Until We Meet Again...

So I’ve been thinking about this all week. Well, thinking about it whenever I wasn’t thinking about wrapping presents, baking desserts, cooking dinners, keeping Babes happy, keeping Husby happy, keeping me sane...I think you get the gist.

I’m done.

At least, I’m done for now.

My plate is just too full and it’s only going to get fuller in the new year. And after the holidays, I’m a little too close with my friend Mr. Belly Bloat.

I love blogging.

It makes me look at life so differently - I’m more observant and remember small details (usually for blogging material) - but it also takes up a lot of my time. Time that I just don’t have right now.

I know I’ll be back. One day.

It probably won’t be in a month from now or even in a year from now, but I’m sure we’ll find each other once again. Mainly because I still plan to read all your blogs.

So until we meet again, from my family to yours, may you all have a healthy and happy New Year!

Monday Mayhem

What do you mean it’s Tuesday?!?

This week is flying by quicker then I can say “Christmas cookies.” And not just because I still have to bake some...

We still have presents to wrap, groceries to buy, menus to plan, and, most importantly, a sick Babes to take care of.

Yep, that’s right. She was up coughing all night and woke up with a slight temperature this morning. Luckily, she’s in fairly good spirits, she just wants to nap. A lot. We’re headed to the doctor this morning to make sure there isn’t an infection lurking behind her cough.

With all this craziness we’re a little behind on more than just blogging.

So today, I leave you with some one-pot goodness, because if you’re house is anything like mine these days, one pot is all you have time for.

Just before simmering meat.

H.I.T. Arsenal Recipe #18: One-Pot Chicken with Bratwurst and Potatoes
This recipe was adapted from a recipe in Everyday Food September 2010 issue.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil
2 Bratwurst links, casings removed, 1-inch pieces
2 Bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed, halved
Salt
Ground Pepper
Penzeys Bavarian Seasoning
1 Onion, diced
1 lbs red and white potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 celery stalks, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
2 TBS red-wine vinegar

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring until brown all over, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a dish.
2. Generously season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and Penzeys Bavarian Seasoning, and add meat to pan. Flipping once, cook until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to dish with sausage.
3. Add onion, potatoes and celery to pot, season with salt, pepper and a little Bavarian seasoning if you wish. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 3-5 minutes. Return sausage and chicken, meat side up, to pan and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until chicken is cooked all the way through and potatoes are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove lid, increase heat and reduce liquid to 1/2 cup. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm. Add vinegar and 1 TBS Penzeys Bavarian Seasoning to pan, stirring well. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage and vegetables to chicken platter.
5. Sauce should be thick, if not, reduce until desired consistency reached, and transfer to gravy boat. Serve alongside chicken, sausage and vegetables. Enjoy!

Cyber Sister Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Jenn! 

Please send me an e-mail at SuburbanHIT (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your homemade toddler bedding! 

Threes

They say life happens in threes.

And right now I'm getting hit. Again.

Thank goodness it's the third.

So forgive me for not posting yesterday and for this vague post.

I promise I'll give you an update as soon as I'm able. Just know that no one is seriously ill or injured.

A good friend of mine told me that you never get more than you can handle.

I certainly hope she's right.

M.I.T. Mondays: What Gives? A Holiday Party!

Babes Age: 8 months


Don't forget to enter the Cyber Sister Giveaway! Contest ends tonight.

Last week, Husby and I attended a charity dinner for Volunteers of America and it got us thinking...

As the first (and only) grandchild for Husby’s parents, in addition to my own parents who love giving gifts, Babes is pretty much hitting it big time this year for Christmas, and that doesn’t even include Santa’s presents.

It’s just too much for one little girl.

So after talking it over with Husby, we decided to scale back on the gifts Santa is bringing, and, instead, give some toys to a local shelter.

I even managed to find a Lalaloopsy doll to donate.

Why toys? Why not something people really need like food, clothes, toothbrushes, or underwear? Because it’s Christmas and even the local shelter understands that almost all kids get excited opening up a toy car on Christmas morning, but when they reach into their stocking and pull out underwear, let’s just say they are less than enthusiastic.

And because it’s never too early to teach your kids to give back, we decided to make it part of Babe’s North Pole party and kindly made the request for everyone who is able to please bring a gift.

If you’re throwing a holiday party this year, why not add the gift of giving? It’s easy to ask guests to bring an item from their pantry, an extra Christmas present or some gently used or outgrown winter jackets.

There are shelters in almost every community seeking aid this time of year. Will you help?

Volunteers of America is a national non-profit spiritual organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives through human service programs, such as housing and health care. You can find out more about the work they are doing at www.voa.org.

In Case You're Behind...

And didn't know I had a Facebook page, you can fan me here.

And you just might want to become a fan...

For Facebook Fans only, I'm giving away one* of my favorite products:

1. Apple TV,
2. 8 GB iPod Nano, or
3. Two iPod Shuffles (one for you and a friend!)

But you'll have to check my wall to see how to enter.

Happy Friday!

*Winner gets to pick one of the three choices as their prize.

I Choose Yellow

When I became a mother back in April, I learned a lot of things very quickly.

