December 24th, 2013 Tuesday
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! It is Christmas Eve and my minions are rapt with excitement and zero listening skills. They are beside themselves with anticipation of the package shredding that shall begin in the am post visit from Santa. I hope they don't wake up at 6am again....
So have you noticed that those blow up scenes depicting Frosty, Santa, Rudolf, Santa loading sleighs, etc look like some horrible Christmas massacre has occurred during the day when the power is off to the blow up entities? I mean it looks like a crime scene and all that is missing is the tape roping it off! I find those things appalling due to that very reason. It is great at night but during the day they should go back into a Christmas present and be all neat and tidy instead of looking like some horrible scene played out that morning! Ok that may be a little macabre and I do not mean to make light of the past atrocities that nut jobs have committed last year and this one also. I just find it a bit creepy to drive past houses during the day with these things completely deflated and pitiful! Ok rant over I shall leave you with a poem....
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
The kids ran crazy amok, driving parents out of hiding like grouse.
The stocking were checked daily, by Monkey with care,
And no one played nice on the video games or wanted to share,
The minions were restless awake in their beds,
Trying to catch glimpses of Santa with the eyes in their head,
And mama in her ratty t-shirt, and hubby in the buff,
The parents hoped to get to bed before 1am when enough is enough!
When out the back door arose such a commotion,
The outside kitties being attacked by raccoons were loud with emotion,
Away to the window I ran like a wild banshee,
I tore open the back door screaming at all the animals I could see.
The full moon was shining and the pine needles were a glow,
It gave a creepy looking view like a Halloween side show!
When, what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a fat raccoon and 2 kitties fuzzed up with fear,
With two glistening eyes, and big fat head,
My veins filled with adrenaline and my heart with dread,
I ran after the fatty as the vermin near me came,
I called him all sorts of expletives, none if which I shall name.
Now shoo away you vermin, or you will get a pop,
If I find my BB gun, you will surely get a shot!
To the end of the yard, to the end of the street,
run away, run away, or raccoon dumplings will taste sweet!
As dry leaves fly around due to that warm front of a high,
Cause me to sneeze endlessly, and make me constantly cry,
I went back to bed, satisfied the vermin was gone,
I made sure the kitties were happy as it was getting near dawn,
Then I panicked and remembered, I had not moved the stupid elf,
So I got up again and began grumbling about the stupid tradition to my self,
Then what do I find sitting in the chair,
Wild eyed children with eyes all a glare,
I told them it was too early and to go back to bed again,
That Christmas doesn't start until at least 10!
But the children laughed and cackled like wild rabid hyenas,
As I used my stern voice, feeling like a candidate in the hunger games arenas!
I told them to leave, or all presents would be for nought,
Thankfully, they yielded knowing they had been caught.
I put them to their rooms, with visions of presents,
and I yearning for sleep without anymore torments,
As I fell into bed, with the last moments of light,
I heard hubby say, Where have you been all night?
:) Happy Holidays to all!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
76 Trombones led the big Pahrade..Falalalala...OMG it is a FULL MOON!
Wednesday, December 18th 2013
It is a full moon...and my werewolves are running amok... either that or there is only 7 days until Christmas and my wild Indians are in some kind of trance throwing caution to the wind along with rules and manners!
So I talked to Monkey's teacher on Tuesday and she was at her wits end as she said the class had been horrible all day. She hollered at them to stop talking and I about peed my pants it was so loud when she yelled. Then I chimed in on the hollering (it felt right at the moment) and threatened that the Christmas party would be cancelled if they didn't straighten up. We got their attention...for at least another 45 seconds. Then I go by today to see how things are for the party on Th and if there is any last minute instructions that me and the other homeroom mom need. They were wild again. And last night my two were so loud and at each other throats that I threatened to take all of their gifts back and would make them watch hubby and I open presents. Today, I see Monkey's 1st grade teacher who said she hasn't smiled all day! I think there is something in the water.....
The Christmas choir program was last week at the capital so the girls still have those songs plus other random Christmas music in their heads. But apparently the music teacher has moved on to the third and fourth grade musical in the spring and tonight I over heard Monkey singing Have yourself a Merry Christmas which segued immediately (seamlessly I might add) into 76 trombones...I had to stop and think about what I just heard come out of her mouth. I thought nothing of it other than it was odd yet normal for her and then Lawyer began humming and singing it and hour or so later. So guess what tune I have in my head right now....could be worse I guess.
We took the girls to see the Christmas parade last week. I can't say parade with a straight face. Lawyer, when she was very little, would tell us she wanted to go see the pahraid, like the word had more than two syllables in it and an emphasis on the "PA" with a soft h sound after it. We have a county fair parade and we took them to see it when they were little every year and they either laughed or cried depending on what apparatus or person was marching/driving by. (think fire truck with sirens a blaring...) So we decided to go, for the second time only, to the Christmas parade and we bundled up the..ok that is an overstatement. Actually, we screamed, PUT YOUR COAT ON WE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW! We tend to procrastinate and then have sudden last minute urges...So we have a random assortment of items on as we decided we could go to hubby's office as it is on the second floor and on the parade route...and WARM. Genius right?! It was like 20 degrees outside with a stiff wind. It was cold enough that if you were outside long enough you would get chilled to the bone. But the "pahraid" was not worth actually standing out side and watching the little event. It is sad really. 39 pageant queens, 14 political candidates, 3 floats with one horrid sounding band (bless their hearts) 2 marching bands and Santa riding on a pink fire truck and taking about 8 minutes. Ok, I may have slightly exaggerated about the beauty queens and candidates but it just seemed like there were that many to me. Not a fan of pageants....another day, another topic... We then got the bright idea to go see the huge tree at the town square that the town paid $130K for. (It is a bit of a sore spot for many since its lights don't work half the time...)We found a space where all the lights were working and had our friends, who happened to show up at the same time, take our picture. Did I say it was freezing outside? We were GROSSLY under dressed and like to froze our little hineys off. Fun time but not worth the frost bite.
Now if I can get thru the next couple of weeks without ending up on the most wanted page I will be successful. I have two kid parties tomorrow, an appt and a funeral at the same time on Friday (don't ask), massive clean up of the office on Sat/Sun as Father in law (FIL aka Gasket Man) is coming on Monday and our home office doubles as the extra bedroom when we throw the blow up bed on the floor. I am off all next week thankfully but trying to get to that point of relaxation but school functions and work is about to kill me. And I am trying to get back into cooking b/c we ate out or fixed frozen meals for a week or so and I felt like a ton of bricks was in my insides. I felt cranky and sluggish and just generally sick. Not doing that anymore so had to get to cooking again so I watched my Pioneer Woman recorded episodes to get inspiration last night and today. Saturday I made her fettuccine alfredo with some shredded chicken and man o man was it good. Tonight I made GF fried chicken, roasted butternut squash, and fresh green beans tonight. Love me some home cooking! Now to try and not kill my offspring before the fat man in the red suit arrives...
It is a full moon...and my werewolves are running amok... either that or there is only 7 days until Christmas and my wild Indians are in some kind of trance throwing caution to the wind along with rules and manners!
So I talked to Monkey's teacher on Tuesday and she was at her wits end as she said the class had been horrible all day. She hollered at them to stop talking and I about peed my pants it was so loud when she yelled. Then I chimed in on the hollering (it felt right at the moment) and threatened that the Christmas party would be cancelled if they didn't straighten up. We got their attention...for at least another 45 seconds. Then I go by today to see how things are for the party on Th and if there is any last minute instructions that me and the other homeroom mom need. They were wild again. And last night my two were so loud and at each other throats that I threatened to take all of their gifts back and would make them watch hubby and I open presents. Today, I see Monkey's 1st grade teacher who said she hasn't smiled all day! I think there is something in the water.....
The Christmas choir program was last week at the capital so the girls still have those songs plus other random Christmas music in their heads. But apparently the music teacher has moved on to the third and fourth grade musical in the spring and tonight I over heard Monkey singing Have yourself a Merry Christmas which segued immediately (seamlessly I might add) into 76 trombones...I had to stop and think about what I just heard come out of her mouth. I thought nothing of it other than it was odd yet normal for her and then Lawyer began humming and singing it and hour or so later. So guess what tune I have in my head right now....could be worse I guess.
We took the girls to see the Christmas parade last week. I can't say parade with a straight face. Lawyer, when she was very little, would tell us she wanted to go see the pahraid, like the word had more than two syllables in it and an emphasis on the "PA" with a soft h sound after it. We have a county fair parade and we took them to see it when they were little every year and they either laughed or cried depending on what apparatus or person was marching/driving by. (think fire truck with sirens a blaring...) So we decided to go, for the second time only, to the Christmas parade and we bundled up the..ok that is an overstatement. Actually, we screamed, PUT YOUR COAT ON WE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW! We tend to procrastinate and then have sudden last minute urges...So we have a random assortment of items on as we decided we could go to hubby's office as it is on the second floor and on the parade route...and WARM. Genius right?! It was like 20 degrees outside with a stiff wind. It was cold enough that if you were outside long enough you would get chilled to the bone. But the "pahraid" was not worth actually standing out side and watching the little event. It is sad really. 39 pageant queens, 14 political candidates, 3 floats with one horrid sounding band (bless their hearts) 2 marching bands and Santa riding on a pink fire truck and taking about 8 minutes. Ok, I may have slightly exaggerated about the beauty queens and candidates but it just seemed like there were that many to me. Not a fan of pageants....another day, another topic... We then got the bright idea to go see the huge tree at the town square that the town paid $130K for. (It is a bit of a sore spot for many since its lights don't work half the time...)We found a space where all the lights were working and had our friends, who happened to show up at the same time, take our picture. Did I say it was freezing outside? We were GROSSLY under dressed and like to froze our little hineys off. Fun time but not worth the frost bite.
Now if I can get thru the next couple of weeks without ending up on the most wanted page I will be successful. I have two kid parties tomorrow, an appt and a funeral at the same time on Friday (don't ask), massive clean up of the office on Sat/Sun as Father in law (FIL aka Gasket Man) is coming on Monday and our home office doubles as the extra bedroom when we throw the blow up bed on the floor. I am off all next week thankfully but trying to get to that point of relaxation but school functions and work is about to kill me. And I am trying to get back into cooking b/c we ate out or fixed frozen meals for a week or so and I felt like a ton of bricks was in my insides. I felt cranky and sluggish and just generally sick. Not doing that anymore so had to get to cooking again so I watched my Pioneer Woman recorded episodes to get inspiration last night and today. Saturday I made her fettuccine alfredo with some shredded chicken and man o man was it good. Tonight I made GF fried chicken, roasted butternut squash, and fresh green beans tonight. Love me some home cooking! Now to try and not kill my offspring before the fat man in the red suit arrives...
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Migraines still suck....and Christmas party planning makes it hurt worse!
Thursday, December 12th, 2013
I have another headache that is wanting to go to migraine status...I have ignored its requests to do so...
I think with the cold weather, the fact that I have been lazy and have not fixed dinner but have eaten out, messed with my pill pack trying to see if my headaches were caused by the hormone drop, and just generally not take care of myself something has changed. All I can say is that they are worse now so I am not convinced that the pill pack thing is it. I just can't put my finger on the trigger yet. And having the girls choir trip tomorrow and Monkey's Grinch themed Christmas party next week I am about max on the brain stress right now. So all this "thinking" makes my head hurt worse, add to that I don't feel like cooking and I do not have a good go to meal yet, and tonight hubby calls home to say running very late, microwave died a week ago (which makes reheating extremely challenging!), and this planned choir trip to the state capital and it might be freezing rain in the am....hmm did I miss anything? Gosh I hope not!
I read an article on the Facebook page "Eat Locally Grown" about headaches and I really need to watch what I ingest. I think I am very sensitive, along with Monkey, about what goes in my body and how it reacts to it. Monkey had her kool-aid lip again yesterday. Did not drink milk but may have had more cheese than normal but still not quite sure what caused it. And she has been very emotional to boot with sudden meltdowns. For her that is a huge red flag that a food is bothering her. For me I think it is short temper and may now be my headaches too as results. Just not connected all of the dots yet.
Anybody else just get a mental block about dinner? I hate cooking the same thing and I have several things in the freezer so I would have options but none of them sound good! And the darn microwave situation isn't helping either. And thanks to our wonderful weather last week, the shipment was delayed for at least 2 more days which could mean Monday! I need to invest in another double boiler I think...
So this party...I mean wow. I think it will be fun but I just do not have the capacity or the mental fortitude to wrap my head around it right now and honestly I am not sure I could ever! I am not the crafty type...unless you mean in figuring out ways to get out of something....then I am crafty all day! I had to coordinate all the party volunteers and the list of things the teacher wanted, which was long! And I still got it wrong! I am a good delegater but I am not a good organizer. And for sure the headache is not helping things.
I feel like I am speaking in slow motion today and on top of that some unknown language that people do not understand. I have got to get this dumb pain to go away. I heard peppermint oil was good but who has that lying around? So I have been munching on our large bowl of old peppermint sticks! And I really do not like peppermint things!
That is a nice mental image eh? Me wandering around with a peppermint stick dangling out of my mouth like a cigarette, slurring my words and staggering as if in a hangover from the med combos I have taken trying to rid myself of this beast! Maybe I will go stagger into bed now.....and hope not to choke on a peppermint!
I have another headache that is wanting to go to migraine status...I have ignored its requests to do so...
I think with the cold weather, the fact that I have been lazy and have not fixed dinner but have eaten out, messed with my pill pack trying to see if my headaches were caused by the hormone drop, and just generally not take care of myself something has changed. All I can say is that they are worse now so I am not convinced that the pill pack thing is it. I just can't put my finger on the trigger yet. And having the girls choir trip tomorrow and Monkey's Grinch themed Christmas party next week I am about max on the brain stress right now. So all this "thinking" makes my head hurt worse, add to that I don't feel like cooking and I do not have a good go to meal yet, and tonight hubby calls home to say running very late, microwave died a week ago (which makes reheating extremely challenging!), and this planned choir trip to the state capital and it might be freezing rain in the am....hmm did I miss anything? Gosh I hope not!
I read an article on the Facebook page "Eat Locally Grown" about headaches and I really need to watch what I ingest. I think I am very sensitive, along with Monkey, about what goes in my body and how it reacts to it. Monkey had her kool-aid lip again yesterday. Did not drink milk but may have had more cheese than normal but still not quite sure what caused it. And she has been very emotional to boot with sudden meltdowns. For her that is a huge red flag that a food is bothering her. For me I think it is short temper and may now be my headaches too as results. Just not connected all of the dots yet.
Anybody else just get a mental block about dinner? I hate cooking the same thing and I have several things in the freezer so I would have options but none of them sound good! And the darn microwave situation isn't helping either. And thanks to our wonderful weather last week, the shipment was delayed for at least 2 more days which could mean Monday! I need to invest in another double boiler I think...
So this party...I mean wow. I think it will be fun but I just do not have the capacity or the mental fortitude to wrap my head around it right now and honestly I am not sure I could ever! I am not the crafty type...unless you mean in figuring out ways to get out of something....then I am crafty all day! I had to coordinate all the party volunteers and the list of things the teacher wanted, which was long! And I still got it wrong! I am a good delegater but I am not a good organizer. And for sure the headache is not helping things.
I feel like I am speaking in slow motion today and on top of that some unknown language that people do not understand. I have got to get this dumb pain to go away. I heard peppermint oil was good but who has that lying around? So I have been munching on our large bowl of old peppermint sticks! And I really do not like peppermint things!
That is a nice mental image eh? Me wandering around with a peppermint stick dangling out of my mouth like a cigarette, slurring my words and staggering as if in a hangover from the med combos I have taken trying to rid myself of this beast! Maybe I will go stagger into bed now.....and hope not to choke on a peppermint!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Cabin fever....nah I like being stuck at home!
Sunday, December 9th 2013
I just found out that are schools are cancelled again on Monday. Friday we had a nice little sleet storm that iced things up pretty well. Then Sat night it sleeted more and then another storm hit farther south on Sunday and got the whole state shut down just about. You say Winter Storm Warning and all the milk and bread is gone in a 250 mile radius! I mean I would rather raid the squirt cheese and Ritz crackers if you ask me! I broke down today and made sugar cookies, well my version of snickerdoodles, my grandmother's refrigerator cookies (which are like a sugar cookie consistency), and chocolate rice krispies! I did manage to slow cook a nice roast and root veggies so I did good as I didnt have a huge bowl but dang if I didnt make up for it on the darn cookie dough! Bleagh. And now I will be home again tomorrow where I hope it warms up a bit more to melt off the rest of the ice!
I think I am dehydrated too, had a headache all day and my hands look like prunes. Too much cider and coffee and not enough exercise and water! I did manage to get hubby to switch my spin bike around with our dusty elliptical. I am glad we hung on to it b/c I plateaued in my work outs and I need something else to do. I spin hard for an hour and I don't sweat anymore. Plus my poor tail bone gets aggravated by sitting on it for that long on a pointy bike seat and causes me to have more headaches that are more severe. Not fun. So tomorrow I hit the elliptical. I am hopeful chunky here can get the fat burnign going again. Thankfully, since we eat so much better with beans, greens, and protein balanced I don't gain as quick. However, little weak moments like today with cookies, can quickly cause me to spiral out of control. It isn't the food but how I treat it and respond to it that is the problem. I know I am addicted to sugar so I try to limit my exposure without banning it entirely b/c lets just face it, if you ban something you want it that much more so you have to be smart and either avoid it or limit yourself where you can. Know thy weaknesses! Mine is chocolate.....and sugar. What's yours?
I try to limit my carbonated beverage to one a month, and my sweets to alternate things that give me satisfaction such as a Hershey kiss or something of that size and then eat it slowly. Sometimes I buy block chocolate and just break off a small piece. My trick is to not inhale whatever I have allowed myself and that rule went right out the window tonight. But it is ok, I will pick back up later or even tomorrow and not beat my self up b/c one day won't break my progress, just slow it as if it were a speed bump.
I have been really lazy here lately and I have about decided that I let myself indulge a bit too often after the Thanksgiving holiday thereby making me sluggish and lazy. When I eat better, I feel better. Just. Like. That. I want to bake though, as I always bake for the school and neighbors and I have been so weak from sugar intrusion that I have just avoided baking as I knew I would do exactly what I did today. Thankfully, I will eat myself sick and then I can pretty much avoid it for a while or pawn it off. This batch wasn't all that great so I will bake a few of my better items and then package them up and send them off to family and friends! The problem is I am running out of time. I wasn't planning on the kids being home tomorrow and now we lost two break days over the Christmas break and Presidents day. I am really looking forward to homeschooling because then I won't worry about weather or make up days! I still think there are more advantages than disadvantages at this point to homeschooling. We shall see if I still say this one year from now!
In the meantime, I have enjoyed being home with my family. We got the tree decorated and some reading done. The kids have both had to get on and pass (this educational game makes them go for a green light to progress and it gives them a goal to work towards) yesterday and today. Plus, they have both read books or finished homework that would have been due Friday. No idle hands here! Now, if I could just get the dining room table cleaned off so I can work on my Christmas puzzle....
I just found out that are schools are cancelled again on Monday. Friday we had a nice little sleet storm that iced things up pretty well. Then Sat night it sleeted more and then another storm hit farther south on Sunday and got the whole state shut down just about. You say Winter Storm Warning and all the milk and bread is gone in a 250 mile radius! I mean I would rather raid the squirt cheese and Ritz crackers if you ask me! I broke down today and made sugar cookies, well my version of snickerdoodles, my grandmother's refrigerator cookies (which are like a sugar cookie consistency), and chocolate rice krispies! I did manage to slow cook a nice roast and root veggies so I did good as I didnt have a huge bowl but dang if I didnt make up for it on the darn cookie dough! Bleagh. And now I will be home again tomorrow where I hope it warms up a bit more to melt off the rest of the ice!
