So, this is pretty much the latest....

Wow. It's been awhile since I posted!!

I'm just so busy these days.

Sam is doing well in school. Stu is busy at work. And as for ME...I'm busy being a mom doing mundane mom things.

Of course, that does NOT stop Sam and me from having fun together. Yesterday, due to a snowstorm, I kept him home. I told his teachers that if the storm DID hit, there was no WAY I was going to bring him in. I have NO desire to fight my way through gusting wind with snow blowing in our faces. AND we would only be able to take the bus one way. (Plus, with it being the LAST day before the break, I thought, what's the POINT, anyway?)

So yesterday, Sam and i baked Hanukkah sugar cookies. They're so yummy!!

We were supposed to be hit with even MORE snow, but it seems to have cleared out now AND I think it's trying to clear up. Good. We have more than enough snow now, i think, to guarantee a White Christmas. I grew up with them, having come from Montreal, Quebec; I don't think, though, that even THEY'RE guaranteed one every year anymore.

I'm making my gifts this year...probably a BIT less expensive than BUYING them; the only "purchased" gifts are the ones for Sammy and Stu. But now I seem to be in a bit of a time crunch. I want to get some more baking done so I CAN get it all finished in time.

Class Mascot

Sam's morning class has a mascot.

A fluffy hamster named Bella.

Bella gets to go home for the weekend with students. This weekend was Sam's turn to bring Bella home and oh boy, is she ever cute!! We got her home and let her come out of the cage for a little while. She's so soft and fluffy!! I'm going to miss her when she goes back to school...I think sam will too - and I bet, even though he probably won't admit it, Stu will too.

I'm SERIOUSLY considering getting a hamster of our own. Really. I don't mind the "messy" jobs like cleaning the cage or anything...and a hamster IS quiet so we don't have to worry about it barking all night...they're pretty low maintenance...and the most exciting (and ONLY) pet we (ever) had when I was growing up was a goldfish. And all the goldfish we ever got kept dying on us.

So if i can convince Stu (I know Sam's all for the hamster, as am I) - if Sam and i can convince Daddy that a hamster would be a GOOD idea...soon we'll have a fluffy little pet of our own!!

Cauliflower pancakes

These are really tasty!!

CAULIFLOWER PANCAKES

1 cauliflower salt & pepper to taste
1 egg 1/3 cup oil
3 tbsp matzo meal

Boil cauliflower in unsalted water until tender. mash, and add remaining ingredients, except oil. Drop from the tip of a large spoon into hot oil. Brown on both sides.

Note: Broccoli may be substituted for cauliflower. 4 servings.

(To the tune of La Bamba...) La La Latkes...

Here's a recipe for some GREAT potato latkes!!

Latkes are one of my favorite foods...not too healthy but oh so yummy!!

Potato latkes are a standard Hanukkah tradition. The idea, during Hannukkah is to eat deep-fried foods because of the legend that the oil in the temple, one day's worth, burned for eight days.

POTATO LATKES

6 potatoes, pared 1/4 tsp pepper
1 small onion, grated 1/4 cup flour
3 eggs 1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder

oil for frying

Grate potatoes and drain well.Blend in remaining ingredients. Drop from a spoon into hot oil and brown on both sides, turning only once.

Yield: about 2 dozen

Serve with sour cream or applesauce or both.

Stuart likes his with salt.

Something i have occasionally done is instead of (or added TO) the potato, is use shredded zucchini. YUMMY!!

The need for a time-out

comes fairly regularly here.

Something happens and Sam has a meltdown. even at his age, which is six.

I send him to his room. For two reasons.

so HE can calm down...and so I don't start screaming at him to stop screaming.

I'm trying so hard to be a better parent. But it's hard. And I am aware that parenting isn't easy; more often than not it's very hard. But there are days that are much easier than others. Days when he's cooperative and happy. I dread the meldtown days. They're hard. The smallest things can set him off. And since distracting him and directing his attention to something else, more drastic measures are needed.

Loss of TV privileges for example. For the rest of the day.

Constant asking after i've said "soon" results, ultimately, in a "NO". I warn him hte first time or two, but if he asks more than 5 times...the answer is a no in the end. (which results in a meltdown, and that results in the time-out and possible other consequences.

The good result here is, in the end, he usually comes and tells me he's sorry. I ask him if he understands why he was put in time-out or lost such-and-such privilege. And he does - and tells me. Then i give him a hug and tell him that i forgive him.

And he's happy. (Until the next time, at least.)

MMMMMMM!!! CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!! and other ramblings.

I JUST POLISHED OFF...

a box of neilson mint buds!! Yummy!!

It's been crazy weather-wise today. The forecast said "partly cloudy". Right.

I left to get Sam from school. I stopped off at the store to get a treat for Sam to give him if he'd been good at school. I got MYSELF a treat.

I left the store...and it started to rain. Even though it wasn't SUPPOSED to. Fortunately, it wasn't raining hard.

Oh, and now, the sun's trying to come out again. go figure. This is really stupid weather. Tomorrow's supposed to be chilly. fun wow.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

What is it about the cooler weather setting in that makes me so sleepy?

It was quite cool this morning when i got up. and despite having coffee when I got home from dropping Sam off at school...and despite the fact that it's ONLY 11:00 in the MORNING...I feel like I want to crash for awhile.

Rain does the same thing to me.

Come to think of it, really hot humid weather makes me want to sleep too.

I HAD breakfast this morning. So WHY oh WHY am I so darn SLEEPY?????