|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 20, 2020 0:40:14 GMT -6
duskymonkey pineapple tarts sounds delicious! I've been on a sweet making kick for sure. Multiple kinds of macarons, Russian teacake cookies, gingersnaps, cut outs, cinnamon marshmallows, nutella fudge, peppermint bark, and I think something else, but I can't even remember lol Everything you listed sounds so delectable. The boys absolutely love the tarts and it's my hometown specialty. Maybe Taitai has had it? or at least a version of it. Oooo...I lurve macarons! So Parisian, assuming that's what you meant, French macarons. What do you do with all the egg yolks? Nutella fudge sounds fab. I am not a candy maker but do love fudge. Maybe next year. I am impressed, you sound like you're all set. Share your secrets of making it all work with the kids home 24 hrs a day. I just started baking a couple of nights ago. |
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 20, 2020 0:52:22 GMT -6
danvers I am glad you are off for the holidays and you and your DH are doing well. How long is break for? We get 2 weeks over here and they are currently planning to get the elementary school kids to go back FT which is questionable seeing how cases are surging from Thanksgiving and they're predicting that it will only get worse after Christmas. I hope you'll be able to get your daily walks in. It's been so busy since Thanksgiving and I haven't been able to get my daily work out in and it makes such a difference for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 20, 2020 1:07:36 GMT -6
curmudgeon I am here for you! Getting what you like is a great personal style and sounds just like mine. Do you cycle out your furniture or prefer to keep it forever? That will be a deciding factor on how much you want to spend and where to get it from. It's hard to think of keeping items forever especially with my destructobots although I am so happy with our dining table, dings and dents aren't terribly noticeable and it's HW so it can refinished when it gets worn. Hubs and I originally wanted to get a live edge table and 10 years ago, it wasn't popular and the source I found cost 8K with almost 2K to ship from the PNW. Oy! Now it's widely available but with the kids, I would die if they dented the 8K table or scratched it.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 20, 2020 1:32:31 GMT -6
Taitai...I cannot with the mess lol! We did make sugar cookies today but I rolled and cut them out last night and set everything out to try to keep the mess minimal. danvers the kids ate their weight in sparkling sugar today for sure! lol! They had such a good time and it was great to hear all the giggles. Lil fella absolutely loved "helping" make the sugar cookies and this was his first time. Now I am waiting for the last batch of cookies to come out of the oven for another round of decorating with sprinkles tomorrow. I think it will be ok. It wasn't too bad with DS last year. That's really interesting to hear that it isn't only isolated to my education. We did learn a lot about both WWs just nothing much about the holocaust due to religious prejudice. My mom knows a lot about it and talked about it. Both her and my dad lived through the Japanese occupation. The Japanese were essentially alike with the Germans and thought of themselves the superior race; Germans in the West and Japanese in the East. Both committed horrific atrocities.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 20, 2020 1:39:17 GMT -6
CoachTsWife Oh no....I’m so sorry your H is sick, and I hope his COVID test comes back negative, and that it’s another virus or something. So sorry that your DS1 has to miss his party. One thing I can suggest - is to drink hot/warm water right now to ward off getting sick yourself (or have a more mild sickness). It’s a common thing to do here in Asia, and I used to not believe it. But then I started drinking hot water immediately when anyone in my family started to get sick, and so far - it seems to be working. I still will get sniffles and little sore throats, but I’ve noticed that if I keep up with hot water (and not drinking cold things) it’s honestly much easier for me to get better quickly or not have as bad of a cold. Who knows - I could also be insane. But, it has worked so far! I am all in to discuss this! This is very much in line with Ayurvedic practice. I am sure you've all heard of Deepak Chopra? Also for anyone interested, there's a book which I've gifted to a few people that helps explain it all. link |
|
|
|
Post by mommabakes on Dec 20, 2020 5:16:54 GMT -6
