I'm always surprised at how much a storage room can hold. Unfortunately, it's filling with boxes we havn't even opened in several months. After the rooms get switched I'll have to go through one box a week and get rid of more stuff. Those boxes are following me like bad memories. Time to send those boxes to therapy... I mean, the dump.
So, with room switching and gender segregation, I'm starting to think of how to help the kids individualize their rooms. We got a largish yellow car out of someone's chuck pile last week (lots of moves lately) and I'm thinking of turning it into a toy box for Tag. Also, I think Princess needs a net in the corner of her room to store all of her various, colorful ponchos. She has at least 4-5 of them, they are hard to hang, and they don't have a real home. PB also wants flowers and butterflies on her walls, and she is definitely going to need a pretty strong night light. Poor kid gets nightmares all the time just like her old mom used to.
Recent movie: Something's Gotta Give. Get an edited version (brief, semi-silhouetted anterior female nudity) but a great movie. Jack Nicholson gives a stellar performance.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
What to do with the first zucchini of the season?
Grill it, of course!!
Folks, can I tell you how great this tasted? Diagonal sliced zucchini tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a bit of fresh ground black pepper and seasalt, throw it on the grill, baste with the marinade. It's a good thing Man doesn't like summer squash. My plants aren't bearing in earnest yet and I'm impatient. The tomatoes just keep getting bigger and stay green, the peas have modest output but I guess the kids, Pebbles especially, love going out there and snacking on any that are ripe. That right there is worth the effort of growing and staking them.
Gardening things I've learned later in the season: always stake the peas early and don't underestimate how tall they like to get. Also, learn how to pinch herbs back before seeds are an issue. Can pea plants be pinched back? How do you prevent blossom end rot on squash? Some of my tomato plants have rot on the leaves and braches. -sigh- So much to learn.
Folks, can I tell you how great this tasted? Diagonal sliced zucchini tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a bit of fresh ground black pepper and seasalt, throw it on the grill, baste with the marinade. It's a good thing Man doesn't like summer squash. My plants aren't bearing in earnest yet and I'm impatient. The tomatoes just keep getting bigger and stay green, the peas have modest output but I guess the kids, Pebbles especially, love going out there and snacking on any that are ripe. That right there is worth the effort of growing and staking them.
Gardening things I've learned later in the season: always stake the peas early and don't underestimate how tall they like to get. Also, learn how to pinch herbs back before seeds are an issue. Can pea plants be pinched back? How do you prevent blossom end rot on squash? Some of my tomato plants have rot on the leaves and braches. -sigh- So much to learn.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
morning routine
I wake up with the kids, get everyone breakfast, then I sit at the computer and read the comics. I have tabbed browsing so I just go to my comics bookmark folder, have them all open at once, then read at leisure. After that I open my blogs bookmark folder to check and see if anyone has made any updates. I'm always disappointed when no one has made a post recently. We all go through dry spells. So, since no one else is blogging lately (you know who you are) I thought I'd post even if it's a meandering and largely pointless post (so what else is new?).
My first zucchini is almost ready to harvest. I have dozens of little green tomatoes that are getting larger and larger but aren't changing color yet. AFTB this week was fun. After chatting with the Garrison Commander, she wants everyone in our area to know that all of those boarded up houses around here belong to the city, not the military. She's working to get those houses back so she can tear them down and make more new housing for enlisted. Too bad we won't be here long enough to see the fruits of that vision. So, anyway, I've graduated from each level of AFTB, including the level that is valid for college credit. Nice to not have homework for that college credit, I must say.
I did get those cinnamon rolls made but had the temp up just very slightly and burned all of them and made the smoke alarm go off after all the kids were asleep. ::forehead smack::
Man is finally reading Harry Potter which is cool because I've been waiting to talk to him about various parts for a week now. I also finished the third Mitford book last night and am set to dive into the books from my birthday box (thanks, family!!) which includes a Terry Prachett book that I like (Men at Arms) as well as several from Robin McKinnley and Patricia A. McKillip.
