Things I love Thursday...

For those of you who hate reading bulleted lists, I am sorry.  Here we go...

• A sore body.  I love the feeling you get the day after a great work-out when you get out of bed and it literally hurts to move.  It means that I'm making progress!
• This beautiful "January" weather we have been rocking lately!  Seriously ... love.  We have been hitting up the park every.single.day and it has been glorious.  I get a little stir crazy if we are inside for too long and G looooves to be outside.  He had a major meltdown when we left the park to go back home today, so that was also fun.  But oh so worth it.
• Girl Scout Cookies - ummm... yes, please!  Luckily my niece is a card carrying member, so I get hooked up with the goods without any effort (i.e. stalking young girls to find a box of Thin Mints).  I found a recipe on pinterest for thin mint truffles that I bookmarked to try as soon as I can get my paws on that green box of goodness.

via

• Another great recipe!  Cooking Light is scoring major points in our household.  Yesterday as I was making dinner, R told me kindly, "Babe, you don't have to make elaborate meals for me."  This meal was very easy to make.  He saw me chopping, dumping, and stirring away and thought it was elaborate, which means my meal making up to this point has basically been very simple.  I felt sorry for him in that instant that I hadn't been a very nurturing in this particular aspect of our relationship.  At least his standards aren't high.  Ha!  *Recipe added at the bottom - You will thank me after making this for your familia - de nada!

• One year molars.  I am only loving you because your torture is finally almost done at our house.  Last night was dreadful sleep for us all but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that the finish line is near.  We will conquer you!
• DVR - without you, I wouldn't be able to watch mindless crap instead of doing something productive.  Revenge*, New Girl, Top Chef, Modern Family, Parenthood, The Office... you had me at, "Record this series."  I am currently backlogged by two weeks because I somehow didn't watch hardly anything last week even though I can't remember what I did instead.  Mom brain much?  *I know, it's totally a late night soap opera, but I can't help it.
• Etsy!  Even though I have recently experienced two Etsy sellers that did not send me my goods after I paid (wth?!?), I have had many more good transactions with others and already scored G's Valentine's Day shirt.  Yes, you can find cute stuff even for boys!  P.S. Is it dorky that I already have his outfit for V-Day planned out?  P.P.S. Is it dorkier that I already have his valentines planned out that he will pass out to his friends at school and that I already bought the essential piece to this said valentine on ebay 'cause I couldn't find it anywhere else?  Sigh.  I am definitely the first time mom/SAHM mom combo, but I do promise that I'm like this with other things too.  So there.

Go check out her shop!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/shopantsypants

• Cute thank you cards courtesy of tiny prints.  I have been needing to send out thank you notes for Christmas gifts and haven't been enthused with anything generic at the store.  I personalized my own on tinyprints.com with a photo of G and paid the same or less for ones that have so much more character.  Love them!

• Finally, I know many of you have probably seen that nasty picture floating around on the internet of what processed chicken nuggets from McDonald's look like before they are made.  I was happy to hear that Chick-Fil-A (our personal fave and practically only fast food place we ever eat at) is now offering grilled chicken nuggets as part of their kid's menu.  Awesome!  I am kind of a freak (and not ashamed) about what G eats because there are so many gross things that kids ingest these days.  

Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

courtesy of Cooking Light

Hands-on time: 40 min

Total time: 48 min

1 T. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 (4 oz) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tspp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

3 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (I recommend buying the pre-packaged cut up squash, will save you a lot of time!)

2 T. no-salt added tomato paste

4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1/3 c. uncooked couscous

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 3/4 inch pieces

1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh basil

2 tsp. grated orange rind

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken; cook for 4 minutes, browning on all sides.  Add cumin, cinnamon, and pepper to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add butternut squash and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.  Stir in chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes.  Stir in couscous, salt and zucchini; cook 5 minutes or until squash is tender.  Remove pan from heat.  Stir in chopped basil and orange rind.

Serves 4 (serving size 1 1/2 cups)

Calories - 292

Fat - 8g

Change

I know MLK, Jr. day has come and gone.  I feel like, all too often, it is just thought of as another Monday off for most ... just another 3-day weekend.  And before you go thinking that I'm perching myself up on my high horse, I count myself in that group who would normally mark the occasion with maybe a fleeting thought about what the day really was meant to commemorate and stand for.

Peace.  Equality.  Justice.


"Yeah, yeah."  I know you may be thinking.  "That's all fine and dandy, but what does all of that actually mean?  Haven't we come a long way since the Civil Rights Movement?"

