Category: TOVA’S MUCHKINS

MUCHKINS, MUNCHIES AND MUCHNESS MADNESS!!!

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WooooHoooo!!!! It’s picture time!!!! Molly’s at the age where she likes projects. And she likes doing stuff in the kitchen. I too like projects. And cookies. I like cookies. So I created a fun and (I’m sure) terribly unique project to do with Molly!!

We start with the basics. Cookies:

Mmmmm sugar

What? You didn’t think I actually baked, did you??

Next, Pour Edible Muchness into a bowl:

Now, pour other edible Muchnesses into other bowls:

More:

Variety is the spice of life:

I think you can see where I’m going here….

Ok. Then we each got our own tray:

Ok. Stop focussing on the mess behind us and start focussing on my MUCHTASTIC RAINBOW LEOPARD PRINT ONE-PIECE FOOTSIE PAJAMAS!!! (Uh. I can’t. I seriously need to devote a whole post to the awesomeness of footsie pajamas. People just do not understand!!! They’re the best!!!)

OK! now get busy decorating!!! That’s the fun part! Get creative! Get silly! Get Nuts! (Unless you’re allergic to nuts. Then I suggest you skip the nuts.)

Decorations are complete and they are very avant-gard:

Here are some pretty close-ups ‘cuz my new ‘how to blog‘ book says people like pretty close-ups. So go on, enjoy. I like pretty close-ups too:

M&Mmmmmmm

Mine were pretty meticulous:

Molly’s were more freestyle:

Then, we put them in the oven…

and waited…

and waited…

and waited…

NEVER has 11 to 13 minutes taken this long!

DING!!!!  FINALLY they were done!!!! look how Yummy!

Some more pretty close-ups on my pretty blue plate:

But are they any good? It looks like……. YES!!! SUCCESS!!!! WOOOOHOOOO!

And because I’m so devoted to The MUCHNESS…. for your viewing pleasure:

Yeah- see it?! It’s subtle but ya can’t stop me!!! wooohoo! It’s a MUCHNESS MADNESS Post too!!!!!

 

Discussing Babyloss with my boss

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I went on a business trip last week with my boss. In all the years that I have worked at this job, I’ve never gone on a business trip. I just kept getting pregnant and/or having babies. But now that Liat is one year and I am not preoccupied with getting pregnant again, I was glad to go. Just one day away from the office responsibilities and the house responsibilities was a welcome change.

It also gave me the opportunity to chat a bit with my boss. Although I try not to discuss this blog at work, my co-workers know about it, as do my bosses. In fact, I would not be completely shocked if they sat around reading it. Mildly shocked, maybe. But completely? No.  Hell, I wonder if his ears are turning red as he reads. these. words. right. now.

The boss I traveled with has never talked to me about the twins. Never really acknowledged it to my face. That’s fine. When I first returned to work 3 weeks after they died, I actually asked a co-worker to ask everyone not to make a big deal of it. But now, two years later, in the airport, waiting for our return flight, after a very abstract segue into the topic,  he said to me “It seems like you carry a  lot of anger about that situation.”

Oh. Um, hello.

Ok. I guess we can have this conversation. And I guess you’re reading my blog.

“I do.” I replied

“Why? It’s not like it defines who you are. Why would you want to focus on that instead of focussing on your other two blessings? It’s been two years. Why don’t you want to just put it behind you as just ‘something that happened in the past’?”

“OK. first of all, in many ways, it does define me. It just does. I am not the same person that I was before this happened. Therefore, by definition, it has defined me. But second of all, I think we are defining anger differently. I am not ANGRY…. like ‘I’M SO MAD!’ kinda anger… I am angry that I was forced to live through that experience. But not like, bitter anger. It’s more like, like …..”

“…Sadness.” He said.

“Yes, sadness. And I’ll always be sad about it. 2 years or 20 years. That’s just the way it is.”

We dropped the topic.

Two hours later we got on the plane. I (so unusual for me) still had more to say.

“Ya know… back to that topic…. I don’t want to forget about it and just put it behind me. I actually like talking about them. They are my children. You would never say to someone who lost a parent ‘put it behind you…. why do you want to talk about that'”

“But you never held them. You never looked at their faces, or saw them smile.”

I was surprised he said that. I know a lot of women would be appalled to have someone say that directly to them. I wasn’t. I was sort of touched. It was so… honest. I really felt like he was trying to understand my head.

