the why

So I haven't been posting. There's a reason, but it's not a very interesting one. I used to use Taylor's nap time to blog and read blogs and watch movies with Josh. Now I'm using that time to exercise. I still read blogs by setting up my laptop on a tv tray beside me and scrolling though my "bookmarks" while using my recumbent bike, but it's really not conducive to typing. Nor is the kid on my lap. I've also been doing alot more "free reading".

James Patterson, "Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" - you should read it.

for those of you not blessed to live in earshot of me...

So if you live close by you have heard me going on and on (and on) about my weight loss/get fit challenge that I've been doing with some Edmonton friends. I added a little ticker to the sidebar. I'm not really sure that anyone cares, but I'm pretty proud of my success so far AND I'm hoping that this public display of my efforts will serve to keep me from slacking off. Sorry that it doesn't actually fit properly, but you get the idea.

corn chip recipe

... alternatively entitled, "the post in which lisa does something totally unnecessary just for the heck'uv it and by the most difficult means available".

Here is a recipe that absolutely NO ONE has a use for. I spent 2 days and 4 batches developing it from a number of other recipes that do not work. Now that I have perfected it, I will never, NEVER make it again. I will purchase these goods at the store, because, as you may or may not know, I am a mom, and thereby NOT rolling in spare time. Thank you, the end.

Homemade Corn Chips

4 parts cornmeal
4 parts flour
1 part powdered milk
1 part bean flour
2-3 parts warm water

Mix and roll out paper thin as you generously "flour" with cornmeal. Salt before baking if you want. Bake at 300 degrees for ten minutes. Taste and realize that store-bought is less time consuming and that you will never get this afternoon of your life back.

PS, Did I mention that I ground my own cornmeal and bean flour for this project? Just one of the many ways I chose to waste my time.

kids in costume

Ha! Gotcha!

I'm not a fan of this particular "holiday" so I didn't even take a picture of my kids dressed up. But we did have fun. Due to our tight budget we couldn't afford to give out store-bought treats at our door, so we tried something different - I made some popcorn treats out of items already in our pantry and gave them to families we actually know as we trick'r treated at their houses. I love this, I'm gonna do it again, but with better homemade treats next year. We didn't end up with a ton of candy (it's already all gone), but we got to give away a treat (the boys loved this) and we got to visit people who actually care what my children chose for a costume (we did do a neighbor or two at every friend's home we visited). Here's how we dressed up our give-away treats:

a ghost, a mummy, and a jack-o'- lantern

alternatively known as a tin, a yogurt container and a bucket

Um, Randa - Steph - Des - Kathy, you either weren't home or we didn't get to you. No need to wonder where your treat is, as you can see, we are still giving them a good home.