Thursday, July 28, 2011

Attachment...and kindergarten

I'm a little concerned about the adjustment period when Chickie goes to kindergarten. In my head, I'm imagining this scenario: Chickie is dropped off at her classroom, and while she's a little apprehensive, she's excited, and I expect her to adjust easily. But later in the day, at home, tears begin to flow. Sadness sets in...six hours is a long time to be away from a kiddo you love.

And I'm not talking about my own tears and sadness.

I'm talking about Zoodle's.

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You know what I just noticed looking at this photo? My kids' toes totally look alike! For some reason I find that so adorable. Back to our regularly scheduled topic....

Lately I've realized just how attached Zoodle is to his big sister. He's had a couple of genuine meltdowns when we've tried to plan outings with only him. He wants her there with him.

I love seeing the friendship between my two kids! I'm just a little concerned about Zoodle's adjustment when he's alone with me all day.

On the other hand, I think this could be a great thing for him...helping him to develop his independence. And I'm looking forward to getting some special time with just him, like I had with Chickie before he was born.

So while Mommy may not be the only one shedding tears on August 22nd, I hope that Zoodle will quickly realize that his sister is still his friend--and weekends are even better when you have the opportunity to miss each other during the week.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Slowing down

I haven't gone running in over six weeks. For someone who was so passionate about running that I would blog and Tweet deliriously after an awesome 8-miler, six weeks is a long time.

I haven't been a couch potato, though; I've been walking and doing strength training. I needed to stop running because this persistent injury (my IT band stuff) was getting worse. I'd pushed too hard, and I knew I needed a break to let things heal. Unfortunately I can tell that it's still not back up to par, so I'm continuing to walk.

I could go back to my physical therapist, and that would probably help. But here's the thing--I think I needed to slow down. It's not just good for me physically, but spiritually too. I can pray while I walk, without interruptions from kids. (It's hard for me to pray while running since my mind isn't particularly still or focused when I run.) I really think this it's good for me to be in this "slow season."

That's not to say I'm not trying to do what I can at home to get better. I still use my foam roller, and just today I decided to switch some of my strength-training exercises, since I think that doing squats may be impeding my recovery. But for now I'm holding off on going to the doctor. Right now I need patience more than I need to be a patient.

Sometimes being forced to slow down is a blessing, an opportunity. I still consider myself a runner.... At least I hope I'm still a runner. But there is a peacefulness that comes with walking. If and when I do get back to running, I plan to incorporate more walking into my routines, so that I can continue to experience that peace.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Monday Micro: Rock star, superhero

I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom with Zoodle yesterday, washing his hands.

"I like your shirt," I told him. "It says, 'My dad is a rock star.'"

"I like it too," he agreed. "Where's my shirt that says, 'My mom is a superhero?'"

I think he really needs a shirt like that to wear. Every single day.

Think this one would work? Wish it was cheaper!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Your mission, if you choose to accept it...

When we get the kids drinks at restaurants--even with tops and straws--at least one drink gets spilled.

Almost every single time.

So on our recent trip to Five Guys (you know, the peanut-popping visit), I tried something new.

"Okay, kids," I said. "I have a mission for you! Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to...not spill your drinks." I looked at them enthusiastically. "If you can get through dinner without spilling, you will have completed your mission!"

They needed a bit more explanation of what a "mission" is, but they gladly accepted it.

And it worked! There were bits of peanuts all over the table and floor, but the drinks remained unspilled.

Chickie in particular seems to have really taken to this strategy. Yesterday I gave the kids drinks in open cups and warned them if they spilled, they wouldn't get any more. "Is it our mission not to spill, Mommy?" Chickie asked. I assured her it was, and Chickie carefully drank the whole cup without incident. (Zoodle didn't have the same level of care, but...he's learning.)

My daughter has inherited her mommy's goal-oriented, competitive nature. I'll have to think of other ways I can utilize these qualities. I'm thinking a room-cleaning mission may be in order soon!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

The proper way to pop a peanut

We took a short trip on the Fourth of July weekend. On the way to our destination, we stopped and had dinner at Five Guys. If you've never had their burgers (we hadn't), you should. Yum!!

Five Guys has peanuts available for snacking on while the "real" food is being made. The kids were thrilled to get to open and eat peanuts, but they were having some trouble with it. I started showing Chickie how to do it.

"You just crush a peanut to open it," The Engineer told me.

What?! How was it possible that I'd been married to this man for 11 1/2 years, and I'd never realized he didn't know the correct peanut opening technique?! My mom came from a family that loves to eat peanuts, so she taught me the process when I was young. I got down to business, showing my whole family...including The Engineer...how to properly pop a peanut.

I'm calling it "popping" because the shell really does kinda pop open...when you do it right, and when it's a cooperative peanut. I'm also calling it "popping" because I like a little lovely alliteration.

