7 Quickies: Pants That Make You Slimmer and a Giveaway Winner

Happy Friday!  It's 7 Quick Takes time.

1)

These are the best work pants I've ever purchased.  For reals.  They are pull-on, no zippers or buttons, slimming, barely bootcut, and the exact right length that I don't look like I'm waiting for a flood.  I'm 5' 6" and 6 months postpartum, and they are even flattering on me now.  I know they'll be around for a while because you can gain a few and lose a few and these will still fit.  

That wide band is a perfect muffin top hider.  Which is great since I like to hide my muffin tops in there, and then I can snack on them throughout the day.  Ewwww.  Gross.  Why did I just write my stream of consciousness?  Anyway, in summary, these are thee best pants, go get you some here!

2) 

My Boston buddy ('sup), Bridget, and my Canadian pal (Eh?), Christy, told me about the best kept secret to defend my family from the flu this winter.  Two words: Elderberry Syrup.  I ordered the elderberries online, bought some raw honey from the store and had the spices in my pantry.  The recipe is easy and the result is a delicious spicy/honey/fruity syrup that the kids fight over.  I give them each a teaspoon every day and Phil and I get a Tablespoon.  Elderberry syrup can be bought premade, but it's way more expensive.   Plus I feel very homeopathic-y when I brew it myself.  

3)

I bought a groupon for an imitation Buildabear type shop, and took Maggie and Xander to try it out.  The store is new, and the employee who helped us is new and let's just be nice and say they have a lot of learning and growing ahead of them.  But, the kids had fun!

Maggie made "Polka Dot" and Xander made "Bat Cat".

Cute but we will not be returning.  Ahem.

Now for a couple kid quotes...

4)

We were talking at dinner about Phil and I having a date night out and the kids getting a babysitter to come over, and the kids started asking what we did on date nights:

Phil: We usually go out to dinner.

Me: And hold hands and fall in love all over again.

Phil: (smiling at me)And then I kiss her.

At this point all the boys start groaning and Maggie starts smiling so big.

Me: (wanting to embarrass my boys even more) And he kisses me alllllll over my face.

Eamon: Wait a minute, wait a minute.  He kisses your EYEBALLS??

Oh Eamon, I love you and your distaste for romance.  It's the main reason you want to be a priest, just so you don't have to kiss any girls.  I hope that never changes!

 5)

I was taking the kids into the gym the other day, to play while I worked out, and there was a sign to entice people to hire a personal trainer that read:

Do you want to lose inches?  Do you want to get rid of your belly?

And Andrew said:

"Who would want to get shorter and not have a belly anymore?  Then they couldn't even eat!"

True dat.  No body issues for this kid.

6)

John-Paul was talking to me in the car (his favorite place to blab his little heart out) and said he thought maybe he had ADD or ADHD because he has a hard time focusing sometimes.  I reassured him that unless it was affecting his schoolwork, he shouldn't worry.  He then said that sometimes he does weird things, like shut his eyes when he looks up at the sky just in case laser beams will go into his eyes.  

Me: I'll let you in on a secret.  You ARE weird.  So am I.  Everybody is.  And also, we all have a hard time focusing sometimes. 

John-Paul (deadpans): Wait, what did you say?

Gosh I love that funny little weirdo :)

7)

And finally, the giveaway winner for the Hardcover Angel in the Waters book is:

Laura Mike!!!

Congrats!  Just email me your address at collmart at gmail dot com and I'll have the book sent on over!

Have a wonderful long October weekend everybody!  We will be celebrating Phil's birthday tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Dad!