AM~Erica's Seussical Snowy Day

So anyway...

It is another

Seussical day!

It has been

snowy, Seussical day!

Though the snow

was not as it seemed,

a change in the morning

schedule was deemed.

Early prep for the dinner

which I think is a winner!

I think I have

a Seussical

dinner winner!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

OK, I couldn't finish this in my Seussy-style rhyme. I was trying to get this written by last night (starting with the above rhyming), and there were a lot of distractions of kiddos & things. It became extremely difficult to keep up my rhyming when I could hardly keep a thought straight!

As I was saying...

I started the night before with chopping up the veggies for dinner so it would be easier to pop things in the lazy cooker the next morning. And it had so much Seussical color!

Around that time, the weather was getting pretty nasty. Hubby was trying to figure out if our church should cancel any services. He did decide to cancel the first service & Sunday School...so we were just going to have an abbreviated late service. That meant we got to sleep in! (Maybe...unless we got the 4-10" of snow & we needed to cancel the late one, too.)

So we got up the following morning to not a whole lot of snow...just super cold! Not enough to justify canceling church completely...so...hubby & I were getting ready for the day!

I got the lovely veggies in the lazy cooker, seared a rump roast & put it in the lazy cooker, added the seasonings, cider & worchestershire, too, to get the Roast Beast Who Hash going for dinner that night.

Since we were going out...and it was Dr. Seuss' birthday...of course, I had to look as Seussical as I could! Just needed to be smart about it since we were going out in the cold & snow. So...I sported my Seuss-striped shirt over a ribbed turtleneck sweater. I added long red & white striped socks over black skinny jeans, then put on my black boots so the socks could just peek out over the tops. Then I added my head scarf with large red polka-dots, then added a fun flower with long skinny feathers to it. I put some blue in my hair. I then put on a long gray sweater vest & topped it off with a perfect blue knit scarf that looked reminiscent of a thneed in the way I had it wrapped.

My friend, Renae (the one who got me started drinking coffee...HERE), brought up about bringing Seuss rhyme into the liturgical part of our church service! BRILLIANT! Right? I was trying to convince my hubby to at least do the greeting & benediction in they rhyme form! He wasn't too keen on it...he wanted to keep it at a certain level of reverence. I understand that...but I tried to convince him that folks would REMEMBER it! He didn't think it would be for the right reason. *sigh*
However...

Because of the switcheroo of services & times...he did more of a devotion. To begin the devotion...he talked about it being Dr. Seuss' birthday & about it being the kick off to Read Across America! Since Theodore Geisel was an advocate to encourage reading...my hubby talked about how that tied into the ability for us to be able read the Bible. I was so proud! Then he gave a great devotion about it being Transfiguration Sunday & about mountaintop experiences. Then he touched on us going to Colorado this past summer. It was beautiful for all 35 of us at service yesterday.

Then we got home, hunkered down (since we got more snow WHILE in service), and tried to figure out the rest of the day. I did more dinner prep, I could hear weird movies on the TV (not of any Seussical sort), and we were discussing what we could do.

In the meantime, I attempted to make fried eggs that looked like the ones from 'Green Eggs & Ham'...

Not pretty...but you get it! Right? RIGHT?

Yeah...not bad...but certainly NOT great! It may have to stay as scrambled eggs...but if anyone knows where I can find eggs with green yolks, please let me know! That would be awesome!

I also did up some painted toast in Seussical stripes!

Colored milk red with food coloring, then used a wide brush to paint bread,
then popped it in the toaster to set it.

This is what I used as the butter-side-up & butter-side-down bread. I was pretty pleased with how cool this looked!

I also found an adorable dessert idea! It's supposed to be a kid snack of Bar-Ba-Loot mix! I just happen to have chocolate teddy grahams & marshmallows to mix! I came across it on Pinterest, but here's the link to it HERE!

Remember the adorable Bar-Ba-Loots from 'The Lorax'?
The adorable brown bear creatures that discovered they loved marshmallows?
Yes, them. And you can mix them all together! So good! So fun!

