Double the lightingness

Is that a word?

Jack: I love my room… I can’t believe I’m so used to it and I’m not in the other small room anymore.

me: I’m glad you like it. I had fun setting it up for you.

Jack and I are in his room right now getting ready for bed. Bella is hanging with us. Moca is in her crate snoozing already. She actually dragged her tired butt in there around 8:45 haha.

me: Can you hand me the Chap Stick and a tissue? (Still at the tail end end end of a nasty 3-week cold)

Jack: (hands me the stuff) This room is so functional! 

me: All we need is a mini fridge and a snack bar.

We always Joke that his new room is like a small apartment. Bathroom, TV, etc.

Jack: We could put the mini fridge next to you and it could double as a night stand.

me: Mhmm.

Jack: (going to pee) Awwwwww! That is rancid! Still smells like asparagus!!!

me: (bleh) Jack flush the toilet.

Jack: (coming back into the room without flushing) Nope, you told me not too.

me: That’s only for middle of the night so you don’t set Moca off thinking it’s morning.

Jack: (flops on the bed with his book) Ahhhhhhh! So functional. And I love this book light with the two lights. It’s like double the lightingness.

me: Hahaha…

Where in the world is Jack?

He’s never home, that’s for sure!

Jack was always a very social kid. He likes to be around other kids, was never afraid of leaving my side and going to play with other families, and always ready for an adventure.

I think I’m the one that ends up missing Jack more than he misses me, possibly?

I came back from a work trip to Chicago and only saw Jack for a little while before he went to bed. The next morning he was outside playing with friends all day, riding his bike, and then did a sleepover at another friends house.

He doesn’t have a cell phone yet so it is a little tricky keeping track of him. I know, I know he’s 12 and everybody has a phone. But I really felt like he didn’t need one until just recently.

I mean, if you have to text Jack’s friend’s mom to tell her to text her son to tell Jack that you’re going to be late meeting the bus, then maybe it’s time he has a Phone of his own. What do you think? How old were your kids when you got them phones…And what type of phone did you get them??

Jack: mom I’m going next-door to play outside.

Me: just let me know if you leave the yard next-door and go anywhere else please, OK?

Jack: OK!

Later on I go outside looking for Jack next-door… He’s nowhere to be found. I walk up and down the street with the dog looking for his bike or listening for his loud voice… nothing.

I call his friends house to ask if he’s there… no answer. I called a friend cell phone, and Jack answers.

Jack: Hey mom! What’s up?

Me: Where are you?

Jack: I’m at my friends house! You just called him!

Me: I called his cell phone… that doesn’t mean I know where you are. You were supposed to be next-door.

Jack: Well you knew I had my bike so we were also gonna ride bikes, and then we rode down here, and we’ve been inside ever since.

Me: OK I get that, but how do I know where you are? You have to tell me.

Jack: OK let me see, I’ll just pull out my phone and call you….wait! I don’t have a phone! Oohhh!

Me: But you have two legs. Next time walk over and tell me where you’re going so I know where you are. I don’t want to have to walk around the neighborhood looking for you.

Jack: See?? Me having a phone is going to make your life a lot easier!

Maybe he’s right. 🙂

I’m cranky

Just venting to say that I had to blog posts queued up and ready to go, over a week ago, but my phone broke in the drafts were lost. So you will have to suffer in silence for a little longer while I prepare new shit.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Jack from last night.

Jack: Mom, you really shouldn’t eat anymore M&Ms, especially when you get a big zit on your face like that. Shouldn’t you know by now?

me: 😫

Pancakes Perfected

It only took 20 years. Well not really. It’s not like I make pancakes every week maybe once a month? Anyway, I’ve always loved to bake or cook things that look like baking… pancakes and French toast, etc. Or maybe I just like carbs.

I’ve perfected a few things according to my taste buds: chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, pumpkin pie, carrot cake, chocolate pudding and now the pancake!

Today was the day that I was going to fast. Seriously. I ate like three dinners. My family was over, and there was more food than you could even believe and I ate it all and it was great. Went to bed with a tummy ache and vowed to drink only clear liquids today. I really did mean it.

Until Jack and his friend asked for pancakes.

I have always loved Ina Garten, and her recipes are always ones I love to make. I even like quite a few Martha Stewart recipes and love to follow them to the letter to get the perfect result. (Always desserts, I’m not a good food cook lol) And, I also love food blogger Smitten Kitchen, since … forever. Since before Jack. When I had time to read and print and collect recipes for the perfect strawberry shortcake or the richest “oh my god this won’t last five minutes in your house” decadent chocolate cake. OR, the perfect pancake.

I started with a dozen different recipes. Traditional, old fashioned, healthy, vegan, my mom’s, and a few “famous” ones. I ended up basing mine on the Smitten Kitchen version frankly because the woman can cook and can write about food… and her description of these pancakes had me salivating for weeks and gave me visions of being the perfect hostess with the tastiest most fluffy pancakes on the planet. She’s that good.

The secret is actually using buttermilk. Which I never have. So, the other day I saw dried packets of buttermilk and I stocked up on 2 boxes! 4 pouches in each box, each pouch makes 1 cup of buttermilk. Loving life!

Jack: Only 2 please.

me: That’s it?

Jack: I have a headache, right here. (Points to his temple)

me: Awww, and these are soooo…. PERFECTED! I thought you’d want more…

Jack: Eh, I just don’t feel good.

(It’s our 3rd week of random different illnesses…sigh… and I really want him to hork these down!)

me: Ok more for me I guess…

Jack: Yep. Just like you ate all my M&Ms…

me: sigh… headache didn’t kill your wit…

Flashback to when jack was about 3… and was eating sub-par pancakes!

Oh how rude of me. We’re you looking for the recipe? 🙂

Try this:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 eggs beaten until fluffy

3 TB melted butter

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or skim)

2 tsp vanilla extract

—- Heat griddle to 350 degrees

—- Combine all dry ingredients

—- Combine all wet ingredients, add melted butter last and very slowly

—- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Keep it lumpy people!!!

I use an ice cream scoop for uniform sizing. Makes about 27 small fluffy perfect pancakes! Enjoy!!