Saturday, March 22nd
Wow, I am totally not consistently in writing this blog...I have plenty of fodder to write about but between the material occurring and me getting to the computer to write about it....well lets just say many things distract me between getting the two together...
Now where to begin...my homemade pickles I wrote about last time! That was my grandmothers recipe and it was a hit. My hubby and mother were both devouring them and even picky Lawyer liked them. (Monkey didn't. I asked her why b/c she loves pickles. She said, "It had the skin on them.."...ok so pickles have the skin on. "Those are not the same mom." Um I give up.) I have also been tinkering with a the standard guacamole recipe. We have a local restaurant that serves it but it is thin and spicy. I got the spicy kicked up but can't quite figure out what makes it thin. I used cream cheese before and while it tasted great, it was thick. This time I used sour cream and I think I am much closer now but still not there. Either way the mess ups still taste great! Lately, I have also been baking not only bread in my bread machine for my girls, but I finally found a gluten free bread that actually tastes good. The website, which I reference often here, Sarahbakesglutenfree.com is where I found it. I made the Everyday bread recipe and it was good but kids didn't like the chia seeds. I made the honey oatmeal bread and it was awesome. Haven't tried it with kids yet but my guess is they will never know it is GF!
I have begun to struggle again with Monkey. She is getting in that fog again where she may or may not finish her work, forget normal tasks that she knows better than to overlook, and be very whiny. I have about decided she is in the middle of a growth spurt. Both girls did this when they were little and thankfully someone, much wiser than me, told me that if they are fussy and you have changed their diaper, fed them, and made sure nothing is poking them then they are fine and are probably in a growth spurt. And sure enough, those times that they were fussy, for what appeared to be no reason, they would outgrow clothes or get a new habit such as walking. I had not thought much about it as they are older now but this is the only thing I can think of as to why she is being horrible and difficult. We went to eat pizza with some friends last night and she was at full force. She had had two and a third of Oreos at school. She was excited that our friends were there and just loses her head. So instead of sitting at the table like I instructed her, she wanted to get her own plate. And since the cheese pizza wasn't ready she got bread sticks and then proceeded to almost run to the table and of course she whipped her head around to tell me something and the bread-sticks went flying. So she was an emotional wreck in the middle of the busy pizza place and to top it off the teacher we had so much trouble with and did not get along with last year was there eating with her family. I thought of all the times she could act like a raving lunatic and in full blown ADD mode THIS was not it! Thankfully my friend tolerates my nutty loud family but I am wanting to prove that Monkey is controlled her ADD by NOT using meds and then this happens. Murphy's law never gives me a break....
Back to the growth spurt theory...She has just about been eating me out of the house as she has dinner, then her favorite GF sandwich cookies (2), then she comes back and wants "something else". So she eats crackers, or pistachios, or chips, if I am feeling lax, or even dry cereal. I mean every night for about two weeks she would eat 5 or 6 different things! I was worried she was going to pack on some unnecessary weight b/c she was just eating like a teenage boy! Then that last sleet storm hit and she wanted to go play in it. So I drug out our ski clothes from last year and stuffed her in them. I put on the ski pants that were dragging the ground last year and they hit her like capris! It dawned on me a week later that this is why she has been eating so much b/c usually she eats like a bird. And now that I think about her behavior it would explain the emotional outbursts too. I have been steadily giving her Claritin at night with all of the blooming that is beginning to occur outside especially since she likes to run a constant low grade fever. Her lip began to get red again recently and she has this zit that won't go away so I am figuring that she is having a food sensitivity issue which is really tough b/c it is so vague. I just read that you can have a corn sensitivity if you go GF. Monkey is not fully GF but is about 50%. I worry that other items and/or chemicals are bothering her. She has been eating a ton of Cheese Its and I think I need to stop that again. They had cleaned up some of the junk in the ingredients but it was still heavy on preservatives and chemicals. I try not to be such an ogre with their food and allow them some mainstream things but I am almost to the point that I can't with her b/c she is so strangely afflicted with body issues when I do. I worry that she will have an autoimmune effect and I don't want to have to go Paleo on her as it is even more strict and not as tasty.
I have to rethink my cooking again which is tiring but worth the effort. Now that spring is here and the food will change as to what should be available according to the Farmers Almanac we can have different choices and that breaks the monotony of eating "winter" foods. I hope to make homemade ice cream this summer since most of the ones at the store are either not GF or full of dairy that makes Monkey literally go wild and if full of cookies hubby can't eat. So I want to make my own since we live by the pool in the summer. I also want to make more fruit smoothies and enjoy the variety of fruit in the summer.
Right now I have to get thru Spring Break and a week at a cabin with a growing and emotional 8 y/o. She just came in to my office jealous that her sister and dad were snuggling. She can't stand it if her sister gets the snuggles and she weasels in on it. Nothing like telling your child to bug off when she wants to snuggle so you don't jip the other one of that same thing! Oh the irony. So she thankfully came in and just told me she was upset and then crawled under the desk. We talked and I was able to talk some sense into her and she was much happier and then ran off to play. I love that kid but she taxes my brain and heart some days.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
Ice drifts and homemade pickles
Monday, March 3rd,
Well, we had up to 3 inches of ice last night. It looked like a winter wonderland except that it was not fluffy but a snow dusting crust of ice that was slicker than snot. Monkey immediately wanted to get out in it and check things out. Thank goodness for ski gear left over from last year. (Although, she won't be wearing the pants much longer! They were more liking capris! Thank goodness for tall snow boots.) She lasted outside about 30 minutes which is not long for her. She had strep last week and I think she either has a cold this week or a bad allergy attack. Her fever was still up after a week on antibiotics and she began to sneeze so we treated her with OTC meds so her stamina is low. We spent the rest of the day, 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 cats...inside. The adults worked their day jobs b/c, while being able to remote in to a job is wonderful, there are no snow days. The kids read, played, watched movies, then finally broke out the Xbox to play. The cats...slept. I want to trade with the cats....We found out this afternoon that school is out again tomorrow as most of the white stuff didn't fully melt on all roads. In town is ok, but out lying roads are still rough and slick. So we have to get creative again tomorrow to prevent boredom and fights. Fun times.
Poor hubby has been dealing with another kidney stone in the other kidney from the one a few weeks ago. He called for a refill on his meds that dilates his vessels and they never called back and never called it in and here we are in the midst of an ice storm. Of course they were closed today. Hopefully, they will be open tomorrow as thankfully he is not hurting that bad but needs that med or he will be in a world of hurt! And being cooped up with a man in pain is not my idea of fun...nor is it his for that matter!
I have the baking bug again. My waistline suffers a bit when I do.... I bought homemade bread thru our local farmer network as I go back and forth with buying and baking it. But I did make banana bread to use up the left over bananas. I tried to make some healthy things too though. I had finally found a recipe for marinated cucumbers that I felt might be one I had been looking for. So I made it last week and even the kids liked it. Then I saw a recipe for pickles on FB so I dug up an old recipe for refrigerator pickles from my grandmother that my mom had given me, bought some pickling cucumbers, and made up a batch. The pickles reminded me of the kind my mom used to make, not quite the same as it was not the same recipe but still very similar and very good. I also attempted to recreate a guacamole dip from a local oriental place (ironic I know) but didn't quite get the same taste. It tasted good, don't get me wrong, but it was not the same as the eatery. I needed to add one more jalapeno because it was not spicy enough and I also needed to make it more liquified but can't figure out what the missing ingredient is. I added cream cheese but theirs is a more lighter color and not so thick. I have got to tinker a bit more on it but pleased that I came close and created something new. That is my goal is to create new recipes but I lack the knowledge and courage most days. I think desperation helps, haha, that and necessity...like back to back snow days...
Well, we had up to 3 inches of ice last night. It looked like a winter wonderland except that it was not fluffy but a snow dusting crust of ice that was slicker than snot. Monkey immediately wanted to get out in it and check things out. Thank goodness for ski gear left over from last year. (Although, she won't be wearing the pants much longer! They were more liking capris! Thank goodness for tall snow boots.) She lasted outside about 30 minutes which is not long for her. She had strep last week and I think she either has a cold this week or a bad allergy attack. Her fever was still up after a week on antibiotics and she began to sneeze so we treated her with OTC meds so her stamina is low. We spent the rest of the day, 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 cats...inside. The adults worked their day jobs b/c, while being able to remote in to a job is wonderful, there are no snow days. The kids read, played, watched movies, then finally broke out the Xbox to play. The cats...slept. I want to trade with the cats....We found out this afternoon that school is out again tomorrow as most of the white stuff didn't fully melt on all roads. In town is ok, but out lying roads are still rough and slick. So we have to get creative again tomorrow to prevent boredom and fights. Fun times.
Poor hubby has been dealing with another kidney stone in the other kidney from the one a few weeks ago. He called for a refill on his meds that dilates his vessels and they never called back and never called it in and here we are in the midst of an ice storm. Of course they were closed today. Hopefully, they will be open tomorrow as thankfully he is not hurting that bad but needs that med or he will be in a world of hurt! And being cooped up with a man in pain is not my idea of fun...nor is it his for that matter!
I have the baking bug again. My waistline suffers a bit when I do.... I bought homemade bread thru our local farmer network as I go back and forth with buying and baking it. But I did make banana bread to use up the left over bananas. I tried to make some healthy things too though. I had finally found a recipe for marinated cucumbers that I felt might be one I had been looking for. So I made it last week and even the kids liked it. Then I saw a recipe for pickles on FB so I dug up an old recipe for refrigerator pickles from my grandmother that my mom had given me, bought some pickling cucumbers, and made up a batch. The pickles reminded me of the kind my mom used to make, not quite the same as it was not the same recipe but still very similar and very good. I also attempted to recreate a guacamole dip from a local oriental place (ironic I know) but didn't quite get the same taste. It tasted good, don't get me wrong, but it was not the same as the eatery. I needed to add one more jalapeno because it was not spicy enough and I also needed to make it more liquified but can't figure out what the missing ingredient is. I added cream cheese but theirs is a more lighter color and not so thick. I have got to tinker a bit more on it but pleased that I came close and created something new. That is my goal is to create new recipes but I lack the knowledge and courage most days. I think desperation helps, haha, that and necessity...like back to back snow days...