I woke up this morning to Man having let me sleep in while he did all of the dishes. Yep, I like this Man. :)
Plans for the day: baby shower and ducking a church Pioneer Day activity. Dutch oven cooking and activities... or precious time with family. Hm. Time to go put in an appearance at the baby shower and ooh and aah over little girl clothes and the fact that the lady of honor will be having twins next week. Better her than me!!
And lasy but not least, a pic. We were outside the other day when Pebbles decided to eat some mud. It was hard to get her pic so this is the only one that turned out decently.
My first zucchini is almost ready to harvest. I have dozens of little green tomatoes that are getting larger and larger but aren't changing color yet. AFTB this week was fun. After chatting with the Garrison Commander, she wants everyone in our area to know that all of those boarded up houses around here belong to the city, not the military. She's working to get those houses back so she can tear them down and make more new housing for enlisted. Too bad we won't be here long enough to see the fruits of that vision. So, anyway, I've graduated from each level of AFTB, including the level that is valid for college credit. Nice to not have homework for that college credit, I must say.
I did get those cinnamon rolls made but had the temp up just very slightly and burned all of them and made the smoke alarm go off after all the kids were asleep. ::forehead smack::
Man is finally reading Harry Potter which is cool because I've been waiting to talk to him about various parts for a week now. I also finished the third Mitford book last night and am set to dive into the books from my birthday box (thanks, family!!) which includes a Terry Prachett book that I like (Men at Arms) as well as several from Robin McKinnley and Patricia A. McKillip.
I woke up this morning to Man having let me sleep in while he did all of the dishes. Yep, I like this Man. :)
Plans for the day: baby shower and ducking a church Pioneer Day activity. Dutch oven cooking and activities... or precious time with family. Hm. Time to go put in an appearance at the baby shower and ooh and aah over little girl clothes and the fact that the lady of honor will be having twins next week. Better her than me!!
And lasy but not least, a pic. We were outside the other day when Pebbles decided to eat some mud. It was hard to get her pic so this is the only one that turned out decently.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Organizing (again :sigh:)
In my continued quest for organization in my home, I've been salivating over some organization books over at Borders. M and I went a while ago and I've been thinking about them ever since. Last night I went again and have a few titles in mind and have been sorting through possibilities on Amazon from reviews and any glimpses of the inside of the book I can get.
Why am I not doing this on my own? Good question. I think I have a block. One review for a book I'm considering says that the author makes a point that really made sense to her: that perfectionists who like to keep things neat and tidy may have disorganized and cluttered homes, but are waiting for the perfect way to arrange their homes. That's me!! Yes, I'm a perfectionist and I get anxious and depressed when I know it won't be perfect. The result of that is that every day I fight my baser tendencies in order to try to pull things together and fight my misguided higher tendencies to not feel bad about my efforts.
I guess if kids learn by example then it time to get off my rear and do something about it.
Why am I not doing this on my own? Good question. I think I have a block. One review for a book I'm considering says that the author makes a point that really made sense to her: that perfectionists who like to keep things neat and tidy may have disorganized and cluttered homes, but are waiting for the perfect way to arrange their homes. That's me!! Yes, I'm a perfectionist and I get anxious and depressed when I know it won't be perfect. The result of that is that every day I fight my baser tendencies in order to try to pull things together and fight my misguided higher tendencies to not feel bad about my efforts.
I guess if kids learn by example then it time to get off my rear and do something about it.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Coming up for air
Wow, what a weekend.
Tag ended up in the ER again on Friday night. I called some of you to see what could be done about his condition. Two funny things: The same doc who saw him for his splint attended him again on Friday, and he got the bead out of his nose the very same way I suggested before taking Tag to ER. After trying all kinds of tweezers and things, scooping it out with something that looked remarkably like a blackhead remover is what finally dug that little sucker out. The only thing the hospital had on me was the nitrous we gave him so it wouldn't bother him so much. As it was he was all tied up in a blanket and I had to hold his head while a nurse held his feet. Good times. We were in and out in a measly 2.5 hours. The kid had nothing to do the whole time so he amused himself by getting tons of drinks from the waiting room drinking fountain. Yeah. Made being in the pottyless exam room kinda fun.
