Peanut butter fancy

One of the most decadent treats to eat is Peanut butter...it is also a great  food to use when trying to teach your little one to eat with a spoon on their own. It doesn't drip, spill off the spoon, or have the ability to be flung. It just sticks. However, when committing to teaching this essential task, be prepared to clean most of it up. 
Step 1. Add a spoonful of peanut butter to suction cup kid's bowl.
Step 2. Suction to high chair table
Step 3. Put little spoon in hand
Step 4. Let them have at it. 

After you stop taking pictures and stressing over the huge mess this act is causing hold your hand to theirs and show them how they spoon from the bowl to their little mouth. Then repeat. 

Peanut butter is not one of the fanciest foods out there, but I think we can manage. Peanut butter is to kids like beef wellington is to the Royals. 

Your fanciest certainly didn't forget her theme....check out this link for delicious and FANCY peanut butter cookies! Au revoir mon amis

http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2009/03/black-sesame-seed-peanut-butter-cookies

** PLEASE PLEASE PUH-LEASE make sure you are absolutely positively sure that the kiddos are NOT allergic to peanut butter before using it. I am in no capacity to be held responsible nor liable for the outbreak of an allergy attack in the event that you, the parent, do not have your child tested for a peanut allergy first. If peanuts are a no-go then supplement this with a different nut butter, or try a cream cheese perhaps. 

The 'Fancy' website has arrived!

It is here--I hope the new site tickles your fancy!

www.thefancynanny.com

Less is more, it means more

The internet might quite possibly be one of our un-fanciest tools. What turned out to be a great resource and a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips has turned into one big diary. After a fancy meeting with an Appellate Court judge; I really began to realize the danger of posting so many details about yourself on the internet. Why is it pertinent to anyone else what we ate for breakfast or how angry we are with our boyfriend for the third time this week?

In my opinion, one of the best ways to be is to lead a full and happy life, but keeping it close. When you begin to share everything with everyone things and events become less personal and less valuable. Think about it....what are we really gaining by logging on to Facebook and posting; "UGH I am so mad at (insert poor boyfriend's name), he is such an idiot!". We get validation from our friends, blindly agreeing with us that X is an idiot, how dare he do whatever, but nothing really gets solved. 

I was reminded this week to never let people know more than they really need to. This means all of those silly explanations you feel the need to give to people when they ask you if you are available, or if you are coming in to work today, and then you insert some long-winded explanation that they technically did not ask for.....not necessary. You aren't doing that for them, you are saying it so you feel better. 

Be mindful of what you put on the internet, and what you are letting other people on in. If 9 out of 10 posts are about you and your frustrating boyfriend, and then in a year you decide to get married, what do you think people are going to think? Maybe you don't care.....probably shouldn't if you are happy, but be mindful. One of the better quotes I heard lately is "Never let your right hand know what your left hand is doing". 

Is it fancy to be utterly and undoubtedly persistent?

As 'fancy' ones it is in the forefront of most of our minds to be respectful of other's space, time, and their overall being. My plaguing question is as follows; "Is there a fancy way to be persistent so as to pursue what you want and need without being too pushy?"

Lately, I personally have had many experiences come my way in which I feel like I have to fight or be as persistent as can be to get a likely outcome that I would deem to be ideal. Sometimes, though, at the end of the day, I am left with a number of happy outcomes but also feeling quite depleted and just downright exhausted. This is a very general topic that applies to a number of different instances, and which I am sure everyone has experienced at one time or another. Maybe some of us are not as dominant and characteristically persistent as others so we think of what it would be like if we were persistent and did come off as being pushy.

Here's an example for you mummies. So you live in Chicago and schools, great schools, are pretty competitive to get in to. You would LOVE for little Johnny to get into this great new magnet school in the area with a super awesome staff and a great educational program so as to set off J on the right path. Well there are a number of spots and you apply and maybe are put on a waiting list. So now what? Should you send cookies to the admissions advisor a few times? Maybe. Should you call and express how wonderful you think the school is and why Johnny should get in? Maybe, but they probably already know they are wonderful and thats why your putting yourself through this. Any of the above questions are probably thoughts that go through one's mind....and as you contemplate your actions and the admissions lady's probable responses or subsequent actions you are left wondering which way to move your chess piece so as to come off in the best light with the best possible outcome for Johnny.

