Spring Reading Thing 2008

The weather in Calgary has been gorgeous this week. The snow has melted, the geese are returning north, and I've seen a few brown bunnies hopping around. Perhaps Spring is really on its way! It seems most of Canada is still buried under a mountain of snow, however, so I am not packing away our coats and boots just yet...

Once again, Katrina at Callipider Days is graciously hosting the Spring Reading Thing. I am looking forward to participating in her newest reading challenge. Because our family is expecting a little bundle of joy within a few short weeks, my reading list is quite modest. I've chosen to include six books.

Non Fiction:

Sew Everything Workshop
by Diana Rupp

The Riddle of Amish Culture
by Donald B. Kraybill

The Creative Family
by Amanda Blake Soule

Fiction:

Deadline
by Randy Alcorn

Seventh Day
by Bodie and Brock Thoene

A New Song
by Jan Karon

If you would like to browse book lists of other Spring Reading Thing participants, please check out the Mr. Linky at Callipidder Days.

Happy reading! Happy Spring!

Martha Was Right

I just finished reading the February issue of Martha Stewart Living. (Thanks for the subscription, Lori!) A recipe from the magazine recommends serving chili topped with ripe avocado because the avocado is a healthy alternative to sour cream.

Oh man. What great advice. The creamy avocado tastes so good on chili.

Score one more for Martha!

Colour Theory

Our five-year-old son has been learning a bit of French in school. The other day he decided to review his colours en francais.

"Hey Mommy!" he said, "Did you know that the colour blue is bleu in French?"

"Yes, that's true," I replied.

Our son systematically named every blue object in the room.

"Hey Mommy! Did you know that the colour green is vert?"

He named every green object.

"Hey Mommy!" exclaimed our son, "Did you know that the colour red is rouge?"

Every red object.

"Hey Mommy! The colour pink is rose!"

Every pink object.

Our son paused and thought for a moment. "Mommy?" he asked, "How do you say yellow in French?"

"Yellow is jaune," I said.

"Juane! Juane! Juane!" he repeated gleefully.

Our son pointed to his younger brother's shirt. "Juane!" he exclaimed.

"Hey!" our three-year-old protested, "My name isn't John!"

Harmless Amusement

So our five-year-old son has invented a new game. He takes unreasonably great joy in pretending to be a fainting goat...

Menu Plan Monday
March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day! May the luck o' the Irish be with you!

I have a confession to make ... I have been utterly exhausted these past few days. My feet feel as though they are stuck in mud and my brain is moving in slow gear. I have entered the final tiring weeks of a long pregnancy.

Therefore, this weekend I surrendered and threw frugality out the window. My husband and I made a trip to M&M Meat Shops and bought several large frozen casseroles. I plan to basically give up cooking from scratch for the next few weeks. I simply don't have the energy available. This is a short season of life, and I am trying not to feel guilty about caving to convenience! Anyway, I figure it is less expensive to buy pre-made casseroles than to eat out at restaurants more often.

That said ... here is my proposed menu plan for the coming week:

Monday: No cooking! (supper with my parents)
Tuesday: Shepherd's pie, tossed salad greens
Wednesday: Encore performance
Thursday: Spud special soup, whole wheat rolls
Good Friday: Fish fillets, whole grain rice, steamed green beans with almonds, cabbage salad
Saturday: Leftovers
Easter Sunday: Stuffed pasta shells, cheese toast, caesar salad

Special thanks to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday every week. Please check out Org Junkie for many other terrific menus and recipes.

The Intrepid Traveller

"Hey Mommy, know what?"

"What Buddy?"

"When I'm a man I'm gonna drive all the way to the top of Canada!"

"That sounds cool."

"Yeah ... so, umm, do you think I could borrow your van?"

The Pink Spot?

Waking up this morning with my eyes glued shut was not a pleasant experience.

Pink eye??! Yuck!

Here's some good news: Polysporin makes over-the-counter antibiotic eye drops, so I don't need to wait for a doctor's appointment. Relief is coming very, very soon.

I am just praying no one else in our family catches this!

Thirsty

I think the switch to Daylight Savings Time has thrown the kids off a bit. The boys have been in bed for more than an hour now, and they are still not asleep. A few minutes ago our eldest son called me into his room.

"Mommy," he said, "I just need you to do something for me."

"What's that?"

"Well, you know, my tummy is really dry," he explained.

I didn't understand his point. "You mean the skin on your tummy is dry. Do you need some lotion?"

He gave an exasperated sigh. "No Mommy! The inside of my tummy is dry."

Of course, our son was angling for a drink of water. It was a classic bedtime stall tactic, to be sure, but I did bring him a tiny drink. I had to give the guy credit for creative communication!

Menu Plan Monday
March 10, 2008

I am looking forward to this week. On Thursday I will celebrate my First Annual 29th Birthday, and Ben will cook supper for me. My sister is bringing over a decadent cheesecake for dessert that night, too! As well, my sweetie is taking me out to supper and a concert on Saturday. It is shaping up to be a fun week.

Here is my proposed menu plan:

Monday: Crock pot chili with cornmeal muffins (a hold over from last week)
Tuesday: Cheesy chicken vermicelli, green salad, steamed asparagus and garlic bread
Wednesday: Leftover night
Thursday: BBQ salmon burgers, baked beans, cabbage noodle salad and cheesecake!
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: No cooking! (supper out at a restaurant)
Sunday: Homemade lasagna, green salad and cheese toast

I am planning to make large batches of the chili and lasagna so I can freeze the extras. About a week ago I bought a sizable order of organic ground beef. The meat is exceptionally lean and tasty, and wonderful to cook with. Also, I would like to thank Tammy for providing two of my recipes this week!

Take a peek at Menu Plan Monday on Org Junkie if you are interested in browsing other delicious meal plans and recipes.

Happy cooking!

We Have a Solution!

Ben thinks we should exchange our paper shredder for a goat.

Hmmm ... might not be a bad idea.

Goats probably have a good page consumption rate. And no one is likely to reconstruct a document once it's been through a goat.

Do you think the condo board will approve?

We'll just stay away from fainting goats. (They're almost as flaky as mail munchers.)

We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties

So maybe my new mail muncher isn't so sweet after all. We are on our third machine this week.

And this one is not working.

I am not amused.

I was willing to give our flaky paper shredder one more chance this afternoon. Ben came home from Staples with an extra $25 in his pocket because the machine went on sale today. When he exchanged our (second) broken one, the store refunded the difference in price. I was happy with our unexpected windfall and was (almost) willing to to forgive our mail muncher for breaking down.

Almost.

That was until it completely stopped working again this evening.

I am willing to give the machine one more chance because I may have inadvertently tripped the overheat circuit. The manual says I should let the shredder cool down for half an hour. If the mail muncher isn't functioning normally by tomorrow morning ...

... it is going to that great big paper shredder dump in the sky.

And I am not bringing home another one.

A Man After My Own Heart

My Benjie must really love me. Last night he came home with a fancy new spatula and a matching ice cream scoop to go with it.

Now, if only he had remembered the ice cream to go with the scoop!

Farewell, Old Friend

I was nearly finished making a batch of peanut butter rice crispy squares. Carefully, I poured the cereal into the gooey peanut butter. I grabbed my spatula and quickly stirred the hot mixture.

Disaster struck.

My spatula. My favourite silicon spatula. Broke. Snapped right in half.

I nearly cried. I love that spatula and use it practically every day. I feel as though I've lost my culinary left arm.

Ah well. My birthday is coming up next week. And nothing says "I love you" like a spatula ... especially a fancy new silicon one. ;-)

The Mail Muncher

I've been working my way through a stack of bookkeeping and paperwork in preparation for tax season. My goal was to have everything ready for our accountant by the end of February. (Unfortunately, that deadline has already flown past...) I'm nearly there, though. Just a couple more evenings to go.

Last week I spent a few evenings sorting and organizing our personal files. I purged. I colour-coded. I alphabetized and categorized. Our files are now a thing of beauty! Ben teased and accused me of "hardcore nesting". I reminded him that sorting through files was a far cry from "hardcore nesting" activities like renovating the house!

My purging and sorting resulted in a large box of unwanted papers. Sensitive papers. Papers I wouldn't feel comfortable simply tossing in the recycling bin. So this weekend I made a responsible technological purchase. I bought a paper shredder. A really cool paper shredder.

Our son has affectionately dubbed our new paper shredding wonder the Mail Muncher. He diligently helped me sort and shred hundreds of sheets this afternoon (under very close supervision). I think he especially enjoyed emptying the bin of shredded paper bits. Our son oohed and aahed every time coloured papers spiced up the mix.

Even with this afternoon's work, we still have most of the paper pile left to shred. I wouldn't want to burn out our handy new machine by shredding it all at once. We'll slowly work our way through the mountain, a bit each day.

I must say ... the Mail Muncher has earned a place among my favourite household machines. We'll put our new toy to good use in the coming days.

O Canada

This afternoon our five-year-old found a lucky penny in a parking lot. He twirled the coin between his fingers and carefully examined its inscription.

"Ca-na-da," he carefully spelled out. "Canada! That's where we live!"

"Yup. Sure is, Buddy."

Our son climbed into the van and I buckled him into his seat. As I drove through traffic, he continued to examine his coin.

"You know, Mommy," he called from the back seat, "I know why they call it Canada."

"Oh really?" I asked, "Why is that?"

"Because nada means nothing, right Mommy?" he inquired.

"Well, yes. That's true," I agreed.

"But we live in Can-nada. In Can-nada we don't have nothing. We have everything!"

His five-year-old logic astounded me.

"You're absolutely right," I said, "We are very blessed to live in wonderful country like Can-nada."

"Just Call Me Your Majesty..."

Our children like to play make-believe (a pass time I heartily encourage). Some of the kids' favourite imaginary games include building elaborate space ships, going camping, and running a restaurant. As well, they often pretend to be royalty.

Kings. Queens. Noble knights. Princes and princesses.

This morning the game kicked into high gear soon after breakfast. Our five-year-old directed the action. He played the part of the king. I was assigned the role of queen, our three-year-old played the prince, and Little Sister was a lovely princess. The king set thrones (kitchen chairs) in the middle of the living room and wore a flowing black cape around his shoulders.

"Queen Mommy," he declared, "You must come and sit on your throne beside me."

"Uh, Buddy, I still have to clean up the breakfast dishes," I said.

"Queens do not do dishes!" he decreed.

"I'm afraid this one does," I replied.

The king turned his attention to the prince and princess. I hurried to finish tidying the kitchen.

"Queen Mommy?" asked the king," Now will you come and play with me?"

"Well, okay Buddy. For a few minutes," I said.

"Don't call me that!" objected the king, "You may only call me Your Majesty!"

And so it was. For the rest of the morning our five-year-old insisted on being addressed as Your Majesty.

Interestingly enough, the young royal was easily convinced to lay aside his persona in exchange for a plate of spaghetti at lunch time. He also spent most of the afternoon pretending to be a giraffe...

Menu Plan Monday
March 3, 2008

(Note to self: wasabi peas are not a suitable snack for a pregnant woman. Remember this!)

Here's my proposed menu plan for the upcoming week. Next week's calendar is looking more full than I would like. I'm hoping the recipes I've chosen will produce plenty of leftovers and some fodder for my freezer.

Monday: No cooking (supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Thyme chicken with roasted winter vegetables (a hold over from last week's menu), spinach and orange salad
Wednesday: Encore performance
Thursday: Crock pot chili, cornmeal muffins
Friday: Spud special soup, leftover cornmeal muffins
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

Hop on over to Org Junkie to find other terrific Menu Plan Monday meals.

Welcome to (the) Amazon

Last week I officially became an Amazon Associate. What does that mean? If someone purchases a book (or other product) through one of the Amazon links on my site, I will receive a small commission on the sale.

Why have I chosen to become an Amazon Associate? I like to write book reviews and I love to read. I can easily include links to Amazon on my site. Though I don't expect to make much on commissions, I'm hoping to earn enough pocket change to satisfy my biblio-addiction now and then!