Saturday was alright. We bummed around, cleaned up, then went to a baptism for one of the kids we teach. That was a lot of fun. Afterward we went out for some Korean food. I was surprised at how good it was. Man and I were a bit dubious while looking through the menu but it was different, yummy, and filling. I had some sort of rice pot. The rice had been cooked right in the pot they set in front of me. An egg had been cracked into the rice, then various veggies and grilled beef had been arranged on top of that. I stirred the egg in to cook it in the still extremely hot pot and rice and was surprised at the creamy texture of the result. I'll have to try that at home some time. In a way the food was more "real" and interesting than Chinese. I liked also how they had at least a dozen small side dishes that came with the main dishes. A variety of pickled veggies (green onion, daikon, large bean sprouts, etc) and some lightly stewed things (potatoes, some other veggie I couldn't recognize) and kimchee. And this weird jellied stuff in tangy sauce. It looked like raw fish but was really just savory jello.
Anyway, I read the second book in the Mitford series and cried my eyes out for the joy of it. I also read Harry Potter this weekend (don't worry, no spoilers) and cried my eyes out all over again. Great book. It's worth reading all 7 of them. So many answers, and so very satisfying. Like a big sigh at the end of a good cry.
This coming week is going to be a bit of a nightmare. Classes for three days, dr appt, FRG for which I need to get the calendar done again, a baby shower and a ward activity, and meetings at Princess' school to meet the teachers, get her tested, and get a supplies list. There are also several families moving out of the ward over the next few weeks. (I will not cry, but I WILL make your cinnamon rolls, M!!)
Tag ended up in the ER again on Friday night. I called some of you to see what could be done about his condition. Two funny things: The same doc who saw him for his splint attended him again on Friday, and he got the bead out of his nose the very same way I suggested before taking Tag to ER. After trying all kinds of tweezers and things, scooping it out with something that looked remarkably like a blackhead remover is what finally dug that little sucker out. The only thing the hospital had on me was the nitrous we gave him so it wouldn't bother him so much. As it was he was all tied up in a blanket and I had to hold his head while a nurse held his feet. Good times. We were in and out in a measly 2.5 hours. The kid had nothing to do the whole time so he amused himself by getting tons of drinks from the waiting room drinking fountain. Yeah. Made being in the pottyless exam room kinda fun.
Saturday was alright. We bummed around, cleaned up, then went to a baptism for one of the kids we teach. That was a lot of fun. Afterward we went out for some Korean food. I was surprised at how good it was. Man and I were a bit dubious while looking through the menu but it was different, yummy, and filling. I had some sort of rice pot. The rice had been cooked right in the pot they set in front of me. An egg had been cracked into the rice, then various veggies and grilled beef had been arranged on top of that. I stirred the egg in to cook it in the still extremely hot pot and rice and was surprised at the creamy texture of the result. I'll have to try that at home some time. In a way the food was more "real" and interesting than Chinese. I liked also how they had at least a dozen small side dishes that came with the main dishes. A variety of pickled veggies (green onion, daikon, large bean sprouts, etc) and some lightly stewed things (potatoes, some other veggie I couldn't recognize) and kimchee. And this weird jellied stuff in tangy sauce. It looked like raw fish but was really just savory jello.
Anyway, I read the second book in the Mitford series and cried my eyes out for the joy of it. I also read Harry Potter this weekend (don't worry, no spoilers) and cried my eyes out all over again. Great book. It's worth reading all 7 of them. So many answers, and so very satisfying. Like a big sigh at the end of a good cry.
This coming week is going to be a bit of a nightmare. Classes for three days, dr appt, FRG for which I need to get the calendar done again, a baby shower and a ward activity, and meetings at Princess' school to meet the teachers, get her tested, and get a supplies list. There are also several families moving out of the ward over the next few weeks. (I will not cry, but I WILL make your cinnamon rolls, M!!)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Obesity -- drastic measures
I was reading about a product one man was trying to sell to public schools as a healthy alternative (hummus and pita chips), but it wasn't looking like it would go over well for one reason that has stumped parents for years: the kids don't like it.