And, in my personal opinion, I would answer both yes and no.  It's hardly a simple answer to a very complex question and problem that still presents itself all the time.

Inequalities exist.  Turn on the news and you will see them all day long.  People are treated differently because of their age, sex, religion, political preferences, race .... this list could go on and on.

I stumbled upon this story on FB the other day and was horrified to read this mother's account.
http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/2012/01/amelia/brick-walls/
I urge you to read it in its entirety.

People are far from perfect beings and I catch myself with my own biases and judgments all the time.  Six months ago I saw a woman at the gym that I hadn't seen since middle school.  She was teased mercilessly because she was different.  I am talking full out taunts and bullying.  It is horrible to think about but even more horrible to think how she must have felt all of that time.  I never participated in the bullying but I never did anything to stop it, which in itself is a crime.  I should have said something to her that day at the gym but I didn't.  She deserved an apology.  Something.  She deserves much more.

So what are we going to do about it???  Change can start with one person.  I pray that I can make a difference and that you will too.

Thankful Thursday

I've decided that it's been too long since I did a "Thankful Thursday" post.

1. I am thankful for R.  G woke up earlier than normal but I was oblivious to it and slept in blissfully unaware while R got up with him, fed him breakfast, and played with him until he would normally wake up.  Sooooo thankful for that man!

2. I am thankful for G's teachers.  G goes to "school" MWF part-time, which gives me the opportunity to do some part-time work and gives him the opportunity to play with similar aged peers and have that structured environment away from home.  I took him in this morning for their class picture and after the picture taking was finished, he did not want to leave!  He loves his teachers so much and loves being there -- what every mama hopes for.

3. I am thankful for my MIL.  She gifted me a subscription to "Cooking Light" for Christmas, and my first one just came in the mail.  I eagerly ripped out some recipes to try and went shopping this afternoon for essentials.  The first meal I tried was a success (and easy and healthy, of course!).  It was perfect for a cold day like today.  I'll add the recipe at the bottom of this post.

4. I am thankful for my sweet little sidekick.  He is usually an awesome napper which gives me time to do whatever.  Today he slept for 3.5 hours and after lunch, we trekked it to the grocery store.  Normally I am not a big fan of those "car" carts because they are so cumbersome and hard to steer.  Apparently the newer models are much more bueno.  G had a great time "driving" and was adored by all of the senior citizens we passed in the aisles.

I feel like I should write five things because four seems like a weird number to stop on, but this mama brain is tired.

**Side note and tangent about numbers - my older sister always puts odd (as in different) numbers when she plugs in the cooking time on the microwave.  Like, instead of 1:30, she will do 1:28 or 1:31.  I am way too OCD in my own way, I guess, because I cannot do that.  I mean, I can, but I just don't like to.  I like to set the timer in increments of five... which is why stopping at four things is still bugging me.  I also hate it when people take things out of the microwave before it has beeped but don't clear the timer.  Okay, tangent over.  Now to the recipe!

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Escarole
Hands-On Time: 15 min
Total Time: 50 min

1 T. olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups organic vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 (15 oz) cans no-salt added Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 (1.5 ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
8 cups chopped escarole (about 1 pound)
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp white wine vinegar
6 T. shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion, and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add vegetable broth and the next 5 ingredients (through cheese rind); bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in escarole and carrot; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrot is tender.  Stir in red pepper, salt, black pepper, and vinegar.  Remove and discard rind; sprinkle soup with shaved cheese.

Serves 4
Calories - 225
Fat - 7.1g

Settling in

With the stockings and Christmas tree tucked away until next year, we are settling back into our routine o' life.

The holidays were a nice break from our normal and I enjoyed plentiful time with my two boys even though they both got sick.  G came down with a virus on Christmas morning (yay) and ran a fever for a couple of days.  R came down with the flu a few days later but luckily was back to par by New Year's Eve.

We rang in the New Year by celebrating the nuptials of one of my best friends that I've known since middle school.  I was honored to be one of her bridesmaids -- she was a gorgeous bride and had a beautiful (and fun!) wedding.  A perfect way to start 2012!

G started "school" again -- I told him he was going to school the night before his first day back and he excitedly grabbed his backpack and headed for the door.  The next morning he was still very excited until we actually made it to his classroom.  Then he cried when I left, which he hasn't done since the very first week of school.  Sad for this mama but he was all smiles when I picked him up.

We have been spending as much time outdoors as we can soaking up this gorgeous "winter" weather.  Playing at the park has been a daily occurrence as well as:

taking rides in the wagon and

going for walks in the leaves.