So if you feel like buying some books, simply link through the Amazon icon on my side blog. Alternately, you may click on any book image on my site. (I'm in the process of updating all the book reviews.)

Happy reading!

A Change of Heart

So much for tender love notes...

A Love Note

Our five-year-old was in a particularly affectionate mood today. This morning I discovered the following message spelled out on the fridge :-).

Budding Artists

The children spent most of this morning drawing pictures. I love seeing the boys, especially, develop in their skill and ability. I'm amazed that their drawings of people and objects are actually recognizable! It is a very cool process to observe.

Here are some of the kids' best works of art:

Our three-year-old drew a red, ripe strawberry.

Our five-year-old's drawing blew me away. He spelled nearly all the words completely by himself. I especially like the frog wearing a dress and the dinosaur munching flowers.

This drawing depicts a dancing snowman!

Little Sister coloured (scribbled) some of her own drawings. I think she was more entertained by watching her crazy older brothers, though.

And here's a photo of man who helped produce such cute kids. Isn't he handsome?

Our Daily Routine

I am obviously pregnant these days, and I seem to have the same conversation with people everywhere I go. The interchange usually goes something like this:

"You're expecting! That's great. When is your baby due?"

"The baby's due at the end of April."

"Really? And is this your first?"

"Um, no. This baby will be our fourth child."

"Your fourth! My goodness, you must be busy! How do you keep up with it all?"

At this point in the conversation I will usually give a prepared answer such as:

"Well, we've been blessed with great kids."

or

"I think it is easier to have our children close in age because they all play together."

or

"I pray lots and take naps." (Sometimes both at the same time...)

While all of the above statements are true, I think one aspect of our family life is key. We stick to a daily routine. I strongly believe that young children thrive on routine. Kids feel secure when they know what to expect during the day. Our own children are very well behaved --- most of the time. Throw a monkey wrench in their routine, though, and they can get very cranky very quickly. (And so can Mommy, unfortunately!)

Our days flow pretty much the same way all week long. We don't stick to a rigid schedule, per se, but each day has a predictable routine. The only scheduled "anchor points" of our day are meal and sleep times.

Here's a sample of a typical day:

• We all wake up at around 7:30 or 8:00am. (I would love to be a morning person, but I am just not. It's a shortcoming I am learning to accept...)
• Get everyone dressed, with hair combed and teeth brushed. Make beds and tidy rooms. (The kids know this all has to be done before they can play downstairs.) I usually lay out the kids' clothes the night before. Our five-year-old is big enough to get himself completely ready in the morning.
  
• We eat breakfast at about 9:00am each morning. I try to set out the dishes and non-perishables the night before.
  
• After breakfast I always clean up the dishes, wipe the table, etc.
• Our mornings are flexible. The kids play, do crafts, read books. Our daughter still sometimes needs a morning nap. We might go out and run some errands or invite friends over for a play date. I often start supper prep in the morning when I have the most energy. I also do some cleaning and laundry. (If I do a few chores every morning the work doesn't become overwhelming.)
• I start making lunch at 12 noon. The kids are allowed to watch a video at lunch time. (This tradition started a couple of years ago in order to stave off the "midday grumpies"! It also gives me a few peaceful minutes to get lunch ready and/or cleaned up.)
• We always clean up the toys and tidy the living room / kitchen area before we eat lunch.
• Lunch finishes by 1:00pm. I clean up the kitchen and start the dishwasher if it's full. I get the kids' coats and boots on. We aim to be out the door and in the van by 1:15pm.
• I drive our five-year-old to junior kindergarten. (On the weekdays.) His school starts at 1:30pm. I usually return home with the other two children by 1:45pm.
• I put the little ones down for naps. I lie down in my own bed and read and/or sleep. This quiet time is sacred! I have a hard time functioning without it!
• My alarm is set for 3:00pm. I haul myself out of bed, wake up the other two children and get everyone bundled into the van. (On non-school days the little ones will often sleep until 4:00pm.)
• Our son is finished school at 3:30pm. We come home and have an afternoon snack. Some days I will squeeze in an errand on the way home. (It is easier to run short errands when I already have the kids bundled in the van anyway. For example, every Monday we go grocery shopping after school. On Mondays I bring a snack for the kids to eat in the van.)
• We often have a bit of free time between snack time and supper time. The kids play. I'm usually pretty tired by this point of the day. If supper prep is minimal I will play downstairs with the kids.
• I start making supper by 5:00pm. Making supper always seems to take longer than I think it will! Ben comes home by 6:00pm and I try to have supper on the table when he arrives.
• Ben and I believe family meal times are extremely important. We eat supper together nearly every night. This is another sacred time of the day!
• After supper I clean up the kitchen and do the dishes. Ben plays with the kids. (I like this arrangement because I can work much more quickly without the kids in my hair. And Ben hates doing the dishes.) We tidy up the toys in the living room / kitchen area. Our family often cleans the downstairs play room after supper as well.
• Ben and I try to start the kids' bath time by 7:00pm. Our bedtime routine is pretty much set in stone. We have baths, brush teeth, put on jammies, do Bible time and pray. It's the same every night. The kids love this particular routine.
• Our kids are often in bed by 7:30pm, and most certainly no later than 8:00pm (unless we are out for the evening).
• Ben and I breathe a big sigh of relief!
• This is our free time of the day. I usually work on my blog. We often read. I sometimes work on projects (sewing and crafts). I might go out for coffee with a friend. Ben and I talk. Ben often catches up on his work.
  
• We head to bed at about 11:00pm.

I like our daily routine because it is predictable, but fairly flexible. Few things are set in stone. The routine is great for our kids and it keeps me sane!

Menu Plan Monday
February 25, 2008

I am pleased with how last week's menu turned out. All three recipes last week were new and they all tasted delicious. In particular, I will make the bean soup and the crock pot chicken recipes again soon.

Phew. I can certainly feel my body slowing down lately. I have been relying on simple meal plans and my crock pot a great deal. I am hoping to put a few soups and casseroles into the freezer over the next few weeks before the baby arrives. This week I plan to make a double batch of Thursday's meal and freeze the leftovers.

