Pewter Pewter everywhere

The roads of heaven are lined with pewter. A must to travel when you know a local. No sign. Had to ring the doorbell to gain entrance to the best kept secret in town. Noelle said it was because the store didn't want the neighborhood to know what was hidden behind the ornate wooden doors, least there be some theft. Room after room, wall after wall, shelf after shelf. I think Noelle took a nap while I browsed and punched the calculator dozens and dozens of times converting pesos to dollars so I could have an idea of what my bill was racking up to be. My usual shopping philosophy is buy now, ponder the purchases, return later. It's really a survival tactic with kids. However, when you have 1 hour in the most amazing store Mexico City you have to exercise restraint least you buy everything in the store. I purchased all my goal items...platter, salad bowl, decorative modern bowl for coffee table, etc. But now I have buyers remorse...remorse that I didn't buy more! Oh well, such is life.

The afternoon brought a trip to the traveling open market...only in this location on tuesdays. It was depressing to see the passion fruit that Steve so deeply desires and not be able to pack a suitcase full (a little place I like to call CUSTOMS doesn't think that's a good idea and I would like to return to the homeland, so no passion fruit). It was food heaven...fresh figs, baby zuiccini, mexican pastries, fresh cheeses, and hands down the worlds BEST mangos every. They let us sample anything and I would have chomped through the skin of that mango if I had too. I bet it's like eating an apple. We came away with 8 mangos, figs, cheese for enchiladas that Elisa the maid needed for dinner that night, and a few illegal items that I won't mention but that were only 20 pesos each...I bought 5.
A night in Mexico City is not complete without a visit to the taco stand around the corner. I was particuallry windy and the tempature was dropping, so we opted to drive to what has to be the worlds most amazing chicken quesadilla's. A little old lady pounds fresh dough, slaps in on the grill, stuffs it with chicken and cheese...now this is when you turn away and don't watch...slides it into the oil to fry, then finishes it off with salsa verde, a think sour cream, queso fresco, cilarto and onions = all for 13 pesos or 1 dollar.

5 AM Chocolate Cake

Steve had left at 4 am to drive to Nashville for law continuing educations. Sleep was evading me as I worried about him driving on so little sleep (the Olympic women's figure skating finals were on and who can go to bed early when that show down is going on?). Around 5 am I gave up on going back to sleep and decided to attack my ever growing list of things to do. First on the list...laundry. Entering the kitchen I noticed all my shopping bags from a late night trip WITHOUT the kids (so much faster when you're not hauling them from store to store) were no longer on the table. Instead was this.

Inside the card was a CD. I was already crying after reading the card, BUT after the CD started playing, I was bawling. I felt so loved, but now my hubby was no longer in the state. Tossing my previous ambitions aside, (ok, I did start 1 load of laundry) I grabbed a fork, fired up my redbox dvd of Julie and Julia in the computer, plugged in my headphones and watch a chick flick while eating chocolate cake at 5 am and feeling very loved even though my husband was no where nearby.

Perfect way to start the day. I highly recommend it.

A V-day to remember

Due to the fact that Valentines Day fell on a Sunday this year, it was the perfect excuse to stretch the holiday

AAALLLLLL WWWEEEEEEKKK LLLOOONNNGGG.

It started with activities that I forgot to bring my camera to, ie school parties, skating parties, Chick fil a play group, etc. Then, Mommy finally got her act together and charged the batteries for the camera just in time to capture:

Shannon and Adam's Guide to Decorating Valentines Day Cookies...

their philosophies are simple, yet uniquely their own.

Shannon's - attractive cookie, unattractive picture.Adam's - attractive picture, unattractive cookie.At first he tried to imitate his follow decorators, but then instinct took over and it was crush or be crushed. Smash

SMASH!

crushed and pulverized

Not only am I covered in cookie residue, but also the table, chair, and floor.

Mission accomplished.

Now, where is the knife with frosting that I was licking?

During our cookie outing, the first real snow of the year started to fall.

(note I didn't add the word storm, although I did hear a few southerners referring to it as the blizzard of 2010)

You might think by looking at this picture that Adam is ready to turn in for the night.

No, no my friends.

Adam has started bringing me his PJ's in the middle of the day. This is MY son, who understands the ultimate comfort of a good pair of footie pajamas. He also understands that it's the warmest thing he owns, so maybe it's more of a survival instinct than genetics kicking in.Shannon, on the other hand, grabbed her newest, high tech snow gear and built a fabulous snow man with her father (who came home early because the office had emptied out by noon and he was lonely). Shortly after this adorable and loving picture was taken, she kicked the living tar out of the snow man until it was nothing more than two sticks on top of a lump of snow.

Her reasoning...it was leaning funny.

Valentines morningWhen asked, Shannon said she wanted doughnuts more than anything else in the world for breakfast. So chocolate doughnuts and hot chocolate it was! Adam enjoyed a few bites, then got bored.

And tried the dunkin' doughnut approach.

Such a sweet success, that he had to drink every last remnant.

I would have thought this was extra cute, except for the fact that the night before he dipped his blueberry dessert bar into his bowl of lentil curry soup and ATE IT. Ewww.

Happy Valentines Day!

