I really love this recipe- it's pretty good for you, as far as pancakes or waffles go. I actually felt good about feeding this to my family. Thomas topped his with yogurt and he said it was really really good. We love it with Reddi-wip and ...I really really love syrup. I think it's a moist-ness issue- I hate my pancakes to be dry-feeling. It's a weakness. But I felt better about putting syrup on these rather than my stand-by waffle recipe. only 2 T sugar? and whole wheat flour? :) I've used this pancake recipe for waffles too and it works out fine.
As a side note, an amazingly awesome homemade buttermilk syrup recipe (ok, it's basically like caramel sauce for breakfast) is found here from Our Best Bites. Total win.
I have no idea where I found this recipe. I did some poking around on a few websites I thought I had gotten it from but I haven't been able to find it. If you recognize it please let me know and I will add a link!
Honey Wheat Pancakes
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 T sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T honey
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk or regular milk (I used sour milk)
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (you can use any berry, or you can leave them out- delish either way)
Mix dry, then add rest. Top with whipped cream, syrup, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whatever.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Old beans
I have a lot of old, old beans from when we were first married and bought a big huge bag at Costco. I recently discovered how to use them so they actually cook SOFT instead of always being a little crunchy, no matter how long you cook them! Here is what to do!
For each cup of old beans, boil 3 cups of water (I guesstimated). Boil the water FIRST, and then add the beans. This allows enzymes to be released in the beans, so they actually soften (differently than if you put the beans in the water and boiled them all together) Boil the water, add the beans once it's boiling, then boil for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, take the pan off the heat and add 3/8 tsp of baking soda for each cup of beans. (again, I guesstimated) Cover with a lid and let it sit for about an hour. Then rinse and cook as desired. I love my pressure cooker and I like to cook the beans in that. You can also put them in the crockpot, or just cook them for a few hours on the stovetop. Don't put any salt or anything in the beans until they are fully cooked. For fresher beans, it doesn't matter if you add seasonings while it cooks.
For each cup of old beans, boil 3 cups of water (I guesstimated). Boil the water FIRST, and then add the beans. This allows enzymes to be released in the beans, so they actually soften (differently than if you put the beans in the water and boiled them all together) Boil the water, add the beans once it's boiling, then boil for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, take the pan off the heat and add 3/8 tsp of baking soda for each cup of beans. (again, I guesstimated) Cover with a lid and let it sit for about an hour. Then rinse and cook as desired. I love my pressure cooker and I like to cook the beans in that. You can also put them in the crockpot, or just cook them for a few hours on the stovetop. Don't put any salt or anything in the beans until they are fully cooked. For fresher beans, it doesn't matter if you add seasonings while it cooks.
Cashew Chicken
This is one of my favorite recipes to use over rice. However, I just discovered it is WAY better over couscous! Thanks to the Sisters Cafe for this delicious recipe! I omit the salt as I found it to be too salty that way, and I love to add half a bag or so of stir-fry veggies or green beans at the end. Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Happy Birthday and Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
September is a Birthday month at our house! So in honor of these birthdays... this homemade yellow cake mix. I love that I can make something that I COULD buy in a box... but now I know exactly what is in it and it tastes way better anyway. :) I follow the substitution she gives for cake flour (since I never have it) and it turns out beautifully. Enjoy!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Current Projects at the Sewing Table
Here are a few of the projects that are "in progress" right now. I use the words "in progress" because with two busy little bodies to chase after and clean and wipe and feed etc... I don't get things done very quickly!
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| This one is actually finished... so I guess it's cheating. I made this baby blanket for our good friend Melina who is due to have her baby at the end of September! |
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| Ok... this one is finished too. My first attempt at making clothes from scratch for my children! This is a pair of capris for Audrey. She loves them, even though they are a little too big on her this summer. I think next summer they will be just right! |
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| This is a nine-patch quilt I've been working on. This is the quilt top before I added the borders. |
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| And here it is after adding the borders! Please ignore the lego- it's so rare that I get to spread something out on the floor without kids dancing around on it the second it's down. It's now in process of being quilted to the back (not pictured) which is proving to be a lengthy process since I decided to hand-quilt around each of the 70 blocks... I'm about 1/3 of the way done. I'll post an update once I make some more progress on it. |
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| This project I'm really excited about. I got the idea here from Mad Mim. This is a womens size XL button-up shirt that I bought at DI for $4. I'm turning it into a skirt. I started taking off the sleeves before I took this picture- so that is why the seam is sticking out on one side. I took off the sleeves, cut off the collar, added some pockets: |
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| This is what it looks like afterwards. I have since sewn up the side seams and made a waistband and now I just have to fit it to my waist. I can't wait for this one to be finished! |
Thursday, September 8, 2011
My Lovely Garden, and Roasted Green Beans
We have enjoyed our new house and the opportunities that having almost 3 acres to play with this summer! Most of it was 3 acres of weeds and trash, but after a lot of cleaning up it is looking much better. I thought I would post a little about our fabulous garden, since I am mourning the change in weather that is bringing summer and, consequently, gardening season in Rexburg to an end. This year we planted:
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| L to R: Dead cucumber plants (ok so two survived and I have baby cucumbers) and Zucchini! |
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| (Front to Back) Pumpkin, which has taken over half the garden, Butternut squash which never produced, and Cantaloupe which never produced either. I guess not enough of the plants survived for them to pollinate. |
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| Peas and Lettuce (L to R) |
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| Carrots and Green Beans (L to R) |
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| Raspberries! We got the shoots from a friend of a friend who had way too many sprouting up like weeds and wanted to get rid of them. We welcome them! |
We also had a few fruit trees that were planted I don't even know how many years ago:
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| Apples |
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| Pie cherries |
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| Plums! |
The reason I am excited about my garden (beyond sheer love of watching things grown and produce food I can store in jars or in my freezer) is this recipe. I like canned green beans. I do- I grew up eating them that way and I have never warmed up to frozen green beans very well. I do, however, really enjoy FRESH green beans. *sigh* Lovely. I also REALLY love this recipe... it's almost like having french fries without the starch and empty carbs. Especially when you put fry sauce on them! I know... that kind of defeats some of the healthy but at least its better than french fries! Please try this. It's so lovely.
Roasted Green Beans (loosely borrowed from How Sweet it Is here)
Fresh green beans (as many as you want to eat)
olive oil (or other oil of your choice)
Seasonings (I just use a cajun seasoning salt, but you could use salt and pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, whatever. I'm pretty sure it will taste awesome whatever you pick.)
Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray with non-stick spray. Dump the green beans on it, drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your hands to coat all green beans evenly. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice. Put the cookie sheet in an oven at around 425 (this is forgiving, you can do 400 for more time if you already have something else in there needing that temperature with good results) for 30-35 min. Savor them with fry sauce. Or some other kind of dipping sauce would probably be fine. :)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Black Bean Burgers
I have had many requests for this recipe. It is probably one of our family's favorite meals! I sort of MacGyvered this recipe out of a few I've come across, and I add to it as I see fit. We also discovered (being out of black beans) that this recipe can also successfully be made with white beans if you don't have any. Hubby thinks this is quite racist of us. Anyway, this is how the recipe currently goes...
Black Bean Burgers
(I usually double this for our family and it works out great with leftovers for lunch the next day)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained well (or approx. 2 cups black beans, cooked, rinsed and drained)
2 tsp cajun seasoning (or other seasoning salt)
1 tsp cumin (if you like)
1 egg
This recipe is pretty forgiving. Experiment with it, see what seasonings you like (you really can use whatever kinds you like), what consistencies you like (they can be a little dry or crumbly depending on the amount of liquid left in your beans and your onions).
If you make your own bread crumbs, I food process (you can use a blender to do this also- I did this before I upgraded to my amazing food processor) them first and transfer them to another bowl. Then, put the onion and garlic in the food processor and process til fine. Add the beans, seasonings and eggs and process til beans are mashed. With the food processor on, add the breadcrumbs in slowly.
You can grill these for 6-7 min a side. You can also freeze them and then grill them frozen, which I've heard helps them not to fall apart so much. I usually broil them. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Using your hands, shape a handful of bean mixture into patties. Broil for 10 min per side, til nice and brown.
We love these with this hamburger bun recipe from One Lovely Life (except I like to sub 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, and also this fry sauce recipe, also from One Lovely Life. Enjoy!
Black Bean Burgers
(I usually double this for our family and it works out great with leftovers for lunch the next day)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained well (or approx. 2 cups black beans, cooked, rinsed and drained)
2 tsp cajun seasoning (or other seasoning salt)
1 tsp cumin (if you like)
1 egg
This recipe is pretty forgiving. Experiment with it, see what seasonings you like (you really can use whatever kinds you like), what consistencies you like (they can be a little dry or crumbly depending on the amount of liquid left in your beans and your onions).
If you make your own bread crumbs, I food process (you can use a blender to do this also- I did this before I upgraded to my amazing food processor) them first and transfer them to another bowl. Then, put the onion and garlic in the food processor and process til fine. Add the beans, seasonings and eggs and process til beans are mashed. With the food processor on, add the breadcrumbs in slowly.
You can grill these for 6-7 min a side. You can also freeze them and then grill them frozen, which I've heard helps them not to fall apart so much. I usually broil them. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Using your hands, shape a handful of bean mixture into patties. Broil for 10 min per side, til nice and brown.
We love these with this hamburger bun recipe from One Lovely Life (except I like to sub 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, and also this fry sauce recipe, also from One Lovely Life. Enjoy!
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Business of Motherhood (this is long)
I have worked on this post for a long time. I actually wonder whether I wrote this to be read by others or just for me to express myself. Some things you might agree with. Some things might be "old news" to you. Some things might chafe a little- you may disagree. This is my space to think out my feelings and beliefs, and I allow you to disagree if you wish. Here are some things I have been researching, pondering, and talking about lately.
I am so grateful for modern medicine. I am amazed at things that doctors and science are able to accomplish-- we hear of new miracles God is working through these hands every day. But... they AREN'T God. You DON'T have to do EVERYTHING your OB says, just because he said it. He is your doctor, and he is (usually) trying to do what he thinks is best for you and your baby. But he isn't God. He isn't your mother. He isn't YOU. Only YOU can know your body, you know what absolutely feels right for you, only you can make choices for you. (I'm not saying don't ever listen to a medical professional, btw- just don't follow blindly- listen to your intuition, listen to God and what HE tells you is right for you with equal weight as you do your doctor.) I was blessed to have wonderful OB's that were very respectful and kind towards me, my wishes and my babies. I am grateful that I delivered in a hospital that was very baby-friendly, and everything happened that I wanted out of birth at that time. Both deliveries with my two children were pretty routine- nothing went wrong, I felt safe and listened to, and I was happy with those experiences.