Here is my proposed menu plan:

Monday: No cooking! (supper with my parents)
Tuesday: Turkey soup (from the freezer), homemade whole wheat bread
Wednesday: Whole grain spaghetti with tomato sauce, salad greens
Thursday: Spanish rice with beans, salad greens
Friday: Leftover night
Saturday: Thyme chicken and roasted winter vegetables, brown sugar spice cake with vanilla frozen yogurt
Sunday: No cooking! (supper with Ben's parents)

If you would like to browse other great menu planning ideas, please visit Menu Plan Monday at Org Junkie.

A Little Life Lesson

Don't choose the line behind the Hummer at the car wash.

Unless you like to wait ;-).

Recommended Reading:

Peace Like a River
by Leif Enger

"This is a stunning debut novel, one that sneaks up on you like a whisper and warms you like a quilt in a North Dakota winter, a novel about faith, miracles and family that is, ultimately, miraculous."
--- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

I have read few books that compare with Peace Like a River. Enger's writing is hauntingly poetic and conveys his insightful understanding of human nature. This novel was beautifully crafted and a joy to read.

Peace Like a River was more intense than most novels I enjoy. A few scenes were quite graphic and troubling. At the same time, hope, redemption and the miraculous were central themes of the story. I appreciated Enger's honest portrayal of people and events.

I highly recommend Peace Like a River. It was an engaging and rewarding read.

Bookish Crafty Goodness

I've read several great craft books over the past few weeks. I love the fact that the world of craft is enjoying a renaissance. It's cool to be crafty! Here's a brief review of my favourite reads:

KnitKnit
by Sabrina Gschwandtner

I received this book for Christmas and it was one of my favourite gifts. Every artist's biography was utterly inspiring. I enjoyed the range of projects and people Sabrina Gschwandtner interviewed, and I also appreciated the fact the Gshwandtner included instructions for numerous projects. (However, I do not intend to knit a gigantic fibreglass teddy bear any time soon...)

Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful
by Narumi Ogawa

I could become slightly addicted to amigurumi (Japanese crocheted toys). They are cute, soft, easy-to-make and downright fun. I actually had to force myself to return this book to the library. I was scared that if I held onto it, I would start too many new projects!

Generation T: 108 ways to transform a T-Shirt
by Megan Nicolay

My husband leafed through this book and commented, "I can't really see you wearing anything in here." An honest enough statement. Most of the projects in Generation T are much too punk for my taste. However, this book gave me some great ideas for my own t-shirt modifications. I may not wear a "t-shirt bikini" any time soon, but I will certainly use some of the tips and techniques I've learned in future refashioning projects.

The Grand Master Plan

I have been asked the following question fairly often lately: What do I plan to do with myself when all the kids are in school during the day?

Considering our fourth baby is still pre-born, I have a few years ahead of me to prepare! As well, I know that my plans should be flexible and are subject to God's will.

I do have a plan, though :-).

Through my university years and into early motherhood I taught piano lessons part-time. It was a great job. I love teaching kids (and adults) and I love the piano. I also appreciate the flexibility of working for myself, setting my own hours, and developing my own lesson plans.

Eventually Ben and I plan to move into a larger home. (Within the next three or four years.) We hope to buy a home with an office/den space that I can convert into my own piano studio. In the past, I traveled to my students' homes to teach lessons. I look forward to having my very own studio space!

For the past couple of years I've been working on my ARCT diploma in piano. I've completed two of the required exams so far. I'm hoping to take my third exam in August and the fourth in December. The biggest challenge, my ARCT performance exam, will take at least two more years of study I think.

I may not have my own piano studio for another five or six years, but I am already planning and dreaming about it. I'm slowly working toward my goal of finishing my ARCT diploma and joining the Alberta Registered Music Teacher's Association. I know my plan is in God's hands :-).

That said, my husband is chiding me for not doing my music homework this evening. It's time to turn off my computer and hit the books!

Menu Plan Monday
February 18, 2008

Over the past few weeks I've been working on cleaning out our freezer. We purchased a large order of organic chicken and beef two weeks ago, and I would like to use up our older meat before we cook the new pieces. This week's menu should take care of the last bits stored in our freezer!

Here is my proposed menu plan:

Monday: No cooking! (supper with my parents)
Tuesday: Slow-cooked pulled pork sandwiches on whole wheat buns, raw veggie platter
Wednesday: Vegetable bean soup with spinach, whole wheat buns, cheese
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Slow cooker chicken and dumplings, green salad
Saturday: Encore performance
Sunday: No cooking! (supper meeting at church)

If you would like to browse other great menu plans, please visit Menu Plan Monday at Org Junkie.

Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby

I can hardly believe our growing baby is 30 weeks old today. We are 3/4 of the way to meeting him face to face! Our baby is turned head-down already, but he often rolls between the posterior and anterior positions. He has lots of room to move and groove, twist and turn. Perhaps this baby's birth position will remain a mystery until the last possible moment, just like his older sister's did :-).

Our entire family has been felled by February colds this week. It's not been horrible, but I could certainly use a good dose of cough suppressant. And a full night's sleep. (Both are hard to come by for a pregnant mama.) Here's to hoping our family is on the mend soon!

Last night I realized I have not read a single pregnancy-related book or article this time around. How unusual! Through my last three pregnancies I devoured anything and everything related to birth and babies. I suppose I am saturated. I have no great desire to read anything more on the subject. Maybe it also has to do with the fact that I don't have as much time or energy these days...

Too Cute

"Mommy. There's play dough all over myself!"

I looked my three-year-old over from head to toe. "Umm ... Buddy. I don't see any play dough."

"Look, Mommy! It's all over mine finger!" He held his index finger up for inspection.

I stepped closer.

A miniscule dot of yellow play dough clung to my son's fingernail.

I smiled and gently flicked off the offensive speck. A look of immense relief flooded my son's features. "Thanks, Mommy!" he exclaimed as he ran off to play.

Do you think we might be raising a neat-nick?

The Facts of Life

Yesteday I stumbled upon the following conversation between our young sons:

Little Brother: Hey! Did you know Elmo hatched out of an egg?

Big Brother: Did not.