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
GF, strep throat and breathe right strips
Wednesday, February 26th, 2014
Everyday you hear of someone new who must go Gluten Free (GF) either due to gluten sensitivity, such as hubby, or Celiac disease. I first heard of Celiac in the early 2000s. A friend was always sick and anemic looking and and in constant pain. She found out she had Celiac and I thought how in the world could you be allergic to wheat! Fast forward 12 or so years and hubby realizes his cramps and excruciating pain is not due to dairy, which he originally thought, but due to a wheat reaction. When he stopped eating any kind of breads he felt MUCH better. Unfortunately, it has been a learning process as gluten comes in many hidden forms and items. We have learned the hard way and by reading many labels and articles. Thankfully, since we are label reading any ways trying to eat healthier, this has fit right in with our learning about foods that affect ADHD behavior so it was easier for us as I began to do more food research to help him.
I see way too many people reach out on Facebook and get overloaded with information and then are just as confused as they were before. You must learn how to rethink cooking and eating and also learn what you are willing to compromise on tastes. GF bread is just plain disgusting to us so we avoid it. We have learned to cook cakes, muffins, and other goodies that taste great. Many of the things I cook for my family and friends is GF and they do not know it. If you mention it, people get a preconceived idea that it will taste gross BEFORE they even try it and pass early judgement. If you find good cooks, or recipes, or websites such as sarahbakesglutenfree.com, you will be amazed and you will learn you are not limited on what you eat. Just be patient and experiment!
Lately we have played the cold/allergy game with almost all of us. Lawyer started out getting a cold after the cats being indoors and her obsession with touching them despite my screeching to her to stop touching the cats. I finally got her well and Monkey got a cold...or maybe Monkey had one before and Lawyer got it...I forget. Either way I got both of them better and fever free and back to school. Then I worked out in the yard with the family cleaning up dead leaves and pine needles to get ready for warmer weather and I had an allergy attack. I wore a mask but it didn't help and I was miserable all day Sunday and into Monday. Zyrtec managed to make me the 6th and 7th dwarf Dopey and Sneezy since I was still sneezing every 5 minutes and couldn't keep my head up and my eyes open for any length of time. I tried watching the last day of the Olympics but found myself with my head in my hands snoring like my grandmother! Sooo, I finally shook off the meds and then fought a headache (which I won this round on!) only to have Monkey run fever on Tuesday morning. She always runs a low grade fever anyways due to allergies I believe. I am pretty sure dairy aggravates her allergies but the kid loves cheese and we haven't found a decent alternative so we deal with it. Anyways, I picked her up from school Tuesday afternoon and she looked horrible. She was sluggish and pale. I took her temp before dinner and it was 101. Even hubby said I think she is feverish. So next day Monkey slept in which is unlike her. I kept her home and hubby was worried about her and kept checking in with us. He had me check for mono symptoms but she didn't have all of them thankfully (his nephew has mono so his mind went into go mode!) It was hubby who pointed out that she was not having the usual allergy symptoms of sneezing and runny nose and cough. So I called the pediatrician and after a two hour wait from 4 to 6pm we find out Monkey had strep. I even had a bet with Monkey for a cookie that she did not have strep...I lost and she made sure she reminded me of the bet at the pharmacy! Little devil!
Speaking of being sick...so when you are sick with a cold or allergies and your nose is totally stopped up I have discovered breathe right strips are awesome! I don't get a horribly sore throat as bad from breathing from my mouth all night. Those things are awesome. Especially with allergies when your nose is swollen and stuck shut it seems.
It is the little things that make me happy, like getting to read for 30 minutes or play one of my stupid games on the iPad...since this week has been a pill and it is only Wednesday night! Oh, hubby decided to have yet another kidney stone in his right kidney. Stay tuned.....
Everyday you hear of someone new who must go Gluten Free (GF) either due to gluten sensitivity, such as hubby, or Celiac disease. I first heard of Celiac in the early 2000s. A friend was always sick and anemic looking and and in constant pain. She found out she had Celiac and I thought how in the world could you be allergic to wheat! Fast forward 12 or so years and hubby realizes his cramps and excruciating pain is not due to dairy, which he originally thought, but due to a wheat reaction. When he stopped eating any kind of breads he felt MUCH better. Unfortunately, it has been a learning process as gluten comes in many hidden forms and items. We have learned the hard way and by reading many labels and articles. Thankfully, since we are label reading any ways trying to eat healthier, this has fit right in with our learning about foods that affect ADHD behavior so it was easier for us as I began to do more food research to help him.
I see way too many people reach out on Facebook and get overloaded with information and then are just as confused as they were before. You must learn how to rethink cooking and eating and also learn what you are willing to compromise on tastes. GF bread is just plain disgusting to us so we avoid it. We have learned to cook cakes, muffins, and other goodies that taste great. Many of the things I cook for my family and friends is GF and they do not know it. If you mention it, people get a preconceived idea that it will taste gross BEFORE they even try it and pass early judgement. If you find good cooks, or recipes, or websites such as sarahbakesglutenfree.com, you will be amazed and you will learn you are not limited on what you eat. Just be patient and experiment!
Lately we have played the cold/allergy game with almost all of us. Lawyer started out getting a cold after the cats being indoors and her obsession with touching them despite my screeching to her to stop touching the cats. I finally got her well and Monkey got a cold...or maybe Monkey had one before and Lawyer got it...I forget. Either way I got both of them better and fever free and back to school. Then I worked out in the yard with the family cleaning up dead leaves and pine needles to get ready for warmer weather and I had an allergy attack. I wore a mask but it didn't help and I was miserable all day Sunday and into Monday. Zyrtec managed to make me the 6th and 7th dwarf Dopey and Sneezy since I was still sneezing every 5 minutes and couldn't keep my head up and my eyes open for any length of time. I tried watching the last day of the Olympics but found myself with my head in my hands snoring like my grandmother! Sooo, I finally shook off the meds and then fought a headache (which I won this round on!) only to have Monkey run fever on Tuesday morning. She always runs a low grade fever anyways due to allergies I believe. I am pretty sure dairy aggravates her allergies but the kid loves cheese and we haven't found a decent alternative so we deal with it. Anyways, I picked her up from school Tuesday afternoon and she looked horrible. She was sluggish and pale. I took her temp before dinner and it was 101. Even hubby said I think she is feverish. So next day Monkey slept in which is unlike her. I kept her home and hubby was worried about her and kept checking in with us. He had me check for mono symptoms but she didn't have all of them thankfully (his nephew has mono so his mind went into go mode!) It was hubby who pointed out that she was not having the usual allergy symptoms of sneezing and runny nose and cough. So I called the pediatrician and after a two hour wait from 4 to 6pm we find out Monkey had strep. I even had a bet with Monkey for a cookie that she did not have strep...I lost and she made sure she reminded me of the bet at the pharmacy! Little devil!
Speaking of being sick...so when you are sick with a cold or allergies and your nose is totally stopped up I have discovered breathe right strips are awesome! I don't get a horribly sore throat as bad from breathing from my mouth all night. Those things are awesome. Especially with allergies when your nose is swollen and stuck shut it seems.
It is the little things that make me happy, like getting to read for 30 minutes or play one of my stupid games on the iPad...since this week has been a pill and it is only Wednesday night! Oh, hubby decided to have yet another kidney stone in his right kidney. Stay tuned.....
Friday, February 14, 2014
The cat chronicles:part two...if cats could talk
Friday, February 14th, 2014
Happy Valentines Day!
Tonight hubby and I got to go out on a rare date. He wasn't working his hands to the bone for once and our favorite babysitter was free so we saw an opportunity and took it! We ate Chinese food, went furniture shopping, and shopped at Pet Smart. Hot date!
Since we have been adopted by the two kitties we decided after the vet bill this week we would adopt them back and make it official. So we had to get a real cat carrier and collars to hold their tags. We bought breakaway collars since they are outside cats. After we got the baby sitter back home, I put the collars on the cats. Princess had no issues and took it in stride...not so with Scaredy Cat (SC)! We put it on her and she promptly sulked away as if she had some hideous goo on her. She then walked three feet away and just fell over...again and again. This is what I imagined she was saying in her little head....
What is this thing you strangled me with? What crazy powers does it have? It is too powerful...can't...walk...muscles...won't...move. I must lie down! Ok, I think I can move again...Oh yeah, that two footed short one had some lizards in her room, I must go check it out... (walks again) What is that ringing? Why do I hear bells? What is clinging in my ear and hitting me in the chest? Oh, yay I am in the short one's room...oh, I...can't...walk...again...what contraption do these people have me in? I...must...lie...down...NOW!
So I hear the jingle of the little bell, clever invention that is, and I follow the sound as it is coming from the girls bedroom. It sounds as if she has jumped on the bed. I go look for her and find her in Monkey's room. Her favorite place has been under Lawyers bed but she now likes to go look for the little lizards in Monkeys room (see previous post) and I heard what sounded like her jumping so I was worried she was getting on their beds. Nope, she just fell over again! Guess the power of the mind and her collar has her intimidated a bit and she is just overwhelmed and loses muscle control! She finally came back in the living room where I am and ignored the bed I bought her and jumped on the ottoman. She licked at he collar and her fur and then I pet her and she tried to bite me. Guess she is a bit ticked off at me! Well, she can go back outside in the cold and deal with it I say!
In the meantime, Princess has been stubborn and wants outside and it not using the facilities as much as I would like to see but honestly who knows how often a cat really goes to the bathroom?? She is banned to the laundry room until she uses the box! I hope she behaves as I need to do laundry and it is much easier with the door open. I plan to kick SC outside if possible so I can deep clean as both kids are sick with a cold as I am sure it is kitty induced and mercifully the weather is supposed to get warmer so we all can get out! My yard needs the attention!
My new project has been readjusting Monkey's thinking with behavior therapy. She wants to talk versus work. She is a people person. She has been tasked with getting her work done and then talking or goofing off. I am testing her at home with tasks and then asking for progress from her teacher. She doesn't listen too well and then tries to do too much so she panics when she can't remember. She bites off more than she can chew so I am trying to teach her goals. I have not been doing that as often and I need to go back to working on her behavior. I limited her tablet time and banned her from video games as her focus isn't as good after playing it. I can really see a difference when I limit her on that but I also know she needs to lose her self from time to time doing her favorite activity occasionally. Momma has to focus too and help her and not do it for her. Baby steps.
Happy Valentines Day!
Tonight hubby and I got to go out on a rare date. He wasn't working his hands to the bone for once and our favorite babysitter was free so we saw an opportunity and took it! We ate Chinese food, went furniture shopping, and shopped at Pet Smart. Hot date!
