Week 42: A Jolly Good Time

What's new?

"Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish." 

-Louis P. De Gouy, "The Soup Book" (1949)

Thank you, to my friend Emily, for the wonderful butternut squash recipes AND for harping on me about getting a slow-cooker, in Week 42! I have used it twice already, and I just adore this kitchen gadget. I ended up getting the large one with the ceramic insert, which is cool because I can make big batches of freeze-ahead meals or a pot roast, if I choose. It's all dangerous and a huge timesaver. This one also came with a dip warmer insert, which Ted will love for his queso habit. Since I am deliberately meat-free 3 nights a week now ("deliberate" implies that I am talking about legitimate, nutritious vegetarian food, not chips and salsa because I was lazy), the first slow-cooker recipe I tried was the coconut-butternut crockpot soup recipe from Superhealthykids.com. I basically used this recipe as more of an inspirational springboard because I ended up using an acorn squash rather than a sweet potato, adding 2 cups of baby portabella mushrooms, an apple, garlic, 2 TBS more of cumin, cinnamon, lots of black pepper, and I omitted coconut flakes (though I did use lite coconut milk). The end product was extremely rich and earthy, with more of a cream-of-mushroom meets butternut squash and cumin flavor to it than anything. 5/5 stars from this mushroom fan, and if you've always wanted to be a mushroom lover but don't like the texture, I recommend them this way (crockpot + puree = soup). This made about 12 servings. 

Other Week 42 Newness:

• New beer! I haven't tried a new beer in so long! The sadness! And, to make matters even worse, my favorite kind of beer is a good porter, which I have not had in about 1.5 years. It's one of those things...I guess you could say "trigger food" although beer isn't really a food...But it's one of those things that used to be a larger part of my life when I was chubby, much like a lot of homemade yeast breads and pasta and rich cheeses :) mmmm....rich cheeses.....Cutthroat Porter from Odell Brewing Co out of Ft Collins (CO) was good! I thought it had a very strong coffee aftertaste, which I like, but it wasn't as sweet as some of the more chocolaty porters, if you happen to have a preference. I would have it again, though it is nowhere close to replacing my 1st favorite (Mac and Jacks Porter, Redmond, WA) or 2nd favorite (Black Butte Porter, Bend, OR). I forget how expensive some things like this are here in KS (craft brews). Pacific Northwesterners are spoiled. That's all there is to it.

• Wonderscope Children's Museum. I liked it okay, but it wasn't as neat as some of the other museums and discovery/learning centers we have been to in Kansas and Missouri. Henry had a GREAT time, but I think my bottom-line rating for this place is, I am glad we checked this off of our list, but we won't go back unless we are in the area of Shawnee, KS :) I am sure that if we lived there, we would love it. However, if I am going to drive that far, I would just as soon drive to the Kansas Children's Discovery Center out in Lawrence, KS or the Patee House Museum up in St Joseph, MO or the Overland Park Botanical Gardens or Ernie Miller Nature Center...We have been so spoiled with amazing learning opportunities in our midst, and I love exploring them all with Henry! 3/5 stars for Wonderscope :) 

Week 41: Some Fun Yummies

What's new?

In Week 41, Henry and I wanted to focus on re-building our immune systems with lots of warm, sticky vegetables and colorful foods, fish, nuts, and green smoothies. What a perfect opportunity, we thought, to try out a new recipe from Skinnytaste.com, Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Rolls! We also decided to share some with our neighbors, after finding out our entire neighborhood had Strep. This was a delicious dish, and it was very easy to make (and inexpensive). I think I could eat this every day. Things I did differently than the recipe: Whole milk ricotta instead of lowfat; red onion instead of shallot; used about 1/3 more butternut squash; added cinnamon, oregano, and lots of black pepper to ricotta mixture; sprinkled a little cheddar cheese on top before serving :) Okay, so my version wasn't very skinny. But I don't believe in lowfat ricotta. It's against my religion. 5/5 stars.