Little Brother: Did too!

Big Brother: Did not! Furry animals can't hatch out of eggs. They get born from their mommy's tummy.

(Long pause)

Little Brother: But Elmo's not an animal. He's a furry monster!

What's in a (Key) Word?

Ben and I were bored the other night. We could have turned in early. Instead, being wild and spontaneous individuals, we decided to check my site statistics on Google.

We learned some interesting things.

Did you know someone visited this blog using the search terms "make smores with solar energy in a casserole dish"? (Sounds like an interesting cooking activity to me...)

The terms "bulging tummy button" and "echolocation glasses" also rank well on Google. (Number sixteen and number three respectively.)

And here's the best part of all --- The Ink Spot was Google's number one pick for the following phrase:

"Nasal Evacution"

Yum.

Menu Plan Monday
February 11, 2008

Another week. Another menu plan. I have been really tired these past few days, and have decided to keep our menu simple and easy. We will be eating several meals from my stash in the freezer.

Monday: No cooking! (supper with my parents)
Tuesday: Hamburger soup (from the freezer), whole wheat buns
Wednesday: Turkey pot pie (from the freezer) with biscuit topping, cabbage salad
Thursday: Encore performance
Friday: Baked chicken and onions, rice pilaf, steamed broccoli
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: No cooking! (supper with Ben's parents)

Please take a look at Menu Plan Monday on Org Junkie for more great meal plans.

Show Your Geek Card

Does life get any better? Check out the latest Craft pattern podcast. Our young son will be drooling (or maybe clucking?) over this one.

May the glue gun be with you...

Like Father, Like Son

Terminology

This evening at supper Ben tried to explain the difference between comedy and tragedy. The concept appeared to be over the kids' heads.

"But Daddy," our five-year-old protested, "If a boy had a mommy and daddy, and the mommy and daddy both died, and he was an orphan, that wouldn't be a tragedy."

"Well, what would you call it?" Ben asked.

"I would call it a traumady."

Victory

I have waged battle against my sewing machine and have emerged triumphant.

In honour of the hard-won success, I present the latest Threadheads video for your viewing pleasure...

Try, Try Again

I like to feel competent. God has graciously given me many gifts, and most of the time I learn things quickly and easily. I don't often fail. (Which can be a mixed blessing.)

The past few days been tough on my ego.

I am learning to sew and have tackled a couple of new projects. Let's just say ... progress has been slow. My seam ripper is seeing lots of action! As it turns out, my multi-talented husband is better at reading patterns than I am. (Thanks, for your help, honey.)

I have also been preparing to take a music exam. Unfortunately, tonight's music lesson was less than stellar. I came away from the class with instructions to redo several hours worth of work. How frustrating! Just when I thought I understood the material!

What am I learning through all this? I am discovering that mistakes are great teachers. For example, I'm learning how to properly sew ribbing and how to follow a simple pattern. (In minute detail!) I'm learning that clever, complicated solutions to a musical problem are not always the best solutions. I'm also learning that "nothing ventured means nothing gained."

My ego is feeling bruised tonight, but I think I'll live. I am trying to take risks and try new things. So what if everything doesn't work out perfectly the first time?

That's what true learning is all about.

I Once Was Lost ...

Many people we know have visited Las Vegas in the past week or two. Perhaps our lovely weather has played a hand in their travels. (Pun absolutely intended.)

This morning our five-year-old son asked numerous questions about the aforementioned city.

"You know, Mommy," he said, "I don't think they should call it Las Vegas."

"Oh really?" I commented, "What do you think the city should be named?"

He thought for a moment and then replied, "I think they should call it Found Vegas!"

Menu Plan Monday
February 4, 2008

Last week I was blessed with several nights away from the kitchen. Everyday chores are becoming a bit exhausting for me, so I appreciated the break.

Our family enjoyed last week's Spud Special Soup a great deal. The recipe was super-simple to prepare. I had intended to add some leftover turkey sausage to our soup, but I think the sausage had been in the fridge a bit too long. It was blue and fuzzy. (Delicious.) Instead, I pureed the potato soup in the blender until it was smooth and creamy.

Homemade soup is a favourite meal for our family. It is also a favourite game. Our kids love to make soup in their play kitchen. I'm convinced their "soup game" is inspired by the movie Ratatouille. Our three-year-old has a well-loved stuffed rat, and his toy often plays a prominent role in the kids' game.

Last week our five-year-old son helped me cook the Spud Special Soup. As we sat at the table enjoying our meal, he loudly proclaimed, "This soup tastes like rat patootie!"

I think the insult was unintentional.

At any rate, here is my proposed menu plan for the upcoming week. I am recycling the layered taco pie from last week. (I have a large stash of cooked taco meat in my freezer.)

Monday: No cooking! (Supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Layered taco pie, brown beans, corn, green salad
Wednesday: Encore performance
Thursday: Orange-molasses glazed chicken, brown rice, steamed green beans with almonds, cabbage salad
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Lasagna, green salad, cheese toast, saskatoon berry pie (with berries from my freezer)
Sunday: No cooking! (Supper with Ben's parents)

If you would like to see other great menu plans, check out Menu Plan Monday on Org Junkie.

Get a Website

Yes, it really is my husband in the chicken suit. The man is a dedicated business owner.

The Lego Master

Yesterday evening Ben and the boys watched a short online documentary. It was all about rays (as in the kind of rays that live under the sea).

This morning our five-year-old rushed through his morning routine. He got dressed, made his bed, brushed his teeth and combed his hair in record time. Our boy ran down to the playroom and industriously constructed the following project:

It is a sting ray. I think our young Lego master did a great job!

Joke of the Day

"Hey. Mommy!"

"Yes, Buddy?"

"A cereal bowl and a cup are in an orange juice contest. Who will win?"

"Umm ... well. That's a tough question."

"I know who will win. The spoon!"

(Joke courtesy of our three-year-old son.)

It is COLD

My goodness. When did we move to the Arctic? The weather has been positively frigid. I am grateful Calgary is blessed by such temperatures for only a few days each winter.

