Lrsvinh on a jer plane

That's what came up when I tried to swype "leaving on a jet plane". Because obviously that's what I meant.

I'm going to North Carolina for my grandmother's funeral. For some reason I feel guiltier for leaving my family on this trip than when I go for fun or for work.

So after I left work today but before I left for the airport I cleaned the house and put new cars 2 cars for the boys and a 6-pack for my husband.

And then I dropped my phone and broke the screen, so i'm now operating it on borrowed time.

Ugh. Here's to hoping for a decent, uneventful trip. Toodles!

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Five on Friday

I managed to make it through the whole week.

That was typed on Tuesday. High hopes, people. High hopes.

In any event, I did manage to make it through the week, although it wasn't easy. Here's my five for the week:

- I defriended my sister on Facebook. I assume she hadn't noticed, because I haven't heard from her, but she stole from my mom again this week and I just couldn't stand seeing her status updates about her partying anymore. I recognize that she's 18 years old, but she's been like this since she was 12 and it's time she grew up. And when she does, she's going to need to make amends because I'm not going to be the bigger person anymore.

Doesn't it sound sad to say that my cutting ties with my sister starts (or ends) with "I defriended my sister on Facebook"? I had actually stopped communicating with her for the most part already, and she was hung over (or something, that's my assumption because I never heard from her) for Christmas and didn't come to breakfast and presents with her nephews so I haven't seen her in a very long time.

- When I made my menu for the week, I forgot that I had book club on Wednesday so I switched it up and made the corn dog bites a la Pinterest for the boys. They loved them. I was supposed to have Maggiano's.

- I was then unable to make it to book club because my grandmother, who had emergency surgery for a brain bleed from a fall earlier this week (did I mention that earlier this week? I can't remember) took a turn for the worse. I spent Wednesday night at the hospital with my dad's family and Spencer, who insisted on coming even though he wouldn't be able to see her in SICU. He's such a sweet boy.

- She's in hospice now, and is completely unresponsive. It will be any day. It's so sad and so terrible, but she would be appalled that she is still with us the way that she is now. It's time for her.

- On top of everything, Spencer managed to scratch his eye and so it's red and he woke up with a little gunk in it after nap time Thursday (he only naps at daycare) so the daycare lady thought he had pink eye. So I had to pick him up early and torture him with eye drops but it's not pink eye. Hopefully she'll keep him today because with a future trip to North Carolina for my grandmother's funeral I really can't take today off too.

And two more good ones because this post has been incredibly depressing:

- I made a new friend! I hope, anyhow. Wednesday I went to a vender lunch, and I got to talking to one of the people there and we had so much in common! She invited me to her book club, and sent me links to local triathlons that she has done and liked, and it was so nice to have something in common. Hopefully it turns into something! Ha! (okay, this sounded a little creepy)

- And Henry has started speaking! Finally! His first word was Car, and he's obsessed. He also definitely says mama, and bye-bye, and ni-ni (night night), and yes and done. We are reading to him more and trying to work on things and he's obviously trying to speak. Exciting!

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food wars

So this post started out as one of my Five on Friday, but then it got so long I made it its own post. You’re welcome?

Okay.

Those of you who have kids (or have an opinion anyhow, everyone has an opinion), do you have guilt about what you let them eat? Spencer is a decent eater, especially now that he’s gotten older and can be reasoned with. Monday we had tomato soup, and my hater-of-tomatoes had two bowls! It was some organic brand, and I added basil and star pasta, and he loved it. Also, he recently requested and CHOSE Greek yogurt over chocolate chip cookies. However, occasionally I bend to his whim. Tuesday morning I went through DD on the way to take him to his field trip because I NEEDED COFFEE and I agreed to get him a donut. No argument, no reward, just “Momma, can I have a donut please?” “sure, kid”. (maybe it was the manners.) When we go out to eat I always let him have whatever he wants off the kid menu (which is always mac & cheese or grilled cheese, or at Carrabba’s it’s pepperoni pizza). Is this bad? I know in my brain that it’s not that bad. He doesn’t subsist on donuts and fast food and Bagel Bites. While I don’t force him to eat salad (something about it, he is anti-salad) I do insist he eats his side of squash, or spinach, or whatever else veggie I’ve made that night (except tomatoes. I can accept if he sincerely doesn’t like something). And THEN I make him tell me it was good. Ha.

Henry is harder, because he’s supremely pickier. And too young to be reasoned with. And “the baby” which frankly means he gets far more leeway than Spencer. Since moving to the big table and watching Bubba eat, he’s a little more willing to try things, but if not I don’t know what to do. I can’t let him go hungry – he will staunchly refuse his food but will be cranky if he doesn’t eat and is more likely to wake up in the middle of the night. I supplement with yogurt but not often enough that he can expect yogurt for dinner. He gets a snack right when he gets home (usually cereal) so if he doesn’t eat, he’ll be okay. He fills up on his nightly milk AFTER dinner. What else can I do? Can I refuse to give him something different at 17 months old? Send him to bed hungry? Just keep offering it to him and wait to argue until he’s old enough to be reasoned with?

