One of the things that I’ve been wanting to introduce in this blog are some of my favorite recipes. This is a fast and easy bar cookie recipe that is great for that emergency snack that you need to take to class, or want to bring to a family gathering. It is a no-bake recipe which is great for summer when you don’t want to run the oven. They are very rich and in no way healthy or good for you.

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

combine sugar and corn syrup in a large stockpot on medium-high heat until it just starts to boil. Either remove from heat or turn to low and add the peanut butter. Stir until the peanut butter melts and combines with the sugar mixture. Remove completely from heat and add the Rice Krispies (editor’s note: I add the krispies in two batches since it so much and sometimes hard to stir). Lightly spray a 9×13 pan and press the Krispie mixture into pan. (editor’s note: I use a piece of wax paper and my hand to make it as flat and even as possible).

While that cools add the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips in a microwaveable bowl (editor’s note: I use a large measuring cup for this because it makes it easier to pour out once finished). Heat in microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and repeat until completely melted and blended. (editor’s note: it has never taken me more than 1.5 minutes for this to happen so be careful not to overheat and burn the chocolate. The stirring is the key here). Pour over Krispie mixture and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate until set – about 2-4 hours. You can serve these warm but it makes the chocolate a bit messy. I find it best to cool them until the chocolate sets and then store them at room temperature.

This is always a fan favorite at my house — so enjoy!

Portia was always a mean cat. I adopted her in 1997 when she was only 8 weeks old and I was single, unattached and desperately lonely. We shared a wonderful year together – just the two of us. I was traveling a lot for work at the time and she was always a welcome companion to come home to. In 1998 I moved to Texas and that is when the first hint of problems came to the surface. She didn’t like Texas. She was angry with me that I made the decision to move us without considering her feelings on the matter. Shortly after we moved she began scratching the furniture. We tried therapy but she was cold and after she completely scratched the upholstery off the couch I de-clawed her. I don’t think we ever really healed after that breach.

I met David and she felt betrayed. She didn’t like having this interloper in our home. She didn’t understand why I felt the need to have this other person. She hissed at him, she swiped at him and she made it very clear she did not like him. David and I married and she made her disdain of the situation known by peeing NEXT to the litter box, but not IN it. David and I got another cat thinking that if she had her own companion she would be happier and not so dependent on me.

Cosmo seemed to make her happy and we had a couple of good years where we were all able to coexist in happiness and peace. Unfortunately this period of relative happiness was short-lived. Lucy was born and Portia seemed to resign herself to the idea that I was never going to be JUST hers ever again. She was angry and declared all out war. The litter box suddenly became an optional item. We bought bigger litter boxes, we changed litter, we changed locations, we bought extra litter boxes, we tried electric boxes, we cleaned it every day, but nothing seemed to work. We replaced the carpet.

Portia just turned 11 years old. The last time we were at the vet they said her teeth weren’t looking good and they expected them to start falling out. She was continuing to rage her war against us and the litter box and we’ll need to replace the carpet AGAIN. And so finally, after 11 years, Portia and I separated. I made the final and painful decision to put her to sleep, which is weirdly euphemistic for killing my pet.

I’m sad. I’m guilt-ridden. I’m relieved. Because although I loved Portia and I have wonderful memories of snuggling with her at night, she was always a one-person cat. She hated David. She hated the kids and I think as she got older she hated living with us. I’ve never felt more like an adult than I do today.

Lucy fell down yesterday. Not a strange occurrence for a 4 year old, but this time there was blood. Lucy fell on the driveway and skinned her knee, badly. She was appropriately hysterical and burst into the house demanding that we call 911. Although my instinct as a mother would definitely lean towards this solution I calmly determined that a little bit of peroxide and a band aid would probably do the trick. I placed her on the bathroom counter and began to ever so gently clean it, during which Lucy hysterically demanded through sobs, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT IS A COTTON BALL? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CLEAN IT? I NEED A BAND AID!! ARE THERE GERMS? DON’T TOUCH IT!! DON’T TOUCH IT MOMMY!!” I envisioned slapping her across the face and exclaiming “Damn it woman, pull yourself together!” But then I remembered that she is only 4 and there are laws against those kinds of things.

Just as calm was beginning to be restored and Lucy had simmered down into slow, quiet heaves of sadness Max began to cry uncontrollably and scream, “BOO BOO!! BOO BOO!! BOO BOO!!” I was perplexed. How could he have hurt himself in the five minutes he’d been standing there watching me bandage Lucy’s knee? I said “Boo Boo?” and Max wailed “YESH, BOO BOO!!” I looked at Lucy, she is after all my official Max interpreter, but she had nothing for me. “Max, where does it hurt?” and he raised up his index finger to show me an imaginary boo boo. I delicately placed a band aid on his finger and they both quietly whimpered into the play room to resume their day.

As I tucked them into bed that evening and asked them what the worst part of the day was Lucy said “falling down and hurting my knee” and Max silently raised his bandaged finger indicating that he too was sad. Boy, they say toddlers like to mimic but I really think Max has taken it a bit too seriously.

I just wanted to let you know that I’ve purchased my VERY OWN domain name. As a result my blog address will now be http://blogobeth.wpengine.com instead of the current blogger domain name. Don’t fret though, blogger will automatically forward you to the new domain name. However, you may want to bookmark the new address once it is operational. My techno-husband and uber-geek is helping me get this set-up and according to him I should be able to make the switch sometime this weekend. There is something so awesome about having my own domain name – I feel like Cher.

