When big snow/ice storms are predicted, people freak out. There's always a run on bottled water, toilet paper, milk, bread, eggs, firewood, and other such items. So why, do you think, did neither Walmart NOR Kroger have more than two cashier-manned registers open today when I and a whole lot of other people went there to do our obligatory pre-winter storm shopping? It happened. I had to go to the self-scan checkouts at both places. Sure, I can do it myself ~ I did work as a cashier at one point in my life ~ but I want to have someone else scan and bag my stuff for me. Is that so wrong? Am I the only one who feels that way?
Regardless, I got what I needed at those stores. Tomorrow, when the storm is supposed to get here, we're having chili. Of course I forgot the cinnamon rolls again, but maybe we'll have cornbread muffins or something instead. I also stocked up on milk and bread and donuts (for Emma, of course). And I got a huge bag of frosted flakes for $1.99. Can't go wrong with a giant bag of frosted flakes. So we're all set.
Now all we can do is wait for the storm to get here. Or not. We shall see, I guess.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Challenge!
I don't know where I came up with this idea, but it almost always works on Emma. When I'm doing something and need her to help with or do something at the same time, I tell her I have a challenge for her. When she accepts my challenge, we shake on it to make it official.
This morning I was getting ready after my shower, and I wanted Emma to change her clothes while I dried my hair. It snowed a bit last night, and I wanted to be sure we left enough time to get to school ~ just in case I had to make multiple attempts to get out of the driveway. (I ended up making it on the first try, by the way. Yay me.)
I asked Emma if she would like to accept my challenge: take off her jammies, pick out her own outfit, and put it on. She said she could do it, and we shook on it. I dried my hair, and then I went in Emma's room to see how she did. Here's the end result (photo taken after school):
Success! She did a great job, and it really helped me out to have her get ready herself this morning. Usually, I love picking out clothes for her to wear (while she still lets me... she's my own little live dress-up doll); but it is really fun to let her choose for herself and see what she comes up with.
(FYI, her favorite color is orange. That's why she has a UT t-shirt. I got it for her when I went to Knoxville to my cousin's wedding reception. She would have DIED seeing all the orange down there!)
This morning I was getting ready after my shower, and I wanted Emma to change her clothes while I dried my hair. It snowed a bit last night, and I wanted to be sure we left enough time to get to school ~ just in case I had to make multiple attempts to get out of the driveway. (I ended up making it on the first try, by the way. Yay me.)
I asked Emma if she would like to accept my challenge: take off her jammies, pick out her own outfit, and put it on. She said she could do it, and we shook on it. I dried my hair, and then I went in Emma's room to see how she did. Here's the end result (photo taken after school):
Success! She did a great job, and it really helped me out to have her get ready herself this morning. Usually, I love picking out clothes for her to wear (while she still lets me... she's my own little live dress-up doll); but it is really fun to let her choose for herself and see what she comes up with.
(FYI, her favorite color is orange. That's why she has a UT t-shirt. I got it for her when I went to Knoxville to my cousin's wedding reception. She would have DIED seeing all the orange down there!)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The cinnamon rolls
Oh, snap. I told Emma that I'm making cinnamon rolls,thinking she would smile and be happy. Instead of being excited she put her chin down a little, raised her eyebrows, pointed her little accusatory finger at me and said, "I hope they're going to be good and not terrible."
Now that may sound as if Emma's being a brat ~ which may be slightly the case ~ but under the circumstances, I understand where she's coming from and plan to simply let it go.
A few days ago, I made chili. And it totally slipped my mind to make cinnamon rolls to go with it. I can hear what you're thinking: Cinnamon rolls with chili?! Are you mad?! (Yes, I've seen Alice in Wonderland a time or two too many as of late.) I'm from Martinsville, Indiana, and I attended school in the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville, where cinnamon rolls (delicious, homemade cinnamon rolls) were always accompanied the meal on chili day. And now that's just how chili must be served: with cinnamon rolls. Try it. You'll thank me.