For instance, I learned the difference between the tired cry, the hungry cry and, my favorite, the I’m so annoyed with you cry. I learned that if you didn’t put a diaper under Babes’s old diaper, your hand would get peed on.

I also learned that there are two groups of parenting and very harsh judgements from both sides regarding the other.

I’m neither black nor white on this one. I choose yellow.

Since when is parenting a school of thought that incites debate? Every day, we’re all just trying to do our best to raise a happy, healthy child that follows as many rules as possible (because some really are meant to be broken from time to time). And it’s unfair for anyone to assume they understand the inner workings of any family beyond their own.

Parenting is tough enough without having to defend yourself.

It’s a battlefield - you win some days, you lose some days, and some days, you wave the white flag and party together. But in the end, it’s the team with the most support that wins.

I won’t judge you for parenting differently then me, and I all I ask in return is that you don’t judge me.

So what do you say? Yellow?

This post is not in response to any personal event that happened to me, but rather to a series of events I've watch unfold over the course of several months. Each event was unique and involved a different set of people. On another note, this post is not meant to condone abuse or neglect, it's simply a way of saying, who cares if you breastfeed or not, who cares if you co-sleep or not, can't we all just get along?

Secret Santa Giveaway Winner...

And the winner is...

Kristen from Now You Know!

Congratulations Kristen! Kristen is getting married in less than a month so it seems perfectly fitting that she has all the luck to win this giveaway, but I don't have a way to contact her! Kristen, someone, anyone, please send me an e-mail at SuburbanHIT (at) gmail (dot) com or I'll have to pick a new winner... :(

The One With the Prologue

Husby usually doesn’t brush his teeth at night.

Having a father who is a dentist, I’m sure you can guess how I feel about it.

Swamp mouth.

So when I noticed him brushing his teeth before bed last night, I had to take the bait:

H.I.T.: What are you doing?

Husby: Brushing my teeth.

H.I.T.: Why?

Husby: [wink, wink]

H.I.T.: I think you have something in your eye.

M.I.T. Mondays: All I Want For Christmas

*Don't forget to enter my Secret Santa and Cyber Sister giveaways! 


Babes Age: 7 months

As baby’s first Christmas’s goes, we’re feeling pretty lucky. Babes is able to crawl over to her present, rip the paper open (with a little help), and play with her new toys.

So, what do you get a baby on her first Christmas?

What’s on her list of course!

Here are a few of the toys Babes asked Santa for (and a few things Mama threw in):

JoJo and Friends, Follow Me Max ($24 at Walmart)

Organic Beige Hemp Linen Ballet Shoe ($32 at Bobka Baby)

Yookidoo Discovery Playhouse ($99 at FAO Schwartz)

Leg Warmers from BMOD Designs ($8)

Butterfly - Natural Teething Toy ($15 at The Bitsy Bean)

And here are a few of the things Babes picked out for her friends:

Made-to-Order Knit High Top Sneaker Booties 

($12.50 at Krafty Lady Kreations)

Clip-on Uglydog Blue ($6)

Merry Christmas Stud Muffin Onesie

($22 at Casanees)

Hanging Natural Hair Clippie Holder ($13.50 at Everyday Clippies)

What are your babes asking for this year?

Jingle Ball Rock

In two weeks, Babes is hosting her first party. The theme?

A trip to the North Pole of course!


To set the mood, we sent Paperless Post invitations to all her friends.

While I love a good paper invitation and card just as much as the next person, there is something fun and whimsical about sending Paperless Post.

Maybe it’s because I can pick out an invitation sealed in an envelope with a liner to be sent out at such a low cost*? Maybe it’s because this is an unnecessary party and I like the idea that we’re saving maybe 1/10 of a tree? Maybe it’s just because of the instant gratification in knowing that I can pick something out and have it delivered that same day.

Which ever the way, they have great selection and are sure to make any Jingle Ball rock.

Here are a few of my favorites for the holiday season:

I clearly have a penchant for the simple white background.

The best part? When you sign up, you receive 25 stamps and 10 coins for free*! So what are you waiting for? Host an unnecessary party of your own this holiday season. After all, 'tis the season!

I was not paid or sponsored to write this post. Nor was I contacted by Paperless Post. I just really like their product and want to spread the word. 

Christmas Classics

Just as my family has it’s holiday movie tradition at Thanksgiving, Husby's family has theirs at Christmas. Every Christmas Eve they watch...

A Christmas Carol.

Not the Jim Carey version that came out last year, or the version that came out in the early 80s, no, they like to watch the version with Alastair Sim. The one that came out half a century ago.

It's also the one that frightened the bejesus out of me as a little child.

Far be it from me to deny Husby his family tradition, but while he was hiding under the covers to shield his eyes from the Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come (to this day, he still won’t watch scary movies...), I was gayly singing along to the Muppet Family Christmas or anticipating the next time The Christmas Toy or Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas would be on television.

So until Babes is old enough to handle the scary parts of Husby’s Christmas Classic, we’ve reached a compromise:

After all, what's Christmas without a little Kermit and Miss Piggy?