Since we have been adopted by the two kitties we decided after the vet bill this week we would adopt them back and make it official. So we had to get a real cat carrier and collars to hold their tags. We bought breakaway collars since they are outside cats. After we got the baby sitter back home, I put the collars on the cats. Princess had no issues and took it in stride...not so with Scaredy Cat (SC)! We put it on her and she promptly sulked away as if she had some hideous goo on her. She then walked three feet away and just fell over...again and again. This is what I imagined she was saying in her little head....
What is this thing you strangled me with? What crazy powers does it have? It is too powerful...can't...walk...muscles...won't...move. I must lie down! Ok, I think I can move again...Oh yeah, that two footed short one had some lizards in her room, I must go check it out... (walks again) What is that ringing? Why do I hear bells? What is clinging in my ear and hitting me in the chest? Oh, yay I am in the short one's room...oh, I...can't...walk...again...what contraption do these people have me in? I...must...lie...down...NOW!
So I hear the jingle of the little bell, clever invention that is, and I follow the sound as it is coming from the girls bedroom. It sounds as if she has jumped on the bed. I go look for her and find her in Monkey's room. Her favorite place has been under Lawyers bed but she now likes to go look for the little lizards in Monkeys room (see previous post) and I heard what sounded like her jumping so I was worried she was getting on their beds. Nope, she just fell over again! Guess the power of the mind and her collar has her intimidated a bit and she is just overwhelmed and loses muscle control! She finally came back in the living room where I am and ignored the bed I bought her and jumped on the ottoman. She licked at he collar and her fur and then I pet her and she tried to bite me. Guess she is a bit ticked off at me! Well, she can go back outside in the cold and deal with it I say!
In the meantime, Princess has been stubborn and wants outside and it not using the facilities as much as I would like to see but honestly who knows how often a cat really goes to the bathroom?? She is banned to the laundry room until she uses the box! I hope she behaves as I need to do laundry and it is much easier with the door open. I plan to kick SC outside if possible so I can deep clean as both kids are sick with a cold as I am sure it is kitty induced and mercifully the weather is supposed to get warmer so we all can get out! My yard needs the attention!
My new project has been readjusting Monkey's thinking with behavior therapy. She wants to talk versus work. She is a people person. She has been tasked with getting her work done and then talking or goofing off. I am testing her at home with tasks and then asking for progress from her teacher. She doesn't listen too well and then tries to do too much so she panics when she can't remember. She bites off more than she can chew so I am trying to teach her goals. I have not been doing that as often and I need to go back to working on her behavior. I limited her tablet time and banned her from video games as her focus isn't as good after playing it. I can really see a difference when I limit her on that but I also know she needs to lose her self from time to time doing her favorite activity occasionally. Momma has to focus too and help her and not do it for her. Baby steps.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Cat poo, vomit, and gagging...the cat chronicles
Thursday, February 13th, 2014
Since it has been cold, we have been keeping our outside
long hair cats inside. The most timid one, Scaredy Cat (SC), has adapted to kitty palace status quite
nicely. She uses her litter box over going outside as she had before coming
inside and leaves me nice little sticky atrocious smelling poo bombs as my
office is next to the bathroom where we have her litter box. Nothing wreaks
like cat poo..and I am a bit concerned for her as she has taken a liking to
Monkey's rubber animals she has lying around. Monkey loves dinosaurs and
animals and her favorite toys are the rubber $2 toys and those toys that you get
in gift packs of 12 for birthday parties that remind me of cheap fishing lures.
I had bought her skeletons, spiders, ...and lizards. Well we have lizards, live
ones, outside and the cats adore them apparently. I caught Princess, the other
cat, playing with a half eaten lizard that was trying desperately to crawl away
but she would only let it go so far and then toss it around again like some kind of live sushi
bar show was occurring. Well SC, found Monkey's rubber lizards and ate the tail
off! I probably should have mentioned that to the vet this am but...forgot. So
I am hoping this stinky cat poo is not the result b/c it is downright nasty
smelling! It is hubby gag quality....more on that in a minute.
Thanks to the cats coming inside more I noticed on Monday
that Princess came in with a limp after her daily romping fest outside. By
Tuesday, she was not putting any weight on the paw and then slept all morning,
which in itself is not unusual but she wasn't as vocal as normal. (This cat
loves to talk and garble at you. We have great kitty chats but I can't
translate her side...) anyway...I called the vet and took her in. She had been
bitten by something and it got infected (insert dollar signs as he begins to
tell me what is wrong and how to fix it). She was so worked up he needed to put
her to sleep to be able to debride the wound. So turns out she had two
punctures which made him think she had something in her foot but he could not
find a foreign body so he stuck with the bite theory. He treated her wounds and
gave her shots b/c thankfully she only had a slight temp rise so I didn't have
to bring her back in....
Speaking of bringing in the kitty, I only had a cardboard
box. Cats don't' like them and can get out. I managed to stuff her in the cat
bed inside the box and get it closed using a blanket to cover it and then my
bible. I know my bible is important for me to use but I didn't know how much so
until it helped me keep an anxious cat in the box! At one point while I was
driving it looked like a scene from Alien where the thing comes out of her
belly as all I saw was this blanket covered mound rising up to which I quickly
clodded her in the head with my bible and contained her. Not my preferred
method to contain her but I did not want a crazy cat lose in my car! She got
lose anyway when I pulled up so mercifully the clinic gave me a cat box, which
was a little better than what I had, to take her home in. I had actually run to
Walmart before the appt to see if I could buy a carrier. I saw a soft sided dog
carried and grabbed it only to get home
and let it explode open (not kidding) into a carrier that my children, both of
them, could get into. Yeah, that was not going to work. Anyway, she is home and
slept like a drugged kitty all day although she wants to go back out side and potty
but doctor said no and she is not keen on the inside potty. She will use it but
only until her bladder is the size of her whole body...stubborn cat.
Today I took SC in to get her shots and a clean bill of
health only for her to run outside immediately upon arrival back home, then
come back in after kids get home, stink up the bathroom, and then vomit on the
floor. Why did I have kitties again??? I do NOT miss this drama or the $250+
vet bill for injured kitty.
So back to hubby's gag reflex...I used to travel a lot for
my job when the girls were little. Apparently, while hubby was on a conference
call to which he did not have the mute button on, rookie parent mistake, and
Lawyer came in and stated, "Daddy, I pooped in my pants!" and Monkey,
not to be left out, promptly leans around her and says, "And its NASTY!".
Hubby, after the guffawing died down on the other end of the conference call,
stated he would be right back....Now let it be known, hubster is a wonderful
dad and does what he needs to do when he has to but stink poo and his gag
reflex don't get along. So he now has to clean up the oldest and the entire
time he is wrenching from the loud gagging that is occurring violently while
Lawyer is crying on the potty. (She hates being dirty from poo or vomit) So while
he is trying to clean her up. Monkey is having a ball mimicking hubby and
leaning over and fake gagging and then laughing hysterically...these kinds of
things only happened when I was gone mind you. I have an entire book of stories
he told of the things our children did as soon as I left for a trip. Maybe I
should just right about those...Yeah life at our house is awesome!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Monday blues...
Monday,
February 10th, 2014
Well if it
isn't a Monday that I am having... we were projected to get up to 6" of
snow in the forecast last week for today and tomorrow. It has since dwindled to
possibly 1/2 to 2"...basically they have no clue. So today my plan was to
run a couple of errands, just in case, as Lawyer had Library books due Tue. But when I
woke up, and after I began to get breakfast ready for the girls, I had the
sinking feeling of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI). I never had them at all in my adult years.
I had one is school, one after getting married (duh), and another when I was pregnant
with first kid. Then I had one somewhere in the ten years since of having her
until last year. And now two within two to three months! I played amateur doctor and gave myself some left over
antibiotics (ABOs) as the crud I had was not getting better or going away back in November. Well, by doing that I think I screwed up my normal flora as I managed to get the first UTI in
years. Went to doc, got meds for it. Done. Then I wake up this am and think
what the heck? I have not done ANYTHING different. So of course my labs come
back negative yet not normal...yeah that helps narrow my issue down! Doctor has no
clue and says it could be a kidney stone forming (at least I have plenty of
pain meds handy thanks to hubby's recent dilemma!), UTI, bacteria from a scrape
or cut (what??? how the heck do you cut down THERE?), or an STD...I am like
dude, if I have an STD, we got bigger problems b/c they will have to treat me
in prison when I kill my hubby... and he would say the same, or prolapsed bladder. I mean I am turning 45 this year but I dont' want to ring in this new year with THAT kind of news dude!
So we, I
mean me, ruled out the STD theory. I also ruled out the scrape b/c we are crazy
but we do not act crazy like that, and I do not exercise that vigorously...
although from the feel of my pants recently maybe I should...and Lord help me if I have a
kidney stone. One is enough for any human being! (ask hubby! he had 3 so far) So that leaves
bacteria and UTI. He mercifully gave me ABOs to treat it as I said I was worried about having this and a snow storm. He said I just may
have caught it early and be super sensitive. Ya think? I mean when you pee fire yeah I am A BIT SENSITIVE! It is b/c those of us
who do not have them frequently, and bless the hearts of those who do as I know
several, usually wait until the pain is God awful and we want to strangle our
first born or anyone who comes close enough to wrap hands around, before we FINALLY go see the doctor. THEN when we call
the doctor we say OH DEAR LORD PLEASE HAVE AN OPENING IN YOUR OFFICE TODAY! Today
I felt that twinge and called at 9am and then got an appt at 11:30. I just say
I am efficient, not sensitive! Now to figure out why I got the darn thing as I usually know
why I get these but I have not a clue today.
Hubby
complained of getting one this weekend, hence the STD question by said doctor.
He just had kidney stone and I am betting his is from that issue. Monkey was
sick thanks to outside kitties being inside kitties with all of this cold
weather, and Lawyer was sporting low grade fever and tummy aches. Me thinks I
need to just Lysol bomb this house as we are getting sick and beginning to drop
like flies for different reasons!