How I get my kicks...

First of all, is anyone one else cringing upon receiving your gas bill from the cold snap that hit a few weeks ago? Ouch. Major Ouch. My condolences to you too.

It was this major ouch that reminded me of how I, this Alabama, stay at home mother of two, get my kicks...but first, a little background info.

Less than a year ago...

I was at a baby shower happily munching on the best homemade salsa and being introduced to Bakerella's heavenly cakebites when I happened upon a group of young mothers engrossed in an intense conversation.

Hmm, intriguing...commence ease dropping.

But, wait, what were these words they were throwing around....ECB, stacking, B1G1, and free? Wait, I knew that last word, free, and I liked it. Instead of heading back to the refreshment table, which I did later...many times, I casually inquired about what they were talking about.

Couponing. Wait a minute, isn't that like an early bird special ie. my grandparents generation thing? I had to stop my eyes from rolling just as the phrase, "Green Eggs and Ham!" thundered in my head. I was a big fat hypocrite. How many times had I shouted "Green eggs and Ham" at Shannon as she stubbornly refused to taste a new dish that I knew she would love if she would only take a bite. Don't knock it till ya try it, sistah.

After procrastinating a few months and a few gas bills like the one I just received, I finally typed in the address http://www.southernsavers.com/ , secretly downloaded a coupon program onto my printer, and printed a few advised coupons to Publix. Now, one of the greatest reason for my procrastination, aside from pride, was that Publix is a good 25 minute drive the OPPOSITE direction of all my travels. Plus, it's the most expensive grocery store around. But again, I could knock this process all I wanted ONCE I had tried it.

And try it I did, and was hooked! In addition to the wonderful race car shopping carts and free cookies from the bakery that kept the kids happy, I experience such a rush.. yes, I said the word RUSH, from walking away from the store with free icing, a six pack of yoplait Dora yogurt for $0.69 and a box of granola for a dollar. I thought Elvis, the bag boy, was going to tackle me on the way out shouting, "You robbed us woman! Get back in there and say you're sorry." But he never did, and I went back the next week with a new pile of coupons and have been adding to our food storage ever since. I wonder if people look at me sometimes with my Nabisco's graham crackers or Tyson chicken nuggets and think, "That girls a student. Bet she can't stop living like they were when her husband was a lawyer. She needs to learn what generic means." But this thought makes me laugh because I probably paid less for my brand name Kraft mac n' cheese that she did for her Aldi's knock off (not to dis Aldi, they are overall the lowest prices, but I can never remember to bring my own bags).

Oh dear, now I'm one of those girls at the baby shower. Lesson learned, again...don't knock it till you try it, then eat it with some Betty Crocker potatoes that you got for $0.07.

Here's a pic of what I got this week for around $30 (note the free French's mustard and chip dip.)

After attending a coupon seminary Thursday, I realized a few mistakes I was making, so I can't wait to see what I can horde next week!On a side note, here Shannon munching on some Challah bread (Jewish) that I made for a missionary potluck. Not too cute, but it tasted great. Baking is my work in progress.

Sorry boys, she's off the market

Shannon would like everyone to know that she's officially off the market.

Previously her concept was...if you have babies, you get shots = no babies for Shannon.

Now she's taken it a step further...Married people have babies = Shannon's not getting married.

I had hoped a union might develop between Shannon and Bryson On or Liam Smartt, but I'll have to put that dream on the back burner...at least for now.

This pic is what started the snowball effect AND is to blame for the delay in grandchildren.

The Hunt

...is ON!

It all started with the fear being put into me during the cold snap a few weeks ago.

by the way, it may be 60 degrees now, but I'm still chilled to the bone.

Am I the only one experiencing phantom cold syndrome?

I was bundled up, out and about one night, throwing obscenities like frick and shnikes as I ran from my car to the grocery store, when I saw a reader board flashed 13 degrees and was instantly grateful that my little angels were bundled up, snug and warm in their beds.

But then it hit me...

I'd been checking the weather, in Iowa, everyday.

Iowa high 5, low -13.

Ah crap (please excuse my potty language)! Seriously. I was freezing my buns off and it didn't even reach 13 degrees in Iowa today... not even midday, when the sun was blazing overhead.

I was going to die.

Which leads me to today...another day on the hunt.

I stalk the internet in search of winter clearance sales in hopes that I might purchase some parka with enough down to keep my little angels warm in Antarctica. But a parka alone won't ensure their survival.

No way.

They need gloves, hats, and mittens. Oh my.

Oh my indeed. It adds up fast, even on clearance.

But it IS a commandment to feed and CLOTH our children. And it has been said that "if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." My shopping is nothing more than me fulfilling my divine role as a mother.

Will you remind Steve of that as he pays the credit card bill? Thanks.The fruits of my labors.

NOTHING cuter than a toddler in snow overalls. NOTHING! Adam's new logger's cap ALSO served Shannon on silly hat day at school.

Multi tasking. I'm trained as a nurse...it's what we do.

Happy New Year

Just to let you know, we're alive an kickin'. A 14 day cold swept through the Hodgen household and drained our energy reserves. To cope, we immersed ourselves in the overindulgence that always accompanies the holidays.