The Why and The How
This is WHY I love our new camera.
I’m like a Walmart photo studio but without this family watching our shoot from checkstand eight.
This is HOW to tick off your cat.
She’s thinking, “Lady, you’ve wanted nothing to do with me since those drooly, whiny, tailing grabbing, tutu wearing midgets got here, and now this!?”
This is WHY you don’t let your husband test the camera when you are wearing your glasses and pjs.
Yeah baby, you like them real thick, don’t you?
This is HOW to say you’re sorry, yet secretly still get your own way.
Daddy asked me this morning, as I was grumpily coming in from a 3 miler in the freezing cold, to make him some cookies or energy bars to take to work for snacks.
I sarcastically said, “Yeah, I’ll get right on that, as soon as I’m done addressing 50 more Christmas cards, baking gingerbread men, folding laundry, taking care of your children and making breakfast, lunch and dinner.” I kind of want to leave me and go to the office too, after reading that. No one likes a martyr (except for millions of followers of several religions around the world….but I don’t qualify).
So instead of donning my pearls, petal pink pumps and lace trimmed apron, I took a short cut. My dear friend Yooli from What’s in Your Pantry? sent me a homemade vegan cookie mix for Thanksgiving, so I dumped the mix into a bowl, added some wet ingredients, gave it a stir and 15 minutes later at 350 degrees, I had cookies.
Vegan Banana Carob Chip Cookies (from Yooli from What’s In Your Pantry‘s recipe)
Dry ingredients (this is what Yooli sent me):
- 1 c. oats
- 1/3 c. almond meal
- 1/2 t. baking powder
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1/2 T. chia seeds
- 1 T. flaxseed meal
- 1/4 t. cinnamon
- 1/3 c. carob chips
Wet ingredients (what I added):
- 1 large mashed banana
- 2 T. natural peanut butter
- 1/2 t. vanilla extract
- 2 T. maple syrup
Fantastic! I’m contemplating copying Yooli and packaging the mix to give away for Christmas gifts…because I know my friends and family will never make anything with VEGAN in the name and really need more dusty Mason jars tied with Christmas ribbon in their cupboards.
This is WHY I am giddy with anticipation for Gigi’s preschool program on Friday. She will NOT be wearing the Wonder Woman costume, but she will be singing Silent Night.
Silent night,
Hold de night,
All is come,
All is bright,
Round yon verrrrsion,
Mother and child,
Holy instant so tender and wild,
Sleep in heavenly PEA EEEEZ (please note the eye squint upon hitting the high note)
Sleep in heavenly peas.
I’ve definitely never heard that version (or should I say that “virgin”?).
This is HOW I got a big chunk of my Christmas shopping done online this morning.
Gymboree has an entire Winter Ballerina COLLECTION. And Gigi now owns half of it.
This is WHY I was able to spend an hour shopping online and also WHY we were several hours late for visiting my grandma.
They made a house…on the stairs. Sure, I had to clean it up and Gigi did a rather annoying imitation of me on the phone, but it kept them entertained and relatively unharmed.
This is WHY I wanted soup for dinner.
| Today |  |
|
||||
| Mostly Sunny | ||||||
This is HOW you make soup in 10 minutes when you get home late and everyone is starving.
Cashew Ginger Butternut Squash Soup
- 2 c. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 c. light coconut milk
- 1/4 c. raw cashews
- 2 c. vegetable stock
- 3 T. chopped ginger
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 T. curry powder
- 1-2 t. garam masala
- 1/2 t. coriander
- 1/2 t. cinnamon
- stevia to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Steam the squash, celery and carrot until tender. Combine vegetables and all remaining ingredients in your blender and puree until smooth. Transfer soup to a saucepan and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste (I like mine sweet and spicy).
It was delicious along with a side salad for dinner, and I’m so excited that I have lots of leftovers for lunches.
This is HOW I am bringing this post to a close.
I’ll leave it to your imagination to figure out WHY. Bow chicka bown bown…
encourage gigi to stick with “version”
it’ll save you having to explain, at christmas eve service, what a virgin is.
did i do that as a child? oh yeah…. awkwarrrrd. my mama appreciated it.
Pictures look awesome, and that is by far the best version of “Silent Night”. Ever.
I love the dramatics with the facial expressions. She’ll be ready for Idol anyday now.
“(I like mine sweet and spicy).”-The same could be said for you, sweet and spicy.
And as for food, I am the same. And as for my aura, I am the same. Sweet & spicy rules the roost!
Hair cuts and blowouts..I mean even in my single days, I could hardly stand a blowout. With a kid..I mean dear god no way. If they’re at home, that just means hell is breaking loose there and you better get back and clearly if they’re with you at the salon u just wanna high tail it ASAP!