Now back to
the snow...so I tried to get my errands done today just in case. It won't snow
now that I did and would have been a blizzard if I had not...ya know? So now I
get to play the watch the weather and wait game and see if we make any
activities this week. We have art classes, piano, and a school musical to
squeeze in.(We got Art class tonight done!) This ought to be fun. Oh and my mom and dad are gallivanting across
the south on a funeral/vacation (Yeah we are weird like that) trip hoping to
miss all this weather (which is actually headed straight for them). Thankfully, I have plenty to eat or fix as I love having
a well stocked pantry and freezer for such occasions. And I have extra milk
thanks to a dear friend who is willing to do my bidding..uh I mean pick up a
few things for me cuz she rocks! :)
Hardest part
is deciding what to fix. I missed my weekend opportunity to make a meal we all
eat so now I get to fix a meal and have kids try it. I have hope that they will
like something new one of these days....and it NOT be a dessert! Ended up making Fettuccine Alfredo and Monkey didn't like it. Dang. Lawyer had already eaten as she has to vamoos to art so she was off the hook...for tonight!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Moonlit snow and jewelry, coaxing kids to try something new, and lego bombs
Saturday, February 8th, 2014
Today we woke up to a white landscape. Last night about 7pm snow began to fall. We were told we could get up to 2 inches. The storm had other ideas...it went farther south and dumped more on them and only gave us an inch to half inch. Just enough to snarl traffic in the capital city as it hit at rush hour. See this is the south and we are not used to snow and how to drive on it. Teenage boys just gas it and fish tail and girls just stop and cry. It was so bad last night many just pulled over, parked, and walked the rest of the way. We do not have the infrastructure here to handle snow. We have a few sand trucks and scrapers and they tend to go out during the storm and not before unless we know for sure....and that is the kicker the forecasters have not had a clue as the storms are not behaving as predicted. My brother in law noticed this am that down here we are awesome at predicting tornadic storms but suck at winter weather predictions. Thankfully hubby got home before it hit and I already had kids and did not have to get out. It was very pretty this am and tonight I noticed the light glow outside as the lights and moon reflect off of it. Sometimes I wish we would have more snow that I could look out and see the moon and stars reflect off of... sometimes...and only at Christmas. The girls got out and tried to make snowmen to no avail as the snow was sticky but did not hold together well. Most of it melted off the road but will refreeze tonight.
Speaking of refreezing, I was supposed to have a jewelry party today but the weather postponed it to tomorrow we hope. I had made some awesome Pecan Squares and GF cheesecake (a Pioneer Woman recipe I adapted and made GF) earlier and was cleaning today. The good news it gave me another day to clean at a slower pace and get laundry done. I was excited but disappointed that we had to move it. Such is life. At least I had plenty of squares...
So I since I was taking my time cleaning, I kept noticing the same Lego figure moving around. Either it is alive or Monkey is messing with my mind! Actually, she just loves to play with it and picks it up and then lays it down along with 60 other random toys. Mostly they lay Legos and Littlest Pet Shop toys on a multicolored dragon rug. I keep shoes on b/c of my collapsed arches but hubby doesn't so all I hear is a crunch when I step on things but he feels the pain when he does it. He shrieks like some wild animal dying in the woods. We all run for our lives.
Tonight we started a new thing. I told the girls that they must try some of what dad and I are eating for dinner (if they are not already eating what we are). I fixed spaghetti and meatballs. I normally fix spaghetti with meat sauce that I make from scratch. I decided to try a new recipe...we all decided we liked mine better. Monkey obeyed and immediately tried it and declared she didn't want anymore. Lawyer has this mental block that she has to sit and stare at it and think about it until the food is cold and even hubby or I wouldn't like it. She finally did try it (she normally likes my spaghetti minus the meat) and she ate it. She was still dragging her feet though and she brought her plate for me to check progress and I thought she was balking so I threw rest of it out. I felt bad for her b/c she was trying to eat! The odd thing is that I can easily get both girls to try a new dessert but not a new food. Why is that? I mean I know it is a dessert but still! Lawyer doesn't like nuts generally but she has been more willing of late to try some and likes sunflower seeds and my granola bars that have pecans and almonds in. So she wanted to try the pecan squares. She fell in love so I will chalk that up to a victory tonight. Hey, I take anything I can get!
Today we woke up to a white landscape. Last night about 7pm snow began to fall. We were told we could get up to 2 inches. The storm had other ideas...it went farther south and dumped more on them and only gave us an inch to half inch. Just enough to snarl traffic in the capital city as it hit at rush hour. See this is the south and we are not used to snow and how to drive on it. Teenage boys just gas it and fish tail and girls just stop and cry. It was so bad last night many just pulled over, parked, and walked the rest of the way. We do not have the infrastructure here to handle snow. We have a few sand trucks and scrapers and they tend to go out during the storm and not before unless we know for sure....and that is the kicker the forecasters have not had a clue as the storms are not behaving as predicted. My brother in law noticed this am that down here we are awesome at predicting tornadic storms but suck at winter weather predictions. Thankfully hubby got home before it hit and I already had kids and did not have to get out. It was very pretty this am and tonight I noticed the light glow outside as the lights and moon reflect off of it. Sometimes I wish we would have more snow that I could look out and see the moon and stars reflect off of... sometimes...and only at Christmas. The girls got out and tried to make snowmen to no avail as the snow was sticky but did not hold together well. Most of it melted off the road but will refreeze tonight.
Speaking of refreezing, I was supposed to have a jewelry party today but the weather postponed it to tomorrow we hope. I had made some awesome Pecan Squares and GF cheesecake (a Pioneer Woman recipe I adapted and made GF) earlier and was cleaning today. The good news it gave me another day to clean at a slower pace and get laundry done. I was excited but disappointed that we had to move it. Such is life. At least I had plenty of squares...
So I since I was taking my time cleaning, I kept noticing the same Lego figure moving around. Either it is alive or Monkey is messing with my mind! Actually, she just loves to play with it and picks it up and then lays it down along with 60 other random toys. Mostly they lay Legos and Littlest Pet Shop toys on a multicolored dragon rug. I keep shoes on b/c of my collapsed arches but hubby doesn't so all I hear is a crunch when I step on things but he feels the pain when he does it. He shrieks like some wild animal dying in the woods. We all run for our lives.
Tonight we started a new thing. I told the girls that they must try some of what dad and I are eating for dinner (if they are not already eating what we are). I fixed spaghetti and meatballs. I normally fix spaghetti with meat sauce that I make from scratch. I decided to try a new recipe...we all decided we liked mine better. Monkey obeyed and immediately tried it and declared she didn't want anymore. Lawyer has this mental block that she has to sit and stare at it and think about it until the food is cold and even hubby or I wouldn't like it. She finally did try it (she normally likes my spaghetti minus the meat) and she ate it. She was still dragging her feet though and she brought her plate for me to check progress and I thought she was balking so I threw rest of it out. I felt bad for her b/c she was trying to eat! The odd thing is that I can easily get both girls to try a new dessert but not a new food. Why is that? I mean I know it is a dessert but still! Lawyer doesn't like nuts generally but she has been more willing of late to try some and likes sunflower seeds and my granola bars that have pecans and almonds in. So she wanted to try the pecan squares. She fell in love so I will chalk that up to a victory tonight. Hey, I take anything I can get!
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Bacon for a month, chore prep, and peppermint oil
Saturday, February 1st, 2014
Sheese, we got a new lap top for us to share and I am NOT used to this keyboard. It seems to be more to the left and the keys have to be pushed a bit harder. Convenient... yes, frustrating...yes. I feel better now....
One of my other frustrations is getting my girls to eat better and it also has been to try and get healthier options as well as some protein in their breakfasts. My lovely mother cooked up an entire package of bacon one week while we were staying at her cabin so that all she had to do was get it out of the freezer and pop in the microwave and warm up. Genius! 40 secs over 20 minutes! So I came home and began to do that on weekends. Then I can give her one or two pieces of bacon at breakfast before school! I got smarter after reading the 100daysofrealfood.com blog on facebook as she does something similar. She makes ahead and freezes muffins so I made a big batch of buttermilk biscuits using wheat flour (tastes good, not as good as regular, and heavy!) so I froze them. I pull out a couple the night before and warm up in the microwave or I just set them out on a pan and then stuck in the toaster oven on the toast setting and they were perfect. Monkey loves them with some butter and apple butter. Lawyer doesn't like them but she is still a work in progress. This also has worked well for our GF pancakes which Lawyer and I love but Monkey says they are too dry and big. I need to figure out how to make them thin and small. Hubby doesn't know how to get them smaller as he likes his thick dripping with butter, which I also happen to like and he cooks them for me. I love a good challenge...
Last night I made homemade tostado,s but they are still not right. My theme was Mexican last night and I knew Lawyer wouldn't eat the meat so I made a cheese quesadilla for her. Plus we made a new salsa recipe as Lawyer loves salsa even when I told her she is eating tomatoes. It needs more cilantro so I am hoping that the flavors have melded together better over night. My issue with the tostados is I have to figure out how to get the corn tortilla crispy as the pan method isn't making it crispy enough, more chewy instead. Could be my fire temp or amount of oil, not sure...have to tinker a bit more. Anyway, I always have left overs so I used the meat to make burritos for Monkey and last night I just froze the meat for taco's or burritos another day. I have discovered that Monkey likes her burritos crispy and not soft so it really wasn't the meat mixture as it was the texture. With this idea of freezing leftovers, I have not had to cook much as we are still eating tomato and butternut squash soup, lasagna, and mexican chicken spaghetti. I have a nice variety of meals but I want to make sure I keep using up my meals so I am not stuck with hot food in the hot months. I love that I don't have to rush to eat leftovers for a week by being smart for a meal for another day. What was I thinking all of these years???
My newest idea that I got from one of the many home-school sites I follow was using a grease board to lay out actions/chores for the day for each kid. I bought the boards and different color dry erase markers for each kid. I also bought different color boards as well. Now I line out how many chapters a day they have to read and any school work they need to do. I have also begun to make them help with laundry. I wash and dry it then I dump it on their bed and they have to sort it out for me. I come back and hang it back up b/c they are too short to hang it plus I have a system I prefer to help me rotate thru their clothes. It takes them forever but it allows me to do other things like start a new load or sweep while they prep it plus it gets them used to helping and taking care of the house and things. They grumble and it isn't perfect but it is one less step I have to deal with.
Today my hubby went for a massage. He dealt with a kidney stone last week where he made two trips to the ER. What a way to test your new insurance! Anyway, he came home from work with pain and long story short by 2nd trip Monday he had plenty of pain meds trying to get his pain controlled. He hopes he passes it but he stays tense from intermittent pain bouts. So he went for a massage today as his back seizes up if he doesn't and he came home wreaking of peppermint oil. We had a funny laugh as he was supposed to go to get a haircut after his massage. After he got in his truck he was overwhelmed with the smell of peppermint and he can't smell all that well! He decided going to a place where typically only men go to get their haircut the last thing he wanted was to smell like peppermint and try to be manly. Why that mental image made me laugh until I about peed is a mystery. Anyway, he came home to shower and then go back and get a haircut smelling a bit more manly. He was also wonderful enough to go pay our storage bill and take a few pictures of our camper as we are wanting to sell it. He changed trucks so now his truck is too small to pull it. So our little money pit is our project to off load this year.
