Tummy Aches and Green Bean Casserole

This one time when I was pregnant with Scott, I was consumed with the desire for green bean casserole. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I was dreaming about it. So finally, I gave in. I went to the store, bought the ingredients, went home, made an entire green bean casserole, and ate it. The entire thing. The entire thing right then. And then I thought I might die. That was the last time I ate green bean casserole.

This week, I had a similar experience with chicken and dumplings and brussel sprouts. The chicken and dumpling recipe that I tried last week was AMAZING. I paired it with roasted brussel sprouts, DELISH. BUT the next day I came down with a mild version of what Nate had (which by the way, was not over when I blogged on Monday, it lasted a full five days. Five days.). I will probably never eat chicken and dumplings or brussel sprouts again. However, I encourage you too.

LET’S EAT

Monday: Grill Out Steaks and Potatoes and Veggies

Tuesday: Honey Chicken Kabobs , Rice, and Salad

Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner

Thursday: Leftover Night

Friday: Nachos and Raw Veggies

Saturday: OUT

Sunday: Pizza Movie Night

PS When I grow up I want to be Annette Bening.

Sickie Poo

So this was our weekend….

Sickie Poo Nate

Actually there was a lot of puke and other yucky stuff involved but I didn’t commemorate that part. Sick kids are so sad. This was Nate’s first time have pukers and this is the longest we have ever had a sick kid! It started Tuesday with a cold and fever, Saturday began a 24 hr stomach bug and today is Sunday… stomach bug free but still feverish. I’ll take it! Anything is better then being puked on.

Ummmmm…. don’t you feel like talking about food now?! Take a second to think happy thoughts…

FOOD

I didn’t really try anything new last week so no reviews, HOWEVER, on a food related side note, we went for sushi on Friday night and actually took the kids with us (we haven’t attempted this in about a year, because last time we went both kids destroyed the rolls eating only the rice) and Scott chowed! I think he ate an entire california roll by himself and half of a spicy tuna roll. Nate didn’t eat anything (in hindsight we now know why) but this opens up a whole new world for us! Yay for kids that like sushi!

I am lacking serious cooking motivation this week. My brain is mush since we have basically had Martha Speaks on loop for the last 48 hrs as Nate dozed on and off on the couch. At least that is my excuse for a really boring menu this week.

Monday: Leftover Spaghetti

Tuesday: Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings and Salad

Wednesday: Grilling out Steak, Chicken or Pork Chops whatever is on sale at WF, Grilled Veggie Kabobs

Thursday: Dinner at Mom’s

Friday: Leftovers- Cereal- Bread with butter-I really don’t care Night

Saturday: Date Night

Sunday: Pizza Movie Night

Snow Fort Conversations

One of the very best parts of motherhood are those heart melting moments that catch you off guard. During the snow storm Scott and I spent about an hour and a half outside after Mike and Nate went in to make the world’s coolest the best snow fort we could manage. After we finished we laid in the snow and Scott said: “Let’s play the guessing game about people.” I had no idea what he was talking about so he went first… Apparently this is how the game goes…

Scott: You’re good at making dinner. True?

Me: Technically yes. I am good at making dinner, but my dinners aren’t always good.

Scott: I get a point.

Me: You’re good at knowing Star Wars characters.

Scott: True. Point for you… You’re really good at taking care of kids and keeping them safe.

Me: What do you think?

Scott: True.

Me: I love you Scott.

Scott: I love you too Mom…. Point for me.

Can I keep him 5 forever?

PS I CAN’T believe I didn’t get an actual pic of the snow fort!

Little White Lies

10 years ago today I ditched the guy I was actually dating to hang out with Mike. I remember saying to Mike, “I just am not ready for the commitment of going out with him for Valentine’s Day… I mean that means you are like REALLY dating.” To which my good friend Mike replied, “Just come hang out with me, I’ll make you spaghetti.” I called the guy at 3 o’clock in the afternoon to tell him I wasn’t feeling well. He showed up at my apartment with a huge bouquet of flowers that he had already bought. I am not a liar, I am not even a little white liar. I am tell the truth whether or not it hurts kinda girl.  But I totally wrapped up in a blanket and tried to look sickly when I answered the door. The day after Valentine’s Day I told him the truth and broke up with him. Six weeks later Mike and I were engaged and five months later we were married.  The best little white lie ever.

Let’s Eat

Okay, before we move on to this week’s food, can we just chat a bit about how gross my food from last week was…. The Chinese Cheese Burgers=Gross. What the what was I thinking? They got great reviews on allrecipes.com, I followed said recipe and they were bad news ballet. The Chipotle Orange Taco’s from the pioneer woman’s site= also Gross and also got great reviews. They were tolerable, but I repeat do NOT make the Chinese Cheese Burgers.

On a good note, the Egg Drop Soup was so good and so easy and felt super fancy to make. I also ended up making Sloppy Joe’s from a Whole Foods seasoning mix on leftover night, since we obviously weren’t eating anything I had already made and they were great!

Monday: Valentine Dinner with the kids… Spaghetti (Mike’s favorite) Crab Legs (Scott’s favorite) Bread (Nate’s Favorite) Dessert (My favorite)

Tuesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup

Wednesday: Blackened Mahi Mahi, Rice, Veggies (didn’t end up making the other week)

Thursday: Grilling out Kabobs it is going to be 74 degrees!

Friday: Out

Saturday: Date Night

Sunday: Pizza Movie Night

PS This is a pic of our Sunday night Valentine Calazone Movie Night… Impressive, No?  

