Blogger Bum

I feel like somewhat of a blogger bum. Nothing interesting seems to be coming to my head these days. My days have been filled with just getting by except for our little jaunt to Moab. Do things just always feel routine? In my life, I have been trying to notice the miraculous and not the so much the mundane parts like chores, work, etc., etc., etc.

I have been reading a book by Sheri Dew called, "If Life were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard and Other Reassuring Truths." This lady is awesome. I highly recommend this book. One thing that she said in her book that struck me was this,

"While we have been assigned to take the test of mortality during the most spiritually rigorous and demanding time in the world's history, we have not been left alone."

There are many days that I simply think that I cannot stand it any longer. I truly love my family, but there are times that I think my brain will implode if I hear one more kid screaming at another kid about who has whose stuffed animal or whose foot is touching their foot. I also have bigger worries than those about their welfare, but the point is we are not alone in the routine of life and the struggles. Knowing that I can pray for strength and help with my children and just knowing that someone stronger than I am is at the wheel gives me comfort.

Shifting focus has been a huge priority of mine as of late. I am trying to focus on all the glorious gifts that my children bring into my life, which largely outweighs the struggles. I think it is in our nature at times to focus on the small parts of our life that make us sad or cause us frustration. This world can certainly give us cause to do so, but there is so much joy.

I am so grateful for my family and how much they add to my life. It certainly is an interesting ride and continues to get better every day. It is challenging, hard, extremely frustrating at times but 100% worth every minute of it. I just think I need to remember that in the mundane grind of life there is so much happiness and joy and that God is with me every step of the way.

By the way, we had a small miracle today that I can take pause to note. My daughter ate all her broccoli. Nobody asked her to, begged her to, pleaded, or bribed her to. She just did it. I do not care what anyody says that was a miracle if I ever saw one.:)

Goals

What is life without goals? I have many goals but my biggest goal as of late has been to shed pounds. Heather from One Woman's World has posted a challenge to set some goals. During my lifetime, I have been up and down this roller coaster. One of the things that I have decided is that I need to make this a lifetime change, that I need to remember that for most of my life this is how I will need to eat in order to get to and be in a weight range that is healthy. Each Tuesday, I am going to post a new recipe that we have tried and liked and/or a product that I like along with my goals for that week. I may also post a tip that has helped me out. My weight will most certainly remain a mystery, but I may post my losses every once in a while. I also will be open and honest about this, as I think it will help me on this journey.

My first goal is relatively simple, I would like to lose 20 pounds by June 1st. This is Heather's goal too, but it is a reasonable goal that I would have come up with because it is about 2 pounds a week and is safe and healthy.

My goal for this week is to try and limit my diet soda intake to no more than 1 can a day and drink at least eight glasses of water a day. This is a somewhat big goal for me as I do not drink water often and I drink way to much diet soda.

To start off, I have to share a recipe already. My husband's aunt is battling breast cancer and a serious infection right now and we are fasting after lunch today, so I made a bigger lunch for my hubby and I to eat and later give to the kids for supper. You have to try this. It is low fat and yummy.

My tip for today is Tootsie Pops. I have lost about 75 pounds over the past few years and have relatively maintained that weight loss. I have found that when I am really trying hard to stick to my diet and I have a really bad craving strike or I am watching television and I need something to munch that these keep my mouth busy and have a huge burst of flavor. In Weight Watchers terms, it is only 1 point and if you are counting calories it is low. I usually limit it to one a day but it really does help.

Whatever goals you have in organization, weight loss, healthier lifestyle, etc., having goals is important. It makes life interesting and so rewarding when we finally make it to our destination. If you have other goals and want to join in, please do. Good luck!:)

Picture Essay

We ate here. This is the place to go eat, if you go to Moab. Yum.


We saw a bird in a car. Ooooh, awwww, oooh! Wow. Anyway, that is how my kids felt.:)

But this is why we came . . . .

