MARITAL BLISS

Fran and Jon...the most handsome couple!


Saturday night I had a date. It wasn’t just any old date…it was the social event of the year! My good friend Fran was marrying her wonderful fiancé. I worked with Fran at the Rosie O’Donnell Show. Now I work with Fran at the Martha Stewart Show—as a matter of fact that’s where she met Jon. They are just perfect—two peas in a pod…swimming in a delicious butter sauce with mashed potatoes on the side! I am truly happy for them. It’s such an inspiration to witness two people finding their soulmates. Their wedding of course brought many memories of my marriage to Bob….x amount of years ago. (x = y-z) Yes, I feel like the old married lady…with the wisdom of the old married folk. So Fran and Jon, don’t be shocked if I tell you that married promises sometimes are meant to be broken. (But don’t worry—there’s still a happy ending).
As a young bride I vowed to never ever get a bed bigger than a full size…after all isn’t that what romance is all about? Snuggling up to one another on a cold winter night…feeling his breath on your face—as the full moon shines upon you through the window? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that lasts about 3 months max…but then the snoring kicks in…the cold winter night turns into the hot summer sweat-fest and the kids just don’t squeeze in comfortably in your bed. So now instead of that full bed that I swore to be faithful to-- I find myself asking why king beds don’t come in 3XL.
Another wedding promise…I vow to always look sexy for my husband…no matter what…I’ll never let myself go. Well someone let Victoria’s secret out of the bag…because that tight lingerie with the lace that leaves a rash soon disappears into the most comfortable flannel you could ever imagine. The cute little numbers that looked so appealing on the honeymoon gives way to sweats and anything elastic. You talk yourself out of changing your shirt because the spit-up isn’t that noticeable. You allow yourself to believe that not washing your hair everyday is actually gives a good shine. And every time the scale is up 5 pounds you keep telling your husband to fix that darn scale so it reads correctly.
Here’s another wedding vow we made to one another…on our fifth wedding anniversary we would return to our honeymoon and celebrate our love for one another (in our case…it was not only our love for one another but another, and another and another. In 5 years of marriage we had 2 kids under the age of 4 and one on the way.) There wasn’t any way we were hopping on a plane to Tahiti to celebrate our love—just getting a night out without the kids at the local hamburger place was a cause of celebration of love!
And finally everyone should know that the vow of "I will always love you" isn’t quite what its cracked up to be. Yes… this vow will be true—but unbeknownst to you it is only a mere quarter of what your love will become. Love will remain constant…but it will also grow deeper in ways you can’t even imagine. That handsome lad of yours will become even more beautiful at 2 am when he offers to get up for the next feeding so you can sleep. That wonderful smile of his that keeps you a flutter has your heart beating even faster when he’s shoveling the snow digging your car out of the driveway. Those masculine arms of his become even stronger when he’s holding the baby with puke all over him. He will always offer his shoulder to cry on…he will always have a smile that says it all without saying a word…he will always have a look that makes you know it’s going to be ok. Yes some vows might not stand the test of time—but those are the superficial ones. Love always will…and that’s what’s most important. Love will move mountains; love will be there in your brand new King size bed, love will come in 23 shades of plaid flannel pajamas, love will continue to bloom at McDonalds with kids screaming for happy meals. Love will grow forever. Happy wedding Fran and Jon.

THE MOVIE THEATRE USHER HAT.

This is what I swept after the "3:00 pm showing"

and this is what I swept after the last "showing".....ugh...help!!!

It’s raining here on the East Coast cats and dogs…I think it’s our friend Hurricane Danny making himself known. Speaking of weather my baby sitter is under it. She called out sick today. She has a fever, chills—all flu like symptoms. I’m paranoid it could be swine flu. But then again...I always am overly dramatic.

So today I will wear two hats as I work from home…my mom hat and my supervising producer for the Martha Stewart show hat. It got me thinking that every mom wears many hats. There’s the doctor hat making all our children’s ailments better, the nurse hat when we help diagnose what’s wrong, the police hat when we blow our whistle trying to stop the kids from fighting, the judge hat when we have to serve punishments…you get the picture…so many different hats. Well there is one hat that I don’t like wearing and need some help taking off. MOVIE USHER HAT. Yes I said Movie Usher hat. The guy who not only helps collect tickets but then has to sweep all the candy, gum, popcorn after the movie. I have told my girls time after time not to eat in our TV room. And as loud and clear as I make the message…. They find ways to "sneak" in a snack. What makes it so bad is that they then find a way to leave their evidence behind…. (guys...If you’re going to go through with the sneaking…can’t you prevent me from finding the evidence…instead the evidence usually gets stuck between the couch.) I’ve punished the kids when I catch them. I’ve turned the TV off and announced it’s book night…but somehow someway my role as Movie Usher continues…. I need help…any suggestions…because I’m totally open. Email me at threepluskids@aol.com

ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE

Gemma enjoying my curbstore find!

Gemma and Rebecca love their Barbie cars!

