How To Eat A Pound Of Bacon

Two weekends ago, we went out to do some post-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping at a large outlet mall about an hour away. While we were there, we decided to stop for lunch. Eric wanted to take us to a restaurant he's been telling me about for years - Tony's in Birch Run, MI.

Tony's is a small, unassuming place located across the street from the outlet mall. But their food and their menu is anything but unassuming. Order an omelet for breakfast, and you'll get one made with a dozen eggs. A breakfast burrito weighs in at 7 pounds. A side of bacon isn't the measly 2 or 3 slices you get at most restaurants. Oh no, at Tony's, you get a full pound.

The one item Eric had been telling me about the most was the BLT made with a whole pound of bacon. Since we are both avid bacon lovers, I didn't see where we had any choice but to order the BLT.


In addition to the whole pound of bacon, each BLT is made on thick cut Italian bread with the standard lettuce, tomato and 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise. This sandwich is not meant for the faint of heart.

There was no earthly way I could have eaten my whole sandwich. In fact, I decided to ditch the bread after just a few bites. Why fill my stomach with unnecessary filler when there was all that bacon in front of me? Sadly, I ended up leaving some of the bacon on my plate too.

But Eric? He tackled that sandwich!


We chose to forgo dinner that night. I think it was a wise decision.

I'm sure we'll go back to Tony's at some point in the future, but it's definitely not the kind of place we'll stop at regularly. I don't think our hearts our waistlines could handle it!

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Going On An Apple Hunt

Finally...finally we fit our apple picking trip into our schedule and can cross it off of our fall to-do list.

We braved some chilly temperatures but warmed ourselves with cups of hot cider and hot, freshly made donuts.

Our first pass down the very first aisle we walked down didn't look too promising. There were more apples on the ground than in the trees. So we by-passed the adjoining row and headed over to the next one where the trees were overflowing.


We picked our share. Although honestly, I should say the kids picked their share while Eric and I each held our half-bushel sized bags. We let the kids fill them up as high as they could go, even if that meant pinched fingers, sore wrists and aching backs.

Sometimes kids and apples are more important than physical discomfort.


Truly, there is nothing more joyful than watching them run through the open rows, surrounded by a beautiful bounty.I am so grateful for this yearly tradition. I am so grateful for another wonderful day spent all together as a family. And I am so very grateful that we all enjoy each other so much!

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The Community In My Home

I was all set to write about the huge project Eric and I tackled today as we completed our twice-a-year master bedroom clean-up. But then we had a conversation and I realized I tackled something far more important than simply cleaning my bedroom. It was liberating.

I was telling Eric about all of the countless trips I've been reading about lately. Bloggers being flown all over by companies for some great marketing, networking and informational sessions. And yes, I was a little jealous because some of these trips just sound awesome.


But I also mentioned how I've noticed many of the same bloggers going on lots of these trips lately. I mentioned how I don't think I could do that and spend so much time away from home. Yet, I get it. These women are building some awesome relationships in real life across the blogging community. He looked at me and said, "but don't they know the most important community is in their own homes, with their own families?"

Ah yes, I can always count on Eric to call it like he sees it and remind me of the most important things in life when I start to veer off course, even if only in my mind. He's right, isn't he?

I love being a stay-at-home mom and I would hate to ever give it up. I am now also a work-at-home mom. Notice the key word in both of those phrases is home. I stay-at-home and work-at-home so that I can be at home.

Now, I am not for one second saying that there is anything wrong with going on these trips. In fact, I'm already registering for Blissdom10 in February. And I'll even go as far as to say if an opportunity presented itself for a great company sponsored trip that I could really stand behind and gain some value from, I'd definitely consider it. But I will admit this current trend of bloggers attending countless opportunities on a regular, almost weekly, basis does worry me a little bit.

Am I just jealous? Maybe a tiny bit, but I know Eric's words really hit home for me and made me realize this community under my roof is the one I want to focus on nurturing and being present for.

I love my blogging buddies and the powerful voice of our blogging community. But honestly, I already feel like we spend every day together and I'm so glad that we do. I love the thought of spending some actual face time together a few times a year. But for the rest of the year, my voice will be heard from this blog, on twitter, in email, on the phone and anywhere else across the blogosphere where we interact.

I'm reserving the rest of my face time for my favorite little community of all.

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Changing of the Chore Guard

We have been making some changes in our chore routine lately. Basically, that means that all of the kids are moving up to the next level of chores. It's a big project to tackle.

Although actually, the kids are thrilled to be moving up in the world. But for me, it means remembering patience and letting go of needing things to be done just-this-certain-way. That will come in time, I know.

Alex has been especially excited with his new chores. He is now in charge of taking all recycling items out to the recycling bin and loading the dishwasher after I rinse dishes. He is very proud of these new chores and he's definitely taken ownership of them.


I love seeing the sense of pride and accomplishment in his face as he works. I am so grateful he is excited to be getting the new responsibilities that come with being 5.


The girls are taking to their new chores just as well, although the progress there is a little slower. But that's only because I'm dragging my feet. I'm definitely using Alex's reactions as motivation to step things up a bit. I'd be crazy not to!

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(Mostly) Happily Imperfect

I woke up this morning ready to just tackle the day. I was excited to get some things done and I was looking around the house, trying to decide which tackle would be blog-worthy. And then next thing I knew, the morning was gone and I hadn't gotten a single thing done. Not one thing!

Days like that tend to send me into a bit of a funk. I despise feeling like I've wasted a day, especially when I can't even name where the time went. I stewed about for awhile, until Eric suggested I just get a grip back on the day, make a list and start over. Great advice, right?

And I did do just that. I eventually managed to get a few things done, although not nearly as much as I had originally planned to accomplish. Yet the whole time I was working on crossing things of this new to-do list, I kept thinking about how this is a somewhat common occurrence for me. It's a flaw of mine. I know it.

And actually, I'm okay with that. As someone who spent way too many years attempting to be perfect and do it all, assuming that the only way to truly be a good wife and mother was to do everything, saying that feels like an accomplishment. I have flaws. Lots and lots of them actually. I've finally come to a point in my life where I'm willing to own them. Some of them require work and I long to get better at them, if not get rid of them altogether. Yet I'm also willing to admit I'll have some of these flaws all my life. And I'm okay with that too.

I could list hundreds of flaws. But I'm going to limit it to my Top Ten.

1. I'm not very good at keeping the house clean. I can tidy with the best of 'em, but actually scrubbing and cleaning and dusting and shining just doesn't happen all that often.
   
2. My sense of follow-through is SORELY lacking! I love creating new schedules, envisioning the organized house and well-behaved children that will result, and putting it into action. Until about 2 days later. I so want to combat this and find a system that truly works for me and that I can stick to. I'd love to surprise myself (and Eric) by proving that I really can stick with a plan for more than a few days. At least I'm willing to keep trying...and trying...and trying. (I gotta tell you, it feels good to know I'm not the only one that struggles with organization. Check out this awesome resource list Amy put together.)
3. I lack self-control. I can not make a batch of cookies without sampling at least a few (dozen). If there is hot coffee within a 10 mile radius of me, I have to have some. I must sample any candy that comes into our house. You get the picture, right?
4. I don't put the new toilet paper roll on the holder. I set it on the counter instead. Inevitably it ends up on the roll, but not because I put it there. This used to baffle Eric. He doesn't even mention it anymore though. I guess it's just one of those quirks you learn to accept after a while.
5. I don't take care of myself as much as I know I should. I rarely get enough sleep. I usually skip breakfast. I don't exercise nearly enough. I only go to the doctor's when I absolutely have to.
   
6. I am a horrible verbal communicator. Some days I do just fine, but more often than not I stall and stumble my way through a conversation. I can't think and speak at the same time. It's one or the other.
7. I stink at keeping in touch with people. I joined facebook a few months ago and was so excited to reconnect with some old friends. I sent messages and replies to everyone the first day. Since then, I've been on maybe once. Our Christmas cards from two years ago are still waiting to be mailed out. (I didn't either bother last year.) I forget to return phone calls. I rarely comment on the blogs of all my wonderful blogging buddies.
   