I think I am dehydrated too, had a headache all day and my hands look like prunes. Too much cider and coffee and not enough exercise and water! I did manage to get hubby to switch my spin bike around with our dusty elliptical. I am glad we hung on to it b/c I plateaued in my work outs and I need something else to do. I spin hard for an hour and I don't sweat anymore. Plus my poor tail bone gets aggravated by sitting on it for that long on a pointy bike seat and causes me to have more headaches that are more severe. Not fun. So tomorrow I hit the elliptical. I am hopeful chunky here can get the fat burnign going again. Thankfully, since we eat so much better with beans, greens, and protein balanced I don't gain as quick. However, little weak moments like today with cookies, can quickly cause me to spiral out of control. It isn't the food but how I treat it and respond to it that is the problem. I know I am addicted to sugar so I try to limit my exposure without banning it entirely b/c lets just face it, if you ban something you want it that much more so you have to be smart and either avoid it or limit yourself where you can. Know thy weaknesses! Mine is chocolate.....and sugar. What's yours?
I try to limit my carbonated beverage to one a month, and my sweets to alternate things that give me satisfaction such as a Hershey kiss or something of that size and then eat it slowly. Sometimes I buy block chocolate and just break off a small piece. My trick is to not inhale whatever I have allowed myself and that rule went right out the window tonight. But it is ok, I will pick back up later or even tomorrow and not beat my self up b/c one day won't break my progress, just slow it as if it were a speed bump.
I have been really lazy here lately and I have about decided that I let myself indulge a bit too often after the Thanksgiving holiday thereby making me sluggish and lazy. When I eat better, I feel better. Just. Like. That. I want to bake though, as I always bake for the school and neighbors and I have been so weak from sugar intrusion that I have just avoided baking as I knew I would do exactly what I did today. Thankfully, I will eat myself sick and then I can pretty much avoid it for a while or pawn it off. This batch wasn't all that great so I will bake a few of my better items and then package them up and send them off to family and friends! The problem is I am running out of time. I wasn't planning on the kids being home tomorrow and now we lost two break days over the Christmas break and Presidents day. I am really looking forward to homeschooling because then I won't worry about weather or make up days! I still think there are more advantages than disadvantages at this point to homeschooling. We shall see if I still say this one year from now!
In the meantime, I have enjoyed being home with my family. We got the tree decorated and some reading done. The kids have both had to get on and pass (this educational game makes them go for a green light to progress and it gives them a goal to work towards) yesterday and today. Plus, they have both read books or finished homework that would have been due Friday. No idle hands here! Now, if I could just get the dining room table cleaned off so I can work on my Christmas puzzle....
Friday, December 6, 2013
Icemaggedon lead to cooped up house and the munchies... plus the post turkey bloating....
Friday, December 6th, 2013
Wow, are the holidays among us! I did pretty good and only gained 2lbs at Thanksgiving but then again I avoided the food, it wasn't all that decadent anyways (except the ham) and I walked a lot! Plus it was stinking cold so I think I burned calories by just going outside for a few and trying to stay warm!
It has been a nutty week. Work is getting busy due to an upcoming audit of files, the holidays are looming closer which means party invitations and prep, food cooking, and charity donations for the kids at our local school. That and our weather was 75 on Wednesday and 27 and sleeting today, Friday. The sleet did not come down as heavy as they predicted or as long but it still was worse in some areas as far as accumulations as some parts of our yard got up to 2ft! It was supposed to be a significant ice storm that kind of stalled north of us dumping snow on the northern parts of the state but mostly rain and sleet on us. Unfortunately, it postponed a party I was looking forward to attending because it was at P.Allen Smiths farm. He is a wonderful garden and homesteading expert. Thankfully it was only postponed!
I had a bit of success this week as I was able to corner my new neighbor, whom I have actually known for years but who just moved across the street. I kept seeing her kids during the day so I finally asked her if she home schooled and she did so I picked her brain for like 30 more minutes....the poor woman! She was able to give me more direction on curricula and coops among other things. I was really excited! I have become a home-school nerd I think...
I have been in to reading about homesteading and about organic foods and the use of GMOs that I am thankful for my normal friends so I do not slip too far from reality! I find the info about food and how it affects us extremely fascinating. I have been able to maintain weight loss with not as much effort and see a huge change in both my kids just from eating smarter and healthier. And it really does not take that much effort or planning although I do have my lazy days where I just don't want to do anything.
The girls have been going thru another picky phase and I have had enough. They are to eat or try whatever I have cooked (we are not talking about brussel sprouts or lentils here either!) or else. I warmed a spiral cut hickory smoked ham, purple hull peas, sweet potatoes, and a spinach salad with homemade dressing. I swear I can't find something that both girls like at the same darn time! I finally get one to like it and the other one won't touch it. I made both eat some or all of that meal last night. The lawyer had to choke down the ham, this is the girl that on any given day will inhale ham. She also did not like the homemade ranch. I thought it tasted fine although today it was a bit salty as I did not have enough buttermilk that the recipe called for and I tasted it and it tasted fine but today wow was it salty! I added a bit of milk to it and it was fine. My new rule is you eat it or your next meal is breakfast (unless it is lunch time...I am not an ogre!) I should have done this when they were smaller but I could not wrap my head around it plus I had my mothers voice and nagging in my head so I wasn't as tough as I should/could have been. At least now I can reason why and they understand consequences better although that doesn't stop them from digging in and refusing still!
I need them to be less picky so I can cook and plan better. It is very hard. I get so frustrated trying to avoid being a short order cook. Plus I have been hitting chocolate and sweets more and I have no patience when I do that and it makes me lethargic. I love and yet hate the holidays. I can't eat frozen grapes and granola and be satisfied like one article I read suggested! Bleagh. I want chocolate and desserts but in moderation. Unfortunately, most my hubby can't have b/c they are not gluten free, he won't eat on them b/c he does not crave sweets like I do , and the girls really do not need the sweets so what I keep for myself can be a help or a hindrance depending on my mood...and the time of the month.
In fact, I can tell it is "that" time b/c I am craving things more so than normal and that wonderful ham I fixed and ate on yesterday and today has me swollen up like a dead toad in the stream! My left shoe is tight and my ring is somehow loose and leaving a indention at the same time...wah?? Then there is this ice storm thing...why do you get the munchies when you are cooped up? I mean if I was a pioneer what the heck would I eat? I am so glad that I was not around for the shear fact of convenience, now I would love the simple lifestyle and cooking but I like my stove and mixer! But oh how I could read and not be distracted by my beloved iPad. Facebook and my little games I play would not take away from quality reading or being with my family. Instead the electronic beast has wielded the power of distraction over me and lured me into its fold only to hold me hostage every night. I have so many wonderful books I want to read that I have half started around the house and car. I need routine and yet I avoid having one like the plague! Monkey does so much better when she too has a routine but I don't get that time to wind down at night like I so desperately need so I stay up too late and fart around. In fact, Monkey needs to go to bed b/c it is over an hour past her bedtime and she has already been in here rousting me off the computer. Better go play mommy for awhile before she grows up on me!
Wow, are the holidays among us! I did pretty good and only gained 2lbs at Thanksgiving but then again I avoided the food, it wasn't all that decadent anyways (except the ham) and I walked a lot! Plus it was stinking cold so I think I burned calories by just going outside for a few and trying to stay warm!
It has been a nutty week. Work is getting busy due to an upcoming audit of files, the holidays are looming closer which means party invitations and prep, food cooking, and charity donations for the kids at our local school. That and our weather was 75 on Wednesday and 27 and sleeting today, Friday. The sleet did not come down as heavy as they predicted or as long but it still was worse in some areas as far as accumulations as some parts of our yard got up to 2ft! It was supposed to be a significant ice storm that kind of stalled north of us dumping snow on the northern parts of the state but mostly rain and sleet on us. Unfortunately, it postponed a party I was looking forward to attending because it was at P.Allen Smiths farm. He is a wonderful garden and homesteading expert. Thankfully it was only postponed!
I had a bit of success this week as I was able to corner my new neighbor, whom I have actually known for years but who just moved across the street. I kept seeing her kids during the day so I finally asked her if she home schooled and she did so I picked her brain for like 30 more minutes....the poor woman! She was able to give me more direction on curricula and coops among other things. I was really excited! I have become a home-school nerd I think...
I have been in to reading about homesteading and about organic foods and the use of GMOs that I am thankful for my normal friends so I do not slip too far from reality! I find the info about food and how it affects us extremely fascinating. I have been able to maintain weight loss with not as much effort and see a huge change in both my kids just from eating smarter and healthier. And it really does not take that much effort or planning although I do have my lazy days where I just don't want to do anything.
The girls have been going thru another picky phase and I have had enough. They are to eat or try whatever I have cooked (we are not talking about brussel sprouts or lentils here either!) or else. I warmed a spiral cut hickory smoked ham, purple hull peas, sweet potatoes, and a spinach salad with homemade dressing. I swear I can't find something that both girls like at the same darn time! I finally get one to like it and the other one won't touch it. I made both eat some or all of that meal last night. The lawyer had to choke down the ham, this is the girl that on any given day will inhale ham. She also did not like the homemade ranch. I thought it tasted fine although today it was a bit salty as I did not have enough buttermilk that the recipe called for and I tasted it and it tasted fine but today wow was it salty! I added a bit of milk to it and it was fine. My new rule is you eat it or your next meal is breakfast (unless it is lunch time...I am not an ogre!) I should have done this when they were smaller but I could not wrap my head around it plus I had my mothers voice and nagging in my head so I wasn't as tough as I should/could have been. At least now I can reason why and they understand consequences better although that doesn't stop them from digging in and refusing still!
I need them to be less picky so I can cook and plan better. It is very hard. I get so frustrated trying to avoid being a short order cook. Plus I have been hitting chocolate and sweets more and I have no patience when I do that and it makes me lethargic. I love and yet hate the holidays. I can't eat frozen grapes and granola and be satisfied like one article I read suggested! Bleagh. I want chocolate and desserts but in moderation. Unfortunately, most my hubby can't have b/c they are not gluten free, he won't eat on them b/c he does not crave sweets like I do , and the girls really do not need the sweets so what I keep for myself can be a help or a hindrance depending on my mood...and the time of the month.
In fact, I can tell it is "that" time b/c I am craving things more so than normal and that wonderful ham I fixed and ate on yesterday and today has me swollen up like a dead toad in the stream! My left shoe is tight and my ring is somehow loose and leaving a indention at the same time...wah?? Then there is this ice storm thing...why do you get the munchies when you are cooped up? I mean if I was a pioneer what the heck would I eat? I am so glad that I was not around for the shear fact of convenience, now I would love the simple lifestyle and cooking but I like my stove and mixer! But oh how I could read and not be distracted by my beloved iPad. Facebook and my little games I play would not take away from quality reading or being with my family. Instead the electronic beast has wielded the power of distraction over me and lured me into its fold only to hold me hostage every night. I have so many wonderful books I want to read that I have half started around the house and car. I need routine and yet I avoid having one like the plague! Monkey does so much better when she too has a routine but I don't get that time to wind down at night like I so desperately need so I stay up too late and fart around. In fact, Monkey needs to go to bed b/c it is over an hour past her bedtime and she has already been in here rousting me off the computer. Better go play mommy for awhile before she grows up on me!
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Wistfully thnking about Pioneer days on Thanksgiving
November 28th, 2013 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
I just got back from a family Thanksgiving get together with my parents and sister. As I laid there in bed last night after a busy day, I was wishing for simpler days again.
See, my parents have a house (we call it a cabin) on a great trout fishing river. My heathens...I mean my children... were out for Thanksgiving break all week. My mother has not had great health over the past 2 years, thanks to numerous bowel obstructions which has caused 4 surgeries and about 8 hospitalizations I think...we lost count, so she requested the holiday to be spent with them. She wanted my family of 4 and my wonderful step sister's family of 5 to come stay in a cabin that sleeps 9 comfortably. I am awful at math but even I can figure out that people out number the beds in this situation. Thankfully, we are all game, or dumb, and said yes. We put up cots in each bedroom as one bedroom had 4 twin beds and the other had one twin and one queen. My four stayed in the queen and put the smaller cot off to the side and Monkey slept in it. My sister's family lined up the twins in their room and put the cot in the middle and my brother in law got the honors of that one.
So we all arrived on Tuesday with food and belongings in hand and filtered into the cabin. We stayed up late that night and watched Avatar (my step dad is a movie freak). At 11pm (3 hours past my rug rats bedtime) we climbed into bed. We all completely collapsed from exhaustion. Between the 2+ hour drive (where the elevation climbs, the roads get twistier, and Monkey gets more car sick...) the excitement of seeing family, maybe a glass of wine...maybe, and a long evening we were smooth worn out. We slept until 7am (which I might add is NOT my usual waking time on my off days) where the call of coffee and the smell of bacon woke us up.
I love this time because not only do I not have to deal with work, which means technology in my face constantly beeping or beckoning me, but it allows me to slow down and enjoy the world around me especially my family. There is a small hill to the east where the front of the house faces. The sun had not made its way over it yet and there is always a mist on the river due to the temperature differences, which you can see from the side windows. It is the most calming peace I have experienced when I am up there and see this. The sun had not been up long, the air is calm and frigid, and the animals are going about their daily activities and I get to watch, with coffee in hand, all of it unfold. I had my pj's on, a fire was going in the fireplace, and the smell of coffee and bacon were wafting thru the kitchen as I breathed all of this scene in. I wanted to bottle that moment in time...and then the kids came back into the kitchen. Poof quiet moment was gone!
Hubby, began feeling the pull of the river after breakfast and disappeared. By the time I noticed he was missing, I saw his figure go by the window as he was heading towards the low spot in the river. I grabbed the camera (and unfortunately did NOT grab my coat...brrrr) and snuck down to the area he was fishing in and taking pictures the entire way. I got to about 100 yards of him and snapped more photos and he was blissfully unaware of my presence. Only himself, the bubbling of water running past him as he waded, and the wind was all he heard and felt. I am sure that he too wished he could have bottled that moment...minus the wind and windchill!
We began prepping Thanksgiving lunch mid-morning and ate late afternoon on Wednesday. My dad smoked the turkey and the rest of us had made the various fixings of sweet potato casserole, purple hull peas, green beans wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, and crescent rolls. We also had chocolate pie, peanut butter no bakes, lemon bars, spice cake, and pumpkin bread for dessert. I felt like a pig being readied for the slaughter! I was so darn full!
Now here is the part where I began to think about last night in bed wishing I had NOT had that third cup of coffee in the afternoon or that glass of tea at dinner... Post dinner, we were all sitting around chatting looking at magazines and discussing decorating while the kids and men watched movies on TV. I looked at the clock because it felt late and it was only 6:30. It made me remember when I was kid we would go camping and we would get up early and then stay busy either building something, or cleaning up an area, or hike all day. By the time it got dark, we had eaten and then visited for a bit. You were tired and ready for bed because there were not electronics distracting you or falsely making your sleep cycle get off kilter. You went to bed at dark just like the pioneers did because the chores were done . So at 6:30 my internal clock was tired because of the busy day and the darkness outside and I was ready for bed! I wasn't allowed to disappear yet though. When the boys were done watching the movie, we all jumped up and ran outside all bundled up and looked at the stars. There are no street lights, or building lights to muddy the scene of stars like there is where my hubby and I live. The girls and I had done the same thing back in August when we were last up as I knew they would not experience an uninterrupted sky like they have up there. Despite the frigid air (when we got up the next morning it was 18) we had a blast spotting stars, shooting stars, and airplanes. After that trip, I lasted until about 9pm and then finally got into bed before 10 after I got the kids settled and my things corralled for the night. It was an awesome day.
While I do not wish for the simplicity of no indoor bathrooms, no running water, electricity, or technology; I do wish for the fact that when you came home from work you were able to disconnect and wind down and you were not reachable 24/7. No wonder we are always stressed out because we never really get away from the stress. Hubby smartly left his phone so that he could enjoy the fishing and nature. I didn't check mine as I was with my family so I didn't worry I missed a text either. We were able to disconnect for once, except for my dads 60" TV!
We ate too much, visited, fished, lazed around, went for a walk down some train tracks, laughed, cried (Lawyer decided to fall down the stairs and knock the breath out leaving a nice scrape and my niece had an awful vomit inducing migraine) but basically we relaxed and had fun. True relaxation is something we don't really often achieve anymore. Even Monkey and Lawyer were behaved and not wild for once so I could relax. They were not pumped up full of sugar or chemicals these days. I wish I could say that for today as we just sipped hot chocolate on this chilly evening. I may pay tomorrow for what I let them have today and find myself wistful again for times gone by...
I just got back from a family Thanksgiving get together with my parents and sister. As I laid there in bed last night after a busy day, I was wishing for simpler days again.
See, my parents have a house (we call it a cabin) on a great trout fishing river. My heathens...I mean my children... were out for Thanksgiving break all week. My mother has not had great health over the past 2 years, thanks to numerous bowel obstructions which has caused 4 surgeries and about 8 hospitalizations I think...we lost count, so she requested the holiday to be spent with them. She wanted my family of 4 and my wonderful step sister's family of 5 to come stay in a cabin that sleeps 9 comfortably. I am awful at math but even I can figure out that people out number the beds in this situation. Thankfully, we are all game, or dumb, and said yes. We put up cots in each bedroom as one bedroom had 4 twin beds and the other had one twin and one queen. My four stayed in the queen and put the smaller cot off to the side and Monkey slept in it. My sister's family lined up the twins in their room and put the cot in the middle and my brother in law got the honors of that one.
So we all arrived on Tuesday with food and belongings in hand and filtered into the cabin. We stayed up late that night and watched Avatar (my step dad is a movie freak). At 11pm (3 hours past my rug rats bedtime) we climbed into bed. We all completely collapsed from exhaustion. Between the 2+ hour drive (where the elevation climbs, the roads get twistier, and Monkey gets more car sick...) the excitement of seeing family, maybe a glass of wine...maybe, and a long evening we were smooth worn out. We slept until 7am (which I might add is NOT my usual waking time on my off days) where the call of coffee and the smell of bacon woke us up.
I love this time because not only do I not have to deal with work, which means technology in my face constantly beeping or beckoning me, but it allows me to slow down and enjoy the world around me especially my family. There is a small hill to the east where the front of the house faces. The sun had not made its way over it yet and there is always a mist on the river due to the temperature differences, which you can see from the side windows. It is the most calming peace I have experienced when I am up there and see this. The sun had not been up long, the air is calm and frigid, and the animals are going about their daily activities and I get to watch, with coffee in hand, all of it unfold. I had my pj's on, a fire was going in the fireplace, and the smell of coffee and bacon were wafting thru the kitchen as I breathed all of this scene in. I wanted to bottle that moment in time...and then the kids came back into the kitchen. Poof quiet moment was gone!
Hubby, began feeling the pull of the river after breakfast and disappeared. By the time I noticed he was missing, I saw his figure go by the window as he was heading towards the low spot in the river. I grabbed the camera (and unfortunately did NOT grab my coat...brrrr) and snuck down to the area he was fishing in and taking pictures the entire way. I got to about 100 yards of him and snapped more photos and he was blissfully unaware of my presence. Only himself, the bubbling of water running past him as he waded, and the wind was all he heard and felt. I am sure that he too wished he could have bottled that moment...minus the wind and windchill!
We began prepping Thanksgiving lunch mid-morning and ate late afternoon on Wednesday. My dad smoked the turkey and the rest of us had made the various fixings of sweet potato casserole, purple hull peas, green beans wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, and crescent rolls. We also had chocolate pie, peanut butter no bakes, lemon bars, spice cake, and pumpkin bread for dessert. I felt like a pig being readied for the slaughter! I was so darn full!