duskymonkey pineapple tarts sounds delicious! I've been on a sweet making kick for sure. Multiple kinds of macarons, Russian teacake cookies, gingersnaps, cut outs, cinnamon marshmallows, nutella fudge, peppermint bark, and I think something else, but I can't even remember lol Everything you listed sounds so delectable. The boys absolutely love the tarts and it's my hometown specialty. Maybe Taitai has had it? or at least a version of it. Oooo...I lurve macarons! So Parisian, assuming that's what you meant, French macarons. What do you do with all the egg yolks? Nutella fudge sounds fab. I am not a candy maker but do love fudge. Maybe next year. I am impressed, you sound like you're all set. Share your secrets of making it all work with the kids home 24 hrs a day. I just started baking a couple of nights ago. Yeah, french macarons. I've been using the yolks for french buttercream to fill them  I'm lucky that my three kiddos play together really well (most of the time) but also DH gets home from work by 2pm so I have help for a longer chunk of the day than most people do! |
|
|
|
Post by mommabakes on Dec 20, 2020 5:19:26 GMT -6
danvers I've eaten SO much sugar lately too. So terrible, but also so delicious 😂 and I 100% feel you on having a touchy family but not being that way yourself. CoachTsWife I hope your family fella better very soon! Sorry you're holiday plans all had to change :/
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 20, 2020 7:52:00 GMT -6
curmudgeon I am here for you! Getting what you like is a great personal style and sounds just like mine. Do you cycle out your furniture or prefer to keep it forever? That will be a deciding factor on how much you want to spend and where to get it from. It's hard to think of keeping items forever especially with my destructobots although I am so happy with our dining table, dings and dents aren't terribly noticeable and it's HW so it can refinished when it gets worn. Hubs and I originally wanted to get a live edge table and 10 years ago, it wasn't popular and the source I found cost 8K with almost 2K to ship from the PNW. Oy! Now it's widely available but with the kids, I would die if they dented the 8K table or scratched it. Ok please help me! Lol my top priority is a dining table so we can stop eating on TV trays. I am trying to get more long-term items now that we are in our forever home. But 8k is definitely out of the budget! I’m looking for good quality but if it gets colored with marker on, I’m not going to have a breakdown over it. I say this as I left the 3 year old alone upstairs while I let the dogs out and came in to every wall upstairs colored with marker. (Thanks to grandma for leaving markers in his room while babysitting) I did like the style of this one, but comments say it’s more orangey than neutral and also the individual planks on the top look like a nightmare for crumbs. www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/greyleigh-tekamah-pine-solid-wood-dining-table-gryl4604.html?cjevent=d577bbab42c811eb818b01710a1c0e0d&refID=CJ687298-CJ2975314&PID=CJ4441350&clickid=d577bbab42c811eb818b01710a1c0e0d#yiidr8na08a-12And here are some pics of my existing and hopefully long term pieces:   |
|
Taitai
Opal
Posts: 8,305 Likes: 54,853 
|
Post by Taitai on Dec 20, 2020 8:24:47 GMT -6
CoachTsWife Oh nooooo. You and your family have been though so much, and I am really, really sorry to hear that your H tested positive and the boys were feverish. Right before Christmas. 🙁☹️. I know you all are strong and you will make it through - I will be hoping and praying that your H has a mild reaction as well. The present opening on Zoom will hopefully bring you some time for connecting with family - I know how that is. We do Christmas presents on FaceTime with our family back in the USA each year. It’s not the same as in person, but it’s better than 30 years ago when all that could happen was a super expensive long-distance phone call. Hoping your family unit can still have a nice Christmas and New Years together, will be thinking about you over here. curmudgeon I love the stuff you already have! As I said before, I’m terrible at decorating, but I think you are in good hands with duskymonkey! Also - omg to the marker on the walls. In your new house???? I hope it was the old one. Were they washable and did it clean up easily?? I have never had to deal with that, knock on wood, but it is a thought that haunts me (bye-bye security deposit). duskymonkey Yes - I have had the pineapple tarts! Our nanny used to work for a Malaysian family, and she knows how to make the pineapple filling, hmmmm so good. She makes it more in a jam cookie form though, but they taste so friggin good. I think I am going to ask her to make them when we get back from our beach vaycay. My stomach is growling thinking about them! mommabakes I am jealous that you know how to make macarons! One batch of salty caramel ones for me please! 😉
|
|
|
|
Post by CoachTsWife on Dec 20, 2020 15:06:44 GMT -6
We talked to our county health department last night and the boys are "presumptive positive" based on DH's confirmed positive and their mild symptoms. I feel great - aside from the feeling of impending doom. lol. That's actually good in a way because the boys can return to daycare and preschool on 12/28 - they must quarantine for 10 days from the onset of their symptoms. However, I have to start a 14 day quarantine on 12/28. I guess I'll reenter society sometime mid-January! Unless I get sick and then I do the 10 day quarantine from onset.