I am a bargain hunter. When you have 5 children it’s not even a choice…no it’s a necessity. Clipping coupons, scouring the clearance aisles, searching website after website for the lowest price…it’s all about saving money. I love deals. Some might say I’m cheap—and you know what…I wear that title proudly. And thanks to the recent economic woes—it’s now actually fashionable to be cheap. And at times, I am not too proud to say that I even have found some great deals from other people’s “discards” (fancy word for garbage). I consider myself a trend setter…this is what I tell myself when I’m dragging items from people’s curbs and ducking low so they can’t tell it’s me. I have gotten some of my best deals from what I like to call the “curb store”. My husband and I first discovered the “curb store” on one of our many walks when we first moved into our complex. We discovered that since Tuesday is garbage pick up day that meant the curb store hours were open Monday from 7 pm till the following morning at 6 am. One of my best finds came from my next door neighbor’s house. I remember the first time I spotted what would soon become my daughter’s dresser. It was wrapped in plastic wrap from bottom to top and looked brand new. At first glance it looked like it might have just fallen off the delivery truck but upon closer inspection we discovered this was a curb store special. Since it belonged to our neighbor I felt it would be wise to at least ring the doorbell and officially ask if they were getting rid of the dresser because we could use one. I would have just died to actually have them see me and my husband hauling it off. Now while I said I’m proud to be cheap…I’m not that proud to ring the door bell so I made my husband do that part. He would ask the question while I discreetly pretended to be picking weeds (as if I had no idea what he was asking). When no one answered the door we decided to make our big move. Quick let’s grab this thing before they come home and see us. Bob got a dolly out of the garage so we could place the heavy dresser on top. We started rolling and pushing it up the driveway…sweating, panting…and soon our deed was accomplished. Of course, now we can never have the neighbors visit our daughter’s room—the coincidence would be just uncanny!

It wasn’t too long after that we scored another great find. On one of our many walks we spotted a Barbie car. The kind a small child can sit inside and actually drive. It wasn’t as new looking as the dresser but there were that many dents in it either. Now this was an item from the curb store that would actually require a drive thru pickup. My husband Robert would have to run home…get the car, load the item and make a fast getaway. It’s so funny how we women can train our men. I don’t think Bob would have ever done any of this curb store pickup situations in a million years…but there I am encouraging him to the finish line.

Now I’m not sure if it just was a bad year for Barbie car models or not…but that summer we ended up picking up a total of 4 Barbie cars. Most of the time all they needed was a new battery. One required a little tinkering…but that’s what husbands love to do…it gives them a sense of accomplishment. My daughters practically each have their own Barbie cars to drive around in the backyard. They love it…and while most of these cars retail for around 300 dollars…we got them for the cost of a new battery. When friends come over and see the 4 Barbie cars they can only wonder if we won the lottery…or just robbed a bank. Let’s just keep this our little secret…..thanks. Have you gotten a great find somewhere? Would love to know about your deals…please email us at threepluskids@aol.com

HAIR TODAY...GONE TOMMORROW?

Pauline fixing my hair during Graceann's game.


Gemma trying to style her dad's hair...not much to do.

do you like my new "doo"?

As I look closer at my hair...I'm really liking my color...Natural Instincts Egyptian Plum

cute hairstyle!

Do you know that hair is the fastest growing tissue in the human body? It grows 0.3 to 0.5 millimeters each day. Well I’m sure my husband Robert would disagree…but that’ll be another post—I’m quite partial to men who are balding or losing their hair. On another note do you know that a hair strand’s life span is five and a half years? Hair is quite amazing—a single strand can tell you if you smoke, drink or what your ethnic origin is. The one thing it cannot tell is whether you or male or female. The average person has approximately 150,000 hairs on his or her head. (Sorry Robert…you’re not average—but better than average in my opinion). Also listen to this…a single strand can support 100 grams in weight. That means a whole head of hair (in theory) could support the weight of two elephants. What might you do with these facts? Save it for when you appear on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and win some money (but remember your sources…and donations are welcomed). Seriously, I saw a statistic that said we spend approximately 42 billion dollars a year on our hair and hair products. As the mother of 5 girls I am proud to say I am doing my share to keep the economy going. The amount of hairbrushes alone that I buy is a staggering statistic. I don’t buy new ones because they break or are worn…I buy them because the girls take the brushes and I simply can’t find them. Well “can’t” isn’t the word I’m really looking for...I actually should say I don’t usually find them for weeks until I venture to the basement and dig into the bottom of the Barbie doll bin. That’s where I find MY and their hair brushes filled with perfect blond strands of hair. I think secretly everyone loves experimenting and playing with hair—it might only be a girl thing…but give any one of my daughter’s a hair brush and a clip…and we’re talking hours of fun. Throw in an infomercial product like bump-its or the revostyler or the braid master and we’re talking DAYS if not WEEKS of enjoyment. Sometimes I raise the stakes by telling one of my younger daughters that mommy wants a new “doo”. I give them a brush and clips…and I come out looking like I’ve never been seen before (or should be seen). The upside to all of this is lack of the kids making a mess, lack of being bored and lack of fighting (except when it comes to turns to style mommy’s hair)…that’s when you pull out 2 or 3 brushes and give each daughter a “section of hair”. It’s gotten to the point now that my younger daughters pack hair brushes where ever they go—this includes their older sister’s softball games. So right there in the stands an instant beauty parlor is born. “Yeah Grace you got a hit….just like my new hairstyle!”

DADDY DOLLARS!

An actual Daddy Dollar!

As a television producer it takes a lot to impress me. I see new ideas every single day. That’s part of my job to scrutinize over hundreds of ideas and weed through the best ones. So when I find something fantastic I want to share it with the world. Yesterday I had one of those eureka finds! I found a really clever idea when I was multitasking—although some people would say it was during an ADHD moment. I was watching television, holding Rebecca and Gemma, reading them a book and at the same time glancing at a magazine. It was one of my favorite magazines called FAMILY FUN. I came across a story about a woman who made “daddy dollars” which her kids would earn by doing small tasks. When her children saved enough “daddy dollars” they could spend them at the “mommy mart” where they might purchase small toys, trinkets, school supplies etc. The children could even work together as a team and pool their money together to go out to family dinners or enjoy a movie night. Now you might be asking why these are called “daddy dollars”. There’s a website that prints out dollars which allows you to upload a photo of daddy to be put in the place of Mr. Washington. I couldn’t tell you if the Federal Reserve has anything to say about this…but it’s a lot of fun and might just get the kids to really do their chores. Now as a liberated woman, I wondered if I should go with the terminology of “daddy dollars”….maybe they should be Deyo Dollars. And instead of Daddy’s face on the bill…we could all take turns…mommy’s face, Graces, Carolines etc. But when I considered the fights over “…but why do I get a Grace dollar? I want my own!” To which I would reply…”and of course you should have your own…but sweetie… mommy’s tired and I can’t print anymore dollars right now.” So I realized let’s keep this simple—daddy dollars it is. After all let’s not forget who’s really the good guy in all of this…Mommy and her mommy mart!

