?

S & J aren't in regular daycare and very rarely have a playdate with more than 3 or 4 kids at a time. As a result they aren't little petri-dishes of Cholera but also maybe don't have the same resistance to all the Kid Krud that most daycare kids do.

I've talked to other "no daycare" moms and they don't take their kiddos to church daycare during cold and flu season.

So at least I'll have people I can share recipes with in Hell.

Holiday Fun

Holidays can be either fun, fun, fun or totally unbearable.

Same goes for potty training.

Um, NO. Maybe the latter but definitely not the former.

They were all over it back in MAY but since then they won't even discuss it. They enjoy the books. They enjoy the fun underpants. But peeing in the potty? FORGET IT.

So...

Since Easter was fun, July 4th was a hoot and Halloween went really well I decided to try the "holiday" strategy (everything's MORE fun on a holiday!!!) with potty training to see how it goes.

Thus...

Today is "No Pants Day!"

YAY. (No, really. YAY.)

We refuse to bribe with candy or food but have promised copious amounts of monkey, elephant and excavator stickers.

A picture of after a successful, um, deposit:


J in all her sticker-fied glory. (Tally included a monkey, two elephants and one giant excavator.)

It seems that S has other uses for the potty:


At least he's creating SOMETHING.

"Whatcha Cookin' Wednesday" Debuts

I am a food LOVER.


I'm often asked to share my recipes and such so I'm dedicating my blog a day each week to food (my favorite thing next to my kiddos and Danger Dad and maybe warm, sandy beaches) and share some of the stuff that goes on in my very busy kitchen.

I plan to call it "Whatcha Cookin' Wednesday."

(If you have a better name PLEASE let me know. The current title beat out "Sustinence Saturday", "Tuesday's Table" and "Friday's Fare." Yeah. My brain is on vacation.)

I think featuring this sort of thing in the middle of the week makes sense since that will give you time to get all the ingredients and such and perhaps make this a weekend meal.

Moving forward... Today I need comfort. LOTS of comfort.

And comfort = Crock Pot. As soon as the leaves turn I find that I use the Crock Pot about once a week, maybe more.

Here's one of my fave recipes. It's so easy it's crazy. (Crazy GOOD.)

Chicken a la Herbert

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (I use Wolfgang Puck organic.)

4 medium-sized chicken breast (frozen or thawed - I usually use frozen)

1 jar of roasted red bell peppers (julienned, I get mine from Trader Joe's)

one medium onion (chopped)

2 cloves of fresh garlic (chopped)

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until clear then add to crock pot. Add soup and peppers and give a light stir. Layer chicken breasts in the soup mixture, spoon some on top.

Cook on low for about 8 hours. Enjoy over rice or noodles.

***********************

And for more inspiration check out these awesome food blogs:
Bread and Honey & Crockpot 365

Bunnies and Firemen

(In light of today's election I need to think happy thoughts and there's not much that's happier than kiddos dressing up for Halloween. Right? Right. So here's a post-Halloween post to keep things light and HAPPY. Gosh darn it.)


I think that all parents must think this at one time or another,

"Did we really make such cuteness?!?"


Holy mackerel. I just can't stand it. The cute factor is WAY off the charts.

Up until about a week before Halloween Sam was asking to be either an excavator or an elephant. (Just for the record, I'm always up for a challenge and am pretty crafty but for the life of me I could not figure out how to make an excavator costume.) Janie also wanted to be an elephant for a short period of time but then insisted on being a Pink Bunny. Not just a bunny. Or a rabbit. But a PINK BUNNY. But she wouldn't wear ears. And, up until Halloween night, wouldn't wear a nose or whiskers. So basically her costume was "Cute Little Girl in Pink Leggings with Matching Pink turtleneck."

With a pom-pom on her butt.

Sam's "Fireman Sam" costume consisted of about a roll and a half of yellow duct tape and a navy-blue oxford shirt that was about 2 sizes too big. Voila! Fireman's coat!

It was a hit, and Target was selling Fireman rain boots this year which completed the outfit perfectly. Danger Dad added the soot (yes, it's actual soot, OF COURSE) as a final touch.