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 20, 2020 18:41:35 GMT -6
Taitai yep in the new house. of course. On flat paint that won’t wipe easily. We are going to have to paint over the areas colored. I tried to wipe with a damp cloth but I’m worried it will leave water marks if I do too much. It faded but it’s still there. Going to try a magic eraser also.
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 20, 2020 18:47:39 GMT -6
Gosh I’m so sorry it’s Covid CoachTsWife. I hope you can keep from catching it somehow, but like you said- that feeling of just waiting for it to hit eventually. Did anyone give you tips of how to avoid being infected when it’s in your own house? |
|
Taitai
Opal
Posts: 8,305 Likes: 54,853
|
Post by Taitai on Dec 21, 2020 0:50:07 GMT -6
CoachTsWife Drink allllllll the hot water! Seriously - hot water is the only liquid I drink when sick people are around me, and for the past year, it’s worked really well. Might be a coincidence, but what duskymonkey said about Ayurvedic medicine makes me feel that I’m not just making it up from nothing, lol. I regularly do nasal rinses as well (that practice is popular in Asia), which I think really helps purge viruses/crap hanging around in your nasal passages. Oh, and gargling with hot salt water at the slightest hint of a sore throat. I do all this stuff consistently now, and I definitely notice that I don’t pick up things from the kids as easily. I hope you continue to feel okay, hopefully you either won’t catch it, or if you do, it will be the asymptomatic reaction. Happy that your kids can go back to daycare on Dec 28th though - not having childcare is so difficult while working. How is your H doing? Holding up ok? curmudgeon Oh man, that sucks the markers on the wall happened in your new home! Nooooo! Fingers crossed the magic eraser will do the trick. The thought of painting again is probably my fun, but at least since you just built the home, you should know the exact color that is already in the walls? Trying to find a silver lining somewhere....
|
|
Taitai
Opal
Posts: 8,305 Likes: 54,853
|
Post by Taitai on Dec 21, 2020 1:07:20 GMT -6
We’ve been at the beach down south for a few days now, and it’s so lovely. Makes me wish we could come here more often. I like the mountains, but the waves crashing on the beach and the smell of the sea is just so calming.
We’re here with another family that we are friends with, and it’s been great to watch our kids play together in the sand/waves and catch soooooo many hermit crabs. DS1 had like 20 hermit crabs in his bucket for a while. He gets such delight from letting them go free all at the same time. We also built a city for the crabs, complete with mountains, volcanoes, tunnels, trenches, and a moat, lol. Some crabs actually seemed to enjoy hanging out in the tunnels. H looked at the elaborate city we built and told me I should have been a civil engineer. Haha.
We have 3 more days left, and then back to the city, where there is a new COVID outbreak in the next door province. Ughhhh. I hope they can clamp down on it - I don’t want to go through another lockdown. That said, I know we are fortunate to be where we are and have the ability to live life pretty normally. So, I can’t complain if another lockdown is heading our way. I feel guilty even talking about our beach vacation while so many in the USA are suffering from COVID and not able to go anywhere.
Guess we’ll soak up the sand and fun while we can, and just see what is in store for us later this week.
