Escape from Sick Island

Today’s post is going to take some explaining as it’s a departure for this blog on many levels. 

First, I don’t know if you know this but a few of my posts have been published in a book. There’s a series of books called Life Well Blogged by Monica Merrill Mylet and Abbey Fatica, and my contributions are included in the one called Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire.

How today’s post came about is actually through a misunderstanding. Life Well Blogged’s authors were looking for Book Review Bloggers to review their books. I made a friendly suggestion that they’d reach more people if they included non-bloggers who could possibly do reviews as Guest Posts on blogs. I thought it was a helpful suggestion. They thought it was an offer. Now what?

I’m very protective of my blog. Like what’s here or not, it’s mine. I’m not letting someone just take it over, no way. And I’m in this book (twice), what if the review isn’t what I want it to be? How embarrassing is that?

It happens that there’s a very funny woman I follow on twitter. She doesn’t blog but should, and is going to. Light bulb moment. This could work. Holly Daze gets an honest review, Jennifer gets her first post published, and I get to introduce a (soon-to-be) brand new blogger who I think has great potential. Win/Win/Win and another Win (as long as she likes the book, that is).

So it’s my pleasure to introduce a first book review, a first guest post by a (not for long) non-blogger and a first post by a soon-to-be blogger. Welcome to the Blogosphere, Outsmarted Mommy. Make yourself at home. Mi casa es su casa:

Wow, I haven’t been this excited or nervous about something since . . . hmmm, well . . . since I went into labor with my first son. (Hint: just like then, I have no clue now what I’ve gotten myself into or how this is going to go. Is it too late for an epidural glass of wine?)

Let me introduce myself: I’m Jennifer, a stay-at-home Mom to two loveable boys I like to refer to as Energizer 1 and Energizer 2. I left my career behind as a Sales Executive to raise them. Going into motherhood I always thought I would know much more than my kids but I find that, at the ripe old ages of 4 years and 20 months, they tend to outsmart me daily. But that’s another story.

I’m here to talk about a little book called Life Well Blogged Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire. I was graciously invited by Karen to review this book as a Guest Post on her blog. Having read Baking In A Tornado for a while now, I know that she doesn’t take Guest Posts lightly so I’m honored, to say the least. I think of Karen as a baking/writing extraordinaire. I, on the other hand, am lucky if I brush my teeth most days, so finding time to read a book seemed a bit scary at first.

Click here to buy Life Well Blogged. Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire

Available for Kindle, Nook and in paperback

I often find myself picking up the latest book that everyone is talking about but finding it impossible to stay focused enough to become engrossed in it. For example, over the summer, everyone and their Mother (including mine, EEK) was reading 50 Shades of Gray so I started it too. The only problem was I got about 4 shades in and found myself interrupted by a crying baby, diaper changes, snack time, preschool drop off, parent meetings, snack time, diaper changes, diaper changes. . .  well you get the point. By the time I got into bed at night I would have to reread where I had left off and the whole process started to become exhausting.

Enter Life Well Blogged Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire. This book arrived on my doorstep on a snowy afternoon with me stuck in the house with two sick kids. I couldn’t wait to open it in the hopes that it would allow me to escape from Sick Island. So I made myself a cup of coffee while the kids took their naps and I began the journey. I read the first 26 pages. Cue crying baby. I had to put the book down, only this time it felt less like putting a book down and more like telling a group of my girlfriends “hold that thought, I’ll be right back.”

This book had me laughing from New Year’s until Christmas and from Birthdays to the 6ft Leprechaun who ruined Easter. The stories are told by real women about real events without any sugar-coating. They are relatable, funny and impossible not to love. From the 5 guests who will ruin your party, to Mommy’s-night-out, to tips on how not to ruin a picnic, to baking your own birthday cake, I laughed.

I got to know all these women and their funny stories the week of Valentine’s Day. By this time not only were the kids sick, but my husband was sick and I was in denial that I was getting sick, so romance was completely out the window. I was so happy to have a group of girlfriends to hang with. I found them all in this book and they were right at home in the circus we run here. They came with me to the bathroom, while I gave the kids a bath, while I made Chicken Soup, while I waited at the Pediatrician . . . twice . . . and when I finally gave in and sat waiting for the Doctor to see me.

The Doctor prescribed an antibiotic and lots of rest. I’m a Mom, rest is certainly not an option, but I’ve heard that laughter is one of life’s best medicines and I can tell you it’s true. After finishing Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire I started feeling so much better.

I hope you enjoyed my take on this must-read book. To order your copy, click on the link (below the picture) above. And if you would like to learn more about my crazy life run by two amazing kids, you can follow me on twitter at @outsmartedmommy. I plan on joining the blogosphere soon . . . so stay tuned.