8. I snap at my kids, and not only when they deserve it. If I've had a long day and I'm feeling stressed or frazzled, I've been known to yell. I'm not proud of this, but it is what it is. Exasperation happens.
9. I have irrational fears when it comes to the kids' health. Just the thought of anyone throwing up is crippling. If I had my way, I'd keep us all locked in the house any time a stomach bug goes around.
10. I act without thinking first. I do stupid things all the time. I'm not always mindful of my surroundings. Unfortunately, this seems to be a learned trait that I am passing on to a few of the kids. Except when they do it, it is way more annoying than when I do!

So there, that's something I can proudly say I tackled today, right? It's not fun to look at ourselves honestly, but it is sometimes necessary. For me, it gives a much clearer picture of areas where I need to focus on improving and areas that I can just learn to live with.

Stop by 5 Minutes For Mom to see more tackles, Oh Amanda for more Top 10 lists and Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On...

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What A Chore!

We spent this past weekend house and dog sitting for my brother-in-law. And let me tell you, it was such a chore!
It was a chore to sit inside the house and have to look out on this view.

It was a chore to watch our oldest two children play together in the lake.

It was a chore to watch our youngest two children build intricate rivers and roads in the sand.

It was a huge chore for Eric to lose at least 30 years worth of maturity and become a kid again.

It was a chore for Gracie to trail the dogs all weekend long and imitate their every move.

It was a chore to relax as a family on the couch while watching a movie on the 5 foot flat screen tv.
It was a chore to build a bonfire and sit around said bonfire while roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories.

Now if I could just figure out how to make all of my real chores as trying as these chores!

What a wonderful, mini-vacation weekend we had.

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Our Summer Is Now Official

Summer just wouldn't be summer around here without a trip to our favorite art festival.

Our beautiful downtown area hosts this wonderful art fair every year. And every year we all look forward to it.
Usually it's a full day event for us. But this year it was a two-day event. We planned to go on Saturday, so we headed out even though it was rainy and miserable. We had our umbrellas and rain gear, but we only lasted about an hour. And many of the artists closed their booths for the day.

We attempted the outing again on Sunday and braved the sun and sweltering 95 degree weather. It was hot and sticky, but just as wonderful as always. We held hands. We walked. We looked. We enjoyed each other and the tradition of the day.We put out fires.We learned important life lessons from firemen.

We were too old and mature to participate in the putting out of imaginary fires.

We got sweaty and sleepy.

We got messy.

We pondered jumping in the river to cool off.

We practiced the fine and subtle art of people watching.

We drank copious amounts of Bayou Billy's soda. (And spent a grand total of $2 all day, since we have a good stash of Bayou Billy cups from previous years.)

We debated the finer nuances of root beer versus cream soda.

We felt so grateful to be a part of this wonderful community. And most importantly, we created a whole mess of memories to hold us until next year.

Stop by Heavenly Homemakers for more Gratituesday and 5 Minutes For Mom for more Tackle It Tuesday.

And stop over at my review blog to read all about the newest offerings from Lance crackers.

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Our 2 Year Old Swallowed A Battery

...or at least we thought she did.

The kids were sitting on the couch on Friday when suddenly Alex and Olivia ran into the kitchen to tell me Gracie had swallowed a battery. Eric and I ran over there and saw that she had taken apart a light-up necklace and one of the button batteries was missing. We asked her if she ate it and she said yes. We did a quick preliminary search of the area and the button was no where to be found.

Eric and I weren't sure what to do. She obviously wasn't choking. It was just a small button battery that could easily be swallowed whole without incident. But there's also the fact that it was a battery.

I did a quick google search and saw immediately that this could be a very dangerous situation. In fact, it is such a serious event that there is actually a hotline set up just for this emergency.

The National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline is a division of Poison Control. This is a 24/7 hotline that can be reached at 202-625-3333. If you or your child accidentally swallows a button battery, you should call this number immediately.

