Mid-Thirties Mama

You know you are a Mid-Thirties Mama (specifically named Andrea) when...

• You don't have any weddings on your summer calendar.
• A majority of your friends have attained their personal kid quota, and you don't have any baby showers on your calendar either.
• Your wardrobe staple includes cardigans. Lots of cardigans. You wear them more days then not. You own more then you choose to count in multiple colors, sleeve lengths, v-neck, rounded neck, longer length, regular length, and of various materials. You feel you can never have TOO MANY cardigans. You wrap them around your waste, belt them, etc.
• You adore your kids 15-year-old babysitter because every time she comes over she compliments you on your wardrobe, or some element of your attire. The babysitter has actually asked you where you bought something, and this pleased you more then any compliment your husband gave you that evening, because you worry having kids may have made sucked any cool-ness out of you.
• Less then a year after moving to your street, you get the guts to host your neighborhood book club and invite the neighborhood ladies all the way in, knowing they are more established in their homes, and they don't have toddlers...
• You have been known to buy a pretty sexy pair of high heeled/open toed/boot shoes that zipped up the back, then returned them because you knew you couldn't chase your toddlers safely in them, and they weren't appropriate for church.
• You have decided to invest in a full skin care regimen.
• You discover your c-section scar is completely non-existant, and have mostly come to grips with your Twinner's pouch that is here to stay.
• You put things like "Britax car seats" and "swing set" on your Christmas list.
• You love your fancy red vacuum.
• Your usual special drink of choice is found at Caribou Coffee and not Happy Hour.
• You don't remember the last time you were at a Happy Hour.
• When you do have a drink, you have a vodka of preference, rather then a rail pour, but you probably mix it at home.
• You get excited about Taco Tuesday at the neighborhood bar & grill because the tacos are only a dollar & you have discovered your toddlers also like the wings on special & if you get there BEFORE 6 pm they have great drink specials & it is kid friendly & you know you will see other mommy's and daddy's there (with kids) having a drink too & there is nothing to clean up when you are done. (...wait a minute, this might be Happy Hour!)
• You sleep with greater ease if before going to bed, you have loaded the dishwasher, wiped up the counter tops, started another load of laundry, and folded or put away a load.
• You have a swing set in your backyard and you couldn't imagine it any other way.
• Your Twinner Toddlers are signed up for community ed soccor.
• You debate with your husband about shrubbery.
• Your kids begin to ask for a hot dog ($1.75 with a drink included) at Costco mid-way through the shopping trip.
• You have had the same doctors for years now, and they remember how to pronounce your name, or at least remember they pronounce it wrong EVERY year.
• Your Friday night fun always involves pizza, which is just fine because there are NO decisions to be made except what kind to eat.

I could go on an on, and suspect I will come back and add more.. but that's all for now folks!

Weekend Projects

Lest you think the Thomberg's haven't been up to our usual home improvement projects, here is a pictorial look at our weekend (weeknight) projects of the moment...I spray painted our fire place front and tools "satin nickel" to match the rest of the hardware and decor in our home. The front is now dry and ready to be re-mounted.

Planting grass here and there...

Painting terra cotta pots for our patio the same shade as ones I covet from Crate and Barrel!

Moving rocks in our back yard flower bed.

Moving hostas (and rock and mulch) in our front entry area.

Oh yah!!! And putting up a swing set. It is now about 1/2 complete. Mark's dad and brother will be back next Saturday, hopefully to finish the project.

The Twinners already LOVE it, and they only have a slide so far. (sorry for the blurry photos, I had the camera on some incorrect setting.)

Coming Soon...

For Christmas my Dad gave the Twinner's funding for a backyard play set. Weeks later, Auntie Rachel walked into her area Home Depot and found a STEAL of a deal on this... She called me from the store last January and I purchased it over the phone. We picked it up the next day and it has been sitting in the corner of our garage (to begin it's depute this weekend).

Last week, we got the slide, also discounted, because it has a scratch on the side. Tonight or tomorrow we will go get the 5 beams needed. Construction is expected to begin tomorrow morning, with the help of Mark's family!

In a week of two, we will hopefully have a finished product that looks something like the photo above! I foresee it will NOT be completed in 6 hours as indicated on the box. I foresee some complications, and perhaps some swear words to get to the finished product - BUT... I am sure it will be worth it!

Too Slow, No Go!

Recently I signed up on-line for Groupon. Every day I get an e mail alerting me to a DEAL for that day. If enough people in my area purchase the Groupon that given day, the "GROup" who enters gets the "coUPON" deal/gift card. If there is not enough response, the deal/offer is null and void.

Yesterday the Groupon was for "Let's Dish". For $75, you received a $125 gift card for this service/retailer where you walk in and make up multiple meals to take home, freeze, heat and serve.

I have wanted to go make meals for our family for ages... and I thought this was the perfect chance... but I stalled.... and I hymned, and I hawed.

Today I clicked back into my e-mail. I wanted that deal! But, alas.. that is NOT how "Groupon" works. A day late IS too late!!!

Andrea's Weekend Quiche High bred

Mark and I have our weekend rituals and routines... mostly centered on food. It is widely known we observe "Thomberg Family Pizza Night" each Friday. More often then not, one of use makes a Papa Murphy's run (with a coupon), but sometimes we make our own (usually with Boboli crust). Other times we may get delivery. If we are feeling celebratory and it is an extra special occasion, we may even venture OUT!