Here is Environment Canada's encouraging forecast for this evening:

Tonight ... Cloudy. 40 percent chance of flurries this evening. Wind south 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light this evening. Temperature steady near minus 29. Extreme wind chill minus 42 this evening.

Minus 42?!

Menu Plan Monday
January 27, 2008

Last night I finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It was an amazing book and I highly recommend it. Inspired by Kingsolver's journey, I placed a meat order with Country Lane Farms. Our first batch of farm-fresh chicken, beef and honey will arrive February 7th. I am excited to start supporting our local farmers.

Here is my menu plan for the upcoming week. It is COLD in Calgary right now. With the windchill tonight it will be about -40C! I am thankful Ben went grocery shopping yesterday and our fridge is full.

Monday: No cooking (supper with my parents)
Tuesday: Oven-roasted chicken, brown rice, beets, carrots
Wednesday: Encore performance
Thursday: Spud special soup, salad, fresh bread
Friday: Layered taco pie, brown beans, corn, salad
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

If you would like to check out more great meal plans, head over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by Org Junkie.

Cooperation Makes It Happen!

What a full day. Ben and I accomplished a great deal, much more than I had hoped. We did tons of laundry, cleaning, cooking and grocery shopping. (Okay. So I did the laundry, cleaning and cooking. Ben did the grocery shopping!)

Best of all, we rearranged the furniture in the upstairs bedrooms. Our daughter was the proud recipient of her very own "big girl bed". She had great fun climbing and jumping on the bed while shouting, "Der it is, Mommy! I big kid!"

I think my nesting instinct had now been thoroughly exhausted. (At least for this week.) Ben assures me that I'll think of numerous other jobs before the baby arrives. We still have a few months to go, so I imagine my wise husband is probably right.

P-O-O-P

The four letter word occupied prominent real estate on our fridge door. Aren't magnetic alphabet letters a marvelous invention?

Our five-year-old son is on the very cusp of joining the land of the literate. Every day the light of comprehension burns a little brighter. And every day I find interesting new words spelled out on my fridge.

I suppose my son's word-of-the-day is particularly appropriate. It seems I spent most of the day up to my elbows in it.

An Unexpected Guest

Yesterday I heard scratching in my kitchen cupboard. I suspected we might have a small, furry visitor in there but couldn't find any evidence of a mouse. I wasn't overly concerned. We'd never had a mouse in the house before.

Surprise, surprise!

This evening Ben found the culprit conveniently trapped in our empty trash can. We're not exactly sure how a mouse got under the kitchen sink, though. None of the walls anywhere near the cupboards lead to outside. Our garage door has been on the fritz, so maybe the mouse snuck in on a day I was unable to close the door?

Oh well, ce la vie. I suppose tomorrow is as good a time as any to reorganize (and disinfect) our kitchen cupboards. I just hope he didn't invite along any of his friends...

Baby Steps

A few months ago I registered a domain name for a small business. I feel God has planted the tiny seed of a dream in my heart. I don't know if I'll have time to pursue my little business any time in the near future, but I felt I should start planning and preparing.

Today I registered the trade name at the registry office. According to the province of Alberta, I am officially the sole proprietor of my own small business. (At least on paper.) My entrepreneurial husband must be rubbing off on me ;-).

And that's all I'm going to share until the ball gets rolling a bit more!

Thoughts from Home

This morning we made Tammy's delicious whole wheat cinnamon graham squares. I like making bar cookies because the entire batch bakes at once. It is so much faster! I also appreciated Tammy's suggestion to cut the cookies with a pizza slicer before baking them. The resulting squares were very neat and tidy. Yum yum.

Here's little laundry tip I learned recently:

Our kitchen and bathroom linens tend to develop a yucky mouldy smell, even when I change them often. In the past, the only way I could eliminate the stench was by adding bleach to the wash cycle. I'm not fond of using bleach because it can discolour fabrics and break down the fibres. I now add 1/2 cup of plain vinegar to each wash load of linens instead. The vinegar is less harsh and my cloths and towels smell fresh! Such a simple solution!

Happy homemaking, and stay warm on this blustery day.

Menu Plan Monday
January 21, 2008

I have been reading an excellent book entitled Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. This book is similar to the Canadian literary phenomenon The 100-Mile Diet. Kingsolver's book has taught me a great deal about agriculture, gardening, commercial meat production, economics, nutrition and even cheese making!

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is changing my preconceptions regarding food and cooking. I think our family needs to make some big changes, but we're caught in limbo for the time being. (It is challenging to find locally-grown produce in the middle of an Alberta winter!)

At the same time, I believe in taking small steps toward a larger goal. In particular, Kingsolver's book has caused me to re-think our family's source of meat. I no longer feel comfortable buying regular meat from the grocery store. (That is, meat produced in commercial feeding facilities.) I do know of a couple sources for organic, local, farm-raised beef and chicken though. I plan to use up the meat we have in our freezer, and from then on, to buy meat from local farmers. I realize this could mean our family may not eat meat every day. Good thing our kids love beans, eggs and other vegetarian goodies!

Here's my proposed menu for the upcoming week. I have lots of frozen ground beef and chicken squirrelled away, so our menus will reflect that for the next while.

Monday: No cooking (supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Homemade soup (from the freezer), fresh multigrain bread
Wednesday: Whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce, green salad
Thursday: Foil-pack taco chicken dinner, steamed carrots, green salad
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: No cooking (supper with Ben's family)
Sunday: Orange-molasses glazed chicken, brown rice, steamed broccoli with almonds

Don't forget to take a look at the Menu Plan Monday Mr. Linky hosted by Org Junkie.

Soft

Our five-year-old son was fresh from the bath and preparing to don his pajamas. "Mommy, I need some lotion!"

I grabbed a bottle of baby lotion and wandered into the bedroom. "Here you go, Buddy," I said and squirted a small dollop into his outstretched hand.

I was busily pulling pajamas onto our three-your-old when Ben entered the room. My back faced toward to our eldest son. "Hey!" Ben exclaimed, "What in the world are you doing?"

I turned to see our son carefully massaging his chest with lotion.

"I want my nipples to be nice and soft, Daddy," he calmly explained. Ben stifled a laugh.