I don't know if I could honestly be satisfied NOW with another hospital birthing experience like my first two. As well as they went, I just don't want the same things anymore. I have learned so much about birthing in the past month or two, and I am equally, if not more amazed at the miracles that WOMEN are performing on their OWN, without drugs and hospital procedures and interventions, empowered and free.
At this point, the first thing out of everyone's mouth that I have talked to this about was "didn't you have an epidural with both your babies?". I did- but I'm not ashamed of that. I shouldn't feel ashamed of that- although I admit when this was said to me I felt ashamed. I am not. Like I said, I am happy with the experiences that I had in the hospital- they really were just what I wanted at each time in my life. My perspective is different as I look back. I'm also trying not to let that sentence be a discouraging factor in what I NOW want for my next birthing experience. I've read some about Hypnobabies, and I really don't know all of what that class teaches, and I'm not sure I'm sold on the idea, but one thing I did like about what I read was how it focuses on positive thoughts and feelings. I've tried to take that into my life and just be more positive overall. It's healthier that way. :)
A big reason that I want a drug-free/intervention-free birth the next time is the BOND created between mother and child. I don't want my baby to have to come into the world fighting to stay awake because I've flooded his system with dangerous drugs so I can have the convenience of a pain-free birth. I want him (or her) to be awake, alert, and ready to greet the world. I don't want his/her first introduction to the world to be cold metal instruments and strange pokes and prods and pains and everything that doesn't smell like MOM and confusion! I want it to be peaceful, I want Thomas and I to be the first faces and hands he sees and feels, to be safe and loved and comforted. I want to FEEL everything. I want to be able to actually move around and feel when I'm pushing and feel what the heck my muscles are doing. I want it to truly be an experience, not just something that happens to me.
Looking back on my first experience with pregnancy and labor and birth, I realize that I was gravely under-educated to actually give birth naturally. It was always a sort of goal, but it wasn't something we strove for. We didn't make a birth plan [mostly because I felt sort of discouraged from doing so by care providers. "These things never go how you plan them, dear." It didn't bother me at the time.] It was sort of a "we'd like to do it naturally, but we'll see how it goes" sort of commitment. I think the most motivating factor for me in wanting to birth naturally (without drugs) was the money- I felt very poor and I didn't want to have to burden my poor student husband with a big anesthesiologist bill on top of everything else. Not really a grounding factor in the face of labor pains.)
We attended the hospital-sponsored Lamaze-influenced birthing class, a 6-hour or so stint where they shoved everything they could into your head. I retained about 25% of it, mostly the stuff about how to care for the baby and how to sign for an epidural and what happens if you have to have a C-section. I remembered a little about the "focus point" and imagery and stuff to deal with pain but I didn't practice it. I didn't use it. I didn't train for birth. I just waited for it to happen and hoped everything would go ok. I don't think I'm alone in this either. I read an article that talks about this phenomenon, how women aren't educating themselves but relying on what doctors or nurses tell them. I was blessed with good doctors and nurses and I always felt safe in my birth experiences, but I know that isn't always what happens. It amazes me the number of stories I have read about OB's and L&D nurses that will LIE to women so the woman's birth goes according to the doctor's timetable. "If you don't ____ then your baby will die." "You have to get a cesarean because you've 'failed to progress'". I am shocked by this. It seems to me that birth has become a commercial "business" for many doctors. I don't want this for myself, ever. I am grateful to have given birth in a wonderful place.
Birth is not a disease! Birth is perfectly normal. Our bodies are amazing! Unless there is a medical situation that requires some outside intervention, birth will go just fine. A woman should prepare to allow her body to do what it needs to do, to listen to her intuition (the Spirit)-- to move where she needs to, to make whatever sounds suit her at the moment, etc. She shouldn't be forced to lay on her back, told to be quiet, and to not make any waves. I'm pretty sure childbirth is the biggest "wave" anyone ever rode- I say a woman should do whatever she needs to do to ride it out!
I think that birthing at home is an AMAZING option for women. It is NOT dangerous as some "experts" make it out to be. Some doctors (and associations) would have you believe that your baby will die if you give birth at home. Lies, lies lies. Birth will go just fine! It has for centuries! A woman's body is MADE for this- when we allow it to do what it was made to do miracles will happen. I believe that if I had not been at a hospital, laying on my back, (at least with Ethan) I would not have felt the need to ask for medication to manage my pain. I really believe that if I had taken adequate childbirth preparation classes I would have been more ready to face the pains and challenges of labor. I'm not really comfortable with unassisted birthing- I want someone who knows birthing intimately at my birth (midwife, doula, etc) to help me help my body do what it needs to do.
NOTE: I do NOT think that giving birth in a hospital is bad! I don't look down at or condemn anyone who chooses that for any reason. I am grateful for modern medicine, and the miracles it can work. I personally would not choose to give birth in a hospital again, barring an emergency medical situation that requires it.
I have learned a lot about "informed consent" and how many times that really isn't truly "informed". When I was in the hospital with Audrey that first time, whatever a nurse or doctor told me needed to be done I allowed- I didn't understand half what the paperwork I signed was, I completely deferred to their experience and what they said would be best. I asked questions sometimes, but I went with the "norm" and I was fine with that.
I do not like that the second time I gave birth, I asked the doctor after Ethan was born if I had torn, and he didn't really answer. He was stitching me up or something, and kind of mumbled something and looked back down. I think one of the nurses said "not much" after that because she could tell I hadn't heard him. I am 99% sure that he cut me (gave me an episiotomy)- not sure if it was because Ethan came so quickly, or if it was just routine, or what. I just don't like that I was lied to about it. Tell it to me straight, doc. But I can't blame anyone those first two times but myself- I was NOT EDUCATED. I didn't search out the knowledge I needed to understand all those options. I am working on that, so next time I give birth I WILL be educated- I will be empowered.
I had wonderful OB's and I loved them for both pregnancies, but I want something more for my next. I don't want to pay someone to show up at the very end of my labor and catch the baby. I want a better support system than a random nurse(s) that I don't even know. I want a caregiver that will stand beside me through all my pregnancy, and through my labor too. I want to trust her when she tells me to do something. Don't misunderstand-- I of course want Thomas to be my support more than anything. He will be my first and best support through all of it. But I just want more from the person who will be delivering my baby.
I am not pregnant now. I will be someday again- hopefully a few more times. I want to be prepared. "if ye are prepared then ye shall not fear". I have lived by this countless times through school, college, etc- why not motherhood too?
I don't write all this to sound soap-boxy or preachy or whatever- I just really had no idea of a lot of my options and how safe they are when I was a first-time pregnant soon-to-be mother. Some great places to get educated online, if you're interested:
Birth Without Fear
- due dates
Banned from Baby Showers
-due dates
- OB model of care vs Midwife model of care
-a decision to home birth must come from within YOU
- epidurals
Birth Faith
-home birth
Mama Birth
I am so grateful for modern medicine. I am amazed at things that doctors and science are able to accomplish-- we hear of new miracles God is working through these hands every day. But... they AREN'T God. You DON'T have to do EVERYTHING your OB says, just because he said it. He is your doctor, and he is (usually) trying to do what he thinks is best for you and your baby. But he isn't God. He isn't your mother. He isn't YOU. Only YOU can know your body, you know what absolutely feels right for you, only you can make choices for you. (I'm not saying don't ever listen to a medical professional, btw- just don't follow blindly- listen to your intuition, listen to God and what HE tells you is right for you with equal weight as you do your doctor.) I was blessed to have wonderful OB's that were very respectful and kind towards me, my wishes and my babies. I am grateful that I delivered in a hospital that was very baby-friendly, and everything happened that I wanted out of birth at that time. Both deliveries with my two children were pretty routine- nothing went wrong, I felt safe and listened to, and I was happy with those experiences.
I don't know if I could honestly be satisfied NOW with another hospital birthing experience like my first two. As well as they went, I just don't want the same things anymore. I have learned so much about birthing in the past month or two, and I am equally, if not more amazed at the miracles that WOMEN are performing on their OWN, without drugs and hospital procedures and interventions, empowered and free.
At this point, the first thing out of everyone's mouth that I have talked to this about was "didn't you have an epidural with both your babies?". I did- but I'm not ashamed of that. I shouldn't feel ashamed of that- although I admit when this was said to me I felt ashamed. I am not. Like I said, I am happy with the experiences that I had in the hospital- they really were just what I wanted at each time in my life. My perspective is different as I look back. I'm also trying not to let that sentence be a discouraging factor in what I NOW want for my next birthing experience. I've read some about Hypnobabies, and I really don't know all of what that class teaches, and I'm not sure I'm sold on the idea, but one thing I did like about what I read was how it focuses on positive thoughts and feelings. I've tried to take that into my life and just be more positive overall. It's healthier that way. :)
A big reason that I want a drug-free/intervention-free birth the next time is the BOND created between mother and child. I don't want my baby to have to come into the world fighting to stay awake because I've flooded his system with dangerous drugs so I can have the convenience of a pain-free birth. I want him (or her) to be awake, alert, and ready to greet the world. I don't want his/her first introduction to the world to be cold metal instruments and strange pokes and prods and pains and everything that doesn't smell like MOM and confusion! I want it to be peaceful, I want Thomas and I to be the first faces and hands he sees and feels, to be safe and loved and comforted. I want to FEEL everything. I want to be able to actually move around and feel when I'm pushing and feel what the heck my muscles are doing. I want it to truly be an experience, not just something that happens to me.
Looking back on my first experience with pregnancy and labor and birth, I realize that I was gravely under-educated to actually give birth naturally. It was always a sort of goal, but it wasn't something we strove for. We didn't make a birth plan [mostly because I felt sort of discouraged from doing so by care providers. "These things never go how you plan them, dear." It didn't bother me at the time.] It was sort of a "we'd like to do it naturally, but we'll see how it goes" sort of commitment. I think the most motivating factor for me in wanting to birth naturally (without drugs) was the money- I felt very poor and I didn't want to have to burden my poor student husband with a big anesthesiologist bill on top of everything else. Not really a grounding factor in the face of labor pains.)