Cookies-I rarely, I mean once a month or less from all the recipes I scour on the b’sphere actually copy & paste a recipe into a word doc. I did that with that one. Gluten, soy free AND vegan. Freakin lovely.
Soup. I can almost tell just from your other foods what makes you tick and so I am not surprised by this one at all from the Pea Kitchen. Love it!
Gymboree has an entire Winter Ballerina COLLECTION. And Gigi now owns half of it.—Whatever works my dear!
Nitey nite hon bow chicka bow wow for me is Good Housekeeping magazine and Paula Deen. I know, I’m such a rebel.
You are just too fun. Period.
Hilarious…. i love the squinty eye
I love the rendition of Silent Night, best performance I’ve seen all year! Those cookies look scrumptious and that soup looks divine, just the thing for a chilly winter evening.
In tears over here trying to not wake the family by laughing at Gigi’s ‘Silent Night’.
Look at you whipping up healthy cookies in minutes! I need to try that recipe, they look yummy
Your new camera takes amazing pictures – the ones of GiGi singing are great!
LOVE the new version of Silent Night! I always made up my own lyrics as a kid… scratch that, I still do
.
ACK I am a day behind and look what I missed!! I am officially writhing on the floor in jealousy – a new camera AND you look cuter in glasses than I do mine. No. Fair.
You never fail to start my day off with a smile and make me think about how I am going to eat today. Thanks M. Pea! Have a good day!
lulu has the most beautiful eyes.
i love gigi’s version of silent night. she is such a hoot. i’m excited to see her model her new wardrobe in the near future.
WONDERWOMAN!
Just like you – running, baking!
http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/
LOVE the new camera! Your pictures just POP!
The soup looks incredible. I love the Pacific Brand but I think your version looks sooooo much more creamy and decadant.
How sweet to throw together a batch of cookies for the hubby all before 10am. You are the true super mom and wife!!!
Whenever Im feeling down.. or bad about myself I hit up peopleofwalmart.com.. (Im assuming thats where that steller family pic came from). It truly puts my life in a whole new perspective.
Gigi. What a star. Especially with your new camera. Congratulations!
Love the soup recipe, I can’t wait to see what I can do with what I’ve got in Russia…
I hope you love your new camera!
Just wondering….how many cookies did the cookie recipe make?
K, they made 9 pretty BIG cookies (we like them large) but I bet you could get a dozen out of it.
The pictures of the girls are SO ADORABLE!!!
Those cookies look amazing. Great idea for presents too!
I love your new camera too! I hope you enjoy Gigi’s performance
First, Gigi looks DEMONIC in that first pic. Hhahaaha.
Anddd second, your cat is IDENTICAL to my childhood cat that now lives at my mom’s house. Her name is Kitty. We’re creative.
Great cookie recipe! I’ll try it… as soon as I end my self imposed baking ban… Great gift idea though!
I love Gigi’s photo rendition of Silent Night! I bet here actual performance will be great too
You should snap some pics at Wally-World and send them to peopleofwalmart.com!
Cookie mixes in mason jars are the best, easiest, most appreciated holiday gift. People always love it and think it took a lot of work. Jokes on them, because it didn’t! Go for it!
That rendition of Silent Night is the best I’ve seen.
PS: I put my name in the ring to win the Vita Mix from HEAB’s contest, and *fingers crossed* if I win – I’m giving it to you since I’ve already won one before
Awww, Rose, you are SO sweet!!!
your last pic of your hubby and that comment made me spit up my coffee…yet again. thanks for making me waste coffee every morning with your LOL posts…don’t worry I don’t LMAOROFLOL
Ohhhh MamaPea thank you for posting Gigi’s rendition of Silent Night–it was hilariously creative and adorable!!! Glad the new camera is working well for you!
She looks like a mini-Celine Dion! Love it
Your new camera takes great pictures! Love the photo shoots!! I learned the hard way that SLR cameras are like hi-def TV (queue me looking like Tina Fey on 30 Rock in front of the hi-def camera) – scary!!
I wish I look as good as you in your PJ’s and glasses!! Your husband is too cute…
Love the new camera! Your pics are so clear! I can totally see your cat thinking that, too. LOL.
I think Gigi’s version-virgin- of the song is great… priceless!
the pictures are beautiful!!! and I love that version of Silent Night
Especially sung in costume.
I LOVE YOUR CAMERA. What gorgeous photos! I think Wonder Woman sparkles even more.
That soup. Must make.