MIA

Sorry, I have been missing in action lately. It has been an insanely crazy week. Lets count the number of things I did yesterday.

1. Got up and worked out.
2. Came home and got my work out of the way.
3. Got the kids ready.
4. Got me ready.
5. Fed them lunch.
6. Started the first of many, many, many, many loads of laundry.
7. Took DD #1 to preschool.
8. Went to Target.
9. Went back to preschool.
10. Went on field trip to Earth Science Museum.
11. Went back to preschool and dropped off kids in my car.
12. Went to Savers to look for shorts for kids because sometimes they have awesome stuff that comes in.
13. Went back and picked up DD #1.
14. Got gas (for the car).
15. Went to Target to look for super cool shoes for the kids (they did not have the right size)
16. Stopped at Payless. Yeah! They had them.
17. Picked up other daughter from school.
18. Dropped off all the kids because I have a super cool built in babysitter (DD #2) and the new Chicken Little DVD and I could not stand the screaming anymore from my little one who had not had a nap.
19. Went to Walmart to get items for our trip to Moab. (Yes, I love the big bad 'ol Walmart that is somehow destroying the very fiber of America).
20. Came home unloaded car and put things away.
21. Made dinner. Hurray, for french bread pizza.
22. Did some more wash.
23. Ate dinner with family.
24. Started packing for our trip.
25. Cleaned around the house so if we somehow fall off a cliff or plunge into nothingness the people who come to clean out our house will not think we are total slobs. I know it is a morbid thought, but it is a mom thing like wearing clean undies when you go to the doctor, etc.!:)
26. Fought with daughter about cleaning her room and how she needs to do it before we go or nobody is going! She didn't buy it.
27. Got kids ready for bed.
28. Things get a little hazy after this, but I am sure you get the picture and the day was scattered with a ton of other little stuff. I am glad we are leaving this morning for a little trip and a break. I may be able to post some pictures down there. It is a beautiful place and lots of fun!

Sesame Street

I thought of this song when I saw what was in my freezer (picture below song). The Dreyers behind the offender does not count, as it is light rocky road. I think I have been watching too much Sesame Street lately . . . .:)

One of these things is not like the others,

One of these things just doesn't belong,

Can you tell which thing is not like the others

By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?

Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?

If you guessed this one is not like the others,

Then you're absolutely...right!

Tis a silly thing . . .

but why is this kid still on American Idol? I just don't get it. He is horrible. Can you tell it has been a slow idea day for me or what? My childishness is coming out. Meaningless conversation about the fate of American Idol when there are more important things going on in the world, but I still just don't get it and I must know, WHY is he still on the show? Not that I vote, so I guess I really cannot complain but I still want to know WHY?

Seven 7s

This was a really good project for me. It has been a while since I sat and thought about myself or things that I wanted to do or the things I like. Interestingly, this was very difficult for me even though it seems like an easy task. My days lately have been so tied up in children, hubby, and household responsibilities that I guess I have not taken much time to even think about the things that I would like to accomplish outside of helping my children survive childhood and my husband finish school, which thank goodness is over for right now. He mentioned a PhD until he saw the look on my face, which said, "No, way in H#LL!" I am not a dream squelcher, but we will maybe do that once the kids are a bit older. Yikes! No more school for a while, please!:) Anyway, here is my Seven 7s.

(This list is subject to change or lengthening at any given time, as I am know to do quite often.)

Seven things I want to do before I die:
1. Go on a mission with my husband.
2. See all my children married in the temple and get to spoil my grandchildren.
3. Finish school (I don't know in what yet, but I want to get a degree in something).
4. Become a Master Gardener.
5. Own a piece of land (probably in the Northwest) with all the fixins on it (big house made to my specificications).
6. See as much of the United States as possible with my hubby.
7. Get all of my genealogy done.
8. Become a certified Red Cross worker to help out in crisis situations.