Now here is the part where I began to think about last night in bed wishing I had NOT had that third cup of coffee in the afternoon or that glass of tea at dinner... Post dinner, we were all sitting around chatting looking at magazines and discussing decorating while the kids and men watched movies on TV. I looked at the clock because it felt late and it was only 6:30. It made me remember when I was kid we would go camping and we would get up early and then stay busy either building something, or cleaning up an area, or hike all day. By the time it got dark, we had eaten and then visited for a bit. You were tired and ready for bed because there were not electronics distracting you or falsely making your sleep cycle get off kilter. You went to bed at dark just like the pioneers did because the chores were done . So at 6:30 my internal clock was tired because of the busy day and the darkness outside and I was ready for bed! I wasn't allowed to disappear yet though. When the boys were done watching the movie, we all jumped up and ran outside all bundled up and looked at the stars. There are no street lights, or building lights to muddy the scene of stars like there is where my hubby and I live. The girls and I had done the same thing back in August when we were last up as I knew they would not experience an uninterrupted sky like they have up there. Despite the frigid air (when we got up the next morning it was 18) we had a blast spotting stars, shooting stars, and airplanes. After that trip, I lasted until about 9pm and then finally got into bed before 10 after I got the kids settled and my things corralled for the night. It was an awesome day.
While I do not wish for the simplicity of no indoor bathrooms, no running water, electricity, or technology; I do wish for the fact that when you came home from work you were able to disconnect and wind down and you were not reachable 24/7. No wonder we are always stressed out because we never really get away from the stress. Hubby smartly left his phone so that he could enjoy the fishing and nature. I didn't check mine as I was with my family so I didn't worry I missed a text either. We were able to disconnect for once, except for my dads 60" TV!
We ate too much, visited, fished, lazed around, went for a walk down some train tracks, laughed, cried (Lawyer decided to fall down the stairs and knock the breath out leaving a nice scrape and my niece had an awful vomit inducing migraine) but basically we relaxed and had fun. True relaxation is something we don't really often achieve anymore. Even Monkey and Lawyer were behaved and not wild for once so I could relax. They were not pumped up full of sugar or chemicals these days. I wish I could say that for today as we just sipped hot chocolate on this chilly evening. I may pay tomorrow for what I let them have today and find myself wistful again for times gone by...
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Underappreciated, perceptions and notes from the Lawyer
November 21st, 2013
Even feel under appreciated? Sure you have...you are human. I am feeling it this week. Stress for our family plays a huge part in that. One of you is stressed and says something very stupid or neanderthal like and you just go, "Huh?". I read once that no one is a victim ( now don't go arguing saying there are no victims, I am not talking about crime here but the joy of marriage). You each will say something hurtful or stupid b/c you let your guard down just enough to actually SAY what is on your mind instead of keeping it to your self. Or you just don't think before you speak. Either way it affects the significant other. And I have been doing and experiencing this a lot the past two weeks. I have to just speak my mind when appropriate and not full of anger (not the easiest thing to do) and let it slide. Now verbal abuse is different and that is not what I am talking about. I am just talking about normal healthy marriages where someone just blurts out something without really thinking about how the other will take it or perceive it. Today is one of those days where I excuse myself to as quiet of a place I can find where I will not be disturbed and do my own thing. My own personal time out. The perception is that you are treated bad or just feeling attacked when in reality you both are not communicating well and are lashing out with hasty comments instead of really thinking the situation and your thoughts thru. We get in ruts and set up expectation either from habit or from our childhood experiences and when we derail out of that rut, we get cranky and depressed b/c we don't take the time to be considerate. We let our guards down b/c we know we can and honestly we shouldn't b/c we chose to live with this person and we should respect each other and our choices. You just sometimes let emotion do the driving and that is never an outcome that will end well for one of you.
I will move on now...
So the Lawyer has taken to leaving us notes on things. Her first time was after the Christmas ToysRus catalog came in the mail.I always let each girl have a marker and a moment to just mark away their hearts desires. (Hubby and I used to do this with the Sears and JC Penny catalogs when we were kids. I cherished it when that thing came in and spent hours pouring over my wish list.) Well my kids do this too now and it just gives me ideas on what to get them and also what Santa will bring. (Yes we still have Santa b/c mommy still believes!) So I get the catalog back after both have looked at it. Lawyer has noted that she only circled 10 toys while her sister has marked 47! She tells me, and I quote, "don't get all the 47 toys for her mom"....note was noted.
Her second note was on a boys and girls club notice that was sent home. Honestly I think it was sent home in error about 2 months too late anyways but I didn't let her know.... It was a notice about sign up for basketball. She tells us...."Don't sign me up. I just wanted to show you the paper. p.s. Lets talk if I want to do this!" So what does hubby do but tell her the next morning that we had signed her up and he was getting her a basketball that day. She was in shock. Then she said we were supposed to talk to her about it first. He drug it on for a while and then I told her we were just kidding! That girl is WAY too serious sometimes!
I mean if you can't harass your family you will get bored!
It was cold and rainy today. I made chicken tortilla soup. Monkey loved the chicken but did not like it in the soup...go figure. The Lawyer had her obligatory bite, gag, swallow, and No Thank you comment and was done. One of these days they will find something new they like and I might drop dead of a heart attack when they do from shock unable to bask in the moment! I am making them try more things now. I am getting tired of being the wimp here. I have a cooking weekend/week ahead with the holiday fast approaching and I want them to try all of these new and wonderful food! I can dream people, I can dream.....
Even feel under appreciated? Sure you have...you are human. I am feeling it this week. Stress for our family plays a huge part in that. One of you is stressed and says something very stupid or neanderthal like and you just go, "Huh?". I read once that no one is a victim ( now don't go arguing saying there are no victims, I am not talking about crime here but the joy of marriage). You each will say something hurtful or stupid b/c you let your guard down just enough to actually SAY what is on your mind instead of keeping it to your self. Or you just don't think before you speak. Either way it affects the significant other. And I have been doing and experiencing this a lot the past two weeks. I have to just speak my mind when appropriate and not full of anger (not the easiest thing to do) and let it slide. Now verbal abuse is different and that is not what I am talking about. I am just talking about normal healthy marriages where someone just blurts out something without really thinking about how the other will take it or perceive it. Today is one of those days where I excuse myself to as quiet of a place I can find where I will not be disturbed and do my own thing. My own personal time out. The perception is that you are treated bad or just feeling attacked when in reality you both are not communicating well and are lashing out with hasty comments instead of really thinking the situation and your thoughts thru. We get in ruts and set up expectation either from habit or from our childhood experiences and when we derail out of that rut, we get cranky and depressed b/c we don't take the time to be considerate. We let our guards down b/c we know we can and honestly we shouldn't b/c we chose to live with this person and we should respect each other and our choices. You just sometimes let emotion do the driving and that is never an outcome that will end well for one of you.
I will move on now...
So the Lawyer has taken to leaving us notes on things. Her first time was after the Christmas ToysRus catalog came in the mail.I always let each girl have a marker and a moment to just mark away their hearts desires. (Hubby and I used to do this with the Sears and JC Penny catalogs when we were kids. I cherished it when that thing came in and spent hours pouring over my wish list.) Well my kids do this too now and it just gives me ideas on what to get them and also what Santa will bring. (Yes we still have Santa b/c mommy still believes!) So I get the catalog back after both have looked at it. Lawyer has noted that she only circled 10 toys while her sister has marked 47! She tells me, and I quote, "don't get all the 47 toys for her mom"....note was noted.
Her second note was on a boys and girls club notice that was sent home. Honestly I think it was sent home in error about 2 months too late anyways but I didn't let her know.... It was a notice about sign up for basketball. She tells us...."Don't sign me up. I just wanted to show you the paper. p.s. Lets talk if I want to do this!" So what does hubby do but tell her the next morning that we had signed her up and he was getting her a basketball that day. She was in shock. Then she said we were supposed to talk to her about it first. He drug it on for a while and then I told her we were just kidding! That girl is WAY too serious sometimes!
I mean if you can't harass your family you will get bored!
It was cold and rainy today. I made chicken tortilla soup. Monkey loved the chicken but did not like it in the soup...go figure. The Lawyer had her obligatory bite, gag, swallow, and No Thank you comment and was done. One of these days they will find something new they like and I might drop dead of a heart attack when they do from shock unable to bask in the moment! I am making them try more things now. I am getting tired of being the wimp here. I have a cooking weekend/week ahead with the holiday fast approaching and I want them to try all of these new and wonderful food! I can dream people, I can dream.....
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
What? Wait...I have ADD too? Oh, yeah I forgot....
November 20th, 2013
Wow, I should probably confess that I too am ADD, not officially diagnosed. I am rather inconsistent about my posts, not due to lack of material but lack of reminders to put said material on the blog! I mean hubby states he is thirsty and me being the good wife offer to grab him something b/c I need to go do "x" anyways. 25 minutes later when I finally sit down with my mug of hot chocolate he just looks at me. It was at this point I remembered I was supposed to get his water...OOPS. This wouldn't be so dang funny if it didn't happen a LOT! I told him the other night he had about a 30% chance of me following thru with whatever it is he has requested. I kid you not. My problem is I walk out of the room and anything can happen...like hey wow my bladder is full I sure do need to pee...oh yeah, that pile of dirty clothes needs to be washed b/c I heard the dryer buzz telling me clothes were dry...oh I was emptying the dishwasher and got interrupted and forgot to finish it........you get the point. Life with me is interesting, if not very frustrating to say the least.It is a wonder I get anything on my grocery list!
I do have the best of intentions but I take the long track to get there. Hubby hates it when I clean house with him because it takes me ALL DAY. I start in one room, find something that belongs in another, find something to do in that room, then find yet something else that belongs in yet another room, find something to do in that room, then eventually end back up in the room I started with a sudden remembrance of why I was in there in the first place. I mean I get it all done but with my constant wanderings it takes me a while...a long while. However, I do finish most of my projects. I can stop and start something without any effort. I have at least 4 books around the house and car that I am in the middle of, I have at least 3 magazines that I am in the middle of reading, and I have a stack waiting for me (an arrival of a new months issue triggers me to get a move on to finish the last months!). I am quite comfortable in my chaos. Neat, tidy and OCD hubby...not so much. He does what bothers him and what he can to contribute and just ignores the rest. He had too, after 17 years of marriage it was that or major drug therapy (and he hates taking medicine).
So I sit here and think how the HECK am I going to home-school one kid, much less two, in the future AND juggle a full time job. But I am forever the optimist, so I will cross that bridge and difficulty when I get there. I have managed to get this far so I think I will figure it out, even if the first year is a bit wonky.
I have learned tips and tricks and I am teaching Monkey these as well, since that apple did not fall far from the tree! If I don't go and write something down that I need to pick up at the store, I will NOT remember it 99% of the time when I get to the store unless I see it...and even then it is not guarantee that it will trigger that I need to pick some up. I have learned that if someone I am thinking about pops in my head for example: telling hubby I love him or ask him about his day, asking my friend about her swollen jaw and her sick kid (true story) RIGHT when it pops in my head, then that moment is gone forever or at least until I see that person and I think darn I meant to text you. That way you don't look like a sap or a liar when you constantly say I was thinking about you and wanted to ask how you were. I have also learned to write things down if I have tons of things to do. I flag my work e-mail but when that number approaches 150...it really isn't helping me prioritize! I still do it and go back to look at it but I have learned to make lists on a daily planner. It jogs my memory. I have also learned to try and take care of what someone is asking immediately or it will get buried in my e-mail and I forget.
I teach Monkey to write notes and get into a habit or routine, the risk is the routine gets interrupted and she forgets, but the reward is that she begins to think less about remembering and more about other things b/c she now has an ingrained habit. We use time out to reinforce where possible her forgetfulness issues. She doesn't clean up her plate or socks, she gets 5 boring minutes in the hallway. She HATES it. So does Lawyer for that matter who thinks she is too old, at 9 years of age, to sit in it. It really works well for her b/c the fear of complete boredom for 5 whole minutes is more than she can take. Monkey on the other hand seems to hate it too but not enough to remember that is her punishment should she have an infraction of the rules again. She is a bit hard headed like her momma.
I have had some success with Monkey remembering her daily planner she is supposed to bring home. She is now doing it when I left it up to her. She also remembers to clean up after her self most days and pick up her belongings. It is not perfect but much better than it was. I began to get her back on her vitamins again but she has not been on them consistently to tell a difference yet. My biggest thing is to get her in bed on time and wound down. She has been falling asleep quicker with me giving her an easy book to read before she has to turn off the light. It is good b/c I am convinced she is in a picky phase right now b/c she has gotten way too picky about her food. She has had at least two nights early this week where she chose not to eat what was given her and had to wait until breakfast. I think as I said another post that it is a battle of wills and I will win! I just have to give new food again and again to expose them and expand their palates. Heck I just started liking some foods a few years ago myself!
It is coming onto winter so I am hopeful she will pass thru this phase and quit driving me crazy!
Wow, I should probably confess that I too am ADD, not officially diagnosed. I am rather inconsistent about my posts, not due to lack of material but lack of reminders to put said material on the blog! I mean hubby states he is thirsty and me being the good wife offer to grab him something b/c I need to go do "x" anyways. 25 minutes later when I finally sit down with my mug of hot chocolate he just looks at me. It was at this point I remembered I was supposed to get his water...OOPS. This wouldn't be so dang funny if it didn't happen a LOT! I told him the other night he had about a 30% chance of me following thru with whatever it is he has requested. I kid you not. My problem is I walk out of the room and anything can happen...like hey wow my bladder is full I sure do need to pee...oh yeah, that pile of dirty clothes needs to be washed b/c I heard the dryer buzz telling me clothes were dry...oh I was emptying the dishwasher and got interrupted and forgot to finish it........you get the point. Life with me is interesting, if not very frustrating to say the least.It is a wonder I get anything on my grocery list!
I do have the best of intentions but I take the long track to get there. Hubby hates it when I clean house with him because it takes me ALL DAY. I start in one room, find something that belongs in another, find something to do in that room, then find yet something else that belongs in yet another room, find something to do in that room, then eventually end back up in the room I started with a sudden remembrance of why I was in there in the first place. I mean I get it all done but with my constant wanderings it takes me a while...a long while. However, I do finish most of my projects. I can stop and start something without any effort. I have at least 4 books around the house and car that I am in the middle of, I have at least 3 magazines that I am in the middle of reading, and I have a stack waiting for me (an arrival of a new months issue triggers me to get a move on to finish the last months!). I am quite comfortable in my chaos. Neat, tidy and OCD hubby...not so much. He does what bothers him and what he can to contribute and just ignores the rest. He had too, after 17 years of marriage it was that or major drug therapy (and he hates taking medicine).
So I sit here and think how the HECK am I going to home-school one kid, much less two, in the future AND juggle a full time job. But I am forever the optimist, so I will cross that bridge and difficulty when I get there. I have managed to get this far so I think I will figure it out, even if the first year is a bit wonky.
I have learned tips and tricks and I am teaching Monkey these as well, since that apple did not fall far from the tree! If I don't go and write something down that I need to pick up at the store, I will NOT remember it 99% of the time when I get to the store unless I see it...and even then it is not guarantee that it will trigger that I need to pick some up. I have learned that if someone I am thinking about pops in my head for example: telling hubby I love him or ask him about his day, asking my friend about her swollen jaw and her sick kid (true story) RIGHT when it pops in my head, then that moment is gone forever or at least until I see that person and I think darn I meant to text you. That way you don't look like a sap or a liar when you constantly say I was thinking about you and wanted to ask how you were. I have also learned to write things down if I have tons of things to do. I flag my work e-mail but when that number approaches 150...it really isn't helping me prioritize! I still do it and go back to look at it but I have learned to make lists on a daily planner. It jogs my memory. I have also learned to try and take care of what someone is asking immediately or it will get buried in my e-mail and I forget.
I teach Monkey to write notes and get into a habit or routine, the risk is the routine gets interrupted and she forgets, but the reward is that she begins to think less about remembering and more about other things b/c she now has an ingrained habit. We use time out to reinforce where possible her forgetfulness issues. She doesn't clean up her plate or socks, she gets 5 boring minutes in the hallway. She HATES it. So does Lawyer for that matter who thinks she is too old, at 9 years of age, to sit in it. It really works well for her b/c the fear of complete boredom for 5 whole minutes is more than she can take. Monkey on the other hand seems to hate it too but not enough to remember that is her punishment should she have an infraction of the rules again. She is a bit hard headed like her momma.
I have had some success with Monkey remembering her daily planner she is supposed to bring home. She is now doing it when I left it up to her. She also remembers to clean up after her self most days and pick up her belongings. It is not perfect but much better than it was. I began to get her back on her vitamins again but she has not been on them consistently to tell a difference yet. My biggest thing is to get her in bed on time and wound down. She has been falling asleep quicker with me giving her an easy book to read before she has to turn off the light. It is good b/c I am convinced she is in a picky phase right now b/c she has gotten way too picky about her food. She has had at least two nights early this week where she chose not to eat what was given her and had to wait until breakfast. I think as I said another post that it is a battle of wills and I will win! I just have to give new food again and again to expose them and expand their palates. Heck I just started liking some foods a few years ago myself!
It is coming onto winter so I am hopeful she will pass thru this phase and quit driving me crazy!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Migraines suck!
November 14th, 2013
There I said it. Migraines suck! I have frequent headaches due to a drop in hormones once a month and the occasional tension headache. I have not had a migraine in a long time and I could go... say never having another one ever again!
Life turns up side down and the simplest things become complicated when you have a migraine. Of course last night is the long art class night (hour and a half for the Lawyer) so I have to pick them up from after school Spanish at 4, then rush her home, and get something in the toaster oven for her so she can eat dinner. All the while trying to juggle what the rest of us are having for dinner. Thankfully, I had made beef stew on Sunday, and crock pot pork on Monday, Fajitas on Tues and had plenty of left overs. I had also thawed some white beans and ham I had cooked a few weeks ago. It was a good thing too. Hubby ate the beans and I was so nauseated from the migraine I didn't eat for fear of seeing it again....in the toilet.
I woke up with the headache yesterday but I honestly did not think anything of it as that can happen a lot but we had had a recent cold snap down into the 20s at night and 40's during the day, plus a monthly visitor came at the same time so I was up the creek without a paddle this week on good luck! All was well until about lunch and it began to get worse and not respond to anything I took. By evening it was beginning to make me sick at my stomach and that is NEVER a good thing or a good sign. I picked up the girls, took them home and threw some food at both of them to eat. Thankfully hubby was home doing a virtual class so I could leave Monkey to eat in piece. I ran Lawyer to class then came back and made sure Monkey got into shower. Then I sat and stared at my iPad and scrolled mindlessly thru Facebook until it was time to go get her. Normally hubby gets the task of picking her up so I can make dinner but he was knee deep in broken servers and other IT techy words that mean a long evening for him....
6:15 the timer screamed at me so I drove back over and got my child, who is always last to clean up her stuff. My cousin was in the same class unbeknownst to me and of course I had to be cordial and sane at the same time....see when I get a migraine my words don't come easy and I slur them. (I am sure having a conversation with me during an active migraine are a blast!) So I finally get slow poke out of there and get back home. Make sure Lawyer got into the shower and then I went to bed....at 7pm. Me, my nightgown, pj's over the night gown, socks, an ice pack, and advil pm all laid in the bed with the blanket warmer on...and collapsed. I vaguely remember hubby coming to bed at 9:30 and saying something. It was either then or midnight that I woke up roaring hot and began to strip back down to my nightgown only and lay back down and pass out again.