I am trying to simplify my life. I want to purge anything that we haven't used or is not worth keeping for later. The camper fits that bill as we don't use it even when we could tow it. We need something smaller so we can pull it easy and not have to pay to store it. I have managed to pay many things off this past year and I don't want to add back to it. After having to replace all our appliances over the past two years and upgrading my kitchen after a hot water heater leak, I am trying to downgrade so when an emergency does happen, I have the means to get around it and not go back into debt again! I want to upgrade my ridiculously cold bathroom out of the 90s into 2014. I need a new counter top, tub, shower, tile, and paint. Many of which we can do ourselves as far as demo but we haven't had time to look much and decide what we want to replace it with. Plus it has been so cold this winter I am not keen to start demolition in an already cold bathroom. There is always tomorrow...when we thaw out!
Sheese, we got a new lap top for us to share and I am NOT used to this keyboard. It seems to be more to the left and the keys have to be pushed a bit harder. Convenient... yes, frustrating...yes. I feel better now....
One of my other frustrations is getting my girls to eat better and it also has been to try and get healthier options as well as some protein in their breakfasts. My lovely mother cooked up an entire package of bacon one week while we were staying at her cabin so that all she had to do was get it out of the freezer and pop in the microwave and warm up. Genius! 40 secs over 20 minutes! So I came home and began to do that on weekends. Then I can give her one or two pieces of bacon at breakfast before school! I got smarter after reading the 100daysofrealfood.com blog on facebook as she does something similar. She makes ahead and freezes muffins so I made a big batch of buttermilk biscuits using wheat flour (tastes good, not as good as regular, and heavy!) so I froze them. I pull out a couple the night before and warm up in the microwave or I just set them out on a pan and then stuck in the toaster oven on the toast setting and they were perfect. Monkey loves them with some butter and apple butter. Lawyer doesn't like them but she is still a work in progress. This also has worked well for our GF pancakes which Lawyer and I love but Monkey says they are too dry and big. I need to figure out how to make them thin and small. Hubby doesn't know how to get them smaller as he likes his thick dripping with butter, which I also happen to like and he cooks them for me. I love a good challenge...
Last night I made homemade tostado,s but they are still not right. My theme was Mexican last night and I knew Lawyer wouldn't eat the meat so I made a cheese quesadilla for her. Plus we made a new salsa recipe as Lawyer loves salsa even when I told her she is eating tomatoes. It needs more cilantro so I am hoping that the flavors have melded together better over night. My issue with the tostados is I have to figure out how to get the corn tortilla crispy as the pan method isn't making it crispy enough, more chewy instead. Could be my fire temp or amount of oil, not sure...have to tinker a bit more. Anyway, I always have left overs so I used the meat to make burritos for Monkey and last night I just froze the meat for taco's or burritos another day. I have discovered that Monkey likes her burritos crispy and not soft so it really wasn't the meat mixture as it was the texture. With this idea of freezing leftovers, I have not had to cook much as we are still eating tomato and butternut squash soup, lasagna, and mexican chicken spaghetti. I have a nice variety of meals but I want to make sure I keep using up my meals so I am not stuck with hot food in the hot months. I love that I don't have to rush to eat leftovers for a week by being smart for a meal for another day. What was I thinking all of these years???
My newest idea that I got from one of the many home-school sites I follow was using a grease board to lay out actions/chores for the day for each kid. I bought the boards and different color dry erase markers for each kid. I also bought different color boards as well. Now I line out how many chapters a day they have to read and any school work they need to do. I have also begun to make them help with laundry. I wash and dry it then I dump it on their bed and they have to sort it out for me. I come back and hang it back up b/c they are too short to hang it plus I have a system I prefer to help me rotate thru their clothes. It takes them forever but it allows me to do other things like start a new load or sweep while they prep it plus it gets them used to helping and taking care of the house and things. They grumble and it isn't perfect but it is one less step I have to deal with.
Today my hubby went for a massage. He dealt with a kidney stone last week where he made two trips to the ER. What a way to test your new insurance! Anyway, he came home from work with pain and long story short by 2nd trip Monday he had plenty of pain meds trying to get his pain controlled. He hopes he passes it but he stays tense from intermittent pain bouts. So he went for a massage today as his back seizes up if he doesn't and he came home wreaking of peppermint oil. We had a funny laugh as he was supposed to go to get a haircut after his massage. After he got in his truck he was overwhelmed with the smell of peppermint and he can't smell all that well! He decided going to a place where typically only men go to get their haircut the last thing he wanted was to smell like peppermint and try to be manly. Why that mental image made me laugh until I about peed is a mystery. Anyway, he came home to shower and then go back and get a haircut smelling a bit more manly. He was also wonderful enough to go pay our storage bill and take a few pictures of our camper as we are wanting to sell it. He changed trucks so now his truck is too small to pull it. So our little money pit is our project to off load this year.
I am trying to simplify my life. I want to purge anything that we haven't used or is not worth keeping for later. The camper fits that bill as we don't use it even when we could tow it. We need something smaller so we can pull it easy and not have to pay to store it. I have managed to pay many things off this past year and I don't want to add back to it. After having to replace all our appliances over the past two years and upgrading my kitchen after a hot water heater leak, I am trying to downgrade so when an emergency does happen, I have the means to get around it and not go back into debt again! I want to upgrade my ridiculously cold bathroom out of the 90s into 2014. I need a new counter top, tub, shower, tile, and paint. Many of which we can do ourselves as far as demo but we haven't had time to look much and decide what we want to replace it with. Plus it has been so cold this winter I am not keen to start demolition in an already cold bathroom. There is always tomorrow...when we thaw out!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Child food experiments, huge zits, and kidney stones plus a bonus rant from me!
Sunday, January 26th 2014
So I have a new experiment going on at my house unbeknownst to my children. I am making one meal, or one meal that is connected by one ingredient, and not giving my kids many other choices. Today I fixed quesadillas, which they like. I added shredded chicken, which they do not like, in and told them eat it or next meal is dinner. I had also made some very delicious goodies and made them a deal using that as bate. Yes I know I am not supposed to but my house, my rules. Lawyer, the very picky one, decided the prize was worth it and ate it all leaving not much on her plate. (now mind you I am not a fan of the clean your plate club, I give them kid sized portions). She scored the GF oatmeal toffee cookies I made, more on that later. Monkey chose not to finish both wedges. She has worried me a bit as even when it is something she likes, she isn't eating all that well. So I am left trying to figure out if she is in a growth spurt again where she gets finicky or she is not feeling well. I can NEVER tell when that child is sick unless I watch her eating habits or she is very lethargic which doesn't happen now that she doesn't get strep anymore. (thank you tonsillectomy!) So she also had to go to time out as she told me she was full, which I know she wasn't b/c she was just talking about eating some GF gooey butter cake I also made... don't' judge, I had a bazillion eggs I got from farmers market and had to get a crackin so I wouldn't lose them! I do not tolerate lies. Not sure what is going on with that kid b/c she also has this HUGE zit on the side of her nose and she is 8. She had one a few weeks ago and I put Neosporin on it and it went away then it came back about 2 or 3 weeks later with a vengeance! I think it may be staph b/c she had it as a baby on her leg and she is not the best about washing her hands and she touches EVERYTHING. Lots of fun in a public restroom with her, let me tell you, as I sound like a shrieking bird screaming DON'T TOUCH THAT! That "thing" on her nose got so red and angry it was killing me. She must have scratched in during the night as it was a bit smaller today and had a scab. I went against better judgement and had her scrape off the scab so we could relieve some pressure and I put hydrogen peroxide and more antibiotic cream on it. Bleagh.
So back to the cookies I mentioned earlier. I had made these a couple times and the first time it turned out fine. The second time I cooked them the time the recipe suggested forgetting my oven runs a bit hotter due to the convection. Hubby took them to a potluck and he overheard someone telling another not to get those cookies b/c they were nasty. It made him mad but he did not say anything. He told me and at first I didn't care but the more I thought about it I wanted to fix why they were nasty (they were rock hard after cooking too long). I made them this weekend and undercooked by one minute less than the minimum cooking time and they were chewy and perfect. Kids, especially the Lawyer, can NOT get enough of them. So lesson learned is criticism can either beat you down or make you correct an error in the future. Your choice.
Monkey liked my gooey butter cake. I just happened to have a GF Betty Crocker cake mix to do something else when I stumbled upon this recipe while looking for something that used lots of eggs (remember I was overrun with fresh eggs!). I made this and while not what I remember as being light and fluffy, it still was a hit with both hubby and Monkey....ok and myself. I was my own Betty Crocker Friday!
Speaking of Friday...hubby came home as I was in the middle of fixing hamburgers and fries. He said he was nauseated and didn't feel too hot and had a pain in his left side. He said he felt like puking...which he proceeded to do...a lot. He did this all the while I am cooking and Monkey and I are making a sour cream pound cake (I mean I had LOTS of eggs and sour cream to use up!). We got the cake made and in the oven and I got dinner ready and on the table all while hubby was making frequent trips to the bathroom and becoming less and less clothed in the process (cold sweat). I began coaxing kids to eat b/c I overcooked the burgers with him going back and forth and hurting. I ate my meal and the kids were in the middle of theirs when he screamed he had enough and he wanted to go to ER. So we spent Friday evening for almost 3 hours at our local ER while they got hubby pain meds and diagnosed kidney stone number 3. I had wonderful friends who helped me with the kids and took them out of my hands for a bit and brought them home so they could sleep in their beds. I then finished cooking my cake staying up late in the process and then watching over hubby and his pain meds when he got up in the middle of the night hurting. Needless to say, I did not get much rest Friday. Yes, I did remember to shut off the oven before leaving since the cake was still baking. Thank God! I must say the cake turned out pretty good being twice baked....maybe I am on to something here!
WARNING!!! RANT BELOW!!!
