Fly on the Wall for March

Fly on the Wall
Here we go again! Every month a group of bloggers gets together to give you little snippets of what life is really like in their house when no one’s watching. (Except for you – because you’re actually a little fly on the wall…out of reach of the flyswatter, hopefully!)

Here’s your chance to see what went on in two households, as I spend three weeks visiting my daughter in California and get to meet my new grandson for the first time. When you are through with this blog, please check out the links below for more dirt!
fly1atiny
Even if you’ve been doing your calisthenics, a fly can only travel about six miles in a day, so you probably just hung out at my house while I was in California. If so, this is what you would have seen:
The whole Deadwood series.
The whole Lonesome Dove series.
The whole Streets of Laredo series.
The whole Dead Man’s Walk series.

You also probably got to listen to a lot of fascinating phone conversations, because The Man talks on the phone more than most adolescent girls. You now know more about hunting than you ever, ever wanted to know. And conspiracy theories.

In the meantime, however, your relatives in California were chilling on the wall at my daughter Brenna’s house, where it is much more entertaining.
fly1atiny
March 1st finds us scurrying out the door on our way to the Dr. Seuss breakfast at the girls’ elementary school. Taunee is in jammies (because it’s also pajama day) but Sophie is rocking a new outfit, complete with a furry vest. Yes indeed, we hit the mall yesterday – a big treat for me, since I live up in the hills, far from any decent shopping.

You won’t have long to wait. We’ll be back soon to load the “Better than Crack Brownies (though to be politically correct, at school Sophie calls them Better than Crackle Brownies) and jugs of milk into the car for Sophie’s class, to celebrate her birthday. Those 4th graders will go through two pans of brownies and almost two gallons of milk!

The house is decorated for tonight’s slumber party. Sophie and I made lots of hot pink and black paper roses to go with her pink and black zebra theme.

Just a few of MANY flowers we made.

Just a few of MANY flowers we made.

I hope you brought your little fly ear protection. Five girls can make a LOT of noise during a slumber party. Here’s a link to my blog, if you’re dying to know how to make a zebra cake! Sophie’s Zebra Party
fly1atiny

taun and eema mustaches

“Eema” (that would be me) and Taunee. Wonder where she gets her goofiness from…

You may have noticed that Taunee is a source of constant entertainment. Here are a few of the things you’ve heard already:

Brenna: “Taunee, what’s that blue stuff in your hair?”
Taunee: “I don’t know – what’s it taste like?”

Taunee is in her nightgown. The dog is sniffing her butt and she’s giggling.
Brenna: “Taun, don’t let the dog do that!”
Taunee: “Whaaaat? I LIKE it.”

Baby, screaming loudly
Taunee: “He sounds like a fire drill!”

And in the “Things You Don’t Expect to Hear” category:

Taunee: “Did you put an apple in my lunch?”
Brenna: “No. They were too big and you wouldn’t have time to eat anything else.”
Taunee: “Awwwwwww.”
Brenna: “But I did pack you grapes and a Cutie”
Taunee: “Yay!”
Brenna: “And I didn’t pack you any chocolate today”
Taunee: “THANK you!”

In explanation, she OD’d on chocolate recently and learned that it was better going down than it was coming up. For now, she’s a no-chocolate girl. So I’m guessing that she’ll eat all the jelly beans this Easter and her big sister, Sophie, will get to eat all the Cadbury Mini Eggs. Score, Soph!!!
fly1atiny
I’m annoyed that I live in an area of the country that doesn’t have a food specialty. You know…a thing. In the Redding area, olives are big. Instead of wine, you can go to an olive tasting. If they had martini tastings to go with the olives, I’d be one happy woman.

Here’s the best part, though. Friday is always tri-tip day. It seems like every business has their own barbecues set up outside, slow roasting beef all day. This produces a little chunk of heaven that is wrapped in foil and (for a price) sent home with you. It’s oh, so good. Brenna made some twice-baked potatoes and I made a salad, and we were all in a food coma by 8pm.

I know I look a little crazed. But if you were on a "plant based diet" that you blew off while on vacation, you'd be excited about all this beef too!

I know I look a little crazed. But if you were on a “plant based diet” that you blew off while on vacation, you’d be excited about all this beef too!

fly1atiny

Sophie taught herself the “Cup Song” from Pitch Perfect in one night. Oh, to have that kind of memory and retention again. The song is stuck in my head – probably forever. She also amazed and delighted the admiring crowd (us) by performing the tripod and singing the Star Spangled Banner at the same time. Repeatedly.

Bet you can't do it!

Bet you can’t do it!

fly1atiny
And as for baby Mack?

He was not amused!