Well, you know what? They can bloody suck it up. They are telling us that the reason they can't make things more healthy is that kids don't like the way it looks, or smells, or other people in the room aren't eating it. I remember that garbage myself, and in my not so humble opinion, kids need to suck it up. What happens to my son when he won't try the stir fry? Eat it or not. Whatever. They're so worried about childhood obesity, so make the foods healthier, don't give them garbage options, and the little porkers might not like it but who cares? If they miss a meal because they don't like it, it might actually do them good. Parents have been doing things to their kids that the little darlings don't like but will help them keep or acquire good health for years (think prescription meds or immunizations) but they're afraid to take away pizza and chicken nuggets because... they don't like carrots? We're willing to spend billions on the repercussions of eating poorly, willing to suffer from eating poorly, willing to have surgeries, and shots, and several daily medications from eating poorly but we're unwilling to make the little sweetums' a little uncomfortable while they're young enough to really learn good health habits and WHY??
I don't claim to be a paragon of healthy eating. Far from. But there are a few things we do that keep the kids from getting obese and lazy:
1. We only have soda in the house about 1-2 times per year. Other than that, 100% juice (which I only pull out every few weeks) or water. Milk is served with meals or as a complement to a snack.
2. Snacks are reasonable. They are allowed to eat as much fruit or veggies as they want at any time of the day (except for within an hour before meals) and I don't serve dips with them. Fruit dips are considered a treat and if served, come after a meal. If you get good fruit, it's good enough on its own to not need that sort of treatment.
3. I kick them outside for a few hours each day. A lot of days I have a total ban on tv or computer. They get bored and I tell them to get over it. They find things to do, usually outside running around or on bikes. Mean mommy? Sure.
4. If they don't want to eat it, fine. Be hungry. No alternatives. Period. I can't force them to eat, and they can't force me to give them something they want. In defense of my cooking, Tag will never eat anything I cook until he takes that first bite. After that he'll eat a full serving. He just have to get over these silly refusal habits.
5. A sweet does not have to follow every meal. We have something maybe once or twice a week, but we don't depend on it to "complete" our dining experience.
6. We eat out fairly rarely. I think we average 1-2 times per month. When we do go out, we encourage the kids to eat only until they are full since we can take the rest home. We never get dessert at restaurants.
7. Eating is never a punishment or reward. I don't send them to bed without supper, or dangle sweet carrots for behavior. Well... I think I have once or twice in my whole career as a parent (once when potty training, once when not thinking clearly and needing to cut some little fingernails without a fight) but it certainly is not a habit.
They bark and wail about giving kids a choice when it comes to eating well in schools, but in reality we are still responsible for helping them make those good choices until they're old enough to do it on their own. My mom used to tell us that we could only have chocolate milk with our school lunches if we promised to run around at recess afterward. My honest little heart wouldn't let me do otherwise, but truly how many of our youth do that? High schools don't have a run around time after chocolate milk. Tons of kids don't bother to run and play at recess. Lots of schools don't have gym programs.
Even if we can't force schools to reinstate PE we can certainly help our children make good nutritional decisions. We can set them up for success by realizing that kids in elementary school are still young enough that their capacity to make good decisions in the face of peer pressure or pure self indulgence is largely still under development and give them a variety of good choices rather than a choice between good and evil. They still get choice, but they are choices I can accept.
Well, you know what? They can bloody suck it up. They are telling us that the reason they can't make things more healthy is that kids don't like the way it looks, or smells, or other people in the room aren't eating it. I remember that garbage myself, and in my not so humble opinion, kids need to suck it up. What happens to my son when he won't try the stir fry? Eat it or not. Whatever. They're so worried about childhood obesity, so make the foods healthier, don't give them garbage options, and the little porkers might not like it but who cares? If they miss a meal because they don't like it, it might actually do them good. Parents have been doing things to their kids that the little darlings don't like but will help them keep or acquire good health for years (think prescription meds or immunizations) but they're afraid to take away pizza and chicken nuggets because... they don't like carrots? We're willing to spend billions on the repercussions of eating poorly, willing to suffer from eating poorly, willing to have surgeries, and shots, and several daily medications from eating poorly but we're unwilling to make the little sweetums' a little uncomfortable while they're young enough to really learn good health habits and WHY??
I don't claim to be a paragon of healthy eating. Far from. But there are a few things we do that keep the kids from getting obese and lazy:
1. We only have soda in the house about 1-2 times per year. Other than that, 100% juice (which I only pull out every few weeks) or water. Milk is served with meals or as a complement to a snack.
