Tuesday Countdown
10. Calliou’s Holiday Movie is on right now. It’s an hour and a half long. Help.
9. Gigi and Lulu both invited imaginary “friends” over today. Lulu then told Gigi that all of Gigi’s “friends” liked her better and weren’t going to play with Gigi anymore. Gigi started crying and then we all had a nice talk about how sisters can be real friends and play real games together. Then this happened.
Three rope burns and a broken toy teapot later, I liked it better when Lulu was being a jerk.
8. I’m not counting down the days until Thanksgiving, I’m counting down the days until The Muppet Movie. If you want to smile, watch some puppet chickens singing Cee Lo. And if you don’t, cluck you.
7. If you are still looking for a good stuffing recipe, make this one. It’s made with Ezekiel bread and you don’t have to stuff it up inside anything. Except your face.
6. Gigi and Lulu wanted to hoist their snack up to their rooms this afternoon. I told them no, because somehow whenever they take food upstairs, I end up finding black beans under Gigi’s desk a week later. At least I hope those were black beans.
5. We had Gigi’s parent teacher conference today. Her teacher told us how wonderful Gigi is and then showed us her creative writing assignment that explained, “I have a cat. She likes to sleep. She likes pucing on my mom and dad’s bed. I hope I never have to clean it up. The end.” She spelled “puking” wrong but got an “A” for overall accuracy.
4. I did this lower body workout today. I’m now having trouble walking. And getting up from a sitting position. Which led to some awkward shouting “Help!” in the tiny stall of the elementary school restroom.
3. If you are still looking for a good cranberry sauce recipe, you HAVE to make this one. It has blueberries in it, and if you buy the kind that farts when you plop it out of the can, I’ll never forgive you.
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2. Someone needs to make dinner. I’d do it, if I could get up from the couch.
1. Help.
lol…Lulu….that kid is great.
Haha – AMEN!
Man I love Jamie Eason …. I wish I could do her live fit trainer … maybe some other time …when I have more time and am allowed to sleep through the night.
This post made me giggle. I needed a giggle. Thank you!
It is kicking my butt, Pam, but in such a good way! Hope things are going okay for you. You have definitely been in my prayers.
Help me too! I just got back from Costco with my boys. NOT FUN!
I’m totally counting down the days until the Muppet Movie. If I only had someone to see it with me….. My man Beaker isn’t in that video. Poor guy. 
Thanks for making me smile. 
Meep meep meep meeep?
Hahahaha farting cranberry sauce out the can. Perfect. I mean, I swear I won’t serve it!
I’m starting to follow Jamie’s Over 40 Burn the Fat after Thanksgiving, but have been doing (ok, did it once last night) Chalean Extreme. I feel sore but great (becaise I’m delusional and feel like I’ve lost inches overnight).
Am I the only one who finds bodybuilding.com not that user friendly?
If our Central Market didn’t make such great cranberry sauce, I’d bother to make my own.
I think Sherlock Holmes will be our Christmas movie this year, though I’m totally dying to see Muppets.
Happy Thanksgiving, Peas!
I’ve never heard of that Over 40 thing! Maybe I should try it…although I’m not quite there yet.
If you are in P-town over the weekend, you can join us at the movie
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Chris too!
I just really love the canned kind. . . I know it’s wrong but when I see the can shaped gelatinous log of red deliciousness i can’t help but smile and enjoy every preservative packed bite. . . I swear I’m a good person- I even watched “food inc.” . . . *sigh*
Food in a log just ain’t right
I love it too… but I’m giving a shot at making my own this year, and I actually had Mama Pea’s blueberry version, but I don’t have any blueberries, but I have mango orange juice, and I’m super excited about that!
that should say “had Mama Pea’s blueberry version BOOKMARKED”
Thanks for the laughs. I’m glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read this post!
I wish I was drinking something when I wrote it.
cute momma pea! i needed that laugh.. and i think my new word to replace a certain bad word is Cluck you! love it!
and i sooo know how you feel with the help bit… ive been there way to many times.
I kind of want to start saying “Cluck you” too but it’s just a little too close to the real thing.
Anywhere that stuffing is…is somewhere i want to be! Can I come to your house on Thursday!? I’ll bring some peas
Sure, you can come here but we’ll be at my mom’s.