Right now many are taking the time to state daily what they are thankful for on Facebook. While I am the consummate Grinch on Facebook at this time of year about that, I will say I am very thankful for a wonderful hubby, who gets the kids put in bed, the kitchen cleaned and the dishwasher started while I lay comatose in pain in the bedroom. He is awesome. I think that is how I get thru my crazy days when the Lawyer makes me want to start drinking and Monkey makes me want Xanax! I do not need those types of crutches or habits because I know that hubby will pick up the slack when I just can't. No he didn't dry their hair, not sure when they actually got to bed, but it doesn't matter. I don't have to worry when he is around.
Tonight my oldest still has a nasty cough and my youngest is running 100 fever. I dosed them both up and of course my throat is sore....I keep telling myself it is all in your head you are not getting sick again and my mind says yes you are right, it is in your throat so it is in your head dummy! I have these kinds of arguments more than I care to admit....
So I still have a bit of a dull headache but I saw my wonderful massage therapist today and she made me feel SO much better. I think I will retire early tonight a happy woman because next week is off to the races for what seems like all the way to the new year! I love the holidays but man is it hectic! Here's to hoping no more migraines this year!
There I said it. Migraines suck! I have frequent headaches due to a drop in hormones once a month and the occasional tension headache. I have not had a migraine in a long time and I could go... say never having another one ever again!
Life turns up side down and the simplest things become complicated when you have a migraine. Of course last night is the long art class night (hour and a half for the Lawyer) so I have to pick them up from after school Spanish at 4, then rush her home, and get something in the toaster oven for her so she can eat dinner. All the while trying to juggle what the rest of us are having for dinner. Thankfully, I had made beef stew on Sunday, and crock pot pork on Monday, Fajitas on Tues and had plenty of left overs. I had also thawed some white beans and ham I had cooked a few weeks ago. It was a good thing too. Hubby ate the beans and I was so nauseated from the migraine I didn't eat for fear of seeing it again....in the toilet.
I woke up with the headache yesterday but I honestly did not think anything of it as that can happen a lot but we had had a recent cold snap down into the 20s at night and 40's during the day, plus a monthly visitor came at the same time so I was up the creek without a paddle this week on good luck! All was well until about lunch and it began to get worse and not respond to anything I took. By evening it was beginning to make me sick at my stomach and that is NEVER a good thing or a good sign. I picked up the girls, took them home and threw some food at both of them to eat. Thankfully hubby was home doing a virtual class so I could leave Monkey to eat in piece. I ran Lawyer to class then came back and made sure Monkey got into shower. Then I sat and stared at my iPad and scrolled mindlessly thru Facebook until it was time to go get her. Normally hubby gets the task of picking her up so I can make dinner but he was knee deep in broken servers and other IT techy words that mean a long evening for him....
6:15 the timer screamed at me so I drove back over and got my child, who is always last to clean up her stuff. My cousin was in the same class unbeknownst to me and of course I had to be cordial and sane at the same time....see when I get a migraine my words don't come easy and I slur them. (I am sure having a conversation with me during an active migraine are a blast!) So I finally get slow poke out of there and get back home. Make sure Lawyer got into the shower and then I went to bed....at 7pm. Me, my nightgown, pj's over the night gown, socks, an ice pack, and advil pm all laid in the bed with the blanket warmer on...and collapsed. I vaguely remember hubby coming to bed at 9:30 and saying something. It was either then or midnight that I woke up roaring hot and began to strip back down to my nightgown only and lay back down and pass out again.
Right now many are taking the time to state daily what they are thankful for on Facebook. While I am the consummate Grinch on Facebook at this time of year about that, I will say I am very thankful for a wonderful hubby, who gets the kids put in bed, the kitchen cleaned and the dishwasher started while I lay comatose in pain in the bedroom. He is awesome. I think that is how I get thru my crazy days when the Lawyer makes me want to start drinking and Monkey makes me want Xanax! I do not need those types of crutches or habits because I know that hubby will pick up the slack when I just can't. No he didn't dry their hair, not sure when they actually got to bed, but it doesn't matter. I don't have to worry when he is around.
Tonight my oldest still has a nasty cough and my youngest is running 100 fever. I dosed them both up and of course my throat is sore....I keep telling myself it is all in your head you are not getting sick again and my mind says yes you are right, it is in your throat so it is in your head dummy! I have these kinds of arguments more than I care to admit....
So I still have a bit of a dull headache but I saw my wonderful massage therapist today and she made me feel SO much better. I think I will retire early tonight a happy woman because next week is off to the races for what seems like all the way to the new year! I love the holidays but man is it hectic! Here's to hoping no more migraines this year!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
PIcky eater battles with frequent and conveniently timed stomach aches
November 12th 2013 (11/12/13)
I did NOT even notice the date "funny" until I cracked open Facebook....sad I know. If I learn something new from Facebook then I need to get out more in my opinion!
Ever listen to your self and realize what a raving lunatic you are? I yell at my kids, more like shout out commands, and I forget that sound carries in our neighborhood. So hubby was home doing a virtual class and I told the kids that they needed to be quiet when they walked into the house. Next thing I know they are running towards garage door, flinging it open and yelling at each other. So it was at this point I find myself loudly proclaiming, "STOP YELLING AND BE QUIET OR I WILL BEAT YOU SENSELESS!". Yes, that was a mother of the year vote for me...
The Lawyer is sick...I am not surprised. She has a horrible cough but thankfully only a low grade temp, although if you ask her she is dying.... Now Monkey is not liking the amount of attention that the Lawyer is getting and has begun to cough and complain she needs medicine too. Either my kids need more attention or they are hooked on OTC meds....I hope it is the former!
Speaking of Monkey...she has been giving me fits. I mean I may need meds if she doesn't get thru this phase. She has suddenly become very picky and finicky about her food. She has always been open to trying new things but as of late she doesn't even want her usual favorites. I am not sure if it is the fall allergies wreaking havoc on her taste and smell or if she is just going thru a phase. She only wants processed foods which I detest BUT I find I lean on to get my kids fed. I hate it but I do it. And I have created monsters in the process. I tried to be good but then you get tired or they go thru a picky phase and you cave...then they have you. Ever watch one of those kids that pitch a fit when they don't get what they want and the parent is so embarrassed that they buy it anyways to get the kid to shut up and stop making a scene? I was never one of those parents, yet with food I AM! I let them shame me into giving them what they want instead of what they need and now I am stuck. I am working on Monkey to get unstuck though. I gave her an ultimatum about remembering her school planner and it has worked. She brings it home almost every day. Now I am having to play hard ball on the food issue. I hate it b/c I had to go thru it as a kid b/c I was picky and I think it is a fine line. I think if it is a new food, making them eat the entire plate is just stupid...dad. They should try a bite as many times as you fix it and you hope that one time it is a hit. I have to do that now for myself on new foods as I may not have liked it as a kid or even a while ago but a different prep of it may be just the ticket. But when it is a food they like and they suddenly refuse it? Nah, momma ain't going there!
Monkey likes to fake a stomach ache and say she doesn't feel good then suddenly get bouncy or ask for cookies when you back off. Last night she looked a little pale and complained of her stomach hurting in the car (a school stomach bug is going around so I took her seriously on this one) so I didn't make her eat anything but her favorite green beans. (I will admit I did not get them seasoned as well as I normally do so they were a bit bland but that has not stopped her before.) She ate her bread and then said, after two beans eaten, that she did not feel good. I told her sorry to hear that but the next meal was breakfast. She tried a sausage biscuit at breakfast the next day, spit the bite out, then ate most of her cheerios and biscuits. No complaints. She ate the ham, cheese and apples I sent for lunch, no complaints (today was PTO meeting so I always eat lunch with her before the meeting so hence how I knew). Tonight I fixed her a homemade burrito. I have done this before with success. I tried a new recipe last week and it was not good, so I went back to my old one. I even toasted in the oven like she likes her frozen one. She started eating on it and said it was ok then saw the cinnamon tortilla crisps I made (recipe taken from thepioneerwoman.com) she suddenly didn't want her burrito. Yeah right sister. When she began to sit and argue with me and stop eating, I decided she was done. I took her plate and scraped it into a bowl and put it in the fridge. I told her nothing else to eat until tomorrow. THEN...I made her take her vitamins as I had been forgetting and I am going to experiment and see if her pickyness goes away. I will let you know....
I did NOT even notice the date "funny" until I cracked open Facebook....sad I know. If I learn something new from Facebook then I need to get out more in my opinion!
Ever listen to your self and realize what a raving lunatic you are? I yell at my kids, more like shout out commands, and I forget that sound carries in our neighborhood. So hubby was home doing a virtual class and I told the kids that they needed to be quiet when they walked into the house. Next thing I know they are running towards garage door, flinging it open and yelling at each other. So it was at this point I find myself loudly proclaiming, "STOP YELLING AND BE QUIET OR I WILL BEAT YOU SENSELESS!". Yes, that was a mother of the year vote for me...
The Lawyer is sick...I am not surprised. She has a horrible cough but thankfully only a low grade temp, although if you ask her she is dying.... Now Monkey is not liking the amount of attention that the Lawyer is getting and has begun to cough and complain she needs medicine too. Either my kids need more attention or they are hooked on OTC meds....I hope it is the former!
Speaking of Monkey...she has been giving me fits. I mean I may need meds if she doesn't get thru this phase. She has suddenly become very picky and finicky about her food. She has always been open to trying new things but as of late she doesn't even want her usual favorites. I am not sure if it is the fall allergies wreaking havoc on her taste and smell or if she is just going thru a phase. She only wants processed foods which I detest BUT I find I lean on to get my kids fed. I hate it but I do it. And I have created monsters in the process. I tried to be good but then you get tired or they go thru a picky phase and you cave...then they have you. Ever watch one of those kids that pitch a fit when they don't get what they want and the parent is so embarrassed that they buy it anyways to get the kid to shut up and stop making a scene? I was never one of those parents, yet with food I AM! I let them shame me into giving them what they want instead of what they need and now I am stuck. I am working on Monkey to get unstuck though. I gave her an ultimatum about remembering her school planner and it has worked. She brings it home almost every day. Now I am having to play hard ball on the food issue. I hate it b/c I had to go thru it as a kid b/c I was picky and I think it is a fine line. I think if it is a new food, making them eat the entire plate is just stupid...dad. They should try a bite as many times as you fix it and you hope that one time it is a hit. I have to do that now for myself on new foods as I may not have liked it as a kid or even a while ago but a different prep of it may be just the ticket. But when it is a food they like and they suddenly refuse it? Nah, momma ain't going there!
Monkey likes to fake a stomach ache and say she doesn't feel good then suddenly get bouncy or ask for cookies when you back off. Last night she looked a little pale and complained of her stomach hurting in the car (a school stomach bug is going around so I took her seriously on this one) so I didn't make her eat anything but her favorite green beans. (I will admit I did not get them seasoned as well as I normally do so they were a bit bland but that has not stopped her before.) She ate her bread and then said, after two beans eaten, that she did not feel good. I told her sorry to hear that but the next meal was breakfast. She tried a sausage biscuit at breakfast the next day, spit the bite out, then ate most of her cheerios and biscuits. No complaints. She ate the ham, cheese and apples I sent for lunch, no complaints (today was PTO meeting so I always eat lunch with her before the meeting so hence how I knew). Tonight I fixed her a homemade burrito. I have done this before with success. I tried a new recipe last week and it was not good, so I went back to my old one. I even toasted in the oven like she likes her frozen one. She started eating on it and said it was ok then saw the cinnamon tortilla crisps I made (recipe taken from thepioneerwoman.com) she suddenly didn't want her burrito. Yeah right sister. When she began to sit and argue with me and stop eating, I decided she was done. I took her plate and scraped it into a bowl and put it in the fridge. I told her nothing else to eat until tomorrow. THEN...I made her take her vitamins as I had been forgetting and I am going to experiment and see if her pickyness goes away. I will let you know....
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Daylight Savings, the flu, and meltdowns....
November 7th 2013,
Well I just love hearing all of the crankies complain about daylight savings and it being dark at night. It beats being pitch black in the morning and your kids complaining that you are getting them up for school in the middle of the night! And I like it getting dark early at night and light when I wake up. It makes me feel like a pioneer! It sets our internal clocks better if you get up with the sun and winds you down when the sun drops in the sky. I wake up refreshed during this time. I feel like I spend all of daylight savings in half a fog and acting like a zombie. Oh I was so born in the wrong time period...ok yes I do love my conveniences....like indoor toilets...but I miss the work ethic, the fact that a mans word was good on a handshake only, and that neighbors were friends, not just neighbors by proximity!
It is that time of year when you stop eating all the wonderful berries and you get your fill of pumpkin filled food items and drinks and fall beans. You eat chili, stews, soups and sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate while watching old movies. I am hopeful that I do not gain 2000lbs this winter b/c I love to cook holiday sweets. I love cakes and pies and cookies...I have Pioneer Woman on the DVR for ideas with all of her recipes. I ride my spin bike and watch cooking shows...or home improvement shows depending on my mood and what is on. Unfortunately, my healthy eating has me only maintaining my weight currently...my portion control has gotten WAY out of hand. It was time to take matters in to my own hands! And then I got sick...
I manage to keep fairly healthy except for my pesky hormonal headaches. I get the usual cold after wiping noses all winter and usually get over them pretty easy. But once every 2 years it seems I get something that takes a strangle hold on me and puts me down and out. I felt yucky almost two Saturdays ago at night. I woke up the next morning with flu like symptoms then the fever went up and I generally felt like dog poop. I took the last of the Thera Flu....of course we were out! And then hit the expired knock off flu medicine that made me vomit the last time I took it. (Yeah I felt that bad to give that one a go!) My sickness then progressed into what felt like a horrible allergy attack with constant sneezing and my eyes watering so bad I look like I was constantly crying. At that point, I gave up (b/c I was avoiding going to the doctor) b/c my fever would not go away and I felt like someone was beating me with a stick at night. I found some left over antibiotics from a prescription last fall when I had the crud so I got desperate and took them. Bad move on my part. I really like to avoid antibiotics when I can but I lost my noggin and I forgot that I really don't like that particular brand I had b/c it made me feel funny. (Note- I am allergic to several antibiotics so my choices are limited oh and also codeine...so much for cough meds.) Then I had the bright idea to take my husbands expired cough meds with codeine so I could sleep and not hack out my left lung lobe! I kept the Benadryl close....Between the expired cough meds, so much Vicks on my chest that I stayed greasy, and breathe right strips I made it without major night time cough fits or a sore throat from mouth breathing. Well, I made it until this Tuesday....I still had a dry hacking cough thanks to my asthma that I got from both my dads smoking like chimneys (I have a step dad so hence the multi-daddy comment) when I was a kid. I coughed so hard that at my age you better have protection...and then the bladder infection hit. Sheese. When I get sick. I GET SICK. Sucks really. So then after all that I HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR THAT I WAS TRYING TO AVOID. Grrr. But I am feeling better and hubby can quit having heart attacks b/c he thought I was dying....when actually I was taking special bladder pain pills that turn your pee pee almost orange... or red if you aren't used to it. No dear I am not bleeding to death I just have very dark orange pee....its perfectly normal...really.
So the Lawyer is off her probation and got to get on the computer for the first time tonight in a month. She was quite the happy camper. I loved it when we grounded her b/c she actually asked me, "What am I going to do all day on the weekends?? I will be bored!". Well she discovered her lost love of reading. She has had her nose in a book constantly to the point I have had to use that as a threat too b/c she was ignoring us. Meanwhile Monkey is still having the occasional meltdown. She is beginning to eat better though so that might help. She actually wanted tacos again last night b/c she told me she wanted to go eat at "Maci's! You know the one with the power wagon!" This is a typical conversation for us where she gets things half right and expects me to just figure it out. After many questions, I finally figured out she wanted to go eat at Moe's. And have the kids meal called the power wagon...my brain hurt after that exchange.
After this morning's meltdown, (she didn't have enough time to play before school b/c she spent 10 minutes looking at herself in the mirror...) she was very mad at the lack of time she had to play. And it was all my fault, so she thought. We have been playing the "hear are consequences to YOUR actions" game a lot lately. She is beginning to see that I do not cave and she has to alter what she does to avoid something that upsets her. I really think I need to get her back on her vitamins again since she is not eating as well and see if that helps her turn things back around. It is such a subtle thing that I am not sure exactly what works and what doesn't...it is more of a gut instinct. So I cook the family as healthy of a meal as I can and try to get each kid eating one or more of what I cook so it feels more like a family meal and I know what ingredients the kids are ingesting. Tonight I fixed GF fried chicken nuggets, and had left over warmed up pinto beans and butternut squash risotto (from a box) and a yellow potato. I had great ideas the week before I got sick but I am kind of stumped this week and just winged it. I got a few more ideas but I need to flip thru some mags or watch more cooking shows to get inspired again. I hate to repeat meals too often or become predictable. I think it is more fun to surprise and mix and match flavors. Sometimes I hit a home run...sometimes I strike out. Just like a pioneer I tackle new ground to make it my own.
Well I just love hearing all of the crankies complain about daylight savings and it being dark at night. It beats being pitch black in the morning and your kids complaining that you are getting them up for school in the middle of the night! And I like it getting dark early at night and light when I wake up. It makes me feel like a pioneer! It sets our internal clocks better if you get up with the sun and winds you down when the sun drops in the sky. I wake up refreshed during this time. I feel like I spend all of daylight savings in half a fog and acting like a zombie. Oh I was so born in the wrong time period...ok yes I do love my conveniences....like indoor toilets...but I miss the work ethic, the fact that a mans word was good on a handshake only, and that neighbors were friends, not just neighbors by proximity!
It is that time of year when you stop eating all the wonderful berries and you get your fill of pumpkin filled food items and drinks and fall beans. You eat chili, stews, soups and sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate while watching old movies. I am hopeful that I do not gain 2000lbs this winter b/c I love to cook holiday sweets. I love cakes and pies and cookies...I have Pioneer Woman on the DVR for ideas with all of her recipes. I ride my spin bike and watch cooking shows...or home improvement shows depending on my mood and what is on. Unfortunately, my healthy eating has me only maintaining my weight currently...my portion control has gotten WAY out of hand. It was time to take matters in to my own hands! And then I got sick...
I manage to keep fairly healthy except for my pesky hormonal headaches. I get the usual cold after wiping noses all winter and usually get over them pretty easy. But once every 2 years it seems I get something that takes a strangle hold on me and puts me down and out. I felt yucky almost two Saturdays ago at night. I woke up the next morning with flu like symptoms then the fever went up and I generally felt like dog poop. I took the last of the Thera Flu....of course we were out! And then hit the expired knock off flu medicine that made me vomit the last time I took it. (Yeah I felt that bad to give that one a go!) My sickness then progressed into what felt like a horrible allergy attack with constant sneezing and my eyes watering so bad I look like I was constantly crying. At that point, I gave up (b/c I was avoiding going to the doctor) b/c my fever would not go away and I felt like someone was beating me with a stick at night. I found some left over antibiotics from a prescription last fall when I had the crud so I got desperate and took them. Bad move on my part. I really like to avoid antibiotics when I can but I lost my noggin and I forgot that I really don't like that particular brand I had b/c it made me feel funny. (Note- I am allergic to several antibiotics so my choices are limited oh and also codeine...so much for cough meds.) Then I had the bright idea to take my husbands expired cough meds with codeine so I could sleep and not hack out my left lung lobe! I kept the Benadryl close....Between the expired cough meds, so much Vicks on my chest that I stayed greasy, and breathe right strips I made it without major night time cough fits or a sore throat from mouth breathing. Well, I made it until this Tuesday....I still had a dry hacking cough thanks to my asthma that I got from both my dads smoking like chimneys (I have a step dad so hence the multi-daddy comment) when I was a kid. I coughed so hard that at my age you better have protection...and then the bladder infection hit. Sheese. When I get sick. I GET SICK. Sucks really. So then after all that I HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR THAT I WAS TRYING TO AVOID. Grrr. But I am feeling better and hubby can quit having heart attacks b/c he thought I was dying....when actually I was taking special bladder pain pills that turn your pee pee almost orange... or red if you aren't used to it. No dear I am not bleeding to death I just have very dark orange pee....its perfectly normal...really.