2. Snacks are reasonable. They are allowed to eat as much fruit or veggies as they want at any time of the day (except for within an hour before meals) and I don't serve dips with them. Fruit dips are considered a treat and if served, come after a meal. If you get good fruit, it's good enough on its own to not need that sort of treatment.
3. I kick them outside for a few hours each day. A lot of days I have a total ban on tv or computer. They get bored and I tell them to get over it. They find things to do, usually outside running around or on bikes. Mean mommy? Sure.
4. If they don't want to eat it, fine. Be hungry. No alternatives. Period. I can't force them to eat, and they can't force me to give them something they want. In defense of my cooking, Tag will never eat anything I cook until he takes that first bite. After that he'll eat a full serving. He just have to get over these silly refusal habits.
5. A sweet does not have to follow every meal. We have something maybe once or twice a week, but we don't depend on it to "complete" our dining experience.
6. We eat out fairly rarely. I think we average 1-2 times per month. When we do go out, we encourage the kids to eat only until they are full since we can take the rest home. We never get dessert at restaurants.
7. Eating is never a punishment or reward. I don't send them to bed without supper, or dangle sweet carrots for behavior. Well... I think I have once or twice in my whole career as a parent (once when potty training, once when not thinking clearly and needing to cut some little fingernails without a fight) but it certainly is not a habit.
They bark and wail about giving kids a choice when it comes to eating well in schools, but in reality we are still responsible for helping them make those good choices until they're old enough to do it on their own. My mom used to tell us that we could only have chocolate milk with our school lunches if we promised to run around at recess afterward. My honest little heart wouldn't let me do otherwise, but truly how many of our youth do that? High schools don't have a run around time after chocolate milk. Tons of kids don't bother to run and play at recess. Lots of schools don't have gym programs.
Even if we can't force schools to reinstate PE we can certainly help our children make good nutritional decisions. We can set them up for success by realizing that kids in elementary school are still young enough that their capacity to make good decisions in the face of peer pressure or pure self indulgence is largely still under development and give them a variety of good choices rather than a choice between good and evil. They still get choice, but they are choices I can accept.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Today
Today's music: Duran Duran -- Ordinary World
Today's errands: Make sure that with today and tomorrow, I do everything needed before the weekend so we can just crash (especially Man). On Sat I plan to take us to the park when we wake up so he can actually sleep in. Maybe walk down to BK and feed the little 'uns with some transfat, licensed, under-nutritioned, pseudo-food. Yum!!
How I feel: Pretty good. Got some decent sleep last night and woke up to three little people asking for waffles. We all cuddled for a while which no mom can completely ever get enough of from the little ones. I had a decent cry last night and then remembered everything I need to be grateful for. Even if it's hard to find all the time, I have been able to get good medical and dental care for the kids, we're still alive and fed even if cooking really stinks to me right now, we have a roof over our heads, and I have friends who have helped me so very much over the past several weeks. Oddly, out of all of the gems and jewels of people reaching out to me, the most surprising and touching was when my brother called me on my birthday. I'm in tears again, thinking about it. Folks, this man is wonderful. Just that simple phone call to say hi, and even if he didn't say it in so many words there was a definite “I care about you” in there somewhere. Thanks, Romeo. You're a huge part of the reason I'm hoping we're having another boy, because everyone should have a brother.
What I'm looking forward to:
I ordered some things from Penzey's and I'm on pins and needles of anticipation. Good curry!! Cardamom pods!! Real, amazing cinnamon! Oh, folks, it doesn't get a whole lot better than some good Penzey's cinnamon on your French toast or in some gooey, yeasty, cinnamon rolls. ::drools:: M, when I get my cinnamon, I'll bring you some cinnamon rolls and you can put on 5 pounds with me. What are friends for?
Romeo said he's sending a late birthday box. I'm trying to not get excited about it. But it isn't working. ::peeks out the window:: The mail hasn't come yet. ::peeks again:: Nope. ::pretends to not peek:: ... ::sigh::
The weekend. We have a baptism to go to in the evening and I think we'll be taking our kids little friends with us. We'll probably set them up in the cultural hall at church with a little picnic while Man conducts music and I give a talk. It'll actually keep my kids pretty sane to have little friends with them. Other than that, we have church and vegging to look forward to.