I was at the massage therapists with my kids as I like to get them mini massages occasionally which they love and look forward to when I spotted an interesting situation. Next door is a therapy place for children. (I am about to judge here so just letting you know....) I watched a young woman pull up in a new dodge charger, a flower lei dangling from the rear view mirror and the music just a thumping. She got out and pulled up her very tight jeans. Had no coat (it was pretty cold out) and pulled a tiny young, guessing about 2-4 years of age, little girl and take her inside. Then chicky drove to park and proceeded to smoke her one while standing beside the car (b/c every body knows smoke doesn't get in your car if you smoke with the door open beside it....goober) She then reached in and sprayed some stinky perfume, no doubt, all over her body and then inside the car. I wanted to reach and smack her upside the head. This is twice now I have seem some idiot, not fit to be a parent or caregiver, be in a car with a baby, or young child as this one was, and be thumping like they are on a high school cruise strip. I mean seriously, if you want to go deaf and have everybody look at you, not b/c you are cool or cute mind you b/c you are just plain stupid, then go ahead but do NOT subject that child to that noise you call music much less smoke around them. I have asthma b/c my dad smoked. You want to ruin your body go right ahead but do not subject a child who has no say. Irritates the fire out of me! I could not have kids for a while due to endometriosis and I am blessed that I was able to correct it and have children so I do not take that, or those who have gone thru adoption to give a child a chance, for granted.You shouldn't either.
R.I.P. to my grandfathers cousin T. Donaldson. You died too young.
So I have a new experiment going on at my house unbeknownst to my children. I am making one meal, or one meal that is connected by one ingredient, and not giving my kids many other choices. Today I fixed quesadillas, which they like. I added shredded chicken, which they do not like, in and told them eat it or next meal is dinner. I had also made some very delicious goodies and made them a deal using that as bate. Yes I know I am not supposed to but my house, my rules. Lawyer, the very picky one, decided the prize was worth it and ate it all leaving not much on her plate. (now mind you I am not a fan of the clean your plate club, I give them kid sized portions). She scored the GF oatmeal toffee cookies I made, more on that later. Monkey chose not to finish both wedges. She has worried me a bit as even when it is something she likes, she isn't eating all that well. So I am left trying to figure out if she is in a growth spurt again where she gets finicky or she is not feeling well. I can NEVER tell when that child is sick unless I watch her eating habits or she is very lethargic which doesn't happen now that she doesn't get strep anymore. (thank you tonsillectomy!) So she also had to go to time out as she told me she was full, which I know she wasn't b/c she was just talking about eating some GF gooey butter cake I also made... don't' judge, I had a bazillion eggs I got from farmers market and had to get a crackin so I wouldn't lose them! I do not tolerate lies. Not sure what is going on with that kid b/c she also has this HUGE zit on the side of her nose and she is 8. She had one a few weeks ago and I put Neosporin on it and it went away then it came back about 2 or 3 weeks later with a vengeance! I think it may be staph b/c she had it as a baby on her leg and she is not the best about washing her hands and she touches EVERYTHING. Lots of fun in a public restroom with her, let me tell you, as I sound like a shrieking bird screaming DON'T TOUCH THAT! That "thing" on her nose got so red and angry it was killing me. She must have scratched in during the night as it was a bit smaller today and had a scab. I went against better judgement and had her scrape off the scab so we could relieve some pressure and I put hydrogen peroxide and more antibiotic cream on it. Bleagh.
So back to the cookies I mentioned earlier. I had made these a couple times and the first time it turned out fine. The second time I cooked them the time the recipe suggested forgetting my oven runs a bit hotter due to the convection. Hubby took them to a potluck and he overheard someone telling another not to get those cookies b/c they were nasty. It made him mad but he did not say anything. He told me and at first I didn't care but the more I thought about it I wanted to fix why they were nasty (they were rock hard after cooking too long). I made them this weekend and undercooked by one minute less than the minimum cooking time and they were chewy and perfect. Kids, especially the Lawyer, can NOT get enough of them. So lesson learned is criticism can either beat you down or make you correct an error in the future. Your choice.
Monkey liked my gooey butter cake. I just happened to have a GF Betty Crocker cake mix to do something else when I stumbled upon this recipe while looking for something that used lots of eggs (remember I was overrun with fresh eggs!). I made this and while not what I remember as being light and fluffy, it still was a hit with both hubby and Monkey....ok and myself. I was my own Betty Crocker Friday!
Speaking of Friday...hubby came home as I was in the middle of fixing hamburgers and fries. He said he was nauseated and didn't feel too hot and had a pain in his left side. He said he felt like puking...which he proceeded to do...a lot. He did this all the while I am cooking and Monkey and I are making a sour cream pound cake (I mean I had LOTS of eggs and sour cream to use up!). We got the cake made and in the oven and I got dinner ready and on the table all while hubby was making frequent trips to the bathroom and becoming less and less clothed in the process (cold sweat). I began coaxing kids to eat b/c I overcooked the burgers with him going back and forth and hurting. I ate my meal and the kids were in the middle of theirs when he screamed he had enough and he wanted to go to ER. So we spent Friday evening for almost 3 hours at our local ER while they got hubby pain meds and diagnosed kidney stone number 3. I had wonderful friends who helped me with the kids and took them out of my hands for a bit and brought them home so they could sleep in their beds. I then finished cooking my cake staying up late in the process and then watching over hubby and his pain meds when he got up in the middle of the night hurting. Needless to say, I did not get much rest Friday. Yes, I did remember to shut off the oven before leaving since the cake was still baking. Thank God! I must say the cake turned out pretty good being twice baked....maybe I am on to something here!
WARNING!!! RANT BELOW!!!
I was at the massage therapists with my kids as I like to get them mini massages occasionally which they love and look forward to when I spotted an interesting situation. Next door is a therapy place for children. (I am about to judge here so just letting you know....) I watched a young woman pull up in a new dodge charger, a flower lei dangling from the rear view mirror and the music just a thumping. She got out and pulled up her very tight jeans. Had no coat (it was pretty cold out) and pulled a tiny young, guessing about 2-4 years of age, little girl and take her inside. Then chicky drove to park and proceeded to smoke her one while standing beside the car (b/c every body knows smoke doesn't get in your car if you smoke with the door open beside it....goober) She then reached in and sprayed some stinky perfume, no doubt, all over her body and then inside the car. I wanted to reach and smack her upside the head. This is twice now I have seem some idiot, not fit to be a parent or caregiver, be in a car with a baby, or young child as this one was, and be thumping like they are on a high school cruise strip. I mean seriously, if you want to go deaf and have everybody look at you, not b/c you are cool or cute mind you b/c you are just plain stupid, then go ahead but do NOT subject that child to that noise you call music much less smoke around them. I have asthma b/c my dad smoked. You want to ruin your body go right ahead but do not subject a child who has no say. Irritates the fire out of me! I could not have kids for a while due to endometriosis and I am blessed that I was able to correct it and have children so I do not take that, or those who have gone thru adoption to give a child a chance, for granted.You shouldn't either.
R.I.P. to my grandfathers cousin T. Donaldson. You died too young.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Cotton Eyed Nachos, Quesadillas and Hamburgers, and the ice storm that never happened...Betsy Parks...er Ross and suicidal bread machines
January, 19th 2014 -Sunday
So I had the XM station the 90s on and the remix of Cotton Eyed Joe came on...the Lawyer was just singing away and then asked me why the song was about nachos...I figured out she heard "nachos" when the singer said Cotton Eyed Joe really fast. Hilarious.
I had success recently on different nights as I made hamburgers and quesadillas and the kids liked both of them. I also made Pioneer Woman's tomato soup and threw some noodles in it to see if I could make "spaghettios". Lawyer said not bad, Monkey wanted no part of it. OH well. I did find a homemade spaghettio recipe I will try with them...
Ice Ice baby....love to watch Vanilla Ice do some DIY projects...but I digress. We were supposed to get an ice storm with up to almost a good inch. Thankfully it just spit at us but it got dang cold. Colder than I can remember in a while. Was supposed to be down to 5 degrees but only got to 13 at my house thankfully. We decided to let outside kitties come in but could only find one that night. (Princess ended up being fine. She was probably holed up in some warm sewer, her favorite second home!) So we let Scaredy Cat in, who was quite happy about that, to be warm with us. She would love to be an indoor kitty but cat hair and children cat allergies prevent that. She did good as I kept her in the bathroom all night for fear of little kitty surprises in the am. The girls were disappointed that she had to go back outside but kitty sure enjoyed her status for a couple of days.
So we were talking about the American flag at dinner one night when we asked the kids what they learned at school that day. Lawyer said she learned about the flag and stars as they were studying the American Revolution when Betsy Ross's name came up. We asked the girls who she was and Lawyer answered, "Wasn't she the one that didn't give up her seat on the bus?" When hubby and I were able to stop slobbering and breathe again from guffawing, we corrected her. I love my kids answers!
Switching mental gears...If you have not read up on Magnesium and its benefits, you should. It is quite interesting. I am almost finished reading The Magnesium Miracle. I had been giving Monkey some Mg last year to help with her ADD and I had quit to let her wash out a bit. I am going to start her back again and see how it helps her. I have been taking it since Christmas and I have been sleepy at night time again and slept hard, when my mind will stop working, and felt better. I am hoping it will help with my headaches which is why I began researching it and taking it. So far so good and no headache has occurred in January. The headaches had gotten bad over Nov and Dec. This was exciting for me to get so far without a headache and not hurt agin. I also decided to get on the scales and found that while my overall weight had gone up 2lbs, my body fat percentage and BMI has gone down. Eating healthier is really helping, on a glacial pace I might add, to help me lose weight and keep it off. Very cool.Slow, but cool.
I made recipes out of the Parade mag that comes in the paper two weeks in a row that were awesome. One was Asian spiced chicken and the other was Pork, apples, and onions. Both were a hit for hubby and I. I have found more little recipe ideas in the oddest places!
My bread machine committed suicide the other day. I decided to make wheat bread for the first time. I usually dump everything in and leave it until it is ready. Well I forgot that wheat flour is VERY dense. I had my machine by the edge of the counter but not right at it. I went to my office and began to work and clean up some piles of papers. I heard the paddle alarm beep and decided to leave the paddle in. Then about 2 minutes later I heard a horrible crash. Sure enough the machine had kneaded itself right off the counter! A horrible and quick death it was. So I did what any normal woman would do, I went straight to Amazon and ordered another one, the exact same one. I got it $20 cheaper than the first one and I can use the old pan and paddle and switch it out if I want to make more than one bread in a day without having to wait until it cools and wash it. Not all was lost, only the bread machine and my wallet took the worst hits but I made lemonade out of those darn lemons!!