PDQ:
Poof!
|
|
|
|
Post by CoachTsWife on Dec 21, 2020 9:31:18 GMT -6
curmudgeon DH has been isolating downstairs. I'm fixing his food and drink and doing drop-offs. He pretty much only comes upstairs to shower and anything he touches I sanitize after. My sister has N95 masks for her business and they did a porch drop so we've both been wearing those. He is very tired of isolating and not being able to be around us and I feel awful about it but also I'm like "stay awayyyyy from meeeee". lol Taitai he's feeling pretty good, considering. When I checked on him this morning he said he felt better than he has in several days. He's congested and has a cough but it is like he is getting over a regular cold.
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 21, 2020 9:32:49 GMT -6
Taitai right it’s not too bad. We get a free gallon or two of our paint color for touch ups. So that should be more than enough to fix it. We just have to go down to the paint store and pick it up. Finding the time during business hours is the real issue! We haven’t even received a mailbox key yet. It’s set up in one of those cluster boxes spaced throughout the subdivision so we can’t get to our regular mail yet. We are falling behind on all the little mundane tasks.
|
|
danvers
Platinum
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 6,087
|
Post by danvers on Dec 22, 2020 19:55:46 GMT -6
H’s grandfather died Friday (no condolences, the man was an asshole). We decided against the girls and I going to the visitation today because we weren’t sure how Covid-19 rules were going to be followed in a pandemic-denying family. H went to support his dad and said the majority were masked up properly the whole time. I will join H for the funeral tomorrow while the girls hang out with my mom.
My mom is a superhero for driving 3.5 hrs one way to stay for one day with the girls and then drive back. A plus would be that knowing we were about to have a guest kicked my lazy Xmas break self into high gear to get the house ready and now it looks so nice (and clean!) for Xmas in only three days! 🎄 🎅🏻
|
|
Taitai
Opal
Posts: 8,305 Likes: 54,853
|
Post by Taitai on Dec 23, 2020 1:38:21 GMT -6
danvers Like was for your mom being awesome and driving all that way to watch the kids. I hope that your H’s family follows protocols for the funeral - sorry about the timing. At least the girls will have some nice time with grandma right before Christmas. 😊
|
|
Taitai
Opal
Posts: 8,305 Likes: 54,853
|
Post by Taitai on Dec 23, 2020 1:43:36 GMT -6
Whelp, the local covid outbreak here is now spreading to all the provinces, which means lockdowns are imminent. Of course this new outbreak happened from a seafood market that supplies shrimp (a very popular thing to eat here) to a big chunk of our country. Ughhhhhhh. There has only been 1 local transmission case in the province where we are vacationing in the south, but we’ve already heard rumors that they will likely lock down by the end of this week. Just crossing my fingers that we can catch our flight back home tomorrow without issue. There are temperature and police checkpoints popping up everywhere, and we are back to fines if you are caught outside without a mask. That’s good, I’m glad they’re taking it seriously. I just don’t want to get stuck in expensive resort-land for a month!
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 23, 2020 17:52:23 GMT -6
We were hosting both sets of grandparents for Christmas Eve but that’s been cancelled now. My mom is sick but says she’s not. Sounds like flu symptoms and I don’t want to risk getting anything so I told my dad to stay home with her also.. ☹️ Then H’s parents said they would just see us Christmas Day. So quiet evening for us tomorrow. On the bright side we can change our BBQ catering order to sushi. And I don’t have to squeeze in a house cleaning after I work a half day.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 24, 2020 1:05:47 GMT -6
danvers Like was for your mom being awesome and driving all that way to watch the kids. I hope that your H’s family follows protocols for the funeral - sorry about the timing. At least the girls will have some nice time with grandma right before Christmas. 😊 I am lazy and concur with the above. Hope you all will be able to stay safe. |
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 24, 2020 1:22:39 GMT -6
CoachTsWife thinking of you. Hoping you're feeling well and the boys are feeling good and your H is feeling back to himself soon.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 24, 2020 1:32:04 GMT -6
mommabakes that's a great idea and the richness of the FBC complements the lightness of the biscuit. The last time I made them was 10 year ago for our wedding lol! I think I made enough for a decade lol. That helps that your H is home by the early afternoon and that you are able to have time to get things done.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 24, 2020 2:02:41 GMT -6
curmudgeon] just seeing your choice of sofa and and dining table tells me you do have a style! so I won't send you to Room and Board. I am sure you've checked out Pottery Barn. Have you heard of Arhaus? Not sure if there's a store near where you are, Anyway they have a similar trestle dining table. Pine is a soft wood and dings easily so keep that in mind. There's a store in NYC - ABC carpet and home. link They may deliver nationwide but they have an array of styles. Our dining set is Acacia wood and it is heavy. It won't budge when you lean on it and the bench is heavy too that even the kids can't move it around which is good thing. Stubbing your toe on it is unpleasant lol!