So here’s what you need to do to create your very own daddy dollars. Log onto www.festisite.com/money . The program will allow you to upload your photo and it’s quite explanatory from there. I actually enlarged the dollar just a bit so it came out the actual size of a dollar bill. The great thing about the program is that you can actually print out 5’s, 10’s, 20’s…and I guess if the kids are really good…100’s (maybe special occasions like birthdays—or perhaps right before they have to go back to school and they will use that money on back to school clothes.) Also the program prints out different money currencies as well. Enjoy it…drop me a line in the comments section or email me directly at threepluskids@aol.com and let me know if it works for you. And if you have any great and valuable tips I would love to hear about them so we can share them too.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS...

I LOVE THIS HOUSE!

When you think of the word home you probably think of love, peace, a sense of familiarity. For me home represents warmth—a fuzzy slipper kind of warmth, a place like no other. A place where my family is—where I want to be…a place that comes first. Now there is home as in a “feeling” and there is home in the sense of four sides, doors and windows, a yard…you get the picture. What makes life special is when that feeling of home is synonymous with the four sides version. I’ve been lucky to have lived in 4 loving homes. There was the orange house on Beverly Road that I first remember. I wasn’t born there…but it was the first home I can truly visualize. Yes I did say it was orange…more like a golden amber…and yes it was the ‘60’s. Although I couldn’t say it was a popular color choice since it was the only orange house on our block or that I’d ever seen—I will say we definitely stood out. My memories of my orange house are all happy ones….waking up early…playing with my best friend Frank in the back yard, playing on the swings, eating popsicles in the yard and learning how to ride a bicycle for the first time in the driveway. There was the occasional crash in the garage (when I bragged to Frank I knew how to drive a car at the age of 4 and he took me up on it)…there was the time Frank and I ran away from home…although we didn’t get very far because we both were told we could never cross the street, and the police brought us home…but for the most part life on Beverly Road in that orange house was bliss. We moved to the house on Union Street when I was 6 years old. I was sorry to leave my friends but excited because the house was huge! We got lost in the basement if you can imagine. That’s where I lived the majority of my life—approximately 20 years. (no, not the basement...the house). The memories could fill a series of books. My parents always made home feel safe and special. That’s the way I have tried to make it for my girls in our home now. (My other home was the one I bought at the age of 28 years old—talk about a sense of pride and accomplishment…wow!)

So back to the brick house on Union Street—I loved it there. As I mentioned it was a huge house—one that accommodated my six siblings and I. We each got our own room. I had the pink room over looking the front yard…able to witness any unusual goings on (which never really happened except in my mind). And how cool is this….our street is where the 4th of July Parade started every year. So my brothers and sisters always felt like we were granted VIP access to the set-up and of course prime seating.

And as I grew older and eventually moved out of the house I truly enjoyed our family homecomings around the holidays. My parents turned the house into a winter wonderland around Christmas—welcoming Santa and every elf. At Easter time, they made the bunny extremely proud...and Thanksgiving was a cornucopia of blessings.
When my parents announced they were downsizing and moving…I felt really sad. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend that you wouldn’t see intimately again…sure you’d pass by…glance at one another…but never know one another’s secrets. When my parents began showing the house it felt like my former home was having an affair on me. Allowing other families to potentially enjoy her company. Ok, I’m a grown woman…I’m being silly. It’s just that I loved that house so very much. When my mom called to tell me the house has been sold to a nice family with 4 kids. I was actually happy. This is where it belongs-- with a nice family—with a lot of kids (3 plus kids actually). The house has not heard children’s voices running through it’s halls for so long. It hasn’t had any kids coloring on the walls or peeling its wallpaper to see what’s behind it. The house needs that. It hasn’t heard laughter, or crying, or fighting for so long. As much as I will miss that house I know we both have to move on…and my memories will always be with me. I love you Union Street house!

MOTHER/DAUGHTER DAYS

Caroline and Me getting ready for our Mother/Daughter day...

Graceann loving Tennessee

Graceann at the Park...

Graceann pitching...

Graceann--softball pitcher extraordinaire!

My daughter Graceann was reading my blog…and the first thing she noticed was that there were hardly any photos of her. My girls love each other a lot—but they’re also competitive. And they love to compete for my love and attention. I’m sure if you have more than one child you might have been asked the question…"Mom who do you love more…me or (fill in name of other sibling). And when you respond with I love all of you equally the same---they never seem to be satisfied with that answer. That’s why I created Deyo Mother/Daughter days. These days have to be earned…and that can happen a number of ways…keeping a bedroom clean, listening to mom and dad when they request something, helping with daily chores, etc. Once this day is earned…my daughter can select what she would like to do with me—one on one. It may become a lunch date, it might become a shopping day at the mall, it may be going for a haircut, and it may be just going to the park and playing catch. I think the girls really love the one on one time…and of course for me…it relieves some of the guilt as a working mother. So today is Caroline’s mother/daughter day. She has chosen to go to Target to spend her gift certificates that she received from her birthday (which took place 4 months ago.) and then we’ll go grocery shopping—which she loves to do too. It works for me because I can get an errand or two done during the mother/daughter day.

