The Queen's Rambles

>>What a week! I’ve been to a MOMS Club event every day this week, mainly because we had prospective members coming to things and I want to make sure they are properly welcomed. Both of them joined, so I guess I was friendly enough. Now that I am president, I often find myself carrying the conversation in middle of a large crowed. 2005 Carrie could never have imagined being the star of the show. And it’s not that I want to be the star–it’s that everyone else is so shy and reserved that someone has to keep asking questions to get people to talk.

>>I should have been going to the gym, but I can’t do a MOMS Club activity plus gym time and still have time for Elsa’s nap before Erik gets off the school bus. Erik stopped napping at age 2 because I just didn’t have the energy to fight him anymore, but I have a feeling Elsa will be napping for years to come. If I don’t get things set up for the nap before she’s ready, she’ll come to me and tell me “boopy, sleep, boopy, sleep” and be very insistent about the whole thing. I love having a child that is so very easy. If I wasn’t 37 and we had more money and I could guarantee an Elsa clone I would happily have another baby. But I am and we don’t and we can’t so two and through is my motto. And apparently “run on sentences are my friend” is my other motto.

>>We’re getting our new basement furniture tomorrow! I’m so excited! I am so tired of having furniture that’s so uncomfortable you’re almost better off sitting on the floor. Plus, the new items don’t have any pull out pillows or cushions, so I won’t be spending my life putting them back together again. Mike has had a long talk with Erik about jumping on the new sofa, but I don’t think it will help. We will have to take a hard line with him. I’m not looking forward to that part of the whole deal. But new furniture! Happy happy joy joy!

>>One of my newer friends heard me talking about Elsa’s not so great immune system and recommended something called sambucus. It’s an elderberry extract that supposedly greatly enhances the immune system. I ordered some and am crossing my fingers that it gives Elsa’s little body the extra help in needs in fighting off colds. My friend pointed out that it is made from elderberries and the Elder wand is made from elder wood, so it should totally defeat any germs. I love making new real life friends who can weave in a Harry Potter reference.

>>I am itching to go buy Elsa some new clothes, but the time isn’t right. She is on the cusp of outgrowing her winter clothes, but we’ve had a very mild winter so I am hoping to make it through with what she has. The problem? She only has a couple of outfits that I LOVE. The rest are just kind of blah. I know it is so silly, but I really like to look at her and know that her clothes look great on her. Yes, she’s not even two. I am an insane person. The problem is that I bought her a bunch of pastel shirts that had a really cute theme, but she doesn’t look her best in pastels. Note to self: dress her in brights. Also, I know my days of picking out her clothes are coming to an end. She is already very vocal about what she will and won’t wear so it is only a matter of time before she wants input in the store as well.

>>I am just now catching up on the last few Chuck episodes. I hate to be such a bad fan because I enjoyed the show for so long, but this last season has been a slog. I perked right up today, though. Peter! From White Collar! Whoa. . . wait. . what? He played a nasty villain, which was hard to comprehend. Fun, though!

>>Speaking of television, I started watching The Finder and think it is kind of goofy fun. I like goofy fun. What else is good these days? Anyone watching Touch? I might watch it onDemand just to see what it’s about.

>>I signed our family up for the Cultural Heritage Showcase at Erik’s school. The lady in charge said it’s only the second time in history that someone has chosen Sweden as their country. Now I have to figure out how to create a display. I’m thinking of getting one of those tri-fold boards and gluing on a map, a list of words translated into Swedish, and maybe some pictures of reindeer and the ice hotel. She said to keep it very casual. We have some Swedish books we can put out. Maybe a picture of Pippi Longstocking? I wish I had a fun kid’s map of Sweden. I don’t even know what happened to our Dala horse. We do have a Swedish flag that we can display.

We are allowed to serve food if we want but I am not sure what I would bring. She said a lot of the kids will have on ethnic outfits that are not easy to clean, so not to bring anything that would stain. I don’t want to kill myself with this thing. The showcase is actually on Elsa’s birthday so it will be a busy weekend. Possibly kladdkaka (like brownies) cut really tiny and stuck on a toothpick? Even though it is a Swedish recipe it is not really what I think of when I think of Sweden. It is super easy to make, though. Cinnamon buns are much too complicated to make for such a large crowd, even if I cut them up small. And I’m sure as heck not going to bring pickled herring. I suppose I could clear the room with a can of surströmming (rotten fish that smells like garbage and onion peels).

Ohhhh! I just had a brilliant plan! Salt licorice! I don’t think I would need that much because most people wouldn’t want to try it. Plus, it’s much more foreign than a piece of cake or cinnamon bun. I will have to go down to the Dutch market tomorrow and see if they carry it at the candy shop. I seem to recall seeing it there. If not, it looks like there are a few online sources.