Monday, February 22, 2010

Monday Miscellany

First off, I just need to reiterate that I love Mondays. Even when Max is home sick from school, even when all I do is laundry and cleaning and bake bread, I just love Mondays. It feels like a day of restoring order. Plus, I don't have a lot of commitments on Mondays, so it kind of feels like my day.

Okay, so I didn't just do laundry and clean and bake bread. I may have also spent a chunk of time indulging my obsession with tutus and tulle skirts by doing a lot of web-surfing. I also found a couple of new blogs to love, including Ruffles and Stuff. Eva may just end up with a lot of ruffly, twirly skirts one of these days.

I may have also spend another chunk of time loading photos to work on my very first photo book, so exciting!

This morning we were coloring, and then I looked over and saw this. It made me smile.

But not her. She was outraged that I got my camera out and took a picture of her crayon creations before she added "Mom" to her list of words. Well. For all I know, she was going to swipe them all off the table the next second, so I had to act quickly. And look at that A. You know that orange crayon is going to roll off lickety split. What's a mom to do?

And then I looked over and saw this. She had apparently read the color names and made herself a little key! When did she learn how to read these words??

A little later, I dropped her off at preschool. We saw a dad arriving on his motorcycle, with his daughter sitting in front of him, with a helmet. Eva took one look and announced that someday she's going to buy a motorcycle and ride it to work at the dinosaur museum when she's a paleontologist. Well. I figured today was not the day for me to tell her how frightened I am of motorcycles...

I saw some noodles like these on a cooking blog and that was it. I had to have them. My local grocery store had some -- for $7! Um, no thanks. But I found them at Target for $3. More than I usually spend for pasta, but, as I said, I had to have them. (They were fabulous.) p.s. it turns out I saw them on Smitten Kitchen!

We ate them with this sauce. I know it doesn't look like much, and it isn't. The thing is, it was really tasty. Especially when we ate it with this on the side:

Oh baby. I'll get this recipe up soon. Like, soon. Because you need to taste this.

Emily was wearing this necklace when she came over yesterday. Again, oh baby. Can you even stand it? We started brainstorming about how we could recreate it. Because I think I really need it. Also, we want to make all kinds of fabric flowers. Because they're adorable.

How do you like this fine bit of jerryrigging? Marie told us in our organizing class that we could hook up a cupcake wrapper container to soak the shower head in vinegar (you know, to get rid of the hard water residue). I couldn't figure out how to make it work Marie-style, so I got jiggy with some yarn. Hey, it worked, so mock not. (Well, go ahead, you can mock a little.)

I have to say, it was pretty satisfying. As soon as I poured in the vinegar, it started fizzing and looking like it was getting right down to work. I left it on there for five hours. While I wouldn't say the shower head looks new or anything, it is a huge improvement.

I also tried out the Old English Lemon Oil trick on the glass shower door (also for afore-mentioned hard water deposits). Again, they are not completely gone, but I wish I had taken a before/after shot, maybe with half of it treated and half the way it was before. Back when we were living like animals.

**Multiple people have suggested we put our kids in a bubble. You know, like The Boy in the Bubble for the 21st century. Evidently, that's what it's come to.

16 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Oh my, that pasta, that bread! Will definetely be watching for that recipe!

Bubble boy is actually in the title of my last post.

Rebekah said...

Ok, this post is bursting with good energy. You must be feeling much, much better! Woohoo!

I love Ruffles and Stuff, love it! She has the most original ideas and is so resourceful. Plus, she's super nice and she posts often, which always makes me happy.

kelly said...

so love that sauce..the noodles are called fusilli..best pasta ever in my book!

Barb said...

I'm doing the showerhead thing today. Maybe even before I shower.
The necklace is spectacular. Part of it is the same technique I used for the fabric necklaces, but I need to hold the flower in my hands to figure it out . . . the base is tulle but what is the the fabric forming the petals?
I guess I'd better bookmark that sauce.

Jill said...

It sounds like you had an excellent Monday, I'm so glad you have a day that feels like it's yours!

I love Eva's crayon word!

I have never seen curly noodles like that before, how fancy.

I'm impressed with your shower head cleaning system rigging and that you actually did it!

Anonymous said...

I must have those noodles...if I wasn't home bound today I would go get them now. I like fancy pasta.

I love the energy in this post! Gunna try that vinegar trick too!

We want Eva to come play soon- email what is good for you as I am not sure of her school schedule!

Miranda said...

Oh my gosh I loved this post! I think it would be best for me to comment in list form.
1. A million thank yous for discovering Ruffles and Stuff and sharing. I shall make a ruffly scarf out of T-shirts and it shall be mine.
2. I recognized those noodles (and such a lovely picture) and I knew right where you were going with your next picture...
3. And then you went there!
4. Where did Emily get that necklace? No, I can't even stand it, it is truly to die for.
5. You have furthered my crush on vinegar even more.

Kathleen said...

Michelle,
I love that necklace! I saw this a few months ago on Studio 5 and have wanted to try it. http://studio5.ksl.com/?sid=8805897&nid=61

Kim Sue said...

The color-coded key is priceless. I remember when I had that "when did you learn to read moment?" I wish I had been blogging back then!

emily said...

I love this post! I'm so glad that you had a happy Monday.

The necklace credit all goes to Susan. I don't know where I'd be without that woman.

And we really need to have a necklace-making day. My creative senses are tingling at the prospect.

Melinda said...

I am so excited to hit Target this week and buy those noodles! Are they Giada's line? I also already looked up the recipe for the sauce and will be making it also. Were you able to find that brand of tomato or did you just use what you had on hand. btw- I went to macey's and found the yeast. Thanks.

Barb said...

I nearly lost myself in that ruffles website! Carmen sat on my lap and we chose multiple projects. She was almost late for school.

Charlotte said...

I love your Monday miscellany. And I'm very impressed with Eva's reading and name spelling! I'm glad you moved in quick to get a picture, even if Eva hadn't spelled "MOM" yet.

Amy said...

Just so you know-I have tons of fabric flower tutorials bookmarked. Let me know if you need some--I'd be happy to email them to you.

Yummy bread! Get that recipe up soon!

Susan said...

Yes! Pass on the fabric flower tutorial asap!!

Michelle said...

I miss when you were living like animals;). That necklace was gorgeous! I bought a cute pattern from Rebecca Sower for a flower clip...but that necklace needs to be recreated more than flower clips!

Eva is so smart! I love that you have documented all her little moments of genius...she will love this someday soon :).

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