Pretzels, Sliders, and Manners

This is one of those multi-topic posts today.  Several things I want to talk about.  So, here we go.

Pretzels
If you've noticed lately I've been really trying to be more frugal.  I've made menu plans, budgets, and shopped secondhand.  I have been doing all this in light of several things.  First and foremost, our household budget was failing.  It was absent, really.  I claimed to make a budget, but what I was really doing was writing down all the money we spent on credit card bills, the mortgage, doctor's bills, stuff like that.  I wasn't telling my money where to go.  I wrote it down, and then watched it disappear.  Secondly, Dave Ramsey has been teaching me how to be in control of our money instead of letting it control us.  That has been one of the best things that has happened to us in a long time. We are finally taking ownership.  Lastly, I'm so tired of relying on pre-made products.  I hate how easy it is to buy a bag of frozen food and throw it in a frying pan and dinner is ready in 10 minutes.  How can this be healthy for my family?  This is when I made my vow to cook with more whole foods instead of frozen, pre-made foods.  But that's another topic in itself.  (So, how is this about pretzels?!)  Anyways, I am really focusing on how to be more frugal.  I'm following blogs of frugal people and reading up on how to cheerfully live on less.  So, I got a bread machine as a wedding present from my in-laws.  I used it a few times, burnt the bread, and then put it in storage, proclaiming I couldn't cook and I didn't even know how to use a bread machine.  Well, I'm dusting it off.  Codi told me just to use it as a "kneader" and then bake the bread in my oven so I can control the temperature and time.  This weekend I'm going to give it a whirl.  I'm going to make Soft Pretzels and I'll let you know how they turn out.  I love to eat these things, but they are just so darn expensive!  Even the frozen ones at the commissary are like $8 a box.  And we can eat them all in about a day.  If I can make them, and they turn out great, maybe I'll make like a quadruple batch and freeze them for a "handy after-school snack."  According to Cozi, I have all the ingredients!!

Sliders
The sliders I made the other night were OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD delicous!  They will be going on the menu again and again!  They were so pretty and very tasteful.  They were simple to make and I enjoyed watching McCoy become excited to eat them.  Okay, that was short, but I thought I would let you know that the sliders are defiantly worth a try. (Click for the recipe).

Manners

Awwww, this story melts my heart.  This one is about my precious baby boy, who is growing up to be a fine, well-mannered young boy.  Recently, we taught McCoy how to sign "please".  Within a few days of signing it on a regular basis, he began to speak the word.  "Peeeeeees!"  He can sign and say that when we ask him to say it.

Mac: "uuh uuh" (and other whiny sounds)
Mom: "McCoy, can you say 'Please?'" (while signing)
Mac: "Peeeeeeeeess!!" (while signing)
Mom: "Good job, Buddy!  Here you go!"

Now, McCoy can say several other words clearly-- Momma, Dada, and Bubba (the dog), but his first, real, word, is "Please."  How wonderful is that?

This morning, McCoy woke up around 5:00 am (I know, right?!) and so I brought him in bed with us and nursed him for about half an hour hoping he would fall back asleep.  Alas, he did not.  He shimmed out of our bed and walked into the kitchen to the refrigerator asking for his milk cup.  So, I said what I always say, "McCoy, can you say 'Please?'"  McCoy says "Pleeeeeeesss??"

We were getting dressed and McCoy saw this stacking toy (that Whit hates!) on the top shelf of his closet.  He began to make his whiny sounds and opening and closing his hands like "gemme, gemme!"  And this time, all I said was "McCoy, what do you say?"

Then music rang out.
"Pleeeeeeesss??"

YES!!!  I didn't have to say "McCoy, say 'Please'".  No, he knew.  I love him and love watching him grow smarter everyday.  I'm so blessed that he is one smart cookie!!