Mmmm, your soup looks sensational!! I can’t wait to try it. (But to be fair – it definitely sounds like it takes more than 10 minutes!)
GAH…everytime i miss one of your posts its something huge, and this time its your new canon rebel! CONGRATS!
i can’t wait to see more of gigi’s fabulous antics…maybe some “blinded by the light” – perhaps wrapped up like a doosh another rooter in the night?
LOVE YOU MAMA PEA!
Holy moly, that was the cutest, funniest version (virgin?) of Silent Night, evah! LOVE IT!
That rendition of Silent Night was priceless. Thank you so much, I will be giggling for the rest of the day.
I’m loving your new camera pics!
I’m tempted try that cookie recipe!
wow. that camera is awesome! why must you seduce me with your fancy schmancy appliances. stop it!
ps i really hope gigi is performing her version of silent night at church this xmas.
Wow look at those pics! Amazing!
Love silent night, me thinks someone needs to film that right quick.
Didya get the email I sent about the Peas stuffs?
i sure hope my christmas gift is coming from the winter ballerina collection… and it better be winter 09. i can tell the difference from last seasons.
that first picture was all I needed to know this was going to be a great post! Gigi makes the CUTEST faces
I bet she’ll be adorable at the program. and if you think your morning face is bad, which it isn’t, you need to see mine. rather, please don’t.
You never fail to make my day with your posts.
I just want to come hang out with you and your girls for a day. It seems like so much fun with the 3 of you trouble-makers!
And also phhhhh you look gorgeous in that picture of you with your glasses and pjs!
I love this post because it is one of my biggest pet peeves when people ask “why?” when they really mean “how?” You jut proved there is a clear distinction
Nice last pic of Papa Pea. He’s even sporting that sexy Tommy Bahama shirt!
Gigi is SO going to slap you one day for posting those *tender and wild* pics of her…
I made your curry recipe from the other day, and it was DELISH! probably the best curry I’ve made to date.
Ah, I’m so glad you got a new camera. Those photos are great. Love Maggie’s typical “cat face.” (they’re so vain!)
Methinks the vegetarian had some Brown Chicken Brown Cow!
Can’t wait to make those cookies – NUM!
Yeah – freeze-ass cold here too. I actually got excited when I heard it may get up to 42 degrees by the weekend.
When I visited my mom in CA the high was ONLY going to be 72 and I thought I would freeze. No, THIS is freezing, 72 would be awesome!
Those pictures of you are adorable! I don’t know what you’re talking about…
I have followed and loved your blog for a long time. I think it is terrific. I always wish to be a “friend” but am intimidated by all the commenters and friends you have
One can never have too many friends, don’t you think? Thanks for saying hello.
I agree with VeggieGirl. Longtime reader here! Your posts are always the best. Especially enjoyed the last line.
I looooove the new camera!!! It takes SUCH nice pictures!!!
And sorry for making you see my auto show pictures and making you feel like you watched an episode of Jersey Shore yesterday. I would never knowingly want to inflict that kind of misery on anyone!!!
You’ll have to check out my post today. It’s a Holiday gift guide. No D-Bags or Hot Chicks present, promise!!!
I am ALL over the version (virgin) about sleeping in heavenly peas. C’mon Mama, come up with a dish called heavenly peas and you’ll be famous!
Gigi will absolutely LOVE her wardrobe. Your pictures are FANTASTIC! Not to say they weren’t before, don’t get me wrong!
Love it.
Okay, I moved last week and one of the worst parts was knowing I wouldn’t have internet for a couple of days!!! Missed your blog!!!
Okay, Gi’s version of “Silent Night” is my new fave Christmas carol. If she can’t encourage the world to sleep in heavenly peas, I don’t know who can.
I have to say I think Gigi’s rendition of “Silent Night” is better than the original…the outfit especially makes the song.
I forgot to say in your last post that when you talked about your new gift I was sure it was a Vita-Mix! I figured when you said it was something for you and Pea Daddy that you meant you’d be using it to cook and make things for you, Pea Daddy and the little peas…but I’d say the camera is just as cool!!
The soup looks fabuloso and damnit why can’t I look that good when I’m lounging around the house??
Mmm, I want to make that soup, it sounds sooo good!
I love that they are singing Silent night
That first picture made me chuckle
How cute!
So I know you hear this a lot. But…you are one beautiful lady
This may be the best soup ever! Thanks for the recipe!
I am so excited to make the soup!!! YIPPEE!!
I starred this post in Google Reader a while ago to remember to try the soup. And I was cleaning up my starred items today and came across this. And the pictures of Gigi are freaking hilarious. Can I please meet her someday? Please?
It’s good cold, too!