House of Estrogen

Mini Awesomeness

I love the blog Bakerella... like real, true, big puffy heart love. Her cake pops and other baked goodies always look so amazing. I've been too intimidated to try making cake pops, but I did make her spider web cookies recently for Halloween. Last week, her recipe for these pumpkin pie bites just sucked me in!  I'm not even a huge fan of pumpkin pie, but how stinkin' cute are these? They were delish. We snarfed them down fast! I think I'll have to make another batch for Thanksgiving.

 

 

Sadly, we had one that jumped to his death. I miss that little guy.

 
 

Look Like Brains

I took the girls out to breakfast this morning. When we got home, J.C. asked Nina, "What did you have for breakfast?" Nina responded, "An apple fritter." He asked, "What is an apple fritter?" She said, "It looks like a brain... but without the blood. It doesn't taste like brains though. It tastes like dessert."

Maybe that should be Caribou Coffee's new ad campaign - "Apple fritters - look like brains, taste like dessert!"

No Comments from the Peanut Gallery, Please

I arrived home from work tonight to find five kids running wild around the house. I was pretty sure only three were mine, and sure enough, we were host to a neighborhood playdate. Addie was hungry, so I busily got to work making dinner while princess dress-clad girls twirled around the kitchen. In usual playdate fashion, we started getting the questions, "Can J and K stay for dinner?", "Yes, can I stay for dinner? I'll go ask my mom!"  Instead of sticking with the standard, "Not tonight, we don't have enough for everybody" or "We'll have to do that another time when we can plan ahead", J.C. went with, "Not tonight... it really isn't a very exciting dinner anyway."

Thanks for the vote of confidence, hun. Next Friday night after a long week at work, I'm thinking I'll just kick back with a Mike-a-rita, catch up on a little TV, and let him whip up the exciting meal.

Post #500! It's a Blogiversary Giveaway!

This is House of Estrogen post #500! Time to Celebrate!

 

I tell my girls not to use the word "hate", so I'm going to follow my own advice and simply say that I really, really, really, really dislike blogs that play music. I don't read them... can't click away fast enough. That said, this post needs some music, so please start singing "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas, or for a more old school option, "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. Sing it outloud. Sing it in your head. I don't care... just sing a happy song.

 

When I started this blog two years ago, I had no idea what it would become. It was a way to share a little about our lives with friends and family. It has grown and blossomed, and in the past 499 posts, the writing and photography have given me a creative outlet that I didn't know I needed.

 

So, to celebrate my 500th post, I'm having a BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!  To be entered to win a $20 Starbuck's gift card, leave me a comment... any comment - tell me what you like about the blog, what you don't like, what you had for breakfast, what size Pumpkin Spice Latte you'll buy, or (GASP!) what other beverage you would choose should you win.

 

Never left a blog comment before? It's easy. Click here, scroll to the bottom and add a comment. Use your first name, your dog's name, any name will do. Just be sure to either enter your email address or check back next week to see if you're the winner.

 

I'll leave comments open for a week and then choose a winner by random number.

 

Thank you, blog readers! I always appreciate your comments, emails, words in my office, and compliments yelled down the school hallway!  It has been a fun ride...all 500 posts of it!  Here's to lots of pumpkin spice lattes and many more House of Estrogen posts! Now keep on singing that happy song and go leave a comment!

 Update (11/4/09) - comments have now been CLOSED.
  

Arachnophobia

Bakerella inspired me to do a little Halloween baking tonight. Her spider web cookies looked too fun to pass up.  I am not nearly as talented as Bakerella in either decorating prowess or photography skills, but I had a good time creating these, nonetheless. They are a fun spooky treat for this week, and oh so chocolatey! Mmmmm....

Now I just have to hope they don't prompt more spider dreams tonight.

 

Peanuts... Butter

The break rooms at my company are stocked with a few complimentary snack items - M&M's, mixed nuts, crackers, and peanut butter. One day last week, I walked into the break room to grab an afternoon snack. There were several European men in there chatting away in one or more languages I couldn't understand. I thought I heard a bit of French and perhaps some German. As I pulled out a graham cracker and started spreading peanut butter on it, one of the men stared intently at my little concoction. He then picked up a jar of peanut butter, studied it and said to me with a strong accent, "Peanuts.... Butter.... is this good? This peanuts...butter?"  I sheepishly responded, "I like it."  He then said, "It smells very strong, this peanuts... butter. Maybe I will try it some time."  I probably should have offered to fix up a graham cracker with peanut butter for him right there on the spot, but I was too shocked and stunned that this guy had never in his life seen or heard of peanut butter to do anything. I promptly left the break room and went straight to the Brit's office next to mine and exclaimed, "Dude! Do you guys not eat peanut butter in Europe?" He laughed and said he had never seen it until he was about 12. He surmised that the guys in the break room were Scandinavian and truly had probably never encountered peanut butter. Can you imagine?  I know this makes me sound like an ignorant, naive American, but seriously, that just knocked me off my feet!  I do love me some peanuts... butter! Guess I should call off my plans to move to Norway, huh?

Sharing the Love

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"

    ~Charles Schulz

Emerald Isle Trip 2009 - Last Picture Post (I Promise!)

If we go out for lunch, Addison often falls asleep in the car on the way home. Based on this, we made plans to go out to lunch and then hop on the road to the beach. "That will work out perfectly! She'll sleep most of the drive." we said with a cocky high-five, congratulating ourselves on our brilliance.

Uh yeah... best laid plans...

Here she is for 99.763% of the drive.

 

And here she is on the two and a half minute drive from the realty office to the beach house. Awesome.

We had a fun afternoon playing Putt-Putt one day. Addie was a good sport and just cruised along in the stroller while we played.

Lunch at my favorite beach restaurant, Sanitary Fish Market!

 

 

A visit to the pier

A scoop at Ben and Jerry's

 

And dinner one night in Swansboro

 

Last (and really, I promise this is the end... back to regular non-vacation blogging tomorrow!), a nice quiet drive home

How to Eat a Lofthouse Cookie

Step 1: Taste the frosting.

Step 2: Admire the cookie. Check out exactly how much frosting is left for your tasting pleasure.

Step 3: Really sink your teeth into it.

Step 4: As the cookie begins to break apart, just keep shoveling it in.

Step 5: Give a mean look to anyone who might be laughing at you.

Step 6: Don't let any crumb go to waste!

Starbuck's, Don't Taunt Me That Way!

Starbuck's sent me an email this week that my beloved pumpkin spice latte is back (I'm assuming everybody on the Starbuck's email list got this message, right? Not just the people who spend half their salary each fall on the pumpkin spice latte? Right? Please?). Anyway, its back, but there is NO Starbuck's on this island!

Addie isn't the only one throwing a tantrum this week.

Note to self: check Starbuck's locations when scheduling vacations in early September.