Since we didn't do Green Eggs & Hamburger (like I brought up, HERE, in my previous post of ideas), I still thought about purple ketchup...and then my friend, Princess Jules, had a genius idea! She brought up putting blue food coloring in red ketchup! DUH! So...I tried it...
...and then I added some more red...
...and then I tried to add a bit of purple...

Well...it looked more like mud, no matter what I did. So I called it "murple". Pretty Dr. Seuss-sounding, don-cha-think?

BEHOLD: Murple Ketchup

When I grew up, we would have hash & top it with a bit of ketchup. So I thought adding a dab of Murple Ketchup to the Who Hash would be quite fitting.

Then I buttered the bread & stacked it up...

And I got out some colorful bowls in a stack...

Bowls in perfect Seussical colors & stack form

And the hash browns were added to the Who Hash for about 30 minutes before serving it up...

And the Seussical Spread was pretty awesome to look at!

But I mustn't forget the drink! I had Lil Guy make our Pink Ink koolaide to top off this meal! It's a gallon of strawberry & pink lemonade.

And we were ready to eat like a Who & drink like the Yink!

And it was time to serve it up! Notice I love to serve it up on fun dishes? Yeah...I go all out!

Served with Butter-Side-Down

Served with Butter-Side-Up

Of course, I was hoping for a Seussical-themed Oscars...since it was being broadcast that night. (how I pictured it HERE) So, we watched some red carpet...no Seussical gowns. The closest outfit was probably Liza Minelli's look.

I was hoping Ellen DeGeneres would show up in a Cat in the Hat type tux...and it was close...

She was just missing the hat! So...a touch of Seuss...

I thought we could watch a Seuss movie/special after I watched Ellen's opening. We ended up watching all of the Oscars. And...I did get one more Suessical moment...when "Let it Go" from 'Frozen' won for best song! The acceptance speech was SO perfect in SO many ways! Just watch...

OK...I didn't get to read a book for Seuss, or watch a Seussical movie. However, I did get to get more Seussical trivia, and rhyme all over Twitter & Facebook.

I'm hoping to work in at least a movie, today, to help kick off Read Across America...and find books. 

Since we had some Bar-Ba-Loot mix left, I did throw it in with some cereal this morning:

Bar-Ba-Loot mix in Fiber One Cereal...it's good for you!

Since we had 2 pieces of buttered Seussical bread left, I'm going to take the 1 leftover green egg, add cheese & ham to have a sandwich with some leftover Who Hash for lunch. I'm gonna make this last, people!

Leftover Roast Beast Who Hash with Seussical Green Egg & Ham Grilled Cheese

So...what did you do to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday?  Keep it up for Read Across America, folks!

Oh yeah...in the meantime, we got a snow day. May be why it's taken me so long to finish this post! Let's see what the rest of the day brings...

Stay tuned...(Mardi Gras is coming...)

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Imagines if the Oscars Were Seussical

So anyway...

I'm not sure if you can believe it or not...but believe it! February is almost done & we are nearing the end of the 1st quarter of 2014! WOW! This year is working it's way right along!

March is right upon us...and I make sure we celebrate several things during this coming month. (check out my celebrations HERE)

Once in a while, there's a holiday &/or event that collides with another. The first Sunday in March is no different this year...

The Oscars are coming! I know not everyone gets into those, but many do. Who will win best movie, actress, actor, supporting actor & actress, director, screenplay, animated movie, adaptation, makeup, costumes, foreign film, short film, cinematography, best original song, best score, sound editing, etc.? I find it fun to see who presents what, what the teleprompter tells them to say...or even some of the improvisational & off-the-cuff moments needed to fill some time or to make a better transition...or because there's now a running joke. I'm also excited abut Ellen DeGeneres hosting again! The People's Choice Awards were hosted by the stars of "Two Broke Girls", the Golden Globes were hosted by the dream team of Tina Fey & Amy Poehler...and now the Oscars by Ellen! Women are kinda ruling this hosting business!
(Yes...I know LL Cool J hosted the Grammys...but it's been mostly women this time around...)