Caillou’s Holiday Movie oh I how I feel your pain. We have one copy that was mysteriously jammed into the desktop iMac’s disc drive by an innocent toddler at the time. Said toddler then begged for another copy the following year when he just happened to remember Caillou’s Mommy taking him to the post office to mail a letter to Santa. I haven’t seen Caillou in a while or rather I haven’t heard that high pitched whine. Maybe that means no Holiday Caillou! A Mom can dream. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
It ended and Gigi said, “That was my favorite movie ever!” Are you kidding me??? I pray there is no Calliou for you this holiday season.
Hahahahaha! My children have now happily outgrown Caillou’s Holiday Movie, so no Caillou for us this year. Christmas won’t be quite the same without the tune of “Bent and Tiny Christmas Tree” lodged in my brain
That cranberry sauce and the stuffing looks amazing!! Two more days til Thanksgiving!
And I cant wait for the Muppet Movie! Josh really wants to see it so as soon as he’s back from CT with his family we’re going to see it together. I’m so excited for 90′s flashbacks!
I love Jason Segal too, so it’s a win win.
Oh my! Love the paper Gigi wrote about the cat, lol! Im surprised she didn’t write, pea kitty does not like mommy, haha!
Happy almost Thanksgiving!!!!
<3 xoxo
Her teacher kept saying, “Gigi shares a lot of things…” I’m kind of scare of what else she shares.
Darn it. Now I don’t know which stuffing to make. I just bought the fakin bacon for the other recipe.
I’m more of a traditional stuffing person, so I prefer this one over the cornbread. You could use the bacon in this recipe too. But whatever floats your boat!
I’m with you on the post-workout pains!
Getting up or sitting down {especially the bathroom!} takes too much effort today.
But it hurts so good. I just wish we didn’t have stairs.
I was planning on making your cranberry sauce, but alas, cranberries are out of season in New Zealand right now. I’m having to be a bit creative with other produce too. Hopefully our Kiwi/American guests will understand. My family is used to creativity in the kitchen.
BTW, hubby and I can’t wait until the Muppet Movie. We’ve been gearing the kids up, but either way, I’m seeing it.
Enjoy…your dinner and the movie!
Hey Mama Pea… got a good glazed carrots recipe? Ive been given the task to make them for Thanksgiving and no one knows veggies like you do
Hmm…I don’t! But I would roast them in the oven first, at 425 degrees for about 7-8 min. on each side, so they get a bit of a brown to them and then top them with whatever type of glaze you want. I’ve seen brown sugar and butter (ahem, Earth Balance), orange marmalade, maple syrup, or this ginger ale glaze from Alton Brown looks intriguing! I’d add fresh parsley on top too!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/glazed-carrots-recipe/index.html
And now I really want to make these.
Lulu and Gigi are too adorable!
I am so excited to try this stuffing, and the cranberries!
Thanks for the laughs and all your amazing recipeas
I hope you try both…they are really stellar! Happy Thanksgiving.
Laughed so hard when I read the caillou movie line…my kids watched that tonight too and half way through I would have loved to stick a fork in my eye just to make it stop. Yet another reason why I love you and this blog
Happy Thanksgiving!
I kept waiting for it to end. Then I told Pea D to take out a life insurance policy on me. A world with a 90-minute Calliou movie is a world I don’t want to live in.
“….and you don’t have to stuff it up inside anything. Except your face.” = good one
“It has blueberries in it, and If you buy the kind that farts when you plop it out of the can, I’ll never forgive you.” <– even better one! Both the fact that it has blueberries in it (my recent creation for cranberry chutney involves mango & oranges, blueberries sound heavenly!…and the fart part. YES, that big PLOP that goes splat in the bowl. And it's got the ridges from the can with impression marks on the cranberries..yep. I know it. Thankfully, that was years past…and not this year
I’ve wanted to try the Jamie Eason workout plan!! How do you like it so far? Are you still on the “injured list”?
No, I’m not on any injured list! I’m loving the Jamie Eason plan. I’ve timed it so I get done with the 90 days at the time that we go to Hawaii. It is an INTENSE program, but I honestly have never felt stronger, my back and has never felt better and I know I’ll be in the best shape of my life when I’m done!
I must say that I love real, homemade cranberry sauce and it is super easy to make. However, I also LOVE jellied cranberry sauce from a can. I can’t help it. I grew up eating it and if it’s around, it’s on my plate.
No judgment. I used to love it too.
I am excited for the Muppet Movie too! It’s like they made it for us 80s kids!
Bahaha…”except in your face!” I definitely want to stuff stuffing in my face. Right now! That leg workout looks intense. I didn’t buy the farting cranberry sauce, but I can’t deny it tastes good!!