In addition, we received Henry's Scholastic book order from school, and in that order was another Jane Yolen goodie, How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad (by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague). We like books about emotions around here, and this was so much fun. I am definitely going to add this to my list of suggested deployment resources for children. We also got No More Hitting (by Maria Mayson), which also deals with the subject of acting out, but in a different way. Yolen accepts that Dinosaurs are going to be mad sometimes, and that's totally fine, but you need to go take a time out and a deep breath instead of throwing, hitting, yelling, etc. Mayson's book deals with acting out (in this case, hitting) by redirecting the anger entirely in a physical way: dancing. So anytime tiger cub wants to hit someone, he instead does a little dance, and pretty soon he feels better and doesn't want to hit anyone. I think both books are wonderful, and Henry LOVES all of Yolen's books. No More Hitting is super cute, just a teensy bit long-winded for the age-range of the audience. I usually shorten it up a bit when we read it, but I would recommend both to just about any youngling who needs a reminder to use their words :)  

Other Newness for Week 41:

• I received good news regarding the arrival of my Husband, which may or may not be a good chunk of days earlier than expected :) But I am not letting myself get TOO excited about it until the day I am actually seeing him with my own eyes.

• Began a new, scaled-back running routine, which incorporates equal parts yoga and running. The goal is to focus on moderation (for reals this time) and get myself out of that binge runner's mentality that I think I have had my entire life. I can't be approaching 37 and still in this mentality that I can run 18 miles and go eat like crap the entire weekend afterwards. And, approaching 37 means, for the first time, that weight isn't the issue anymore; it's stuff like blood pressure and arthritis and warding off dementia :)

Week 40: Tomatoes, Prayers, and a Love Story

Week 40 brought strep throat to Henry and I. He actually had it at the end of Week 39 and is over it already, whereas I am just now in the thick of it. Thus, Week 40 was spent mostly on the couch, usually cuddling, and frequently watching television. Not being able to talk to my son has been difficult, and I have been in excruciating pain. I wonder if he was in this much pain, or if my adult body is just no comparison to his amazing pre-school aged one? Do any of us truly realize how amazing kids of this age are until we become stewards of them? The other night, during our bedtime prayers, he thanked God for "falling down, getting up, and for kisses and for stars...". I have no idea where that came from except that earlier that day, he tripped and fell while we were outside, playing. What a beautiful prayer just for life in general. Orated by a 3-year old.

Newness for Week 40: 

• Henry has read all of his books to me. I had no idea he had that many books completely memorized. 

• We have officially moved the puzzle station to the dining room table, which we rarely use anyway.

• I watched an entire movie from beginning to end in one sitting that wasn't made by Pixar: Les Miserables. I have never seen this - Any version! Weird, right? What a story of true love, from beginning to end. I don't think a greater love story has ever existed.

• Tried a yummy new smoothie recipe from Green Smoothie Revolution (Victoria Boutenko's recipe): 1 bunch dandelion greens + 4 Roma tomatoes (I used 3 vine tomatoes since that's what was in my fridge) + 3 cups water. This was good. I also added garlic since I'm sick, so it ended up being like a room temperature soup. As weird as it sounds, it was extremely satisfying. And besides Cream of Wheat and canned peaches, the only thing that tastes good. 

Week 39: Let's Celebrate 75% Completion!

What's new?

In Week 39, we celebrate a milestone: 75% of the way through the year! And just because we can, we will give thanks for all of it: our successes, our failures, our dreams, and our realities. My favorite ways to celebrate just about anything include eating food, chatting with friends and family, wearing a good pair of jeans, being outside, and making lists. 

Non-mom-jeans. The last time I bought a pair of hot jeans (the really good kind) was 2006. I didn't even buy any after I lost weight! Desperately needing to channel Linda Hamilton in the Terminator (and not owning a gymnists body or a machine gun or a cigarette), I got a new pair of Joe's. And it worked. I look exactly like the photo above. 