But now back to Graceann (her mother/daughter day is next weekend)….but she didn’t think it was fair that there weren’t enough pics of her. So I want to share some more with you. I will also tell you that Graceann is quite a superstar pitcher. She came close to a no-hitter this summer (1 hit shutout)…and just loves the game. She is only 11 years old…but this Fall will play in the 14-year-old and up league. She’s always played up—she’s competitive…so now Gracie…you lead with the most pics on mom’s blog…(I love you!)…xoxoxox Mom

FEBREZE = MONSTER SPRAY

Monsters, Witches and Ogres...have invaded our household!

I am really, really cranky. Let this be a warning to anyone who might come in contact with me today…that I might bite. Today I am a bear. This happens to me whenever I don’t get my full 8 hours of sleep. I’m like Jekyll and Hyde. One moment I am calm, cool, collected—but without a good nights sleep I am a monster. So why not enough sleep? The answer is simple…2 words in fact—musical beds. Let me explain. During the day my girls love watching some scary show for kids that’s perfect for the bright sun. But when night falls—that scary show comes back to haunt them. I’ve told them over and over to stop watching…I’ve told the babysitter to not let them see it. I’ve told my husband to block the show….but somehow—like a train wreck you can’t help but watch. So every night the girls come up with a plan of who’s sleeping with whom—who will be safe with whom in case any ogres, monsters or witches decide to visit. On any given night Graceann and Gemma set up their barricade of safety, Pauline and Caroline take turns rotating with Rebecca, and sometimes just for fun it gets all mixed around again. And every night when I tell the girls ALL MUST SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BEDS…I am glanced upon with sad puppy dog eyes just looking for a home. When I stay strong and convince them that the look isn’t working…then they come up with plan B….which consists of any of the following options…
“Mom, you’ve had a hard day—let us rub your feet”!
“Mom, the babies made a mess—do you know where the broom is so we can sweep it up? Oh and while we’re at it…have you seen the Windex so we can clean the windows.”
“Mom, are you thirsty, we’re going to make you some iced tea…and do you want chips with that?”
Of course I am wise to all of these plans…but over the past two weeks I have caved in…mostly because besides being tired and not wanting to fight them on it…my feet do need a rubdown…and the floor does need to be swept…and chips really hit the spot!.

So last night wasn’t like any other night…Graceann, Caroline and Pauline all slipped into Grace’s bed and settled down for the night. I thought I was lucky because Gemma and Rebecca fell asleep early and we were able to carry them up to their own beds. 2 down 3 to go….except that at 4:30 in the morning I heard Rebecca start to stir. Now it always amazes me how a mother’s ears suddenly become like the Bionic Woman’s when it involves the kids. I can ask my husband Bob to tend to the girls and he’ll claim he doesn’t hear anything…but low and behold I can hear the slightest sound of breath. When this happens I do what I’ve always done since they were little…roll over—go back to sleep and hope and pray they do the same. Sometimes I’m lucky and they do—but last night was not one of those nights. No…Rebecca was scared and because misery loves company she woke Gemma up (who shares a room with her)…to feel her pain. I got up and told Rebecca everything was ok…she was safe…there were no monsters, ogres or witches hiding in the closet or under the bed. Let’s face it…the closet is so jam packed with junk…I don’t think anyone could fit in there…the same with under the bed. Nonetheless I have a trick up my sleeve for moments such as these. Thank goodness for Febreze Fabric Refresher. While most of you may know this product as one that eliminates foul odors…I know it as “MONSTER SPRAY”. A squirt here, a squirt there….takes care of all monsters, ogres and witches. The smell is so disturbing to them that they will stay away for miles. So a little spray under the bed…in the closet and around the entrance of the door works like a charm….it’s to monsters—what garlic is to Vampires. It works and I’m proud to say that not only does it help me get a good night’s sleep—it makes the house smell nice. Now last night I ran into a bit of a problem. The Febreze—I mean Monster spray was not where I usually keep it (on the girls’ dresser). Unbeknownst to me the older girls took it to spray in their room. But since I’m dealing with a 3 and 4 year old—I know I can work my way out of this jam. Its dark….the girls can’t see whether or not I have the spray in my hand—so I start putting my lips together and begin making phisting sounds—like a spray. I was convincing. Gemma asked for more spray around her bed. I phisted away! Then Gemma asked me why she didn’t smell the pretty smell the monster spray makes. Um, Um….well, um…maybe my 3 and 4 year old are smarter than I think. Then it came to me. “Gemma, after midnight the smell disappears so that the witches don’t think you’re making a brew for them. Sometimes they think the smell is just like their squirrel stew.” Was that going to work? Gemma responded, “oh…ok—love you mom—goodnight.” I got a hug and kiss from Rebecca too and wandered back to my beautiful soft relaxing bed. But for whatever reason I couldn’t fall back asleep. I tossed I turned, I turned and I tossed. Then before I knew it my husband’s alarm went off…ok…I guess I’m up too. Only now I’m cranky.

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM...WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!

GEMMA ENJOYING A FROZEN TREAT!

Can you guess which daughter is upset that I "stole" a lick of her ice cream?

If you live in the Northeast you’ll notice we’re experiencing a bit of a heat wave. Well perhaps it’s just about everywhere…but after starting the summer with cool, wet weather it’s quite a change. We’re now in the dog days of 95+ temperatures and I don’t really like it. I often wonder what people did before air conditioners. Then I remember I was one of those people. Yes, air conditioners existed when I was younger—but no my parents couldn’t afford them so we had a fan that blew around hot air.