Valentine Calazone

 

In the corner of my mind

I have been going to through pictures to change out my frames and decided to get a couple of Scott when he was a baby and I have not stopped laughing. Oh my goodness. The main thoughts have been…. “What am I wearing?” “What is up with Mike’s hair?” AND “Holy Hell I can’t believe I was so huge when I was pregnant!” (We also have an insane amount of pictures of our kids playing in moving boxes and Scott in his underwear.) Oh and also, “We look exhausted in 99% of the pictures post 2005!”

There are also some that are so sweet and seem so long ago it makes me a little sad but in a happy way…. (you know what I  mean)

The beginning.

Scott 2006

One of my favorites.

 

Nate.

 

This captures the tiredness and the underwear.

And in case you doubted my pregnancy hugeness… I give you… The Beast….

Don't be scared.

PS It's okay to laugh.

 

Arassment

Seriously, how awesome has the snow been?! I thought I hated winter and snow and turns out…. I hate ice storms (it is easy to confuse the two in Oklahoma). But snow is fun. Sledding, snowman (that was beheaded in the night by neighborhood hooligans), snow fort. Fun. But really, the neighborhood hooligans have it out for our house, first our blow up santa is stolen and now our snow man is beheaded. This is the convo that followed after I got up at 9:45 (yea, I said, 9:45):

Scott: Someone chopped our snow mans head off in the night. Yea, they killed it. (he thought it was funny)

Me: WHAT?!

Scott: Seriously, they totally did. (he is really into saying seriously and totally lately)

Me: What is up with our hood?

Mike: It’s kind of funny.

Me: Maybe it just melted and fell off, I mean wouldn’t they knock down the whole snow man?

Mike: No. I totally would have just knocked the head off.

SO it may or may not have been Mike murdering our snow man in the night.

Nate and Scott have been talking having some hilarious conversations lately when they don’t know I am eaves dropping. Mostly, they are hilarious because I think half the time Nate doesn’t know exactly what Scott is talking about but keeps the convo going anyway. Example:

Nate: Member one time when I was a baby and I climbed on Scotty’s bunkbed ladder and jumped and landed on a toy gun and got my hard cast leg?

Scott: Nate. You weren’t a baby. You were totally two.

Nate: NO. I was baby.

Scott: NATE. Seriously, I am not even kidding. It just happened. You were totally two! Don’t you remember your friend Jackson was over?!

Nate: No Scotty, I not! Mom, Scotty is arassing me!

Me: What?

Nate: Scotty won’t stop arassing me.

Me: Are you saying harassing?

Nate: YES!

Me, Mike and Scott: (cracking up)

Nate: It not funny! Stop arassing me!

We all muffled our laughs and then Scott whispered: You really were two.

Let’s Eat

(I didn’t totally stick to my menu last week so there will be repeats this week. On day two of snowed in, we ate popcorn and chocolate chip muffins for lunch and dinner. It was fabulous.)

Monday: Chipotle and Orange Pork Tacos and salad

Tuesday: Egg Drop Soup Chinese Cheeseburgers (with buffalo meat) (I feel a little suspicious about the burgers, but the reviews are awesome and I kind of don’t feel like fried rice any more)

Wednesday: Veggie Omelettes, Waffles or French Toast

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Date night for Valentine’s Day

Saturday: Out

Sunday: Pizza Movie Night (I started buying my dough again since Mike kind of hates my homemade dough, and I have to admit… Whole Foods is way better and it is only $2.99.)

PS Sorry this is so long! I started talking and couldn’t stop. I have that problem often in real life.

Genie in a Bottle

The snow blizzard has arrived. Mike is out of town and my biggest fear throughout this blizzard is losing power. Alone. With two little kids. Being literally snowed in. Seriously, trapped. And not knowing how to start a fire. (note to self: learn how to start a fire.)

I couldn’t sleep last night because I was so nervous. Finally at midnight, anxiety ridden, I prayed. I prayed that if God let us get through this without losing power that I would go to church for six months straight. Then I decided that I didn’t want to commit to something I knew I couldn’t do (sick kids, vacations, etc) so I changed it to: Get to church often but if we miss church to watch it online, every week for six months.

Yes, I know I am ridiculous. Yes, I know God is not a genie. Yes, I know God doesn’t bargain like that, and yes, I knew this while I was doing it. Yes, I am that lame.

So far, we haven’t lost power. No, I am not saying the only reason I didn’t lose power was because I committed to church (honestly, I am kind of surprised God didn’t make me lose power and then leave me a message in the snow that said, “Have you not read the verse that says DO NOT TEST GOD”) BUT I am saying, If I make a commitment I follow through.

Tonight I decided to be an overachiever and watch church from last week online because that’s how I roll. I was sitting on my couch crying.

It was about fear. “What we fear the most reveals what we value the most and what we fear the most is also where we trust God the least.” How true is that? My biggest fear is someone hurting my kids. This comes from a lot of different places. A child molesting youth pastor, volunteer work, my pre kids job, child molesting camp counselors and private school teachers. The person most likely to hurt your child is the person you suspect the least. One in three girls will be abused. One in four boys will be abused. I get choked up with fear even thinking about the day my children will start having sleep overs and going to camp and playing sports and being away from me more than they are with me.

I am scared to go to church and be close to God because I am scared that he will test my faith by allowing someone to hurt my children.

It is an issue.

I am not going to go into every detail of what Craig talked about, I won’t explain it right and it will be better to watch yourself. However, I will say, I didn’t realize how deep my fear was. And I don’t want to project my fears onto my children and affect their lives negatively.

The next six months I am going to do more than go through the motions of church. I think I am going to embrace it and run with it and see where it leads me. My goal is to be present, to learn and to apply.

Now to find a church….