So I had the XM station the 90s on and the remix of Cotton Eyed Joe came on...the Lawyer was just singing away and then asked me why the song was about nachos...I figured out she heard "nachos" when the singer said Cotton Eyed Joe really fast. Hilarious.
I had success recently on different nights as I made hamburgers and quesadillas and the kids liked both of them. I also made Pioneer Woman's tomato soup and threw some noodles in it to see if I could make "spaghettios". Lawyer said not bad, Monkey wanted no part of it. OH well. I did find a homemade spaghettio recipe I will try with them...
Ice Ice baby....love to watch Vanilla Ice do some DIY projects...but I digress. We were supposed to get an ice storm with up to almost a good inch. Thankfully it just spit at us but it got dang cold. Colder than I can remember in a while. Was supposed to be down to 5 degrees but only got to 13 at my house thankfully. We decided to let outside kitties come in but could only find one that night. (Princess ended up being fine. She was probably holed up in some warm sewer, her favorite second home!) So we let Scaredy Cat in, who was quite happy about that, to be warm with us. She would love to be an indoor kitty but cat hair and children cat allergies prevent that. She did good as I kept her in the bathroom all night for fear of little kitty surprises in the am. The girls were disappointed that she had to go back outside but kitty sure enjoyed her status for a couple of days.
So we were talking about the American flag at dinner one night when we asked the kids what they learned at school that day. Lawyer said she learned about the flag and stars as they were studying the American Revolution when Betsy Ross's name came up. We asked the girls who she was and Lawyer answered, "Wasn't she the one that didn't give up her seat on the bus?" When hubby and I were able to stop slobbering and breathe again from guffawing, we corrected her. I love my kids answers!
Switching mental gears...If you have not read up on Magnesium and its benefits, you should. It is quite interesting. I am almost finished reading The Magnesium Miracle. I had been giving Monkey some Mg last year to help with her ADD and I had quit to let her wash out a bit. I am going to start her back again and see how it helps her. I have been taking it since Christmas and I have been sleepy at night time again and slept hard, when my mind will stop working, and felt better. I am hoping it will help with my headaches which is why I began researching it and taking it. So far so good and no headache has occurred in January. The headaches had gotten bad over Nov and Dec. This was exciting for me to get so far without a headache and not hurt agin. I also decided to get on the scales and found that while my overall weight had gone up 2lbs, my body fat percentage and BMI has gone down. Eating healthier is really helping, on a glacial pace I might add, to help me lose weight and keep it off. Very cool.Slow, but cool.
I made recipes out of the Parade mag that comes in the paper two weeks in a row that were awesome. One was Asian spiced chicken and the other was Pork, apples, and onions. Both were a hit for hubby and I. I have found more little recipe ideas in the oddest places!
My bread machine committed suicide the other day. I decided to make wheat bread for the first time. I usually dump everything in and leave it until it is ready. Well I forgot that wheat flour is VERY dense. I had my machine by the edge of the counter but not right at it. I went to my office and began to work and clean up some piles of papers. I heard the paddle alarm beep and decided to leave the paddle in. Then about 2 minutes later I heard a horrible crash. Sure enough the machine had kneaded itself right off the counter! A horrible and quick death it was. So I did what any normal woman would do, I went straight to Amazon and ordered another one, the exact same one. I got it $20 cheaper than the first one and I can use the old pan and paddle and switch it out if I want to make more than one bread in a day without having to wait until it cools and wash it. Not all was lost, only the bread machine and my wallet took the worst hits but I made lemonade out of those darn lemons!!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Pioneer Woman obsession...ok that is strong and wierd, more like fascinations; Winter, raw veggies and cooking ideas for my picky eaters!
January, 5th 2014
We are supposed to be heading for the deep freeze today. We are predicted to have temps in the single digits and possibly below zero. I am a bit concerned for my kitties and kiddos. We only have a wood box with towels and sheets in it that the cats can squeeze in thru the narrow opening to keep warm, but that is for 20 degree nights not zero! And my kids were supposed to be out tomorrow still for school but since we had an ice event in December, that cancelled my chance to see a neat homestead at Christmas, this is our first make up day. We also now have one on Presidents day. But with this frozen tundra outlook and if the rain that came thru this am freezes, it will be slicker than con artist at a packed mall and we will miss again! That means our April day off is out too. I worry my kids will get frostbite just going from car to building! Thankfully, the school won't let them out for recess, but then again they are cooped up and driving the teachers mad if they don't'. Lets face it, the south is NOT used to, nor do we want to be, this type of cold weather. And with our humidity, it is colder than these types of temp up north and we whine a lot...and for some odd reason buy up all the milk and bread. Must be french toast cravings or something!
For some odd reason, when it gets cold, I get the urge to bake like a mad woman. I am totally hooked on the Pioneer Woman shows on Food Network (thepioneerwoman.com) and have made many of her meals of late and man are they good. (I want to be her when I grow up minus the cattle. Been there done that growing up and do NOT miss it except for the access to lots of land!) The meals are a bit richer and more in calories but since it is homemade and also done with veggies or beans, I still win out over eating processed meals. I have a recipe, not sure where I got it probably off a soup can, for Mexican chicken spaghetti. I ad-libbed and used the Pioneer Woman's recipe for making Alfredo in my own recipe and man was it awesome. I reserved a bit back for lunch but froze the rest for a later day. I have been better this year about freezing my left overs and then I have a list on the side of my fridge so I don't forget what is in there. I also keep some in my freezer drawer inside and then the rest in the garage freezer.This has turned out well and provided some nice meals when I am not inspired, which is often...
I have had fun all week baking. I made white bread in the bread machine that the kids devoured. I made PW's homemade granola bars that the kids liked. (If hubby and I like it that is awesome, but if the kids also like it, then I score big time.) I made Green Goddess Dressing that the Lawyer liked and then I made Ranch and used it on some local Romaine I bought at the farmer network. She ate it and it was not crunchy lettuce! I tricked her into eating spinach one day so now she can handle the leafy greens better as long as I cover it in ranchy like dressing (she at the green goddess dressing and liked it too but I didn't tell her it was not exactly ranch dressing...). I think I found our her texture issues are like mine. A lot are in our head but we can find ways around them to trick our gag reflex with flavor. For her, it is good tasting ranch and I didn't want to have to buy it anymore so I make it. I also made another dressing but haven't used it yet as it is more oil based. I plan to use it today as I pattied up some hamburgers the other day while on a freezer meal kick. I may use the dressing on the burgers and salad as hubby doesn't eat the buns due to the gluten issue.
Lately, I have been trying to utilize leftovers in some fashion for the next meal. That is a bit harder for me so far but I did manage to use some left over crushed tomatoes from an enchilada recipe in my chili. I hate having things go to waste but never have been good thinking it thru. Now I find if I just do that, which is think or watch food shows, I get ideas and can either use what I saw or modify it to what I have or like. It just takes a bit of effort from me and I tend to prefer to procrastinate! Sometimes my ideas flow so much that I keep notepads lying everywhere so I can write them down.
With the weather and the fact that activities start back up next week with school, I need to get more ideas so I can have options in the freezer to whip up on those busy and uninspired nights. I have left over chicken that I think I might go Asian with or maybe Indian flare with a mix of Asian. See, I just have to sometimes force myself to look in the pantry and use what I have which also gives me ideas. I learned that from a food article about pantry waste. I need to reread it as my pantry over floweth right now! I use ides from shows mixed with what I am currently craving. The hardest part is getting the kids to eat what we are eating. I have successes but not every day or even week. I did manage to make PW's quesadilla's and both girls liked them so that is good. I bet I could make them with chicken and they might be a hit.
Lawyer is my picky eater and I took her to a chicken place before Christmas while out shopping and got her to eat the strips with success. We then ran to Buffalo Wild Wings on New Years while out shopping and she ate the strips there. Now my goal is to get her to eat chicken from home that I cook. I have yet to do that but my chicken nuggets do not have a crispy texture generally since I use a GF flour and sometimes a corn meal. I need to work on that a bit as the key might be the outside coating. Monkey already loves them so anything to get us all eating the same meal is my goal and I am getting closer and closer!
I am trying to raise our kids on as much whole and natural food as possible. It takes a bit more effort on my part but not that much and if I plan ahead on a weekend, I can prepare for the week and still have time to relax and unwind on the weekend. I keep having the girls try new things (Monkey prefers butternut squash and sweet potato raw versus cooked...I will take what I can get!)
We are supposed to be heading for the deep freeze today. We are predicted to have temps in the single digits and possibly below zero. I am a bit concerned for my kitties and kiddos. We only have a wood box with towels and sheets in it that the cats can squeeze in thru the narrow opening to keep warm, but that is for 20 degree nights not zero! And my kids were supposed to be out tomorrow still for school but since we had an ice event in December, that cancelled my chance to see a neat homestead at Christmas, this is our first make up day. We also now have one on Presidents day. But with this frozen tundra outlook and if the rain that came thru this am freezes, it will be slicker than con artist at a packed mall and we will miss again! That means our April day off is out too. I worry my kids will get frostbite just going from car to building! Thankfully, the school won't let them out for recess, but then again they are cooped up and driving the teachers mad if they don't'. Lets face it, the south is NOT used to, nor do we want to be, this type of cold weather. And with our humidity, it is colder than these types of temp up north and we whine a lot...and for some odd reason buy up all the milk and bread. Must be french toast cravings or something!
For some odd reason, when it gets cold, I get the urge to bake like a mad woman. I am totally hooked on the Pioneer Woman shows on Food Network (thepioneerwoman.com) and have made many of her meals of late and man are they good. (I want to be her when I grow up minus the cattle. Been there done that growing up and do NOT miss it except for the access to lots of land!) The meals are a bit richer and more in calories but since it is homemade and also done with veggies or beans, I still win out over eating processed meals. I have a recipe, not sure where I got it probably off a soup can, for Mexican chicken spaghetti. I ad-libbed and used the Pioneer Woman's recipe for making Alfredo in my own recipe and man was it awesome. I reserved a bit back for lunch but froze the rest for a later day. I have been better this year about freezing my left overs and then I have a list on the side of my fridge so I don't forget what is in there. I also keep some in my freezer drawer inside and then the rest in the garage freezer.This has turned out well and provided some nice meals when I am not inspired, which is often...
