Lexi's Latest Jams: Girls Just Want to Have Fun

There is no denying that this is one of Lexi's most "requested" jams.  She has been exposed to this little ditty since she was a wee lass, and now she perks up every time it starts to play.  Oh, Cyndi Lauper, you have cornered the market on having fun (at least in this household).

So let your mind wander back to the early 1980's and relive this tune with us.  Lexi is always willing to give it another spin.  

And here is further proof that Miss Lex is a fan from way back.  It was September 2014, and little Lexi was less than five months old when this video was made.  Forgive the horribly off-key accompaniment by yours truly, as well as the messy state of our game room (I promise we have straightened up since then), and just focus on our sweet baby Lexi jamming to one of her all-time favorites.  

And as always, if you feel like singing right along, here are the lyrics, so go on and belt it out.  You know you want to!

I come home in the morning light

My mother says when you gonna live your life right

Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones

And girls they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun

The phone rings in the middle of the night

My father yells what you gonna do with your life

Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one

But girls they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have

That's all they really want

Some fun

When the working day is done

Oh girls, they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun

Some boys take a beautiful girl

And hide her away from the rest of the world

I want to be the one to walk in the sun

Oh girls they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have

That's all they really want

Some fun

When the working day is done

Oh girls, they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun(Girls they wanna)

(Wanna have fun)

(Girls wanna have)

They just wanna, they just wanna

(Girls, girls just wanna have fun)

They just wanna, they just wanna have fun

Girls, girls just wanna have fun

(They just wanna, they just wanna)

They just wanna, they just wanna

They just wanna, they just wanna

(Girls, girls just wanna have fun)

Girls, girls just wanna have fun

When the workin'

When the workin' day is done

Oh when the workin' day is done

Oh girls, girls just wanna have fun

They just wanna, they just wanna

They just wanna, they just wanna

Oh girls, girls just wanna have fun

(They just wanna, they just wanna)

When the workin'

(They just wanna, they just wanna)

When the workin' day is done

(Girls, girls just wanna have fun)

When the working day is done

Oh girl, girls just wanna have fun

(They just wanna, they just wanna)

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Never Underestimate the Importance of Spelling

Every night, I have a routine to get the boys ready for the next day at school. I go through their backpacks, pull out any papers that might have come home for review, sign any that need to go back, and pack lunches for the next day.

I recently pulled this gem out of Jaxon's backpack. As a reminder, Jaxon is 6 years old and is in kindergarten this year.

I must say that even in my shuffling of papers (there are always quite a few), this one definitely caught my attention right away.

Right there - in all its glory - MY CHILD had written "A toot is little." What? This can't be right!

What was the question the he was answering!?! "Write something that is little."

Well, technically, he's right. I mean on the grand scale of flatulence (all things being considered), I believe everyone would agree that a toot IS considered to be "little" in comparison to a full-blown fart. 

I have to tell you that I fell out laughing right there in the kitchen for AT LEAST 30 minutes. I laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face. And when I finally collected myself to mere giggles and wiped the tears from my eyes, I brought the worksheet downstairs to Jaxon and asked him about it.

And do you know what he told me?

He said, "Oh, the classroom helper who helps grade papers asked me about that sentence too! It says a TOOTH is little."

Even more laughter ensued as I explained to him that by leaving the H off of his intended word, he ended up with an entirely different sentence altogether.

God bless teachers and the helpers who grade their papers. There is no doubt in my mind that they are presented every day with example like these that would send me into fits of raging laughter. And yet, they calmly ask the kiddos what they mean and move along. That is willpower I clearly do not possess. ;-)

Easter Tablescape

Well, it's that time of year once again.  Spring has definitely sprung, but unfortunately I have been a bit behind in getting my table set for the new season this go round.  So instead of setting it in my usual Easter decor, I decided to change up the look just a little this year.  Easter is only a week away, and I sure didn't want to have to undo this table as soon as I got it all put out.  

So here's the finished product. I decided to go for more of a "Springtime" flora and fauna approach, and leave the Easter eggs for another year.  

And to compare, this was last year's Easter table, decidedly more "Eastery", I think.

I have always said that if I had enough jadeite to set a full table with, I would certainly use it for Springtime.  Well, my supply of jadeite has not magically increased, but there's no time like the present.  So I dug out all that I have and sprinkled it all over the table.  I kept a few of my favorite Spring table pieces and voila- there you have it!

No, these aren't Easter eggs, but Springtime does call for eggs of some sort.  I just love these in my jadeite mixing bowl.  

Pink jadeite, anyone?  This mini cake stand is the only pink piece I have but I do love it, and some of my very favorite vintage pieces go great with it. 

I couldn't resist setting my table with pretty pastel colors.   