Thursdays are play days for me and the kids. I do chores or teach the rest of the week, but Thursday I try to set aside for special outings and crafts. Time when the kids get my undivided attention all day. Today was no different. Today we started the day off by cutting feathers into a hundred tiny pieces all over the kitchen floor. Next, we water colored our heads — well, Max and Lucy water-colored their heads. I stood back, breathed deep and reminded myself that I have a vacuum cleaner and a bathtub and that my world could be returned to order. After this we all got dressed and headed to the park where I caught Max drinking water out of the tiny hole in the middle of the seat pictured here.

Next, we went to McDonalds for lunch. (Please don’t email me with a lecture about the toxic, fatty and terrible food that is served at McDonalds and haven’t I seen all the news stories about fat kids, etc, etc. My kids voluntarily ate salad and oranges for dinner last night so I don’t think a trip to McDonald’s is going to kill them. I beat you to the lecture, I win!) At any rate, this is “our” McDonald’s and one that we visit regularly enough that I know the kids feel comfortable in the play area. Max and Lucy have climbed up into those magical plastic tubes and slid down the slides more times than I can count. So, the kids finished their lunch and I sent them off to play with the other 15 or so kids at the McDonald’s. All was fine until I suddenly realized that I didn’t see Max. Lucy had come down the slide but not Max.

I need to take a moment here and explain that having a child trapped in one of those plastic tubes of child play is a secret fear of mine. I HAVE never and swore I WOULD NEVER try to shove my big self through those tiny tubes in order to rescue a child — If they are big enough to climb up they are big enough to climb down.

I cautiously walked over to the giant tube slide and hollered up “Max? Are you okay?” and then I hear Lucy say “Mommy!! He’s stuck!! He can’t get down!” and then I hear Lucy say to Max in a high-pitched sweet voice “It’s okay Max, c’mon – mommy is right here.” And in response I hear Max wailing in fear. I don’t mean the small cries of a slightly uncomfortable child, I mean the full body, I’m going to make myself throw up, tears. Without thinking of how ridiculous I might look I climbed UP the tube slide in McDonald’s. I instantly felt claustrophobic and it took every ounce of me to beat down the panic that was rising in my throat. When I reached the top Max was sitting there with about four small children sitting next to him, consoling him, and coaxing him down from his perch. Max had big, hot tears streaming down his face. I grabbed him, put him in my lap and we slid down the tube slide together. At the bottom were about a half dozen parents looking at me. It felt as if I had just led an expedition to save a beached whale, or rescue an eagle from a hunter’s trap. But I’m sure they were all really thinking “I’m so glad that wasn’t my big butt climbin’ up that slide”.

I know Earth Day was yesterday and it is so cliche to like, save the Earth and everything, but I’m feeling compelled to contribute my little bit of ecological advice. David and I are not the most “green” family, but I’ve tried to do my part this year and found a couple things that are pretty easy.

Reusable Grocery Bags
I ordered myself a set of these bags from Mon Petite Chien off of etsy.com. I LOVE them.
First of all, they hold so much more food than traditional grocery bags. Second, they have these great long handles that allows me to carry them over my shoulders and thus freeing my hands to do other things (like corral small children into the store and away from playing in the street). But the best part is that they are reusable and prevent me from using plastic or paper bags that could later contribute to a large pile of trash that we are going to politely ignore by burying under a bunch of dirt.

Organic Vegetable Spray
Okay, I have to admit I’m stealing this from Oprah’s show yesterday. This is a great homemade recipe for veggie spray. This is an easy and organic way to clean your vegetables.

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract

Combine all these ingredients and place them in a spray bottle. Spray on your produce and then after 5-10 minutes rinse thoroughly.

I’m not the best steward of my environment, but it was my new year’s resolution this year and by golly I’m going to be successful at something. Because I am no closer to actually finishing the kid’s baby books – my other new year’s resolution. Happy Earth Day Y’all.

The family traveled west this weekend past hours of roadside cactus (which as a “yankee” still blows my mind) to San Angelo, Texas. And yes, that is where all those crazy FLDS polygamists live. San Angelo is a lovely, sleepy, old, west Texas town that is built around a small university and the Goodfellow Air Force Base. We went to visit my best friend Kym and her husband Jed. Kym is the kind of person that within 5 minutes of meeting her you feel like you’ve known her your whole life. However, this is not the quality that I admire or love most about her. She is crazy curious and not embarrassed to ask ANYTHING of ANYBODY. “You’re a transsexual? really? So how does that work exactly? Do you dress as a woman at night and a guy during the day? Do you like men or women? Does your family know? And could you pass me the salt?” She is unabashed in her curiosity and zeal for life and I love that about her.

Kym has four kids. We added our two to the mix and it was a great, chaotic weekend of love and laughter. The boys did some fun craft projects with the kids and we celebrated Texas Passover which included a barbecued brisket and potato latkes. We went to the air force base where Jed works and looked at big airplanes. We rolled out of town early Sunday and lumbered our way back to the hectic life of Dallas. It was a lazy, sweet weekend with good friends. Aaaaah, isn’t life grand?

While changing Max’s diaper this morning…

Lucy: I see a penis!
Me: yes, that is Max’s penis
Lucy: it looks like a nut
Me: really?
Lucy: yeah, it looks like a nut with a sweater on.