We attended the hospital-sponsored Lamaze-influenced birthing class, a 6-hour or so stint where they shoved everything they could into your head. I retained about 25% of it, mostly the stuff about how to care for the baby and how to sign for an epidural and what happens if you have to have a C-section. I remembered a little about the "focus point" and imagery and stuff to deal with pain but I didn't practice it. I didn't use it. I didn't train for birth. I just waited for it to happen and hoped everything would go ok. I don't think I'm alone in this either. I read an article that talks about this phenomenon, how women aren't educating themselves but relying on what doctors or nurses tell them. I was blessed with good doctors and nurses and I always felt safe in my birth experiences, but I know that isn't always what happens. It amazes me the number of stories I have read about OB's and L&D nurses that will LIE to women so the woman's birth goes according to the doctor's timetable. "If you don't ____ then your baby will die." "You have to get a cesarean because you've 'failed to progress'". I am shocked by this. It seems to me that birth has become a commercial "business" for many doctors. I don't want this for myself, ever. I am grateful to have given birth in a wonderful place.
Birth is not a disease! Birth is perfectly normal. Our bodies are amazing! Unless there is a medical situation that requires some outside intervention, birth will go just fine. A woman should prepare to allow her body to do what it needs to do, to listen to her intuition (the Spirit)-- to move where she needs to, to make whatever sounds suit her at the moment, etc. She shouldn't be forced to lay on her back, told to be quiet, and to not make any waves. I'm pretty sure childbirth is the biggest "wave" anyone ever rode- I say a woman should do whatever she needs to do to ride it out!
I think that birthing at home is an AMAZING option for women. It is NOT dangerous as some "experts" make it out to be. Some doctors (and associations) would have you believe that your baby will die if you give birth at home. Lies, lies lies. Birth will go just fine! It has for centuries! A woman's body is MADE for this- when we allow it to do what it was made to do miracles will happen. I believe that if I had not been at a hospital, laying on my back, (at least with Ethan) I would not have felt the need to ask for medication to manage my pain. I really believe that if I had taken adequate childbirth preparation classes I would have been more ready to face the pains and challenges of labor. I'm not really comfortable with unassisted birthing- I want someone who knows birthing intimately at my birth (midwife, doula, etc) to help me help my body do what it needs to do.
NOTE: I do NOT think that giving birth in a hospital is bad! I don't look down at or condemn anyone who chooses that for any reason. I am grateful for modern medicine, and the miracles it can work. I personally would not choose to give birth in a hospital again, barring an emergency medical situation that requires it.
I have learned a lot about "informed consent" and how many times that really isn't truly "informed". When I was in the hospital with Audrey that first time, whatever a nurse or doctor told me needed to be done I allowed- I didn't understand half what the paperwork I signed was, I completely deferred to their experience and what they said would be best. I asked questions sometimes, but I went with the "norm" and I was fine with that.
I do not like that the second time I gave birth, I asked the doctor after Ethan was born if I had torn, and he didn't really answer. He was stitching me up or something, and kind of mumbled something and looked back down. I think one of the nurses said "not much" after that because she could tell I hadn't heard him. I am 99% sure that he cut me (gave me an episiotomy)- not sure if it was because Ethan came so quickly, or if it was just routine, or what. I just don't like that I was lied to about it. Tell it to me straight, doc. But I can't blame anyone those first two times but myself- I was NOT EDUCATED. I didn't search out the knowledge I needed to understand all those options. I am working on that, so next time I give birth I WILL be educated- I will be empowered.
I had wonderful OB's and I loved them for both pregnancies, but I want something more for my next. I don't want to pay someone to show up at the very end of my labor and catch the baby. I want a better support system than a random nurse(s) that I don't even know. I want a caregiver that will stand beside me through all my pregnancy, and through my labor too. I want to trust her when she tells me to do something. Don't misunderstand-- I of course want Thomas to be my support more than anything. He will be my first and best support through all of it. But I just want more from the person who will be delivering my baby.
I am not pregnant now. I will be someday again- hopefully a few more times. I want to be prepared. "if ye are prepared then ye shall not fear". I have lived by this countless times through school, college, etc- why not motherhood too?
I don't write all this to sound soap-boxy or preachy or whatever- I just really had no idea of a lot of my options and how safe they are when I was a first-time pregnant soon-to-be mother. Some great places to get educated online, if you're interested:
Birth Without Fear
- due dates
Banned from Baby Showers
-due dates
- OB model of care vs Midwife model of care
-a decision to home birth must come from within YOU
- epidurals
Birth Faith
-home birth
Mama Birth
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Beautiful Children
I just wanted to take a minute and record a few of the cute things my beautiful children did today/recently. Maybe I needed a reminder of how precious and wonderful they are.
Audrey calls marshmallows "smashmallows".
Ethan grabbed my shirt, pulled it down, looked inside and then said very clearly "boo." I think my son has learned a word for boobs.
I was trimming Audrey's fingernails today and she demanded that I then trim her "toneynails" also.
Ethan is getting so good at walking around. He is very proud of himself.
Audrey loves the movie "The 'Credibles'" and walks around going "my name is Crediboy!"
Ethan has at least 6 teeth and he will "cheese" for the camera so you can see all of them.
Audrey also walked around today saying "money money money money money". I can't decide if Mr Krabs from Spongebob is at fault or if it is from Toy Story.
I love my children. :)
Audrey calls marshmallows "smashmallows".
Ethan grabbed my shirt, pulled it down, looked inside and then said very clearly "boo." I think my son has learned a word for boobs.
I was trimming Audrey's fingernails today and she demanded that I then trim her "toneynails" also.
Ethan is getting so good at walking around. He is very proud of himself.
Audrey loves the movie "The 'Credibles'" and walks around going "my name is Crediboy!"
Ethan has at least 6 teeth and he will "cheese" for the camera so you can see all of them.
Audrey also walked around today saying "money money money money money". I can't decide if Mr Krabs from Spongebob is at fault or if it is from Toy Story.
I love my children. :)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Ketchup
I actually don't much care for ketchup (or catsup)- I'd take FRY SAUCE anyday and on ANYTHING before ketchup. Anyway... It's been awhile since my last post. I'll try to cover everything that's happened...
We visited AZ! It was a fun trip, but we were glad to come home. We were so glad to get to visit family- we just missed my step-brother's wedding because of our flight reservations, but we were able to be there when Amanda went through the temple for the first time and we got to go out to dinner with our family. We enjoyed some actually fairly beautiful days there- there were a couple of hot ones too, but actually some nice weather overall. Thomas and I got to go to Sedona overnight to celebrate our 4th anniversary- it was very nice. We took a beautiful hike and went to an awesome little pizza/Italian place called The Hideaway. REALLY good pizza. Like, I want some right now. The kids loved getting to visit grandmas and grandpas. We wish we could have visited my parents a little more, but they were so busy with Brennen's wedding! We are looking forward to the end of June when we will have our Park City PAR-TAY!!!
Thomas is super super busy with Auto and Art work and with MissionShoe. He also has been enjoying his work with the teachers quorum in our ward. I have been accompanying again this semester, a little lighter for the summertime goodness that has become Rexburg. When it's not raining, that is. We had some crazy flooding up here- no one in our ward was flooded out but there was definitely some concern. We are excited to be planting our garden this week! Preparations have begun and we are super stoked.
Thomas had a wonderful birthday (on the 30th, for those of you who were confused by his facebook mischief) and is 26 now for those of us who are counting. ;D
I'm still super obsessed with quilting- I seem to be collecting a vast online stash of bookmarked pages to quilt patterns I'd love to do "someday". I also made my first online fabric purchase (eep!), and I was super pleased with the deals I found. Check out Connecting Threads if you are interested- they have some awesome solids and mirage prints on clearance for $2.96 and under. I love the fabric I got from them, and it shipped way faster than I thought it would! My newest things I want to try: hand quilting a finished quilt, hand quilting (like piecing) and applique. Oh and I should probably get my sewing machine serviced someday.
I have become enamored with the idea of a home birth recently. I stumbled upon a blog a friend posted on facebook, and since then I've been reading lots of "crunchy" birth-type mama blogs and I really REALLY love the idea. I'm not pregnant now- but I just don't know if I could be satisfied with a hospital birth again after having my eyes opened to other options. I guess we will see how I feel when I am pregnant next and follow what feels right for our family. More on this topic (I'm sure) later- I feel like I have a lot to say but I'm not sure I'm ready to share it yet. I'll give it it's own lengthy post sometime. :)
Ethan turned a year old! He is now mostly walking to get around, but he still is faster crawling. He has 6 teeth now- four on top and two on bottom. He loves food, and is learning to feed himself better. He will occasionally use a spoon, but sometimes it gets chucked on the floor. He will eat pretty much whatever as long as he can get big enough bites in his mouth as fast as possible. He loves bread and anything resembling it. He is such a smiley, happy baby! Ethan is such a joy. He is learning more words- so far he can say mama and dada, he makes a sound for "milk" and "more"- kind of just the "mmmm" sound but sometimes he adds a syllable to the end to try and make a word, he makes a sound for "this" and "that" that actually are pretty close. He will "cheese" for the camera and makes a pretty good "cheese" sound too. I'm pretty sure he is the cutest little boy ever. I look at him and sometimes still see him as an infant but I look at how tall he is getting and I realize he is getting to be a toddler! He still loves his thumb and to snuggle when something goes wrong. I read on one of those crunchy mama blogs that one mom had noticed that the growth trend of breastfed babies can be quite different from what the doctor's office charts predict as good growth for babies- they chunk up until 6 months and then they get long and lean. I don't know how true that really is, but I realized that has been the case for both of mine.
Audrey is going to be 3 in September! It's June now, so that's only like... 3 months away?!?! Sheesh I feel weird having a child that old. She still doesn't look that old but she sure acts like it. I remember teaching Sunbeams for a couple years- and I'm starting to notice similarities in the way she acts and the way they acted. Very cool and ... weird. She is potty trained now, except through the night. She will still have accidents, but for the most part she goes on the potty. I expect a longer ride than this because of her independent and headstrong nature- I know there will be bumps in the future. I will write a separate post on the potty journey too, I think. She loves her brother and she loves playing outside. She is a very social girl and loves to play with friends. I took her to the park today and she wanted to play on the tennis courts for the first while because that's where all the kids were! After all that fuss and excitement about playing on the slides! She loves nursery and she has FANTASTIC nursery leaders- I really am continually impressed with how well Audrey learns from them. She comes home knowing more and more primary songs, childrens songs, and about the Gospel. She was eating a snack of peanut butter crackers the other day and she said "mom, this is my spirit" and held up a cracker. Obviously, the whole concept hasn't sunk in yet, but I was impressed that she was talking about it and it gave us a chance to talk about what spirits are.