September foodie penpal. My second foodie penpal (check out The Lean Green Bean for an explanation of foodie penpals) package was full of deliciously sweet and energy-filled treats. Brookside acai chocolates are delicious! I love dark chocolate and was quite excited to discover that these were chewy. I LOVE chewy candies. I also had no idea Brookside was owned by Hershey. Way to go, Hershey. Henry and I love the honey sticks, which he had never had, and honey is a completely underestimated, natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral food. Agave nectar has nothing on honey, as much as it tries. I had had the Sweet Leaf mint green tea before, but was pleasantly surprised by my foodie penpal's ballsiness to include a glass jar of liquid in my package. Maybe my Linda Hamilton alter ego will give me the strength I need to be that brave in my future packages :) The homemade cookies were a sweet touch - Ted would have devoured these, being that they were peanut butter and chocolate, had he been here! I love orzo and fruit leather for running fuel - Orzo always makes for a nice, chilled pasta salad. Throw in some feta, cucumber, and tomato...maybe a little olive oil, and you have a delicious meal. My penpal also included special treats for Henry, which I thought was the sweetest thing ever.

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Mound City, MO). This is an hour and a half north from Fort Leavenworth and completely worth every speck of your time. What a perfect time of year as well being the fall migration! There is a 10-mile loop around the refuge that is basically a driving tour (slow) with lots of places to get out with the spotting scope or camera, or just sit in your car with binos. We enjoyed seeing American white pelicans, osprey, turkey vultures, snow geese, loons, turtles, and lots of monarchs everywhere. We will definitely be back this winter to try to spot some bald eagles! 

Used food dehydrator. We can't wait to make some homemade teas and dried fruits. I may or may not include a specimen or two as well :)

If you will recall, at the Halfway Point, I created this list of goodies for completion to have done before the end of the year:

Here is what we have completed:

• ditch the sippy cup/switch to full big-boy cups only - done, for the most part. Cups with a lid are still nice for taking on runs, hikes, and in the car, kind of like a Nalgene.

• Pass the Praxis - by the Grace of God, I did pretty well on this crazy test!

• finish current book - yes 

• make it through a playgroup session without trying to leave the building barely, but yes

• successfully find a preschool in VA before we move there - yes, though I am not head-over-heels in love with it, as compared to how I feel about his current school/teacher

• pick peaches from local orchard and freeze enough pie fillings for peach pie until the end of the year They didn't open for u-Pick this year, but I was a farmer's market stalker, and have peaches galore. 

• take Henry owling and to a local owl lecture at a nearby nature center while he is still obsessed with owls - We did go owling! However, we did not make it to a lecture because they were all late in the evening (bedtime) rather than what I was hoping for (a couple that were in the early morning). Both are good times to go owling. He is still loving learning about owls, who fascinate us both.

• get a cute grow chart for Henry's room - done! He's growing like a weed.

• start preschool - yes

• not sit in the parking lot and cry for 3 hours on the first day of preschool like a total loser - yes, thanks to a very good friend

• seriously. get a life - I still have anxiety leaving him every single time. But it goes away within about 12 seconds after dropping him off :)

• say "please" and "thank you" consistently - He has started doing this! I am so proud. This was really the only thing I cared about on this list, and it happened. I've noticed he is better at saying please and thank you to strangers than he is to his Momma, however :) I am probably the same way with my Momma...

• squaw creek national wildlife refuge

Here is what is in the process of being completed:

• potty training completion - If you could graph this progress, it would look like a wave. Just within the last few days, he has been telling me "help"; grabbing himself; then holding it for a few seconds, which is awesome. He only does this in cotton undies - Pullups are a joke in case anyone reading this is just about to start this adventure.

• KS/MO bug collection - Just have to finish and affix my labels! Would like to get a couple more species.

• finish current crochet project and complete about 5 more - I don't know about the "5 more", but should be finished with the current behemoth in a month or so

• finish the rest of current book pile...about 8-9 of them, not counting the teacher resources now on my list - Probably more like 4.

• finish writing current short work of fiction - I think this will actually happen. As usual, It needs to be simplified a LOT for a short story.

• call my grandparents more regularly - Trying...My limited phone talking time is usually spent calling one of my parents, siblings, or sister-in-laws, so I really, sadly, have to schedule time to call anyone else, including friends. Though, is it really that sad? It gets done that way. Just life, I think.

• learn new tree identification (list) - Sucking it up on this one. But I have learned a few...