I am printing this leg workout as I type. That looks pretty intense.
I can’t wait to see The Muppets! I suppose I should wait until my nieces and nephew visit and take them, but I can’t wait that long. I’m not ashamed. I’ll even go by myself!
Oh no! It is fun to feel the burn, but it is no fun when that burn extends for days. I am sending you all the lactic acid draining love I have got sistah. Your cranberry sauce does look WAY better than the gelatinized mystery sauce of can kingdom.
Oh thank you for the muppets! Anyone have some kids I can borrow? Mine are 17 and 14 and will not be caught there…
Both of these recipes look amazing! And both of your uses of “help” in this post cracked me up!
Thanks
I feel your muscle pains…except mine are in my armpits, lol. I did a ton of push ups yesterday that are killing me today. I couldn’t pick up my bowl of oatmeal this morning. I should try the workout you did today…
And Lulu is too cute.
Oh my bis and tris are killing me from yesterday too. I kind of am one big walking sore muscle.
Made that cranberry sauce last year–making it again this year. CANNOT wait. Sadly, we have the kind from the can too for the picky adult eaters
Silly.
P.S. the Muppets rule. We have the Muppet Show on DVD and some of their movies. Because we’re cool like that.
I’m glad you love the sauce…we do too!
I feel you on the leg soreness! I did a lower body workout THREE DAYS AGO and am still feeling it!
And my dad and I are making homemade cranberry relish tomorrow but my sister insisted that we still buy canned cranberry sauce for Thursday because she likes it better? We’ll have to agree to disagree there…
Ha! I was still sore from my LBWO last Thursday when I did this today!
Enjoy your cranberry sauce!
hahahahaha, this is exactly what the children I was minding as an Aupair did!!! Also “oooooooooooh noooooooo, you can´t sit down there, now you squished him!!!” (So I did, what every responsible person would do. I would “fix” him and then give him cookies
)
You can come over for dinner, if you want! Stif-fry it is. And a super yummy pumpkin-chickpea-pie for dinner!
Pumpkin chickpea pie? I’m intrigued!
you better be, it is incredibly delicious and kinda healthy
I will post it this week and will shoot you an email with the link, if you like!
Just wanted to let you know your posts ALWAYS bring a smile to my face – Mama Pea and her amazing blog have officially been added to my things to be thankful for list this year.
Aww, you are sweet. Thank you!
1. Caillou is the bain of my existence.
2. I didn’t know that sisters could play nice…
3. My girls have been begging me to see that movie, wanna take them?
4. I’m really good at stuffing my face.
5. My husband hates that I let my kids eat in the living room, I think the bedroom may be pushing it.
6. Gigi is so bright and kind, can she tutor me?
7. Darn tiny toilets!
8. Your blueberry cranberry sauce just changed my life.
9. Cereal for dinner!
10. I will help you, if you help me. I’ve cleaned up vomit 4 times today.
Omigosh, I almost messaged you because Lulu’s imaginary friend was your daughter
She has another friend with the same name in her school class, but she was very specific that it was the one from ballet.
I am so sorry someone is sick. I know you are having the week from hell with all the extra kiddos. I hope your turkey is stuffed with a stiff drink!
That is so sweet! I really am going to miss being backstage with her. And you, we always have such great stories and conversations to share.
And, Tomorrow night I am going to relax with a bottle, err, I mean glass of wine for sure! Or sometime in the afternoon, when its five o’clock somewhere. I will have 7 kids at one point tomorrow. I may be nuts!
Holy smokes! Well, cheers to surviving! And to a Thursday without ballet—yeeehaw! Happy Thanksgiving indeed!
bahahaha Gigi and Lulu are adorable
I love the cat story. And the imaginary friends.
I was at TJ’s today and had fresh cranberries in my cart…then, saw their refrigerated “fresh” cranberry sauce…so I switched to that. Then, as I was walking away, I put it back and grabbed the REAL “fresh” cranberries. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them – I was raised on the farting can sauce – but I thought you just added sugar, water…and simmered them. Thanks so much for the recipe!! I’ll definitely have to give it a shot.
I hope you have blueberries on hand too! Good luck!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Non Turkey, Turkey Day! Sisters are sisters no matter what! Now abt the cranberry dish. How did you know? My Sis-in-law and I decided we would help Mom out, and make it ourselves. Well, to this day we still are reminded abt it, and that was nearly 30years ago. Needless to say it was B.A.D. I have never attempted it myself, ever again. So, did anyone help you off…..the couch? Have a great day!