We have a pool in our backyard. It’s a 3 foot above ground pool that we’ve had for the past 3 years. We usually fill it with only 2 feet of water so the younger kids can feel safe in it. Of course this doesn’t sit well with the older kids who accuse us of stealing their Olympic swimming moments. Nonetheless, since this summer started off cool we never bothered to fill the pool this year. Now it wouldn’t be hard to fill the pool…it’s just that every time we thought of doing it…we kept telling ourselves “is it worth it for just 2 weeks left in the season? After all the kids are going back to school”. Then when we see the thermometer climb higher and higher we kick ourselves for not doing it.

Over the weekend I bought a sprinkler ball at CVS. The girls were excited. I was excited because it was 40% off. Yet, the ball only lasted a day. Somehow it just stopped working…I suppose it got clogged or something. A great deal turned into a lemon.

So here’s another way we try to keep cool. We make sorbet. Yes, we don’t have time to fill up the pool but there’s always time to make sorbet. My girls particularly love my watermelon sorbet. This summer’s watermelon crop was quite disappointing…and I never want to shell out more than 5 dollars for a seedless watermelon. So when prices climbed to $7.99 I was bummed out. But here’s my recipe if you can find watermelon on sale.

WATERMELON SORBET:

Ingredients
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
4 cups seeded, chopped watermelon
1/4 cup lime juice

Preparation
Bring 3 cups water and sugar just to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool.
Process sugar syrup and watermelon, in batches, in a blender until smooth. Stir in lime juice. Cover and chill 2 hours.
Pour mixture into the freezer container of a 1-gallon ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can combine any fruits you like. You can make a peach sorbet, pineapple grapefruit sorbet, raspberry sorbet, lemon sorbet, orange sorbet…etc.
If you’re really ambitious you can make vanilla ice cream and add any flavor combination you like…chocolate covered pretzels, nuts and fudge, caramel, strawberry…yum.

VANILLA ICE CREAM:
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups half-and-half (light cream)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation
1. In a 2- to 3-quart pan, combine sugar and half-and-half. Stir over high heat until bubbles form at pan edge (scalding, about 180°), 5 to 8 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk eggs to blend. Then whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into eggs. Return egg mixture to pan and stir over medium-low heat with a flexible spatula-scraper, scraping pan bottom and sides thoroughly for even cooking, until custard thickly coats a metal spoon (about 190°), 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add vanilla to custard.
4. At once, nest pan in ice water and stir custard often until mixture is cold, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Pour cold custard through a fine strainer into a bowl, then pour mixture into an ice cream maker (1-qt. or larger capacity), or strain directly into the maker; discard residue. Once ice cream starts to freeze, you can add in any flavors (strawberries, caramel, pretzels, chocolate chips etc) Freeze according to manufacturer's directions until mixture is firm enough to scoop.
It’s delicious.

Now if it’s just too hot to deal with an ice cream maker—never fear. Get into the car and drive to the nearest McDonalds. They offer cold creamy vanilla or chocolate custard (in a cone or cup) for only one dollar. And I just found out that Baskin Robbins offers dollar cones every Wednesday. Of course your local supermarket will carry your favorite flavors too….ice cream—nothing more delicious on a really hot day!

TREASURE HUNTS ARE GUILT FREE!

MY GIRLS WAITING FOR THEIR TREASURE HUNT!

There is a lot of guilt associated with working mothers. We can’t seem to help it. We try to juggle it all but let’s face it no one’s perfect. So we often feel like someone’s getting shortchanged—and if it’s not the job, or the kids then it’s definitely us.

I was very fortunate when my oldest daughter Graceann was born. I was working at the Rosie O’Donnell Show and Rosie had a daycare right in our offices. As luck would have it, my office was right next to the daycare. (Well maybe it wasn’t so much luck as much as it was—“she’s a mom…she’ll put up with the screaming and banging on the walls”). It was just the best—not only for me but for my daughter Graceann. I was able to visit her as much as I wanted to during the day. I could have lunch with her. And on any given day Grace could have lunch with Elmo, Big Bird, Bear in the Big Blue House—just about any of the characters who came to visit the Rosie Show—even celebrities. I’ll never forget the time I walked into the nursery and the Duchess of York—Sarah Ferguson was reading her children’s book to Graceann who was playfully sitting on her lap. Many times celebrities would bring their own children to the nursery. I remember the time Madonna’s daughter Lourdes was playing dolls with Graceann—a sight that boggles my mind still to this day. This environment presented little if not 0% guilt as a working mother. I could actually feel guilty about other things…like eating one too many Twix bars.

When the show came to an end I remember thanking Rosie for the greatest gift a working mom could have PEACE OF MIND…that’s what Rosie gave me for allowing me to juggle a job I love and still being able to be a mom. Rosie told me to “pay it forward”—in other words in every future job I hold…help working moms. And I do the best I can. I supervise some working moms—and I support them 100 percent. Especially in the television industry—I believe that a producer is enhanced by being a mom—they know what “real moms” want to watch. They know our viewing audience. They know what our viewers really want to see.