Anyhoo...I also love the fashion. Who is wearing what on the red carpet. Seeing who breaks the mold & wears something totally crazy...who plays it safe & wears a sequin sheath dress...I like that part.

It's the hosting of Ellen & where the fashions could go that led me to this line of thinking:

What if the Oscars went Seussical??

Yes...I totally mean a Dr. Seuss-themed/inspired Academy Awards Ceremony!

The Oscars fall on March 2nd this year...which happens to be the birthday of Theodore Geisel!

So...imagine with me...

The wavy red carpet would contain styles you would find from the 1980's, mid-late 1960's, and things that have stripes or polka-dots, featuring puffy things & feathery things, full of bright colors, and maybe channeling your inner Lady Gaga or Helena Bonham Carter!

Can you see it? And Jay Manuel should loan out his tuxedos for that night, too!

See? Like Tim Burton took over the red carpet!

OH! Could you imagine if he directed the Oscars? Danny Elfman would be the musical director for it!

Ellen could totally be in a Cat in the Hat inspired tux!

Right?? RIGHT???

And then imagine if all of the teleprompter scripts & speeches were all in Seussical form!

Oh, wouldn't that be glorious? You know...just to shake things up a bit. And Ellen at the helm could TOTALLY do it!! Amm-i-rite??

The set would look a little like Whoville & the Wonka Chocolate Factory (Tim Burton's version)...

The whole thing would be like "Fancy Grammys"!

I'm so disappointed in myself for not thinking this thru WAY sooner! This would have made an awesome crossover party!! But I wouldn't have had time this year, anyway...maybe in another 11 years.... I'm starting the planning NOW!! It will be EPIC!!!

Stay tuned...

*SCREECH* WAIT!!! Since we did the Wayne's World travel-back dissolved for this Oscars post, it's only fitting this is thrown in:

You're welcome.
(Hey! Mike Meyers was Cat in the Hat after all...)

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica is So Offended You're So Offended

So anyway...

As a mom, I have these things called "children" that whine all the time how things are "so unfair!!" Then whine about something that they get all offendy about because they didn't like how they felt about it...they act like whoever or whatever they were offended by came over & punched them in the face & stole their gift cards.

It's at this point when I tell them to stop & just throw themselves on the floor. Then I give them the option of throwing a tantrum on the floor, like a toddler trying to get attention, for a moment or two. They usually don't take me up on the offer & get mad that I even brought it up...and probably think it's unfair I even said it.

That is what society has turned into. Don't get me wrong...kids can do that...but we are in a culture that refuses to grow out of it! They are always feeling entitled...and the whole world is always against only them. I've seen it in children, teens, 20 somethings, 30 somethings, even up to 70 somethings. It's just so bratty! From politics, to handouts, to church, and on & on & on...and even to skits.

Yes! I said skits!

In the past week, I have heard more whining about different things that makes me roll my eyes. They are throwing tantrums over skits & totally taking things out of context...

This past week, a friend of mine brought something up to me to get my opinion on it. It had to do with some backlash from a group toward a skit that came from Nick Mom.

I found out that Nick Mom is programming from Nickelodeon for the moms of the Nick Jr. crowd. Brilliant! And they apparently do these mini skit vignettes in good satirical humor...like SNL for mommies!

A group of food allergy activists threw a fit over a skit where 2 moms who are putting together a bake sale for PTA are setting up crazy rules for the sale. All items must be clearly labeled...Clearly...LABLED CLEARLY! Then they were going to separate all of these items by food allergies in different areas. (i.e. - dairy free, nut free, gluten free, etc.) And it was over-the-top. And...guess what! It was funny!

There is this huge uproar about it. I think so much so that I can't even find the video now. I think Nick Mom took it down. I'm disappointed because I wanted you all to see what the hissy-fit throwing is about!

These groups are grumpy that it's making fun of kids with food allergies. It so isn't!!! People...it's throwing PTA moms & dads under the bus that work TOO hard to try make everyone happy. They go too far & that's the offensive part! It has nothing to do with food or food allergy sufferers themselves...it's about the over-the-top actions taken to try to make things more "open".