I have had fun all week baking. I made white bread in the bread machine that the kids devoured. I made PW's homemade granola bars that the kids liked. (If hubby and I like it that is awesome, but if the kids also like it, then I score big time.) I made Green Goddess Dressing that the Lawyer liked and then I made Ranch and used it on some local Romaine I bought at the farmer network. She ate it and it was not crunchy lettuce! I tricked her into eating spinach one day so now she can handle the leafy greens better as long as I cover it in ranchy like dressing (she at the green goddess dressing and liked it too but I didn't tell her it was not exactly ranch dressing...). I think I found our her texture issues are like mine. A lot are in our head but we can find ways around them to trick our gag reflex with flavor. For her, it is good tasting ranch and I didn't want to have to buy it anymore so I make it. I also made another dressing but haven't used it yet as it is more oil based. I plan to use it today as I pattied up some hamburgers the other day while on a freezer meal kick. I may use the dressing on the burgers and salad as hubby doesn't eat the buns due to the gluten issue.
Lately, I have been trying to utilize leftovers in some fashion for the next meal. That is a bit harder for me so far but I did manage to use some left over crushed tomatoes from an enchilada recipe in my chili. I hate having things go to waste but never have been good thinking it thru. Now I find if I just do that, which is think or watch food shows, I get ideas and can either use what I saw or modify it to what I have or like. It just takes a bit of effort from me and I tend to prefer to procrastinate! Sometimes my ideas flow so much that I keep notepads lying everywhere so I can write them down.
With the weather and the fact that activities start back up next week with school, I need to get more ideas so I can have options in the freezer to whip up on those busy and uninspired nights. I have left over chicken that I think I might go Asian with or maybe Indian flare with a mix of Asian. See, I just have to sometimes force myself to look in the pantry and use what I have which also gives me ideas. I learned that from a food article about pantry waste. I need to reread it as my pantry over floweth right now! I use ides from shows mixed with what I am currently craving. The hardest part is getting the kids to eat what we are eating. I have successes but not every day or even week. I did manage to make PW's quesadilla's and both girls liked them so that is good. I bet I could make them with chicken and they might be a hit.
Lawyer is my picky eater and I took her to a chicken place before Christmas while out shopping and got her to eat the strips with success. We then ran to Buffalo Wild Wings on New Years while out shopping and she ate the strips there. Now my goal is to get her to eat chicken from home that I cook. I have yet to do that but my chicken nuggets do not have a crispy texture generally since I use a GF flour and sometimes a corn meal. I need to work on that a bit as the key might be the outside coating. Monkey already loves them so anything to get us all eating the same meal is my goal and I am getting closer and closer!
I am trying to raise our kids on as much whole and natural food as possible. It takes a bit more effort on my part but not that much and if I plan ahead on a weekend, I can prepare for the week and still have time to relax and unwind on the weekend. I keep having the girls try new things (Monkey prefers butternut squash and sweet potato raw versus cooked...I will take what I can get!)
Friday, January 3, 2014
Genealogy...and when the parent is parented....
January 3rd, 2014
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have been writing the year correct today....just not the date. For some reason I was living in the 4th day of Jan...OH well, at least I gain a day back now that reality has set in! Woohoo! Just like daylight savings and my precious hour....
So I have had almost two weeks off of work and man how that rejuvenates my soul. I was technically back to work Thur and Fri of this week but NOTHING was happening and all my busy projects put on hold until next week...when I am super busy. Nothing like a little procrastination to start the new year, eh? I have enjoyed my time. My father in law came up and we played on Ancestry.com and had a blast finding out new names and connections and siblings he never knew existed! And I thought Facebook was a time suck...at least this one you are doing something useful instead of pontificating to the world your views or opinions...come to think of just like this blog! ha the irony! Anywho, I love that site. I have sat down any relative who would sit long enough to let me type in their name or another missing link to help us build our tree. I love knowing about genealogy and I think it is a lost art like letter writing. I love to chase down the little spinning leaves and see what "hints" I have. It helps to have an older relative to connect dots. My age does not tell history from a family perspective like my momma and hers did. All we have are diaries from that time, which are wonderful, but we don't know real connections thanks to the digital world. And that has it's blessings and curses all wrapped in to one.
Due to this fact I am trying to have our family do sit down dinners as often as we can even if it is just me and the kids due to hubby's latest work schedule. I want to engage them in the art of conversation but I have to remember myself and not just say, un huh, every few minutes when the Lawyer tells me these long drawn out details about some Pokemon battle she just had. It is seriously like she speaks another language and I just get a few bits and pieces I pick out. Staying engaged myself is REALLY tough but it is important to her so it is important to me. Monkey just tells me random facts that may or may not be true...she keeps it interesting THAT is for sure! Like the time she told us we needed a hooker.....or what most people call a hitch. Yeah that was a fun conversation. Now what was I talking about...oh yeah.. Staying engaged....haha....oops...Uh as I was saying....we try to have meals together at the table. I even sit near them at breakfast, they eat that at the bar b/c they are very messy with the maple syrup! And I sit behind them and talk to them or I just lean over the sink while I slurp my octane..er, my coffee and chat. That is until I remember I did not set out something or make the lunches etc, etc.
So eating meals together means I have a rule that NO ONE is allowed to have toys, books, or electronic devices at the table while we eat. I started this when they were little as I felt as if I was at a constant tea party with stuffed animals because they would bring so many to the table. Then that evolved into books as either myself or the Lawyer would bring the latest interest we were reading and completely ignore everyone else. Lastly, we banned devices as the Lawyer would have her DS or her iPod and hubby would also be on his phone. Then I brought my iPad. I stopped it so we could engage and feel as if the other person talking was really listening and engaging in our conversations. Today I made lunch for my girls, then grabbed some homemade guacamole and chips and my iPad and sat down with them. I got it turned on and a game loading before both Monkey and Lawyer screamed at me NO DEVICES AT THE TABLE! I was a bit embarrassed for I had broken my own rule! Yet I was too proud to care about that because they caught me and remembered my rule! I was able to tell them even I forget and make mistakes! Nice teaching moment if I don't say so myself!
I am a bit sad this vacation is over. Half b/c I enjoyed no schedule or having to be anywhere and half b/c I LOVE spending time with my family. Yes they get on my nerves, but we try to get out sometimes together and sometimes just one or two of us. It helps me stay in tune with them and keep them in line so when I do have to break out the time out moments they respect and mind me AND I get my point across. It is at these times we can love on the girls whether they are in trouble and driving us crazy or not to show them we care. Lawyer will be 10 this year and I know soon she will be in to other things so I take every moment I can to be with her and snuggle and talk and also lay with Monkey until she falls asleep as I rub her back. These are things I can't get back once they are gone so I try to cherish them. As I type this, Monkey is way past her bed time and requested me to tuck her in. I shall go and be mommy one more day....Good night!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have been writing the year correct today....just not the date. For some reason I was living in the 4th day of Jan...OH well, at least I gain a day back now that reality has set in! Woohoo! Just like daylight savings and my precious hour....
So I have had almost two weeks off of work and man how that rejuvenates my soul. I was technically back to work Thur and Fri of this week but NOTHING was happening and all my busy projects put on hold until next week...when I am super busy. Nothing like a little procrastination to start the new year, eh? I have enjoyed my time. My father in law came up and we played on Ancestry.com and had a blast finding out new names and connections and siblings he never knew existed! And I thought Facebook was a time suck...at least this one you are doing something useful instead of pontificating to the world your views or opinions...come to think of just like this blog! ha the irony! Anywho, I love that site. I have sat down any relative who would sit long enough to let me type in their name or another missing link to help us build our tree. I love knowing about genealogy and I think it is a lost art like letter writing. I love to chase down the little spinning leaves and see what "hints" I have. It helps to have an older relative to connect dots. My age does not tell history from a family perspective like my momma and hers did. All we have are diaries from that time, which are wonderful, but we don't know real connections thanks to the digital world. And that has it's blessings and curses all wrapped in to one.
Due to this fact I am trying to have our family do sit down dinners as often as we can even if it is just me and the kids due to hubby's latest work schedule. I want to engage them in the art of conversation but I have to remember myself and not just say, un huh, every few minutes when the Lawyer tells me these long drawn out details about some Pokemon battle she just had. It is seriously like she speaks another language and I just get a few bits and pieces I pick out. Staying engaged myself is REALLY tough but it is important to her so it is important to me. Monkey just tells me random facts that may or may not be true...she keeps it interesting THAT is for sure! Like the time she told us we needed a hooker.....or what most people call a hitch. Yeah that was a fun conversation. Now what was I talking about...oh yeah.. Staying engaged....haha....oops...Uh as I was saying....we try to have meals together at the table. I even sit near them at breakfast, they eat that at the bar b/c they are very messy with the maple syrup! And I sit behind them and talk to them or I just lean over the sink while I slurp my octane..er, my coffee and chat. That is until I remember I did not set out something or make the lunches etc, etc.
So eating meals together means I have a rule that NO ONE is allowed to have toys, books, or electronic devices at the table while we eat. I started this when they were little as I felt as if I was at a constant tea party with stuffed animals because they would bring so many to the table. Then that evolved into books as either myself or the Lawyer would bring the latest interest we were reading and completely ignore everyone else. Lastly, we banned devices as the Lawyer would have her DS or her iPod and hubby would also be on his phone. Then I brought my iPad. I stopped it so we could engage and feel as if the other person talking was really listening and engaging in our conversations. Today I made lunch for my girls, then grabbed some homemade guacamole and chips and my iPad and sat down with them. I got it turned on and a game loading before both Monkey and Lawyer screamed at me NO DEVICES AT THE TABLE! I was a bit embarrassed for I had broken my own rule! Yet I was too proud to care about that because they caught me and remembered my rule! I was able to tell them even I forget and make mistakes! Nice teaching moment if I don't say so myself!
I am a bit sad this vacation is over. Half b/c I enjoyed no schedule or having to be anywhere and half b/c I LOVE spending time with my family. Yes they get on my nerves, but we try to get out sometimes together and sometimes just one or two of us. It helps me stay in tune with them and keep them in line so when I do have to break out the time out moments they respect and mind me AND I get my point across. It is at these times we can love on the girls whether they are in trouble and driving us crazy or not to show them we care. Lawyer will be 10 this year and I know soon she will be in to other things so I take every moment I can to be with her and snuggle and talk and also lay with Monkey until she falls asleep as I rub her back. These are things I can't get back once they are gone so I try to cherish them. As I type this, Monkey is way past her bed time and requested me to tuck her in. I shall go and be mommy one more day....Good night!
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