When I called and explained the situation, we were told to take Gracie to the ER right away so that she could have an x-ray. If the battery had already passed into her stomach, then we would just wait for it pass. However, the emergency in this situation is that sometimes those small batteries can get caught in the esophagus. A button battery stuck in the esophagus can "leak or the electrical current passing through adjacent tissue can generate alkali." This can cause severe burning and can lead to death in worst case scenarios. This damage can occur in as little as two hours also, that's why immediate action is so imperative. Check out their website for all the facts and procedures.

So as soon as I got off the phone, we decided that Eric would take Gracie to the ER. I am not the best in stressful medical situations with the kids. Oh, I can do it when I have to, but since Eric was available, it just made sense for him to go.

The other kids and I continued to search every conceivable place we could think of in an effort to find that battery. But it was no where to be found. We sat down and said a prayer and I eased the kids fears.

Then I needed my own fears eased, or at least a sympathetic ear. I knew I couldn't call Eric. My sister wasn't answering her phone. My mom and dad were out of town and I didn't want to worry them, especially if there was nothing to worry about. So I did the next best thing. I hopped on twitter and tweeted the situation. Within seconds, I was receiving replies of concern and prayers. I even received some helpful advice.

Eric texted me the progress when he was able to. And then I got this text: "No battery. I'll call when we leave."

That's right. The x-ray did not show any battery! I think I breathed about a thousand sighs of relief and said a thousand prayers of thankfulness.

There are so many things to be thankful for here!

• I am thankful Gracie is okay. I am thankful she did not swallow a battery. And I'm also thankful that even she had, she was in good hands.
• I am thankful for Isabelle, Alex and Olivia who helped me search for that button as we worried together.
• I am thankful that Eric is my rock and support and that he knows me so well. I'm also exceedingly thankful that he loves our kids with a fiery passion only a dad is capable of, and which grants him the ability to sing the theme song from Dora The Explorer for an hour straight with a two year old in an emergency room.
• I am thankful for the knowledgeable and compassionate folks at The National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline.
  
• I am thankful for Gracie's ER doctor who happily showed her her bones and heart in her x-rays. And for the nurses, who lavished her with an inordinate number of Dora stickers.
• I am thankful for all my friends on twitter and the immediate human connection I found when I needed it.

Oh, and that renegade battery? I found it today. In the laundry basket of all places. Needless to say, it is now safely buried in the garbage can.

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Baseball Themed Birthday Party

After Eric and I got the kids to bed last night, we spent some time reveling over our day. It was perfect and we did it!

What, exactly, did we do? We pulled off the best birthday party ever!A few weeks ago we decided that we wanted to do a baseball-themed birthday party for Alex's 5th birthday. We wanted to have lots of people over and make it feel like a day at the ball park. And Alex...well, he wanted all of his cousins to be here, a baseball and some peanuts and hot dogs.I can't even begin to tell you how good it felt for Eric and I to discuss the day and realize that we did everything on our lists. Everybody had a great time, kids and adults included. The food was good, the weather was great and the company was best of all.Earlier in the week we were a little considered about the weather since rain was predicted. We have a HUGE common area as our backyard, but a 1000 square foot condo. Having 12 kids and 8 adults in the backyard is no big deal. But inside would be a little tight. So we were so grateful that the afternoon stayed sunny and clear.

The party menu was pretty simple:

• Peanuts in bags
• Homemade cracker jack
• Nacho chips with cheese and black bean & mango salsa
• Hot dogs
• Pasta salad
• Fruit Kabobs
• Baseball cake pops
• Ice cream cups
• And Faygo to drink - Eric decided that it wouldn't officially be a baseball party without cans of Faygo. Anyone from the Detroit area will agree with us I'm sure.