As with nearly all aspects of our life, I totally forgot about me. (Which is clearly evidenced in the above pic.) This happens with doctors appointments, eating, and well, just about everything else. I tend to take care of everyone else and put myself last. It's a good thing that I have an abundance of dress-up stuff and general junk. And magic markers. (Couldn't find any eyeliner.) Instant bunny.



I think Danger Dad missed his calling. He is one hot Fireman.

Way scarier than ghouls and goblins

You know by now that I'm terrified by this year's election.

I have friends (literally) shouting the praises of Obama but can't explain why he is their choice to run this country.

They say, "We just don't want more of the same!" but their research is thin and flimsy.

They say, "I want change!" but they can't tell me why.

They say, "Palin is a joke and I don't want her to be one heartbeat away from the presidency!" but not one single person I spoke to could tell me about her voting or leadership record.

(They could, however, recite recent SNL skits nearly word for word.)

One very smart, dear friend, a schoolteacher, told me she can't support McCain because he doesn't support teachers. I couldn't find any evidence of this so I asked her to show me where she saw this (there is NO WAY I would support a candidate that doesn't support teachers) or to send documentation. I haven't heard from her in nearly 2 weeks.

I have friends that believe McCain will raise taxes for the poor (he won't) and that he will keep the war going indefinitely (he has said he won't) so they want Obama in office so he can "CHANGE" things.

Not one single person has been able to tell me what that "CHANGE" is.

And now it just got much scarier.

My mother-in-law is a pollworker in Miami. Yesterday she wrote this to me:

I have been working at the early voting polls for this past 10 days, and I am watching busloads of the elderly, blind, homeless brought in to vote for Obama.

I have had to help people who cannot read English; I have watched the Creole interpreters (whose language I cannot understand – so I do not know if these interpreters are telling the blind, and those who seem to have no awareness of where they are, how to vote); I have watched while the interpreters have filled in the ballot with their own hands while the “voter” stands by with a cane or wheelchair and says nothing much that is intelligible. Is this even legal? A barely alive body with a”maybe” legal card having their ballot filled out by an openly biased interpreter?

I have seen VERY few voters who know what is going on – who have given thought to the issues and who are voting with their intellect.

I HAVE seen thousands ( literally-since we process about a thousand per day) of voters come in just to vote for Obama and say they do not care about the rest - and make loud remarks about it to the crowd. These voters are not voting for the issues –it is for racial reasons.

There is an assumption that voting for Obama is what black people MUST do - no matter if they understand what is at stake or not! Someone has relieved them of the responsibility to think about the issues and told them they will be “taken care of” it they vote for Obama!

It is appalling to watch how the voting is being manipulated.

I am not sure how these people who are barely alive – coming in to vote in a country where they have not bothered to learn English, or to learn about how the government works, and who would not be otherwise voting - [would be voting] were it not an issue of RACE!

I am sick to my stomach.

My worst fears are coming true. This is firsthand info from someone I know very well. Not from a second or third party. She saw this with her own eyes.

More than a few people I know are excited about Making History. They are preserving thoughts and memories so that if Obama is elected they can share that monumental moment with their children when they get older.

Unfortunately, for many of us, this election may go down in history as a moment when someone was voted into office for the color of their skin not for ideals, morals, values or experience. It will be known as a time when the presidency was a "Popularity Contest", when the popular candidate won over the best candidate.

It will be known as a time when the fabric of our country was ripped to shreds.

Racism will get worse. It will. The resentment in this country will grow to epic proportions.

It's a slippery slope and I'm not ready for the ride.

The obligatory "100 things"

In keeping with bloggy tradition here is my “100 Things About Me” list. It might explain some of the stuff you read here every once in a while.

Might.

(No promises.)

