7QT: Bad Blogger Edition

I'll make a disclaimer at the top and just say these are probably the most disjointed takes I've ever written, in part because it took me, no joke, 5 hours to write them.  Apologies for the non-linear thinking.

-1-

I know I usually post once a week for the Quick Takes, but I've dropped the ball on even that the last few. Piglet was home from school, our routines were all kinds of messed up, and now we are in the run up to our own Christmas, so I don't have much to say beyond the fact that we are all a bit tired and I for one am ready to have some holidays.  December always feels so long to me now that we don't travel for Western Christmas and, because the various vagaries and oddities of being on the Old Calendar, it never feels very festive around here until early January.  I didn't grow up on the Julian calendar, and being so out of step with the wider culture at Christmas has gotten more difficult for me as I get older.

-2-

I'm feeling a bit blue these days, and hoping it passes soon.  At least I've gotten lots of stamping in to pass the time.  I'm hoping to post some photos soon--the weather is gray today (should have taken photos yesterday when it was sunny--drat!) so I'll have to wait for brighter skies to photograph my flurry of activity. See #7.

-3-

We started potty training Boo yesterday; it wasn't a complete success, but neither a complete disaster.  I'm a little calmer about the whole thing this time around, in part because I know that it is a slow slog to win the war (and it is a war, as anyone who has survived to tell the tale will say), and it helps that it is not summer, we don't have a tight deadline of preschool starting, and I'm not eight months pregnant (as I was when we were training Piglet).  All makes for an easier time of it.  But ask me again next week--I may not be so sanguine.

-4-

For those who participate in the linky every Friday, please keep Jen Fulwiler in your prayers--she is dealing with a pretty scary situation right now (double pulmonary embolism with an advanced pregnancy and five kids at home) and I can't imagine how she is feeling. 

-5-

After I finish these, I'm off to put away clean laundry and put a load in--Birdie has been getting up four times per night the last few weeks and drinking an incredible amount, so that has made for wet pjs and wet sheets on a fairly regular basis.  She's never slept through the night, but I'm hoping whatever is causing the extra frequent wake-ups will end soon because it is just so exhausting and demoralizing.  In fact, I'm finishing these much later in the day, so the laundry is put away, the new load is now in the dryer, and I'll have to fold it this evening. 

-6-

I have a lot of food allergies, and one of the more weird ones is chicken (and poultry more generally).  I can tolerate eggs now, but the meat/broth is just right out.  I developed the allergy after Piglet was born, and after five years of no chicken, I'm starting to miss it I'm craving it in a big way.  So imagine my delight when I finally stumbled across a wonderful fake chicken last week.  We've tried many substitutes, and most have been less than satisfactory (something one wouldn't even eat in the depths of Great Lent), but Gardein makes a lovely chick'n tender with a lovely asian sauce on the side that seriously fakes me out.  I almost thought I might have a reaction to the fake stuff, it tasted so real to me!  I made a vegan chick'n pot pie last night and it was so yummy.  I've also made some good stirfrys.  Unfortunately, the Gardein chick'n breast subsitutes are a little lacking, but that's okay--the tenders are so good it doesn't matter!! I'm scrolling chicken recipes now to see what else I can make after the fast is over on Monday! 

-7-

The sun came out this afternoon for about 30 minutes, and I was able to take a few photos (it pays to get sidetracked while blogging, I guess!).  I wanted to post this card the instant I made it the other night, I love it so much.  I'm so pleased with how it came out.  I'm working my way through the Fan Fair dp pack at the moment, and this was one of the cards I made from the sheets that had pieces you could cut out.  The map is cut out, as is the central panel with the blue flower.  I also stamped the Eiffel Tower and cut that out.  The rest is just bits and pieces.  I made two of these cards.  (See the pool party button?  It is new!!  From Sale-A-Bration--you can get a whole pack of those buttons and ribbon too for free with a $50 purchase!)

 

Hallie Lord is hosting today since Jen is so sick, so you can go see her for more Quick Takes!