So the Lawyer is off her probation and got to get on the computer for the first time tonight in a month. She was quite the happy camper. I loved it when we grounded her b/c she actually asked me, "What am I going to do all day on the weekends?? I will be bored!". Well she discovered her lost love of reading. She has had her nose in a book constantly to the point I have had to use that as a threat too b/c she was ignoring us. Meanwhile Monkey is still having the occasional meltdown. She is beginning to eat better though so that might help. She actually wanted tacos again last night b/c she told me she wanted to go eat at "Maci's! You know the one with the power wagon!" This is a typical conversation for us where she gets things half right and expects me to just figure it out. After many questions, I finally figured out she wanted to go eat at Moe's. And have the kids meal called the power wagon...my brain hurt after that exchange.
After this morning's meltdown, (she didn't have enough time to play before school b/c she spent 10 minutes looking at herself in the mirror...) she was very mad at the lack of time she had to play. And it was all my fault, so she thought. We have been playing the "hear are consequences to YOUR actions" game a lot lately. She is beginning to see that I do not cave and she has to alter what she does to avoid something that upsets her. I really think I need to get her back on her vitamins again since she is not eating as well and see if that helps her turn things back around. It is such a subtle thing that I am not sure exactly what works and what doesn't...it is more of a gut instinct. So I cook the family as healthy of a meal as I can and try to get each kid eating one or more of what I cook so it feels more like a family meal and I know what ingredients the kids are ingesting. Tonight I fixed GF fried chicken nuggets, and had left over warmed up pinto beans and butternut squash risotto (from a box) and a yellow potato. I had great ideas the week before I got sick but I am kind of stumped this week and just winged it. I got a few more ideas but I need to flip thru some mags or watch more cooking shows to get inspired again. I hate to repeat meals too often or become predictable. I think it is more fun to surprise and mix and match flavors. Sometimes I hit a home run...sometimes I strike out. Just like a pioneer I tackle new ground to make it my own.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Thanksgiving madness starts RIGHT NOW
October 26th, 2013
Yes I do realize it is still October and that Halloween hasn't occurred yet. And while this is my favorite month and time of the year, I am not a fan of Halloween so much as I am a fan of the pumpkins, the chill in the air, cute fall outfits, and the food that goes with it. No wonder my belly looks like Santa's...
Well the drama is still lingering if you are following along, if you aren't your loss. :) Monkey is still almost an emotional wreck. She is that odd child just like I was. I preferred being a loner sometimes probably because I as an only child. That and we moved a lot as a kid so I was never used to long term friendships until a teenager I became. I think the problem for her last night was mechanics, 2 is great fun...three is a crowd. It is not one persons fault just the game of dynamics and she got the short stick. Something is not right with that kid and I can't put my finger on it with all of this drama, she isn't herself. She has stopped being my adventuresome eater. She no longer wants to try everything. I know her allergies are playing a huge part as mine did when I was her age. You feel like crap constantly but not sick enough to be deemed "sick" and get anything done about it. We do get chiropractic which helps but I think she needs it once a week but I can't afford it unfortunately. I may take her in monthly instead along with her cocktails of claritin, zyrtec, and benadryl alternations. She keeps that kool-aid lip and of course they had school pictures this week when it was at its worse. I am pretty sure dairy is the culprit of that but I took her off of it and she still has it so I am thinking it is a combination of things. I may have given her so much vitamin supplements that I altered her body chemistry where texture and taste bother her where it didn't before. She is also the gassiest kid I know and I worry she has hubby's gluten sensitivity. I may have to take her off of gluten for a couple of weeks to test that theory out.
So, that alters my cooking extravaganza that I am embarked on today. I am making a gluten free lasagna that I adapted from the pioneer woman's recipe. I am hopeful the noodles will hold up and taste ok. I need to get both my kids back on to more homemade versions of their favorite boxed foods. It is hit and miss with some of it just like the gluten free products. Love all things King Arthur but Bob's Red Mill is very hit and miss. KA all-purpose GF flour is great, Bob's bleagh. It is disgusting. Bob's cornbread is fabulous and so is their pizza dough and brownies though. And then you throw in individual tastes. Lawyer won't touch it if she even THINKS it is GF so I have to hide packages and put things in ziplocks. Monkey will happily try it but her problem is she suddenly only wants cookies only. I think it is a comfort food because she doesn't feel good. I just need to be patient with her and get her feeling better. And I can easily adapt recipes for the most part and come up with an edible version of whatever it is that we love at Thanksgiving...like dressing.
Hubby's great grandmothers dressing was the bomb. I got the recipe which is cryptic in and of itself but managed to figure it out close enough to make hubby happy. And then he had to go GF. Well, that has certainly been a challenge but I have slowly mastered it and with better and better products on the market I think I have enough alternatives to make it work this year. Just got to get the girls to like it! I have begun giving ultimatums and yes rewards to bribe them to get them to try new things. Lawyer LOVES my homemade hashbrowns that I made this morning so we are making progress but I may ultimately have to have all of us go bread free or at least GF for various reasons. Hubby and Monkey for tummy and behavior, Lawyer for removing more sugar that tends to give her more of the daydreams, and myself for weight management. We eat great but hubby and I need to eat less of the great stuff and walk more. Life gets in the way and despite my hour long bike rides almost daily, I am just maintaining only. I need to kick start weight loss for both of us all the while trying to get a picky eater to venture out and a non-picky eater from becoming a picky eater!
I will start with GF spice cake muffins that is actually a cake mix but the girls love for breakfast. I am trying more ideas to jump start their mornings before school and keep the sugar exposure minimal. Plus this a great thanksgiving item to have on hand that all can eat. It has become a mission for me but right now is just a huge hurdle I must cross to get to my desired end result goal. Holiday madness is upon me although many would argue that is a year round sentence for me....
Yes I do realize it is still October and that Halloween hasn't occurred yet. And while this is my favorite month and time of the year, I am not a fan of Halloween so much as I am a fan of the pumpkins, the chill in the air, cute fall outfits, and the food that goes with it. No wonder my belly looks like Santa's...
Well the drama is still lingering if you are following along, if you aren't your loss. :) Monkey is still almost an emotional wreck. She is that odd child just like I was. I preferred being a loner sometimes probably because I as an only child. That and we moved a lot as a kid so I was never used to long term friendships until a teenager I became. I think the problem for her last night was mechanics, 2 is great fun...three is a crowd. It is not one persons fault just the game of dynamics and she got the short stick. Something is not right with that kid and I can't put my finger on it with all of this drama, she isn't herself. She has stopped being my adventuresome eater. She no longer wants to try everything. I know her allergies are playing a huge part as mine did when I was her age. You feel like crap constantly but not sick enough to be deemed "sick" and get anything done about it. We do get chiropractic which helps but I think she needs it once a week but I can't afford it unfortunately. I may take her in monthly instead along with her cocktails of claritin, zyrtec, and benadryl alternations. She keeps that kool-aid lip and of course they had school pictures this week when it was at its worse. I am pretty sure dairy is the culprit of that but I took her off of it and she still has it so I am thinking it is a combination of things. I may have given her so much vitamin supplements that I altered her body chemistry where texture and taste bother her where it didn't before. She is also the gassiest kid I know and I worry she has hubby's gluten sensitivity. I may have to take her off of gluten for a couple of weeks to test that theory out.
So, that alters my cooking extravaganza that I am embarked on today. I am making a gluten free lasagna that I adapted from the pioneer woman's recipe. I am hopeful the noodles will hold up and taste ok. I need to get both my kids back on to more homemade versions of their favorite boxed foods. It is hit and miss with some of it just like the gluten free products. Love all things King Arthur but Bob's Red Mill is very hit and miss. KA all-purpose GF flour is great, Bob's bleagh. It is disgusting. Bob's cornbread is fabulous and so is their pizza dough and brownies though. And then you throw in individual tastes. Lawyer won't touch it if she even THINKS it is GF so I have to hide packages and put things in ziplocks. Monkey will happily try it but her problem is she suddenly only wants cookies only. I think it is a comfort food because she doesn't feel good. I just need to be patient with her and get her feeling better. And I can easily adapt recipes for the most part and come up with an edible version of whatever it is that we love at Thanksgiving...like dressing.
Hubby's great grandmothers dressing was the bomb. I got the recipe which is cryptic in and of itself but managed to figure it out close enough to make hubby happy. And then he had to go GF. Well, that has certainly been a challenge but I have slowly mastered it and with better and better products on the market I think I have enough alternatives to make it work this year. Just got to get the girls to like it! I have begun giving ultimatums and yes rewards to bribe them to get them to try new things. Lawyer LOVES my homemade hashbrowns that I made this morning so we are making progress but I may ultimately have to have all of us go bread free or at least GF for various reasons. Hubby and Monkey for tummy and behavior, Lawyer for removing more sugar that tends to give her more of the daydreams, and myself for weight management. We eat great but hubby and I need to eat less of the great stuff and walk more. Life gets in the way and despite my hour long bike rides almost daily, I am just maintaining only. I need to kick start weight loss for both of us all the while trying to get a picky eater to venture out and a non-picky eater from becoming a picky eater!
I will start with GF spice cake muffins that is actually a cake mix but the girls love for breakfast. I am trying more ideas to jump start their mornings before school and keep the sugar exposure minimal. Plus this a great thanksgiving item to have on hand that all can eat. It has become a mission for me but right now is just a huge hurdle I must cross to get to my desired end result goal. Holiday madness is upon me although many would argue that is a year round sentence for me....
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Drama, drama, llama, llama, ramalama bing bong
October 24th 2013,
Well I think we have survived October but the month ain't over yet! We still have to get thru parent conferences and Halloween thought!!!
Our kids are barometers of our lives if you haven't ever noticed. They take on our problems but they do not know how to handle or articulate their feelings...so they act out. Monkey has been all sorts of out of whack since my mothers surgery and our stressful trip out of town last week. Hubby and I have been a worked up ball of mess for one reason or another and it is showing in our kids!
Today was picture day because it is the school's red ribbon week for saying no to drugs so every day is an activity. Today...we had a major meltdown. Monkey did not like the shirt I picked out. She said I always made her wear the same shirt. Well, yes, yes I do...sort of. I tend to put her in red shirts or a darker color. She looks good in that color. Her problem this morning though was that she saw a previous picture of herself wearing a red shirt and pitched a fit that I always make her wear the same shirt for pictures. I had to point out that the picture in question was from preschool (she is in third grade mind you) and that the shirt in question had a V-neck and her current shirt did not....Thank Goodness! (chalk one down for mommy victory). I left her mulling that over and told her to come to my bathroom so I could attempt to wrestle with her unruly hair with lots of hairspray. She wanted a clip in her hair instead, which gives her the wallflower look I might add... Then she proceeds to have a meltdown about her socks as they were too thick making her shoes too tight. She is sobbing telling me this while I do the awesome mom thing of yelling at her to hurry up so I can fix the shirt issue. By the time I get her back to her room and give her two more shirt options, which she refuses both, I tell her to change her socks. At this point, I realize that we are now late for school. So in my best mommy growl I begin to yell at not one, but both my kids. Monkey realized in all her drama and dawdling, she has not gotten to spend her morning time playing for a bit, which is basically therapy for her.
Enter the car scene...
I get them both stuffed into the car while she is a sobbing mess. I give her a quick hug and then turn up the music in hopes that jamming will calm her and make her chill. This maneuver usually works, but not this morning! She sobbed and sobbed....AND sobbed. I grabbed the hand of Lawyer and give her a squeeze and told her thank you for all of her help but that she was going to have to jump out while I pulled up farther to park for a second. I managed to give her an I love you moment before she bolted from the madness that was our car. Our wonderful morning helpers came up and just shook their heads b/c apparently drama was in the air and I was not the only parent dealing with chaos. I calmly talked to Monkey while she at least stopped crying and switched to begging not to go to school. A wonderful angel came up and coaxed Monkey out of the car on the promise of helping her out that afternoon. I was able to close the van door and drive off only to look back while a dear friend, who just dealt with similar morning drama on her third grader, stop them and talk to Monkey and then proceed to walk her in to the classroom and help her get situated. I mean it takes a village people! Be thankful for those in your life that love your children and help you out so that you don't end up on the 6 o'clock news!
I got to get back to cooking dinners. I think I will try cooking and freezing meals so that my stress level goes down on days when cooking seems like climbing Everest.
Let me add that Lawyer was great during all of this today as she always seems to pull it together when her sister loses it. I think she had her drama by getting yelled at this week when she was more interested in her new book series than remembering her glasses, homework, coats, and lunchboxes!
It is days like these I am thankful for my hairdresser. She wonderfully covers up all the gray I have from daily life!
Well I think we have survived October but the month ain't over yet! We still have to get thru parent conferences and Halloween thought!!!
Our kids are barometers of our lives if you haven't ever noticed. They take on our problems but they do not know how to handle or articulate their feelings...so they act out. Monkey has been all sorts of out of whack since my mothers surgery and our stressful trip out of town last week. Hubby and I have been a worked up ball of mess for one reason or another and it is showing in our kids!
Today was picture day because it is the school's red ribbon week for saying no to drugs so every day is an activity. Today...we had a major meltdown. Monkey did not like the shirt I picked out. She said I always made her wear the same shirt. Well, yes, yes I do...sort of. I tend to put her in red shirts or a darker color. She looks good in that color. Her problem this morning though was that she saw a previous picture of herself wearing a red shirt and pitched a fit that I always make her wear the same shirt for pictures. I had to point out that the picture in question was from preschool (she is in third grade mind you) and that the shirt in question had a V-neck and her current shirt did not....Thank Goodness! (chalk one down for mommy victory). I left her mulling that over and told her to come to my bathroom so I could attempt to wrestle with her unruly hair with lots of hairspray. She wanted a clip in her hair instead, which gives her the wallflower look I might add... Then she proceeds to have a meltdown about her socks as they were too thick making her shoes too tight. She is sobbing telling me this while I do the awesome mom thing of yelling at her to hurry up so I can fix the shirt issue. By the time I get her back to her room and give her two more shirt options, which she refuses both, I tell her to change her socks. At this point, I realize that we are now late for school. So in my best mommy growl I begin to yell at not one, but both my kids. Monkey realized in all her drama and dawdling, she has not gotten to spend her morning time playing for a bit, which is basically therapy for her.
Enter the car scene...
I get them both stuffed into the car while she is a sobbing mess. I give her a quick hug and then turn up the music in hopes that jamming will calm her and make her chill. This maneuver usually works, but not this morning! She sobbed and sobbed....AND sobbed. I grabbed the hand of Lawyer and give her a squeeze and told her thank you for all of her help but that she was going to have to jump out while I pulled up farther to park for a second. I managed to give her an I love you moment before she bolted from the madness that was our car. Our wonderful morning helpers came up and just shook their heads b/c apparently drama was in the air and I was not the only parent dealing with chaos. I calmly talked to Monkey while she at least stopped crying and switched to begging not to go to school. A wonderful angel came up and coaxed Monkey out of the car on the promise of helping her out that afternoon. I was able to close the van door and drive off only to look back while a dear friend, who just dealt with similar morning drama on her third grader, stop them and talk to Monkey and then proceed to walk her in to the classroom and help her get situated. I mean it takes a village people! Be thankful for those in your life that love your children and help you out so that you don't end up on the 6 o'clock news!
I got to get back to cooking dinners. I think I will try cooking and freezing meals so that my stress level goes down on days when cooking seems like climbing Everest.
Let me add that Lawyer was great during all of this today as she always seems to pull it together when her sister loses it. I think she had her drama by getting yelled at this week when she was more interested in her new book series than remembering her glasses, homework, coats, and lunchboxes!
It is days like these I am thankful for my hairdresser. She wonderfully covers up all the gray I have from daily life!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Battle of wills...
October 14th, 2013 Columbus Day!
Wow, what a whirlwind last week! Mother had surgery, stayed with her all day Wednesday, and night, and all day Thursday. Rough first night but not as bad as I expected. Her "inards" were a mess but the doctor got them all straight and stuffed back in with no leftovers!
I was able to chill and recoup this weekend and kids were out today for Columbus day...I don't think we ever got that day off, stinkers. The heathens were not too bad but the Lawyer is still pushing my buttons. I have about decided she just enjoys being annoying...to EVERYONE. She is super smart and dingy all wrapped in one...quite the interesting combo actually. That is until she turns on you and you want to call an exorcists and have her "cleansed". That child is going to send me to an early grave if she keeps at it! She pushes and pushes. Just now she came to ask something. She decided to give me a hug, but then kept hugging and hanging and began to sway. Makes you feel like parent of the year when you are screaming at the top of your lungs STOP HUGGING ME! Yeah that sends a great message! You must physically and literally prove to that child she is annoying or wrong...which can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. She keeps asking why she is grounded (refer to WTF post) and why can't she just go on her iPod? Really? It is like she thinks every day is a new day and if she asks the answer will change. (Ever seen Groundhog day????) Yet, she marked her "get out of jail" date on the calender!
In other news...Monkey has suddenly become a picky eater. I can't decide if she has so much snot from her allergies or our diet and food changes have suddenly caused her palette to change and now she can "taste" and doesn't like things. I am hoping it is just a phase..and the snot. It took two days for her to eat one full hamburger. I even squished it as flat as I could and used tortillas for buns to make it fun. Nope. She ate the first half ok Sun but today she barely got thru what could be argued as a fourth of the half...did I lose you? I may have lost myself actually.... Anyway, it was a struggle and usually she will just choke it down and be done. But lately she has turned down her favorite fish, rice, and other items. I really think she just doesn't feel well. Allergies are a lovely thing....said no one EVER!
We had her 504 meeting last Friday. Mostly, she struggles on taking tests in the allotted time. Even in small groups and one on one where allowed. She wants to talk to the admin of the test and chat. That kid is a socialite! I have resorted to having her read a short book and then write the main characters, what happened, and why ( a short retell of the story) in her journal and doing it while timed. Of the three times we have done this, she beat the clock once. I am going to have to do this every day to get her used to it and break her bad habits. I really think a lot of her issues is manipulation. If she can get you to do it or delay it, she will. I have laid down rules at home where I no longer remind to clean up plates after dinner, you don't clean up, you sit in time out. We even time her in the shower too and she does fairly well on that but we have been doing it longer. My goal is to get that kids to believe she is smart and not a bad kid (her words to me exactly) and break this habit. With her you have to outsmart and out wait her. Which ain't easy!
It is a battle of wills between our kids and us and hubby and I are not backing down!
Wow, what a whirlwind last week! Mother had surgery, stayed with her all day Wednesday, and night, and all day Thursday. Rough first night but not as bad as I expected. Her "inards" were a mess but the doctor got them all straight and stuffed back in with no leftovers!
I was able to chill and recoup this weekend and kids were out today for Columbus day...I don't think we ever got that day off, stinkers. The heathens were not too bad but the Lawyer is still pushing my buttons. I have about decided she just enjoys being annoying...to EVERYONE. She is super smart and dingy all wrapped in one...quite the interesting combo actually. That is until she turns on you and you want to call an exorcists and have her "cleansed". That child is going to send me to an early grave if she keeps at it! She pushes and pushes. Just now she came to ask something. She decided to give me a hug, but then kept hugging and hanging and began to sway. Makes you feel like parent of the year when you are screaming at the top of your lungs STOP HUGGING ME! Yeah that sends a great message! You must physically and literally prove to that child she is annoying or wrong...which can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. She keeps asking why she is grounded (refer to WTF post) and why can't she just go on her iPod? Really? It is like she thinks every day is a new day and if she asks the answer will change. (Ever seen Groundhog day????) Yet, she marked her "get out of jail" date on the calender!