• try one new smoothie week per week - More like, every 2 weeks :) But yes.

• teach my son to catch and throw a football - working on it! He has a good arm, though teaching someone to catch is HARD when you suck yourself :) haha

• teach my son to ride his bike - Well, we are getting on, being pushed, and are fascinated by big kids on their bikes. Working on it...

• find a place to live in VA - Working on it. I think my Husband has much more lavish taste than I do, but I have always known this. I like cozy. He likes an echo :)

• get my child to willingly eat a vegetable/food in general - If green smoothies count, then yes.

• complete a half marathon on Post before we leave - One more week! Yay.

• make sure he can recognize his name (written) before he gets to his first day of preschool - I think he can recognize his name...He knows the spelling. not 100% sure if he really knows it or has just memorized it :)

Week 38: Our Brains Are Alive (and Melty Is Too A Word)

What's new?

Oh, how I missed you, Wally Lamb. Reading favorite authors is like stepping into a nice, hot bath. You can confidently just let their words completely absorb your melty, porous brain because you're not tripping over their shitty, cliche, underdeveloped characters or bored out of your mind or disgusted because once more, someone mistook a pessimistic point of view for good writing. It is like knowing in advance you are going to get a brain massage and a good laugh and your imagination is going to come alive and be free. The Hour I First Believed is a similiar style to I Know This Much is True, where he ties deep, historical roots with regard to the protagonists family history into the current day. This story centers around a couple going through marital problems who deal with the after-effects of the Colombine massacre. Deep, complex, believable, and thought-provoking.

Week 38 New Stuff:

• Henry has given up naps. Oddly, he seems SO much happier and content on this schedule. No more spending 2 hours a day fighting him to take a nap, then fighting him to eat, then to go to bed. He sleeps from 7:30-7ish; eats more; talks more, is more affectionate and playful. I think this is actually working! Quiet time for an hour in the afternoons is a must, and I am learning as I go. Time Management...this is something that is being quickly readjusted :) Not sure if I will ever crochet again!

• Cod liver oil - A lot of great research exists on the benefits of cod liver oil on brain development, the prevention of learning disabilities, and even various disorders of the Autism Spectrum, not to mention nerve disorders. I just don't think it can hurt, especially since our boy is such a picky eater!  

• I signed up for a half marathon on Post the first weekend in October. One of my girlfriends offered to come hang out with Henry that morning, and having that possibility made me more excited than waking him up early to take to someone else's house while also trying to get ready for a half marathon. While I am no stranger to half marathons, it has been a year since I have run one!

• New green smoothie recipe from Green Smoothie Revolution. I had been wanting to try this one for a while because it only had 2 ingredients and looked extremely refreshing; 3 cups of cubed cantelope and 1 bunch of parsley. That's it! I add a little water to mine every time just because I have a blender from 1994, but you fancy VitaMixers need not add water. I THOUGHT this was going to be good. I am obsessed with parsley. I love anything with melon. I had both ingredients handy. However, it didn't really sit right with me. The flavor combo was not doing it. Green apples, sour berries, lemon, other greens...those are things that work with parsley. Cantelope is too sweet or too melon-y or something. Blech. Like all of those fruit and mint candies and gums? Those also gross me out, and this was kind like that (1/5 stars).

Week 37: Transplanting a Walnut Grove

What's new?

Do you ever find yourself compiling random lists of memories about a person or a situation in your life that you want to write about? In week 37, I created a character list for and found myself thinking a lot about my Great Grandmother, and how, during those times in life where I think I might have a total and complete meltdown, my simple memories of her and our conversations during my childhood give me comfort and strength.

Years ago, while I was going through a very painful separation and divorce, I got rid of almost everything in my house, including all artwork and photos on the wall. My Mom gave me this pillowcase that Grandma had made, and it was the only thing on my wall for almost an entire year.

As oddly dramatic as this is going to sound, I feel this spun out of control and on the verge of a meltdown EVERY time before we are about to move. And, compared to people who met their spouses early on, I haven't even moved that much! I don't think most people have this kind of emotional root system that they have to rip up every time they move, especially when it is a way of life for them. But this is how I feel about it, for whatever reason - It is very painful. It's just who I am. I put down roots in my environment and suck in the air such that it becomes the essence of my very cells. And so, my poor Husband...a Military man to his core, who, it seems, loves moving, must literally transplant a walnut grove every time. Though, he has turned out to be a pretty good arborist, so far.