Anyway, I realized that I needed to make cinnamon rolls to go with my chili, but I didn't have any Pillsbury ones nor did I have any yeast to make homemade ones. I found this recipe online that didn't require yeast (which I've never used, anyway, and am honestly a little intimidated by), so I tried it.
Not only did I not use enough milk, making the rolls super flaky and dry, I don't have a rolling pin so I had to use a cylindrical drinking glass, making the rolled out dough pretty uneven and not easy to roll up. I didn't even take a picture of the finished product because I was so mortified by how bad they looked.
Chris thought they tasted good. He took the leftover ones to work, and apparently his work friends loved them and devoured them all. I thought they tasted all right, but Emma did NOT like them. She said they tasted terrible. Hey, you can't fault her for being honest.
So that's why Emma said what she said today about the cinnamon rolls ~ the cinnamon rolls which, by the way, were by Pillsbury and turned out delicious. She ate an entire one. I ate two; then, as I was putting the rest of the rolls in a plastic container to save for later, I had one that wouldn't fit, so I had to eat it too.
Now that may sound as if Emma's being a brat ~ which may be slightly the case ~ but under the circumstances, I understand where she's coming from and plan to simply let it go.
A few days ago, I made chili. And it totally slipped my mind to make cinnamon rolls to go with it. I can hear what you're thinking: Cinnamon rolls with chili?! Are you mad?! (Yes, I've seen Alice in Wonderland a time or two too many as of late.) I'm from Martinsville, Indiana, and I attended school in the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville, where cinnamon rolls (delicious, homemade cinnamon rolls) were always accompanied the meal on chili day. And now that's just how chili must be served: with cinnamon rolls. Try it. You'll thank me.
Anyway, I realized that I needed to make cinnamon rolls to go with my chili, but I didn't have any Pillsbury ones nor did I have any yeast to make homemade ones. I found this recipe online that didn't require yeast (which I've never used, anyway, and am honestly a little intimidated by), so I tried it.
Not only did I not use enough milk, making the rolls super flaky and dry, I don't have a rolling pin so I had to use a cylindrical drinking glass, making the rolled out dough pretty uneven and not easy to roll up. I didn't even take a picture of the finished product because I was so mortified by how bad they looked.
Chris thought they tasted good. He took the leftover ones to work, and apparently his work friends loved them and devoured them all. I thought they tasted all right, but Emma did NOT like them. She said they tasted terrible. Hey, you can't fault her for being honest.
So that's why Emma said what she said today about the cinnamon rolls ~ the cinnamon rolls which, by the way, were by Pillsbury and turned out delicious. She ate an entire one. I ate two; then, as I was putting the rest of the rolls in a plastic container to save for later, I had one that wouldn't fit, so I had to eat it too.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Bowled over - update
We got our bowling balls drilled, but the place was so busy there were no free lanes. So we didn't get to bowl tonight. Emma was bummed. But we'll go bowling soon, and then I'll post the photos.
My bowling ball is awesome, by the way. It's swirly blue and purple, and it's super glittery. Super pretty. That is all.
My bowling ball is awesome, by the way. It's swirly blue and purple, and it's super glittery. Super pretty. That is all.
Bowled over
This may sound nerdy, but I'm super excited to go bowling tonight.
Two years ago, my parents bought me a new bowling ball and bowling shoes for my birthday. Sounds like I'm a pretty serious bowler, huh? Here's my response to that: Two years later, I still have yet to have my bowling ball drilled so I can actually use it. And I've used the shoes for bowling (with a lane ball) maybe 3 times. Yeah, I'm a pro.
But that ends today. Chris got a new ball from his parents for Christmas, so he and I are both getting our bowling balls drilled tonight. After we get them drilled, we're going to bowl a few games.
Emma will get to bowl, too. She says now that she's 5 she can bowl like Daddy. She doesn't have to use the ramp thing like when she was 4. She also does an impression of how Chris bowls, putting one leg behind the other and to the side as she imitates him rolling the ball down the lane. It's the cutest.
I'll take some photos tonight of the bowling fun and post them soon.
Two years ago, my parents bought me a new bowling ball and bowling shoes for my birthday. Sounds like I'm a pretty serious bowler, huh? Here's my response to that: Two years later, I still have yet to have my bowling ball drilled so I can actually use it. And I've used the shoes for bowling (with a lane ball) maybe 3 times. Yeah, I'm a pro.
But that ends today. Chris got a new ball from his parents for Christmas, so he and I are both getting our bowling balls drilled tonight. After we get them drilled, we're going to bowl a few games.
Emma will get to bowl, too. She says now that she's 5 she can bowl like Daddy. She doesn't have to use the ramp thing like when she was 4. She also does an impression of how Chris bowls, putting one leg behind the other and to the side as she imitates him rolling the ball down the lane. It's the cutest.
I'll take some photos tonight of the bowling fun and post them soon.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sick and tired
It's been an interesting past few days around the Heacock household. Well, make that past week. Chris had the stomach flu for several days. Then Emma had a fever. Then I got the stomach flu, too (luckily, I only had the 24-hour kind).
Emma's fever never went away, so I took her to the pediatrician's office this morning. Turns out she has strep throat. At least now we know and she's on medication.
Does that look like a sick child? She may be a little pallid, but otherwise she looks fine. She acts fine, too. I know when I get strep throat (which I still do, as I still have my tonsils), I never feel like playing or wanting to do anything. Emma is the complete opposite. It's crazy how bubbly and lively she is, even when she's sick. In the waiting room at the doctor's office this morning, she was the one who was playing with the toys and walking around the room, following the toy train that goes around and around the ceiling.
I wish I had the resilience and buoyancy of a child. Then I wouldn't be so sick and tired.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Snow
There's nothing quite as lovely as a fresh blanket of undisturbed snow. And who doesn't love seeing a cute snowman waving at you from someone's yard?
A few issues I have with snow, though...
It ruins plans. Emma loves school, but all these 2-hour delays and snow days have caused her school to be cancelled several times already this year. She won't get to go tomorrow ~ the day her awesome teacher was going to let the kids finger paint with pudding. That was the first thing she told me on Wednesday when I picked her up from school.
Snow also makes it very difficult for me to get out of the house. Our driveway is a big hill, with our garage at the bottom and the street at the top. I've gotten stuck in my driveway before, and it was not fun. Emma didn't like it much, either. At least now I know how to turn off Traction Control in my car and have a chance at getting out.
People drive like idiots when it snows. Either they think they're invincible because they have 4-wheel drive and go way too fast or they crawl along at a snail's pace, braking every few seconds or so just in case. Both sets of people frustrate me.
And how gross is it when the pretty white snow gets all slushy and gray and dirty? And the disgusting film that coats your vehicle after driving around in the salted/sanded streets? Yuck.
Even though, as I get older, I get more annoyed with snow than excited about it, it's still fun to watch Emma enjoy it:
And that's what counts.
A few issues I have with snow, though...
It ruins plans. Emma loves school, but all these 2-hour delays and snow days have caused her school to be cancelled several times already this year. She won't get to go tomorrow ~ the day her awesome teacher was going to let the kids finger paint with pudding. That was the first thing she told me on Wednesday when I picked her up from school.
Snow also makes it very difficult for me to get out of the house. Our driveway is a big hill, with our garage at the bottom and the street at the top. I've gotten stuck in my driveway before, and it was not fun. Emma didn't like it much, either. At least now I know how to turn off Traction Control in my car and have a chance at getting out.
People drive like idiots when it snows. Either they think they're invincible because they have 4-wheel drive and go way too fast or they crawl along at a snail's pace, braking every few seconds or so just in case. Both sets of people frustrate me.
And how gross is it when the pretty white snow gets all slushy and gray and dirty? And the disgusting film that coats your vehicle after driving around in the salted/sanded streets? Yuck.