We spent some quality time with the cousins (doesn't happen as often as it should) and played with a little friend from school.

We ended our membership to G*mboree for now to try other places that focus more on gymnastics.  We can only hope that he doesn't take after his mama and has better coordination and agility.  While I do possess some athletic prowess, my attempts at doing a cartwheel are really pathetic.

So far his favorite place (go figure) at the new gym is the ball pit.

How to get him to not put every.single.ball in his mouth is still TBD.

I go back to work this week at the high school and back to the gym with my trainer.  No more gluttonous eating.  Back to calorie counting.  Boo.  My new goals don't involve weight loss, per say, but lots and lots of toning.

Instead of setting resolutions for this year, I've decided to set goals for each week.  My goals for this week include running (twice), cooking (3x), and spending as much intentional, quality time with my little guy as possible.

Have a great week!

Couldn't have said it better

This post will resonate with any moms out there ... definitely worth the read!

http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/

Oh, hello 2012

How is it that at every New Year's Eve at the stroke of midnight I find myself thinking, "I can't believe it's already another year!"  Seriously, where did 2011 go?

I'll have to admit, 2011 was pretty pretty good to me.  Some of the highlights include (but are not limited to):

• We moved back into our house after crazy months of renovating while my parents patiently took us in (... although now I feel like we might be Mary and Joseph and find there are no rooms available at the inn if we came a-knocking... hehe).  
• We learned how to be parents 24/7.  Much different than the "fake" kind, ya know.  ;)  But seriously, hardest job ever.  And the best simultaneously.  Which usually then = most tiring.
• I went back to work and learned how to balance full time job plus being a new mommy.  I am lucky to have had such understanding and supportive co-workers.  It made going back to work much easier.
• I decided, with the support of R, to stay at home with G and not go back to work in the fall.  It has been a huge blessing and I do not have any regrets although I do miss my fat paycheck (haha) ... and the kids ... and my work friends, of course.
• I decided to finally get my a$$ in shape and lost some necessary weight.
• We made it official and R proposed!  

• We decided to pursue adoption!  More details on that doozie later.

I am excited to see what 2012 brings us.  Last year had its ups and downs (although certainly more ups), and as cheesy as it may be, I can only hope that this year brings health, happiness, peace and joy to all.

Twas the night before Christmas

Okay, so I know that it technically is already Christmas (Merry Christmas!), but I don't count it as legit until I go to sleep and then wake up.

This mama is still awake -- doing some last minute work in the kitchen and completing R's present.  Nothing says love like procrastination, right?  ;)

I got the idea from pinterest.  You can find it here.

We are celebrating Christmas morning as a family with R's mom and stepdad who are staying with us.  Then we will be going over to my parents' to spend the rest of the day with my family.  We didn't get G much since he is still so small and I knew he would be getting way too much from everyone else.

I have thought long and hard about how I want to celebrate Christmas with G and with our future children. I love Christmas, but I don't love all of the commercialism and consumerism that comes along with it, aka "I want, I want, I want!"

We will do Santa and the elf on a shelf, although our elf will be nice and won't get into any mischief around the house.  But we won't be giving gobs of gifts because I don't want them to lose sight of what is truly important - giving to others.

I read another blog lately that had such a good idea that I am going to steal it.  They give their children 4 gifts each every year for Christmas: something you want, something you need, something you'll wear, and something you'll read.  And lastly, each child has to give something to someone in need.  I loved it the instant I read it.  Other than small things in their stockings, how many presents can one child need?  Especially with grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.

I love the idea of teaching children to give to those less fortunate.  R already told me before we had G that he wanted G to have to give up one of his toys on his birthday and on Christmas.  I love the idea of adopting a family or child for the holidays -- there are so many local programs that cater to this.

I also love the idea of having a "giving" advent calendar, where you count down to Christmas and do one good deed each day.  So much more fulfilling than eating a chocolate in my personal opinion.

Anyway, this year we have kept it low key and have a nice little tree that G loves to look at and touch softly.  Hehe... we talk about that word a lot.

In keeping with the tradition of getting an ornament every year, I found this one for G...

And a mini Starbucks cup for R (so appropriate!)...

Ah, our little tree!  I've become quite fond of it and will put it up every year regardless of whether we get a big one or not.

I wasn't able to actually hang our stockings because of a certain sixteen month old.  He is tall enough to grab them and pull them down, and I was worried about my new stocking holders (and our floors).  I decided to spruce up the mantel with all of the lovely cards we have been receiving.  Our New Year cards came in today, so those should actually make it out before 2012.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful day full of family and love.