Seven Things I cannot do:
1. Deny my faith.
2. Be intentionally mean to my spouse or kids.
3. Buy something on the shelf that is in front. My husband pointed out to me that I always look at the product and then pick one of the ones behind it. I didn't even know that I did this, but I do and I cannot help it.
4. Pass up Easter Candy or See's chocolate (there is no other chocolate better) or food in general, sigh.
5. Math of any form. It is beyond me.
6. Enjoy running. I have tried. I will stick with walking on the treadmill or doing the elliptical machines. Running just really bites for me.
7. Clean up vomit without gagging or vomiting myself. My hubby is on vomit patrol when the kids puke.
8. Sit still through suspense movies and watch them without covering my face.

Seven Things that attract me to my Spouse:
1. His sense of humor.
2. His dedication to whatever he does church, job, family, etc.
3. How smart he is.
4. The way he treats me with respect all the time.
5. His kindness.
6. He can go to chick flicks and his eyeballs sweat and he is not embarrassed.
7. Of course, his wonderful looks!:)

Seven things I say often:
1. I love you.
2. Good job!
3. Freakin, flippin, dangit, etc,.
4. Hello!
5. What were you thinking _____? Fill in the blank with whatever child I may be talking to at the time.
6. Can somebody please clean up this mess?
7. Your my sweet boy, girl, hubby, etc.

Seven Books or Book Series I love:
1. Scriptures.
2. Harry Potter series.
3. Jane Eyre.
4. Biographies. I love reading biographies.
5. Most Nicholas Sparks books.
6. Most John Grisham books. Love them.
7. I just decided I do not read enough. I need a wider library.

Seven Movies I could watch over and over (This could go on and on, but here are a few that I like):
1. Cinderella Man.
2. Rudy.
3. Return to Me.
4. Sleepless in Seattle.
5. Pride and Prejudice.
6. Persuasion.
7. Run Away Bride.
8. Oceans 11/12.
9. Princess Bride.

Seven People whose Sevens 7s I would like to hear (now, and again 20 years from now):Most everyone I know who has a blog has done this except for maybe . . .
1. My hubby.
2. Lei from My Many Colored Days.
3. Rachelle from Ramblings of a Tired Teacher (and Mom) Going Mad.
4. Anyone I have missed who wants to do this, go for it.
5. Those of you who read this and do not have a blog, know who you are and I would love to hear yours too that is if I could talk you into doing a blog.:) Have a great day everyone!

Sick and Wrong

There should be a self-help group this time of year for all of us who actually watch American Idol. What is the deal? I could hardly sit through this movie, but I can sit through American Idol. Sick and Wrong. I know I have better things to do than watch this show THREE nights a week when they are doing the cuts down to the final 12. We even have a no television policy during the weekday evenings in our house, but we break it for that show. Is there some sort of subliminal message coming through the screen at me that says I must watch American Idol? At our house, we already know who we want to win and of course, it is Chris and if you say otherwise, please step away from my blog.:) Well, enough of that. I just had to get it off my chest and come out of the closet.

In other news, my 4-year-old is a girl pretending to be a dog pretending to be a girl at least that is what she told me. Huh?! Did she watch Victor/Victoria somewhere and I am not aware of it?

In other, other news, the house of sick is finally getting better. Hurray! I also have a wonderful husband who took the day off because I cannot handle being a mother today. I think I just got so worn out over the last few days that I just snapped. He is awesome and I do not know how single parents do this parenting thing by themselves because I would be a disaster. Bless their hearts.

House of Sick

We have had hives, strep, ear infections, runny noses, fevers, upset tummies, tonsillitis, arrrgggghhhh. Can sickfest 2006 be over now, please!? Pretty please with sugar on top. I think tomorrow will be better.:)

Sorry

losing brain ce. . .lls. . . fast. . . can . . . not . . . post. Seeing this may lead to liquification of brain matter. Sometime soon I will do a real post. You know, I thought sacrifice was giving your child your last bit of food, pushing them out of the way of a moving car, staying up all night when they are sick, etc., and those things TRULY are but going to things like this should be on the list somewhere. I mean, I am giving up brain cells and and some sense of dignity when I go to things like that with my 12-year-old and 4-year-old, right? No, it really was not that bad (there were actually parts that I liked) and if you have little girls or tweens, they will LOVE it. My 4-year-old now has an order in for a mermaid that can live in her room. You gotta love it!