So I called on some of my very favorite pieces to make a return to the table this year. 

And this bunny will always be my favorite.  He is so pretty and all his veggies take my mind to Springtime without necessarily being overly "Eastery".

So there you have it.  The table it all set, and we are ready for yet another beautiful Spring here. I hope you are getting ready for the season too! 

Jeanne Robertson: "Don't Send a Man to the Grocery Store"

I have had the pleasure of seeing this funny lady speak three times now, most recently just last week. For those who aren't yet familiar with Jeanne Robertson, she stands 6 feet, 2 inches tall in her stocking feet with her hair "mashed down" (or 5 feet, 14 inches as she also likes to say).  She is a former Miss North Carolina, who still makes her home there in the Tarheel state. And she would also say she is not a comedian, but rather a humorist.  She doesn't tell jokes- just stories, but trust me when I say I've never been more entertained than by this wonderful southern belle.  

The first time I ever had the pleasure of hearing her speak, she told the story of sending her husband (She calls him "Left Brain", and she explains that) to the grocery store for her.  I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair.  Even though that was years ago, I always remembered and LOVED that story.  And as luck would have it, she told it again when we saw her last week.  Here is the YouTube clip of the hilarious tale.  

And for those of you who might be interested in her recipe for the 7-Up pound cake that this particular story revolves around, here is the link to that as well.   And now that I think about it, I'm thinking I should give it a whirl myself this weekend.  Though I think I will use her traditional recipe, she does also include her husband's version too, if you are willing to walk on the wild side.  :)

Came the Spring with All Its Splendor

Today we celebrate the first day of Spring! And I do mean celebrate! After such a long and bitterly cold (and snowy winter), we're ever so thankful that warm weather is on its way!

Today's words of wisdom come from the epic poem The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Came the Spring with all its splendor, all its birds and all its blossoms. All its flowers and leaves and grasses.

Source

Strictly for purposes of nostalgia, I've also added here a short excerpt from the poem, which is the most familiar portion of the poem, and which many learned to recite in school:

By the shores of Gitche Gumee,

By the shining Big-Sea-Water,

Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,

Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.

Dark behind it rose the forest,

Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,

Rose the firs with cones upon them;

Bright before it beat the water,

Beat the clear and sunny water,

Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.

We regularly post Words of Wisdom to our Facebook Page. If you're not a follower, you can find us here https://www.facebook.com/theharrissisters. Give us a Like for your daily dose of Harris Sisters Wisdom and Inspiration.

You can also find our Friday posts and many others on my Words to Live By Pinterest board so make sure to pop over there and start following for all the latest updates.

Lexi's Latest Jams: Under the Sea

It's hard to believe it's been nearly 26 years since Disney first released The Little Mermaid.  But the story, the imagery, and definitely the songs have stood the test of time.  So much so that Babydoll's newest jam is none other than Under the Sea.  

I recently bought her a few sea creature bath toys to play with, and one day one a whim at bathtime, I pulled up the tune on the iPad for her to watch while she was bathing.  That was just the start; she's been hooked ever since.  Every time she hears Sebastian start up the familiar tune, she drops everything to watch. 

So if it's been a while for you too, give the tune another listen.  I bet you'll be jamming right along in no time.  (Bonus points if you use a Jamaican accent.) Lyrics below.  Enjoy!!

The seaweed is always greener

in somebody else's lake

You dream about going up there

But that is a big mistake

Just look at the world around you

Right here on the ocean floor

Such wonderful things surround you

What more is you lookin' for?

Under the sea

Under the sea

Darling it's better

Down where it's wetter

Take it from me

Up on the shore they work all day

Out in the sun they slave away

While we devotin'

Full time to floatin'

Under the sea

Down here all the fish is happy

As off through the waves they roll

The fish on the land ain't happy

They sad 'cause they in their bowl

But fish in the bowl is lucky

They in for a worser fate

One day when the boss get hungry

Guess who's gon' be on the plate

Under the sea

Under the sea

Nobody beat us

Fry us and eat us

In fricassee

We what the land folks loves to cook

Under the sea we off the hook

We got no troubles

Life is the bubbles

Under the sea

Under the sea

Since life is sweet here

We got the beat here

Naturally

Even the sturgeon an' the ray

They get the urge 'n' start to play

We got the spirit

You got to hear it

Under the sea

The newt play the flute

The carp play the harp

The plaice play the bass

And they soundin' sharp

The bass play the brass

The chub play the tub

The fluke is the duke of soul

(Yeah)

The ray he can play

The lings on the strings

The trout rockin' out

The blackfish she sings

The smelt and the sprat

They know where it's at

An' oh that blowfish blow

Under the sea

Under the sea

When the sardine

Begin the beguine

It's music to me

What do they got? A lot of sand

We got a hot crustacean band

Each little clam here

know how to jam here

Under the sea

Each little slug here

Cuttin' a rug here

Under the sea

Each little snail here

Know how to wail here

That's why it's hotter

Under the water

Ya we in luck here

Down in the muck here

Under the sea

 

Crockpot Vegan Chili

Spring is ALMOST here but we've still run into a few rough patches of cold and rainy days. And that has given me the opportunity to fire up the crockpot to make chili one more time until it gets cool again in the Fall.