He was not amused! Brenna, however, sports the orange mustache without a whimper.

fly1atiny
Brenna’s voice called down the hall: “Chris?” My mother instincts were immediately on alert by the tone – especially since the second and third calls were higher pitched and louder. Chris went running. A few moments later, Brenna came into the kitchen, looking a wee bit shaken. A little SNAKE had just been slithering around in her bathroom sink. What the… I don’t want to know how that could happen, but I was grateful that there was only a day left before I flew back home, and I waited to take a shower until I was safely back in my own bathroom. I’m not afraid of snakes, but in the sink? Huh-uh. No way.

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Ugh. They say THIS is the worst part. Somehow I doubt that.

Ugh. They say THIS is the worst part. Somehow I doubt that.

And now, I’m home again. See all the stuff on the tray? Can you guess what I get to do tomorrow? Ugh. I had a very casual doctor, and put off this whole colonoscopy business for years without getting lectured. But now I have a new doctor, and somehow I find myself bustled into this clinic and that, having all the tests I’ve been avoiding forever.

I have my fears about this. I’m terrified of anesthesia – not just that I might not wake back up, but that if I do there’s no telling what I might say. I’ve thought of so many inappropriate things I could spill my guts about that now I’ve practically guaranteed it’ll happen, and the medical staff will probably be laughing with friends over drinks tomorrow night, saying “You’ll never guess what this woman said today…”

Thinking happy thoughts. Thinking of my happy place. Puppies. Babies. Recipes.fly1atiny

Whew. That lovely procedure is over. I’m home – a little shaky, violated, but glad to have that behind (heh heh) me. Lovely nurses, a hysterically funny anesthesiologist, warm blankets, and a delicious lunch afterwards. Not to mention a sweet power nap! Yes, I could do that again.fly1atiny

And on this cheery note, I’ll pass on the recipe for Sophie’s favorite cookie. We made them while I was visiting, and the whole batch disappeared almost immediately. I’m sure you’ve all had these, but if you think about it, they look like something a fly would LOVE.

"Cow Pies", also known as "Boiled Cookies"

“Cow Pies”, also known as “Boiled Cookies”

Cow Pies
Print
Author:
Serves: 24
I love to use chunky peanut butter, and sometimes add chopped peanuts with the oats. The recipe makes about 24, but trust me - you'll probably want to double it!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups quick oats
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk. Bring to a rolling boil and then let the mixture boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
  2. Remove from heat and add a pinch of salt and the peanut butter. Stir until well blended.
  3. Stir in vanilla and oats.
  4. Drop by large teaspoons (or use a scoop!) onto waxed paper to cool.

Fly away and check out these great blogs!

Baking In a Tornado
Stacy Sews and Schools
My Brain on Kids
Just a Little Nutty
Menopausal Mother
The Sadder But Wiser Girl
The Momisodes
Follow Me Home
Moore Organized Mayhem
Finding Felicity
Caramel Living

10 thoughts on “Fly on the Wall for March

  1. This was hysterical from beginning to end. I just love when you do these posts, and the addition of your daughter’s family just made for more funny. Congratulations, proud Eema (yes, I do know what that means, actually)!

  2. Your little Taunne there is HYSTERICAL–I loved her answers to everything. Glad you survived your colonoscopy–I just did a post on that very topic last Friday…but maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t read it BEFORE you went in for your procedure. I think it’s safe to read it now though….Lol! This was a great post–nice view of your family and the cookies look so yummy… but dammit I’m on a diet……!!!

  3. Aw, your trip to California sounds wonderful (minus the snake!).
    After my first one, I told the Dr. that I’d never go through the colonoscopy again. It probably has nothing to do with the fact that I ate steak the night before the cleanse…Seriously, how could I have skipped over the all liquid diet prior info?I’ve learned a lot since that one. Glad yours ran smoothly.
    We used to call your cookies “On-top-of-the-stove” cookies. They are delicious whatever the name.
    Thanks for the view into your cute family 🙂

  4. Your daddy would be proud of your writing skills. I almost felt I was along for your visit down south 🙂 And by the way, I’ll take snakes over spiders any day of the week!

    • That is the best compliment anyone could give me. Thank you! And I agree with you about the snake/spider thing. I’m really not afraid of snakes, but wouldn’t want one to come up the drain while I was in the shower!

  5. Ummmm… recipe for the “Better Than Crack Brownies” please???? I’ll share my husband’s Evil Peanut Butter Bars recipe…

    I’m smiling because I love your daughter’s name: I wanted a little girl named Brenna-my son, whom I was convinced was going to be a girl, would have been Brenna Jane. He was an Ezra instead… My daughter’s name is Brynn, close to Brenna!

  6. Great post! I love all the mustache pics :). My husband also talks on the phone like a teenage gal. His is fishing and tennis though. A snake in the sink… Ugh

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