“You’re right. I didn’t. And that’s really sad. But it really has nothing to do with the love I have for them. I love them as much as I love my other two children. I just don’t get to raise them.”

And with that, I think I saw a glimmer of understanding come across his face. And then, I felt at peace with the conversation. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep before we landed at 6am.
____

Today was the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Memory Walk at our local hospital.  I taped an oversized Sunflower and Daisy to Liat’s stroller and walked there with her. Just the two of us.

(I wore three Muchness bands, a silver sequin jacket, and my IN TOUCH WITH THE MUCH t-shirt… those things are my versions of ‘liquid courage’…. What? Oh. Doesn’t everyone have hot pink Duct Tape in their house?)

At the walk, a speaker talked about the importance of speaking up about our losses. About how, until those who experience these losses let others know and help them understand what it REALLY is to lose a pregnancy, to lose a baby, it will always be an isolating, invisible sorrow that others don’t recognize and can’t comprehend.

I felt good that I shared my feeling and thoughts with my boss, and maybe brought him a new glimmer of understanding. And so I decided to take that conversation and share it here. Through The MUCHNESS, I plan to educate the world.

MUCHNESS MEALS- Subject: Mashed Potatoes

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Originally Posted by TOVA on OCTOBER 10, 2011 / Recreated following The Great Server Crash of 2011

Molly is a picky eater. What? Almost all three and half year olds are picky eaters? Well, good for them. Molly, if she knew how picky a standard picky eater was, she’d be twice as picky. On purpose. Just to test what would happen. Like most kids, she’ll eat yogurt (but only from the sippy cup, mixed with milk – no- not THAT sippy cup, the pink one. With the other lid. NO! TheOTHER lid!!) and she’ll eat macaroni and cheese (except that piece- NO!THAT PIECE!!! the one that looks hard and crispy after it was baked!) and she’ll eat string cheese (NO! I want to open it!!) and she’ll eat chicken  (except that piece- NO! THAT PIECE!!! the one that looks hard and crispy after it was baked!) and that’s about it. Oh, wait. She eats lox. As in, pickled, smoked, greasy disgusting lox. She’ll just devour that stuff like it’s ice cream. Oh, she’ll also eat ice cream.

Fruit and veggies? No how. No way. I don’t know how she got it in her head that she hates fruit. I mean ANY fruit, except bananas. No berries. No melon. No apples, No grapes. No oranges, No watermelon. No mango (unless it’s dried. and hard and crispy. Go figure.)

And Veggies? Maybe corn. Elie can coax her into eating a couple of peas every now and then. And sweet potato soup (that’s not even a veggie- but it’s the closest we get)

I had a brainstorm. I’m gonna Muchify Mashed potatoes!!! This is NOT about getting her to eat potatoes. It is about getting her to eat the secret muchifier.

The ingredients:

Potatoes. Beets. (GOOD FOR YOU AND FUCHSIA TOO!!!) and some boxed veggie broth.

Those fella’s stain like nobodies business.

peel ‘em

Add salt to the boiling water. Oh? Did I forget to mention that? Boil water. You’re making mashed potatoes. Dur. Oh, and get the kid involved. They like that.

Oh. Chop those suckers into pieces before dumping them into the water. Cut the beets smaller than the potatoes. They like to take their sweet time waiting to get soft.

I decided to dump an ear of corn in my pot. Because, ya know, it was there. I thought maybe the corn would turn pink too!

I yiyi!!! That corn’s not pink!!!

…but it sure is tasty!!

Time to mash the potatoes and beets! The moment of truth!!!

I’m thinking, perhaps, disaster. The potatoes were yellow, not white. The sign at the supermarket said they were good for mashing. I’m no expert. I listen to the signs at the supermarket. Next time I’ll go with the ones they said were good for baking. Those looked white. Besides, what do the signs at the supermarket know? They can’t tell the difference between all those other green leafy things either. Need parsley, come home with cilantro. Need cilantro, come home with dill. Need dill, come home with curly parsley. Wait. Is that just me? Whatever. Moving right along…  So, this stuff I’m mashing, is this what they use on CSI when someone’s guts explode? Oh, no- it looks just like that disgusting bloody fat they suck out of people’s thighs when they get liposuction. On TV. For real. Yick. So, it seems, beets turn red when you cook them. Lesson learned.

meanwhile, across the room … “hello? hello? is someone there???” Why isn’t anyone answering me???”