Our son innocently added, "Here. Smell my nipples!"

One More Temptation

Our family has a new favourite afternoon snack: apple slices with chocolate-hazelnut spread. Pure heaven for everyone (and not too messy).

Like my burgeoning belly needs any more sweets! ;-)

The Grand Purge

"So, honey ... are you sure you're not nesting?" my husband gently inquired.

I brushed the hair from my eyes and straightened the bib of my (stylish) maternity overalls. "Of course not," I retorted, "What would give you that idea?" I began stuffing old clothes into a garbage bag.

"Well, you know. It's just that you've done a lot of cleaning lately." Ben paused. "Just how many closets did you re-organize today?"

I tossed my husband a sheepish look and added the bag to a pile. "Umm ... well. All of them."

A look of disbelief flashed across his face. "All of them?"

I scratched my belly and smiled apologetically. "You know how it goes. I got started, and one thing led to another, and I just decided to keep going, and the kids were being really good anyway ..." My voice trailed off.

"I thought you were going to take it easy today," Ben quietly prodded.

"Uh, right. You're absolutely right. I'll definitely take it easy tomorrow ..."

*****************************

The fruits of my labour and some rather obscure discoveries:

• Five big bags of clothes for Goodwill.
• Two bags of trash.
• A dozen empty toilet paper rolls.
• Seven extra pairs of glasses.
• An embarrassing assortment of unused, unwanted toiletries.
• A double-breasted blazer circa 1995. (Uggh.)
  
• Five bottles of expired sunscreen.

????!

My husband bought a chicken suit.

A Peek at My Bookshelf

A new year, a new stack of books to eat. I mean read. Here's a sampling of the books piled beside my bed...

An Attempt at Humour...

"Hey, Mommy. How do you spell cow?"

"I don't know, Buddy. How do you think cow is spelled?"

A cheeky grin. "You spell it T-H-268!"

Menu Plan Monday
January 14, 2008

Last week's menu turned out exceptionally well. I definitely recommend the Hearty Bean and Barley Soup. (I made a double batch for the freezer.) The Golden Chicken with Noodles was also tasty, though next time I will omit the water and lemon juice. The sauce turned out too runny.

Here is my menu plan for the upcoming week:

Monday: No cooking (supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Golden Mushroom Pork and Apples, brown rice, steamed baby carrots, cucumber and tomato salad
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Turkey soup (from the freezer), homemade bread
Friday: Chicken masala, potato and chickpea curry with rice (from the freezer), steamed cauliflower, homemade naan bread
Saturday: Encore performance
Sunday: No cooking (supper at Ben's parents')

If you would like to browse other tasty menu plans, take a look at Menu Plan Monday hosted by Org Junkie.

Peek-A-Boo

I quietly snuggled with our three-year-old on the bed. He patted my bulging tummy and gently poked my exposed belly button.

"Mommy!" our young son exclaimed with a touch of wonder, "Your belly button is coming out of hiding!"

Our eldest son chimed in. "Yeah, Mommy!" he agreed, "Soon it's gonna be an outer!"

The Lists

I am a compulsive list maker. Thankfully, it is a nasty habit I am gradually starting to wean myself from. Lists involve such pressure. I often feel disappointed when I don't check every item off my list at the end of the day. (And let face it. These days I rarely complete even half the items on my list.)

This pregnancy I have not compiled an Almighty List. In fact, I have very few things I would like to complete before the baby arrives. I think Ben is relieved I have not gone into overdrive nesting mode this time around! I feel my nest is sufficiently feathered.

I have returned to making daily lists, though. My brain is starting to move into that unsettling fuzzy stage of pregnancy. I forget the strangest things. (Things like feeding the hamster or finishing the laundry.) This week I made prioritized lists each day, and it helped so much. I simply worked my way through the list, step by step. I didn't have to think too hard and felt unreasonably productive.

As well, I've finally given myself permission to leave my lists incomplete. I sadly run out of steam too quickly most days, and kids have a way of changing the best laid plans. Most of the time I can realistically finish four or five things.

Here is an example of one of my daily lists. (This is fascinating stuff!)

1. Sort and wash clothes (3 loads).
2. Phone Alberta Blue Cross.
3. Start bread in the bread maker.
4. Start supper in the crock pot.
5. Take down and put away Christmas decorations.

I also like having prioritized lists because I feel less panicked about my day. I can see what I need to do, and about how long each task will take. If my kids ask me to read books or make crafts with them, I can honestly judge my time. I've actually spent more time playing with the kids this week thanks to my lists!

I also have a Big Task List for the month of January. It has some longer projects that I would like to complete this month:

• Learn to use Quicken. Make a new budget and enter receipts. (Completed.)
• Compile preschool music binders. (Completed.)
• Sew kids' pajamas. (The fabric is cut but I haven't started sewing yet.)
  
• Write thank you notes. (The boys made adorable cards. I'm still filling them out.)
• Re-arrange the furniture in the baby's room and boys' room.
  
• Make silhouette pictures for the boys' room. (I bought the supplies.)
• Go through my iPhoto library and print the good pictures for 2006 and 2007. Compile photo albums.

I'll likely not finish everything on my Big Task list this month. That's okay, though. I am learning to slow down, and as my friend kindly puts it, lower my expectations. ;-)

A Conversation

"Hey, Mommy. Guess what."

"Yeah, Buddy?"

"You know, I really like that guy you married."

Pause. "You mean Daddy?"

"Yeah! He's pretty nice."

**********************

I think he's pretty nice, too.

Mouthy

Our eldest son has an oral fixation. That boy will put the strangest things in his mouth ... rocks from the street, lego, crayons, pieces of paper, twigs, pennies, play dough. He started sucking his thumb in the womb and recently developed the nasty habit of biting his nails.

The child is five years old. Will he never grow out of this stage?

Yesterday our son's teacher caught him eating chalk. Apparently, it was not an isolated incident. I was surprised to learn he has also been disciplined for chewing on markers in the classroom. I promised my son's teacher I would discuss his behavior at home.