Even though, as I get older, I get more annoyed with snow than excited about it, it's still fun to watch Emma enjoy it:
And that's what counts.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
91 years
Today is my grandpa's 91st birthday. Isn't that amazing?? Emma and I went with my mom and dad to Mooresville to have dinner with my grandma and grandpa. Got some priceless photos taken with Papaw.
Aren't those great? He looks pretty darn good for 91, don't you think?
Papaw Maurice is having hip replacement surgery on the 25th. We'd all appreciate your prayers for him, as it's probably going to be a bit rough on him during his recovery.
I am so lucky to have Papaw Maurice in my life. He is a godly, wise, sweet man - and he's a great grandpa.
Aren't those great? He looks pretty darn good for 91, don't you think?
Papaw Maurice is having hip replacement surgery on the 25th. We'd all appreciate your prayers for him, as it's probably going to be a bit rough on him during his recovery.
I am so lucky to have Papaw Maurice in my life. He is a godly, wise, sweet man - and he's a great grandpa.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Life goes on
I'm quickly approaching my 32nd birthday. There, I said it.
Before my birthday arrives (which is February 5, in case you want to send me a card or anything...), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on these past 31 years. I've learned a thing or two, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share these lessons with you.
1. I've learned that friendships don't always last, no matter how much you may want them to. Sometimes people just grow apart. Sometimes people change. And the easiest thing you can do is to learn how to be OK with it.
2. I've learned that it's OK for someone not to like you. You can't please everyone, and it's silly to try.
3. I've learned how important it is to cherish the ones you love and to let them know you love them every day. Life is short, and you just never know.
While some of these lessons were difficult to learn, I'm thankful for the experiences I've been through in which I learned these things.
Maybe you've learned some of the same lessons I have. Maybe you're learning them now. Whatever the case, appreciate life's lessons. They're making you wiser.
Before my birthday arrives (which is February 5, in case you want to send me a card or anything...), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on these past 31 years. I've learned a thing or two, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share these lessons with you.
1. I've learned that friendships don't always last, no matter how much you may want them to. Sometimes people just grow apart. Sometimes people change. And the easiest thing you can do is to learn how to be OK with it.
2. I've learned that it's OK for someone not to like you. You can't please everyone, and it's silly to try.
3. I've learned how important it is to cherish the ones you love and to let them know you love them every day. Life is short, and you just never know.
While some of these lessons were difficult to learn, I'm thankful for the experiences I've been through in which I learned these things.
Maybe you've learned some of the same lessons I have. Maybe you're learning them now. Whatever the case, appreciate life's lessons. They're making you wiser.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
A very merry un-birthday indeed.
Chris, Emma and I had lunch at "the grape place" (i.e. Olive Garden) today. We had a great waitress who gave Emma extra grated cheese on her breadstick plate and filled it again when she noticed it was all gone. She even gave Emma a SpongeBob and a Patrick sticker. Plus the food was delish, and we each brought some home.
Chris needed to go to Lowe's, and I wanted to go to Old Navy. Given the choice between the two places, Emma chose to go to Lowe's with her daddy. Secretly, I had hoped she would choose to go with him so I could do some clothes shopping alone. Score!
It just so happened that Old Navy was having a sale today - an extra 40% off of already reduced clearance prices. Score again! Not only did I get to stroll around leisurely at my own pace without being asked, "Are we done yet?" or, "Can we go now?" or hearing, "{heavy sigh} I'm ready to go!" ... I purchased two t-shirts for myself (one dark gray with Hello Kitty and one bright pink with a shiny gold heart on it) and two zippered hoodies (here's one of them, and the other is white with hearts and peace signs and music notes on the top) for Emma super cheap!
My mom and dad are coming over this evening after we all meet for dinner at Steak N Shake. In preparation, Emma picked up ALL her toys in the living room when we asked her to. We can see the carpet now. She did such a great job! Now all I need to do is run the vacuum. After Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, of course.
Chris needed to go to Lowe's, and I wanted to go to Old Navy. Given the choice between the two places, Emma chose to go to Lowe's with her daddy. Secretly, I had hoped she would choose to go with him so I could do some clothes shopping alone. Score!