Gratitude

I am so grateful for insurance . . . after hour clinics that our insurance will let us go to . . . medication as I have one daughter with Strep, one daughter with tonsillitis and an ear infection and whatever else is going on in her sinuses, and a son with an ear infection. We thought we could only go to the emergency room at a hospital that we do not care for, but found out there actually is a new after hours clinic just around the corner that will take our insurance and instead of costing us $$$$$$$$$$ it only cost us $$$. Remembering that I licked the ice cream drips on my daughter's cone at our local grocery store yesterday before I knew she was sick is not so good. My husband cannot figure out why he does not get sick as often as I do. Hmmm, I wonder. I need to stop sharing things with my children except for kisses and hugs. Those I will never give up. I am off to snuggle with my hubby and maybe finally watch the copy of Pride and Predjudice that I have not been able to watch yet. Yes, my husband really likes that movie and I know he is not just saying that. He loves Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, Return to Me, etc. He also loves the action flicks, too, but so do I every once in a while. Happy Saturday everyone!:)

Happy March!

I thought this was a little funny . . . On St. Patrick's Day, I could never remember to wear green and I always said that I was wearing green underwear so that I would not get pinched.

In other news, why do kids get sick over the weekend? It never fails. The after hours clinic just closed, but I am pretty sure she has got Strep and now we need to take her to the emergency room. Can you say $$$$$$$$. That is just the way the cookie crumbles.

DD#2 came up to me today and said, "I love you Mom, you are my mom forever." She sure knows who butters her bread. Just before this, she was trying to beat the tar out of her brother and got in trouble. They learn young, don't they. I will take it anyway I can get it though. She really is a sweetie.

Goodnight to all and have a great weekend! Hopefully, I will get out my blogging doldrums and make a real post tomorrow.

Squirrel Name

This is somewhat funny. What is your squirrel name? Oh, in case you are wondering, yes, I have been frittering the day away today. It has been way fun, too!:)

Good Morning!

If you get up early to go to the gym or whatever a person would do to get them up at an awful hour, sometimes you get to see things like this. The picture does not do it justice.

Groddy To The Max!

We went to the park today, as it has been so nice out. Anyhoo, some kid vomited all over the tire swing. No big deal that happens. I went looking for DD#2 and I could not find her but I did see a child in the middle of the above-mentioned tire swing with vomit all over it and the view I had was a bit obscured. I thought to myself, I had better get that child out of there. But wait, it was not just any 'ol child, it was my child. Yuck! She put her hands in it. Ewwww! I am so glad the public restrooms were open and there was lots and lots and lots of soap. No vomit on the clothes or any other body part, though. Did you ever think being a mom could get so gross?

Recipe

Here is that link to the way I make Chicken Makhani. You can make it as the recipes states or below I have my modifications.

Modifications:

No green pepper
1/2 onion and not 1-1/2 unless you really like onion
chicken tenders, if I find a reasonable price, instead of chicken breasts
15 ounce can of tomato sauce, as it is so much easier
If I want more sauce, I will add a bit more milk/cream and boil a bit to make it thicker

Recipes like this are hard for me to write out because I do a little of this or a little of that. The lady from India that I worked for when I lived in New York always said, "It is in the hand." You can play with the spices, especially if you like garam masala like we do. I tend to add a little bit at a time until it is just the way I want it.

I usually brown the chicken in a separate pan, while I am cooking the onions and garlic, and then mix into sauce to finish cooking.

Flat bread (Naan) is really good with this. It is also really good poured over Jasmine rice or the aromatic rice.

Walmart or Albertsons, I think, has garam masala. It is a very good Indian spice. If you try this, I hope you enjoy it.