This post was sparked, among other things, by a shared FB status by Chef Michael Symon which said this:

(PS - I was going to type this status out rather than screenshot-it, but I could NOT type it verbatim. I kept trying to correct the spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ha!)

I don’t know if he meant “at home” or “at a restaurant”, but I think that there are a lot of mitigating factors for a lot of parents. We all (most, obviously) do the best we can for our kids. If I’m cooking dinner, I cook enough for everyone. If I’m making something that I’m certain that my kids would have a problem with (and not just because “there’s green stuff”) but honestly they just wouldn’t eat (chicken with a sauce, or salad), I will make a peanut butter and jelly, or a grilled cheese, or Spencer’s favorite sandwich – egg and cheese on a sandwich thin. If I don’t feel like cooking or I’m not hungry, I’ll make PB&J, or grilled cheese, or egg & cheese. We try for healthy options. Occasionally, they get chicken nuggets for the same reason (I tried making my own but Henry refuses to eat any chicken except those nasty processed nuggets – I now have a huge bag of homemade chicken nuggets taking up room in my freezer). I’ve started making fresh popcorn on the weekends for a healthy snack.

But if I’m going out to a restaurant, I let Spencer order off the children’s menu. We don’t eat out enough for it to be more than an occasional treat, I know that he’s not going to let it go to waste, and it keeps the peace. Henry still eats off our plates (and off Spencer’s), and we bring cereal and raisin as snacks to supplement at the table. If we go out for sushi, I bring a PB&J for Spencer (although I do encourage him to try, he can’t live on edamame alone, which he would). Should I be more proactive than I am? Is there something more I should/could be doing?

Added to this is then the bonus guilt of EVERYTHING not being organic. I do occasionally get food that is organic, but not as a rule. I wash food but I’m not super vigilant about organic.

Ahh, parenting guilt. Isn’t it fun?

Crocodile Tears

I rarely take the kids to daycare. This is a) because Spencer always used to cry when I dropped him off and b) it meshes better with Hubby's schedule. I’m also not one to dwell on crying children, or sick children, or whatever the case may be. I’m just not one of those moms. Once I know my child is in a safe place, I tend to put it out of my mind. What can I do while I’m at work? I know that five minutes after I leave they’ve put it behind them. If one of the kids feels sick, I get a call.

But as of Monday, I am the primary take-the-kiddos-to daycare-er. Hubby’s hours have changed, and rather than drop them off in the wee hours of morn, I have graciously offered to start taking them to daycare on MY way to work. It’s not that big of a deal, really.

HOWEVER. A lot has been made for Spencer about going to Busch Gardens this week. Usually they go to my in-laws’ house on Tuesdays, but instead this week Henry will be going to Grandma’s and Spencer will be going to daycare so that he can partake in a field trip to Busch Gardens. He is EXCITED! About this. Sunday morning we drove out to get his preschool pass (all children under 5 are now allowed in the park for free) so that he would be ready today.

He really wants to go on the roller coasters (I blame Phineas & Ferb), and we had to have multiple conversations with him about his not being tall enough to ride those rides, and there would be plenty for him to do otherwise. He would not be dissuaded. Monday morning he wanted to go to Busch Gardens, and started pouting when AGAIN we told him it would be Tuesday. I gave up, and took them to daycare, and he seemed fine. But then I went to give him a hug goodbye and he was CRYING! Not that whiny, get-me-out-of-here crud that I can ignore because it makes me crazy, but sweet quiet tears hitting his jacket. I felt so bad! He wouldn’t even hug me (Henry was at that point waving at me like “why are you still here?!?”) Hours later, still it weighed on my mind. I just wanted to go home and get him even though I know it was completely out of his mind. I don’t know if the crying was because I was leaving him or because he couldn’t go to BG. Probably the latter.

Here’s to hoping that today is better. You know, since he can go to Busch Gardens and all. Let’s also hope we don’t have to have any more you-have-to-be-four-feet-tall conversations. Just because Phineas can do it doesn’t mean you can. He built the roller coaster, too.

