I know, I know, it's been weeks since I've answered viewer mail. Maybe I should make "regular blogging" one of my resolutions. Hmmm, speaking of resolutions... I think that should be my next post. Yes, if I put my resolutions in writing, I'll be more likely to stick to them. Yes, yes, that's the ticket! Oh who am I kidding? By putting my resolutions in writing, all I'll be doing is letting the whole world (or my tens of readers) know what a loser I am for not keeping them.
I like the tryptophan-laden meal idea but I have a question-- will your troop of turkeys eat turkey? What else has tryptophan? Inquiring minds want to know these things! ;)
My kids eat whatever I make. Honestly, they're not very picky, thankfully. (Well, except for Brooklyn, that is. She only consumes chocolate milk. But she's my 6th and I'd given up by the time I got to her.) Then again, I've never played short-order cook. I've always made them try at least one bite of whatever's on their plates. If I've cooked something I know they really don't like, I'll let them make themselves a sandwich or warm up left-overs instead, but I don't make multiple things.
As far as what else has tryptophan... I have no clue. Ask Alton Brown.
Sorry I haven't been checking your review blog lately, but I thought you were going to consolidate your two blogs into one after seeing the results of your reader survey a few months ago?
I actually consolidated the 2 blogs over a year ago. The reason I recently separated my main blog from my review blog once again was because I opted to put some ads on my main blog. Because of these ads, I need to place my reviews and giveaways on a separate review blog. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.
Can you tell me what kind of flooring is in the kids rooms and where you got it? We are looking for something similar and I'm having a hard time finding anything!
Hmmm, I think we got it from Century Tile and it's just commercial grade flooring. So far, I really like it. It's easy to clean. Although, without a good sized area rug, it's pretty cold this time of year. Get something with flecks of color in it to hide scuffs and crayon marks!
is the Ice Cream magnet on your "fridge" new?
Nope. The ice cream dripping down the inside of my freezer is pretty new, however. I should probably clean that.
Have you ever thought of being a speaker at Women of Faith? Check it out, it's a fabulous time. Anita Renfroe was there this year, hilarious (sp?).
Nope, speaking in front of people makes me want to throw up, but it's on my wish-list of events I'd like to attend. :)
I'm jealous. We hardly ever get snow since we live in central Arkansas. :) Think you could send some my way??
I'll not only send you "some", but I'll generously send you ALL of it! And the below-freezing temperatures, as well! It's that nice of me?
I heard Chicago was snowed in.
Chicago doesn't get snowed in. It doesn't matter how much falls, life goes on here.
awesome snowman! i wish i lived in the snow! wanna trade? wine country calif. for snow? oh, pick me, pick me!
Oooo! Sorry, Central Arkansas, I just got a better offer! I'm moving to California!
Hey Dawn, this is a question totally unrelated to this post but I was just wondering your thoughts on this (maybe you can do a post to get some discussion going.) We have 5 kids ... 3 under 5 and then my husband has two older kids from his first marriage (they're 14 and 18.) It seems like every year we sink farther into debt over Xmas presents - we've spent a little more than 1600$ on JUST the five of them. Do you abide by a limit - do you tell your kids what that limit is? How do you come up with that limit? I know you can't discuss that with the younger ones, but for the older ones who are wanting more expensive things (my 14 year old stepson wanted either an iPod touch or a PS3) what do you think is a normal "amount" to spend on Christmas presents? Do you base it on your salary? If so, do you feel you have to "top" it each year (I feel like this is what my husband thinks he has to do. We spent about 250 on each kid last year, this year it's well over 300 each.) And it's the same for birthdays - it's more than 100$ for each kid on their birthday now. It just seems to me like we're making it too "easy" on kids by letting them have this ridiculously expensive stuff. It just seems like any "meaning" goes away because on Christmas morning all I'm doing while everyone is opening up their presents is adding up in my head what we're going to owe the credit card company. I'd be curious as to yours and other people's thoughts on what they do for Christmas.