And now that I'm thinking about it, even if it were to turn to full-Spring tomorrow (here's hoping), this is the perfect recipe to Pin now and revisit at the end of Summer when you've got all those garden fresh veggies piling up on you! It will certainly carry you straight into Fall and use up those veggies with ease.

This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Crockpot Vegan Chili

1 medium onion, minced

1 green bell pepper, minced

2 zucchini, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can corn, drained

1 4.5 oz can chopped green chiles

1 28 oz can pureed tomatoes

3 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cumin

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot.
2. Stir to incorporate.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or overnight.

Notes:

Use a food processor to mince the fresh vegetables. They will cook down and provide a similar texture as regular chili.

Add more cayenne pepper if you prefer a spicier chili.

We chose to serve our vegan chili over pasta and topped with sour cream and shredded cheese (because we're not vegans and we like sour cream and shredded cheese.) However, the recipe as written without these additions is a vegan recipe, and you could easily swap those out for vegan cheese and sour cream if you're serving to vegan guests.

If you prefer a traditional chili, check out our Kicking Butt and Taking Names Chili recipe.

If you'd like to serve this up with some cornbread, check out these recipes:

Sweet Honey Cornbread

Cornbread Waffles

Cheesy Cowboy Cornbread

Enjoy!

Irish Blessing

With St. Patrick's Day fast upon us, today's words of wisdom come to us in the form of an Irish blessing.

May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck, brightened by a song in your heart, and warmed by the smiles of the people you love.

A lovely blessing indeed!

Source

We regularly post Words of Wisdom to our Facebook Page. If you're not a follower, you can find us here https://www.facebook.com/theharrissisters. Give us a Like for your daily dose of Harris Sisters Wisdom and Inspiration.

You can also find our Friday posts and many others on my Words to Live By Pinterest board so make sure to pop over there and start following for all the latest updates.

3-14-15: Epic Pi Day!

You might not know it by looking at us Harris Sisters, but once you get past our amazing beauty and our sharp wit, you'll ALSO discover that we're smart. I would go so far as to say that we were even a bit on the nerdy side in school. 

We were members of honor roll and ALWAYS brought home straight A's, regardless of the subject matter. Even math . . . so it should not surprise you that I'm giving you fair warning that this coming Saturday, March 14, 2015, is A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY. 

That was overly dramatic. ;-)

Pi Day is an annual celebration held on March 14 to celebrate mathematical pi. March 14 was chosen as the date because the first three digits of pi (rounded) are 3.14.

Pi Day will have special significance on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 a.m. and p.m. because the date AND time will represent the first 10 digits of pi.

Is your mind blown with all of that mathematical knowledge? ;-)

If your mind hasn't sufficiently turned to mush, we Harris Sisters advise that you celebrate by eating PIE on Pi Day. I mean, we might be smart and all, but we aren't duds and we wouldn't want you to put yourself out by doing the maths on a weekend day! Really, nothing would probably ruin a Pi Day celebration faster than challenging people to calculate the area of a circle and making lame jokes about how "Pie are round, not square" - HA HA.

So, give these tried and true Harris Sisters Pie Recipes a try and remember that you and your pie were a part of history!

• Frozen Lemonade Pie
• Tarheel Pie
• Grandma Elizabeth's Coconut Custard Pie
• Grandma Elizabeth's Old Fashioned Cobbler

Enjoy!

Spinach White Bean Gnocchi

Well, I surprised even myself with this recipe. I wanted to make dinner with ingredients I already had on hand and it turned out great! This recipe features a creamy Alfredo sauce but it's balanced out with spinach and white beans so you don't feel quite so guilty! ;-)

We'll be making this one again soon!

Spinach White Bean Gnocchi

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

1 stick butter

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup milk

4 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz. package frozen creamed spinach

1, 15 oz can white beans, drained

2, 16 oz packages gnocchi

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large saute pan, combine cream cheese, butter, Parmesan cheese, milk, and garlic over medium low heat. Cook on medium-low heat until cream cheese and butter are melted and all ingredients are incorporated, stirring frequently.
2. While sauce is cooking, prepare spinach and gnocchi according to package directions. Drain gnocchi.
3. Add drained beans, prepared spinach, and drained gnocchi to sauce. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To Succeed in Life, You Need Two Things: Ignorance and Confidence

Today's words of wisdom comes from Mark Twain. 