Today isn’t so guilt free as it was in the Rosie days—I think that was such a special case. As a mom of 5 kids I often feel guilty that I’m not giving them as much one on one attention as I should (Thank goodness for MOTHER/DAUGHTER DAYS…more on that later). I do feel guilty that I’m not with them all the time the way my mother was with me. But today we’re living in a different generation…two incomes are needed to make ends meet. And as much as I miss my daughters—I try to remember something Rosie O’Donnell told me. She said that by me working—I am giving my daughters one of the greatest gifts I can possibly give them. I am showing my children that you can have it all (if you choose). You can do anything you want in this world—and you can also be a mom. Where there’s a will there’s a way. That comment motivates me still to this day. But now back to the title of this post…TREASURE HUNT. What exactly does that mean? Treasure Hunts serve the purpose of relieving the guilty feelings of working. I hide little treats and gifts around the house and then during the day I call home and give clues to my daughters where the hidden treasures might be. The girls get so excited for it. Some of the treasures I have hidden are:
COLORING BOOKS
SNACKS
BUBBLES
BLOCKS
CORN
COLORED CONSTRUCTION PAPER AND CRAFT ITEMS
NEW SHIRTS
COLORED PENCILS
NAIL POLISH
HAIR BARRETTES AND RIBBONS

This is when you make friends with the dollar store around the corner. Every so often I’ll splurge on a more deluxe gift. My girls love it and eagerly await their clues. I think they love playing detectives more than they like the actual treats sometimes. Treasure hunts can also be used as a great bribery tool (yes we need some of those up our sleeves). “If you don’t behave there will be no treasure hunt!”….”If you don’t pick up your room, there will be no treasure hunt”. Etc.

Now I must warn you that there is a downside to the TREASURE HUNT. Be careful…be very careful…or your children will expect this Treasure Hunt game to be played every single day. What started out as a twice a week special venture quickly became a “mom what’s treasure hunt for today?” everyday! And if you don’t plan something the day they spring that one on you—then your plan backfires and the treasure hunt that is supposed to relieve your guilt actually compounds it…and you feel guiltier than ever. So just be prepared that this may be evolving into a daily thing. But remember it’s a great way to stay connected. Also remember to adjust the clues according to age. So 3 year old Rebecca may solely have to look under her pillow while 11 year old Graceann has 4 or 5 clues until she finds her prize.

So just to recap—it’s a fact that Working Mothers are always going to encounter some kind of feelings of guilt…it’s a part of life. But remember…you’re doing the best that you can! You’re the example to your children that yes---you can do it all!....and Treasure Hunts will be there to help along the way.

ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS DREAMS--AND THEY WILL COME TRUE!

As a Supervising Producer for the Martha Stewart Show, I will tell you that I knew at a very early age that I wanted to work in television. I actually thought I could have been an adopted sister to the BRADY BUNCH Family. By day I lived in a LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRE and by night I lived on FANTASY ISLAND—one night I was THE BIONIC WOMAN, the next I was one of CHARLIE’S ANGELS, and every night I DREAM (ED) OF JEANNIE! I always took ONE DAY AT A TIME, but the FACTS OF LIFE, were that I loved television. I think what I liked about television the most was trying to create my own stories, trying to think of new plots, twists and turns of my favorite shows. I didn’t know at the time this was the role of the “Producer”…but I knew it’s what I wanted to do with my life. I never second guessed this path for me mostly because my parents were quite supportive about my decision. They encouraged me to follow my dream—even though it might not (at the time) have been a conventional one.

So now as a mom of 5 beautiful daughters (yes it’s a dream come true to juggle family and a job I love), I want to encourage all of their hopes and dreams. Ever since my second oldest daughter Caroline was young (well really young since she’s only 9) she has loved baking. Almost every night she asks if she can bake something sweet. And when I’m thoroughly exhausted from a tough day at the studio—and I reach for the brownie box mix (yes I know Martha would kill me)—I am saved by Caroline who says “no mom, I want to make it handmade” (meaning from scratch). Martha would be so proud. Brownies are probably Caroline’s specialty, but she also enjoys baking birthday cakes and decorating them too with homemade icing. She loves making hand pies. Last season baker John Barricelli came on the Martha show and shared his delicious recipe for hand pies—Caroline has been experimenting ever since with different fruits and fillings. (My favorite is apple). Caroline also makes a mean cannoli filling and when it comes to chocolate covered pretzels there is none better. If you were to ask Caroline what she wants to be when she grows up, her answer would be two fold—a police officer like her dad and on her days off she will run her bakery “Cakes by Caroline”. I will do all I can to encourage her all her dreams.

Pauline who just turned 7 is trying to figure out what she wants to do. While she’s undecided about the far future—she knows exactly what she wants to do in the near future—play SOCCER. And so I’ll sign her up today. It’ll be a juggle with Graceann’s 3 softball teams schedule…but that’s when you accept help from other parents willing to lend a hand.

Gemma wants to be Cinderella when she grows up. And Rebecca who continues to jump from couch to coffee table (will this stage ever pass?) tells me she wants to be a monkey. I will continue to encourage all of my daughters’ dreams. It’s important to constantly introduce them to new and interesting things to help them figure out what they like to do. Until then—Gemma here’s your crown and yes Rebecca you can have another banana!

BUBBLES

Bubbles

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to create some fun with the kids…look no further than a 25 cents bottle of bubbles (that’s when it’s on sale). Of course you could even make your own. Bubble recipe:
1 cup water
2 tablespoons light karo syrup (this makes bubbles last longer/stronger)
4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid such as Joy or Dawn
Take straws, tea strainers, or egg dying holding and dip into bubble solution. Blow bubbles into the air—store in an airtight container—they get better the longer they stay.
My girls love playing with bubbles. We started playing games…who’s bubble can last the longest, who can blow the biggest bubble, who can blow the smallest bubble, who can catch the most bubbles etc.
Sometimes the most simple of things create the most fun. They also make great party favors. During one summer clearance sale I was able to buy a bottle of bubbles for 5 cents. I stocked up on about 20 and then I removed the label and created my own. It was a thank you favor for Pauline’s pink party. Imagine…party favors for the entire crowd—costing 1 dollar. You can’t go wrong with that.

What’s your favorite inexpensive crowd pleaser? Would love to hear from you.

A PERFECT DAY FOR THE ZOO!