Bringing it back: Menu Mondays

This whole meat-free thing is throwing me for a loop. I managed to eek out 4 meals this week, and one of those is only because when Hubby ordered my grilled chicken Greek salad from the local Greek place, they didn't hear the "grilled chicken". I was not happy. We did the quinoa burgers but I'm not sure I really liked them. Strange texture. I might pile on Greek yogurt and cilantro when I thaw out the leftovers and eat them over lettuce. Maybe? My pesto lasagna was FABULOUS and I didn't follow any recipes. I usually use recipes as a starting guide anyhow. Another night we had breakfast of veggie and cheese-scrambled eggs and toast because it was the only thing I could think to cook that didn't require meat.

I'm writing this on Sunday, so I'm including Sunday's meal. Meat. I'm going to also include next Sunday's meal too, so that my menus can from here out go Monday through Sunday. It makes more sense to me. Plus, Menu Sundays just doesn't have the same ring.

• Sunday: slow cooker ribs, acorn squash and garlic bread

• Monday: Pesto and tomato grilled cheese with Tomato soup

• Tuesday: Sweet potato and black bean enchiladas

Source: fannetasticfood.com via April on Pinterest

• Wednesday: Stuffed portabellas

Source: finecooking.com via April on Pinterest

• Thursday: General Tso's chicken with broccoli and rice
• Friday: Penne a la Betsy
• Saturday: caramelized mushrooms and dumplings

Source: joythebaker.com via April on Pinterest

• Sunday: mini corndog bites

Source: mykitchenadventures1.blogspot.com via April on Pinterest

Hair

I yearn for short hair. I generally like my hair, although it takes to long to do so I spend a lot of time with it up, and if I have a bad haircut (like my last one in September) I leave it up for MONTHS until it finally looks reasonable. So my hair is good now. But this is what I want:

My hair WON'T look like that if I cut it, and it will take forever to grow back and I'll spend a long time with it in barrettes until it gets manageable to ponytail and gets longer. But a girl can dream, right?

Five on Friday

• I took a mental health day today. Yesterday I worked my butt off because I was behind due to the stress of the week. Around 3pm I walked into my manager's office and asked for today off. "I could have called in, but I just don't do that." I don't know if she appreciated it or not, but it makes me feel better to know that I'm not going to get "busted" for falsely calling in sick because I really needed today off. That would have been in the pit of my stomach all day even if it was unrealistic.
  
• Of course, my car clutch decided to bite the dust, so today we're taking it in (when the traffic isn't too bad) so that I can have a first and second gear. Really stinks. My car being the source of the money suck REALLY stinks, but it's the first major repair that has been needed besides maintenance in the eight years since I bought it so I guess it could be worse.
• I was really hoping that Hubby would agree that I just need a new car, even though I don't really lust for new cars. I hate driving, and my car is a vehicle to get me from Point A to Point B. But maybe I hate to drive because I don't have a new car? I know it's not really feasible and I know it's unneeded, but it really upset me that he dismissed it without a thought. We have 4 years left on his car payment so maybe I'll have a twelve year old car when I get a new one. But then his will be six. Sigh.
  
• I finished Swamplandia! Um. Don't bother.
• I have errands to do today, like go to Michael's for stuff to make a birthday gift and the store for a few groceries. I think I'll ride my bike. Do you think eggs will be okay? Maybe I'll drive Hub's car to the grocery.
  

(almost) wordless Wednesday

Guess who benefited from daycare finding Spencer's old video game player three months after we replaced it, thinking we were the ones who lost it?

Running and eating

I went for my first run Sunday since my 10k on 12/3, and for the first run since I got my new running shoes, and the first run of the new year. All in one. How do you like that? I ran four miles, and "run" is a term I'm using very loosely as I walked more of it than I ran, but it was still good to get out there and good to get moving.

Once of my biggest problems was that I ran in the middle of the day, and while the weather is FABULOUS (high 60s/low 70s), the sun really bears down and it was just plain difficult to keep moving. You know it's bad when you refuse to run the extra half mile to the water fountain and would rather just walk the 1.5 back to the last water stop, which is only half a mile from home.

We also went on a family bike ride later on the same day. I was getting discouraged by our family bike rides. Hubby lost a lot of weight last year too, and a lot of it was muscle mass. He did it by diet only, so now when we try to do family outings he gets irritated by his lack of endurance. And I wouldn't mind going slower and riding together but he insists that I "go ahead", which frankly isn't a family bike ride. It's a "me and Henry" ride and a "Hubby and Spencer while Hubby complains" ride. I know we just need to do it more, but it's hard to talk him into it because he's getting discouraged as well. We did get him a new bike (and then exchanged it for a different new bike) and today's ride was fun and encouraging again.