1. I’m from a small town in Northern California.
2. I am the youngest of two.
3. My family had a red VW bus.
4. We went camping a lot.
5. And traveled Europe.
6. Also in a VW van.
7. I’m a Gemini.
8. My favorite color is red.
9. My nickname in Jr. High was “Hollywood.”
10. In 8th grade I was voted “Most Likely To Be A Solid Gold Dancer.”
11. I was proud of this honor.
12. I’ve always been very social.
13. I went to nine proms.
14. I *did not* put out.
15. I kept all the corsages.
16. I never took the SAT.
17. I was very good at soccer but chose dance instead.
18. I was a cheerleader.
19. I sang in a band.
20. We called ourselves, “Rapid Fire!”
21. We weren’t very good.
22. But we did awesome Pat Benatar covers.
23. I was the only freshman in the high school talent show.
24. My first rock concert was the B-52’s.
25. I broke my toe while slam dancing to “Rock Lobster.”
26. It was totally worth it.
27. My high school drama teacher told me that I didn’t have any talent.
28. I sent her a thank you note after I got accepted to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.
29. My nickname in college was “Gidget.”
30. I lived near the beach and went nearly every day.
31. We used to bring kegs home on my skateboard.
32. I once fell asleep while riding my bike to work.
33. I worked at a coffeehouse in college and had to bake muffins at 5 a.m.
34. I think I was still drunk.
35. I fell out of a two-story window.
36. And only received 5 stitches.
37. I think I was still drunk.
38. I was on “The Dating Game.”
39. I won.
40. The prize was a trip to Xtapa, Mexico.
41. I went on the trip but ditched the date and stayed for 3 weeks.
42. I attended the Academy Awards in 1986.
43. Bette Davis was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Oscar that same year.
44. Bette Davis is my all-time, hands-down favorite actress.
45. I own Bette Davis’ brass headboard.
46. I bought it at her estate auction while living in NYC.
47. My roommate and I brought it home on the subway.
48. After that purchase I ate Top Ramen and beans for nearly a month.
49. I once passed out from dehydration while in the middle of a play.
50. I was playing Cinderella.
51. I got a standing ovation.
52. I have tattoos.
53. One of them is on top of the other.
54. I had a pierced nose.
55. And a pierced belly button.
56. I’ve had many jobs.
57. I used to sell digital printing services.
58. And manage an eclectic restaurant.
59. And run a flower stand.
60. And for a little bit I sold beach glass jewelry at craft fairs.
61. And I had a great run as an actress.
62. I got my first acting job when I was 9.
63. My longest career has been in public relations.
64. I’ve done that for 13 years.
65. I worked for the agency that launched the iMac, Yahoo! and Pixar during the dot com heyday.
66. It was awesome.
67. We didn’t know that we were making history.
68. I married my husband nearly 11 years after we first met.
69. His nickname back then was “Malibu.”
70. We call him “Danger Dad” now.
71. We met while I was performing in a show in Galveston, TX.
72. He was my boss.
73. He had no idea what he was getting in to.
74. *I* had no idea what I was getting in to.
75. We took a 4 year break.
76. It was fun but I missed him.
77. We got married less than one year after we started dating again.
78. We’ve been married for 9 years.
79. Some people say that we look alike.
80. I used to climb rocks. Big rocks.
81. I’ve climbed in the ‘Gunks, all over Northern and Southern California, Texas and many places in between.
82. We have a climbing wall in our basement.
83. I’m a self-professed Foodie even though I hate the word “Foodie.”
84. I’m a recipe tester for Cook’s Illustrated magazine.
85. We spent two weeks with Tony Robbins in Hawaii. THAT Tony Robbins.
86. He’s a giant weirdo.
87. I’ve spent some time with BB King on his tour bus.
88. He’s awesome.
89. I read the obits every Wed.-Sun.
90. I do a crossword every day.
91. I always knew that I would have twins.
92. My grandmother is a twin.
93. My maternal grandmother has twin brothers.
94. My cousin has triplets.
95. My nephews are twins.
96. I am surrounded by twins.
97. I co-founded the Parents of Multiples Club in my city.
98. We have about 130 paid families with at least 2 new families joining every week.
99. I tandem breast-fed my twins.
100. It was a freak show.
101. But totally worth it.
102. I worry about being a good mom.
103. I’m just now realizing that there are way more than 100 things to list so I’m going to list 110 things.
104. I thought I would have at least five children.
105. I want my children to have an awesome childhood.
105. And overall awesome *life.*
106. I am certain that I could kill someone with my bare hands if they ever laid a finger on either of my children.
107. I hope to be my children's friend some day.
108. I really love being a mom. It's magic.
109. It's the hardest thing I have EVER done.
110. I want to make a difference. (That's kind a trite way to end this but it's true.)

What are your 100 things... (or maybe your Top Ten...?)