When fully mixed, they start to resemble cherry snow cones. With bits of brain mixed in. This might not work. Not even in the pink princess bowl.

But wait! What’s this!?! SHE LIKES IT!!! She doesn’t think it looks like brains!!! It’s pink! It’s Muchtastic! It tastes like plain old mashed potatoes with the healing powers of beets!! WooooHoooo! SUCCESS!!!!

Next time, maybe I’ll add HOMEMADE GLITTER to sprinkle on top!

PS- When it cools, it actually turns back to fuchsia again! That makes it Magic color changing Muchy Mashed Potatoes!!! Yahoooo!

****Please note, The Beet Growers Association of America has not provided me with any compensation for writing this post. In case you were worried myopinions were paid for. I wish.****

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

Heather October 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm

Ok so for all of ten seconds I thought The muchness queen is a super genius like Wiley Coyote bc while I have seen Jessica Seinfelds deceptively Delicious cookbook NONE of her recipes made things PINK which is typically the picky princess answer to my prayers (if I prayed of course). So, I said Skylar “look…pink princess potatoes” and she looked and I said “should we make those tomorrow?” she said YES! but then….a pause…..a look…..and then….”mama that’s DOG FOOD!”

Sigh. Molly may be picky but girl she’s got a compadre that will give her a run for her money down here. ;0)

Xo
H

REPLY

Tova October 11, 2011 at 11:43 am

In real life, they’d look nothing like dog food. They cooled to a really pretty color. I also don’t put milk in them, though if I did they’d probably be an even prettier color. :)
And the glitter salt- I mean, can’t beat that!!

REPLY

Heather October 10, 2011 at 5:15 pm

P.s. It may have something to do with Amos getting a supplement that has mashed pumpkin as it’s base. Good luck with pumpkin pie in this household huh? Lol.

REPLY

Sara October 10, 2011 at 7:44 pm

I’m still stuck on the fact that Liat ate corn, and from a cob!!! I’m terrified that G is going to choke on a mashed banana.

Love the new header.

xo

REPLY

Tova October 11, 2011 at 11:41 am

she cant get any kernals off- and even if she did, she can’t choke on em. I cut some of the kernals off, theyre on the tray, and then she sucks the juice from the cob. :)

REPLY

JenM October 11, 2011 at 6:14 pm

Joshua does corn on the cob all the time! He loves it. He started around 12 or 13 months when he finally got his top teeth in and could get the kernels off. it keeps him busy for almost all of dinner.

REPLY

Tine October 10, 2011 at 11:17 pm

Fun post!!! I love the thinking, the logic, the amount of planning it takes to outwit a 3 year old :-) Mine has suddenly decided that he hates spaghetti. WTH? Spaghetti??? What kid hates spaghetti??? Unfortunately, there’s no disguising it, and I’m now convinced it’s the tomato sauce…I made chicken marsala over wheat spaghetti…LOVED IT.

I love the story in this, with the pics and the humour! Whoever would have thought of Muchtastic potatoes? Besides you I mean? LOL

REPLY

Tine October 10, 2011 at 11:18 pm

P/S: Your girls are SO cute…they should really meet my boys someday ;)

REPLY

Tova October 11, 2011 at 11:39 am

‘like’ :)

REPLY

Tova October 11, 2011 at 11:46 am

I had the idea when I was in wholefoods and bought some lunch from their buffet area. I had some mashed potatoes and beet salad and then went to pay and by the time I got to the booth to eat, opened my box of foor, a large area of potatoes was a gorgeous shade of magenta. Now I’m thin king about what other foods I could mix with beets (which are, in large part, just sweet and flavorless….)

 

MUCHNESS MEALS – Subject: Mashed potatoes

Posted on by

Molly is a picky eater. What? Almost all three and half year olds are picky eaters? Well, good for them. Molly, if she knew how picky a standard picky eater was, she’d be twice as picky. On purpose. Just to test what would happen. Like most kids, she’ll eat yogurt (but only from the sippy cup, mixed with milk – no- not THAT sippy cup, the pink one. With the other lid. NO! The OTHER lid!!) and she’ll eat macaroni and cheese (except that piece- NO! THAT PIECE!!! the one that looks hard and crispy after it was baked!) and she’ll eat string cheese (NO! I want to open it!!) and she’ll eat chicken  (except that piece- NO! THAT PIECE!!! the one that looks hard and crispy after it was baked!) and that’s about it. Oh, wait. She eats lox. As in, pickled, smoked, greasy disgusting lox. She’ll just devour that stuff like it’s ice cream. Oh, she’ll also eat ice cream.