I wish I could go on and on but my children are awakening from naps and I should try and be a mom for the rest of the day... as much as I want to be a lump. :)
We visited AZ! It was a fun trip, but we were glad to come home. We were so glad to get to visit family- we just missed my step-brother's wedding because of our flight reservations, but we were able to be there when Amanda went through the temple for the first time and we got to go out to dinner with our family. We enjoyed some actually fairly beautiful days there- there were a couple of hot ones too, but actually some nice weather overall. Thomas and I got to go to Sedona overnight to celebrate our 4th anniversary- it was very nice. We took a beautiful hike and went to an awesome little pizza/Italian place called The Hideaway. REALLY good pizza. Like, I want some right now. The kids loved getting to visit grandmas and grandpas. We wish we could have visited my parents a little more, but they were so busy with Brennen's wedding! We are looking forward to the end of June when we will have our Park City PAR-TAY!!!
Thomas is super super busy with Auto and Art work and with MissionShoe. He also has been enjoying his work with the teachers quorum in our ward. I have been accompanying again this semester, a little lighter for the summertime goodness that has become Rexburg. When it's not raining, that is. We had some crazy flooding up here- no one in our ward was flooded out but there was definitely some concern. We are excited to be planting our garden this week! Preparations have begun and we are super stoked.
Thomas had a wonderful birthday (on the 30th, for those of you who were confused by his facebook mischief) and is 26 now for those of us who are counting. ;D
I'm still super obsessed with quilting- I seem to be collecting a vast online stash of bookmarked pages to quilt patterns I'd love to do "someday". I also made my first online fabric purchase (eep!), and I was super pleased with the deals I found. Check out Connecting Threads if you are interested- they have some awesome solids and mirage prints on clearance for $2.96 and under. I love the fabric I got from them, and it shipped way faster than I thought it would! My newest things I want to try: hand quilting a finished quilt, hand quilting (like piecing) and applique. Oh and I should probably get my sewing machine serviced someday.
I have become enamored with the idea of a home birth recently. I stumbled upon a blog a friend posted on facebook, and since then I've been reading lots of "crunchy" birth-type mama blogs and I really REALLY love the idea. I'm not pregnant now- but I just don't know if I could be satisfied with a hospital birth again after having my eyes opened to other options. I guess we will see how I feel when I am pregnant next and follow what feels right for our family. More on this topic (I'm sure) later- I feel like I have a lot to say but I'm not sure I'm ready to share it yet. I'll give it it's own lengthy post sometime. :)
Ethan turned a year old! He is now mostly walking to get around, but he still is faster crawling. He has 6 teeth now- four on top and two on bottom. He loves food, and is learning to feed himself better. He will occasionally use a spoon, but sometimes it gets chucked on the floor. He will eat pretty much whatever as long as he can get big enough bites in his mouth as fast as possible. He loves bread and anything resembling it. He is such a smiley, happy baby! Ethan is such a joy. He is learning more words- so far he can say mama and dada, he makes a sound for "milk" and "more"- kind of just the "mmmm" sound but sometimes he adds a syllable to the end to try and make a word, he makes a sound for "this" and "that" that actually are pretty close. He will "cheese" for the camera and makes a pretty good "cheese" sound too. I'm pretty sure he is the cutest little boy ever. I look at him and sometimes still see him as an infant but I look at how tall he is getting and I realize he is getting to be a toddler! He still loves his thumb and to snuggle when something goes wrong. I read on one of those crunchy mama blogs that one mom had noticed that the growth trend of breastfed babies can be quite different from what the doctor's office charts predict as good growth for babies- they chunk up until 6 months and then they get long and lean. I don't know how true that really is, but I realized that has been the case for both of mine.
Audrey is going to be 3 in September! It's June now, so that's only like... 3 months away?!?! Sheesh I feel weird having a child that old. She still doesn't look that old but she sure acts like it. I remember teaching Sunbeams for a couple years- and I'm starting to notice similarities in the way she acts and the way they acted. Very cool and ... weird. She is potty trained now, except through the night. She will still have accidents, but for the most part she goes on the potty. I expect a longer ride than this because of her independent and headstrong nature- I know there will be bumps in the future. I will write a separate post on the potty journey too, I think. She loves her brother and she loves playing outside. She is a very social girl and loves to play with friends. I took her to the park today and she wanted to play on the tennis courts for the first while because that's where all the kids were! After all that fuss and excitement about playing on the slides! She loves nursery and she has FANTASTIC nursery leaders- I really am continually impressed with how well Audrey learns from them. She comes home knowing more and more primary songs, childrens songs, and about the Gospel. She was eating a snack of peanut butter crackers the other day and she said "mom, this is my spirit" and held up a cracker. Obviously, the whole concept hasn't sunk in yet, but I was impressed that she was talking about it and it gave us a chance to talk about what spirits are.
I wish I could go on and on but my children are awakening from naps and I should try and be a mom for the rest of the day... as much as I want to be a lump. :)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Honey Lime Enchiladas
I made these for dinner tonight- we love this recipe. We also took some to our neighbors... I hope they enjoyed it too! We actually both ate well at dinner tonight, which is probably a first for us for the last few days- we've had the stomach flu here and not felt much like eating. I still can't handle sweet things, which is why there is a box of brownies from my mom sitting next to me and I just can't eat one yet. :) :(. On the plus side, I did lose 3 or 4 pounds from this whole ordeal! Wahoo! It got me past the plateau and excited about exercising and losing the last couple pounds I wanted to get off from Ethan's baby-weight! I got this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe... love that site!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sick Children... but Cute Children
I haven't posted for a while. I blame sickness- I feel like we had a week of good health and then we got sick again. However this time it wasn't the cold-type. Audrey got her first ever stomach bug that made her throw up. She spit up as a baby, and she got carsick once, but this is the first EVER sickness that has made her throw up. I really really really REALLY don't like throw-up. REALLY. Really. Really. Don't. At all. Anyway, so I got to kind of overcome this a little. Audrey kept saying her tummy hurt all day yesterday but she wasn't pooping or puking anything weirdly-like, until about 5. Ethan got it about 5am this morning. So far Ethan has had a little rougher time of it. Poor baby. But he did fall asleep on me in church yesterday.
I made these pancakes again for breakfast this morning. Audrey ate one and a half, which was great. Ethan ate a half, but it didn't stay down. Thomas and I LOVED them with whipped cream on top. Like, better than syrup. If you read this blog, then you know I have a syrup *thing*. This was way better! And WAY better. Oh. Go make some. Now. *sigh*
I also made these again... I seriously love this roll recipe. It is so lovely. And easy. I find the stickier the dough before you roll it out, the softer the roll. I also learned that if I spray the counter and my hands with non-stick spray, then sprinkle flour on the surface it doesn't stick so bad. Also sprinkling a little flour- not too much, or it can make your dough tougher- on top of the dough halves as you spread them into a circle helps a lot too.
Audrey is so cute. We had to watch Finding Nemo twice today- the second time she pulled it out I was like, "No, we already saw that one today" and she puts on her fake cry and hugs it to her and says "Please, Mommy- it's so beautiful" with fake cries in the word b-eau-ti-ful. I couldn't resist!
She had put all these guys to sleep in the windowsill- telling me "SHH!"
These kids won't hold still for a posed picture!
I made these pancakes again for breakfast this morning. Audrey ate one and a half, which was great. Ethan ate a half, but it didn't stay down. Thomas and I LOVED them with whipped cream on top. Like, better than syrup. If you read this blog, then you know I have a syrup *thing*. This was way better! And WAY better. Oh. Go make some. Now. *sigh*
I also made these again... I seriously love this roll recipe. It is so lovely. And easy. I find the stickier the dough before you roll it out, the softer the roll. I also learned that if I spray the counter and my hands with non-stick spray, then sprinkle flour on the surface it doesn't stick so bad. Also sprinkling a little flour- not too much, or it can make your dough tougher- on top of the dough halves as you spread them into a circle helps a lot too.
Audrey is so cute. We had to watch Finding Nemo twice today- the second time she pulled it out I was like, "No, we already saw that one today" and she puts on her fake cry and hugs it to her and says "Please, Mommy- it's so beautiful" with fake cries in the word b-eau-ti-ful. I couldn't resist!
She had put all these guys to sleep in the windowsill- telling me "SHH!"
These kids won't hold still for a posed picture! Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Sweet and Sour Chicken
I made this for dinner tonight. Please, please make this. It is divine. I can't express how much better it is than anything Panda Express- but it's a lot like their Orange Chicken. You could even add a little orange extract to the sauce to make it even more like it. The first time I made it, I couldn't believe such deliciousness came from my kitchen. I love it with freshly steamed broccoli. Link from Mel's Kitchen Cafe here.
PS- my mother (Ellen) is in the hospital. She has been battling a C Diff (I don't know how to spell/pronounce the real name) infection and has been through three rounds of antibiotics and finally went to the ER yesterday because she just couldn't keep anything in her. She is doing better- they are giving her saline to rehydrate her and got an IV of antibiotics in her, as well as some great pain meds and anti-nausea meds. My other mom, Rebecca, is staying with her. She is at Banner Baywood in room 531 if you are in the Mesa area and would like to drop in and visit.
PS- my mother (Ellen) is in the hospital. She has been battling a C Diff (I don't know how to spell/pronounce the real name) infection and has been through three rounds of antibiotics and finally went to the ER yesterday because she just couldn't keep anything in her. She is doing better- they are giving her saline to rehydrate her and got an IV of antibiotics in her, as well as some great pain meds and anti-nausea meds. My other mom, Rebecca, is staying with her. She is at Banner Baywood in room 531 if you are in the Mesa area and would like to drop in and visit.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes (or waffles!)
I made these for breakfast last week. And then I made them again, this week for breakfast, only I made waffles out of them. They were AWESOME. I really love this recipe- it's pretty good for you, as far as pancakes or waffles go. I actually felt good about feeding this to my family. Thomas topped his with yogurt and he said it was really really good. I had a teensy bit of syrup... I really really love syrup. It's a weakness. But I felt better about putting syrup on these rather than my stand-by waffle recipe. only 2 T sugar? and whole wheat flour? :) A note on the waffle-adaptation, they cooked significantly faster than my standard waffles usually do in my waffle iron. The batter is also thicker, so I had to use a little more than I usually do to fill up the waffles. They were great though.
I have no idea where I found this recipe. I did some poking around on a few websites I thought I had gotten it from but I haven't been able to find it. If you recognize it please let me know and I will add a link!
Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 T sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger (I didn't have this, it was fine)
3/4 tsp cinnamon*
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T honey
1 egg
2 cups regular milk
1 cup berries
1 tsp vanilla
Mix dry, then add rest. Top with whipped cream, syrup, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whatever.
*you can leave the spices out and just have plain honey whole wheat pancakes.
I have no idea where I found this recipe. I did some poking around on a few websites I thought I had gotten it from but I haven't been able to find it. If you recognize it please let me know and I will add a link!
Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 T sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger (I didn't have this, it was fine)
3/4 tsp cinnamon*
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T honey
1 egg
2 cups regular milk
1 cup berries
1 tsp vanilla
Mix dry, then add rest. Top with whipped cream, syrup, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whatever.
*you can leave the spices out and just have plain honey whole wheat pancakes.
Black Bean Soup... again
Oh my goodness! I made this again last night... and it was SO amazing. I liked it the first time, but this time it was absolutely wonderful. WOW. PLEASE go make it. I only use 1/2 tsp salt because she calls for kosher salt and all I have is table salt. I love it with a sprinkling of cheese and tortilla chips. But you could do lime wedges, sour cream, cilantro, fresh bread and butter, whatever. It is SO good. Even my Audrey loved it- she had three bowls with tortilla chips and she loved it. MAKE IT!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sick Babies
My babies are sick. :( I hate when my babies are sick. I took Audrey to school with me last week and she caught a cold. Just those two times on campus! Poor dear. She is starting to feel better today- on day 5 but she still has a wicked cough. At least her nose isn't running off her face like yesterday because her eyes wouldn't stop watering. And at least she feels better that she can run around kind of like normal- but her temper is still WAY short and she tires easily. But now poor Ethan is sick too- he got it and he is struggling. He has such a sad-sounding cry because he is all hoarse. :( My poor baby.
I sang in church on Sunday- and when I was finished, Audrey (who was standing in the aisle next to Daddy) started to clap and said "Yay, Mommy! That was such a good song! All right!" and she ran up and met me to hold my hand as I walked down from the stand. SO cute. Everyone thought she was so adorable.
Ethan now has both top two and bottom two teeth, and he stood up on his own for a few seconds today. I mean, Thomas has been "training" him by letting go for a few seconds until he falls over, but I was sitting on the floor and Ethan was playing around me, and he crawled over and used my legs to get his feet under him and he just stood up straight and looked at me like "look what I just did. I'm so smart." and then he sat down. It was so cute. He is very mobile and crawls all over- but he much prefers cruising to walking. He will cruise along anything, even just the wall with nothing to hold onto. He is definitely a chubby boy by Scott standards (compared to Audrey at his age- I guess it's not hard to be!) and we just love his happy nature. When he isn't sick that is. He's been a sad boy the last few days.
Audrey finally let us watch Beauty and the Beast! I LOVE that movie- I wish I could have seen all of it this time around- I had to go VT-ing.
I finally fixed my hole-y jeans! I am so excited to have them non- holey! I was inspired when my Aunt Susan posted this link about how to do it! Here are a few pictures from my experience.
I sang in church on Sunday- and when I was finished, Audrey (who was standing in the aisle next to Daddy) started to clap and said "Yay, Mommy! That was such a good song! All right!" and she ran up and met me to hold my hand as I walked down from the stand. SO cute. Everyone thought she was so adorable.
Ethan now has both top two and bottom two teeth, and he stood up on his own for a few seconds today. I mean, Thomas has been "training" him by letting go for a few seconds until he falls over, but I was sitting on the floor and Ethan was playing around me, and he crawled over and used my legs to get his feet under him and he just stood up straight and looked at me like "look what I just did. I'm so smart." and then he sat down. It was so cute. He is very mobile and crawls all over- but he much prefers cruising to walking. He will cruise along anything, even just the wall with nothing to hold onto. He is definitely a chubby boy by Scott standards (compared to Audrey at his age- I guess it's not hard to be!) and we just love his happy nature. When he isn't sick that is. He's been a sad boy the last few days.
Audrey finally let us watch Beauty and the Beast! I LOVE that movie- I wish I could have seen all of it this time around- I had to go VT-ing.
I finally fixed my hole-y jeans! I am so excited to have them non- holey! I was inspired when my Aunt Susan posted this link about how to do it! Here are a few pictures from my experience.
Cheesy Skillet Chicken and Rice with Green Beans
This was surprisingly REALLY REALLY good. I mean, I expected it to be good as in decent to eat, but it was really very very good. Everyone in our family (including Ethan) loved it. It's also very simple- just chicken, rice, green beans, s&p, chicken broth and stuff. I got the recipe here from Mel's Kitchen Cafe- I love her recipes!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Fish Sticks and Oven Steak Fries
This is what we ate for dinner tonight! It was so yummy served with a side of fruit. Audrey mostly ate the fruit.
I took a few tilapia fillets and cut them into strips about an inch wide, dredged them in flour, then in egg, then in a bread crumb seasoning. I used lemon pepper, homemade bread crumbs and a little garlic powder for mine.
The oven fries recipe I got from Our Best Bites here. I used Yukons instead of Russets because that's what I had and they were DELECTABLE. I would make them again times a million! Except the seasonings were WAY WAY WAY too salty. I halved the garlic salt that she asked for and it was STILL too salty. I would probably use a 1/2 teaspoon next time instead of the 1 I used this time. We were wiping the seasonings off on our napkins because we just couldn't eat them that salty but they were so dang good.
We discovered today that Audrey LOVES to watercolor paint. She spent over a half hour painting with Becky Allen who comes once a month to do Parents as Teachers visits. I think we better get us some watercolors! Ethan loves to cruise and loves that he can come find me in the other room if I walk away. I need to upload more pictures from my camera so I can share the cuteness of my children. :) Thomas got a calling... but I'm not allowed to share until he is sustained next Sunday... :D I am calling-less still, except for visiting teaching- which I feel like is kind of a big deal because they gave us three sisters, among which are the RS president and the Stake President's wife. :o
Thomas and I are going to watch a movie... let you know if it's any good!
I took a few tilapia fillets and cut them into strips about an inch wide, dredged them in flour, then in egg, then in a bread crumb seasoning. I used lemon pepper, homemade bread crumbs and a little garlic powder for mine.
The oven fries recipe I got from Our Best Bites here. I used Yukons instead of Russets because that's what I had and they were DELECTABLE. I would make them again times a million! Except the seasonings were WAY WAY WAY too salty. I halved the garlic salt that she asked for and it was STILL too salty. I would probably use a 1/2 teaspoon next time instead of the 1 I used this time. We were wiping the seasonings off on our napkins because we just couldn't eat them that salty but they were so dang good.
We discovered today that Audrey LOVES to watercolor paint. She spent over a half hour painting with Becky Allen who comes once a month to do Parents as Teachers visits. I think we better get us some watercolors! Ethan loves to cruise and loves that he can come find me in the other room if I walk away. I need to upload more pictures from my camera so I can share the cuteness of my children. :) Thomas got a calling... but I'm not allowed to share until he is sustained next Sunday... :D I am calling-less still, except for visiting teaching- which I feel like is kind of a big deal because they gave us three sisters, among which are the RS president and the Stake President's wife. :o
Thomas and I are going to watch a movie... let you know if it's any good!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Quick Catch-up
I haven't blogged for a few days- I've been working on TAXES. :) I finished all of my parts and I'm just waiting for Thomas to do his parts... or to give me all his papers so I can do his parts... which is probably what will end up happening. Anyway. that's my excuse for not posting lately!
We have been having a GREAT time and enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather that SPRING is sending us! Some rain, some sunshine, LOTS of wind (duh- it's Rexburg after all) and beautiful temperatures!
We have had some great meals lately! I learned on a post by another blog that I follow that it would be nicer for the folks whose recipes I am using if I don't re-post the recipe here, rather have my readers click through to the original blog where the recipe was originally posted! This allows those bloggers who make a living off of blogging to continue to do so, and everyone is happier. The blogger that posted this actually had another large blog steal a recipe from her and try to almost discredit her by copying it word for word and giving her a very fine print credit. I don't want to steal anything from anyone! I just want to share these delicious recipes with you all! So I won't be posting the entire recipes I get from other blogs anymore- just the links and my comments or any adaptations I chose to make. Thank you, Kristan!
Tonight we had homemade biscuits and this Creamy Corn Chowder from Our Best Bites. OH I really loved it. It was different than I thought it would be- but it was WONDERFUL. I followed the recipe pretty exactly, only I didn't add any extra salt (I felt the bacon was plenty salty for the soup), and I needed to simmer the potatoes a bit longer than 20 min, maybe 25 or so. I highly recommend you try this soup! YUM!
We had black bean burgers again the other night- still delicious and we had the McKennas over. They have a little girl several months older than Audrey and so they got to play while we got to know each other a little better! This also prompted Audrey to want to use the potty, since Jamie is potty-trained. We put her in big girl panties the next day and it went... ok. No action on the potty. She wore them for half the day and had a few accidents, and then I put a diaper on her for naptime (I'm not that brave yet!) and she didn't want to put her big-girl panties on after that. Today she didn't want to either. I think she needs a little more time to decide she is ready and willing to potty train. I'm ok with that- there is no sense in frustrating everybody more by trying to force it on her.
I am thinking about going public again... I have the feeling that people don't remember to read this since it is private. I actually don't think anyone reads it much anymore! At least I am able to document some small part of our lives and feel good about expressing myself in some form other than speech. I find writing things down/journal keeping very healthy for me and I really enjoy it. Unfortunately I don't have OneNote on this machine yet and I can type way faster than I can handwrite... so at least a piece of this part of our lives is getting recorded in the vast storage of the internet... :)
We have been having a GREAT time and enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather that SPRING is sending us! Some rain, some sunshine, LOTS of wind (duh- it's Rexburg after all) and beautiful temperatures!
We have had some great meals lately! I learned on a post by another blog that I follow that it would be nicer for the folks whose recipes I am using if I don't re-post the recipe here, rather have my readers click through to the original blog where the recipe was originally posted! This allows those bloggers who make a living off of blogging to continue to do so, and everyone is happier. The blogger that posted this actually had another large blog steal a recipe from her and try to almost discredit her by copying it word for word and giving her a very fine print credit. I don't want to steal anything from anyone! I just want to share these delicious recipes with you all! So I won't be posting the entire recipes I get from other blogs anymore- just the links and my comments or any adaptations I chose to make. Thank you, Kristan!
Tonight we had homemade biscuits and this Creamy Corn Chowder from Our Best Bites. OH I really loved it. It was different than I thought it would be- but it was WONDERFUL. I followed the recipe pretty exactly, only I didn't add any extra salt (I felt the bacon was plenty salty for the soup), and I needed to simmer the potatoes a bit longer than 20 min, maybe 25 or so. I highly recommend you try this soup! YUM!
We had black bean burgers again the other night- still delicious and we had the McKennas over. They have a little girl several months older than Audrey and so they got to play while we got to know each other a little better! This also prompted Audrey to want to use the potty, since Jamie is potty-trained. We put her in big girl panties the next day and it went... ok. No action on the potty. She wore them for half the day and had a few accidents, and then I put a diaper on her for naptime (I'm not that brave yet!) and she didn't want to put her big-girl panties on after that. Today she didn't want to either. I think she needs a little more time to decide she is ready and willing to potty train. I'm ok with that- there is no sense in frustrating everybody more by trying to force it on her.
I am thinking about going public again... I have the feeling that people don't remember to read this since it is private. I actually don't think anyone reads it much anymore! At least I am able to document some small part of our lives and feel good about expressing myself in some form other than speech. I find writing things down/journal keeping very healthy for me and I really enjoy it. Unfortunately I don't have OneNote on this machine yet and I can type way faster than I can handwrite... so at least a piece of this part of our lives is getting recorded in the vast storage of the internet... :)
Monday, March 7, 2011
Cute-isms
I realized a couple more cute things I forgot to write about. Audrey told me two or three times today- "I don't want to be killed!" I was shocked and I didn't know where she had heard it! The second time she said it I asked her "Who said that? Who's going to be killed?" She said "Audrey!" I asked again who had said that to her, and she said "Spongebob Squarepants!" Hmmm... seems those Spongebob cartoons with Daddy are teaching her... interesting things...
Ethan learned to clap on Sunday (incidentally his 10-month mark)- he was so pleased with himself! He had seen us clapping for him when he did something good, and I guess he figured it out. He did it the first time and his little face broke out in a broad grin and he laughed- and then he did it over and over. He would concentrate and clap his hands together and then look up at us for approval and then laugh and smile. It was so cute.
I forget that then next step after crawling is climbing- it's just like crawling only upwards. Ethan has immediately started wanting to climb and pull himself up on everything, especially the TV stand and the DVD case, which Audrey knows are off-limits. She is so good, she knows the rules and wants to help Ethan keep the rules and so she will see him doing something and run over and shout "NO, No no no no Ethan!" and pull him away. I'm trying to teach her to distract him and quietly divert him from what he is doing instead of yelling and scaring him- he cries almost every time she does it.
I have wonderful children. I Love them to pieces.
Ethan learned to clap on Sunday (incidentally his 10-month mark)- he was so pleased with himself! He had seen us clapping for him when he did something good, and I guess he figured it out. He did it the first time and his little face broke out in a broad grin and he laughed- and then he did it over and over. He would concentrate and clap his hands together and then look up at us for approval and then laugh and smile. It was so cute.
I forget that then next step after crawling is climbing- it's just like crawling only upwards. Ethan has immediately started wanting to climb and pull himself up on everything, especially the TV stand and the DVD case, which Audrey knows are off-limits. She is so good, she knows the rules and wants to help Ethan keep the rules and so she will see him doing something and run over and shout "NO, No no no no Ethan!" and pull him away. I'm trying to teach her to distract him and quietly divert him from what he is doing instead of yelling and scaring him- he cries almost every time she does it.
I have wonderful children. I Love them to pieces.
My Darling Daughter
Tonight, after we put Ethan to bed, Audrey stayed up for a little bit and played. They are getting more and more competitive for our attention as they are both getting older. They each really enjoy one-on-one time with us. So tonight, we had already put all the toys away, and then she fell off the couch and hit her head and got sad and only wanted Daddy who was doing dishes (MY HERO), so he gave her a spatula out of the drawer and a bowl to play with. She decided to make me some waffles. After he finished up, we sat on the floor and talked about schedule stuff for the week since Thomas has some shoes coming into Salt Lake this week he has to go pick up. While we sat and talked, Audrey decided she would make us both food! We "feasted" upon waffles, fruit, chocolate, soup with little trees in it, ice cream, milk, juice, and water. She was a very good little cook and waitress- she would stir the spatula around in the bowl and tell us what she was making, ask us how much we wanted, and then would bring us the bowl and say "Use your spatula!" like we always ask her to use her fork. Then she would go and stand over by the side of the room and wait for us to finish and then make us more. It was ADORABLE. She was so SO unbelievably cute. Which was a nice ending to kind of a rough day- both kids kind of leaned on our patience today. Maybe they are getting sick too- no fevers or runny noses or anything, just tempers on the grumpy side today. We were glad that we got to kind of split the day- I had lessons to play for in the afternoon so I had them in the morning and I was so DONE by naptime, they were both driving me crazy. I left during naptime, and by the time I got home for dinner Thomas was done with the craziness too. It's nice to leave the kids for a few hours with him- it makes me appreciate the parent he is to them and the role he plays in their lives. It also makes me love my family more. I see parents with other young kids on campus and it makes me miss my babies. :) I enjoy getting out of the house a few hours here and there to do something creative that I LOVE. I have so much to be thankful for!
I didn't take a picture of her cooking for us tonight, because I was just so enjoying soaking it all in, but here is another creative endeavour for you:
This is her Woody doll- she had me make him a table and chairs out of Legos, and then she set a place for him (you can see a cheerio on his "plate") and gave him her bib to use. SO CUTE!
I didn't take a picture of her cooking for us tonight, because I was just so enjoying soaking it all in, but here is another creative endeavour for you:
This is her Woody doll- she had me make him a table and chairs out of Legos, and then she set a place for him (you can see a cheerio on his "plate") and gave him her bib to use. SO CUTE!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Thoughts From the Sickbed
I am home sick from church today... again... but kind of different. I had a sinus infection, and I felt like I was getting better by about day 8 or 9, but then on day 10 (Saturday) I started getting a cough and then I lost my voice by the end of the day and my throat is all sore and stuff. I can tell that whatever was in my sinuses is draining out ok, but I'm worried it might be getting into my lungs. Oh well. Rest, liquids (hot chocolate is good for being sick, right?) and Robitussin. Blech. Actually I guess it's Wal-tussin cuz we're cheap like that. Oh but I do count myself grateful that I can actually TAKE the GOOD stuff for this sickness- having so many sinus infections while pregnant with Ethan makes me very grateful to not be pregnant so I can take good drugs. :)
I have the most adorable family. I have been trying really hard since Sister Beck spoke to us to do more of the things I felt really impressed about. I have learned some great things. First, I find myself remembering that my children are so, SO precious and it helps me to be calmer and to speak softer to them. I also have found that in speaking softer (kinder, nicer, quieter, more lovingly) to my children, they listen better and are happier. Audrey is definitely deep in the "terrible twos" and we are working through that- I recognize it is just a stage of growth, just like learning to walk, she is learning to be her own person and it is hard for her too. Like many parents of toddlers, we have difficulties getting Audrey to mind us well. I have found that as I speak softly to her, and word things more kindly when something is a smaller issue, she is more receptive to when I speak loudly, when something could hurt her or Ethan. This is amazing to me- I realize as I look back on my week that things went VERY well. I didn't find myself stressed to the max at the end of every day. It was not stress-free, but life isn't stress-free and I realized that it was just lovely to have more peace in my heart and in our home. I marvel that just a small thing can make such a difference.
I've also been learning to better choose my battles with Audrey. There are things that are hard rules (safety, learning to choose right and wrong, etc) in our house, but some things that I would ordinarily get irritated over I have been learning to deal with them differently. Even things that are against the rules, just in changing the way I react to things helps our day run smoother. I also feel that Audrey senses that change in our days and she is happier and more helpful. I love that girl. She is my joy. Well, part of it. I have many joys. :)
Ethan is also my joy- such a happy, happy boy. He loves attention and I feel bad he hasn't gotten as much of it lately as I've liked. I've been sick and it's hard to muster the energy I want to devote to playing with him. Audrey is a little easier because she can come to me as I'm laying on the couch and we can play Woody and Buzz (I'm always Woody, she's always Buzz). Now that Ethan is mobile, he is starting to learn that he can come find me. It was so cute to be cleaning the old house yesterday and walk in the other room to clean the windows, and after a few minutes I see Ethan's little face poke through the door behind me, and his face lights up and he grins as he sees that he's found me! What a cutie.
Thomas is my joy too. I love that man! I am so amazed at how hard he works, without being asked, at anything he puts his mind to. He gives so much for our family- works so hard at providing and caring for our home (and our old home too). I know he feels the stress of us depending on him and bills to pay and schedules to manage and countless other things... but I love him for it. I know Audrey and Ethan do too, even if they don't understand it yet. I really am enjoying that Thomas works from home, and Audrey can open our bedroom door and run it to give Daddy a hug before she takes her nap every day. I love that he prays with us every night before Audrey goes to bed. They had so much fun playing yesterday. I am so grateful that our children have a mother AND a father to love and care for them- as Audrey gets bigger I am realizing even more that this is so important. We love our children in different ways, because we are different genders and have different roles but also just because we are different people.
Audrey has gotten more and more curious about what I do in the kitchen when I am cooking. She likes to grab a stool or a chair and peek up onto the counter to see what I am doing. I wonder if it is helping her learn to try more foods when she sees me preparing it. She asks me questions about what it is I am doing, what she sees, when she can eat it... she has gotten very excited for dinnertime lately. She also will quote Emperor's New Groove- "its DINNERTIME!" and then she quotes the whole conversation between Yzma and Kronk about the dinner and the poison. She is so precious! Thomas has some great pictures I got to see last night from when we decorated sugar cookies for Valentines Day- Audrey helping me roll out the dough and cutting the shapes out, and frosting them. So cute. I will have to steal some and put them up here.
I've been doing more indexing through FamilySearch since I've been sick. I have such a hard time doing NOTHING when I am sick. I have a whole kitchen full of dirty dishes and floors that need mopping and I don't have the energy to do it! Even today- I had time to myself so I decided to relax and take a bath but I just had to scrub out the tub first cuz I just can't quit! So I like finding things I can do with my hands that don't require standing or lots of physical work. I picked up my cross-stitch again. I started it years and years ago when I was probably in Young Women's, but I only did a teensy bit. When I was pregnant with Audrey I picked it up and worked on it, and then whenever I'd get sick or anything I'd pick i up, and when I was pregnant with Ethan I did some more. So I pulled it out and I'm pretty close to finishing. I have no idea what I will do with it. But I enjoy doing it for some reason. Indexing is another thing I discovered that I really like doing, but I don't have a lot of time to sit and type ordinarily. If you've never tried it, you should- you don't have to be LDS to do it. Go here and set up an account and then download the software, and you should be good to go! I enjoy it because I really feel I'm doing something worthwhile with my time even when I can't be up and around doing housework. I feel a connection to these names I write and the way they lived. I was doing a batch last night from the 1930 New York Census and I came across a family whose house was worth $75,000. I looked it up and figured out that in today's money, their house would have been worth the equivalent of almost a million dollars! Another family rented a house and they paid $28 a month in rent, which is like renting a house in today's money for about $350. I just really enjoy the history around it, and knowing I'm helping others to find their family's history. These were real people- perhaps Gladys from Romania with a two-year-old boy named Seth had some of the same concerns in raising her son as I do raising Audrey.