Jaan, I made it off the couch, but now I am planted here again. Hope you try the sauce…it is FABULOUS!
Your daughters are very pretty! I love Gigi’s hair
Just wanted you to know that I’ve started following your blog only recently and I wait for your posts everyday.. They are so simple and sweet!:)
Thank you Zee. I think YOU are sweet
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful that my boys have outgrown Caillou.
(Happy Thanksgiving to you!)
I don’t even have children and anytime I hear the name “Cailou” that dang theme song pops into my head. lol.
I am soo excited for the Muppet movie! I have my ringtone set as the Muppet Show theme song. I have a Kermit tattoo (that I got when I was young and kind of crazy)! I was shocked to learn from the kids that I keep that they have no idea who Kermit and Miss Piggy are. Thank goodness for this new movie, it’s likely going to save a whole generation of children.
Ha j/k…kind of. I hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving.
And now I’m changing my ring tone….
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Renee!
Right now the big question in my house is: should my husband take my 3 kids to The Muppets while I am at work on Friday or do we wait until all of us can go together on Saturday night after some big Ohio State/Michigan game, which will mean that the viewing of said Muppets is delayed for over 24 hours . . . what to do? what to do? You are making me think I can’t possibly miss this movie.
Oh, and that stuffing looks to die for! Have an awesome Thanksgiving!
Wait, wait, wait! You have to see it too, Wendy! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
This takes the cake for your funniest post. BTW, whenever my two stepdaughters make a new friend, the little one has to ask the new friend which sister they like best. And she doesn’t let up until she gets the answer she’s looking for.
Thanks! And your youngest stepdaughter sounds a lot like Lulu.
HA HA HA – Lulu…she cracks me up! I am sure it wasn’t funny because you had to deal with the tears and hurt feelings but it is funny to read about it.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your family! (I am making my grocery list for those potatoes from yesterday!)
Happy Thanksgiving to you too!!!
man, i remember the days when my sister and i were major jerks to one another…so glad it’s over now! but it definitely gives us some funny memories to laugh at
as for the elementary stalls, my mom’s a teacher and i went to visit her at work one day as an adult. i do NOT remember those toilets being so low…hopefully no one thought the grunting was from geese or anything
just from trying to stand up in my old age!
I hear you.
Caillou’s Holiday Movie.. we had to watch it last night. The sad thing? I actually enjoyed the break from a steady stream of The Wiggles. Almost made the Holiday Movie my favorite as well. Doesn’t say a lot about the Wiggles.
Even though we’ve had ours up in Canada.. I’m thinking about doing a small Thanksgiving meal tomorrow to honor my U.S. roots. And your mashed taters and gravy are going to be the star!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that about Caillou’s Holiday Movie.
Enjoy your fake Thanksgiving and your taters and gravy!!!
I hear you on the lower body workout! I tried a new pilates routine for lower abs, and ever since I’ve been moving very, veeeeeeeeery slowly. Hopefully it’ll be worth it…or I get my own personal mini-me to do anything below waist level. Either would be fine.
A catheter would be nice too.
So who got on your back for those donkey calf raises, was it one of the imaginary friends?
You do not know the laughs we had over that video demo. Wow.
I actually didn’t have anyone on my back, I just did them with a chair but in a squat position, so they were more like seated calf raises. In case you really cared.
I just finished Jamie Eason’s Live Fit Trainer workouts and really loved them! Wait till you get to some of the arm ones in the 3rd phase – they’ll have ya shakin and it won’t be getting up off the couch that you have to worry about, it’ll be trying to blowdry your hair!! (Don’t worry though, they won’t have you “pucing” at the end of the workout.)
Um, I can’t walk today…
It’s pretty bad when imaginary friends say they don’t like you, lol. My son doesn’t have imaginary friends per se, but all of his toys are very opinionated. We also watched Caillou. I confess I like the little bugger. It’s nice to have a boy-oriented show where everyone is actually calm. Have a great Turkey-less Day!
I said, “Gigi, it’s imaginary! You just have to stay one step ahead of Lulu and make something up that’s even better!”
I don’t forgive you for saying you like Calliou. But happy Thanksgiving anyway.
Happy Thanksgiving to the Peas! My family is thankful your family is a part of our lives, even though we dont’ get to see you near enough. Heart you as always!!
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Love you guys, Kel.
That cranberry sauce looks amazing. I love the blueberries in it. Actually, I love blueberries in just about anything. Happy Thanksgiving!
You too, Carissa, thanks!
I’m sorry I can’t help right now, I’m being bombarded by Wonder Pets and Mickey Mouse Club. I guarantee it’s at least one and a half days long. Happy Muppet Movie Day!
Mama Pea, I love reading your blog so much. (I saw those hams in a can things at the grocery store and nearly gagged at the sight of them – I feel like you might have shared a similar reflex if you were there!)
Also, I feel your soreness! My monday workout has just caught up to me and I’m hobbling around the kitchen, though I think the worst part is going bathroom. it’s like sitdownasfastaspossibletoeasethysoreness. that could be tmi. Sorry…
May all the peas have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
I feel you, Grace. I kind of just fall into things. Every thing.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m definitely looking forward to the Muppets movie. Although they have all been hit and miss with me, but this one looks good! And I’m very much not looking forward to Thanksgiving. Having to get 3-4 places to see the various sides of the family, all of which won’t have any food I can eat is so stressful. I can’t imagine what we’ll do if we have kids. I can’t imagine schlepping kids around so much in one day.
Although I’m totally going to have to try your gravy recipe. I told Aubrey that we’d have to try a meatless gravy and he said “I don’t like gravy.” He is now fired from the kitchen…
Oh, you should wait to tell him it’s meatless until he says how good it is!
He claims to not even like meat gravy. And then I thought about it some more and I don’t think I have ever seen him eat it! I always hated meat as a kid, but I loved gravy. Still can’t figure that one out.
Hahahaha! I love reading your blog; you never fail to make to me laugh.
Thank you, Sadie! Happy Thanksgiving!
ouch, Calliou, don’t like that one either. We are on a Little Einstein and Little Bear kick over here. Same show on kids free demand every single day. Sure wish the cable company would switch it up more than once a month.
Happy Thanksgiving!
i’m sure this question has come up, however. where did the (red) spoon come from? what are they called? yes spoons, but do they have a ‘special’ name?
They are condiment spoons from Crate + Barrel!
Ohhhh canberry sauce. My grandmother used to let me slice it, but I refused to eat it. And I was convinced I hated cranberry sauce until I was in college and had it for real. Happy Thanksgiving!
The length of my recovery time after I do a lower body workout is ridiculous, doesn’t exactly make me want to do more of them – but definitely means I need to!
Uhhgh, I’m with you on #5. I actually like my cat and think the whole pucing thing is gross! If it’s in the kitchen, fine…”you poor thing – but you’re kind of gross”. But, if it’s on my bed it’s more like, “ohmygosh what’s wrong with you, stop gulping water, eating your food whole, then running around with a full belly. When will YOU learn. You’re gross! You’re gross!”
Hahaha these ‘list’ posts you do always have me cracking up. Your humour is awesome. And so are your kids by the sounds of it! xx
Thanks, Anna. I like doing the list posts. I could literally do one every day. But then we’d never eat.
I’m laughing out loud!
My daughter makes up an imaginary friend and whenever she does something naughty she always says “Jane taught me how to do that.” Oh, and the cranberry sauce that farts out of the can…LOL!! We usually have some people who prefer that for some reason (must be nostalgia) so, I will have someone else bring it and I usually make homemade. If I hadn’t already made mine, I would try the one with blueberries. Maybe next year. Happy Thanksgiving. 
Thanks, G. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. I hope Jane stays home.
hahah I love your countdowns.. you always make me laugh!!
That roasted garlic looks wonderful. I roast 6-8 heads at a time and store them whole in the freezer so I can’t get lazy when a recipe calls for it.
I hope you have a wonderful Turkey Day!
Great idea, Laura. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
Happy Thanksgiving to you & the family!
Hmm.. my cousins and I used to swing our dilapidated Jurassic Park T-Rex action figure (appropriately named “T”) off the upstairs landing with some string. Oh my Aunt did love walking around the corner and being attacked by a rubber dino..
Good times!
I found some stocking stuffers that reminded me of you!
http://www.perpetualkid.com/search.aspx?find=pickle
hilarious!!
Oh wow, I must have that yodeling pickle!
Siblings are so fantastic and then with the flick of a switch can be so cruel. I hope the lower body workout soreness has disappeared, and I must say the cranberries with blueberries is a brilliant combination.
I made the cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it. They couldn’t get enough of it. I’ll have to try the stuffing next time – yummy.
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Colleen!