In other news...Monkey has suddenly become a picky eater. I can't decide if she has so much snot from her allergies or our diet and food changes have suddenly caused her palette to change and now she can "taste" and doesn't like things. I am hoping it is just a phase..and the snot. It took two days for her to eat one full hamburger. I even squished it as flat as I could and used tortillas for buns to make it fun. Nope. She ate the first half ok Sun but today she barely got thru what could be argued as a fourth of the half...did I lose you? I may have lost myself actually.... Anyway, it was a struggle and usually she will just choke it down and be done. But lately she has turned down her favorite fish, rice, and other items. I really think she just doesn't feel well. Allergies are a lovely thing....said no one EVER!
We had her 504 meeting last Friday. Mostly, she struggles on taking tests in the allotted time. Even in small groups and one on one where allowed. She wants to talk to the admin of the test and chat. That kid is a socialite! I have resorted to having her read a short book and then write the main characters, what happened, and why ( a short retell of the story) in her journal and doing it while timed. Of the three times we have done this, she beat the clock once. I am going to have to do this every day to get her used to it and break her bad habits. I really think a lot of her issues is manipulation. If she can get you to do it or delay it, she will. I have laid down rules at home where I no longer remind to clean up plates after dinner, you don't clean up, you sit in time out. We even time her in the shower too and she does fairly well on that but we have been doing it longer. My goal is to get that kids to believe she is smart and not a bad kid (her words to me exactly) and break this habit. With her you have to outsmart and out wait her. Which ain't easy!
It is a battle of wills between our kids and us and hubby and I are not backing down!
Monday, October 7, 2013
WTF??
October 7th, 2013
So by now you have read my title....the Lawyer was chatting with her sister on MineCraft an online game via an internal network and told her sister these three little letters....Apparently being 9 doesn't mean you aren't figuring things out quickly due to nasty foul mouthed 13 y/o's thinking they are big boys on the internet and typing these phrases in kids online games. WHICH we thought we had monitored better. So this is where my 9 year old got it even though she says she does not say these words...as if typing it was ok???. But she SURE did know what it meant and she SURE found out what being grounded for a month means! Yep, she will not be joined one with any electronics for one month thanks to that little stunt. And yes she DID know what it meant...
I am not ready for puberty....ever since she sprouted "buds" she has turned in to a night mare. I mean she got her nickname honestly but she is making that name look tame these days. And hormones haven't hit yet! I may have to lock her on some mountain until she gets done...no, better yet lock ME on a mountain until they BOTH get thru it. Yeah, I don't think hubby would go for it either.
Meanwhile, on other hair pulling matters...Have you ever looked at all the home-school stuff out there? I am glad I have a year to peruse things b/c I am going nuts trying to make sure I have all my bases covered! Thankfully, I know a few people who are doing it and have done it...and lived to tell about it. In some ways I am looking forward to it, but in other ways I am completely and utterly terrified. I like the ease of letting it be someone else's problem right now, but this wont soon be true for either kid. I just need to really wrap my head around it better but I can't right now. You ask, Why not right now?". One word...surgery.
My sweet mother is having surgery, electively, on her gut. She has diverticulitis and has had several bowel obstructions over the past two years. She is going to have her gut put in a sack/membrane to protect it from adhering to her abdominal wall since part of her obstructions have been it sticking itself to the walls. If you ask me, it sounds a little like early sausage making except reversed as the gut wall is on the inside instead of the outside...you won't ever look at sausage the same now will you...
Soooooo she is on my mind. She will be 69 this month and they are celebrating their 31st anniversary together tomorrow. Some anniversary present THAT turned out to be! So this means that I will be at the hospital all day, normally no big deal except we are using a hospital some 40+ miles away from home this time. I get the first shift and will stay with her Wed night and all day Th. Dadster gets the rest until she comes home. I do NOT mind helping but since hubby and I both have corporate jobs and busy little girls this is a bit of a shuffle. And I will admit I am a control freak...there I said it. I like control and I do NOT like change and this disrupts my routine. I am apparently a creature of habit and am like an ant with no trail to follow. I get a bit frustrated and stop being effective. Oh, the kids will be fine and hubby does a wonderful job, it just is a disruption to my nice routine. I am a bit more pathetic not that I am older I am afraid...
Regardless, she needs me and my kids and hubby will be fine. I might resort to a stiff drink after and have a possible tic if the Lawyer keeps up her part though...
So by now you have read my title....the Lawyer was chatting with her sister on MineCraft an online game via an internal network and told her sister these three little letters....Apparently being 9 doesn't mean you aren't figuring things out quickly due to nasty foul mouthed 13 y/o's thinking they are big boys on the internet and typing these phrases in kids online games. WHICH we thought we had monitored better. So this is where my 9 year old got it even though she says she does not say these words...as if typing it was ok???. But she SURE did know what it meant and she SURE found out what being grounded for a month means! Yep, she will not be joined one with any electronics for one month thanks to that little stunt. And yes she DID know what it meant...
I am not ready for puberty....ever since she sprouted "buds" she has turned in to a night mare. I mean she got her nickname honestly but she is making that name look tame these days. And hormones haven't hit yet! I may have to lock her on some mountain until she gets done...no, better yet lock ME on a mountain until they BOTH get thru it. Yeah, I don't think hubby would go for it either.
Meanwhile, on other hair pulling matters...Have you ever looked at all the home-school stuff out there? I am glad I have a year to peruse things b/c I am going nuts trying to make sure I have all my bases covered! Thankfully, I know a few people who are doing it and have done it...and lived to tell about it. In some ways I am looking forward to it, but in other ways I am completely and utterly terrified. I like the ease of letting it be someone else's problem right now, but this wont soon be true for either kid. I just need to really wrap my head around it better but I can't right now. You ask, Why not right now?". One word...surgery.
My sweet mother is having surgery, electively, on her gut. She has diverticulitis and has had several bowel obstructions over the past two years. She is going to have her gut put in a sack/membrane to protect it from adhering to her abdominal wall since part of her obstructions have been it sticking itself to the walls. If you ask me, it sounds a little like early sausage making except reversed as the gut wall is on the inside instead of the outside...you won't ever look at sausage the same now will you...
Soooooo she is on my mind. She will be 69 this month and they are celebrating their 31st anniversary together tomorrow. Some anniversary present THAT turned out to be! So this means that I will be at the hospital all day, normally no big deal except we are using a hospital some 40+ miles away from home this time. I get the first shift and will stay with her Wed night and all day Th. Dadster gets the rest until she comes home. I do NOT mind helping but since hubby and I both have corporate jobs and busy little girls this is a bit of a shuffle. And I will admit I am a control freak...there I said it. I like control and I do NOT like change and this disrupts my routine. I am apparently a creature of habit and am like an ant with no trail to follow. I get a bit frustrated and stop being effective. Oh, the kids will be fine and hubby does a wonderful job, it just is a disruption to my nice routine. I am a bit more pathetic not that I am older I am afraid...
Regardless, she needs me and my kids and hubby will be fine. I might resort to a stiff drink after and have a possible tic if the Lawyer keeps up her part though...
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Great Googly Moogly
October 3rd, 2013
This has been some first week into Oct! The Lawyer is really in the early beginnings of puberty and I AM NOT READY. She is 9 and a half! And she is way too fascinated with her sudden sprouting of "buds" and has found uses for some of her orifices that a lady does not discuss...Yep and mom has her head buried in the sand like an Ostrich because nobody's home! Natural events, yes; dinner topics, no...
Between that, her attitude (hence her nickname), complete defiance of obeying hubby and I, constant picking at her sister, and forgetting the glasses she just HAD TO HAVE I am about up to HERE this week. Work stress with last minute scrambles and responses, an upcoming 4.5 hour presentation and the slides won't go via e-mail, an upcoming trip to do that presentation that is a 6 hour car ride that causes me to get a headache from sitting so long, a mother having an elective surgery in the middle of this...it is a wonder I have any hair on my head. I am getting tense and I have already had my massage this week.
Every day is nuts and making dinner from scratch plus having original ideas and not many repeats becomes hard. I had a hodge podge on Tues b/c we had an after school activity, piano, then a school function to go to. And hubby and I had to tag team it. While I am thankful for him willing and able to do this, you want to be there for both your kids. But we make it work. Dinner was a bust, grab something from a box in my freezer, not my favorite thing to do b/c of all the chemicals to get it box and shelf stable ready, and slap it in the toaster oven. Poor Monkey has to eat hers at the school b/c it was too hot and we had to leave to be at the school on time! But my kids have to eat so it had to work. Hubby and I ate leftovers, actually I don't' think hubby ate at all...
Wednesday was just as crazy with after school Spanish, then Art for the Lawyer so dinner has to be flexible this night. I feed the Lawyer the beloved chicken flavored sticks and drop her off. I go back and decide it is Fried GF chicken, b/c Monkey will eat that; Green Beans, at Monkeys request; and yukon potatoes boiled until soft, Monkey refused these. The Lawyer came back home and declared she was still hungry so she got fed the extra potato. I call that a success b/c of the limited processed things they eat. And I had leftovers!
Lunch has been eaten out almost every day I think...not so good for me. Today I had Chick-fil-a and decided tonight would be a lighter affair. Lawyer had bagel bites (I did try homemade ones and she ate them and thought they were ok but that lost its fun quickly and then she refused to eat it. This kid would make fasting look easy the way she jumps into it when faced with a food she does not like/want!) Monkey had sliced ham from the meat counter, cucumbers, and two pieces of wheat bread. This was her idea of a ham sandwich...not that any of those foods actually touched each other until they were firmly in her stomach! I had leftover chicken and pinto beans and hubby had soup. I call these nights, my fridge and pantry cleaning nights. Makes for less drama and each is happy and I get to clean out the extras.
I always think of that old commercial that Snickers used to have about the old man painting the end-zone before a football game and misspelling the Chiefs (to Chefs) and him saying Great Googly Moogly when it was pointed out. That is where I am this week. After the week I had and the next two coming up, and my constant overload of deciding to home-school, and what stinking curriculum to use...PLUS trying to make sure the family gets a decent meal not full of junk, I am frustrated. I likened picking curriculums to telling a car salesman you want a car and he wants to know what kind, what make, and model and all I know to say is, "I just need a car! I don't know what kind I need!" Decisions, decisions....great googly moogly.
Watch Snickers commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmgice3ieZ4
This has been some first week into Oct! The Lawyer is really in the early beginnings of puberty and I AM NOT READY. She is 9 and a half! And she is way too fascinated with her sudden sprouting of "buds" and has found uses for some of her orifices that a lady does not discuss...Yep and mom has her head buried in the sand like an Ostrich because nobody's home! Natural events, yes; dinner topics, no...
Between that, her attitude (hence her nickname), complete defiance of obeying hubby and I, constant picking at her sister, and forgetting the glasses she just HAD TO HAVE I am about up to HERE this week. Work stress with last minute scrambles and responses, an upcoming 4.5 hour presentation and the slides won't go via e-mail, an upcoming trip to do that presentation that is a 6 hour car ride that causes me to get a headache from sitting so long, a mother having an elective surgery in the middle of this...it is a wonder I have any hair on my head. I am getting tense and I have already had my massage this week.
Every day is nuts and making dinner from scratch plus having original ideas and not many repeats becomes hard. I had a hodge podge on Tues b/c we had an after school activity, piano, then a school function to go to. And hubby and I had to tag team it. While I am thankful for him willing and able to do this, you want to be there for both your kids. But we make it work. Dinner was a bust, grab something from a box in my freezer, not my favorite thing to do b/c of all the chemicals to get it box and shelf stable ready, and slap it in the toaster oven. Poor Monkey has to eat hers at the school b/c it was too hot and we had to leave to be at the school on time! But my kids have to eat so it had to work. Hubby and I ate leftovers, actually I don't' think hubby ate at all...
Wednesday was just as crazy with after school Spanish, then Art for the Lawyer so dinner has to be flexible this night. I feed the Lawyer the beloved chicken flavored sticks and drop her off. I go back and decide it is Fried GF chicken, b/c Monkey will eat that; Green Beans, at Monkeys request; and yukon potatoes boiled until soft, Monkey refused these. The Lawyer came back home and declared she was still hungry so she got fed the extra potato. I call that a success b/c of the limited processed things they eat. And I had leftovers!
Lunch has been eaten out almost every day I think...not so good for me. Today I had Chick-fil-a and decided tonight would be a lighter affair. Lawyer had bagel bites (I did try homemade ones and she ate them and thought they were ok but that lost its fun quickly and then she refused to eat it. This kid would make fasting look easy the way she jumps into it when faced with a food she does not like/want!) Monkey had sliced ham from the meat counter, cucumbers, and two pieces of wheat bread. This was her idea of a ham sandwich...not that any of those foods actually touched each other until they were firmly in her stomach! I had leftover chicken and pinto beans and hubby had soup. I call these nights, my fridge and pantry cleaning nights. Makes for less drama and each is happy and I get to clean out the extras.
I always think of that old commercial that Snickers used to have about the old man painting the end-zone before a football game and misspelling the Chiefs (to Chefs) and him saying Great Googly Moogly when it was pointed out. That is where I am this week. After the week I had and the next two coming up, and my constant overload of deciding to home-school, and what stinking curriculum to use...PLUS trying to make sure the family gets a decent meal not full of junk, I am frustrated. I likened picking curriculums to telling a car salesman you want a car and he wants to know what kind, what make, and model and all I know to say is, "I just need a car! I don't know what kind I need!" Decisions, decisions....great googly moogly.
Watch Snickers commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmgice3ieZ4
Monday, September 30, 2013
Pools, bloody Tooth Fairy, James Bond and football...
September 30th, 2013
Tonight is the last night of September. And it FINALLY felt fallish..sorta...if the wind blew just right and I closed my eyes and pretended I was somewhere more northerly. Since we can no longer swim with out the shivers we closed the pool tonight. Well, WE didn't but WE had it done. While we could have swam after Saturdays MOUNTAIN,...ok hill, climb it would have felt great. It was hot. But the nights are getting a bit colder so the water temp is a bit on the "scream bloody murder b/c it is so cold" side. It always kind of makes me sad to not look out to water glistening at night. Then I get the bill and I am over it.
October for us, heck November too for that matter, can be cruel. You get a few days of cooler breezes and you break out the long shirts and pants and begin to think about stews and pots of steaming chilli. And then that warm gulf air comes back and BAM, it is stinking 80+ degrees on Halloween. You can always tell those people that are not from here b/c they are the ones that buy those thick furry costumes and stuff their kids in them on Halloween to trick or treat. The poor kids about pass out from dehydration and began to ask you for water instead of candy when they knock. You do not see short sleeve Halloween T-Shirts at WalMart for no reason people. I also remember a 65-70 degree Thanksgiving. Hard to eat pumpkin pie in shorts and feel festive. Well almost hard. I can eat pumpkin pie ANYTIME and be festive enough.
And... the tooth fairy will visit tonight. (Provided she remembers. Recently she had an unfortunate mishap and completely forgot to leave money....twice..once for each kid. Yeah, she can be dingy like that but thankfully mom is smart and found that she had actually HID the money just for stinks and giggles behind a picture on the nightstand. I mean is she devious or what! ...cough, cough.. Excuse me I had something stuck in my throat....like guilt!) Any ways, Monkey has finally let go of the tooth that came from Hell. It. would. not. let. go! She had all sorts of new teeth crammed in around it trying to make room and it wasn't budging like a badger on a shoe. (Go watch The Gods must be crazy 2 and you will understand what I mean.) Every morning when I used our new power tooth brush she screamed like I was killing her. Mornings are fun at our house I tell ya...
So just before bedtime she comes to me and says it feels funny and I look and it is very loose. You see mommy doesn't do teeth. (The Lawyer lost one at the movie theater while we were all eating popcorn and proceeded to hand it to me. I looked at her and looked at hubby and said, "What do you want me to do with that nasty thing while I am eating??!!" She said hold it momma. I couldn't' enjoy the movie for thinking of that nasty bit of tooth wrapped in a napkin IN MY POCKET. Ew. Gross. Luckily I didn't forget about it in the wash!) So Monkey presents said wiggly tooth and I send Monkey and her loose tooth with a tissue to hubby, the expert tooth puller. She comes back with a mouth full of blood but smiling. Proud it didn't hurt and that the tooth was out. I couldn't relish the moment from gagging and screeching to, "Put that thing down and rinse your mouth!" That tooth bled and bled. It looked like a murder had occurred in their bathroom with me screeching, "Spit IN the sink! Not in front of it!". Yeah fun times...me and the lysol wipes.
To stop the blood I gave her a baby washcloth and told her to hold pressure on it. I am not sure what that translated to in her mind b/c she got up from bed not less than 3 times to tell me random things. Most of which I can't remember but the last of which was that 9000 + 9000= 18000. I am like un huh so what does this have to do with your tooth? Monkey tells me she learned it today. I am like, "Great. Now go back to bed." Mother of the year award coming I am sure. I am thinking she is just full of things that she has/needs to tell me so whenever they randomly pop in her head, she comes and tells me. Come to think about it, that is kind of like bedtime when I regurgitate everything I needed to remember to tell hubby at 11pm b/c we stayed up watching Goldfinger and Monday Night Football...
P.S. Dinner was frozen pollack, pinto beans and GF Quinoa Mac and Cheese. Yeah the mac and cheese tastes as bad as it sounds. In case you were wondering...in case you weren't too bad! :)
Tonight is the last night of September. And it FINALLY felt fallish..sorta...if the wind blew just right and I closed my eyes and pretended I was somewhere more northerly. Since we can no longer swim with out the shivers we closed the pool tonight. Well, WE didn't but WE had it done. While we could have swam after Saturdays MOUNTAIN,...ok hill, climb it would have felt great. It was hot. But the nights are getting a bit colder so the water temp is a bit on the "scream bloody murder b/c it is so cold" side. It always kind of makes me sad to not look out to water glistening at night. Then I get the bill and I am over it.
October for us, heck November too for that matter, can be cruel. You get a few days of cooler breezes and you break out the long shirts and pants and begin to think about stews and pots of steaming chilli. And then that warm gulf air comes back and BAM, it is stinking 80+ degrees on Halloween. You can always tell those people that are not from here b/c they are the ones that buy those thick furry costumes and stuff their kids in them on Halloween to trick or treat. The poor kids about pass out from dehydration and began to ask you for water instead of candy when they knock. You do not see short sleeve Halloween T-Shirts at WalMart for no reason people. I also remember a 65-70 degree Thanksgiving. Hard to eat pumpkin pie in shorts and feel festive. Well almost hard. I can eat pumpkin pie ANYTIME and be festive enough.
And... the tooth fairy will visit tonight. (Provided she remembers. Recently she had an unfortunate mishap and completely forgot to leave money....twice..once for each kid. Yeah, she can be dingy like that but thankfully mom is smart and found that she had actually HID the money just for stinks and giggles behind a picture on the nightstand. I mean is she devious or what! ...cough, cough.. Excuse me I had something stuck in my throat....like guilt!) Any ways, Monkey has finally let go of the tooth that came from Hell. It. would. not. let. go! She had all sorts of new teeth crammed in around it trying to make room and it wasn't budging like a badger on a shoe. (Go watch The Gods must be crazy 2 and you will understand what I mean.) Every morning when I used our new power tooth brush she screamed like I was killing her. Mornings are fun at our house I tell ya...