We didn't go all out for decorations or party games. We had a baseball pinata and a couple plastic bats and balls from the dollar store. That was it. The kids didn't seem to mind not having structured games one bit. In fact, they were just kids having fun playing together. It was great. And us adults got to sit and relax.Alex got lots of great presents. Here is the big one. Eric picked this bike up a few weeks ago and it's been stored at our neighbor's house since then. When he wheeled it in the house, Alex's expression was priceless. All he said was "whoooooooaaaaa..." I wish I had gotten that on camera.
What a great day and a most memorable birthday for Alex. I am so grateful we were able to get everyone from Eric's side of the family together and have this perfect day.

And I am grateful for my little boy turning into a big boy!

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Night Time Potty Training Success

A few months back, I was looking for advice on night time potty training for Alex and Olivia. At the time, they had both been potty trained during the day for well over a year. But night times were different, and Eric and I were stumped. So I posted about it and received lots of great tips. (If you're struggling with the same thing, check out the comments on this Night Time Potty Training post. Lots of great advice there!)

Within a week of reading through all those responses, we made the decision to just put Alex in underwear at bedtime and see what happened from there. We decided we'd focus on him, since he's the older one, then move on to Olivia.

There were many accidents in the beginning. But we kept at it and Alex was committed to success. Soon the only accidents were on those nights when we forgot to wake him up before we went to sleep. And then if those began to fade. We were all very excited!

About a week ago, Eric and I realized that it was time to start the process with Olivia. But just like when she potty trained herself, she beat us to it. As I was getting her dressed for bed, she said she wanted to wear just underwear to bed. I explained to her that if she slept in underwear, it meant she had to get up and go potty when she needed to. She said she would.

I was unsure but hopeful. I should have known better though. After all, this is the girl that went from diapers to underwear in one day all on her own. The night time routine was no different.

She was dry the next morning. She's been dry every morning since then. We don't even have to wake her up before we go to sleep.

So...one child left in diapers. I'm in no hurry, although I do admit it will be nice to not have to buy pull-ups and diapers any more.

Here are the few things I've learned about night time potty training over the past few months.

• The methods that are successful very by child. What works for one will not necessarily work for another.
• No one method is the end all, be all. If you start with pull-ups and nighttime wakings with little success, ditch it! Try something different.
• Most importantly, it will happen when it happens. Don't stress about it!
  

That's it - the extent of my night time potty training knowledge. But if I had known that way back when I used to worry my kids would be going on their honeymoons in pull-ups, I would have saved some sanity for sure.

This post is being linked to:

• Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom
• Talk About Tuesday at The Lazy Organizer
  

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Cleaning Up Our Summertime Living Space

Our backyard feels like a second home lately. However, that doesn't mean we've treated it as such since it is outside. We can walk in, close the door and not have to see the mess anymore. So it's easy to let it get a little out of control.

Eric and I would sometimes do a bit of cleaning while out there, but the underlying mess always remained. We are planning a family birthday party for Alex in two weeks and we're planning on everyone spending the afternoon outside. Nothing like a company's coming motivator!

So on Sunday, Eric spent a few hours getting everything straightened up. I still have to go in on put the finishing touches on a few things, but the project is pretty much tackled.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any before pictures. Although even if I had, I probably wouldn't have published them. It was that bad.
We threw out a LOT of stuff. Some of it has been sitting out there for over a year, like the laminate flooring from our master bedroom.It feels so nice to have the area all clean now. It makes it so much more relaxing to sit out there and just enjoy being outside.
Plus, Eric and I have a new favorite evening routine, and having a peaceful outside area makes it much nicer. We have been enjoying a small fire in our little fire pit in the evenings. While we sit and enjoy the surroundings, we listen to an audiobook.

Right now we are listening to One Second After, a book that Eric listened to while working and said I just had to read. Instead, I thought it would be fun for us to listen to it together. We have been having so much fun with this new routine that I think we'll keep it going until the weather tells us not to. Our cleaner patio space just makes us want to be out there that much more.

I am so grateful for this new habit. I love spending time alone with Eric and this is such a great way to do that. Because we aren't just listening to a story together - we're experiencing it and discussing it and turning into a part of our history together.

This post is being linked to:

• Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom
• Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers
• Talk About Tuesday at The Lazy Organizer
  

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