Turtle Back Zoo is a beautiful zoo not far from our home. We have a season’s membership and if there’s anything I have to do—it’s make sure we get our money’s worth out of it. Of course I don’t have to force the kids to go…they’d go everyday if they could…it’s just finding the time to go there. I think we’ve gone 3 times so far. We need to hit another 2 more times in August to make the season’s pass worth its value. So like I said, today’s the perfect day for the zoo.

Sometimes it feels like we live in a zoo. Trying to keep the house clean, trying to find our way through the craziness, trying to keep everyone fed and happy. Regardless of our zoo atmosphere I do love our animals here at the Deyo Zoo. Have you ever wondered if your children were animals which ones they would be? I have and this is what’s in season right now. Graceann the Ox. She’s a strong girl who never seems to get tired. She’s a pitcher for a local town and she can pitch so fast and her batteries seem to last forever. As a growing pre-teen she can eat like an ox too—and not seem to gain any weight (wish I had her metabolism). She’s one of the most beautiful ox existing in the world today…and we have her in our zoo.

Then we have Caroline the Cheetah. She is fast. She can run, run, run. I would have to say she takes after her dad in that department because I would be known as the sloth. Cheetahs’ are just beautiful animals with their piercing eyes and amazing skin…and Caroline is no exception.

Then we have Pauline the Flamingo in a breathtaking shade of pink (her favorite color of course). There’s something dainty and elegant about the way they stand on one leg so effortlessly—which would no doubt be Pauline.

Gemma is a most special Panda Bear. You just look at the eyes and you melt. Needless to say this Panda Bear has us wrapped around her little finger. You just want to give her a tight squeeze and get the same back—a nice bear hug.

Rebecca is our favorite monkey. She can jump from table to chair to couch in seconds. She’s so loveable and friendly with the most welcome smile.

Maybe we don’t need to go to the zoo afterall…we have it right here. Definitely my money’s worth!

THE TERRIBLE TWOS

Gemma--a frightful 4?

As a working mother I am often asked how I juggle an important role like Supervising Producer for the Martha Stewart Show and the role of mom to five children under the age of 11. The answer is quite simple. You need to rely on 3 important things. First, make sure you have a very reliable nanny; secondly, you need an extremely understanding and supportive husband. And lastly you need to have a secret stash of Twix bars at your disposal for any last minute crisis. Last night was a night when my stash became depleted. I will try and make a long story short. Here goes…

Just before our summer break at the Martha Stewart Show our nanny decided to switch careers and work in retail and management. It actually kind of worked out because I was going to be home with the children for the summer so we could put off finding a nanny until I would return to work in August. Recently a family friend told us she could watch the children for the month of August. This gave us a bit more time to find the right nanny for the children. Great…except after working for us for only 7 days she announced last night that she was leaving. No advance notice…no “let me stay until you find someone”, not even an “I’m sorry to have to do this to you”…just an “I’m done”. How could this family friend leave us in a pinch? Bob asked her why (since he was the one who got the news first and I was still on the train). She said the reason was because Gemma had a meltdown. When my husband told me this…all I could say was, “Gemma? Sweet Gemma? Our daughter with the sweetest eyes that warms your heart all over? Gemma—our daughter who’s smile wraps you around her little finger?” It was at this point that the gold wrapper furiously became undone---ahh, the first bite of my Twix bar…my worries started easing…but then back to reality. What kind of meltdown could Gemma have had? According to an eyewitness (it’s great having children old enough to interpret play by play moments like these); Gemma threw clothes all over the room. That was it. Upon hearing that I begin to figure out what was happening. To continue making a long story short---let me tell you that none of my daughters have ever gone through the “Terrible Two” stage. Never—ever! Now before you say I’m just plain lucky—or just a horrible liar—I will tell you the follow-up to that sentence. While my kids didn’t hit the terrible twos that doesn’t mean I didn’t live through the “Tumultuous Threes”, or the “Frightful Fours” or the “Fearful Fives”. Gemma who recently turned 4 is just getting into her groove—and by Deyo family standards she is actually a late bloomer with the meltdowns. Nonetheless, this is what kids do…don’t they? Occasionally have a meltdown or two? I guess our family friend hasn’t been friend enough to notice. Bring on more Twix!

As my husband and I figured out our plan B—which needed to take place in less than 24 hours—the phone rang. It was our family friend. She thought things over and wanted to give it another chance. Desperate measures for us mean…yes there will be another chance (it buys us more time for plan B…and those Twix taste really good).

Crisis averted…now time to call my mom and vent. Only when I called my mom my brother was on the phone. My dad wasn’t feeling well and so he was taking him to the emergency room. (Will there be any Twix left before the night is over?)

Thankfully this day has a happy ending…my dad was sent home from the hospital…he’s feeling better. Tomorrow is a new day—a day to replenish my Twix supply.

SAVING MONEY = THE T-WORD

Pauline and Caroline on the train to work


Over the past 4 seasons of the Martha Stewart Show I have been driving into work--mostly for convenience--I can come and go when I please. For years my husband has been telling me I should take the train. I won't have to worry about traffic (rainy days and Fridays are the worst) and best of all we'd save money. I thought of every excuse not to take the train. I told my husband that between parking and a monthly pass the cost was about the same (I hadn't even checked--but the line sounded really good). The truth is that I was just plain lazy.

One day after going over bills my husband and I were trying to figure out ways to save money. My husband brought up the T-word. My line about "parking and a monthly pass costing the same"was about to be demystified when my husband went on NJ Transit and plugged into their website our driving information. It turns out that if I were to take the train we would be saving $500 a month. That's $6000 dollars a year! Who knew? Certainly not me because I was too lazy to find out. Those statistics were motivating enough for me to at LEAST try the train for a week and see how it worked out.