To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence. Wait, what?

Written to be ironic, he is saying that if you are a combination of ignorant AND confident, then you will be convinced of your own success. :-)

Source

We regularly post Words of Wisdom to our Facebook Page. If you're not a follower, you can find us here https://www.facebook.com/theharrissisters. Give us a Like for your daily dose of Harris Sisters Wisdom and Inspiration.

You can also find our Friday posts and many others on my Words to Live By Pinterest board so make sure to pop over there and start following for all the latest updates.

One Man's Trash: Child's Playhouse

Folks, it doesn't get much "trashier" than this.  My husband has done it once again, and this time he scored BIG, and directly out of the trash, which means this find ended up costing us nothing at all. Without further ado, I give you Lexi's new playhouse, courtesy of our neighbor's street trash.  

Let's just consider this the before photo, because we have big plans for this sweet little house.  As you can see, one of the windows is in need of repair, and the door is missing its bottom panel.  Let's just say it was in well-loved condition when we found it.  But on the up-side, this house has great bones. It has a large bay window on the opposing side, a working doorbell, and a big open interior.  

I simply must tell you the story of how it came to pass that we acquired this little house because it's quite funny.  We were leaving our neighborhood a few weeks back, and my husband slammed on the brakes and said, "Did you see that little house back there?"  Of course, I hadn't seen it, so he backed up to take a look.  It was literally discarded to the side of the road in a pile of trash and yard rubbish. John asked me if we wanted it for Lexi to use in our back yard, and of course I said YES!!  

The only trouble was it was too big to fit in the back of our SUV, so we went on our way and decided if it was still there later, we would enlist the help of our next door neighbor and his truck. Apparently, it was meant to be because that's just what we did.  This isn't the first time my hubby has scored loot directly from the trash.  He's a junker from way back- he learned it from his dad.  They are the modern day Sanford and Son.  :)

Looks like the girls are gonna have a big time playing in this little house this summer.  Stay tuned to the blog for "After" pictures once we doll it up.  Until then, I will leave you with this little tidbit.  We did a quick Amazon search and found this exact house for sale - for over $1000.  I'd say this is most certainly a case of One Man's Trash....  Possibly our best score to date.  

National Grammar Day: Spell Check Poem

Today is March 4, which marks National Grammar Day. So, I thought I'd bring you this funny poem to celebrate. It certainly emphasizes the importance of knowing how to spell (or use a good old fashioned dictionary) instead of ONLY relying on your spell check. ;-)

That being said, having been a professional Copy Editor and Proofreader for many years. Please do spell check. It's your last line of defense! I want you to do it, and so does Uncle Sam:

Always arm yourself with good grammar:

Happy Grammar Day, folks!

Lexi's Latest Jams: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Our little Lexi sure does love a good beat; she's got the rhythm, let me tell you.  And she already has herself quite the playlist stacking up.  This particular jam is one we have recently settled on.  It's the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by none other than the famous Andrews Sisters.  

Here they are in their heyday back in the 1940s.  

So lovely, and such talent.  Take a listen.

And in case you find yourself wanting to sing right along, here are the lyrics.  But be warned, this one is likely to get stuck in your head for days, so proceed with caution.  :)

He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way

He had a boogie style that no one else could play

He was the top man at his craft

But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft

He's in the army now, a-blowin' reveille

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam

It really brought him down because he couldn't jam

The captain seemed to understand

Because the next day the cap' went out and drafted a band

And now the company jumps when he plays reveille

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

A-toot, a-toot, a-toot-diddelyada-toot

He blows it eight-to-the-bar, in boogie rhythm

He can't blow a note unless the bass and guitar is playin' with 'im

He makes the company jump when he plays reveille

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

He was some boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

And when he plays the boogie woogie bugle he was busy as a "bzzz" bee

And when he plays he makes the company jump eight-to-the-bar

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

Toot toot toot-diddelyada, Toot-diddelyada, toot-toot

He blows it eight-to-the-bar

He can't blow a note if the bass and guitar isn't with 'im

Ha-ha-hand the company jumps when he plays reveille

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

(Instrumental)

He puts the boys to sleep with boogie every night

And wakes 'em up the same way in the early bright

They clap their hands and stamp their feet

Because they know how he plays when someone gives him a beat

He really breaks it up when he plays reveille

He's boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B

Dat-da da-do-do da-dup

Dat-da da-do-do da-dup

Dat-da da-do-do da-dup

Dat-da da-do-do da-dup

Ha-ha-hand the company jumps when he plays reveille

He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B!