Christmas Baking

Today I went to my sister's house and we made Christmas baking. I had the entire day, without my kiddies. First time I have done that while in the same city as the twincesses. It was really great to have time with just my sister... we baked, had lunch (paninis made on her grill), talked, sang and danced. It was so much fun. I love being close in proximity to my sister, even though sometimes the time between our visits are long.
This year I am so much better at baking - less instruction and more getting in there then other years (C usually has to give me step by step instructions and tell me what to do next.) 6.5 hours later we have 4 different kinds of cookies - 40 cream wafers, 25 of orange cookies and 24 chocolate shortbread with candy cane sprinkles. The 4th is an orange cranberry pinwheel that you have to refrigerate overnight and then cut and bake the next day. They are all SO good and I will take a picture another day to show you. Can't wait to try the pinwheels once they are baked. Mmmm, Christmas baking.

Guilty Confession

I have something a little embarrassing to admit - I enjoy some boy bands. Especially the videos. A little because I like the moves they all do in unison or one after the other (actually it is not that bad as I kind of laugh at how silly it looks), and a lot because I LOVE the harmonies that they usually have. The words to the songs are usually a little juvenile , or way too old for these boys to be singing or the young ladies who are their target audience to be listening to. Or, if you are OLD like me (yikes, I am getting closer and closer to 35 everyday!) it is a little silly to be listening to teenagers sing those songs. My DH teases me mercilessly when he catches me listening to or *GASP* singing along to them.
The reason why I brought it up is that I was curious after watching this week's episode of GLEE whether or not the actor who plays Artie (Kevin McHale) was actually in a wheelchair. He is not, was actually in a boy band called NLT and dances well. I had to check it out. They apparently split this year. Then I found that they did one Christmas song - Silent Night - that is beautiful and you can listen to it here if you care to. There is nothing I like MORE than good Christmas music and doing beautiful harmonies and a new arrangement to the classic carols is awesome.
Good thing I am going to my sister's tomorrow to Christmas bake - we can listen to her *NSYNC Christmas album!

The Witching Hour

Today I got home from R's music lessons and was trying to make supper while my kiddos are all begging for a piece of me. R has been on this "I want breakfast for supper" (and every other meal kick), A was upset, as always, because Mommy is doing something, anything, with food and none of it is going in her poor, deprived little tummy. K is crying because the other two were crying... no wait, if memory serves me correctly, K wasn't crying. That's a switch!
Anyways, in the midst of this, my DH, who had just arrived home 5 minutes before, disappears downstairs to the office to check his email. I am assuming he went to check his email, as he never actually said anything to me, I just saw the back of his head as he fled the chaos.
I called down to ask him to please come up as soon as he could as I could really use some help. He came up pretty quickly and I asked him if he could get the kids out of the kitchen so I could make supper - it's the witching hour, I told him and he said "The what!?!" I said the hour right before Daddy gets home, where Mommy is trying to get everything done, it's been a long day, supper is getting made and I just need a wee bit of help please.
So my DH took the kiddies downstairs, where R proceeded to wrestle with K and give her a bloody nose, which dripped on Daddy's shirt, which I had to rinse out quickly while the pork chops went in the oven and the rice cooked on the stove. I got K settled down, Daddy took her back downstairs. Then when it was time for all to come up for supper A tried to drag the Duplo Blocks bag that is almost as big as her up the stairs and almost fell back down them and began wailing when Mommy freaked out about her reaching DOWN the stairs for them.
We finally sat down to eat and R was so excited about the "steak" and he ate the corn, rice and pork chops we gave him. Then they all had a bath, and R convinced Mommy to give him the leftover pancakes that were in the fridge after A & K went to sleep - all 4 of them. So he got his breakfast.
I got a coffee, a cranberry bliss bar at Starbucks and a good hour that I read without any distractions because I was not in my house to be distracted. Hope I can sleep now, because I just realised that I forgot to tell the lovely barista to make it a decaf.
(BTW - click on this link or the link above to find hints on how to deal with the witching hour in your own home.)

Countdown

It's ONE MONTH until Christmas! YEAHH!!!
{I will update this later, but need to get to tidying before supper. TTYL}

AdSense

OK - so I got the AdSense up and running on my blog now - I am sure none of you have noticed the BIG ads as of yet :) - and I am wondering if I am allowed to decide which ads are or are not allowed on my blog. I mean the one that is presently below the video of the girls walking is for Scientology, which I am not really thrilled that I am now inadvertently promoting.
I am going to look into it, but if anyone knows the answer to this, I would appreciate knowing. Thanks.

The New Reality at our House

They are both walking - K a little more steady on her feet then A. Enjoy the video!

The annoying voice in the background is a new website that R has found off of pbskids.org called EkkoWorld. It teaches kids all about the environment and being green. It is great, just the voice is ANNOYING as all get out. I am waiting now for R to start telling me how to conserve energy and be better to the environment though. I am hoping he has learned that he needs to shut off the water right away when he washes his hands - drives me crazy how he pulls the plug and lets the sink fill up!
M also made another video for his mother so she could see the girls and what they are up to - she lives in Mexico part of the year. Here is the link if you want to watch it too. I would've included it, but it is 10 minutes long. Oh, and yes, K does stand at the table for long periods of time when she is allowed. I was at a much needed massage while M was taping all this - and before you feel jealous - it was massage THERAPY, so painful, not relaxing. :( Gotta go back this week again - my neck and shoulder are killing me!