So just before bedtime she comes to me and says it feels funny and I look and it is very loose. You see mommy doesn't do teeth. (The Lawyer lost one at the movie theater while we were all eating popcorn and proceeded to hand it to me. I looked at her and looked at hubby and said, "What do you want me to do with that nasty thing while I am eating??!!" She said hold it momma. I couldn't' enjoy the movie for thinking of that nasty bit of tooth wrapped in a napkin IN MY POCKET. Ew. Gross. Luckily I didn't forget about it in the wash!) So Monkey presents said wiggly tooth and I send Monkey and her loose tooth with a tissue to hubby, the expert tooth puller. She comes back with a mouth full of blood but smiling. Proud it didn't hurt and that the tooth was out. I couldn't relish the moment from gagging and screeching to, "Put that thing down and rinse your mouth!" That tooth bled and bled. It looked like a murder had occurred in their bathroom with me screeching, "Spit IN the sink! Not in front of it!". Yeah fun times...me and the lysol wipes.
To stop the blood I gave her a baby washcloth and told her to hold pressure on it. I am not sure what that translated to in her mind b/c she got up from bed not less than 3 times to tell me random things. Most of which I can't remember but the last of which was that 9000 + 9000= 18000. I am like un huh so what does this have to do with your tooth? Monkey tells me she learned it today. I am like, "Great. Now go back to bed." Mother of the year award coming I am sure. I am thinking she is just full of things that she has/needs to tell me so whenever they randomly pop in her head, she comes and tells me. Come to think about it, that is kind of like bedtime when I regurgitate everything I needed to remember to tell hubby at 11pm b/c we stayed up watching Goldfinger and Monday Night Football...
P.S. Dinner was frozen pollack, pinto beans and GF Quinoa Mac and Cheese. Yeah the mac and cheese tastes as bad as it sounds. In case you were wondering...in case you weren't too bad! :)
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Homeschool, bacon and homemade hashbrowns
September 29th, 2013
I recently got a new magazine on homeschooling. I am still planning on taking the oldest out and starting her for her 5th grade year. I am excited and terrified. While I have lost some faith in the teachers who have not changed with the changing children, I have a few that I love. But I lost faith in what our schools teach our kids and how they teach them.
Monkey will soon be a square peg in a round hole next year for 4th grade and that terrifies me. She is smart, but is a horrible and inconsistent tester. We just had our mid-mid-term conference based on how she tested on her benchmarks last year. While I can tell she actually did retain some info from last year, and I am thankful I pushed her to continue to do workbooks all summer to rehash that knowledge, she did horrible on her tests. She currently is allowed to test in small groups....which is still too big for her. She needs one on one testing so another 504 meeting is in the cards. And I am thankful for this year's teacher b/c she gets my child and her hurdles but the poor teacher has to figure out how to pull/push her along with the system she is forced to work in.
Which brings me back to homeschooling. After last years struggles, I began to toy with the idea. I decided I would start with Lawyer and cut my teeth on it with her. She reads really well and has a fair grasp on math. So now I am spending this year wading thru the thousands of curricula options. The one thing I have learned so far, is that there is no one size fits all. And even the most seasoned of moms can't tell you which is right for you and your kid. It depends on the kid, their personality, your personality and both your learning styles, as well as time you have to spend doing it. Plus I fear I will forget to do something and be in trouble either with her scores or with the state. Thankfully I have friends and family starting home school and already doing home school but again, their kids are not mine. So I have to experiment on the first kid so that the second kid isn't a horrible struggle. And the second is the one that needs it the most. And ok, the lure of not having to get up or get grumpy tired kids up (even when we do get them in bed on time) is appealing. As well as the freedom to pick up and go and learn history via a tactile way by visiting places. Or even take vacations not tied to a holiday or break. I love to learn new things (the irony here is that I do not like change though...but can read all day about it!) and I want them to love to learn too and I want to do it before their spirit is broken or zombiefied.
I just have to pray, trust my gut, and wade thru lots of material and hope I get it mostly right the first year. AND work a full time job. Thankfully, I can juggle the work in to whatever hours I need to get things done as long as I am available to my customers 8-5. I do that anyways. And I recently did it for myself juggling my own schooling when I went back to get my master's degree.
My other lure is that I can feed the kids hot or cold lunches and try new things and they can eat when they are hungry, not when a school dictates it. And, I can feed them things that don't have to sit or fear that I might give them food poisoning b/c the thermos doesn't keep the food warm like I thought it would... true story. But one of the bigger things, is sickness. They are basically going to school when they are sick with 99 fever b/c someone decided that is ok. I don't' know about anyone else but when I run 99 fever I feel like someone beat me with a ball bat. Sometimes you do too much on the weekend and are still tired, uh like climb really big hills! (Alright, I think the kids are still tired from that b/c they are still a bit whiny but I will admit my thighs are still not happy about that little hike yesterday!)
We were supposed to go with some friends to a pumpkin patch today but 1) hubby has a sore foot for reasons unknown and didn't want to be on it again, 2) it looked like rain...I melt in rain and, 3) I need time to prep for the week mentally and literally. (I need to plan out dinners, get lunches prepped, and food on the table for that night.) So we passed. It ended up raining out the day we heard, so my day was not a total slob fest. I did get laundry done, school week prep done, Sunday paper read, one magazine finished, Hayday taken care of (b/c that is important ya know), and dinner cooked. We needed a veg out day. Missed church, but I am not sure either of us could hobble up the stairs to our back row baptist...I mean balcony spots.
Tonight I went the easy route. I have recently turned the kids on to hash-browns. Then I turned them on to homemade versions of it. We had bacon, scrambled eggs (not the lawyer who gags on them), wheat toast (not hubby who...well lets just say it isn't pleasant for him), and homemade hash-browns. I took a red and a yellow medium size potato, peeled it, shredded it with cheese grater, and then squeezed the water out of it. Then I heated some olive oil in pan, dropped it in, and cooked it for about 7 min on one side and flipped it. I have an orgreenic pan I love that is 10 inch and I can flip the hash-browns with the flick of a wrist due to the nonstick! (It basically is a disaster waiting to happen but I have fun trying!) Kids were happy, hubby was happy, and belly's were full! Voila! Now to thaw out something for tomorrow...
I recently got a new magazine on homeschooling. I am still planning on taking the oldest out and starting her for her 5th grade year. I am excited and terrified. While I have lost some faith in the teachers who have not changed with the changing children, I have a few that I love. But I lost faith in what our schools teach our kids and how they teach them.
Monkey will soon be a square peg in a round hole next year for 4th grade and that terrifies me. She is smart, but is a horrible and inconsistent tester. We just had our mid-mid-term conference based on how she tested on her benchmarks last year. While I can tell she actually did retain some info from last year, and I am thankful I pushed her to continue to do workbooks all summer to rehash that knowledge, she did horrible on her tests. She currently is allowed to test in small groups....which is still too big for her. She needs one on one testing so another 504 meeting is in the cards. And I am thankful for this year's teacher b/c she gets my child and her hurdles but the poor teacher has to figure out how to pull/push her along with the system she is forced to work in.
Which brings me back to homeschooling. After last years struggles, I began to toy with the idea. I decided I would start with Lawyer and cut my teeth on it with her. She reads really well and has a fair grasp on math. So now I am spending this year wading thru the thousands of curricula options. The one thing I have learned so far, is that there is no one size fits all. And even the most seasoned of moms can't tell you which is right for you and your kid. It depends on the kid, their personality, your personality and both your learning styles, as well as time you have to spend doing it. Plus I fear I will forget to do something and be in trouble either with her scores or with the state. Thankfully I have friends and family starting home school and already doing home school but again, their kids are not mine. So I have to experiment on the first kid so that the second kid isn't a horrible struggle. And the second is the one that needs it the most. And ok, the lure of not having to get up or get grumpy tired kids up (even when we do get them in bed on time) is appealing. As well as the freedom to pick up and go and learn history via a tactile way by visiting places. Or even take vacations not tied to a holiday or break. I love to learn new things (the irony here is that I do not like change though...but can read all day about it!) and I want them to love to learn too and I want to do it before their spirit is broken or zombiefied.
I just have to pray, trust my gut, and wade thru lots of material and hope I get it mostly right the first year. AND work a full time job. Thankfully, I can juggle the work in to whatever hours I need to get things done as long as I am available to my customers 8-5. I do that anyways. And I recently did it for myself juggling my own schooling when I went back to get my master's degree.
My other lure is that I can feed the kids hot or cold lunches and try new things and they can eat when they are hungry, not when a school dictates it. And, I can feed them things that don't have to sit or fear that I might give them food poisoning b/c the thermos doesn't keep the food warm like I thought it would... true story. But one of the bigger things, is sickness. They are basically going to school when they are sick with 99 fever b/c someone decided that is ok. I don't' know about anyone else but when I run 99 fever I feel like someone beat me with a ball bat. Sometimes you do too much on the weekend and are still tired, uh like climb really big hills! (Alright, I think the kids are still tired from that b/c they are still a bit whiny but I will admit my thighs are still not happy about that little hike yesterday!)
We were supposed to go with some friends to a pumpkin patch today but 1) hubby has a sore foot for reasons unknown and didn't want to be on it again, 2) it looked like rain...I melt in rain and, 3) I need time to prep for the week mentally and literally. (I need to plan out dinners, get lunches prepped, and food on the table for that night.) So we passed. It ended up raining out the day we heard, so my day was not a total slob fest. I did get laundry done, school week prep done, Sunday paper read, one magazine finished, Hayday taken care of (b/c that is important ya know), and dinner cooked. We needed a veg out day. Missed church, but I am not sure either of us could hobble up the stairs to our back row baptist...I mean balcony spots.
Tonight I went the easy route. I have recently turned the kids on to hash-browns. Then I turned them on to homemade versions of it. We had bacon, scrambled eggs (not the lawyer who gags on them), wheat toast (not hubby who...well lets just say it isn't pleasant for him), and homemade hash-browns. I took a red and a yellow medium size potato, peeled it, shredded it with cheese grater, and then squeezed the water out of it. Then I heated some olive oil in pan, dropped it in, and cooked it for about 7 min on one side and flipped it. I have an orgreenic pan I love that is 10 inch and I can flip the hash-browns with the flick of a wrist due to the nonstick! (It basically is a disaster waiting to happen but I have fun trying!) Kids were happy, hubby was happy, and belly's were full! Voila! Now to thaw out something for tomorrow...
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Mountains, picnics, and asian food
September 28th, 2013
So today our family of 4 decided to climb our local mountain. Well, really it is very large hill just at over 1000 feet in elevation but it is a mountain to us! While not the tallest body in our state, it is the closest to us and very easily tackled with a 9 and 8 year old. Ok, easy being no one died, broke anything, or bled. I call that a win!
This morning hubby decides this would be a great outing. I agreed it would be versus the kids sitting at their electronic mind suckers all day and that includes me and my magazines, iPad, and too many cups of joe. We did manage to get out the door at about 11am. Perfect b/c the kids will be good and hungry... and cranky (turns out that was the best motivator to get back down said hill: the promise of being fed more than two PB crackers). We hit the bottom of the trail, along with what seemed like half of our state, at a little after noon.
It was a fairly uneventful day. Although, I was reminded, more than I care to mention, that my left knee has not been happy about stairs and steps or holding my weight while I step and try to tackle one of these obstacles. I have injured both knees in the past, one was a college soccer injury where I twisted it being graceful and the other, the left one, was where I fell in shoe covers on a wet floor and twisted it under me. See, I don't break bones I just horribly mangle my tendons and ligaments and crack the bones. Great genetic trait eh? Here lately during my spin bike riding it has been a bit tender on some mornings and it also gives me fits coming up the stairs in the garage.
So this is what I was concentrating on while Monkey was steadily stopping in front of me, trying to be sweet and lend a hand, but in the process becoming a mini talkative road block. After a while I wasn't sure how she was talking or really what she was saying...all I could hear was the wind sucking past my mouth trying to get into my lungs and me sounding like asthmatic bear albeit with a cute water bag over my shoulder! I could hear the Lawyer talking non stop to hubby about the game Mindcraft and some mods (modifications for you non geeks) and asking a bazillion questions. These are the same two that we got out on the bike recently and sucked wind so hard I was a bit afraid they each my pass out!
25 minutes later, we reached the east summit. The Lawyer was getting tired and stumbling more, which is not normal b/c this is my graceful child (she did NOT get that from her mother). She got right to the summit and stumbled and sat down, cried, and stated she would not go any further. I said, "Get thou hiney up and walk 20 more feet b/c WE ARE ALREADY AT THE TOP!" Great lesson on "you can do anything you set your mind to" but not the best timing to warrent it. She got up and stumbled and whined but made it. (I do have picture proof). We rested on this summit and enjoyed the breeze, the sun, well ok not so much b/c it was HOT, and the gorgeous views of a local lake and the main river that runs thru the state.
Monkey was already over the edge stumbling and talking the whole time looking to see what was on the other side of the next rock giving her mother a slight heart attack in the process. We then all stumbled and slid to the West summit (this hill is kind of like a horseshoe at the top) and marked it done then proceeded to slide, stumble, and hop back down the hill. Dodging runners, slobbering dogs, crying children, and persistently annoying sweat bees in the process.
In the parking lot we sat in the car and ate lunch. I was able to throw together a few things that satisfied all parties. I made ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat and split it between Monkey and I. The Lawyer got a PB sandwich on whole wheat, and hubster got PB on GF table crackers. Then we passed around sunflower seeds, an orange, GF yogurt covered pretzels (Shhh, don't tell Lawyer, she will eat them as long as I take them out of the bag so she can't read they are Gluten Free. Hey, it works!) and lots more cold water. Then we enjoyed the breeze for a little longer and got back in the care and drove home. It was about 3:15 by then. We all chilled out for a while and rested. Then I began to think about dinner....
While in the park, I smelled someone grilling burgers and I always loved camping and grilling out. So I had that smell and food stuck in my head. My problem was that I thawed out a package of organic chicken. Boo. Burgers would have to wait for now. I attempted to make chicken Lo Mein. Attempted being the operative word. It sucked. I mean we ate it b/c we were hungry, well Lawyer took one bite and declared it disgusting. I had to agree it was not great, so I gave her chemical laced mac and cheese in a microwavable bowl. Hey, 3 our of 4 healthy eaters is a start! The rest of us choked down...I mean ate the meal. We devoured the chicken voraciously and at a few noodles. Hubby drowned his in Teriyaki sauce...I tried it but I forgot I am not a fan of that stuff. So needless to say, both kids snacked on organic crackers after that for their before bed snack.
I have learned, mostly, to not beat myself up over that stuff and failed meals. I tried to make a home cooked meal, that was healthy, and GF, and for all of us. This one was a scratch, not a complete one but it was obvious I did not put in the time, effort, or thought via the lack of taste. I was uninspired and very tired. I mean I had just climbed a huge "mountain" for crying out loud!
So today our family of 4 decided to climb our local mountain. Well, really it is very large hill just at over 1000 feet in elevation but it is a mountain to us! While not the tallest body in our state, it is the closest to us and very easily tackled with a 9 and 8 year old. Ok, easy being no one died, broke anything, or bled. I call that a win!
This morning hubby decides this would be a great outing. I agreed it would be versus the kids sitting at their electronic mind suckers all day and that includes me and my magazines, iPad, and too many cups of joe. We did manage to get out the door at about 11am. Perfect b/c the kids will be good and hungry... and cranky (turns out that was the best motivator to get back down said hill: the promise of being fed more than two PB crackers). We hit the bottom of the trail, along with what seemed like half of our state, at a little after noon.
It was a fairly uneventful day. Although, I was reminded, more than I care to mention, that my left knee has not been happy about stairs and steps or holding my weight while I step and try to tackle one of these obstacles. I have injured both knees in the past, one was a college soccer injury where I twisted it being graceful and the other, the left one, was where I fell in shoe covers on a wet floor and twisted it under me. See, I don't break bones I just horribly mangle my tendons and ligaments and crack the bones. Great genetic trait eh? Here lately during my spin bike riding it has been a bit tender on some mornings and it also gives me fits coming up the stairs in the garage.
So this is what I was concentrating on while Monkey was steadily stopping in front of me, trying to be sweet and lend a hand, but in the process becoming a mini talkative road block. After a while I wasn't sure how she was talking or really what she was saying...all I could hear was the wind sucking past my mouth trying to get into my lungs and me sounding like asthmatic bear albeit with a cute water bag over my shoulder! I could hear the Lawyer talking non stop to hubby about the game Mindcraft and some mods (modifications for you non geeks) and asking a bazillion questions. These are the same two that we got out on the bike recently and sucked wind so hard I was a bit afraid they each my pass out!
25 minutes later, we reached the east summit. The Lawyer was getting tired and stumbling more, which is not normal b/c this is my graceful child (she did NOT get that from her mother). She got right to the summit and stumbled and sat down, cried, and stated she would not go any further. I said, "Get thou hiney up and walk 20 more feet b/c WE ARE ALREADY AT THE TOP!" Great lesson on "you can do anything you set your mind to" but not the best timing to warrent it. She got up and stumbled and whined but made it. (I do have picture proof). We rested on this summit and enjoyed the breeze, the sun, well ok not so much b/c it was HOT, and the gorgeous views of a local lake and the main river that runs thru the state.
Monkey was already over the edge stumbling and talking the whole time looking to see what was on the other side of the next rock giving her mother a slight heart attack in the process. We then all stumbled and slid to the West summit (this hill is kind of like a horseshoe at the top) and marked it done then proceeded to slide, stumble, and hop back down the hill. Dodging runners, slobbering dogs, crying children, and persistently annoying sweat bees in the process.
In the parking lot we sat in the car and ate lunch. I was able to throw together a few things that satisfied all parties. I made ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat and split it between Monkey and I. The Lawyer got a PB sandwich on whole wheat, and hubster got PB on GF table crackers. Then we passed around sunflower seeds, an orange, GF yogurt covered pretzels (Shhh, don't tell Lawyer, she will eat them as long as I take them out of the bag so she can't read they are Gluten Free. Hey, it works!) and lots more cold water. Then we enjoyed the breeze for a little longer and got back in the care and drove home. It was about 3:15 by then. We all chilled out for a while and rested. Then I began to think about dinner....
While in the park, I smelled someone grilling burgers and I always loved camping and grilling out. So I had that smell and food stuck in my head. My problem was that I thawed out a package of organic chicken. Boo. Burgers would have to wait for now. I attempted to make chicken Lo Mein. Attempted being the operative word. It sucked. I mean we ate it b/c we were hungry, well Lawyer took one bite and declared it disgusting. I had to agree it was not great, so I gave her chemical laced mac and cheese in a microwavable bowl. Hey, 3 our of 4 healthy eaters is a start! The rest of us choked down...I mean ate the meal. We devoured the chicken voraciously and at a few noodles. Hubby drowned his in Teriyaki sauce...I tried it but I forgot I am not a fan of that stuff. So needless to say, both kids snacked on organic crackers after that for their before bed snack.
I have learned, mostly, to not beat myself up over that stuff and failed meals. I tried to make a home cooked meal, that was healthy, and GF, and for all of us. This one was a scratch, not a complete one but it was obvious I did not put in the time, effort, or thought via the lack of taste. I was uninspired and very tired. I mean I had just climbed a huge "mountain" for crying out loud!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Pickled Yellow
September 25, 2013
So I already knew that Ice Cream can have dyes in it if you get the very sugary colored kind but what I did NOT know, was that the food industry are putting dye in my pickles! I mean really, why does a green pickle need yellow dye?? Wouldn't that make it blue? This makes me mad and why a quick trip to the grocery store for me turns in to hours. And our family does not have allergies thankfully, so I can't imagine how diligent those mothers have to be. Well I guess I do understand a bit, due to hubby's gluten intolerance he can't have wheat but you can kind of quickly figure most of that out, except when they tricked us and put wheat in soy sauce. We still run into bouts of cramping when he gets into something that is not obvious which is very frustrating for both of us b/c we are so diligent!