Then there are Saturday mornings. Mark makes pancakes, like EVERY Saturday. Dean starts asking for pancakes on Friday AFTER eating pizza. Mark goes the whole grain route for the mix, and we prefer real maple syrup.

Finally, there is my contribution to the rotation.... eggs baked in some variation, and probably on Sunday. Mostly, I whip up a quiche (or my take on Betty Crocker's Quiche Lorraine recipe circa 1973). I will call it my own personal high bred, based on whatever is in my refrigerator.

I use to buy the pre-made crust... but I no longer bother. Why waste the carbs? Now I just give my Pyrex glass pie dish a good coat of Pam and go naked.

Often, I have a giant container of heavy whipping cream from Costco in my fridge. I LOVE real cream in my coffee. Sometimes I go crazy on the fat, and put in the two cups the recipe calls for. Other days I skip the cream all together, add two eggs, and use less milk. Usually, I go half and half on that one. It all works folks. I did just Google, and Betty still calls for 2 cups heavy whipping cream or half and half today.

Some days I use 12 pre-cooked heat and serve bacon strips (which is what I thought the recipe called for), other days I use broccoli... or whatever other ingredient is about to go bad in my fridge. In my Google search, I see Betty now calls for 8 slices, so in the future I will reduce the number!

I like onions (which I prefer to brown) every time, but this week I only had those little white ones. Cayenne pepper is a MUST. So is the cheese, but what kind is again dictated by what's in the fridge. I like Swiss (as the recipe indicates) or cheddar. I put in a couple hand fulls. Is that two cups? I don't measure. Turns out Betty only calls for one cup. I think I will stick with two though. I am like that about cheese. If I don't have anything shredded, I chop something up.

I do use the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar the recipe calls for, but cut the salt if I am using bacon. For all my hard working, sugar beet growing, farmer friends and relatives, I APOLOGIZE for the cane product pictured above! Good gracious, I might be a little bit embarrassed to be housing this product in my cupboard.

So there you have it - The Thomberg's weekend menu at a glance. I usually eat the left over quiche slices on Monday mornings!

Our 3 Year Old Twins

Marly and Dean are three years old (and then some).

They both weigh 32 pounds. Dean weighs a half pound more. He appears very skinny next to his sister.

Dean REMAINS two inches taller, as he has ALWAYS been.

Both are healthy and get the pediatrician's stamp of approval at their 3 yr check up.

Marly likes dresses and accessories. Dean would wear "comfy pants" every day if you let him. "Comfy Pants" is how he lovelingly refers to his favorite blue fleece Gymboree pants.

Dean can throw a good tantrum, but Marly says "NO!" more. Dean whines A LOT, and we are really trying to change this bad habit.

Marly sleeps well most all of the time. Dean does NOT go to sleep well. They share a room, but should probably be seperated. The truth is, moving them downstairs simply seems like too much work right now! It is a struggle to get Dean down for his nap at home on the weekends. Both kids still take an afternoon nap. Marly likes naps.

Dean still loves Oscar. Marly still loves her TWO blankets. Sometime a long while back, Marly decided she always needed BOTH blankets and not just one or the other. We let them have their favorite things whenever they want them.

Dean likes to cuddle and is quick to respond to requests for hugs and kisses. Marly often denies requests! In public, she will often scowl and frown at people who try to talk to her.

Dean takes the social lead when in public, and Marly follows. Neither seems dominant of the other.

Dean is a very typical boy. He likes sticks. Marly is a very typical girl. She likes her dollies. Marly appears to have more sports ability. She likes soccor. Dean prefers t-ball. Dean talks about monsters now. He likes dinosaurs and polar bears. Marly likes pink.

Both chat and talk more every day. At this time of year, both love to be outside. They love their trikes and running around the yard.

Somedays they are good eaters, other days they are not. Marly likes meat more then Dean. Dean loves yogurt and cottage cheese. In the morning, Dean starts the day by requesting juice. Marly requests milk. Mark makes pancakes every Saturday morning. Dean loves it and eats plenty.

Dean is a bit more attentive and is a better prayer in church on Sunday's. Both Marly and Dean play in the children's area in the back of the santuary during the sermon. Marly hides her head when the pastor tries to cross her and bless her at communion.

Just recently they pretend play and roll play. Both like to pretend they are at Caribou or making coffee. They have only been inside a few times, but they know Daddy works there and mommy LOVES coffee. They definately know the logo! They have been through the drive thru too many times. The funny thing is, they think a "special treat" for them is a plastic clear glass of 'Bou ice water with a red straw! Not sure how long we can keep that FREE myth up.

Springtime on Riverview Lane

We have now lived at our home 11 months, and I think spring came early this year. Our daffodils near the street are finally blooming.

Click HERE to see our yard last year. Live and learn. Mark and I weren't gardening savvy enough to realize it takes a LOT of bulbs packed into a small area to make an impact. These will probably be dug up, added to and replanted elsewhere (maybe with our spotty back yard tulips)...

My kids favorite mode of neighborhood transport this season is the three-wheel style.

or sometimes four....

Last years mama duck has returned to nest again, even after the harassment it received last spring from the new resident toddler two-some.

Click HERE to see the duck, the kid's preferred mode of transport via wagon, and etc LAST year.

We have tulips this spring...

and my children have become The Neighborhood Greeters/Welcome Party for the walkers, runners and bikers who travel Riverview Lane!

Happy Spring to All!