Do great things really come to those who wait or are those who are waiting missing out on great things being taken by those who are persistent and impatient? If you have something and you love it and set it free does it really come back if its meant to be or are you not being persistent enough in making sure it is staying around if you love it so much?

Certainly such a philosophical topic not meant to be answered in a concise response or thought over quickly in between the kids tapering naps. Really think about how your actions come off in all facets of life. Are you persistent to the point of getting everything you want but being left feeling exhausted from trying so hard? or are you sitting in the wings being a patient angel and waiting for great things to come your way and just snatch them up as they float past?

Last of Winter bugs

Well obviously barf is not fancy......in light of recent events over the past week, and by events I mean a gross stomach bug, this post is dedicated to maintaining everyone's fanciness and staying healthy!

-WASH your hands, your kid's hands (twice), your husband's hands, boyfriend's hands, and the dog's paws. Its unimaginable the amount of germs you pick up by just going shopping, the park, eating out, etc. 

-Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water, the fancy kind or not*

-If you do catch the bug get lots of rest and take probiotics to get that out of your system ASAP. Apply the same method to kids if you are unfortunate enough to have to witness a child with stomach flu. Apply same method but add in 'hole yourself and the kids up in bed for a couple days' if you are doubly unfortunate to be sick and care for the sick kids too. 

No matter what you do sometimes it is unavoidable. Don't fret, if you stick to the guidelines above, maybe add in some chicken noodle soup and a good movie, you will be back to your fancier ways in no time!

**Fancy water as in the Ethos kind as of this moment....or Aqua Panna in the glass bottle :)

Staying Green but maintaining your extravagance

The word 'fancy' brings to mind like words such as extravagance, excessiveness, or unnecessary. With that in mind think about an action you saw someone make today or even something you did that was maybe unnecessary. In the name of being fancy we need not sacrifice our planet and our resources always. There are simple extravagances some of us deem "necessary" such as bottled vs. Tap water or SUV vs. Compact car. Well today I witnessed a un-fancy, completely unnecessary extravagance. While on the El there was an older woman happily, but publicly enjoying her Potbelly midday lunch....what struck me was the 19 paper napkins I saw her use once and dispose of within our 20 minute shared ride together. She simply used one after another each with one wipe of her hand and disposed of it in her bag. It boggled my mind because she had 2 reusable grocery bags with her but not something as environmentally friendly as a cloth napkin!? I watched napkin after napkin get used and thrown away....even her oyster crackers that were still in their package got wrapped in 2 napkins!

It is difficult if not near impossible to eliminate every extravagance from our life....but their are some obvious ones that can be monitored or altered. In this particular case maybe the napkin lady "over-used" because being environmentally friendly wasn't at the forefront of our minds when she was a young child. What we can do now is impact simple options to our children to only use one napkin per meal or use a cloth napkin that is washed as needed. Being fancy doesn't always have to mean being extreme at all times.

Date Nights

Let's be honest.....your kids are around because of date nights. With a 54% divorce rate in the USA right now we have to get out of the office and spend some quality time with our spouse to avoid going down that road. Many parents think that once they have kids their social lives are supposed to end. However, the road to a happy life is paved with balance. Learn to balance your children, your work, and your relationship and you will be happier and better functioning in each of those facets.

So what does it mean when we do have children and we want to spend some alone time with our hubby? Well, most turn to either nearby family or a babysitter. Yikes! A teenager watching my child for hours on end in my home? It is common practice these days to trust our most important "possessions" to younger girls (typically). It can be a process going about finding the right babysitter who understands your needs and wants and respects them, is punctual and responsible, and gets along great with the children.

Bottom line: it should be taken into consideration because without some grown-up time to yourself, not just at the end of the night right before bed, you are doing everyone in the family harm.