Well, I've personally never had a lot of money to spend on Christmas, so it hasn't been an issue. I don't have any credit cards so I'm not tempted to spend beyond my means. I don't think there's any one amount that is "right", however, if you're going into debt and feeling sick about it and Christmas is more about stuff than celebrating Christ's birth, than I'd have to say it's too much.
I talked about Epiphany (Three Kings Day) in Sunday school this past week. It's celebrated the 12th day after Christmas in countries like Mexico, Italy, Spain, and Syria among others. This is the major gift giving holiday for them. Christmas is more about celebrating Jesus's birth. Gifts are given on Three Kings Day to represent the gifts of the Magi. There's something I really like about that idea. (Besides being able to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales!) We could just go to church on Christmas and have dinner with family and then I could give the kids some gold and tree sap incense on Epiphany. Voila! Although, I don't think they'd really go for that idea.
And finally, thank you all so much for reading and commenting on the Pearls of Christmas stories. Nearly 1,000 people entered the contest to win the pearl necklace - amazing!
We're excited to announce that Carol from Carol's Notebook won the necklace!
Carol left a comment on Freda Man's blog!
Congratulations!
Also, we'll be giving away 5 copies of the Pearl Girls book this week on the Pearl Girls' blog. All you need to do to be entered is leave a comment before 1/8/10.
My kids eat whatever I make. Honestly, they're not very picky, thankfully. (Well, except for Brooklyn, that is. She only consumes chocolate milk. But she's my 6th and I'd given up by the time I got to her.) Then again, I've never played short-order cook. I've always made them try at least one bite of whatever's on their plates. If I've cooked something I know they really don't like, I'll let them make themselves a sandwich or warm up left-overs instead, but I don't make multiple things.
As far as what else has tryptophan... I have no clue. Ask Alton Brown.
Sorry I haven't been checking your review blog lately, but I thought you were going to consolidate your two blogs into one after seeing the results of your reader survey a few months ago?
I actually consolidated the 2 blogs over a year ago. The reason I recently separated my main blog from my review blog once again was because I opted to put some ads on my main blog. Because of these ads, I need to place my reviews and giveaways on a separate review blog. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.
Can you tell me what kind of flooring is in the kids rooms and where you got it? We are looking for something similar and I'm having a hard time finding anything!
Hmmm, I think we got it from Century Tile and it's just commercial grade flooring. So far, I really like it. It's easy to clean. Although, without a good sized area rug, it's pretty cold this time of year. Get something with flecks of color in it to hide scuffs and crayon marks!
is the Ice Cream magnet on your "fridge" new?
Nope. The ice cream dripping down the inside of my freezer is pretty new, however. I should probably clean that.
Have you ever thought of being a speaker at Women of Faith? Check it out, it's a fabulous time. Anita Renfroe was there this year, hilarious (sp?).
Nope, speaking in front of people makes me want to throw up, but it's on my wish-list of events I'd like to attend. :)
I'm jealous. We hardly ever get snow since we live in central Arkansas. :) Think you could send some my way??
I'll not only send you "some", but I'll generously send you ALL of it! And the below-freezing temperatures, as well! It's that nice of me?
I heard Chicago was snowed in.
Chicago doesn't get snowed in. It doesn't matter how much falls, life goes on here.
awesome snowman! i wish i lived in the snow! wanna trade? wine country calif. for snow? oh, pick me, pick me!
Oooo! Sorry, Central Arkansas, I just got a better offer! I'm moving to California!