It just so happened that Old Navy was having a sale today - an extra 40% off of already reduced clearance prices. Score again! Not only did I get to stroll around leisurely at my own pace without being asked, "Are we done yet?" or, "Can we go now?" or hearing, "{heavy sigh} I'm ready to go!" ... I purchased two t-shirts for myself (one dark gray with Hello Kitty and one bright pink with a shiny gold heart on it) and two zippered hoodies (here's one of them, and the other is white with hearts and peace signs and music notes on the top) for Emma super cheap!
My mom and dad are coming over this evening after we all meet for dinner at Steak N Shake. In preparation, Emma picked up ALL her toys in the living room when we asked her to. We can see the carpet now. She did such a great job! Now all I need to do is run the vacuum. After Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, of course.
Friday, January 14, 2011
My quirky kid
Today I thought I'd talk about Emma. If you know me, this is something I do frequently, at great length and at the least provocation. But I'm not going to expound about how brilliant, beautiful and bubbly she is ~ although I certainly could ~ I want to talk about her quirky talents, which serve to entertain me immensely on a daily basis.
1. Emma makes up songs at the drop of a hat. For instance, this morning she made up a song about how I'm her sweetest mommy, Chris is her biggest daddy, she is the cutest little Emma and Norbert looks like a little hot dog.
2. Emma loves pretending to be a model. When she gets new clothes and I ask her to model them, she runs into the other room and has me "start the show" (i.e. introduce her). Then she struts in with her hand on her hip. Plus she likes to model for photos. She even modeled for me this morning (Jenn P., please note the colors Emma is wearing... I chose them in your honor today):
3. Emma loves ~ and is really good at ~ video games. Her current fave is Super Mario Bros. for the Wii. Santa even brought her Mario and Yoshi stuffed animals that she wouldn't put down for days. Today I found her playing her DS in an unusual location:
Yeah, that's our laundry basket. *Please note that she has Mario and Luigi in there with her.
There are many, many more things I could tell you about. But these are enough for now. I hope they made you chuckle like they did for me.
1. Emma makes up songs at the drop of a hat. For instance, this morning she made up a song about how I'm her sweetest mommy, Chris is her biggest daddy, she is the cutest little Emma and Norbert looks like a little hot dog.
2. Emma loves pretending to be a model. When she gets new clothes and I ask her to model them, she runs into the other room and has me "start the show" (i.e. introduce her). Then she struts in with her hand on her hip. Plus she likes to model for photos. She even modeled for me this morning (Jenn P., please note the colors Emma is wearing... I chose them in your honor today):
3. Emma loves ~ and is really good at ~ video games. Her current fave is Super Mario Bros. for the Wii. Santa even brought her Mario and Yoshi stuffed animals that she wouldn't put down for days. Today I found her playing her DS in an unusual location:
Yeah, that's our laundry basket. *Please note that she has Mario and Luigi in there with her.
There are many, many more things I could tell you about. But these are enough for now. I hope they made you chuckle like they did for me.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Out and about
Well, I actually got out of the house today. No longer am I shut in due to snow (or the fear thereof). I had no problem climbing our slightly snow-covered driveway mountain after turning off the Traction Control in my car. While I do enjoy staying home and playing with Emma, it sure is nice to be able to go out in the real world and interact with other people.
Looking back at what I just said, I want to clarify that I'm not afraid of snow ~ I'm afraid of getting stuck in my driveway (the aforementioned snow-covered mountain). Emma isn't too fond of it, either. She gets nervous as we make the climb; and after we made it today, she clapped and told me I did a good job. It's sweet.
We did purchase the snow boots that Emma so desperately needs ~ the ones we were going to search for yesterday but didn't because of the snow ~ at Shoe Show. It just so happened they had exactly what we were looking for, which was nice. The boots are shiny silver and have snowflakes on them and big white soles. They totally look like moon boots. I'll post a photo of her in them soon.