Fruit and veggies? No how. No way. I don’t know how she got it in her head that she hates fruit. I mean ANY fruit, except bananas. No berries. No melon. No apples, No grapes. No oranges, No watermelon. No mango (unless it’s dried. and hard and crispy. Go figure.)

And Veggies? Maybe corn. Elie can coax her into eating a couple of peas every now and then. And sweet potato soup (that’s not even a veggie- but it’s the closest we get)

I had a brainstorm. I’m gonna Muchify Mashed potatoes!!! This is NOT about getting her to eat potatoes. It is about getting her to eat the secret muchifier.

The ingredients:

Potatoes. Beets. (GOOD FOR YOU AND FUCHSIA TOO!!!) and some boxed veggie broth.

Those fella’s stain like nobodies business.

peel ‘em

Add salt to the boiling water. Oh? Did I forget to mention that? Boil water. You’re making mashed potatoes. Dur. Oh, and get the kid involved. They like that.

Oh. Chop those suckers into pieces before dumping them into the water. Cut the beets smaller than the potatoes. They like to take their sweet time waiting to get soft.

I decided to dump an ear of corn in my pot. Because, ya know, it was there. I thought maybe the corn would turn pink too!

I yiyi!!! That corn’s not pink!!!

…but it sure is tasty!!

Time to mash the potatoes and beets! The moment of truth!!!

I’m thinking, perhaps, disaster. The potatoes were yellow, not white. The sign at the supermarket said they were good for mashing. I’m no expert. I listen to the signs at the supermarket. Next time I’ll go with the ones they said were good for baking. Those looked white. Besides, what do the signs at the supermarket know? They can’t tell the difference between all those other green leafy things either. Need parsley, come home with cilantro. Need cilantro, come home with dill. Need dill, come home with curly parsley. Wait. Is that just me? Whatever. Moving right along…  So, this stuff I’m mashing, is this what they use on CSI when someone’s guts explode? Oh, no- it looks just like that disgusting bloody fat they suck out of people’s thighs when they get liposuction. On TV. For real. Yick. So, it seems, beets turn red when you cook them. Lesson learned.

meanwhile, across the room … “hello? hello? is someone there???” Why isn’t anyone answering me???”

When fully mixed, they start to resemble cherry snow cones. With bits of brain mixed in. This might not work. Not even in the pink princess bowl.

But wait! What’s this!?! SHE LIKES IT!!! She doesn’t think it looks like brains!!! It’s pink! It’s Muchtastic! It tastes like plain old mashed potatoes with the healing powers of beets!! WooooHoooo! SUCCESS!!!!

Next time, maybe I’ll add HOMEMADE GLITTER to sprinkle on top!

PS- When it cools, it actually turns back to fuchsia again! That makes it Magic color changing Muchy Mashed Potatoes!!! Yahoooo!

****Please note, The Beet Growers Association of America has not provided me with any compensation for writing this post. In case you were worried my opinions were paid for. I wish.****

Labor Day Muchness for the Muchkins

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Sarah, of the challenge has been babysitting my girls during their week off from school. They’ve been having such am amazing time with her making Muchy crafty fun that Elie and I decided to have her come today so we could get out and work on Muchness together!
Check out Molly, the Muchness monster from last week!!
Can’t wait to see what we come home to today!

The Muchtastic Family Pic!!!

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So, you remember I spent WAY too much on the amazing Betsey Johnson Dress for the family photo shoot?

And then I went and spent  WAY WAY too much for the framed print?

The picture we fell in love with... before.

So, the picture we wanted mounted and framed, we loved with the white background, but I asked them to retouch it in photoshop in the same style as another picture from our group had been retouched. They warned me that it might be “a bit much” and I explained to them that I would be the one to decide that. MY version of “a bit much” and other peoples versions are not exactly the same thing. So, against their better judgement, they Muchified our family pic.

I LOVE IT!!!!!

LOVE IT  LOVE IT LOVE IT!!

I cant wait to get it and hang it on the wall!!!

What do you think???? Be honest!!! (But only if you love it. If you think it sucks, go tell someone else. haha!! 🙂 )