Living another day. Learning to smile and leap over high stepping stones.
Today's inspiring song lyrics:
My life flows on in endless song
Above earths lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
I lift my eyes, the clouds grow thin.
I see the blue above them.
And day by day this pathway smooths
Since first I learned to love Him
The peace of God makes fresh my heart
A fountain ever springing
All things are mine since I am His
How can I keep from singing?
Today's errands: Make sure that with today and tomorrow, I do everything needed before the weekend so we can just crash (especially Man). On Sat I plan to take us to the park when we wake up so he can actually sleep in. Maybe walk down to BK and feed the little 'uns with some transfat, licensed, under-nutritioned, pseudo-food. Yum!!
How I feel: Pretty good. Got some decent sleep last night and woke up to three little people asking for waffles. We all cuddled for a while which no mom can completely ever get enough of from the little ones. I had a decent cry last night and then remembered everything I need to be grateful for. Even if it's hard to find all the time, I have been able to get good medical and dental care for the kids, we're still alive and fed even if cooking really stinks to me right now, we have a roof over our heads, and I have friends who have helped me so very much over the past several weeks. Oddly, out of all of the gems and jewels of people reaching out to me, the most surprising and touching was when my brother called me on my birthday. I'm in tears again, thinking about it. Folks, this man is wonderful. Just that simple phone call to say hi, and even if he didn't say it in so many words there was a definite “I care about you” in there somewhere. Thanks, Romeo. You're a huge part of the reason I'm hoping we're having another boy, because everyone should have a brother.
What I'm looking forward to:
I ordered some things from Penzey's and I'm on pins and needles of anticipation. Good curry!! Cardamom pods!! Real, amazing cinnamon! Oh, folks, it doesn't get a whole lot better than some good Penzey's cinnamon on your French toast or in some gooey, yeasty, cinnamon rolls. ::drools:: M, when I get my cinnamon, I'll bring you some cinnamon rolls and you can put on 5 pounds with me. What are friends for?
Romeo said he's sending a late birthday box. I'm trying to not get excited about it. But it isn't working. ::peeks out the window:: The mail hasn't come yet. ::peeks again:: Nope. ::pretends to not peek:: ... ::sigh::
The weekend. We have a baptism to go to in the evening and I think we'll be taking our kids little friends with us. We'll probably set them up in the cultural hall at church with a little picnic while Man conducts music and I give a talk. It'll actually keep my kids pretty sane to have little friends with them. Other than that, we have church and vegging to look forward to.
Living another day. Learning to smile and leap over high stepping stones.
Today's inspiring song lyrics:
My life flows on in endless song
Above earths lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
I lift my eyes, the clouds grow thin.
I see the blue above them.
And day by day this pathway smooths
Since first I learned to love Him
The peace of God makes fresh my heart
A fountain ever springing
All things are mine since I am His
How can I keep from singing?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Can't call him splinty any more
Believe it or or not, this picture does not do the color of his cast justice. It is blinding! Construction, hunter orange. Fluorescent tangerine. He kept showing it to people while we were buying diapers and they kept saying "yes, I couldn't help but notice it..." He could flag down airplanes with this thing.
And he loves it.
I like that I don't have to worry about him trying to take his sling off anymore. He was pretty good about leaving the splint alone.
edited to add: I forgot to mention how the actual appt went. Dr said that the fracture is above the growth plate and there's <1% chance of it being a problem. I couldn't even see the fracture at all on the xray, but the dr explained that they could tell more from the slight curve of the bone (which shouldn't be there) rather than any lines at all. The official diagnosis is a Right Supracondylar Humerus Fracture. The person at the ER misspelled "supracondylar" but heck, who am I to judge another's spelling? Halfway down this page, they explain it a tiny bit. Dr said that what happened is that Tag is young enough that his joints are still relatively flexible, so he hyperextended his elbow joint and the pokey-outy bit shoved into his humerus, causing a very slight fracture. Don't I sound all technical?
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