We met my mom for lunch ~ we have standing Tuesday and Thursday lunch plans with her. It's so nice to be able to meet her for lunch. And I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a blasty blast for her to get to see Emma a few times during the work week.
Then, at Emma's suggestion, we ran home to get her Christmas and birthday loot and headed for Toys R Us. She had $61 and some change. She had a few toys in mind that she wanted to purchase. Plus I think it was burning a hole in her little pocket. I'm training a good shopper, folks. She bought several great items at Toys R Us and a couple more at Target (my Toys R Us... I love Target), and she still has $3 and some change left. She is super-de-duper excited about her new toys that she bought herself.
Maybe Emma and I will get out again tomorrow. Or maybe it will be another day in our jammies. You never can tell with us. We're crazies.
Looking back at what I just said, I want to clarify that I'm not afraid of snow ~ I'm afraid of getting stuck in my driveway (the aforementioned snow-covered mountain). Emma isn't too fond of it, either. She gets nervous as we make the climb; and after we made it today, she clapped and told me I did a good job. It's sweet.
We did purchase the snow boots that Emma so desperately needs ~ the ones we were going to search for yesterday but didn't because of the snow ~ at Shoe Show. It just so happened they had exactly what we were looking for, which was nice. The boots are shiny silver and have snowflakes on them and big white soles. They totally look like moon boots. I'll post a photo of her in them soon.
We met my mom for lunch ~ we have standing Tuesday and Thursday lunch plans with her. It's so nice to be able to meet her for lunch. And I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a blasty blast for her to get to see Emma a few times during the work week.
Then, at Emma's suggestion, we ran home to get her Christmas and birthday loot and headed for Toys R Us. She had $61 and some change. She had a few toys in mind that she wanted to purchase. Plus I think it was burning a hole in her little pocket. I'm training a good shopper, folks. She bought several great items at Toys R Us and a couple more at Target (my Toys R Us... I love Target), and she still has $3 and some change left. She is super-de-duper excited about her new toys that she bought herself.
Maybe Emma and I will get out again tomorrow. Or maybe it will be another day in our jammies. You never can tell with us. We're crazies.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Long time no see!
I haven't blogged in over a year. And I used to blog a lot apparently, as the dashboard said I had 75 blogs on this account. Is it weird that I don't even remember all those?
I don't know what made me want to blog today, but I felt like it. I'm trying to come up with some clever thing to make people actually want to read my blog. Here are a couple ideas I had - and why they won't work:
1. Craft blog - I attempted to do one about my card making. It didn't last long; and while I haven't given up on making cards, I've realized it's not going to turn into the thriving business I had hoped it would. Plus there are people out there who are WAY more crafty than me (I'm looking at you, Amy Cornwell).
2. Mom blog - I'm just a regular mom doing regular mom things. I don't have any brilliant innovations or ideas about how to make parenting easier or whatever. Of course, I do have a super great kiddo...
Maybe I'll just talk about whatever is on my mind on any given day. An online journal, of sorts. I don't know who will really care to read that stuff, but we'll see.
I don't know what made me want to blog today, but I felt like it. I'm trying to come up with some clever thing to make people actually want to read my blog. Here are a couple ideas I had - and why they won't work:
1. Craft blog - I attempted to do one about my card making. It didn't last long; and while I haven't given up on making cards, I've realized it's not going to turn into the thriving business I had hoped it would. Plus there are people out there who are WAY more crafty than me (I'm looking at you, Amy Cornwell).
2. Mom blog - I'm just a regular mom doing regular mom things. I don't have any brilliant innovations or ideas about how to make parenting easier or whatever. Of course, I do have a super great kiddo...
Maybe I'll just talk about whatever is on my mind on any given day. An online journal, of sorts. I don't know who will really care to read that stuff, but we'll see.
If you're reading this, you probably know me and know what kind of stuff I'm into. Do you have an idea of something you'd like me to talk about it my blogs? I'm feeling ambitious about this pursuit into blog-dom. Today I am, at least.
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