Death of a Weekend

Obituaries and Funeral Announcements:

Weekend, Fun

Born: Following the first week of Elementary School

Died: After a lengthy illness

Fun (Carefree)Weekends have died at home surrounded by family.
They were born on the Saturday following the first week of Kindergarten. In youth weekends were enjoyed just because there’s no school and that was enough. Time was taken to play and to enjoy family and friends. Weekends saw its first burst of popularity during these years.

Weekends in High School included the addition of cars and the ability to get away: trips to Cape Cod and Plum Island in the warmer weather, and to ski mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire in the winter. They also took on a healing element during these years, as weekend mornings became a time for sleeping in and recovering.

In the college years, weekends expanded and excelled. Apparently they don’t tell you this until you arrive in college, but it turns out that weekends actually start on Thursday night. Weekends became what you survived the week days to get to.

Weekends were enhanced, upon college graduation, by the addition of funding and they enjoyed productive years from then until the birth of a first child.

Weekends fought for life through years of babies who have no respect for time and cry even if it’s 5:00 am. Even if it’s 5:00 am on a SATURDAY. They struggled to maintain a waking presence past 10:00 pm. After all, everyone knows that’s when the parties are just getting started. And yet, eyes started to close earlier and earlier.

Further deterioration became evident once those babies moved from cribs to beds. They just get right out. Early in the morning. On a weekend. Weekends thrive on sleeping in. Everyone knows that.

School days brought the promise of remission, but no, when is there no school? When do the kids stay home? All weekend.

Weekends finally succumbed to their illness with the implementation of the best deterrent capable of impacting older children, the weekend grounding.

Weekends are (attempting to be) survived by parents everywhere.

Funeral Arrangements:
Services: Private services will be held every Friday night.
Viewing: Weekends can be viewed on the FB page of Baking In A Tornado. Appetizers and cocktails served.

Pepperoni Puffs

Pepperoni Puffs
                                         ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

dash of cayenne

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cups pepperoni, diced

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Grease 24 mini muffin tins with no-stick spray.

*Whisk together milk and egg.

*Whisk in the flour, baking powder and cayenne.

*Mix in the cheeses and pepperoni pieces.

*Allow batter to stand for 15 minutes.

*Fill tins with batter.

*Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

This recipe is my version of one that I’ve seen in many places. I really don’t know the origin of the original recipe, but this is how I’ve changed it based on our tastes in my home.

Take That, Hot Flashes

It is so unfair that just when my boys are doing their best to challenge my sanity, my own body has snuck up and joined the enemy lines.

OK, Moodiness, Impatience, Farsightedness, Hot Flashes, you want a fight? You picked the wrong girl. I’ll fight. Here’s how it’s gonna go:

Moodiness, you think you got me. You think you can make me cry at nothing. OK, I’ll give you that one. So I cried the first time I saw my boys drive off in my car, and that may not make a lot of sense. In my defense, I cried when they came back and that makes all the sense in the world. But what you don’t know is this, I’ve got teenagers. When you strike and I lock myself in my room to sulk, it’s knida working for me.

And Impatience, it’s true you sneak up on me faster than I might like (and let’s just say I’ve never been known as a person with a lot of patience to start with, so I need what little I had). But what you don’t know is this, I’ve got teenagers. Snapping right back at them, it’s kinda working for me.

And Farsightedness, meet my old friend Myopia. Initially I thought you a fool. You were balancing me out. My eyesight was actually getting better. HA!  But I must admit, you’re a sneaky adversary and now I’m forced to use “readers” when reading things close up. What you don’t know is this, I’ve got teenagers. While at the grocery store, having left the readers at home, not being able to see whatever whim they’ve added to the shopping list, it’s kinda working for me.

And you, Hot Flashes. You are proving to be the worst of all. You’ve caught me off guard many a time. But I have shorts and t-shirts, I have ceiling fans, I was fighting back. You weren’t done yet, though, were you? Waking me up in the middle of the night, hair plastered to my face and feeling like wet wool glued to my skin. Well this is not working for me. On any level. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I’ve got scissors and I’ve got a bathroom mirror. Goodbye 8 inches of curls. Take that, Hot Flashes!

Hey, Impatience, quit your laughing.

And as long as I’m establishing who’s boss, I may as well show the boys too. Yes, I’ll make a treat, Carrot Cake. Don’t like carrots, boys? Well I do!

Carrot Cake

Oooh, Irritability, do you really want to join this fight? Because I’ve got teenagers, you could kinda work for me.

Carrot Cake
                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar

3/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup cinnamon baking chips

1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 stick butter, softened

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

Directions Cake:

*Grease and flour a 9 X 13 inch pan (I use glass).

*Mix – DO NOT BEAT – flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

*Mix in sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir in carrots, cinnamon baking chips and pineapple.

*Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until it springs back to the touch. Cool.

Directions Frosting:

*Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.

*Carefully beat in the confectioner’s sugar 1 cup at a time and the cinnamon. Beat until smooth.

*Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator.