On the Fly
Things are getting strange around here. I could sit here and rattle off a laundry list of all the things I’ve had to do this weekend, all the things I have going on next week, and everything else I have to do before leaving for my trip to New York in a little over a week, but my gosh, no one wants to hear that. Just ask Pea Daddy. Instead, I’m going to choose to focus on the positive aspects of being so busy that Lulu has walked around with... Read More
Cupcake Right Now
I had no reason to bake cupcakes today. I’m not having a Super Bowl party. It’s nobody’s birthday. Gigi’s unofficial “cheer camp” isn’t having a bake sale. Though they probably should if the only place they can secure to practice their B.O.B. song and dance routine is on a flight of stairs. I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now. There are other lyrics, but I wouldn’t know it since I’ve heard that line... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Breakfasts
This is the first post in the vegan meal planning series. Look for a Snack and Treats post and the Week 1 Pealightful Meal Plan/Shopping Guide later today. When I sat down to talk to our friend Pea Pal, I learned that breakfast wasn’t an issue in his weight and high cholesterol problems. Turns out, for the last twenty years or so, he’s been eating Overnight Oats for breakfast. He “soaks” his oatmeal overnight with some water or milk... Read More
I’m Game
Take note: a new yoga mat is an excellent anniversary gift. It says, “You deserve the extra cush of 5 mm mat, even though I have no clue what that means.” It says, “You don’t need cardio, honey, you just need peace. And I need to see you in your yoga pants.” It says, “I completely believe you when you say green crayon on the perfectly good mat you already have can totally disrupt your chi. Even if they don’t.” I don’t care if... Read More
In the Year 2011
I have logged zero miles on my treadmill and five hours on my yoga mat. I had to dig around in my garage to find my old mat that I got free with a second-rate DVD because there is green crayon all over my pretty pink one. (Any bets on how that happened?) I sort of don’t care if I ever run again. Please don’t make me. I have spent $10 on a half an ounce of over-the-counter eye ointment. The ingredients are identical to Vaseline. My optometrist... Read More
Photo Finish
Twenty-two recipes, and over 800 photos, …in seventy-five hours. That’s almost one recipe per three hours for those of you that can’t find the calculator on your Start menu. (It’s okay, Mom. Call me. I’ll walk you through it.) There’s been at least three different sleeping arrangements: Gigi on the air mattress, which ended with Gigi in our bed at 1 a.m. and me getting a cavity search with her right knee; Gigi in my bed and me... Read More
Disneyland: The Vegan Friendliest Place on Earth?
We’ve been back from Disneyland for a week and a half now, and I’m still surprised. Surprised that today was the first time I’ve cleaned a toilet and mopped the floor (we’ve been busy!). Surprised that Gigi was playing “Disneyland” this morning and was almost in tears because there was a “20- minute wait for the Teacups!” I love the imagination, but she needs to learn to have it work for her instead of against her. Surprised that... Read More
Raising the Bar
I put the call out for recipe makeover requests last week, and many of you did not disappoint. For the rest of you, I expected more. Wait until I tell your father. One of my first requests came from reader/blogger Mandy A. who said: I’d love to see a cereal bar of some kind. Not the granola type bar… but like the strawberry in the chewy center type bars? I can buy the Kashi ones, of course… but would still love to be able to... Read More
Extreme Sports
I am such an extremist. It’s always black and white with me. Actually, it’s not even that simple. It’s always either really, really, really black or really, really, really white. My family rarely believes a word I say anymore because they know I can’t stick by my guns forever. Take a look at the extreme positions that came out of my mouth just this weekend: We are never buying anything from a garage sale ever again. I... Read More
Totally Quoteable
The day was totally quotable. During the morning workout: Gigi: “You want your abs to burn like a fire!” She’s right. Someone should card her for that six pack. When I discovered that someone had unfurled an entire roll of toilet paper and asked who did it: Lulu: “I did it! But the lady comes to clean our house…” Oooh, why I oughta…. After I asked Gigi why she had the DVD player remote outside: Gigi:... Read More
One Fine Day
For all the days that I complain about dealing with diaper blowouts at the indoor park, having to clean toothbrush holders under the eerie watchful eye of Pea Kitty, intervening during peanut butter finger-painting on the couch and having sleep interrupted by announcements of, “There’s diarrhea in my crib!” there are some days when I absolutely appreciate that I have the best job in the entire world. Wait, what do you mean I never... Read More
Pea Mail: Winging It, Breakfast Edition
Here’s your next edition of Pea Mail, with a great question from a reader about what we eat on days when Lulu decides to pull the stopper up in the bathroom sink with the water running, grab a plastic spoon and ladle tap water all over the sink, floor and mirror (that was Saturday). Hey Mama Pea, Love your blog! You make so many wonderful recipes and I was wondering if you plan them all out or if some days you just wing it. Which also leads... Read More
Out of the Mouths of Babes
The girls had some choice words this weekend. So did I, especially when Gigi took my dry body brush into the shower with her. It’s called a dry brush for a reason, kid. I’ll let the girls speak for themselves: Gigi, upon playing Starbucks barista: “Mom, I’m making you decaf a soy latte.” Lulu, upon finding the cardboard cutout that held our new toilet seat cover (jealous?): “I’m an EGG head!” Lulu,... Read More
What the Kids Are Eating
Thanks for all the positive responses to Friday’s post about guilt. I celebrated by taking yesterday off of posting, guilt free, of course. Instead of focusing on all the things I feel guilty about as a parent at times, I thought I’d take this opportunity to show you specifically one of the things I almost never feel guilty about: what my kids are eating. For those of you that are parents, I’m not judging you for those nights... Read More
Helping Hands
You know how some people say, “I could use another set of hands”? Not me. In fact, sometimes I wish I had two less sets of hands. I have all the helping hands I need. This morning Slim Shady helped me hide my stash…of empty nut butter jars. I came in from my workout and found two near empty jars of peanut butter that I’d been hiding in the back of the cupboard set out on the counter to go in the recycling. Whoever did... Read More
Box of Rocks
If you don’t have kids, stop reading this and go take a nap…just because you can. Sleep is a gift God has given us, and apparently once you give birth, you are not deserving. Last night from about 11 pm until 6 am this morning we were consistenly awakened by Lulu barking like a seal, Maggie (our cat) chasing plastic Dollar Store rings around our hardwood floors and then our own sharp, piercing throat pain. Daddy and I would look at... Read More
Celebrating Heroes
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! I hope that you are able to celebrate such an important figure in our history today and appreciate the freedoms each of us have regardless of how we are different, be it our gender, our race, our sexual orientation, or our impossibly difficult to manage curly hair, size 10 1/2 feet and orange palms. Though as a society we still have great strides to make, CHANGE DOES HAPPEN and can happen in other arenas as well. There... Read More
All Before Breakfast
Subtitle: How I Make My Life Harder Than it Should Be Due to just having a gut feeling that Gigi’s ballet class wasn’t the best fit for her (she can’t wear her fuchsia tutu, for goodness sake!), I decided to enroll her in the same class she took over the summer. The bad news: it’s a forty minute drive and starts at 10 a.m. Please note, we deliberately don’t collectively leave the house until at least noon each... Read More
The Grapes, er, Peas of Wrath
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I appreciate that God likes to remind me that He’s in control, and not me, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow sometimes. Much like this wine I’m drinking right now. (Sweet PEA’s farm!!!) I wanted a glass to unwind and help the words flow tonight, but am thinking that this bottle that was in my White Elephant gift from Christmas was likely also purchased at the Goodwill. ... Read More
Looks Like
Looks like I was the victim of a pretty serious hack job, as was The Fitnessista. At least I was in good company. But order has been restored to the universe, well, aside from Tiger refusing to return my text messages. Thanks for sticking with me through the drama. I’ll try to make it worth your while. Some people see Jesus in fish sticks. Some people see the Virgin Mary in a pretzel. Me, well, I’m blessed with juice stains on... Read More
A Winter Fantasy
My breakfast fantasy: After a leisurely run in the warm sunshine, I’d enjoy a scrumptious almond butter jar of pumpkin oatbran, topped with apples and granola, brought to me on a tray carried by my perfectly groomed children in adorable matching “I Love My Mommy” sweaters and pleated skirts. My breakfast reality: After cursing my alarm, Jillian’s Level 2 Shred and my freezing cold garage treadmill, I enjoyed my oats with Rapunzel... Read More
What a Faker!
I totally faked my way through a workout this morning and then had a deep yearning for Oats In a Jar. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), all my nut butter receptacles are full. Empty jars? Those I have. I made Fake Oatmeal in a Jar! In a play on Courtney’s upside down oats, I put a dollop of almond butter in an empty jar, and then smeared it all around like I’d been sneaking baby spoonfuls, carrot swipes and finger scoops out of the... Read More
Frozen Peas
Move over cellulite, Bill O’Reilly and socks with sandals. My disdain for you pales in comparison to my new nemesis. At some point yesterday morning our furnace gave out. I’m guessing it had to do with the record low temperatures (it was a nice 13 degrees when I headed to the garage for my workout), and I think this really just supports Sarah Palin’s contention that global warming is merely “agenda driven science.” We... Read More
A Day for Sharon
You’re thinking, “Who the H is Sharon?” Not her. What I meant to say is, “A Day for Sharing.” When you become a mom, NOTHING is your own anymore. My smoothies get divided by three, my peanut butter jars have tiny finger tracks throughout them and my bras become headwear during impromptu dress-up games(which are actually probably more necessary than me needing any form of support for my little kiwis). Still, it... Read More
What I Learned From My Kids Today
If you run out of cinnamon rolls, it’s just plain fine to eat icing for breakfast. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. heated Honeycrisp apple cinnamon Kashi Go Lean Pumpkin Spice Granola Don’t ask Daddy to take pictures for the blog. He will take only one photo, and make it as unflattering as possible. The only reason to take a shower is if you smell bad or you think you might get some your mom tells you to. Don’t... Read More
Little Miss Sunshine
Someone’s got their diapers in a bunch, and for once it’s not Larry King. The day started out great! We were all up at 6:30, but well rested thanks to that extra hour yesterday. I was able to head out for a leisurely 30 minute run on the treadmill, where the Today show pointed out that Matt Lauer did not look like Ellen on Halloween, as I had said, but that he was actually Bruno. I stand corrected. After my run and getting Gigi... Read More
Mind Tricks and Treats
Roaming around the cold streets of our neighborhood, smelling the singed pumpkin from our suprisingly flammable jack o’ lantern and fearing that my children will never go to sleep due to the candy that they are opening and shoveling faster than I can grab it from their sticky paws has made me delusional. First, I woke up this morning and had a cookie for breakfast. In my mind, it tasted like this: But it actually looked like this: A Fitnessista... Read More