Thankfully I have a network of friends who try to watch out for chemicals and hidden additives, be it real food or petroleum. Otherwise, I would go nuts and feel like a freak. Well most of my close friends would agree that I am a freak but I am ok with that, just not the nut case freak type. As if that clears it up for you....
So the past two days are the type of days you dread. The days that test your resolve and will power. Last night, we had Chinese takeout. Not horrible but I had plans to make some fish balls. Yesterday was a bust b/c the Lawyer and I also had Pizza Inn. I did have a friend show up who only ate the tops of her pizza and not the crust and this totally fascinated me. I am sure I was wonderful conversation material due to my fascination! I had never thought of doing that. Honestly I am not sure I have the will power to do that either, come to think of it. BUT, we had our day and then we got back to it today. I have learned thru my weight loss journey that it isn't about the food, it is how you treat the food, and I am not letting it rule me. So what if I had two meals that were from a restaurant, today I rode on my spin bike hard and ate better. One bad day, does not make for a completely bad week. Work stress has certainly NOT been helpful , but if you work, you have stress at some point. Thankfully, I got thru it and tackled our meal tonight. I got a late start again due to another crazy work day, but I was able to bake the fish until it was flaky, then put it in bowl with cheese and egg, almond and seasonings and throw it in a pan full of coconut oil and fry up some tilapia cakes. (Find the recipe on 24/7 Lowcarbdiner.com and search for tilapia tots. ) My version of crab cakes. Then I just made a pan of white rice. Not one of my better meals but much better than take out!
Speaking of out...so I get a request from Monkey's third grade teacher to discuss her lovely benchmark scores. She will need an Academic Improvement Plan even though she is smart as a whip she just could care less about tests or what they do to her outlook. I too was a horrible test taker and had all over the place scores. Yet I was a B, low A, student. So thankfully, this teacher so far has been wonderful so we shall see what her plan is for Monkey. Even if I home-school, she has to take the dreaded benchmarks. I don't' think half the adults could pass one of the tests these days!
So I already knew that Ice Cream can have dyes in it if you get the very sugary colored kind but what I did NOT know, was that the food industry are putting dye in my pickles! I mean really, why does a green pickle need yellow dye?? Wouldn't that make it blue? This makes me mad and why a quick trip to the grocery store for me turns in to hours. And our family does not have allergies thankfully, so I can't imagine how diligent those mothers have to be. Well I guess I do understand a bit, due to hubby's gluten intolerance he can't have wheat but you can kind of quickly figure most of that out, except when they tricked us and put wheat in soy sauce. We still run into bouts of cramping when he gets into something that is not obvious which is very frustrating for both of us b/c we are so diligent!
Thankfully I have a network of friends who try to watch out for chemicals and hidden additives, be it real food or petroleum. Otherwise, I would go nuts and feel like a freak. Well most of my close friends would agree that I am a freak but I am ok with that, just not the nut case freak type. As if that clears it up for you....
So the past two days are the type of days you dread. The days that test your resolve and will power. Last night, we had Chinese takeout. Not horrible but I had plans to make some fish balls. Yesterday was a bust b/c the Lawyer and I also had Pizza Inn. I did have a friend show up who only ate the tops of her pizza and not the crust and this totally fascinated me. I am sure I was wonderful conversation material due to my fascination! I had never thought of doing that. Honestly I am not sure I have the will power to do that either, come to think of it. BUT, we had our day and then we got back to it today. I have learned thru my weight loss journey that it isn't about the food, it is how you treat the food, and I am not letting it rule me. So what if I had two meals that were from a restaurant, today I rode on my spin bike hard and ate better. One bad day, does not make for a completely bad week. Work stress has certainly NOT been helpful , but if you work, you have stress at some point. Thankfully, I got thru it and tackled our meal tonight. I got a late start again due to another crazy work day, but I was able to bake the fish until it was flaky, then put it in bowl with cheese and egg, almond and seasonings and throw it in a pan full of coconut oil and fry up some tilapia cakes. (Find the recipe on 24/7 Lowcarbdiner.com and search for tilapia tots. ) My version of crab cakes. Then I just made a pan of white rice. Not one of my better meals but much better than take out!
Speaking of out...so I get a request from Monkey's third grade teacher to discuss her lovely benchmark scores. She will need an Academic Improvement Plan even though she is smart as a whip she just could care less about tests or what they do to her outlook. I too was a horrible test taker and had all over the place scores. Yet I was a B, low A, student. So thankfully, this teacher so far has been wonderful so we shall see what her plan is for Monkey. Even if I home-school, she has to take the dreaded benchmarks. I don't' think half the adults could pass one of the tests these days!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Cracker Barrell and Fish balls
September 23rd, 2013
Mid-semester report cards came out. (Does this ever not feel painful?) So Monkey has a great memory...until she needs to write it down. Then she has sudden amnesia. I had a long talk in the car with her on the way back from dropping off the Lawyer, reluctantly, to art class. Monkey is the kid that quotes, almost verbatim, commercials, video game stories, and movies! She also was told that she needed much prompting and re-directing. I told her that isn't going to cut it. She successfully remembered to bring home a school planner without my prompting and she remembered to put her shoes back in her room, without me harping at her. (Well the pair she had on in the car, NOT the pair at the foot of my desk she kicked off after school. Baby steps) I reminded her, ironically, that she has a great memory but that mommy has done WAY too much remembering for her and now she has to retrain her brain so that she remembers the things that mommy used to remember for her. I got way too much to remember for everyone so momma needs a break! Got to keep retraining her and getting her to not rely on others to get her by. Have to rethink this one and my strategies.
New Strategy tonight, her nightly 1 chapter required reading is now followed by a couple sentences about what she read written in her journal. I am trying to train her to 1) write neat, 2) have reading comprehension, and 3) make that comprehension into a writing lesson so she connects the two. Neither of the kids are great writers but then again you have probably figure out nor am I! Practice, practice!
So my cooking went awry yesterday, well at least for dinner. I did manage to have hubby cook an entire package of bacon to warm up on school mornings, while I made pumpkin muffins and bread for school breakfasts. But our afternoon plans changed so last night we let Cracker Barrel feed us and while I don't like to go out to eat all that much, it was late after a family reunion and it was better than most choices glaring at us. Monkey had green beans, corn, and chicken strips, Lawyer had 2 giant pancakes and 2 strips of bacon. (Her daddy ate breakfast too, must be a genetic thing). I can't plan for every meal like I should due to lazy weekend attitudes and sudden family trips. I can be smart about our derailments though and sometimes you gotta let someone else do the cooking but it should not have a drive thru!
So tonight I beat the tar out of some pork steaks, drowned some carrots, half an onion, and some red potatoes in olive oil and sprinkled Cavenders, and salt and pepper. Wrapped it up in foil and threw it, literally, in the oven before taking the Lawyer to art. Came home and cut ends off of fresh green beans and dumped some wonderful Coursey's meat chunks in it and put it to boil for a while. Looks awesome, now I have to wait until hubby and Lawyer get home. Did I mention I hate waiting?
I did have time to run to the grocery this am and was having no ideas as to dinner menus this week. I have learned to be patient as something will hit me and get the creative juices flowing. I found some GF Teriyaki sauce so going Asian on Wed night with some chicken and rice. Tues will do fish balls (tilapia and almond meal recipe I got from a friend. It has a much better name but this one is more fun we decided!) and what ever veggies I have in the crisper. Haven't made it to Th mentally yet so TBD. So if you see me, the couple that know who I am, standing in the grocery store staring at something. I am not catatonic. Well mostly...I am just thinking about what to do with whatever it is I am staring at and what to pair with it. So don't slip me psychiatrist/therapists numbers, I am just in deep thought. :)
Mid-semester report cards came out. (Does this ever not feel painful?) So Monkey has a great memory...until she needs to write it down. Then she has sudden amnesia. I had a long talk in the car with her on the way back from dropping off the Lawyer, reluctantly, to art class. Monkey is the kid that quotes, almost verbatim, commercials, video game stories, and movies! She also was told that she needed much prompting and re-directing. I told her that isn't going to cut it. She successfully remembered to bring home a school planner without my prompting and she remembered to put her shoes back in her room, without me harping at her. (Well the pair she had on in the car, NOT the pair at the foot of my desk she kicked off after school. Baby steps) I reminded her, ironically, that she has a great memory but that mommy has done WAY too much remembering for her and now she has to retrain her brain so that she remembers the things that mommy used to remember for her. I got way too much to remember for everyone so momma needs a break! Got to keep retraining her and getting her to not rely on others to get her by. Have to rethink this one and my strategies.
New Strategy tonight, her nightly 1 chapter required reading is now followed by a couple sentences about what she read written in her journal. I am trying to train her to 1) write neat, 2) have reading comprehension, and 3) make that comprehension into a writing lesson so she connects the two. Neither of the kids are great writers but then again you have probably figure out nor am I! Practice, practice!
So my cooking went awry yesterday, well at least for dinner. I did manage to have hubby cook an entire package of bacon to warm up on school mornings, while I made pumpkin muffins and bread for school breakfasts. But our afternoon plans changed so last night we let Cracker Barrel feed us and while I don't like to go out to eat all that much, it was late after a family reunion and it was better than most choices glaring at us. Monkey had green beans, corn, and chicken strips, Lawyer had 2 giant pancakes and 2 strips of bacon. (Her daddy ate breakfast too, must be a genetic thing). I can't plan for every meal like I should due to lazy weekend attitudes and sudden family trips. I can be smart about our derailments though and sometimes you gotta let someone else do the cooking but it should not have a drive thru!
So tonight I beat the tar out of some pork steaks, drowned some carrots, half an onion, and some red potatoes in olive oil and sprinkled Cavenders, and salt and pepper. Wrapped it up in foil and threw it, literally, in the oven before taking the Lawyer to art. Came home and cut ends off of fresh green beans and dumped some wonderful Coursey's meat chunks in it and put it to boil for a while. Looks awesome, now I have to wait until hubby and Lawyer get home. Did I mention I hate waiting?
I did have time to run to the grocery this am and was having no ideas as to dinner menus this week. I have learned to be patient as something will hit me and get the creative juices flowing. I found some GF Teriyaki sauce so going Asian on Wed night with some chicken and rice. Tues will do fish balls (tilapia and almond meal recipe I got from a friend. It has a much better name but this one is more fun we decided!) and what ever veggies I have in the crisper. Haven't made it to Th mentally yet so TBD. So if you see me, the couple that know who I am, standing in the grocery store staring at something. I am not catatonic. Well mostly...I am just thinking about what to do with whatever it is I am staring at and what to pair with it. So don't slip me psychiatrist/therapists numbers, I am just in deep thought. :)
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Kool-Aid and cucumbers
September 21st, 2013
So Monkey has developed kool-aid lip again. I have let her have lots of yogurt b/c Yoplait retooled it to use natural colorings and cut out the sugars and corn syrups.Yay! However, since I have been letting her have it a lot she has begun licking her lips again. This is the fun thing called food sensitivities for which they have no tests for. You just notice, "Hey when I eat X I get Y reaction". Kelly Dorfman in her book What's eating your child? called it being a food detective. Yep, I have got my trench coat and magnifying glass out on this one. We thought it was a soy allergy but turns out she has no food allergies, only food sensitivities...meaning it shows up occasionally but not consistently. My plan is to take Monkey off her beloved yogurt and cheese (read "dairy") for 10 days and see if her lip clears up. If so, I will have to limit her exposure to it. Thankfully, she does love Almond, Coconut, AND, Soy milks so not all is lost (except that they don't really have yogurts). These alternatives are great especially since they have great chocolate flavors! Just wish they would come up with a strawberry one, hint hint Silk and other brands!
So this is my life. Trying to avoid dyes and junk (chemicals) in our foods and then trying to figure out vague food issues when we do come across them. This is why I journaled, to chronicle her exposures and what worked and what hasn't. It keeps me sane. Well, as sane as my genetics allow me to be...I now share my ramblings with you, aren't you so lucky!
The newest thing in my life, besides the lip thing, is that Monkey (my best eater) has suddenly gotten picky and not adventuresome in eating. Yet the Lawyer ( the picky one) has decided she wants to try new things. Today I got her to eat a cucumber slathered in ranch and salt. (Ok, you say that is not very healthy drowning, it but the alternative is her processed chicken flavored stick...I win). The last time we tried the cucumber was after successfully getting her to try lettuce with ranch on it. She saw her sister dive into the dressing with carrots and cukes. I had a cuke on hand and unfortunately it had gone the way of the snowbirds in winter...south. It was SOUR. Too. Late. She screwed up her face like I gave her cod liver oil. Then I thought I would show her and ate one too. Then promptly spit it out so fast, and hard, it nearly missed my plate! So today, I made sure I had a fresh one and she tried it and...wait for it....SHE LIKED IT. Mountains can move people.
Now back to Monkey. I made enchiladas last night. They are not elaborate at all which may be my first problem. Hubby used to be an electrician in a former life and an older peer gave him the recipe, come to think about it I think it was written on a piece of torn box, fancy eh? Anyway, hubby and I made it last night. Warmed up corn tortillas with oil in skillet, had already fried up some lean ground beef, and had Monkey shred us up some cheese from a block of medium cheddar. (Side note: I stopped buying the pre-shred when sis-in-law [SIL] said they used wax and wood fibers to keep it from sticking together. Wow, never noticed. And that is what I loved about shredded block cheese was that it stuck to itself in wonderful globs!) We had a can of mild enchilada sauce and some onion flakes. She helped us build them so I thought ok she knows I have hid nothing in her food (burrito incident occurred where I tried to sneak in black beans...it did not go well). Sprinkled more cheese on top and then stuck in oven to melt cheese. She took one bite and it was a fight the rest of the time. Not sure if she didn't like the sweet enchilada sauce or what it was b/c she loves taquitos. She ended up choosing to not eat the meal and buy her an early ticket to shower and bed.
These are the type of nights I grew up with that I try to avoid........tears, angry words, huge aversion to dishes that will never be touched again due to a burned in hatred of said food from these fights. People, it isn't' worth it. While I am not going to be a short order cook for my kids, and while I do cook something different for the Lawyer, b/c she would choose nothing every time just to prove a point, I will not starve them nor will I let my non-picky one pitch a fit. I just so love these kinds of nights!
In all honesty, I think she did not feel well, was tired from a hot day at school and having to be "on" mentally all day, plus a sudden growth spurt. She has these occasionally moments where she wont' eat anything new and her usual favorites. They are just far enough apart that I forget we all lived thru it.
Growth spurts: Both girls did this when they were little, you remember they would cry FOR HOURS FOR NO REASON. I read, was told, heard, who knows, that they were experiencing a growth spurt and it would pass in about 2 weeks. Which is martian years that is like 6 months to a sleep deprived milking cow, er I mean mom...And guess what? It did. It went away. So I am chalking this up to a growth spurt. I mean this is a kid that eats sushi for crying out loud. I still won't eat that stuff myself! I want my food dead, very dead. Not roadkill dead, just dead and not still warm from the kill dead like some of you oddballs. Sorry hubby. I do love you though. :)
It is nights/weeks like this that I wonder why I am not hooked on Xanax or Valium! I might make my own kool-aid lip with some of that wine I keep for cooking after weeks like this! Cheers!
So Monkey has developed kool-aid lip again. I have let her have lots of yogurt b/c Yoplait retooled it to use natural colorings and cut out the sugars and corn syrups.Yay! However, since I have been letting her have it a lot she has begun licking her lips again. This is the fun thing called food sensitivities for which they have no tests for. You just notice, "Hey when I eat X I get Y reaction". Kelly Dorfman in her book What's eating your child? called it being a food detective. Yep, I have got my trench coat and magnifying glass out on this one. We thought it was a soy allergy but turns out she has no food allergies, only food sensitivities...meaning it shows up occasionally but not consistently. My plan is to take Monkey off her beloved yogurt and cheese (read "dairy") for 10 days and see if her lip clears up. If so, I will have to limit her exposure to it. Thankfully, she does love Almond, Coconut, AND, Soy milks so not all is lost (except that they don't really have yogurts). These alternatives are great especially since they have great chocolate flavors! Just wish they would come up with a strawberry one, hint hint Silk and other brands!
So this is my life. Trying to avoid dyes and junk (chemicals) in our foods and then trying to figure out vague food issues when we do come across them. This is why I journaled, to chronicle her exposures and what worked and what hasn't. It keeps me sane. Well, as sane as my genetics allow me to be...I now share my ramblings with you, aren't you so lucky!
The newest thing in my life, besides the lip thing, is that Monkey (my best eater) has suddenly gotten picky and not adventuresome in eating. Yet the Lawyer ( the picky one) has decided she wants to try new things. Today I got her to eat a cucumber slathered in ranch and salt. (Ok, you say that is not very healthy drowning, it but the alternative is her processed chicken flavored stick...I win). The last time we tried the cucumber was after successfully getting her to try lettuce with ranch on it. She saw her sister dive into the dressing with carrots and cukes. I had a cuke on hand and unfortunately it had gone the way of the snowbirds in winter...south. It was SOUR. Too. Late. She screwed up her face like I gave her cod liver oil. Then I thought I would show her and ate one too. Then promptly spit it out so fast, and hard, it nearly missed my plate! So today, I made sure I had a fresh one and she tried it and...wait for it....SHE LIKED IT. Mountains can move people.
Now back to Monkey. I made enchiladas last night. They are not elaborate at all which may be my first problem. Hubby used to be an electrician in a former life and an older peer gave him the recipe, come to think about it I think it was written on a piece of torn box, fancy eh? Anyway, hubby and I made it last night. Warmed up corn tortillas with oil in skillet, had already fried up some lean ground beef, and had Monkey shred us up some cheese from a block of medium cheddar. (Side note: I stopped buying the pre-shred when sis-in-law [SIL] said they used wax and wood fibers to keep it from sticking together. Wow, never noticed. And that is what I loved about shredded block cheese was that it stuck to itself in wonderful globs!) We had a can of mild enchilada sauce and some onion flakes. She helped us build them so I thought ok she knows I have hid nothing in her food (burrito incident occurred where I tried to sneak in black beans...it did not go well). Sprinkled more cheese on top and then stuck in oven to melt cheese. She took one bite and it was a fight the rest of the time. Not sure if she didn't like the sweet enchilada sauce or what it was b/c she loves taquitos. She ended up choosing to not eat the meal and buy her an early ticket to shower and bed.
These are the type of nights I grew up with that I try to avoid........tears, angry words, huge aversion to dishes that will never be touched again due to a burned in hatred of said food from these fights. People, it isn't' worth it. While I am not going to be a short order cook for my kids, and while I do cook something different for the Lawyer, b/c she would choose nothing every time just to prove a point, I will not starve them nor will I let my non-picky one pitch a fit. I just so love these kinds of nights!
In all honesty, I think she did not feel well, was tired from a hot day at school and having to be "on" mentally all day, plus a sudden growth spurt. She has these occasionally moments where she wont' eat anything new and her usual favorites. They are just far enough apart that I forget we all lived thru it.
Growth spurts: Both girls did this when they were little, you remember they would cry FOR HOURS FOR NO REASON. I read, was told, heard, who knows, that they were experiencing a growth spurt and it would pass in about 2 weeks. Which is martian years that is like 6 months to a sleep deprived milking cow, er I mean mom...And guess what? It did. It went away. So I am chalking this up to a growth spurt. I mean this is a kid that eats sushi for crying out loud. I still won't eat that stuff myself! I want my food dead, very dead. Not roadkill dead, just dead and not still warm from the kill dead like some of you oddballs. Sorry hubby. I do love you though. :)
It is nights/weeks like this that I wonder why I am not hooked on Xanax or Valium! I might make my own kool-aid lip with some of that wine I keep for cooking after weeks like this! Cheers!
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