Last week was TERRIBLE for our eating. Meat meat meat meat yummy freaking meat. I made baked grouper on Friday night which was awesome, but we got take out from Red Robin on Saturday for the garage sale (which was awesome - we sold almost all the big stuff, a lot of the little stuff, made over $200 and I packed the rest of it up for goodwill). Now that I'm on Pinterest (okay, so resolution #2 sucked this week too) I've been loading up on great recipe ideas for the next week, and I'm making veggie pesto lasagna, quinoa burgers, salad, and ... well, something else. Once thing that has been good on the food front is that we moved Henry's seat to the regular table (it has removable legs) so he can eat with us, and he has been such a better eater the past few days. He has eaten mashed sweet potatoes, acorn squash, non-processed chicken, macaroni and cheese with carrots and spinach, couscous, and spinach artichoke feta quiche on Sunday morning. I think one thing that helps is that it's pretty low and he CAN'T SEE HIS FOOD so he doesn't realize the color until it's already been eaten. Plus, he can see all of us eating the same thing he is.

So this week is a new week! We had chicken and rice last night (and zucchini), but Monday through Thursday will be meatless, I'm going to run Tuesday and Thursday night and do weights Monday and Wednesday. I'm going to get myself off the computer until after the kids go to bed, I'm going to finish this god-forsaken book club book so I can move on to sunnier pastures. It's a new week.

A new week. Let's get this party started.

Five on Friday

• It felt good on Monday night to strike through my first resolution. The blog has been redone. I really wanted a brighter, cleaner look for the new year and this seems to fit the bill. What do you think? Does everything seem to work okay on your end?
• Tuesday was my first day back to work since 12/23. I had two great holiday weekends book-ending a really lousy vacation. The sickness wreaked havoc on our household until about Thursday, and then Henry was teething and wouldn't stop crying so they sent him home and I had a migraine (and while he wasn't inconsolable at home, he was awfully whiny with my head hurting). Those two weekends were really really good though, so it almost wipes out those really terrible days in the middle.
• We plan on having a garage sale this weekend. Hold me now.
• We are going meatless 4 days a week now, but I have no real recipes and I'm afraid we're going to be eating too much mac and cheese, which slightly defeats the purpose. We have spectacularly failed at this for the first week of the year: wings, chicken sandwich, cream of chicken and rice soup (which Henry ATE so I call it a win), wings, and creole chicken with goat cheese pasta and mashed sweet potatoes. Not a single meat-free night) Recipes? Anyone? Bueller?
• My invite for Pinterest came through Monday night. This is not going to have a good effect on my #2 resolution - stay off the computer. I was never really interested in getting on it, and now I have a feeling I'm going to be up all night on the thing. But cute! Things! It's like a website devoted to letting me make lists, except with pictures. My first list was meat-free recipes.
  

Wordless Wednesday

The first Ten of the year

1. What did you get for Christmas?
I got a beautiful pair of earrings from the boys, new running shoes and Marc Jacobs perfume from the hubby, and lots of great other things!

2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations? I didn't plan it, but Thursday we were stuck home because Henry got sent home from daycare for crying too much (love teething, the daycare thought there was something actually wrong with him) so the decorations came down then and the tree came down Sunday. I miss them, but I love having the space back.

3. What did you do for New Years Eve? We went to friends' house who has boys Spencer's age and hung out while the children (6 boys, 5 of them fully mobile and crazy) went insane and we drank and played board games. It was a lot of fun. The only problem *I* had with the night is that midnight is in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! I was so tired by the end of the night my head was a wreck and I hadn't even drank much. My wonderful husband let me sleep until 9am the next morning, and all was again right with the world.

4. Do you like accents? As long as they're not too hard to understand. If I can understand them, they pretty much rock.

5. What kind of television do you have? A big one.

6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012? I have resolutions, but I haven't made any changes yet. We finished out our vacation properly, and now it's time to follow up on my resolutions, starting today (ps - I added to those a little - I shouldn't hit "publish" on something I haven't looked at right before I go to bed).

7. What’s the last book you read and do you recommend it? I'm about halfway through Swamplandia! and yes, it's pretty interesting.

8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip? Vaguely. Very, very vaguely.

9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? Yes, no (most though) and yes.

10. What is your favorite educational television show? I don't think I watch a lot of educational television since LeVar Burton isn't on anymore. Why isn't Reading Rainbow on anymore?

Resolve: 2012

A new year, a new set of resolutions.

Family:

1) Spend more time with my kids.

2) Stay off the computer until 8pm through the week and between 10am and 6pm on weekends.

3) Work more on my relationship with my husband


Health:

4) Go meat-free four days a days a week

5) Tough Mudder 12/1/12

6) 1 half-marathon (to be named later)

7) 1 triathalon (to be named later)

8) 3 5ks and 3 10ks

9) hold plank for 5 minutes

10) do a full split

11) down to 135lbs

Other:

12) read 100 books, including 10 "classics" and 10 non-fiction

13) redecorate my office

14) blog at least 3 times a week

15) re-vamp the blog