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 24, 2020 8:01:10 GMT -6
curmudgeon] just seeing your choice of sofa and and dining table tells me you do have a style! so I won't send you to Room and Board. I am sure you've checked out Pottery Barn. Have you heard of Arhaus? Not sure if there's a store near where you are, Anyway they have a similar trestle dining table. Pine is a soft wood and dings easily so keep that in mind. There's a store in NYC - ABC carpet and home. link They may deliver nationwide but they have an array of styles. Our dining set is Acacia wood and it is heavy. It won't budge when you lean on it and the bench is heavy too that even the kids can't move it around which is good thing. Stubbing your toe on it is unpleasant lol! our couch is actually from Arhaus! I looove them but they are at the high end of my budget. But if I can’t find a decent dupe, I may just have to bite the bullet and add slowly. I will check out the link! Hopefully their delivery isn’t crazy expensive. |
|
Taitai
Opal
Posts: 8,305 Likes: 54,853
|
Post by Taitai on Dec 25, 2020 9:05:42 GMT -6
Merry Christmas O17! Wishing you and yours a wonderful day, full of fun and relaxation with your littles 🎄❄️⛄️🎁😊
|
|
danvers
Platinum
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 6,087
|
Post by danvers on Dec 25, 2020 11:33:16 GMT -6
Merry Christmas O17! 🎄
The Barbie Dreamhouse was our big hit here. It is a huge plastic monstrosity that is almost 4ft tall but the girls haven’t stopped playing with it since they got up. They even skipped lunch to keep playing. I’m not sure where it’s going to go in the house eventually though 😬🤷♀️
|
|
|
|
Post by mommabakes on Dec 25, 2020 15:21:25 GMT -6
Merry Christmas ladies! Hope everyone is having a good one.
We are super low key at my house. The kids are playing happily together with their new toys. I am about to start making Mexican food for dinner. One of the few things that everyone in my house agrees upon.
|
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Dec 25, 2020 17:18:36 GMT -6
Merry Christmas! We are at the in laws hanging out, about to go back home. It was a whirlwind day but the boys loved every minute.
|
|
|
|
Post by duskymonkey on Dec 25, 2020 23:54:56 GMT -6
our couch is actually from Arhaus! I looove them but they are at the high end of my budget. But if I can’t find a decent dupe, I may just have to bite the bullet and add slowly. I will check out the link! Hopefully their delivery isn’t crazy expensive. Hah! yes their stuff is pretty good quality. We looked there but couldn't agree on what they had available. If they are on the top of our budget you do not want to look at ABC then lol! Have you looked at PB? They might have something you'd like and their pricing is not awful for good quality. My office desk which we got used is super solid and it's been 10 years and I know the previous owner said they bought it 6 years from PB. Our bureau is also PB and it's built to last. Eventhough I don't have a particular style I prefer more linear and simple designs with just a little twist. Like I absolutely love this style table link If it wasn't for Covid, I'd suggest checking out estate sales in affluent areas. |
|
I'm lucky that my three kiddos play together really well (most of the time) but also DH gets home from work by 2pm so I have help for a longer chunk of the day than most people do!
