...which will be followed at some point by a sentimental, deep Thanksgiving post. But tonight, I feel like being a little silly.
So, I'm thankful for:
...NetFlix. Because it keeps me company when I can't sleep.
...my iPhone. Because it introduced me to Words with Friends. And it allows me to snap cute photos all day long, even though the quality's not great.
...Facebook. Because it gives me a glimpse of the "outside" when I'm inside the house teaching my children.
...The Office. Because nothing makes me laugh harder late at night than Michael Scott.
...my Thursday night clique. Because I've never belonged to a clique before and it makes me feel so special.
...feta cheese. Because its just so darned good...and it only has 1 carb per serving.
...Twilight. Because its brought me so much mindless happiness over the past year.
...the person who invented text messaging. Because text messaging has eliminated hours and hours of mind-numbing small talk from my life.
...Call of Duty. Because it occupies my Hubs for so many hours, which gives me some free time.
...Wal-Mart. Because its open 24 hours. This enables me to meet interesting people while grocery shopping at midnight.
...homeschooling. Because it allows me to sleep intil 9:00 am most mornings.
...Teen Mom. Because Catelyn, Maci, Amber, and Farrah make me feel so mature.
And many, many more. But I have to stop now, because I can hear Jordan and he's supossed to be asleep...and even though I'm mildly annoyed right now, I'm so, SO thankful my children have the ability to get in and out of bed by themselves. :)
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
On how my routine's out the window.
Tuesdays. I used to love 'em. We had a routine, the kids and I. And if you know me, you know how I love a good daily routine. Until last week, our Tuesday routine was as follows:
Wake up. Do some school. Grab a quick lunch (usually gluten-free mac and cheese with peas and carrots- a favorite with my boys). Jump in the car for Shaun's physical therapy appointment. Then, it was on to Monkey Joe's for Free Tuesdays. That's right. Free admittance. For us, that's almost a savings of twenty bucks. We'd meet up with some friends and the children would jump themselves silly while the moms talked until 4:30. That's when we'd head over to Stevie B's for pizza. Because on Tuesdays at Stevie B's, kids eat for one dollar. That's a crazy-good deal. So, we'd eat, the kids would play, and us moms would talk (some more) for another few hours. Afterwards, we'd head home, get baths, and the kids would be so worn out they'd go to bed early. What a great day! Here's a few pictures from past Tuesdays:
Shaun flirting with a MJ employee.
Most of the "regulars".
Two Tuesdays ago, we went to Monkey Joe's as usual. I signed the kids in and they took off. The teenaged employee put my wristband on and then said, " That'll be six dollars". Huh? I informed him that this was Tuesday, and admittance was free! Then he informed me that admittance was now three dollars on Tuesdays. Well. I decided that I could deal with spending six dollars, especially since my kids were already jumping! We continued on with our Tuesday as usual.
Last week when I signed in the kids at MJ's, the same teenaged employee hits me with "That's seventeen dollars and ninety-eight cents". I think I actually gasped a little and sputtered "Are you charging full price on Tuesdays now??". It seems that yes, Monkey Joe's has done away with Free and/or Reduced Tuesdays. Talk about disappointment! I was able to somehow talk the staff into letting us in for three bucks, same as the week before. But I don't think I can do it again. Which means that our Tuesday Routine is out the window. Because I will NOT pay almost 20 bucks for my children to jump on inflatables. I refuse. Its ridiculous!
So now our Tuesdays have changed. I assume I'll actually be making dinner in my own kitchen, since I can't really imagine us waiting around Gainesville for 2 and a half hours on one dollar pizza. What will I do with all of the extra time I'll have on Tuesday evenings? Maybe I'll get some cleaning done. And my Jeep needs a good washing. I'm also behind on the laundry. Somehow, none of this sounds as fun as all the conversations my friends and I had around the Stevie B's table...
Oh, Tuesdays! You were nice while you lasted!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Now, that's love!
Corn Nuts. They've become my favorite snack over the last few months. Specifically, ranch flavored Corn Nuts. They're delicious. They are to me, at least. I've learned that not too many other people like them. But to me, there's nothing better. For a snack, that is. Even though I know they're terrible for me. I can only pronounce 2 of the ingredients listed on the label...corn and corn oil. I have to hide them from the boys because no way are they eating them!
A few days ago, on the way home from Wal-Mart, I noticed that the Jeep had less than a quarter tank of gas. I asked Chris if he was going to stop to fill up. He said no, that he'd just do it on the way to work the next day. I told him that if he stopped, I'd like to run inside and get a pack of Corn Nuts for later. He just looked at me and said that the kids were tired and we needed to get home. And I said okay.
The next night, I was home alone with the kids. Chris was out listening to band practice. Potential recording business, you know. I noticed that we needed a few groceries, so I sent him a text asking him to pick them up. Ground beef, organic ketchup, green beans, and carrotts- for those who are interested. He sent a text back from the grocer store asking if I needed anything else. Of course I replied back with "Corn Nuts".
He called from the car on the way home with the news that Kroger doesn't carry Corn Nuts and that he had also went to 3 different gas stations trying to find them- with no luck. I thanked him for his effort.
Today, The Hubs came home from work with these:
Oh yeah! When he bought gas today, he also bought every pack of ranch flavored Corn Nuts in the store. Was that sweet or what? Now, that's love!
Speaking of the man I married, he just left for church with the children. I'm supposed to be sleeping, seeing as how I've been awake almost continually for 48 hours. To say that I'm having trouble sleeping would be an understatement. I literally have been staying awake all night long. Not intentionally. It just happens. To say that I'm tired would also be an understatement. So, I guess I should stop blogging and catch some zzzz's. Chris' plan is for me to fall asleep around 5 and sleep through the night. I have strict instructions to not, under any circumstances, turn on Net Flix. He says he won't wake me...or let the boys wake me....if I'm sleeping when they get home. I think he's really, REALLY ready for me to be all well again!
Alright. I'm gonna try to sleep now. G'night!
Speaking of the man I married, he just left for church with the children. I'm supposed to be sleeping, seeing as how I've been awake almost continually for 48 hours. To say that I'm having trouble sleeping would be an understatement. I literally have been staying awake all night long. Not intentionally. It just happens. To say that I'm tired would also be an understatement. So, I guess I should stop blogging and catch some zzzz's. Chris' plan is for me to fall asleep around 5 and sleep through the night. I have strict instructions to not, under any circumstances, turn on Net Flix. He says he won't wake me...or let the boys wake me....if I'm sleeping when they get home. I think he's really, REALLY ready for me to be all well again!
Alright. I'm gonna try to sleep now. G'night!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
He's gaining!
Weight, that is. Shaun's gaining weight. He's come a long way since last spring, when were were switching meds and having blood tests to see what was up with his weight loss. Since then, a lot has changed.
As most of you know, we've changed Shaun's (and our!) diet to accommodate his food sensitivities. This means that, for the most part, we are : wheat-free, milk-free, high fructose corn syrup-free, MSG free, food dye-free, white potato-free, grape-free, additive-free, preservative-free...and...medication-free! Since May. Yes, it has been tricky. And a pain. We've had screaming matches in the car over where we were NOT going to eat. And I'm sure I've hurt a few well-meaning people's feelings along the way. But it is so worth it.
He is a different child. He has self-control. He can control his anger. He no longer has seizures or mood swings. He isn't extremely hyperactive (most of the time! He's a boy...a little hyperactivity comes with the territory!) He's more out-going.
I wish Chris hadn't lost our camera cord so that I could post a picture of him. His skin tone is healthy. We can no longer count his ribs! He actually eats! His cheeks aren't sunken. He looks great! We've had to buy new pants because he couldn't button the old ones. What a wonderful problem to have, especially when I remember last spring, when he would literally not eat a bite all day long. He weighed 52 pounds back then. So skinny! I just weighed him and now he's up to...74 pounds!
He's healthy, too! Only one cold so far this winter. A huge improvement over winters past, when he'd have a runny nose and cough pretty much the whole winter. I'm so excited to take him in for his 10 year checkup in February. We haven't had the need to visit our doctor since May. I can't wait to see his reaction to all these improvements.
I owe it all to Dr Chris, our homeopathic specialist. And prayer. Of course prayer. I remember praying with Chris last spring for an answer. An answer that didn't involve adding new meds. We were literally watching our child waste away. I didn't realize just how bad he looked until a few weeks ago when I came across some old pictures. Anyway, we prayed hard for God's guidance on what to do. A few days later a friend gave me Dr Chris's name. We went for an appointment, and the rest is history.
I still have trouble believing that Shaun is on no medications and his "symptoms" are still being controlled. At one point he was on seven medications. SEVEN. No wonder he had no appetite! He was being treated for ADHD, Epilepsy, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety, and a sleeping disorder. Turns out the issues he was having were just reactions to certain foods.
Now, I know this may sound bad. But I'm so happy that those lablels are not attached to him anymore. I praise God for it every day. I also get irritated at doctors. Psychiatrists, especially. I don't understand why medication is always the first step in finding solutions for behavior disorders. My child is proof that there are better ways. More complicated ways, perhaps, but better for children. And parents....just because a doctor tells you your child needs medications does NOT mean that you have to do it! Especially psychiatrists. I had to learn this the hard way. Now, I know that some conditions do require medications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. But sometimes, you need to go with your gut. I was told by our psychiatrist that Shaun would never be able to function normally without medication. And look at him now.
At the beginning of last year, I had started to research alternative solutions for behavioral issues. When I brought it up to Shaun's doctor, she laughed at me. That's right. She laughed and said that homeopathy was ridiculous and didn't work. If I had time, I would love to take Shaun for a visit. I wonder what she would have to say. But, I don't have the time to drive to Buford and wait three hours for a ten-minute appointment. So I'm thinking of sending her a letter instead. Nothing mean, just informative. But I probably will never find the time to do that, either!
So there you have it. I'm off my soap box now. But give me a little time and I'm sure I'll be right up back on it again!
As most of you know, we've changed Shaun's (and our!) diet to accommodate his food sensitivities. This means that, for the most part, we are : wheat-free, milk-free, high fructose corn syrup-free, MSG free, food dye-free, white potato-free, grape-free, additive-free, preservative-free...and...medication-free! Since May. Yes, it has been tricky. And a pain. We've had screaming matches in the car over where we were NOT going to eat. And I'm sure I've hurt a few well-meaning people's feelings along the way. But it is so worth it.
He is a different child. He has self-control. He can control his anger. He no longer has seizures or mood swings. He isn't extremely hyperactive (most of the time! He's a boy...a little hyperactivity comes with the territory!) He's more out-going.
I wish Chris hadn't lost our camera cord so that I could post a picture of him. His skin tone is healthy. We can no longer count his ribs! He actually eats! His cheeks aren't sunken. He looks great! We've had to buy new pants because he couldn't button the old ones. What a wonderful problem to have, especially when I remember last spring, when he would literally not eat a bite all day long. He weighed 52 pounds back then. So skinny! I just weighed him and now he's up to...74 pounds!
He's healthy, too! Only one cold so far this winter. A huge improvement over winters past, when he'd have a runny nose and cough pretty much the whole winter. I'm so excited to take him in for his 10 year checkup in February. We haven't had the need to visit our doctor since May. I can't wait to see his reaction to all these improvements.
I owe it all to Dr Chris, our homeopathic specialist. And prayer. Of course prayer. I remember praying with Chris last spring for an answer. An answer that didn't involve adding new meds. We were literally watching our child waste away. I didn't realize just how bad he looked until a few weeks ago when I came across some old pictures. Anyway, we prayed hard for God's guidance on what to do. A few days later a friend gave me Dr Chris's name. We went for an appointment, and the rest is history.
I still have trouble believing that Shaun is on no medications and his "symptoms" are still being controlled. At one point he was on seven medications. SEVEN. No wonder he had no appetite! He was being treated for ADHD, Epilepsy, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety, and a sleeping disorder. Turns out the issues he was having were just reactions to certain foods.
Now, I know this may sound bad. But I'm so happy that those lablels are not attached to him anymore. I praise God for it every day. I also get irritated at doctors. Psychiatrists, especially. I don't understand why medication is always the first step in finding solutions for behavior disorders. My child is proof that there are better ways. More complicated ways, perhaps, but better for children. And parents....just because a doctor tells you your child needs medications does NOT mean that you have to do it! Especially psychiatrists. I had to learn this the hard way. Now, I know that some conditions do require medications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. But sometimes, you need to go with your gut. I was told by our psychiatrist that Shaun would never be able to function normally without medication. And look at him now.
At the beginning of last year, I had started to research alternative solutions for behavioral issues. When I brought it up to Shaun's doctor, she laughed at me. That's right. She laughed and said that homeopathy was ridiculous and didn't work. If I had time, I would love to take Shaun for a visit. I wonder what she would have to say. But, I don't have the time to drive to Buford and wait three hours for a ten-minute appointment. So I'm thinking of sending her a letter instead. Nothing mean, just informative. But I probably will never find the time to do that, either!
So there you have it. I'm off my soap box now. But give me a little time and I'm sure I'll be right up back on it again!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursdays
On Thursdays, my hair will not be styled. I will most likely be wearing a hat with the brim pulled down over my face so that I'm somewhat unrecognizable. I will not be wearing makeup except what may be left over from the night before.
My clothes will be the same ones I wore to church the night before, if they're not dirty. I reason that since I only wore them a few hours the night before, this is okay.
There's a good reason for all this sloppiness: I'm just tired on Thursdays! Thursdays are our hardest days. We stay out late on Wednesday nights. We have church. Its 9 or 9:30 before we leave. Not because service is that long, but because we love our church family and spend time socializing afterwards. When we (finally) leave the building, we usually go eat. El Sombrero is our usual choice...the staff has come to expect us! We go with friends and eat and talk some more. Usually we close out the place.
We usually make it home around 10:30 or 11:00. Chris and I get the kids to bed. Chris goes to sleep himself. I do a load of laundry or read or Facebook because I'm too wired to sleep. I finally make it to bed, but then we have to be up and back at church for Shaun's performing arts class.
So, I'm tired. And maybe I'm a slacker, but I'd much rather spend an extra 30 minutes sleeping than drying my hair. That's just me. I used to stress about this. I even went so far as to try to rush home from church without interacting with anyone in order to get home and into bed earlier. But that doesn't work for us. We love our Wednesday nights. The kids do, too. So we're keeping things the way they are. We'll keep living it up on Wednesday nights and I'll keep looking disheveled and sleepy on Thursdays.
But I wouldn't have it any other way.
My clothes will be the same ones I wore to church the night before, if they're not dirty. I reason that since I only wore them a few hours the night before, this is okay.
There's a good reason for all this sloppiness: I'm just tired on Thursdays! Thursdays are our hardest days. We stay out late on Wednesday nights. We have church. Its 9 or 9:30 before we leave. Not because service is that long, but because we love our church family and spend time socializing afterwards. When we (finally) leave the building, we usually go eat. El Sombrero is our usual choice...the staff has come to expect us! We go with friends and eat and talk some more. Usually we close out the place.
We usually make it home around 10:30 or 11:00. Chris and I get the kids to bed. Chris goes to sleep himself. I do a load of laundry or read or Facebook because I'm too wired to sleep. I finally make it to bed, but then we have to be up and back at church for Shaun's performing arts class.
So, I'm tired. And maybe I'm a slacker, but I'd much rather spend an extra 30 minutes sleeping than drying my hair. That's just me. I used to stress about this. I even went so far as to try to rush home from church without interacting with anyone in order to get home and into bed earlier. But that doesn't work for us. We love our Wednesday nights. The kids do, too. So we're keeping things the way they are. We'll keep living it up on Wednesday nights and I'll keep looking disheveled and sleepy on Thursdays.
But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Not Me! Monday
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
My husband did NOT volunteer us to host our family's Thanksgiving meal this year. He loves me and appreciates my lack of stress control, so he certainly did NOT also put me in charge of cooking the turkey. On that note, this will NOT be my first time cooking a turkey, and I am NOT clueless on how to go about it. I truly hope this meal will NOT be disgusting! And I'm NOT soooo relieved that my sis-in-law is bringing some ham...just in case!
While making lesson plans for Smith University's (my affectionate name for our home school) unit on Thanksgiving, I did NOT realize that I needed to brush up on the topic myself. So, I did NOT need to google "The First Thanksgiving" for information to fill in the gaps. Not Me!
I did NOT join the throngs of silly teenage girls seeing the movie "New Moon" over the weekend. While my friend and I were NOT at said movie, these things also did NOT happen:
*After dinner and finding ourselves with a little time to kill, my friend Jody and I did NOT
go to Publix to try to find the "New Moon" collectors edition of People magazine. And we
were NOT mad and disappointed when we failed.
*We did NOT arrive at the theater an hour early so that we would get good seats.
*The following words did NOT come out of one of our mouths when the line finally started
moving and some crazy teeny-boppers tried to break in line:
"Oh! These girls are running! GO! RUN!"
*It was NOT so entirely fun to act like a teenager again!
I did NOT have some friends over for a get-together last week. We did NOT stand outside and laugh so hard that my neighbors probably thought (incorrectly!) that we were drunk. I am also NOT incredibly grateful that "church ladies" can have so much fun.
I did NOT receive this text from my hubs during my get-together:
"Just wanted to tell you that I love you. And thanks for everything you do. I couldn't make it
without you.". These words did NOT make my heart skip a beat and my bones did NOT turn to mush. Sigh!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Randomness
Here are some random things I did today:
Killed a ginormous, hairy spider in the bathroom.
Gave Shaun his math test. (He made a 93!)
Listened to a VERY interesting "Focus on the Family".
Took a bubble bath.
Sent my sweet husband to the store for "femenine products".
Rescued Jordan from the top of our truck.
Got my laundry pile down to ZERO.
Started to make dinner, only to realize that the particular dish I wanted to make takes an unbelievable 4 hours to make.
Fed my family some leftovers instead.
Walked to get the mail.
Watched the boys play in a big, huge, mud puddle on the way to the mailbox.
Stayed up way too late.
Killed a ginormous, hairy spider in the bathroom.
Gave Shaun his math test. (He made a 93!)
Listened to a VERY interesting "Focus on the Family".
Took a bubble bath.
Sent my sweet husband to the store for "femenine products".
Rescued Jordan from the top of our truck.
Got my laundry pile down to ZERO.
Started to make dinner, only to realize that the particular dish I wanted to make takes an unbelievable 4 hours to make.
Fed my family some leftovers instead.
Walked to get the mail.
Watched the boys play in a big, huge, mud puddle on the way to the mailbox.
Stayed up way too late.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
What's for lunch?
I begin hearing these words around 10:00 am every day. Months ago, I had a ready-made answer: Sandwiches!
But not anymore. Shaun's wheat allergy has changed all that. Oh, I tried to keep making sandwiches work as a suitable lunch. I bought the rice bread. The rice bread that's really thick and dry and gritty. And costs 4 dollars for one small loaf. And that the kids wouldn't eat. So, no more sandwiches for us.
During the summer, I would cook a great meal for my boys at lunch time. Then, when our home school year started, I realized that I was wasting over an hour of my precious time cooking and cleaning up. Since my children still need to eat, despite how crunched for time I am, I came up with some quick, simply recipes that my children love. They're healthy, and I don't have to give the kids anything they shouldn't be eating. I'm really quite proud of myself. Here they are:
Mexican Beans and Rice (I made up this title)
white rice (kids are allergic to the brown)
black beans
salsa
Monterey Jack cheese
I just mix it all together and then top the mixture with some additional cheese. Then I bake it for awhile and its done. The kids eat this like its going out of style. I make a big casserole dish full, so we can eat on it for at least 2 days.
Pizza
Bob's Red Mill Gluten/Wheat Free pizza dough
flax mill and water (as an egg substitute for the dough)
tomato sauce (made without high fructose corn syrup)
ground beef
onion
Mozzarella cheese
I just make the dough, sautee the beef and onion, spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese and bake. One bag of Bob's Red Mill dough mix is enough for 2 huge pizzas. So, once again, we can eat this meal for more than one day. The great thing about this dough is that it tastes almost like thin-crust dough made from what. Its actually pretty good. And again-- my boys eat it like its going out of style.
Veggies and Mac and Cheese
2 boxes of rice mac and cheese mix
green beans (fresh or canned)
crowder peas or black eyed peas
any other kind of vegetable I have in the house
Mac and cheese has been a favorite food of Shaun's since...um...I guess since he could eat. Ditto on the crowder peas. My granny has fed him crowder peas from her garden since he was about 9 months old. They're delicious and full of protein. I was so thrilled to find boxes of quick mac and cheese made from white rice noodles. Just like Kraft, only the kids can eat it. Its also really good. You can detect a difference in the noodles. Not a bad difference, just a difference. I also mix in some ground flax seed for additional nutrition. Served with vegetables, this is a quick and nutritious meal.
There you have it. What we've had for lunch this week. Not quite as easy as slapping some ham and cheese sandwiches together, but not too difficult either.
But not anymore. Shaun's wheat allergy has changed all that. Oh, I tried to keep making sandwiches work as a suitable lunch. I bought the rice bread. The rice bread that's really thick and dry and gritty. And costs 4 dollars for one small loaf. And that the kids wouldn't eat. So, no more sandwiches for us.
During the summer, I would cook a great meal for my boys at lunch time. Then, when our home school year started, I realized that I was wasting over an hour of my precious time cooking and cleaning up. Since my children still need to eat, despite how crunched for time I am, I came up with some quick, simply recipes that my children love. They're healthy, and I don't have to give the kids anything they shouldn't be eating. I'm really quite proud of myself. Here they are:
Mexican Beans and Rice (I made up this title)
white rice (kids are allergic to the brown)
black beans
salsa
Monterey Jack cheese
I just mix it all together and then top the mixture with some additional cheese. Then I bake it for awhile and its done. The kids eat this like its going out of style. I make a big casserole dish full, so we can eat on it for at least 2 days.
Pizza
Bob's Red Mill Gluten/Wheat Free pizza dough
flax mill and water (as an egg substitute for the dough)
tomato sauce (made without high fructose corn syrup)
ground beef
onion
Mozzarella cheese
I just make the dough, sautee the beef and onion, spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese and bake. One bag of Bob's Red Mill dough mix is enough for 2 huge pizzas. So, once again, we can eat this meal for more than one day. The great thing about this dough is that it tastes almost like thin-crust dough made from what. Its actually pretty good. And again-- my boys eat it like its going out of style.
Veggies and Mac and Cheese
2 boxes of rice mac and cheese mix
green beans (fresh or canned)
crowder peas or black eyed peas
any other kind of vegetable I have in the house
Mac and cheese has been a favorite food of Shaun's since...um...I guess since he could eat. Ditto on the crowder peas. My granny has fed him crowder peas from her garden since he was about 9 months old. They're delicious and full of protein. I was so thrilled to find boxes of quick mac and cheese made from white rice noodles. Just like Kraft, only the kids can eat it. Its also really good. You can detect a difference in the noodles. Not a bad difference, just a difference. I also mix in some ground flax seed for additional nutrition. Served with vegetables, this is a quick and nutritious meal.
There you have it. What we've had for lunch this week. Not quite as easy as slapping some ham and cheese sandwiches together, but not too difficult either.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Not Me! Monday
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
I did NOT get pulled over by a police man for "failing to maintain my lane". Said police man also did NOT ask me if I'd been drinking.
I did NOT forget to include a pair of underwear with Jordan's change of clothes when we went to play at my sister's house. He is completely potty trained (except for at night) and did NOT have an accident while we were there. I totally did NOT simply put a pair of my niece's Dora the Explorer panties on him, reasoning that they were sort of manly because they were blue. And I did NOT take poor Jordan to church that way, since we didn't have time to go home for new underwear. Not Me!
I did NOT order my salad with fried chicken while at Chick-fil-a today with my kids, my sister, and her girls. My children are wheat sensitive and can only have grilled nuggets, so that's totally what I eat, too.
Afterward at Target, I let the boys each pick a treat from the "dollar aisle". Of course Shaun wanted to open his, and of course I let him. Five minutes later, he did NOT change his mind about the toy and want to pick another one. I'm all for maintaining discipline in my family, so I did NOT let him make the switch and leave the discarded toy and wrapper right there in the dollar aisle. No way, NOT ME!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Stressful Weekend Recap
And it really has been. Stressful, that is. And I'm glad its over.
Friday: Boys were on edge. Most-likely because of the weather (its sooo hot). Went swimming with my sister, her girls, and my friend and HER kids. Had a good time at the pool, but stayed so long that I didn't get any housework done. Again. Came home and got the kids bathed because Chris and Shaun had movie plans with another father and son from church. Chris obviously didn't plan on having to work late, but he did. Work late, that is. So late that he was still working at 9:20 when I took Shaun to meet him at the hospital. The guys had revamped their movie plans to attend the 10:00 show of Transformers at the Mall of GA. I dropped Shaun off and headed back home, excited because Jordan had fallen asleep in the van on the way home and I just knew I was gonna get some ME time in.
Wrong! Jordan woke up and didn't go back to sleep until 12:23. Yes, I did say 12:30. But I did get to spend some one-on-one time with him, which was nice. Anyway. While we were watching OUR movie (Nacho Libre) Chris called and informed me that the 10:00 show was sold out and they were going to wait it out until the 11:20 show. Yes, I said 11:20. They had over an hour to wait, he said, so they were going to eat at Ruby Tuesdays. And Shaun wanted a grilled cheese. I convinced him to please not give Shaun the evil wheat-and-MSG-laced grilled cheese. Everyone enjoyed the movie and the boys didn't get home until 3:00 in the morning.
Saturday: We all slept in. I finally woke everyone up at 11:00. Chris was one big grouch. I didn't have much sympathy. I mean, he knew he was tired when he went to the middle-of-the-night movie. He made a CHOICE to stay out late when he knew he had lots to do at home the next day. Such as cutting our grass, which is getting so tall that I will not let the boys play outside because for fear of stepping on a Copper Head. The grass did NOT get cut. Neither did anything else. How on earth could we get any chores completed when we were all busy squabbling with each other all day?
Everyone managed to make up with each other before Daddy left for California. I decided that the boys and I had been cooped up in the house for too long and invited myself over to my sister's. We made plans to make dinner. Only our plans hit some road bumps and we didn't eat until 9:30. Yes, I said 9:30. And yes, all of the children had low blood sugar by then and it definitely showed! Our make-shift dinner turned out pretty tasty.
Got the boys back home around 10:00. Put them in bed and waited until 12:30 for them to fall asleep. Yes, 12:30. Then could't fall asleep myself for worrying about having to get everyone up at 7:00 am. Finally fell asleep.
Sunday: Woke up with the alarm at 7:00. Managed to get kids dressed and fed and out to the van by 8:00 despite their late bed-time hour. Entered church and had a powerful service. Went to teach my little three year olds. They were pretty well-behaved for once. Picked up the boys and carted them out to the van, to the tune of both of them whining that they wanted to go out to eat. Tried to appease them by taking them to McDonalds for sweet teas to drink on the way home. It worked for awhile. Got home. Moved everyone inside. Jordan had a meltdown because he didn't want a sandwich for lunch. Sent him to his room until he calmed down. He came back out a changed baby and had lunch while he calmly watched a movie. While the movie was on, I managed to clean the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. Sweet! Gathered all of our stuff together to go swimming again. We swam/played/read/watched tv/talked at my mom's for 3 hours. Came back home at 8:00. Got the kids in the tub while I whipped up some dinner. Had to punish Shaun for his smart mouth. Put them to bed at 9:00. Jumped for joy at 9:15 when they were both asleep.
So there you have it. My super-stressful weekend. I think PMS has an awful lot to do with my stress level. Now I'm off to get some much-needed rest myself.
Friday: Boys were on edge. Most-likely because of the weather (its sooo hot). Went swimming with my sister, her girls, and my friend and HER kids. Had a good time at the pool, but stayed so long that I didn't get any housework done. Again. Came home and got the kids bathed because Chris and Shaun had movie plans with another father and son from church. Chris obviously didn't plan on having to work late, but he did. Work late, that is. So late that he was still working at 9:20 when I took Shaun to meet him at the hospital. The guys had revamped their movie plans to attend the 10:00 show of Transformers at the Mall of GA. I dropped Shaun off and headed back home, excited because Jordan had fallen asleep in the van on the way home and I just knew I was gonna get some ME time in.
Wrong! Jordan woke up and didn't go back to sleep until 12:23. Yes, I did say 12:30. But I did get to spend some one-on-one time with him, which was nice. Anyway. While we were watching OUR movie (Nacho Libre) Chris called and informed me that the 10:00 show was sold out and they were going to wait it out until the 11:20 show. Yes, I said 11:20. They had over an hour to wait, he said, so they were going to eat at Ruby Tuesdays. And Shaun wanted a grilled cheese. I convinced him to please not give Shaun the evil wheat-and-MSG-laced grilled cheese. Everyone enjoyed the movie and the boys didn't get home until 3:00 in the morning.
Saturday: We all slept in. I finally woke everyone up at 11:00. Chris was one big grouch. I didn't have much sympathy. I mean, he knew he was tired when he went to the middle-of-the-night movie. He made a CHOICE to stay out late when he knew he had lots to do at home the next day. Such as cutting our grass, which is getting so tall that I will not let the boys play outside because for fear of stepping on a Copper Head. The grass did NOT get cut. Neither did anything else. How on earth could we get any chores completed when we were all busy squabbling with each other all day?
Everyone managed to make up with each other before Daddy left for California. I decided that the boys and I had been cooped up in the house for too long and invited myself over to my sister's. We made plans to make dinner. Only our plans hit some road bumps and we didn't eat until 9:30. Yes, I said 9:30. And yes, all of the children had low blood sugar by then and it definitely showed! Our make-shift dinner turned out pretty tasty.
Got the boys back home around 10:00. Put them in bed and waited until 12:30 for them to fall asleep. Yes, 12:30. Then could't fall asleep myself for worrying about having to get everyone up at 7:00 am. Finally fell asleep.
Sunday: Woke up with the alarm at 7:00. Managed to get kids dressed and fed and out to the van by 8:00 despite their late bed-time hour. Entered church and had a powerful service. Went to teach my little three year olds. They were pretty well-behaved for once. Picked up the boys and carted them out to the van, to the tune of both of them whining that they wanted to go out to eat. Tried to appease them by taking them to McDonalds for sweet teas to drink on the way home. It worked for awhile. Got home. Moved everyone inside. Jordan had a meltdown because he didn't want a sandwich for lunch. Sent him to his room until he calmed down. He came back out a changed baby and had lunch while he calmly watched a movie. While the movie was on, I managed to clean the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. Sweet! Gathered all of our stuff together to go swimming again. We swam/played/read/watched tv/talked at my mom's for 3 hours. Came back home at 8:00. Got the kids in the tub while I whipped up some dinner. Had to punish Shaun for his smart mouth. Put them to bed at 9:00. Jumped for joy at 9:15 when they were both asleep.
So there you have it. My super-stressful weekend. I think PMS has an awful lot to do with my stress level. Now I'm off to get some much-needed rest myself.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
So Simply Satisfied
That's been Jordan today. Not always, mind you. But today, my drama king has been easy-going and good-humored. Take, for example this scene that just took place at my house:
The kids were eating lunch (salad, rice casserole, and cheese slices) and watching movies (Scooby Doo for Shaun and TMNT for Jordan). I was upstairs paying bills, checking emails, and updating my Facebook status. I hear Jordan's little feet running up the stairs as he calls out "Erin (yes, he calls me Erin sometimes) Erin. I need some more cheese please!" I go downstairs and put a new slice of cheese on his lunch plate that he's brought me. To which he replies "Oh no, no no. I need TWO cheeses. Please!" I reach down and break his cheese slice into TWO pieces and set them back on his plate. To which he replies sweetly "Oh thank you, Erin!" He then turns and gallops back to the table, where he is still sitting and eating contentedly.
Why can't all of our problems be solved that easily?
The kids were eating lunch (salad, rice casserole, and cheese slices) and watching movies (Scooby Doo for Shaun and TMNT for Jordan). I was upstairs paying bills, checking emails, and updating my Facebook status. I hear Jordan's little feet running up the stairs as he calls out "Erin (yes, he calls me Erin sometimes) Erin. I need some more cheese please!" I go downstairs and put a new slice of cheese on his lunch plate that he's brought me. To which he replies "Oh no, no no. I need TWO cheeses. Please!" I reach down and break his cheese slice into TWO pieces and set them back on his plate. To which he replies sweetly "Oh thank you, Erin!" He then turns and gallops back to the table, where he is still sitting and eating contentedly.
Why can't all of our problems be solved that easily?
Saturday, June 6, 2009
What we've been eating lately
My, how our appetites have changed! Seriously, we're different people.
We changed our food choices this past Monday to comply with Shaun's new found food allergies. What an adventure its been. Because we live in G'ville, our choices were severely limited. So, mom and I made the trek to Natural Foods Warehouse last weekend. My new favorite store! We had planned to also visit Whole Foods Market, but we ran out of time. Plus we really really REALLY wanted to eat dinner at the Mellow Mushroom that's in the same complex as the Warehouse. Ahem. Anyway. Here's what we've been eating:
I knew I was in for a challenge. Shaun is a snacker. He doesn't care for sweets, but he could eat salty goodies such as chips, dip, peanuts, etc all day long. I knew I had to find a replacement for potato chips first thing, since they're his favorite food and potatos are one of the worst foods for him. The solution? If you can believe it, dried sugar snap peas. Really! They taste just like potato chips, and they're so healthy. A huge thanks for Wendy for telling me about them. I paired these up with milk-free french onion flavored cream cheese by Toffutti, and viola-- chips and dip. Snack crisis solved. We also found some delicious sweet potato chips that were a big hit.
Rice is also now a big thing with us. And, mind you, that's white rice, since he's allergic to the brown. We're now big fans of rice bread, rice crackers, rice spaghetti, rice flour- who knew you could make so many things out of rice? Its true- rice products are a dream come true to a boy with wheat allergies...and to his mom, too! They're actually pretty tasty, once you get used to it.
Almond milk. I'm not a huge fan of this, but the kids love it. They'll happily guzzle glass after glass at the same rate they guzzled plain old cow's milk. I can't do it. Not sure why. Its not that almond milk has a bad taste. Its just different, but I can't tell a difference when I cook with it.
Grilled chicken nuggets from Chick fil a. A big hit with everyone. They're so good. Thanks Amanda, for telling me about this. I had no idea that you could request your nuggets to be grilled instead of fried. All the taste without the what breading. And we can still eat out, which we have to do several times a week.
Fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. And vegetables. Absolutely no MSG and high fructose corn syrup.
And I've lost 4 pounds, just from not eating junky, chemical laden food. Life's good.
We changed our food choices this past Monday to comply with Shaun's new found food allergies. What an adventure its been. Because we live in G'ville, our choices were severely limited. So, mom and I made the trek to Natural Foods Warehouse last weekend. My new favorite store! We had planned to also visit Whole Foods Market, but we ran out of time. Plus we really really REALLY wanted to eat dinner at the Mellow Mushroom that's in the same complex as the Warehouse. Ahem. Anyway. Here's what we've been eating:
I knew I was in for a challenge. Shaun is a snacker. He doesn't care for sweets, but he could eat salty goodies such as chips, dip, peanuts, etc all day long. I knew I had to find a replacement for potato chips first thing, since they're his favorite food and potatos are one of the worst foods for him. The solution? If you can believe it, dried sugar snap peas. Really! They taste just like potato chips, and they're so healthy. A huge thanks for Wendy for telling me about them. I paired these up with milk-free french onion flavored cream cheese by Toffutti, and viola-- chips and dip. Snack crisis solved. We also found some delicious sweet potato chips that were a big hit.
Rice is also now a big thing with us. And, mind you, that's white rice, since he's allergic to the brown. We're now big fans of rice bread, rice crackers, rice spaghetti, rice flour- who knew you could make so many things out of rice? Its true- rice products are a dream come true to a boy with wheat allergies...and to his mom, too! They're actually pretty tasty, once you get used to it.
Almond milk. I'm not a huge fan of this, but the kids love it. They'll happily guzzle glass after glass at the same rate they guzzled plain old cow's milk. I can't do it. Not sure why. Its not that almond milk has a bad taste. Its just different, but I can't tell a difference when I cook with it.
Grilled chicken nuggets from Chick fil a. A big hit with everyone. They're so good. Thanks Amanda, for telling me about this. I had no idea that you could request your nuggets to be grilled instead of fried. All the taste without the what breading. And we can still eat out, which we have to do several times a week.
Fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. And vegetables. Absolutely no MSG and high fructose corn syrup.
And I've lost 4 pounds, just from not eating junky, chemical laden food. Life's good.
Monday, May 25, 2009
I WILL overcome
I've been down lately. I hesitated to write about this, but I know I'll overcome it and wanted to have something to look back on. When I do. Overcome this, that is. And I know I will, because God's promises are "Yes" and "Amen". Thanks, Pastor Richie!
What's got me down? Life, in a nut shell. Shaun is still hyper, Jordan won't obey, Chris has been working (and working and working) and traveling, I can't get the house cleaned, the yard looks like crap, I'm tired of worrying about money, I'm tired of feeling unappreciated, I'm tired of feeling as though my kids are being compared to others, I'm tired of this special diet we're trying with Shaun-- even though we haven't officially started it yet, and (warning: this is REALLY selfish) I'm tired of everyone making such a big fuss over my husband. Seriously. People at church act as if he hung the moon. And I'm stuck at home dealing with this mess. While he travels across the country and gets told over and over how awesome he is. And, to top it all off, he just got home from his last trip, came up and started telling me about his plane ticket was updated to first class last night. Yay for him.
Okay, I don't want to sound bitter. At least not TOO bitter. The point is, he IS awesome. He has amazing talent, he's a wonderful worship leader, and there's no doubt in my mind that he's doing exactly what God wants him to do. Which means that I'm doing what God wants ME to do-- supporting him and making it possible for him to work his ministry. But its tough here at home in this season we're in with the kids. I know God has it all worked out and He's going to use Shaun (and Jordan, too) for His glory. I sincerely believe there will be a day, if the Rapture doesn't happen first, that I will be able to look back on all of Shaun's accomplishments and say..."Wow. Lord, you really knew what you were doing all along. How foolish I was to freak out over silly things like medical reports and psychologicals".
I know the devil is a liar. I know its him whispering in my ear all day long that : I'm a failure with my kids; my kids will never succeed in anything; I'm a crappy wife and my marriage will never withstand the pressures that its under; my family's finances will never be cleared up; there's no way we can afford to eat the way we need to eat for Shaun's allergies; this diet won't make a difference, so he'll have to go back on medication anyway, so we'll be better off to go ahead and medicate; I'll never break free from my food addiction; I'll always have weight problems; I'm terrible because I can't manage to keep my house cleaned; I'm never going to be able to home school a child with a learning disability; its so unfair that Chris gets to go out and get all kinds of glory and attention; Chris doesn't appreciate me; I should just leave him and let him see how far he'd get without me; my family is disappointed with me; everyone is judging me; and no one understands what I'm going through.
Like I've said before, I know these are lies. So I'd like to take this moment to say: "SHUT UP, SATAN! GET OFF MY BACK. YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER ME, MY LIFE, MY CHILDREN'S LIVES, MY HEALTH, MY KIDS' HEALTH, MY MARRIAGE, OR ANY OTHER THING YOU MAY BE PLOTTING AGAINST ME.
There now, that feels so much better! Now that he's under my feet, I can get on with my day.
What's got me down? Life, in a nut shell. Shaun is still hyper, Jordan won't obey, Chris has been working (and working and working) and traveling, I can't get the house cleaned, the yard looks like crap, I'm tired of worrying about money, I'm tired of feeling unappreciated, I'm tired of feeling as though my kids are being compared to others, I'm tired of this special diet we're trying with Shaun-- even though we haven't officially started it yet, and (warning: this is REALLY selfish) I'm tired of everyone making such a big fuss over my husband. Seriously. People at church act as if he hung the moon. And I'm stuck at home dealing with this mess. While he travels across the country and gets told over and over how awesome he is. And, to top it all off, he just got home from his last trip, came up and started telling me about his plane ticket was updated to first class last night. Yay for him.
Okay, I don't want to sound bitter. At least not TOO bitter. The point is, he IS awesome. He has amazing talent, he's a wonderful worship leader, and there's no doubt in my mind that he's doing exactly what God wants him to do. Which means that I'm doing what God wants ME to do-- supporting him and making it possible for him to work his ministry. But its tough here at home in this season we're in with the kids. I know God has it all worked out and He's going to use Shaun (and Jordan, too) for His glory. I sincerely believe there will be a day, if the Rapture doesn't happen first, that I will be able to look back on all of Shaun's accomplishments and say..."Wow. Lord, you really knew what you were doing all along. How foolish I was to freak out over silly things like medical reports and psychologicals".
I know the devil is a liar. I know its him whispering in my ear all day long that : I'm a failure with my kids; my kids will never succeed in anything; I'm a crappy wife and my marriage will never withstand the pressures that its under; my family's finances will never be cleared up; there's no way we can afford to eat the way we need to eat for Shaun's allergies; this diet won't make a difference, so he'll have to go back on medication anyway, so we'll be better off to go ahead and medicate; I'll never break free from my food addiction; I'll always have weight problems; I'm terrible because I can't manage to keep my house cleaned; I'm never going to be able to home school a child with a learning disability; its so unfair that Chris gets to go out and get all kinds of glory and attention; Chris doesn't appreciate me; I should just leave him and let him see how far he'd get without me; my family is disappointed with me; everyone is judging me; and no one understands what I'm going through.
Like I've said before, I know these are lies. So I'd like to take this moment to say: "SHUT UP, SATAN! GET OFF MY BACK. YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER ME, MY LIFE, MY CHILDREN'S LIVES, MY HEALTH, MY KIDS' HEALTH, MY MARRIAGE, OR ANY OTHER THING YOU MAY BE PLOTTING AGAINST ME.
There now, that feels so much better! Now that he's under my feet, I can get on with my day.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
THAT woman.
Something occurred to me Sunday night during my trip to the grocery store. I had a flash back from when I was a newlywed. Remember now, that I got married at the tender age of eighteen. So wise (or so I thought) in the ways of the world! I remember going grocery shopping and feeling oh so grown up. I would march into the store, arm-in-arm with my hot husband and buy all kinds of unhealthy, expensive things. If we wanted chips and dip for supper, that's what we'd have. I loved that WE were in charge. Money was no object back then, so we got whatever we wanted. And it was fun.
But. No matter where we shopped, or the time of day we chose to go, there was always THAT WOMAN in the store. You know who I mean. The woman who marched into the store armed with her grocery list, her pencil, and oh yes...her coupon book. We always seemed to meet up with THAT WOMAN on every aisle. We'd round the corner needing ketchup and there she'd be. Taking up more than her share of the aisle while she critically looked at the different ketchup choices, squinted at her grocery list, and rifled through her coupon book. On every aisle. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little. But you get the picture. It seemed that we were doomed to follow her throughout the store. And then, somehow, we always wound up behind her in the check out line, where she watched the cashier like a hawk to make sure she didn't get over-charged and that all of her "deals" rang up correctly. Finally, just when we thought she was out of our hair, she would whip out her coupons. Her many, many, coupons. By the time she finally got out of her way, Chris and I would be smirking and rolling our eyes. How we scoffed!
What a shock to realize that I am now THAT WOMAN. Seriously. I am. And I'm not ashamed! I take great pride in the ability to feed our family of 4 for around $60 per week. And that's with all of our diet restrictions, too. The fact is, I feel downright naked if I go into Kroger without 1) my Kroger Plus card, 2) my grocery list, 3) my copy of the store flyer, and 4) my coupon book. Thanks to the wisdom of my baby sister, I am now an annoying, anal, coupon-clipping, bargain-hunting, price-comparing grocery shopper. I used to be self-conscious about it. Then I realized how much money we're saving.
Not to sound snooty or anything, but we spend way less than some of my friends who use convenience foods (Hamburger Helper, those boxed chicken dinners, etc). I had a conversation with a friend the other day who spends $150 per week on groceries for her family of 4. Wow. I told her what I usually spent and she didn't believe me. She asked if we ate only rabbit food. Ahem...NO! I explained that the kids have food sensitivities that required us to eat fresh, natural foods. And that, with the help of coupons and a little extra time price-comparing and menu-planning, I can indeed feed us all good, nutritious food for $60 per week. And I couldn't be more proud. So there.
But. No matter where we shopped, or the time of day we chose to go, there was always THAT WOMAN in the store. You know who I mean. The woman who marched into the store armed with her grocery list, her pencil, and oh yes...her coupon book. We always seemed to meet up with THAT WOMAN on every aisle. We'd round the corner needing ketchup and there she'd be. Taking up more than her share of the aisle while she critically looked at the different ketchup choices, squinted at her grocery list, and rifled through her coupon book. On every aisle. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little. But you get the picture. It seemed that we were doomed to follow her throughout the store. And then, somehow, we always wound up behind her in the check out line, where she watched the cashier like a hawk to make sure she didn't get over-charged and that all of her "deals" rang up correctly. Finally, just when we thought she was out of our hair, she would whip out her coupons. Her many, many, coupons. By the time she finally got out of her way, Chris and I would be smirking and rolling our eyes. How we scoffed!
What a shock to realize that I am now THAT WOMAN. Seriously. I am. And I'm not ashamed! I take great pride in the ability to feed our family of 4 for around $60 per week. And that's with all of our diet restrictions, too. The fact is, I feel downright naked if I go into Kroger without 1) my Kroger Plus card, 2) my grocery list, 3) my copy of the store flyer, and 4) my coupon book. Thanks to the wisdom of my baby sister, I am now an annoying, anal, coupon-clipping, bargain-hunting, price-comparing grocery shopper. I used to be self-conscious about it. Then I realized how much money we're saving.
Not to sound snooty or anything, but we spend way less than some of my friends who use convenience foods (Hamburger Helper, those boxed chicken dinners, etc). I had a conversation with a friend the other day who spends $150 per week on groceries for her family of 4. Wow. I told her what I usually spent and she didn't believe me. She asked if we ate only rabbit food. Ahem...NO! I explained that the kids have food sensitivities that required us to eat fresh, natural foods. And that, with the help of coupons and a little extra time price-comparing and menu-planning, I can indeed feed us all good, nutritious food for $60 per week. And I couldn't be more proud. So there.
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