Hey Dawn, this is a question totally unrelated to this post but I was just wondering your thoughts on this (maybe you can do a post to get some discussion going.) We have 5 kids ... 3 under 5 and then my husband has two older kids from his first marriage (they're 14 and 18.) It seems like every year we sink farther into debt over Xmas presents - we've spent a little more than 1600$ on JUST the five of them. Do you abide by a limit - do you tell your kids what that limit is? How do you come up with that limit? I know you can't discuss that with the younger ones, but for the older ones who are wanting more expensive things (my 14 year old stepson wanted either an iPod touch or a PS3) what do you think is a normal "amount" to spend on Christmas presents? Do you base it on your salary? If so, do you feel you have to "top" it each year (I feel like this is what my husband thinks he has to do. We spent about 250 on each kid last year, this year it's well over 300 each.) And it's the same for birthdays - it's more than 100$ for each kid on their birthday now. It just seems to me like we're making it too "easy" on kids by letting them have this ridiculously expensive stuff. It just seems like any "meaning" goes away because on Christmas morning all I'm doing while everyone is opening up their presents is adding up in my head what we're going to owe the credit card company. I'd be curious as to yours and other people's thoughts on what they do for Christmas.
Well, I've personally never had a lot of money to spend on Christmas, so it hasn't been an issue. I don't have any credit cards so I'm not tempted to spend beyond my means. I don't think there's any one amount that is "right", however, if you're going into debt and feeling sick about it and Christmas is more about stuff than celebrating Christ's birth, than I'd have to say it's too much.
I talked about Epiphany (Three Kings Day) in Sunday school this past week. It's celebrated the 12th day after Christmas in countries like Mexico, Italy, Spain, and Syria among others. This is the major gift giving holiday for them. Christmas is more about celebrating Jesus's birth. Gifts are given on Three Kings Day to represent the gifts of the Magi. There's something I really like about that idea. (Besides being able to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales!) We could just go to church on Christmas and have dinner with family and then I could give the kids some gold and tree sap incense on Epiphany. Voila! Although, I don't think they'd really go for that idea.
And finally, thank you all so much for reading and commenting on the Pearls of Christmas stories. Nearly 1,000 people entered the contest to win the pearl necklace - amazing!
We're excited to announce that Carol from Carol's Notebook won the necklace!
Carol left a comment on Freda Man's blog!
Congratulations!
Also, we'll be giving away 5 copies of the Pearl Girls book this week on the Pearl Girls' blog. All you need to do to be entered is leave a comment before 1/8/10.
Hey, you may be leaving Central Arkansas in the dust, but I may switch with her instead. *sigh* Another 7-9" tomorrow and Thursday. And yes, school will go on. We only cancel now when it's 20 below with worse windchill. Then Chicago stops. A little. ;)
ReplyDeleteI read that cheddar cheese has more triptophan than turkey. And all poultry actually has about the same amount. I know - I can remember useless information, but I cannot remember where I left my purse.
ReplyDeleteWow, I guess I now know how so many people get in so much debt.
ReplyDeleteGranted my kids are younger but when that lady who asked you the question about Christmas spending asked what you do when your kids ask for expensive things, I laughed. That's what I would do is laugh and tell them to come up with something cheaper. We set a certain amount for each kid and that's all we spend. We're not going to go into crazy debt over Christmas. We also budget for it at the beginning of the year. Then if we find something on a good deal, we have the money for it. Christmas happens every year. Its ok to plan for it.
Oh and we get snow here too but not nearly the freezing temps as you guys. I've never had my snot freeze when I go outside.
Dawn, it's so nice to see you being your usual (to us at least) self. I sincerely hope things are going to shine even brighter in 2010 than they did in 2009 for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteOk what about South Arkansas... we have moonshine!! ;)
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas we do one Santa present and one parent present. That's it. We spend time making homemade gifts for cousin's and focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. It's not the kids birthday, it's the Saviors. We do more spoiling on their own birthday's (although still not much, 2 or 3 things). Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas we got 22" of snow, and 30 below with wind chills of 50 below. Don't suppose this would tempt you away from Chicago??!!
ReplyDeletewow i spent less than 100 on my son for christmas and felt extravagant...i'm sure it will be different as he grows but i'd rather not too into giving lots at one time i think its better to give throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for you giving the snow & freezing weather to Central CA, or FL, or GA, or basically anywhere but here (AR....Northwest). We had probably 2 inches of snow & we've been out of school for this is the 3rd day. Granted I'm off too since I work at the school but just having finished up our 2 weeks off for Christmas break I was ready to go back. I'd rather had those snow days spread out later on. The really great news is that we have another prediction of snow for tonight, so most likely we'll be out the rest of the week...........sigh! I have 2 kids & they are really good but I don't want to be going to school into mid June.
ReplyDeleteRe: Christmas spending -- Santa brings one "really cool" gift per child and a joint present. This year the individual gifts were about $30, but the joint gift was a keyboard (both kids play piano). Mom and Dad give the "boring" gifts like books and clothes, so overall we probably spent $600-700 on the kids. Like many people, I accumulate gifts through the year and hide them, so the expense isn't so bad in Dec/Jan. We put back money through the year, too. Now, birthdays.... I've told both the kids that they can choose to have a party out with friends/classmates ($150-200, ack!) OR a nice gift, not both. The years that they chose to have a party, they got one small gift from us.
ReplyDeleteI so relate to nothing closing in the Winter. Back in the Dark Ages when I taught in the Vo-Tech in Fennimore, WI, we had school one day when the thermometer read -50 and the winds were 11 mph--and I walked to school! Being a native of the Washington, DC area, I developed an abiding love for the previously unknown thermal underwear! I had thought it was going to be something like my grandfather's union suit and kept putting off getting some.
ReplyDeleteWhen I called my Dad back in DC for some sympathy on our awful weather, he remarked, "Well, once it hits -30, it really doesn't feel any colder when the temperature drops." Not what I wanted to hear!
Pat
Regarding presents for kids - What my parents did for me and what we plan to do with our kids is give them a number limit on presents. I always got three presents from Santa (and somehow my mom always convinced me to ask for two and "some surprises). We never got really big things, they tended to steer us away from those in the toy store and give good reasons why we couldn't have it ("Santa can't fit that drivable Jeep in his bag"). In stockings, we always got stuff like toothbrushes and soap and fun socks (stuff we'd need anyway). You can imagine how I felt when I found out my friends were getting stockings of candy and cash while I was opening up floss and shampoo!
ReplyDeleteOnce I got older and Santa wasn't an issue, I still got three things, but my parents would tell me if there was a combination I couldn't have because it was too expensive (i.e. ipod and Playstation).
But we were still happy kids at Christmas, even if we didn't get crazy stuff (we had my cousins to envy for that). It worked well for us!
Um, yeah....I'd give up snow for wine too! LOL I'll forgive you this time. ;)
ReplyDeleteRegarding Epiphany - I live down in Tampa, FL and every year for Epiphany some crazy Catholic boys come from miles around to dive into the waters of Tampa Bay for a golden cross that has been thrown in. I know it is widely believed that Tampa is actually WARM, but this year the temperature today for the Epiphany dive (the irreverant call this the cross toss) was a lovely 27 degrees. So for Epiphany these poor children received hypothermia and shrinkage! They had several EMS standing by - the kids do this in shorts and tshirts!
ReplyDeleteIt is Greek Orthodox boys. It is cold down here in FL and snow might make it a bit more fun, but according to the latest forecast the best we can hope for is sleet - no thank you. It isn't right when a city in Ohio has the same low that I did last night. Also, did that one person really say she average $300 per child (even the 3 under 5). My kids get three from Santa too, and a special Christmas ornament the night before from Mom & Dad. We spent way less than $200 for everything including gifts to my mom and sibling - although I make a lot of stuff too.
ReplyDeleteCynedra
My heart goes out to the woman who feels the financial pressure at Christmas. Perspective may help. I can guarantee you that your 3 year old will not be able to recall the $300 worth of gifts he/she got this Christmas. However, your kids will be VERY aware when there is no money for college.
ReplyDeleteDitto that, Diane B!
ReplyDeleteAlso, for Dawn when people ask you questions instead of googling it themselves: http://lmgtfy.com/