The crux of the issue is this: Our son is incredibly bright, seems to be an auditory learner, and has an outstanding vocabulary. He's sensitive, compassionate, and has a strong sense of right and wrong. However, he is also strong-willed and difficult to motivate, highly independent and opinionated. He's prone to angry outbursts and sullen moods.

Our boy is a surprisingly difficult ship to steer. By the grace of God, we're working on it.

This morning my husband took our son aside to discuss the chalk-eating incident. Ben gently explained why consuming the classroom's chalk is unacceptable behavior. Our son did not take his reprimand gracefully.

Our five-year-old squared his shoulders, looked his father in the eye and exclaimed, "No! I will not eschew eating chalk!!"

Score one for the preschooler. How many five-year-old boys can correctly use a word their mother has to look up in a dictionary?

What's in a Name?

This weekend we bought a few little gifts for our children in Banff. Our daughter received a small plush turtle (primarily because I love hearing her say "tur-tle!").

Most stuffies in our house have names. The cat is named Mow. The rat is called Ratty. We have Puppy Wuppy, La La and Sheeto.

Our five-year-old quickly dubbed the new addition Turbo.

I think Turbo is a highly appropriate name for a turtle.

Bedtime Prayers

We snuggled with our boys after their baths. Ben read a Bible story and we bowed our heads to pray. I diligently asked God to bless our nightly prayer list of family and friends.

"But Mommy!" our five-year-old quickly piped in, "You forgot someone!"

"Oh? Who's that?" I asked.

"You need to pray for Uncle Matt 'cause he's away in Hamsterdam!"

Menu Plan Monday
January 7, 2008

This weekend I wandered through the bargain books at Chapters and found the Campbell's 3 Books in 1 Cookbook. I regularly cook recipes from the Campbell's Kitchen site and I used some of my Christmas gift card to purchase the book. (I also used my card to purchase Pride and Prejudice on DVD. I was so happy to discover the movie in the bargain bin.)

Over the next several weeks I plan to try many recipes from my new cookbook. The book includes an entire section of lovely slow cooker recipes, as well as tasty soups, skillet suppers and casseroles. My menu plan this week features two new recipes --- Hearty Bean and Barley Soup and Golden Chicken with Noodles.

Monday: No cooking (supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Christmas turkey pie, tossed green salad
Wednesday: Encore performance
Thursday: Hearty bean and barley soup, homemade bread
Friday: Golden chicken with noodles, steamed broccoli
Saturday: Leftover night
Sunday: No cooking (supper at Ben's parents')

For more delicious meal plans check out Menu Plan Monday hosted by Org Junkie.

A Romantic Escape

What a wonderful weekend! Ben and I spent the last few days in the lovely town of Banff, nestled within the majestic Rocky Mountains. We planned a special getaway to celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary.

Our children spent the weekend with their grandparents. Ben and I stayed in a loft suite at a nice hotel. Our room had a small kitchen and a rustic wood-burning fireplace. A very romantic place, indeed. We stayed for two nights and slept in very, very late each morning.

On Friday night we went for a beautiful, moonlit sleigh ride. My hubby and I snuggled under a buffalo skin robe and enjoyed gourmet chocolates. The weather was perfect --- just below zero with light snow. After our ride we ate a delicious late supper at a local steak house.

On Saturday afternoon we toured around town and poked our noses through the local shops. I stocked up at the Rocky Mountain Soap Company, and Ben and I indulged in Bernard Callebaut chocolates. Late in the afternoon we visited the spa at the Upper Hot Springs. Ben and I each received a wonderfully relaxing massage. My massage therapist even used a special pillow for my baby belly. After our massages Ben took a dip in the hot springs while I wandered through the gift shop.

We returned home this afternoon rested, relaxed and ready to step back into a routine. The children had lots of fun at Grandpa and Grandmas'. This week our oldest son returns to school and the next few days are shaping up to be quite busy.

Thoughts for the New Year

I've never formally made New Year's resolutions in the past. This time around I have a few thoughts for the upcoming year. Here are some things I'd like to work on in 2008:

• Invite friends over for a play date once a week.

• Take more time to call friends on the phone just to chat and be an encouragement. (This is a really tough one for me.)

• Go to the Y twice a week (on Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays) to swim / walk / or take a water class.

• Drink a glass of water before every meal and snack.

• Include one soup recipe and one meatless meal in my menu plan each week.

• Finish knitting at least one afghan block each week. (I've completed seven of the thirty blocks so far.)

• Take the kids outside for walks or to the park as often as the weather will allow.

• Read more classic Christian literature. I plan to start with C.S. Lewis' books.

• Watch my critical tongue. I often say negative things (especially to my family) without thinking about how my words some across.

• Make sure more clutter / stuff / junk goes out of our house than comes into it.
  

• Shower Ben with physical affection and make going to bed early a priority.
  

I am excited to start the new year. Welcome 2008!

Happy Birthday!!

How can it be? Our New Years baby turned five yesterday. How could he grow up so quickly?

We celebrated with a small party for close family. Our big boy had a ball playing with his new toys and eating birthday cake. He was thoroughly spoiled, once again.

Our sons helped decorate the cake earlier in the day. The birthday boy specifically requested a Yoda cake, so I dyed his cake batter green. Apparently, the candies on the cake represent a fierce light sabre battle. Our son also added a few Star Wars figurines to the top of his cake. Additional figures mysteriously appeared throughout the day. By cake-cutting time the Yoda cake sported roughly a dozen plastic toys (and less-than-perfect icing).

Happy Birthday Buddy! Daddy and Mommy are so proud of you!

Nightime Woes

Our three-year-old son is not a sound sleeper. For the past few days he's been waking up four, five, six times a night. He'll cry, ask for a drink of water or a snuggle, and fall back to sleep.

Ben and I leave a sippy cup of water beside our son's bed. We have told him to not cry out in the night, but to drink from his cup. (This strategy is not working as well as we had planned.)

This evening at bedtime I tucked our son under his covers. "Goodnight Buddy. Have a good sleep," I said. I paused for a moment and then gently inquired, "What should you do if you're thirsty in the night?"

My son glanced down at his sippy cup and replied, "I should chase away the scary carrots!"