This whole thing has been taking on an effect like it did with "Married...With Children" & "The Simpsons". Parents tried to say these shows were so awful & offensive...that it actually drew more traffic to the fan-base of these shows. DUH!! So now people, like me, who were not aware of Nick Mom before...are now! And I have no shame in saying I have a wicked sense of humor...and I found it FUNNY! And it has a much different message than these groups & blogs are telling their followers what do believe it was about. It's a shame.

Grumpy, over-protective parents with absolutely no sense of humor!

In their cry of how Nick Mom is bullying their food allergic children...they stepped in & convinced their cronies to step up & be the bullies to Nick Mom. Way to teach a lesson there, kids!! *face palm*

It's, actually, very much the same as when ONE MILLION MOMS TRIED TO BULLY JC PENNEY ABOUT ELLEN DEGENERES. Don't get me wrong...JC Penney is not doing well, but it has to do with bad business decisions & absolutely nothing with choosing Ellen as their spokesperson...no matter what OMM tried to say. If you're offended by Ellen...you need to take a look at how you look at life!

Now then...with a slight shift, but still on the same track...we journey to thoughts on the Oscars & a skit. Now then, I've already said that I really enjoyed Seth MacFarlane as the host, but there is one thing that people can't seem to let go of to complain about: a portion of the opening.

Here's the whole issue: everyone seems to keep focusing on the song, "I Saw Your Boobs." The problem is...several outlets are only talking about that part. It's out of context!! The point was...he "didn't" perform the song. Remember? Captain James Tiberius Kirk came back in time to stop him from doing that song so he wouldn't be considered the worst Oscar host ever!

Captain Kirk talking to Seth about righting his hosting wrongs

Let's not forget, either, that there were actresses in on the joke! DUH! And that portion of the entire bit (there was SO much more, people) was considered one of the "most awkward" moment of the awards show. REALLY?? I thought it was uncomfortable & done so well as an artistic loophole! With Seth MacFarlane...it could've been so much worse!

Charlize Theron & Jennifer Lawrence in on the bit

He did feel bad for some of the jokes they were going ahead with on the teleprompter thru the show. Did you catch any of that? He was witty, edgy, and very talented...and gladly made jokes about himself! The only improvement would be for overall time management...but that wasn't all on him!

Jane Fonda's complaint about the song holds only slightly more merit in that some of the women he brought up had scenes that were rape scenes. I want to point out that it wasn't ALL of those scenes...and he actually left some out.

There are only four subjects that you had better never joke about in my presence...or ever:
SUICIDE IS NO JOKE, BULLYING WON'T BE TOLERATED, abuse isn't OK, and neither is rape.

When jokes come up about any of those, that's when I draw a line.

With that said...I enjoyed Seth as a host & hope he gets asked back. He could've been worse...I think he was very well behaved considering what his mind creates.

Oh...looks like Seth is shocked I'd love to see him host again...

If we cannot laugh at ourselves, or at life in general, then how are we ever gonna get thru it? We are a society who looks to be easily offended anymore! Why is that?

There are things that are offensive. Period. However, as a society, we are hyper-sensitive to everything! We can't say or do or stand up for anything anymore without someone wanting to sue someone else because their feelings got hurt. We are a frivolous culture!

I have brought up that I FOLLOW SOME MOMMY BLOGS. I also said they are very real, some are raw, but they find the humor in everyday parenting living. We all need that. We all need to know that we aren't the only ones feeling that way, or that have felt that way...but there are the ones who get offended that someone might have read their mind & put the dirty laundry of parenting out there...and then feelings get all hurt...and the whining starts.

These moms, no matter how harsh they sound sometimes, love their children. Some days are harder than others. That goes for all of us.

And if you can't laugh at this stuff & only look for things to be negative & grumpy about...well then, just throw yourself on the floor & throw your tantrum! If that's the kind of attention you really want....

Let me laugh at you & the thing you are whining about.

OK...now that I know about Nick Mom...I'm gonna laugh at some more so-true-it's-funny videos...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica
~~~~~~~~~~~
** Read my NickMom followup commentary post HERE

The Kind of Berry AM~Erica Has an Allergy To

So anyway...

There is a lot of talk about things that are good for you. One of the foods with very little fluctuation of where it stands in nutrients...berries.

Now I love me some fruit...and I can pop strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. like candy! Sweet & juicy...and also doing the body good!

However...there is a type of berry that I cannot deal with. Many of you may be shocked.

Now then, as many of you may know or have heard, the Oscars took place last night. We watched the whole thing & I really enjoyed Seth MacFarlane as the host. And I'm a sucker for the dresses & big production bits. I'm a bit cheesy like that. But I don't have Oscar parties. Maybe I will in the future... But I see where people do get dressed up & have these parties & fancy-schamcy appetizer thingys like bacon wrapped something on a stick, lovely little quiches, and super fancy crudite & fruit platters...that usually have berries.

Still not what I'm talking about...

The one berry & one of the Hollywood staples that I absolutely, positively canNOT do...

...


...


...is...

...

...

Halle Berry.

*shudder*

I'm pretty sure I just heard several of you gasp...but I don't care! I really don't.

OK...I actually think I developed an allergy. I'm serious, people! I have a Halle Berry allergy!!

People, folks & people & others...simmer down...

The allergy began slowly. I mean...my first attack hit me hard, but I didn't realize it was the possible onset of an developing allergy.


Here's how it went down...

There was a time when I enjoyed me some Halle...I looked up to her. LOVED HER! But then...things changed between us...

See, there was this time while I was preggo when I felt disgusting & super hormonal. When my hubby's folks had a swimming pool, we would go over so the family could get in during the summer. Summer...the best time to be pregnant EVER! I didn't even want to be seen in a swimsuit. I sat on the patio by the pool while the others would be in. And then this conversation somehow started:

"Who are the most attractive colored women in Hollywood?"
And the conversation between my BIL & hubby began...
Several names came up, but this particular utterance by my hubby stuck in my head:
"Oh! Halle Berry! She's HOT!"

*ahem*

Yeah...beached whale preggo wifey on the sidelines heard it. Beached whale preggo wifey felt even worse in that moment than already felt.

But I figured I was being hormonal & I tried to blow it off that my hubby was finding someone else "hot" in that moment of me feeling so...bleh...when he got me that way. *sigh* Whatever...

A few weeks later, we were back at the pool...at the in-law's...
I was back on the sidelines, feeling all beached-whale-like & disgusting.
And then this conversation somehow started:

"Who are the most attractive colored women in Hollywood?" (yes...the SAME conversation)
The conversation was happening, shockingly, between my BIL & hubby.
The same names seemed to come up. Then I heard this from my hubby:
"Oh! Halle Berry! She's HOT! Oh...but...you know who's really hot? My wife over there!"

*ahem* Too late...damage was already done.

I was no longer too fond of The Berry.

>>> Fast Forward about 7ish years >>>
I was preggo. Feeling huge, gross & super hormonal.
Sitting at dinner with the family, a conversation got started...

It is not the same one you think...THANK GOODNESS!
However, it only started with one sentence. My stepdaughter said,
"Hey Dad! Remember when you said, on the way home, that Halle Berry is HOT?"

Something in me clicked. My allergy kicked in full force, my eyes began to water & my tear ducts began to swell.

I can tell you, that it has never come up during my times of being NOT pregnant. Only times I was. Feeling gross & hormonally.

Now then...I am done being being preggo. Lil Guy is often referred to as "Our Last". But I have been scarred by my allergy to the Hot Berry. I didnt' even watch Ellen's 12 Days on THE ELLEN SHOW during the holidays due to her ongoing mascot for the year. Yep, you guessed it..."Holly Berry". Bleh...

Ellen & Holly Berry - my gag reflex just kicked in...

So, when SHE ends up on a show or something, I won't watch.

I'm sure she's a lovely person. But I know where she stands when I'm feeling the grossest of all.

My hubby laughs about it. I do not. But it really doesn't come up much anymore...still scarred...for life.

So when everyone is putting her pic of their selection of "Best Dressed at the Oscars", just note that my gagging is my allergy flaring up.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica