dont's for husbands: general habits

My Dear Sir,
You are neither as bad nor as good a fellow as you imagine yourself to be.

1.- General Habits

Don't take it out on your poor wife every time you have a headache or a cold.  It isn't her fault, and she has enough to do in nursing you, without having to put up with ill-humour in the bargain.

Blanche Ebbutt.  1913

{image via}

cooperative subjects.

I am smack dab in the middle of a fairly intensive photography course.  My mind is swimming with new vocabulary, settings, and functions.  I have weekly assignments, which I submit for critique, that ask for me to find cooperative subjects.

I thought it might be comical to share with you a few outtakes of my "cooperative" subjects.  Taking pictures of my boys is a full contact sport.   

[Just a note.  These are straight of my camera with no editing. Also, the colors may seem odd because my assignment included experimenting with picture style.]

This is the picture I submitted for critique.

I am learning.  Let them be as nuts as they want to be and just keep clicking.  Every once in awhile you catch a great moment.

[And on the flip side, I love the outtake shots!  Gotta love them for who they are, right?]

watch your mouth!

"Watch your mouth or I will wash it out with soap!" Bring back any memories?  Let's call it throw-back mothering.  And, yep, I have shouted that a time or two in the last few months.  It seems my boys [9 and 6 years old] know all the major swear words.  Super!!  My sweet little babes have the knowledge to swear like a trucker. 

Is there a more effective tool than a bar of soap?  I think not.  I use good old Dove soap to wash my face, so I had a bar available when I needed it.  [Luckily it appears that my boys are quick learners.  Once was enough, thank you very much!]  However, most modern day moms only have liquid soap around the house.  So what is a mother to do?  A friend recently shared her swabbing technique when a bar of soap is not handy.  Simply squeeze a small line of Dawn dish washing soap on your index finger and swab the inside of their mouth.  [An alternative would be to rub the soap on their front teeth.]  I could not stop giggling as she described her method!  If only our kids knew the enjoyment we get from discussing their demise.  Evil I tell you, pure evil. 

What techniques do you use to dissuade your children from swearing?

Old school methods are effective, including throw back snack service.  Why fix it if it isn't broke?


image via

what's for dinner?

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken.

This was gobbled up last night in no time flat!  My husband was thrilled because Chinese food is one cuisine that is not gluten-free friendly!  [It just so happened this recipe was gluten free.]  My kids loved it too. 

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
 

The chicken coating:
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt + pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbs ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.

high five, bro

I fear I have two young boys that might try a few of these things at some point in their lives.  [I pray I am no where in the area when they do!]

haPpY Wednesdsay....

Where is June? meets Oh Joy!

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Joy Cho, from Oh Joy! I read her blog every day and I am blown away by her creativity and talent.  Not surprisingly, she was warm, kind, and damn right cute!  Her blog represents her perfectly.  

Joy was hosting an event at the Seattle [Downtown] Anthropologie to celebrate the opening of their one and only, brick-and-mortar Petites Shop.  Petite sections are usually miniscule.  Anthropologie went all out.  Jeans, dresses, tops, jackets!  The choices are endless.  [This girl has found her home away from home!]  Champagne cocktails, shopping, and treats from Ballard's Hot Cakes made for a great night out. 

PS.  Petite girls can rule the world!

I didn't pack along my big girl camera, so the three images above were snapped with my iPhone.  The beautiful images below were taken by Phil Chester Photography.

 

a weekly plan-top meals

It has been so great to be able to share my weekly dinner plans with you!  The feedback I have received has been so postitive!  We are all so, so busy and having a plan for dinner makes it easier to eat well and stay sane!  Last week was unusual.  The amazing weather kept us busy [in a GREAT way!] all weekend, so I fell short on making my own plan for the week.  With out-of-the-ordinary sunshine, multiple evening events, practice schedules, and my husband out of town on business....I barely pieced together our meals.  So, I decided to share recipes that were reader favorites and one of my own.  [I have had kale, avocado & egg toast multiple times since posting about it!]

Have a great week!  If you haven't tried these recipes they are all delicious and worth putting on your menu.  

Potsticker Burgers

Asian Fried Quinoa

Shrimp Tacos

Skillet-Poached Hueovos Rancheros

Pancake Muffins

Kale, egg, avocado toast
 

[images via recipe sources.  all links included]