Week 1 (last week) made me think I would never use the T-word again. My worst possible scenerio that could happen--came true. I got on the wrong train. I thought it was going to New York. My fears rose suddenly when the intercom announced "Hoboken--last and final stop". I prayed I heard wrong. But when everyone exited the train I knew I had to get off too. I ran to a customer service kiosk and pleaded for help! "I got on the wrong train and don't know what to do! I need to get into NY". A very nice women with a thick spanish accent told me the best thing to do was to go back. "Go back, go back" she responded. All I could think was--"I just spent 40 minutes on a train...and now I have to go back?" After I calmed down just a bit--she repeated herself--most likely because I just didn't move. This time I realized that she wasn't saying I have to go back...she was saying "go to the Path". That's the path train. I was able to get the Path Train into NY--and all was made better. After a few more tries on the train I realized it actually wasn't bad at all. Of course I am a slave to the T-word's schedule...but that's ok.

Today my daughters Caroline and Pauline came into work with me. It's only week 2 of taking the train but you should have heard me leading the way. Explaining to my daughters how the train works, how to find the right track etc. You would have thought I was the conductor or something. What a difference the train makes...a $6000 difference!

THEY GROW LIKE WEEDS...AND THEY BRING YOU WEEDS!

When I was just a spring chicken—many moons ago, and in the dating phase of my life—I loved getting flowers. Pink roses were my flowers of choice. I loved the way they looked, the way they smelled and the way they pressed into special keepsakes. I received many bouquets during that time period especially from my current (and only) husband Bob. But recently I started getting some arrangements that I actually treasure more than any other I’ve ever received—that would be the weed arrangement. You’ve probably seen some of its components on your very lawn—dandelions, chickweed, dayflower, knotweed, white clover, and the ever popular ladysthumb smartweed.
In the past I might have tried every trick in the book to get rid of them…but today when my two year old and three year old daughters come running into the house, saying “mommy, mommy I picked you flowers” my heart melts and I find myself taking pictures and pressing those weeds into all kinds of keepsakes.
All my daughters at one point in time came running in with the weed bouquet—so proud of their efforts. So happy to bring mommy flowers. I treasure these moments...when I feel overwhelmed I look at my dying weeds in their glass overlooking the kitchen sink...and I think about what life's really about....I love those weeds!

Christina
http://www.3pluskids.com/

THE PINK PARTY

THE PINK PARTY

It begins in April and ends around the second week in September. 6 solid months of pure “heck”. It’s birthday season in our household. I shouldn’t complain—after all I lucked out when it comes to the warmer months! It’s just that once April starts—it feels like we’re celebrating birthdays every other week—and that’s probably because we are. Gemma starts the ball rolling in April, two weeks later in May—Caroline welcomes another year. Then June sees Rebecca turn a year older. July is all Pauline. Then a bit of a reprieve in August until Graceann celebrates her day in September. Friends and family have told me to hold one big blowout party for all my girls one day in the summer—but that’ won’t really fly. As it is now I try to combine two girls for one party—but they all want their special day—their recognition. Also think about it…would you want to be invited to a birthday party celebrating 5 birthdays? That’s 5 gifts….it makes more economical sense to just spread it out…even if it is every two weeks.

Now because I am known as “the creative” mother in my daughter's classes—I must let my birthday parties speak for themselves or I will forever lose my title. Therefore every party must be unique, special and simply WOW! Of course when you’re planning so many parties it’s hard to come up with a different theme every time…but where there’s a will there is a way. For Pauline’s 7th birthday we decided to go PINK. It was PAULINE’S PINK PARTY. Our invitation featured a photo of Pauline holding a dry erase board with the words COME TO MY PINK PARTY. Pauline of course was wearing pink. We asked all invited to celebrate Pauline’s day by wearing pink.

Our menu consisted of : PINK WATERMELON LEMONADE, PINK PIZZA (ok the sauce was red—but from certain angles next to the white cheese it came off as pink), PINK PENQUIN CUPCAKES, AND PINK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.

We played pin the fairy on the PINK FLOWER. Everyone won a chance to claim a gift on our PINK PRESENT TREE. And we all took turns swinging the PINK PINATA.


What a day it was!
Would love to hear what wonderful party themes you've created!

Christina
3pluskids.com

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE....

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE....
Do you remember that slogan back in the 70's? I remember seeing a poster of it somewhere. So today is the day...the first day for me starting my blog. It's a blog about large families--families who have 3 or more kids. It's about tips, recipes, and helping hands....and guess what...I'll let you in on a secret...it'll be helpful even if you have less than 3 kids.

Here's a bit about me...I have 5 children (ages 3-11) and I love having a large family. I was actually one of 7 children. I love all of my kids--girls to be exact. I have 5 beautiful daughters.

Graceann is my oldest. She is my creative thinker and writer. She keeps her sisters entertained with her stories. She is also the star pitcher for 4 local teams in town.

Caroline is my second oldest. She's sensitive and very protective of all of her family. She loves to stand up for what is right (She takes after my husband the cop).

Pauline is my middle daughter. She's very smart and knows exactly what she wants--and goes for it. She's quite artistic.

Gemma is a doll baby. She loves playing mommy and has a smile that makes you melt--yes she has both mommy and daddy wrapped around her finger.

Rebecca is the baby--and the monkey. She can climb everywhere and anywhere. I turned my back for a moment and next thing I knew she was on top of a rock climbing wall which I couldn't even do.

I love having alot of children. My husband will vouch that he loves not only having alot of children...but the steps it takes to have alot of children.

...I love creative ideas, projects with my children, saving money and sharing tips. And I love telling stories about the kids...that is what this blog will be about.

enjoy the journey
Christina