I have the most adorable family. I have been trying really hard since Sister Beck spoke to us to do more of the things I felt really impressed about. I have learned some great things. First, I find myself remembering that my children are so, SO precious and it helps me to be calmer and to speak softer to them. I also have found that in speaking softer (kinder, nicer, quieter, more lovingly) to my children, they listen better and are happier. Audrey is definitely deep in the "terrible twos" and we are working through that- I recognize it is just a stage of growth, just like learning to walk, she is learning to be her own person and it is hard for her too. Like many parents of toddlers, we have difficulties getting Audrey to mind us well. I have found that as I speak softly to her, and word things more kindly when something is a smaller issue, she is more receptive to when I speak loudly, when something could hurt her or Ethan. This is amazing to me- I realize as I look back on my week that things went VERY well. I didn't find myself stressed to the max at the end of every day. It was not stress-free, but life isn't stress-free and I realized that it was just lovely to have more peace in my heart and in our home. I marvel that just a small thing can make such a difference.
I've also been learning to better choose my battles with Audrey. There are things that are hard rules (safety, learning to choose right and wrong, etc) in our house, but some things that I would ordinarily get irritated over I have been learning to deal with them differently. Even things that are against the rules, just in changing the way I react to things helps our day run smoother. I also feel that Audrey senses that change in our days and she is happier and more helpful. I love that girl. She is my joy. Well, part of it. I have many joys. :)
Ethan is also my joy- such a happy, happy boy. He loves attention and I feel bad he hasn't gotten as much of it lately as I've liked. I've been sick and it's hard to muster the energy I want to devote to playing with him. Audrey is a little easier because she can come to me as I'm laying on the couch and we can play Woody and Buzz (I'm always Woody, she's always Buzz). Now that Ethan is mobile, he is starting to learn that he can come find me. It was so cute to be cleaning the old house yesterday and walk in the other room to clean the windows, and after a few minutes I see Ethan's little face poke through the door behind me, and his face lights up and he grins as he sees that he's found me! What a cutie.
Thomas is my joy too. I love that man! I am so amazed at how hard he works, without being asked, at anything he puts his mind to. He gives so much for our family- works so hard at providing and caring for our home (and our old home too). I know he feels the stress of us depending on him and bills to pay and schedules to manage and countless other things... but I love him for it. I know Audrey and Ethan do too, even if they don't understand it yet. I really am enjoying that Thomas works from home, and Audrey can open our bedroom door and run it to give Daddy a hug before she takes her nap every day. I love that he prays with us every night before Audrey goes to bed. They had so much fun playing yesterday. I am so grateful that our children have a mother AND a father to love and care for them- as Audrey gets bigger I am realizing even more that this is so important. We love our children in different ways, because we are different genders and have different roles but also just because we are different people.
Audrey has gotten more and more curious about what I do in the kitchen when I am cooking. She likes to grab a stool or a chair and peek up onto the counter to see what I am doing. I wonder if it is helping her learn to try more foods when she sees me preparing it. She asks me questions about what it is I am doing, what she sees, when she can eat it... she has gotten very excited for dinnertime lately. She also will quote Emperor's New Groove- "its DINNERTIME!" and then she quotes the whole conversation between Yzma and Kronk about the dinner and the poison. She is so precious! Thomas has some great pictures I got to see last night from when we decorated sugar cookies for Valentines Day- Audrey helping me roll out the dough and cutting the shapes out, and frosting them. So cute. I will have to steal some and put them up here.
I've been doing more indexing through FamilySearch since I've been sick. I have such a hard time doing NOTHING when I am sick. I have a whole kitchen full of dirty dishes and floors that need mopping and I don't have the energy to do it! Even today- I had time to myself so I decided to relax and take a bath but I just had to scrub out the tub first cuz I just can't quit! So I like finding things I can do with my hands that don't require standing or lots of physical work. I picked up my cross-stitch again. I started it years and years ago when I was probably in Young Women's, but I only did a teensy bit. When I was pregnant with Audrey I picked it up and worked on it, and then whenever I'd get sick or anything I'd pick i up, and when I was pregnant with Ethan I did some more. So I pulled it out and I'm pretty close to finishing. I have no idea what I will do with it. But I enjoy doing it for some reason. Indexing is another thing I discovered that I really like doing, but I don't have a lot of time to sit and type ordinarily. If you've never tried it, you should- you don't have to be LDS to do it. Go here and set up an account and then download the software, and you should be good to go! I enjoy it because I really feel I'm doing something worthwhile with my time even when I can't be up and around doing housework. I feel a connection to these names I write and the way they lived. I was doing a batch last night from the 1930 New York Census and I came across a family whose house was worth $75,000. I looked it up and figured out that in today's money, their house would have been worth the equivalent of almost a million dollars! Another family rented a house and they paid $28 a month in rent, which is like renting a house in today's money for about $350. I just really enjoy the history around it, and knowing I'm helping others to find their family's history. These were real people- perhaps Gladys from Romania with a two-year-old boy named Seth had some of the same concerns in raising her son as I do raising Audrey.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls
Oh my. These were quite good. Quite good indeed. I may or may not love these. They taste SO much like an appetizer that Red Lobster used to serve that was my mom's and my favorite there- Fiesta Lobster Rolls although I think they renamed them to Southwestern something. Anyway, I really really liked these. Thomas liked them too. We ate a bunch and still have a bunch... hooray!
Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls (mels kitchen cafe)
a good tutorial on working with oeppers here)
This would make a really great appetizer if you did mini ones, but it made a wonderful and filling dinner for us (and probably a couple of lunches too- it made quite a lot). This was also a fun recipe because it had a couple of new ingredients for me. SOOO good. Please try it.
We finished cleaning out the house today- it's now ready to be sold! So if you know anyone who needs a place to live... send them our way! You can also check out our house blog, which Thomas is working on as we speak. Or, as I type. yeah. It was kind of... neat to be cleaning. Thomas was running around getting the last bits of our things out of the house/shed/porch and taking care of putting up signs and things, and Audrey played outside. Ethan ate bits of string off the floor and was adorable and a little whiney while I cleaned the whole house. I was a little nostalgic as I cleaned and thought of good times we had there- this is where both our children were newborns. This is a house Audrey remembers. (the other day I was putting her down for her nap and she said- "This is our NEW house! We have a new HOUSE! Where is the old one?" I explained to her it was still where it always was, we just moved away from it. We were going to clean it up so someone else can live in it and have it be their house. She said "Yeah. Daddy and Ethan!" I said, no we wanted Daddy and Ethan to live with us, because we want to be a family forever. She thought that sounded fine. she is so sweet.) Where was I? OH yes, Australia. I mean, I was reminiscing. Our Mill Hollow house was good to us. I very much enjoyed living there, but I am very glad to be moving on in life. It was not meant to be a permanent living space for us. But I do kind of miss it. As I wiped fingerprints off the window, I remembered when Audrey first learned she could climb on the couch to reach the window. She spent many hours perched in that window, playing with toys or watching snow fall outside. It was nice to feel a little sentimental about that house- I hadn't really yet. I am very glad that it is DONE DONE. For the most part. Thomas may go and try and catch a sunny day so he can paint the window trims and eaves a bit- they didn't get done before the big snows hit in the fall. But he took pictures and it actually looks really nice once it's clean... Someday my house will be clean when I actually LIVE in it. It did give me some satisfaction to know that the kitchen is CLEAN and it is STILL clean 8 hours later... even if we don't live there anymore. :)
Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls (mels kitchen cafe)
a good tutorial on working with oeppers here)
This would make a really great appetizer if you did mini ones, but it made a wonderful and filling dinner for us (and probably a couple of lunches too- it made quite a lot). This was also a fun recipe because it had a couple of new ingredients for me. SOOO good. Please try it.
We finished cleaning out the house today- it's now ready to be sold! So if you know anyone who needs a place to live... send them our way! You can also check out our house blog, which Thomas is working on as we speak. Or, as I type. yeah. It was kind of... neat to be cleaning. Thomas was running around getting the last bits of our things out of the house/shed/porch and taking care of putting up signs and things, and Audrey played outside. Ethan ate bits of string off the floor and was adorable and a little whiney while I cleaned the whole house. I was a little nostalgic as I cleaned and thought of good times we had there- this is where both our children were newborns. This is a house Audrey remembers. (the other day I was putting her down for her nap and she said- "This is our NEW house! We have a new HOUSE! Where is the old one?" I explained to her it was still where it always was, we just moved away from it. We were going to clean it up so someone else can live in it and have it be their house. She said "Yeah. Daddy and Ethan!" I said, no we wanted Daddy and Ethan to live with us, because we want to be a family forever. She thought that sounded fine. she is so sweet.) Where was I? OH yes, Australia. I mean, I was reminiscing. Our Mill Hollow house was good to us. I very much enjoyed living there, but I am very glad to be moving on in life. It was not meant to be a permanent living space for us. But I do kind of miss it. As I wiped fingerprints off the window, I remembered when Audrey first learned she could climb on the couch to reach the window. She spent many hours perched in that window, playing with toys or watching snow fall outside. It was nice to feel a little sentimental about that house- I hadn't really yet. I am very glad that it is DONE DONE. For the most part. Thomas may go and try and catch a sunny day so he can paint the window trims and eaves a bit- they didn't get done before the big snows hit in the fall. But he took pictures and it actually looks really nice once it's clean... Someday my house will be clean when I actually LIVE in it. It did give me some satisfaction to know that the kitchen is CLEAN and it is STILL clean 8 hours later... even if we don't live there anymore. :)
Crispy Coconut Chicken and Hawaiian Rice
This is what we had for dinner last night- it's a favorite over here.
Crispy Coconut Chicken (our best bites)
Hawaiian Rice (when I serve this with the coconut chicken, I just leave out the chicken)
3/4 cup cooked, diced chicken
2 cups cooked, COLD rice
2 green onions, diced
1/4 cup carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
1 egg (NOT beaten, just crack it into the pan)
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil
pepper
Heat vegetable oil in skillet or wok. Add chicken, rice, onions, carrots, soy sauce, sesame oil and stir fry til hot Add egg (again, it works better if you just crack it into the pan), stir while cooking. Add pepper to taste. Add pineapple and serve with soy sauce.
Crispy Coconut Chicken (our best bites)
Hawaiian Rice (when I serve this with the coconut chicken, I just leave out the chicken)
3/4 cup cooked, diced chicken
2 cups cooked, COLD rice
2 green onions, diced
1/4 cup carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
1 egg (NOT beaten, just crack it into the pan)
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil
pepper
Heat vegetable oil in skillet or wok. Add chicken, rice, onions, carrots, soy sauce, sesame oil and stir fry til hot Add egg (again, it works better if you just crack it into the pan), stir while cooking. Add pepper to taste. Add pineapple and serve with soy sauce.
Almost 10 months and...
Officially crawling!!! Yesterday was the first day I could officially say, yeah, that kid knows how to crawl. He took 2 days to figure things out, and then he was off and crawling like he'd done it his whole life. What a big boy!
Happy 10 months tomorrow, buddy!
Happy 10 months tomorrow, buddy!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Black Bean Soup
Since I had leftover black beans from making those burgers the other night, I thought I'd give this a try. It wasn't bad- when I was making it I was a little unsure of whether it would turn out, but we liked it. I LOVED it as more of a bean dip for tortilla chips. I think it would be a great party dip. It was a nice change from our normal beans-and-bread food storage standby. I like finding new ways to eat beans that don't always taste like beans!
Black Bean Soup (Our Best Bites)
Ethan crawls- Officially! Sometimes he crawls up on his feet, like bear style (if thats how you describe that?) which is way cute. He is WAY happy that he is figuring out how to move about. Audrey makes this growly sound whenever she gets angry now. I think I taught it to her- we were talking about different feelings, and she had the little popsicle sticks with happy face, sad face, scared face, and angry face and we talked about each one. Sad was easy for her to understand, and scared was easy, and happy she seemed to understand fine. Angry was a little harder, so I made a growly sound to kind of explain it to her. I just figured out today that is probably why she has started doing that. It's interesting though- we haven't played with those since we moved, like a month ago. Maybe she got it from something else. Either way she is beautiful and adorable and I just love my children more and more every day. They are AMAZING! Thomas is getting better at his uke- he loves to play and learn new songs. I am preparing for a student's senior recital a week from Saturday... it should be good. Things are coming together nicely.
Black Bean Soup (Our Best Bites)
Ethan crawls- Officially! Sometimes he crawls up on his feet, like bear style (if thats how you describe that?) which is way cute. He is WAY happy that he is figuring out how to move about. Audrey makes this growly sound whenever she gets angry now. I think I taught it to her- we were talking about different feelings, and she had the little popsicle sticks with happy face, sad face, scared face, and angry face and we talked about each one. Sad was easy for her to understand, and scared was easy, and happy she seemed to understand fine. Angry was a little harder, so I made a growly sound to kind of explain it to her. I just figured out today that is probably why she has started doing that. It's interesting though- we haven't played with those since we moved, like a month ago. Maybe she got it from something else. Either way she is beautiful and adorable and I just love my children more and more every day. They are AMAZING! Thomas is getting better at his uke- he loves to play and learn new songs. I am preparing for a student's senior recital a week from Saturday... it should be good. Things are coming together nicely.
Berry Cream Muffins
I made these this morning. This is one of my favorite muffin recipes- you can use whatever berry you like. I usually use raspberries cuz we had tons of bushes at our old house. This house doesn't have any... yet. Perhaps in a few summers we will have some to speak of. I got this recipe from the Taste of Home Cookbook, but I've tweaked it. This is 1 1/2 times the recipe originally in the ToH book, because I hate ending up with an odd number of muffins, like 15 or 16 or 17. It's a pain to fill all the rest of those muffin cups with water. I'm already mixing up the batter- might as well make a few more while I'm at it. This way you end up with an even two dozen if you fill them 2/3 full. Plus my daughter just inhales these. She had 2 1/2 for a SNACK today. Like a half hour AFTER she ate 2 1/2 bowls of Life cereal for breakfast.
Berry Cream Muffins (adapted from the Taste of Home Cookbook)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar (I only used one, and it was ok. I kind of liked the tang of the raspberries against the sweet streusel I throw on top)
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, whatever)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sour cream (yogurt or milk work well, you just end up with different textures depending on what you use. I've had good luck with 1/2 raspberry yogurt and 1/2 sour cream.)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I subbed applesauce this time, and I liked it, but I didn't love it. I might do half and half next time. I miss the fluffiness of the oil ones- the applesauce is nice when you want a gooey/chewy texture, like in an oatmeal raisin cookie... mmmm....)
3/4 tsp vanilla
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add berries ant toss gently til coated. In another bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla, mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. (I actually do this the other way around- I like adding the dry to the wet, instead of wet to dry. I think you stir less this way. But that's just me.) Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with streusel topping (recipe at end) if desired. Bake at 400* for 18-22 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 min in pan before removing to wire rack (I just use a kitchen towel. Good trick for getting these out, since you can't overturn the muffin tin, find a bendy-type plastic spoon- the bowl will flex easily- and use it in place of running a knife around the sides of each muffin. Works wonderfully! And no scratches on my muffin pans.)
Streusel topping:
6 T (1/4 cup plus 2 T) all-purpose flour
6 T quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 T butter
Combine dry. Cut butter into mixture until resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Berry Cream Muffins (adapted from the Taste of Home Cookbook)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar (I only used one, and it was ok. I kind of liked the tang of the raspberries against the sweet streusel I throw on top)
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, whatever)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sour cream (yogurt or milk work well, you just end up with different textures depending on what you use. I've had good luck with 1/2 raspberry yogurt and 1/2 sour cream.)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I subbed applesauce this time, and I liked it, but I didn't love it. I might do half and half next time. I miss the fluffiness of the oil ones- the applesauce is nice when you want a gooey/chewy texture, like in an oatmeal raisin cookie... mmmm....)
3/4 tsp vanilla
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add berries ant toss gently til coated. In another bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla, mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. (I actually do this the other way around- I like adding the dry to the wet, instead of wet to dry. I think you stir less this way. But that's just me.) Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with streusel topping (recipe at end) if desired. Bake at 400* for 18-22 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 min in pan before removing to wire rack (I just use a kitchen towel. Good trick for getting these out, since you can't overturn the muffin tin, find a bendy-type plastic spoon- the bowl will flex easily- and use it in place of running a knife around the sides of each muffin. Works wonderfully! And no scratches on my muffin pans.)
Streusel topping:
6 T (1/4 cup plus 2 T) all-purpose flour
6 T quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 T butter
Combine dry. Cut butter into mixture until resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Black Bean Burgers and Homemade Hamburger Buns
This is what we ate for dinner tonight. It does take a little more time and effort, but we LOVE this meal- it is one of Thomas' favorites. The hamburger buns are definitely WORTH the effort to make them... I will NEVER buy storebought again. Just not the same.
Black Bean Burgers
4 cups of beans per recipe (or 2 cans, rinsed and drained)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T seasoned salt (I use Tony Chachere's creole seasoning salt)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (depending on the consistency of your beans)
Process onion and garlic in food processor (you can do it in a blender... but its not quite the same. That's how I used to do it before food processor nirvana was achieved). (some people recommended to strain the onion/garlic mixture here through a fine mesh strainer to get excess water out, but I didn't.) Add beans, process til mashed. (I do the rest of the steps in my food processor instead of a bowl as the original recipe intended.) Add eggs, bread crumbs, and cajun seasoning. Process (or mix by hand if you don't have a processor) until well-blended. Shape into patties (use your hands) and grill or broil. If grilling, grill 5-7 min per side. I broil mine on a greased (!) cookie sheet for about 10 min per side. (I used a broiling pan before, and it works ok but it's a little messier. Using a greased cookie sheet was WAY better/easier.) Serve on buns with your choice of burger toppings. We love fry sauce, lettuce and I like cheese too, but Thomas doesn't usually put it on. (Even Audrey ate some of the burger tonight- maybe a 1/3 of a patty! Usually can't get her to touch it, she just eats the bun and the cheese.)
Homemade Hamburger Buns (onelovelylife.com)
Audrey put her hand on my face and told me I have beautiful eyes today. She did this twice I think. She's so darn cute. She loves Emperor's New Groove, Mulan, and Wall-E is still a favorite. Ethan has started to "cruise"- where he'll walk hanging onto things for dear life. He can pull himself up to standing pretty confidently now. He's getting pretty good at moving around on his own. I have adorable children.
I love those blue eyes.
He crawls! Kind of. But he's so happy!
This is actually a mouse skeleton we found underneath the old dishwasher. When Thomas replaced it he found it and I saved it. Cuz I thought it was cool. Sorry if you get grossed out by stuff like that.
My girl cheezin' it up
Self-portrait.
Black Bean Burgers
4 cups of beans per recipe (or 2 cans, rinsed and drained)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T seasoned salt (I use Tony Chachere's creole seasoning salt)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (depending on the consistency of your beans)
Process onion and garlic in food processor (you can do it in a blender... but its not quite the same. That's how I used to do it before food processor nirvana was achieved). (some people recommended to strain the onion/garlic mixture here through a fine mesh strainer to get excess water out, but I didn't.) Add beans, process til mashed. (I do the rest of the steps in my food processor instead of a bowl as the original recipe intended.) Add eggs, bread crumbs, and cajun seasoning. Process (or mix by hand if you don't have a processor) until well-blended. Shape into patties (use your hands) and grill or broil. If grilling, grill 5-7 min per side. I broil mine on a greased (!) cookie sheet for about 10 min per side. (I used a broiling pan before, and it works ok but it's a little messier. Using a greased cookie sheet was WAY better/easier.) Serve on buns with your choice of burger toppings. We love fry sauce, lettuce and I like cheese too, but Thomas doesn't usually put it on. (Even Audrey ate some of the burger tonight- maybe a 1/3 of a patty! Usually can't get her to touch it, she just eats the bun and the cheese.)
Homemade Hamburger Buns (onelovelylife.com)
Audrey put her hand on my face and told me I have beautiful eyes today. She did this twice I think. She's so darn cute. She loves Emperor's New Groove, Mulan, and Wall-E is still a favorite. Ethan has started to "cruise"- where he'll walk hanging onto things for dear life. He can pull himself up to standing pretty confidently now. He's getting pretty good at moving around on his own. I have adorable children.
I love those blue eyes.
He crawls! Kind of. But he's so happy!
This is actually a mouse skeleton we found underneath the old dishwasher. When Thomas replaced it he found it and I saved it. Cuz I thought it was cool. Sorry if you get grossed out by stuff like that.
My girl cheezin' it up
Self-portrait.
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