Week 37 Newness:

• Found a preschool in Virginia for our Buddy (for a January start)! SO relieved and happy about this very huge answer to our prayers. He was on 5 waitlists, and we are picky. We also have found some great potential places for the 2015/2016 school year (when I plan on heading back to work full-time), which is a load off. 

• New collapsible crochet bag to hold my project yarn! In 20 years of crocheting, I have never owned one of these! It is actually a picnic basket, ha! But it is perfect for what I needed. A joyful little gift to self :)

• Grandma Susie's Backdoor Bakery zucchini coconut bread from the Parkville, MO farmer's market. Might just be the best thing Henry and I have ever eaten. It is very moist and flavorful, and worth the price just to try it at least once!

• Backfire BBQ at Legends! Oh my goodness, this place. We went with some friends who had been there before - Choppers and tattoos everywhere. Delicious barbeque, sweet and family-friendly staff (really, you guys have no idea). AMAZING bar. Though my Husband is not as into choppers and tattoos as his walnut grove wife, he would have loved this place to watch college football every Saturday :)     

Week 36: The Kindness of People, The Mush of My Brain

What's new?

Week 36 was a pretty great week, all around. That said, today was a tough one in a day-in-the-solo-life with my growing, glowing, almost-3-year-old. My brain is mush. I cannot even fake my way through this post with an attempt at some humor or ultra-fake-facebook-sounding BS about how we should all appreciate this time because it goes by so quickly. You know what? Right now, in this moment, I am proud to say that I do not appreciate it, and I can't wait until I no longer have to repeat, "please use your words, mommy can't understand you when you whine," 5,000 times a day. THERE. I said it. GASP. Now go find some sugary little Instagram quote to help you feel better. No wait. I already did that :) Don't worry, it is possible that I will delete this horridly grouchmo post and re-post a new, cheerful one when I wake up in the morning...Namaste, friends.

Week 36 Newness:

• The Sweetest Gift - A friend of a friend, whom we met ONCE, made Henry the most beautiful, random, adorable dinosaur quilt. I was so overwhelmingly blessed by this kind gesture, and Henry loved it so much that he danced on it and rolled around on it for days. Some people are so talented in this world! I love homemade.

• New Restaurants - As I mentioned last week, my Father-in-Law was here visiting. The man loves and appreciates food as much as I do (he did not pass this on to his son or to his grandson, which is probably good, or I would weigh 400 lbs, easy). We ate out a LOT and enjoyed every moment! Two new local places we tried were Osaka Sushi in Leavenworth (just outside of the main gate), and Panchos in Parkville, MO. I am so sad that I waited 1.5 years to try Osaka. See what being a food snob gets you? Nothing. It was delicious, and though I do not recommend eating there (kind of ghetto), the food was amazing, and it will be on the take-out menu often. Panchos was so fun! An old house, situated between a boxcar and a caboose. The food was good-enough-Mexican food. Having lived in San Diego, I am kind of still a Mexican food snob, but it was good! Well worth the trip, and if you have a kid who is obsessed with trains, it is a must. You get to sit inside of a traincar with a view of the real train that runs through Parkville. I heart Parkville.

• Friend Dating - While I am sure they are never going to call us back (today, the horrible, no-good, very bad day of which I spoke earlier, was our date day), I enjoyed spending some time with a very interesting, nice, patient woman and her sweet son from Henry's preschool, today. This woman was a good sport. Sooo kind. That is all.

• New Pet - Remember the little teddy bear hamster that we babysat for 6 weeks back in June/July? Well it turns out the parents of the little girl who owned him were looking to re-home this little critter, and we just fell in love with it. The little girl who previously owned him named him "Leah" and her mom suggested we change his name :) But Henry already knows "Leah" and thinks every animal slightly resembling a rodent is "like Leah", so, "Leah" stays. Him-Her.