Just checkin' in.

Wish I had more to say. I am checking in to say, "Hello!" and then I will disappear again for a bit.

I am really tired. My friend, Tina, helped me make up five different meals today, and we did double portions and froze half. I am EXHAUSTED. It was really wonderful though, both to see her and visit and get so much accomplished today.

I think I am going to hold off on extra cooking for now. I'm too big to be on my feet for this long at a time. I am estimating that I have about 17 meals in my deep freeze for now. This will come in handy once the delivered meals have ended.

I am feeling alright. I have made it to 34 weeks today. I am praying for 3 more. I slept better last night than I have in awhile. The boys moved somehow off of my pelvis and I don't feel as much pain there. That is a blessing. I go to the doctor, ultrasound, and midwife on Monday, so I'll have more news then as to how things are going. I appreciate your prayers.

Well, it is time for me to go supervise the kids as they clean up their room. The house helpers will come tomorrow; I can't wait. I am going to kick back.

Adios!

I Need YOUR Expertise!

I am contemplating spending a day in the kitchen (hopefully with some friends) cooking and freezing meals to fill my freezer for the zombie days ahead. It's not really an apocalyptic thing, I just know that the friends delivering meals thing won't last forever. Sigh.

So, here's what I need from YOU:

• Any food freezing tips
• What kind of containers do you use?
• Do you thaw food prior to cooking it or do you cook it frozen?
• What about soups? How do you thaw/reheat those?
• Is it better to have completely cooked a meal before freezing it or partially?
• Anything else you can think of?
  
• How long should a meal stay in the freezer?
• Any special products that have made food freezing better for you?

I am not much of a food freezer. We typically eat leftovers for days if a meal made too much for us. I am hoping to start freezing those leftovers as well to add to our stores (plus I'm a little tired of leftovers!). I have cooked up ground meat and frozen that ahead of time as well as onions, peppers, that sort of thing.

Any advice in this department is appreciated!!!!

Earth Day and Mildly Interesting Stuff

So, it is Earth Day. I've been thinking more and more about sustainability practices and making wise choices concerning our planet. I have no idea if global warming is true or not, but that is not my motivation for making greener choices.

As a Christian, I believe it is part of my role as a human to "subdue the earth and have dominion over it." I believe that if I must be a good steward of the earth. So, here are some things I'm thinking about changing:

• Being more careful to conserve water--watering my garden from a watering can rather than using the hose, short showers, not leaving the water running in the sink--little stuff.
• I am seriously contemplating only buying secondhand clothes--refashioning if necessary.
• Learning to can my own food to reduce my waste of tin cans from the grocery store.
• Using soaps/detergents that are biodegradable.

I'm sure there are more I'll think of later. I want to somehow remove myself from the consumerist mindset I'm stuck in.

Reduce your waste.

Re-use what you have.

Recycle what you can't reuse.

We can all make a difference, and it will even save you money.



And onto the other mildly interesting stuff...

I ran on Monday. It hurt a bit. I saw my OMT dentist, and he said I have plantar fasciitis. He did some muscular releases on my feet, and my shin splints DISAPPEARED. He did an ankle strap release on my foot, declared my ankle as strained, and then gave me a vitamin. We shall see. I was supposed to run yesterday, but our schedule was biznizzy. It didn't happen. I will go today--at some point.

The race is in 2 weeks. Holy cow.

Our garden is sprouting things!!! We are excited and hoping they all make it! I have uploaded pics from my phone to Facebook, so if you're my friend there and want to see mini-plants, check 'em out!

Couch to 5k--Pressing Forward!

Week 5 has not been horrible yet. Yesterday's run was completed on a fairly flat track in town, so I did not have to contend with the steep hills this time. I ran 6 min, walked 5 min, ran 6 again, and walked 8 (I got too far from my starting point and had to walk extra). I ended up going 2.08 miles. I was tired, and it was hard, but it felt good.

My kids have too much stuff. They seem to not be able to take care of or pick up their toys without there being discipline involved. I am seriously considering getting rid of 90% of their stuff. Someone, please convince me otherwise. :)

Looking forward to a delicious dinner tonight--homemade salsa and chips, seasoned black beans, summery salad, and mexicali chicken. Mmmmm. And friends. New friends. Good times. I have nothing else to prattle on about...plus, I need to wash more dishes.

Irish Soda Bread

I blogged this morning about making food for St. Patrick's Day. I couldn't wait to make the Irish Soda Bread so I made it this morning. I got the recipe from HERE.

Here are some pics from the process:

Mixing together the wet ingredients and setting them aside to thicken.



Mixing the dry ingredients with bits of butter to make a coarse meal. This part was fun. I felt like I was six.



Stir wet and dry together to form a lump (I used my hands).



Knead a couple of times on a floured surface. Form a dome shaped loaf.



Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with flour, and cut a cross into it.



Bake at 350 for an hour.



Cool.



Lunch? Why not?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 17--Couch to 5K--Progress

Dave and I both got to run last night. We met some friends, Bryan and Nicole, at the park and took turns running. It was fun to hang out with friends and get our exercise in. The wind was a little out of control, but I think I did alright. One of my goals is to get my pace down. It seems like I struggle to keep it in the same spot, but I guess that's how it goes as you get more tired.

I went 1.26 miles (walked 5 min, ran 6, walked 5). I think my fastest pace was 9:17 min/mile.

I'm getting there. So can you! Have you started? How is it going?

I think my posture is better too. Isn't that great?

Dave and I are doing our strength training videos on rest days. Tonight is Abs, Chest, Back. Yea.

But, I need it. So I better stop complaining.

I'm really privileged to be able to do this. There have been seasons in my life (i.e. residency) when exercise outside of my home was next to impossible. I'm so thankful for this opportunity. And I'm loving it--the way it pushes me and makes me stronger. It's good and beautiful all wrapped up into one. I may talk more about that later.

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day!!! Are you doing anything special? I am! I am cooking St. Patty's Day food--Irish Soda Bread, Beef and Irish Stout Stew, and mashed potatoes and spring mix (for something green!). Don't forget to dress in your finest green attire!

Day 12--Couch to 5k--GOALS

Rest Day.

I signed up for the race this morning. It was $20 (plus a 2.50 transaction fee or some nonsense). It feels good to have this goal in place to work towards.

I chatted on the phone with my dad last night about running. He used to run 11 miles a day back in high school. He said the farthest he ever ran was 20 miles. He ran sprints first, but then his coaches realized he had more endurance so they switched him to long distance running. Let's hope this is genetic! :)

Speaking of goals, here is what I envision for myself right now. Obviously, the 5k is my first goal--to finish this 10 week training and run the race. Beyond that, what I really want is to run 30 minutes 3-4 times a week which would probably put me at 10 miles a week or so. I just want to do this for my health and for my own enjoyment.

At this point, I don't want a half-marathon goal. There is the possibility that we will have another child in the near future, so I'd really like to have a well-established exercise regimen before I get pregnant. The current recommendation is that you may continue with whatever exercise regimen you have in place before you get pregnant, but you shouldn't increase it after becoming pregnant. I would like to have something that would keep me in good shape throughout a pregnancy. Of course, I am well aware of how exhausted I am in the first trimester, so this all remains to be seen!!! I do like to have achievable goals, though, so I would like to set my sights on 30 minutes of running, 3-4 days a week.

I am buying running shoes this weekend. I am so excited. I am looking forward to having shoes that actually fit my feet and provide the support that I need. I'm also getting to pick up my BAM (Basket-A-Month) in Conway this weekend. Yea for farmer's market!!! If you're curious about the Central Arkansas CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), here is the link: www.arkansasfood.net

Today starts a week of NO CALL for Dave. I want to make the break enjoyable for him!!! Any ideas?

Reflux Revisited

I took my sweet Lucy in for a weight check.

2 ounces in one month. Gained. That's it.

I was told by a doctor friend that it should be somewhere between 5-8 oz a month following their first birthday.

She's 15 months now. She doesn't choose to walk on her own, she has to be coaxed. I don't think it is lack of ability as much as it is fear or timidity. :) She looks so nervous when you try to get her to walk. She needs a little confidence! She is picking up new words fairly quickly, and I suspect she will follow more in her sister's footsteps in her verbal skills.

Getting her to eat is a struggle. At first, she was eating alright but not drinking whole milk. So, then I decided to go for dumping the Carnation Instant Breakfast in her whole milk to enhance the flavor and provide some extra protein. That worked. She started drinking more milk, but she started eating less food. I've even caught her with spit-up on her shirt a few times. So, the idea that she may still be struggling with reflux has resurfaced.

She struggled immensely when she was 1-3 months. She refused to nurse a lot. She wasn't much of a spitter, but you could tell she was in pain. We assume she eventually got used to nursing with reflux because we didn't keep her on the Axid for too long. Then, we began to introduce food, and she was not interested. She was more interested in what was on my plate than baby food, so I finally gave up with the baby food. But I notice now, most of the fruits and veggies she was getting from her baby food were probably quite acidic.

We moved to table food, and she struggled for about a month getting the skills to chew and maneuver it in her mouth. She was doing alright. But, then I was worried about her not drinking much whole milk. She was still nursing 2-3 times a day, but still...

Cow's milk is acidic. It is not basic, contrary to popular belief. Both milk and chocolate can really irritate someone with acid reflux. And I was giving her that chocolate Carnation in hopes of getting her more of what she needs. But then she stopped wanting food. Vicious cycle!!!

So, my 15 month old weighs a whopping 17 lbs 14 oz. I have shed many tears over this, but I think I am on my way to a happy place. I'm not truly convinced she NEEDS the whole milk. She will eat yogurt and cheese (and I may sneak heavy cream into her oatmeal). We have her on Prevacid solutabs for a month. We're going to see if it makes a difference in her appetite. If it doesn't, then we may do some testing to rule out other issues. We want to be as conservative as we can without missing something important. We want to do everything we can to help her. I hope whatever happens, we find out that she's just herself.

But I still feel like I need to enhance what she will eat so she can get the maximum calories out of it.

I took Mckmama's advice. I went to Whole Foods and bought a few things to boost her food. I got some flax seed, some flax seed oil, some steel cut oats (twice the fiber of whole grain rolled oats!!! and an extra gram of protein!), and some more tahini to make hummus. For breakfast, I made the kids some oatmeal with the steel cut oats, a tablespoon of flax seed, and of course water. After it cooked, I added some cinnamon, a little brown sugar (didn't have honey), and some heavy cream to thicken it up!

She ate half of it. And she ate a whole container of Yo-baby whole milk yogurt.

This is huge. After her meal, I offered her a sippy cup with milk. She knocked it away.

She is still nursing 2-3 times a day. I feel really good about that.

She may refuse lunch, but for now, she ate her breakfast, and I couldn't be more pleased. We may discover that reflux isn't the issue. I hope that she's just small and finicky and ornery. Please pray for her--pray that she will begin to eat more and gain more. Regardless of growth charts, I know she isn't eating enough. I see what goes in her mouth and what ends up on the floor. Thank you for praying.

If you have a reflux story you want to share with me, I would love to hear it.

Documentaries will be the Death of Me.

I really like documentaries. I like the way they make me think. I like the way they expose the truth. I like seeing real people tell their stories.

I think the first documentary that was the death of me was "Super Size Me". In this documentary, a guy eats only McDonald's three times a day for a month. In the end, his health is deteriorating, he is depressed, and he gained an obscene amount of weight. I learned a lot about the chemical preparation of their food process as well as their marketing schemes. And, as a result, I only eat at McDonald's if my options are severely limited.

Like in a foreign country.

No, not really, I have eaten at McDonald's a number of times since watching the film, but I definitely consider homemade food over fast food. I really hate fast food in general. I don't like eating it. I feel gross when I do. I didn't use to feel that way, but now that I know what is in it and how it is processed, it makes me feel NASTY.

Another documentary that I watched was "Paper Clips". It was so inspiring. It's about a small school in Kentucky (I think) that began a holocaust project by collecting a paper clip for each Jew that was exterminated in the Holocaust. Secondary students organized the project and found Holocaust survivors who came to tell their stories as part of the project. A rail car was obtained as part of a memorial and filled with the paperclips, symbolizing the Jews who were transported like cattle to the concentration camps.

I loved that film because it was inspiring. It helped a community look beyond itself. It makes you want to do the same.

Last year, I watched "The Business of Being Born" by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein. I watched it in preparation for my own natural childbirth with Lucy. This film is so informative and empowering. I encourage all women to watch it whether pregnant or not. I learned a lot about the profession of midwifery as well as an often flawed hospital system. My husband is a physician, and he couldn't argue with the film. He felt like it was really well done. My friend's husband is an OB/GYN, and he felt similarly.

Last night, we watched "Food, Inc.". It is about the food manufacturing in the US. It was astonishing. It was disgusting. It shocked me. And now, I want to buy local, organic food. ONLY. It may not be possible to go all the way with this where I live, but I sure want to give it a try. This woman in the film lost her two-year old son to hemorrhagic E. coli in 12 days from contaminated hamburger meat that tested positive for E. coli but wasn't recalled until a month after the positive test. Heart-wrenching. Makes me want to go completely vegetarian!!!! I like meat, and I think I could give it up, but I know Dave wouldn't. But still.

These films have changed the way I've looked at how fast food is destroying the health in this country, how my culture views history, how well-designed the female body is for childbirth, and how the food I serve came to be. They've been informative, but they also were convicting. Now that I have this information, what am I going to do with it?

Am I going to DIE to convenience and embrace a simpler but more hard-working lifestyle?

Am I going to DIE to my culture and look outside of myself?

Am I going to DIE to insurance companies, health systems and embrace the design of my body?

Am I going to DIE to the dollar and support those who work hard to respect workers, animals and the planet?

I want to. I don't know if I will. I want to do what I can. With greater knowledge comes greater responsibility.

Get my coffin ready.

Toaster Oven Romance and an Itty-Bitty Girl

I hate my toaster oven for toast. It's ironic that it is called a "toaster" oven because it is horrible at toasting bread. It burns it and it is uneven. It could be that it isn't a top of the line toaster oven. I think it would be good to have one with a moving element or a large area element to evenly toast bread. Toasters are much better at toasting bread.

I love my toaster oven for heating up day-old rolls or leftover pizza. It returns it to its yummy former life unlike the microwave that turns bread into rubber. I also love how I can make open-faced sandwiches quite easily without using the large oven. It is also good for heating frozen rolls for two people instead of using the large oven.

Does anyone else feel this way?

We took Lucy in for her 12 month appointment (at 14 months...we're a bit behind). She's small. Her length and head were pretty good, but her weight was low. However, I am now not worried. The growth charts most doctors use are based on formula-fed babies. I've known this for several years. The World Health Organization (WHO) did a study with nearly 8500 breastfed babies from many ethnicities and countries (including the US). Mothers were not allowed to smoke during or after pregnancy, and there were dietary standards that mothers had to maintain. The goal was to obtain an international standard for breastfed babies both in developed and underdeveloped countries. I plotted her growth on a breastfed chart from the WHO, and it was so much less alarming as I saw she was much closer to her own curve. Breastfed babies grow at different rates than formula fed.

Also, her weight began to drop at the typical 9 month mark when most breastfed babies plateau. She has also become increasingly more active, and we were in the middle of a transition to food. It has taken her some time to get used to eating food (she hated baby food from the beginning and wanted whatever we were eating). Now that she is more accustomed, we have high hopes that her weight gain will improve, but as an added caution, I have her on a high caloric diet full of good fats and proteins.

And, I found a sippy cup that she likes. Hallelujah.

She also didn't like whole milk, so she gets some Carnation Instant Breakfast in her milk (which she loves). She still nurses morning and night, but she is embracing "Big" Girl status. :)

I am not worried anymore. About that.

It's this ice that is headed our way! Let's hope we only get snow so our power won't go out!

I guess if that happened, we couldn't use the toaster oven.

'Tis the Season to Be Making

Well, before you get your panties in a bunch and think for a second that I am a mom who does it all, let me first declare that my house is a disaster, I haven't fixed my hair in DAYS, and it's all I can do to feed my children. So, when you look at what I have accomplished, you won't feel like a slacker (as I often do when I assume that blogger moms have it ALL together)--because no one knows how to slack (especially when it comes to housework) quite like I do. For real, ask Dave.

During this time of year, it is hard for me to not make stuff. However, I realized that I prefer crocheting in the winter--not sewing. I think crochet is slow and relaxing and I can do it anywhere, whereas with sewing, I am stuck in front of my machine. Crochet is just more cozy. However, I have been sewing. I have had a few projects that were time-sensitive.

My dear friend, Vanessa, is leaving for Kenya the beginning of January. She, her husband, Kyle, and their three boys will be serving Jesus through medical mission work in a rural village. I wanted to give her something practical, so I told her I would make her some skirts to beef up her missionary wardrobe and to keep her cool. So, I have set out to finish them. I am halfway done--two down, two to go. I did not photograph them; I'd like them to be somewhat of a surprise. :)

My second sewing endeavor was to make a tree skirt. This year, we bought a live tree (something we've never done before). Our old tree skirt was WAY too small to fit around it, and it was pretty ugly. I searched high and low online for a free pattern, and I found this fabulous pattern on Citrus Holiday. I modified it some, but it is the same for the most part. I love it!!! I think mine reminds me a lot of Allsorts, Morgan Moore, and candy stores.

So, of course, we've also decorated for Christmas. It's pretty simple, and I think, very beautiful and colorful--just like our quirky family.

I've also been a bit culinary. Sam says I'm a good "maker" (his word for "cook", although sometimes he does call me a "cooker"). I've had fun making all kinds of treats over the past week. Yes, pictures will follow!

The first was peppermint syrup. I was browsing Craftzine, and I saw a link to this wonderful website (that I will be perusing for other ideas), Think Inside the Icebox. This syrup is great. I love Starbucks Peppermint Mochas. So, I thought I should make some syrup to have on hand. Of course, mine don't taste quite like Starbucks, but they sure are a nice substitute at home. The recipe for the syrup was simple, and I just picked up some chocolate syrup, half and half, and whipped cream to round out my dessert...errr...drink.

Last year, I made toffee, and the butter and sugar separated, leaving the chocolate with a fatty layer on top. It tasted fine, but it was not pleasant to look at. I thought I would do a little research to see where I went wrong, and I found another wonderful website, Cooking for Engineers. It was all explained with great directions and what to expect. My toffee turned out perfectly!!! It is SO good. You should definitely put this on your to-do list.

And, finally, I made the ever-popular party mix--Puppy Chow (the recipe I used called it "Muddy Buddies"). There are recipes for this all over. I used the one in my Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook. The kids helped shake the bags with the powdered sugar. It is delish.

I am sorry for the long time between posts. I have been a bit preoccupied, but thankfully, there are several things to show for it! Now, there are gifts that need wrapping, so I am off to attempt that!

Merry Making!!!

New Books for the Birthday Girl

There is not a whole lot more that I love than new books. It's an addiction. I have been this way as long as I can remember. I don't mind used books (they're new to me)--I just love owning books. And now that I'm crafty, I love craft books. Cookbooks are okay once in a while, but craft books are okay EVERY DAY.

My mom and aunt both gave me Barnes & Noble giftcards for my birthday. I made quick use of them online (and got free shipping! and member pricing for non-members--a promotion they're running right now...and I used Ebates and will get cash back), and these are the gems I found.

One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Trish Hoskins: 106 projects to make from one yard of fabric. Perfect for me--quick and satisfying. There is a file-cabinet cover in there that I'm excited to make. Our filing cabinet is UGLY (but it was free on Freecycle.org). There are tons of cute projects in this book!!!

Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter: I've wanted this book for three years. I finally own it. Lotta's style is incredible in that European simplistic way, and I love it. There are so many projects I can't wait to get started on, and they're SIMPLE. This lady is a genius.

Kneadlessly Simple by Nancy Baggett: The author's name is enough to sell this book--Nancy Baggett (get it? Baguette?) I hate kneading bread. I would like a bread machine (used to have one, but I let someone borrow it and they never returned it) to help, but with this book, I don't have to knead--the pictures are incredible, and the breads look tasty.

Sew What! Bags by Lexie Barnes: I love making my own purses. This book has 18 different projects, and I can't wait to get started--clutches, messenger bags, totes, drawstring--there's something for everyone.

There are some others I'd like as well:

Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner (along with a pile of her fabric)

Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross

Stitched in Time by Alicia Paulson (Posie Gets Cozy)

French General: Home Sewn by Kaari Meng

Do you have any suggestions to add to my list?

(I already have an Amy Butler book, In Stitches.)

Slowing Down

With all the madness and loveliness of my birthday, we managed to wear ourselves out. We traveled a lot, made messes in between our traveling, and now it is time to re-center and FOCUS.

My goal is to get back to normal as quickly as possible so that Thanksgiving can be relaxing. Yesterday, I had a long list of things to do. I didn't get to cross off many (just "shower" and "make grocery list and menu"). We did, however, manage to go to the store and get everything for the week and for Thanksgiving.

I love Thanksgiving food.

Today, Dave went back to work since his vacation is officially over. I love having him home, but if he is home, I don't get anything done. :) I'm glad we're all back where we belong. The house is slowly coming together. Our vacuum is dying. I saw smoke coming out of the bottom. It smelled funny.

I do not like having a canister vacuum. I miss having a bag that I can throw away 0r better yet--BURN (especially when we're having our yearly autumnal battle against Woodrow's fleas). I know that's not environmentally savvy, but it is one of those things that make my skin crawl. I would like your vacuum suggestions.

I have so many sewing and crafty projects in my mind and on my shelf. I need to get going. I keep hopping from project to project. I think my goal this year will be to finish THAT ADVENT CALENDAR I started two years ago. I made a mistake on it, and will essentially be starting from Step 2. Kind of hard to get motivated...but I'm also toying with the idea of inventing MY OWN advent calendar...if I do, perhaps there will be a tutorial to follow.

Do you guys do Advent Calendars? I love the one my friend, Cinthya, has--it tells the Christmas story or the significance of each symbol--all made of felt. I LOVE FELT.

So, here's to nesting and being at home!

I told Dave last night, "I wish that my house was always sparkling and that the kids would dance around me with daisy chains while I sewed." We giggled.

Nieces, A Nephew, and This and That

I did clean up the house. It looked great. I didn't take pictures. Now it is a bit of a mess again. We went to see our extended family this weekend. It was nice to see everyone, but I must admit seeing my nieces and nephew was the highlight. :)

I got to see Britany, who is so much of a woman now, it freaks me out a little bit. It's hard to believe she was our flower girl and so little and now so tall and beautiful. I got to see her little sister, Jadlynne, who just turned one! I can't believe she's one. I am getting older moment by moment. Jadlynne had a birthday party, and it was fun to watch her stuff her mouth with cake and open her presents like a pro.

I got to see Case too. This kid is a bundle of energy and fun, but he is also genuine and sweet. I'm so thankful he and my kids are close in age; they have so much fun together. I did get to see 3 week old, Addison Mae, for the first time. She is a DOLL. She looks a lot like my brother, and that is a little strange to look at her and see so much of him there. (I could see Miranda there too, but I do think Chris' genes were a little dominant!) I think my brother is a grown-up man now--he has fathered a child and is dedicated to his family. I'm very proud of him. I was telling him that if I didn't know better, I'd think Case was his biological son because he acts so much like Chris did as a little boy! :) Addison better look out!

We went to hear William Paul Young speak last night. He wrote The Shack, in case you didn't know. There has been a lot of controversy over this book, and I understand it. I just don't agree with it (the controversy). I think the book is amazing and beautiful. It touched some deep places in me and awakened me to the truth of God's love for me. That can never be bad. :) I think the people who get up-in-arms over it need to be shaken--they need to know that the box they've put God in is of their own making, and He is not under their thumb. I found the book refreshing and eye-opening. It truly is a message of grace and freedom, which is what Jesus came to give us. Paul's talk last night was his story--where he came from, what happened along the way, and how Jesus healed him. It was beautiful, just like his book.

I finished He Loves Me by Jacobsen as well as Loving our Kids on Purpose by Silk (see earlier post of my book list). Both are fantastic. Jacobsen's book built on the truth of grace and freedom, and Silk's book applied those truths to parenting. I am excited about the place God is bringing me in these truths. Both are wonderful, refreshing reads, so check them out. I'm going to read a little fiction for now before I pick up any more of the books on my book list. I just picked up Adam by Dekker at the library. We'll see. He's a good writer, for the most part. Sometimes I don't like his word choices, but that's just me being a nerd and being irritated by Christian artists.

Okay, well, that's my update for the day. I must move on to menu planning and grocery list making. XoxoXO!

Nothin' Much

Wish there was something exciting to tell you, but there isn't, so I'll just ramble for a little bit until I get tired of typing.

We bought a guest bed yesterday. We got a steal of a deal on a queen-sized mattress, box springs, and frame for $330! Just so you know, this is a GREAT deal. I had no idea how pricey beds were! Dave's mom and aunt bought us our bed when we got married, so we had no clue how much one can spend on such items. We're super grateful that we didn't have to spend too much. We're setting up the bed in the corner of the sunroom for the many guests we hope to entertain. We've never had a guest room before...I guess we still don't...it's more like a guest corner. :)

We bought a few things to make it more homey--nightstand/bookcase, alarm clock, lamp, bedskirt, new pillows. Everything was priced low, so that helped us keep costs low. Sad thing is that we don't have a truck, so to get the bed to our house, we had to pay $100 for delivery. Believe it or not, a Uhaul wasn't any cheaper! We thought for sure it would be. Nope.

I am researching decorative screens to divide the room up and provide the guests with a little privacy. They are not cheap. For the size we need, we'll probably spend anywhere from $150-$200! I don't want to do a curtain b/c I think it will look tacky. It would probably save money, but man, it would be a price to pay on my eyes. :)

Sam and I played Uno today. I totally helped him the whole time. I think if we play a little more, he'll start to understand the strategy a little more. He's got the basics down, but he doesn't understand strategy at all yet. We also read Chapter 1 of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. He told me he wants us to go buy a wardrobe so he can visit Narnia and become a Narnian. He also said that he doesn't really want to go to another world because he would miss me too much. He'll just stay here in this world with me. I have a feeling I may have to remind him of this in a few years.

We are still van-shopping and church-shopping. I know that sounds awful, but it is the truth--church shopping, I mean. We haven't said what we're doing this week. Last week was fairly horrendous. I'm being dramatic, but it wasn't what we were hoping for. I'm thinking we're just going to have to be weirdos at a church where we don't fit in. Perhaps that is the plan. We're still waiting for peace.

We're going to a Chamber of Commerce meeting tonight. Free food. No cooking. It's a winner, folks!

Have a nice evening, and let me know what you think about satellite TV--Dish Network or DirectTV? Those are our two options if we want ANY channels. And, is it worth the HD upgrade on the receiver and DVR?

Weekend

Just so you know, I'm not depressed or anything. I think I may have worried some of you. I'm actually good, but we all have bad days. I thought I would catch you up on some of our happenings.

Friday night, Dave and I watched "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." It was funny in our generation kind of way--like "Happy Gilmore" meets "Dumb and Dumber." We enjoyed our relaxing night together.

Saturday, we geared up to go to Little Rock for the day. I had a chance to see some of my good friends while I was there. I got to visit with Marla for a tiny bit. They were in for a whirlwind 48 hours, and Nate's parents' house was busy, but it was super good to see them. We realized we hadn't seen Nate in 3 years! It has been over a year since I last got to see Marla, and it was fun to see Shep and Owen.

Maryn decided to go down the slide into the pool WITHOUT floaties or a life jacket on, and she went under. Before I realized what was happening, Nate's brother's girlfriend jumped in the pool with all her clothes on and brought Maryn out of the water. Maryn was a little upset, but went right back to the pool (WITH a life jacket on). I couldn't thank Angie enough! Surprisingly, though, I was really calm and at peace. Thank you, Lord, that I didn't flip out. I think that actually helped Maryn get back in the pool. I'm glad she wasn't afraid to go back.

I also got to see my friend, Abby, and her two kids, Aden and Angel. It was so great! We met at a McDonald's b/c Abby was on her way home to Alabama. I was glad to see Angel while she is still a tiny baby! It's always good to see Abby. She is the oldest best friend I have. I still have my half of the necklace to prove it. :)

Another highlight of the day (besides Sam's Club and Target) was going to pick up my Basket-a-Month from the Central Arkansas Farmer's Market CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). You have to buy a three-month subscription for $180, but you get a basket each month of locally grown and produced foods. It is pricey, but I really love supporting local farmers and putting money into our communities here. I have never been in a position to do this before, and it is very exciting to be able to. It's also great b/c all the food is fresh and organic.

Here's a list of what was in my basket:

• Sweet potatoes
• 2 canteloupes
• Watermelon
• Okra
• Tomatoes
• Purple-Hulled Peas
• Italian and Japanese Eggplants
• Peaches
• Spring Mix Salad
• Free Range Eggs
• 3% cow's milk
• Homemade butter
• Beefalo--(cross b/w a cow and a bison)
• Colby Cheese
• Tomato Infused Whole-Wheat noodles
• Buttermilk

Super exciting, eh? I just need to find some good recipes and QUICK!!!

You don't get to pick what's in your basket; it is a surprise each time. I like that.

I have some spiritual posts forming in my mind. Be on the lookout for those. I'm sorry I haven't commented much lately. Our internet is REALLY annoying. I'm way behind on reading too. I get overwhelmed when it is actually working, b/c it doesn't seem like I have enough time to check everything. Be patient with me!!! xoXOxo

Wah-Waaah

I'm in a bit of a melancholy mood today--missing my friends and just kind of Debbie Downer-ish. I think today is that day because Dave also started work today after a glorious 3 week+ vacation. It's so true that stuff and money can't make you happy. I recently heard someone say that it could make you comfortable but not happy.

Well, now that we're livin' the high life with a doctor's salary, I'll tell you this: it means NOTHING. It's nice. We're blessed. We're able to bless others in ways we have never been able to. We are thankful. But it doesn't replace community. And THAT is what I really want out here in the sticks.

A Scripture is coming to mind, "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred." Proverbs 15:17

Not that we are hatin' around here, but the truth is that community and love go a long way--farther than any dollar. Sunday is coming up, and my heart is hoping that this church is the one. But, I know I have to be okay if it isn't. I'm ready to make friends and invest in some relationships.

I had some pretty incredible friends and groups I was a part of back in Oklahoma. However, I do recall feeling much the same way when we moved there 3 years ago. It's a cycle, and I know it will get better. It just stinks to be in it right now. If you know what I mean. :)

I found a few pictures I wanted to share with you. No house pics yet--they're coming soon. Everything is almost finished, and I want to get things all picked up and prettied up with the new curtains I'm making. The fabric is GREAT!!!

But, oh, the pics--the first one is of my LAST book club meeting before we moved. :(

Kaysie (bottom left with the bagel) invited me to book club three years ago, and it was such a blessing for me. It was MY thing to do, and I loved it. That day, Ronna (2nd from the top on the right) was making me tear up. I miss these ladies, and I plan to migrate back to Tulsa once in awhile to have book club with them. XOXO, Book Club.

This is what I made for dinner last night--Chicken Tikka Masala (one of my favorite Indian dishes). I used this recipe. It was good, but it could have been spicier. It was pretty mild. I like it spicy! I also made Jasmine rice, naan, and curried lentils.

It was GOOD.

And this is the beautiful place I live. There is a gorgeous lake just down the road--like 2 minutes down the road. I took these pics shortly after we got here. It's just lovely.

And we caught Sam taking care of business off the deck. Check out how the fencing is wet on the right. Nice. Country livin', folks.

I Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Ethnic Food.

Things are moving right along. I suppose we'll be buying the signal booster any day now. We did get a landline. It has helped. I want to continue using my old calling card from Sam's Club (we used it faithfully the first four years of marriage instead of long distance b/c it was only 2-3 cents/minute--and we didn't have cell phones). We're planning a trip to Little Rock in about a week, so Sam's Club better "Look OUT!". I will have NO mercy.

Living out in the sticks has made me a better cook. Our eating out options are limited, and what we do have is fairly American (with the exception of the local Mexican restaurant). If you know me, you know I love ethnic foods. So, I've been trying to cook them at home--mostly Indian food. They're never as good as they are when a native of that country cooks them, but they sure do help. I've had several friends bragging on Ethiopian food lately, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Kristen, a former student of mine and a friend (hope I can call her that without it being weird), is a fabulous cook and a great art and food blogger. She's also vegetarian and recently posted a great Vegan website with tons of recipes. I am not a vegetarian, and will never be vegan (I know...never say never), but I love to incorporate vegetable-only meals into our weekly menu for our health and to save money. I have a TON of lentils that I bought from various Indian grocers, and I wanted to find more lentil stew recipes. I love lentils. You should too--they are superfood. Not kidding--tons of fiber and protein. I found an Ethiopian lentil dish called "Mesir W'et." It has several spices and vegetables in it along with the lentils and you typically serve it with a flatbread (injera). Well, we're low-carbing it around here, so it'll just be the stew.

[And just a note for those of you already thinking, "Oh, she's such a wonderful cook and how adventurous of her!"--the only thing that makes me a good cook is that I can read and follow directions (most of the time). Seriously, if you can read, you can cook, in my opinion.]

BUT, it called for an Ethiopian spice paste called "berbere". I knew no one in our county would have this stuff, especially since I couldn't even find PESTO! (And they didn't know what "pesto" was. "Is it in the Mexican aisle, do you think?" Seriously...I had this conversation.) So, I knew I'd have to either a) make my own berbere or b)wait until I get to Little Rock to find it in an ethnic grocery or at Whole Foods. I opted to make it. How hard could it be?

Really not that hard. There was a LONG list of spices. I had most of them. Except for ground fenugreek. I knew I might not be able to find that anywhere but Whole Foods. So, I thought, "Well, I'll just look at our local herb store and see if they have it, but if not, I may have to order it online or wait until we go to LR." I stopped at the herb store the other day. The only fenugreek they had was in supplement form. Dave happened to be in Conway yesterday, though, and he stopped at a health food store and found fenugreek seeds--just need to be ground. They are really small and hard like little pebbles. My food processor wasn't doing the job, so I cleaned out the coffee grinder, and it worked like magic. I was halfway through the berbere recipe when I realized it called for 2 CUPS of paprika. CUPS. Insane. Of course, I needed one more cup, so I had to run to Walmart last night and get more paprika. I should have known how involved this would be. I finally finished making the spice paste--which made 3 cups!!!!

I checked my recipe. It only calls for a tablespoon.

So, Kristen, if you or any of your friends (or anyone else, for that matter!) want some homemade berbere paste, let me know.

Things We've Been Doing

It's raining. Drenching kind of rain, you know? It's actually slowing down as I type. The kids are BORED. I've packed away a lot of things, so it is forcing us to be creative. Yesterday, I started to make lunch, and I realized we didn't have any bread. Dave also had the car. So, the kids ate a low-carb lunch with ham and turkey, pears, and carrots. Then, Sam and I made bread.

I found this recipe online, and I LOVE IT. I am not a bread-making pro and would appreciate some tips on kneading the dough and getting it to rise (I don't have a bread machine anymore, and don't plan on buying one...I also don't own a Kitchenaid mixer with a dough blade...AND my food processor dough blade is a wimp, so yes, I need tips on how to do it by hand.). That was the longest parentheses ever, I'm pretty sure.

Anyway. Aside from all that hullabaloo, the bread actually turned out alright. It uses half whole-wheat flour and half white flour, but there are directions for making it 100% whole-wheat. I only had enough wheat flour for the original recipe. It is delish.

See?

Maryn painted some watercolors in her Dora paint book, but Sam wasn't having it. So, I told him to make a game. I gave him a pack of round garage sale stickers, some paper, scissors and a pen. Not sure how to play just yet, but I'm sure (positive) the rules will change 100 times.

Then, Maryn wanted something NEW to do. So, I gave her scissors and an old magazine to cut pictures out of. That lasted 3 minutes. I'm not kidding. In fact, now, she is sitting on the floor huffing and puffing and won't tell me what she needs/wants.

And this book was a godsend. My Great-Aunt Kathy gave it to Maryn for her birthday. It's been delightful to read to the kids. It has all the great Seuss stories in it.

I'm washing diapers. Lucy is supposed to be napping. I just found her gnawing on the crib bar...wondering if more teeth may pop through soon.

Dave gets off early today, and we're going on our date later. We're torn between seeing "Up" without the kids or seeing "Angels and Demons". We were both disappointed with "The Da Vinci Code". It could have been SO much better. It didn't do the book justice. I'm speaking from merely an artistic point of view--the content is fairly deplorable. But..."Angels and Demons" will more than likely be at its best on a big screen...hmmm....any recommendations?

I did get everything on Craigslist and Freecycle. I've had several inquiries and promised pickups. We'll see.

Now Maryn is all-out crying and REFUSES to communicate with me. Does anyone have any tips for the stubborn child who has the vocabulary of a much older child but refuses to talk when she is upset???? Well, I just discovered...she has a fever, and an ugly throat. Waiting for Dave to call back...hope it isn't strep.

Off to make lunch!

Friday? Already?

I can't believe it is Friday again. This week is zooming past me!

I also can't believe I forgot to mention that Dave and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary on Tuesday! It was very nice. We got to go out last weekend and enjoy some yummy Indian food and a movie. That's pretty much the perfect date in my book. If you give me Indian food, I'll be happy.

Indian Corner has the best spicy pumpkin and vegetable dishes.
Kolam has the best honey balls (sorry, Sammy at Star of India, but it is true)
Desi Wok has the best Chicken Tikka Masala.
India Palace has the best chance of getting salmonella. For realz.

I love my husband. He can still make me laugh (but not with old jokes). He made me laugh a lot this anniversary. I'm so thankful for the years we've spent together and the ways God is growing us and teaching us. We're a good team.

I went to bed early last night b/c I hadn't slept much the night before. Maybe 4 hours? I was up with Lucy a lot and I got to bed late. Es no bueno. Dave let me sleep in again today. So nice. I think I actually got some decent rest (even with waking up in the middle of the night).

Today, we're going to bake a cake for Brooke's birthday party tonight. We're also going to go visit my Great Aunt Kathy for a little bit. Brooke's party is at the bowling alley. Can't wait to watch the kids bowl! They're always fun to watch.

Take out some time today to put lotion on your feet. It'll work wonders. Seriously.