I took some photos while we continued to eat peanuts so that I could share this vital life skill with you.

1. Find the "nose" of the peanut...the little part that hooks down a bit.

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Actually, I guess first you should clean under your fingernails. Not sure what I got under mine before taking these photos, but...ew, sorry!

Please note, you're looking for the nose, not...

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...the butt. Got it?

2. Once you've found the nose, put your thumb underneath it, with your fingers on the opposite side of the peanut, like so...

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3. Now, squeeze. The "seam" of the peanut should start to open.

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4. Continue to squeeze down the length of the peanut to open the rest of the seam.

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It's kinda nice to use both hands. If you aren't trying to take photos while you're popping the peanut, that is.

5. After just a couple of seconds, you should have an open peanut, with the yummy parts just waiting to be plucked out of the freshly-popped shell!

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Aaah...it's pleasant to partake in a perfectly-popped peanut.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Book review!

I did another book review for the BlogHer Book Club. It's for a young adult novel called What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen.

Check it out here!

Disclosure: I received a free book and a small stipend for reviewing this novel.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Preparing for Kindergarten

I put a cool little countdown widget on my phone this weekend, and Chickie excitedly asked to see it today.

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We've been counting down the months until school starts, but now that it's just over six weeks away, it's fun to count the days. We're very excited!!

I'll freely admit that I get tears in my eyes thinking about it sometimes, and that I'll cry on the first day. But excitement is definitely my most prominent emotion--and Chickie's! She tells me she'll miss me "a little bit. Probably." And I hope that the transition really is that easy!

The school suggests that Chickie know how to write her first name, with the first letter uppercase and the remaining letters lowercase, before she starts. But I know a lot of other kids will have had more extensive teaching in preschool, so part of me wants her to be able to perfectly write each letter (uppercase and lowercase), plus all her numbers, before the first day.

The other part of me knows that I can be really, really competitive, and I certainly don't want to put pressure on my daughter to be the best in the class! I also know that it's hard for me to be organized enough to keep up with a teaching program at home. (This is one of the reasons I don't want to homeschool!) For awhile, I was going to encourage her to learn one lowercase letter a day, and that worked through the letter "b" before I forgot about it.

So I've decided that as long as she can write her name correctly (and she does need to get out of the habit of writing the whole thing uppercase), I'm not going to push it. She'll be so excited to learn once school starts, and until then, I know she learns just by playing, "reading" books, watching educational TV, and talking to Mommy and Daddy.

But today she specifically asked if she could do some "homeschooling" before school starts. (Her friend Coqui, Ann's son, homeschools.) So I found some fantastic free worksheets online to help her with her letters and numbers. I put them in a binder--the kind with a clear pocket in the front, so that she can draw a picture and slip it in the cover of the binder. She's excited!

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I've told Chickie she can do as much or as little of this as she wants. I'm trying to strike a balance between letting her explore independently, and gently correcting when she isn't quite getting it. I think as long as we can keep it fun, it'll be a great way for her to prepare. And if she decides she's had enough...well, she'll have a wonderful, trained teacher to take over where we leave off.

In 43 days!

***

By the way, the website I used is Learning Page. It requires free registration to have access to over 1500 worksheets. I like it because it allowed me to download a file with all the letter worksheets instead of having to download each individually, and I did the same with the number worksheets.

P.S. I just realized I set up that widget wrong. School starts on the 22nd, not 23rd. Chickie will be excited...only 42 days!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

I love SquareTrade (even more now!)

A few weeks ago I blogged about SquareTrade, a company that offers great prices on electronics warranties. I'd spent less than $25 for a three-year warranty on my new Kindle--a warranty that covers accidental damage caused by dropping, water immersion, etc.

Well, ten days after ordering the warranty, I dropped my Kindle on the tile. (Told ya I don't have the best of luck with electronics!) It damaged the screen.

It was still usable, though, and I was hesitating to make a warranty claim because SquareTrade's policy is that accidental damage is not covered for the first 30 days (unless the warranty is purchased on the same day the item is purchased.) I knew I'd want to call them to see if they'd override that policy, but I was procrastinating, afraid of what they'd tell me.

Then the damage started to spread, so that the screen became less and less usable.

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So this morning I called SquareTrade. Robert, the (super-duper nice) customer service agent, told me they usually are willing to override the 30-day wait for damage coverage! I'm going to ship it to them today (with the prepaid label they provided), and I will get an Amazon gift card for the full purchase price (plus 5% extra, since I chose the gift card option instead of cash.)

I will have to buy a new warranty for the new Kindle, but I have another 30% off code to use, so it'll still be less than $25. This time I'll order the warranty immediately after ordering the Kindle. It's worth every penny!

Once again, SquareTrade didn't sponsor this post. I just like to spread the word about companies who have great products and great service, and they definitely fit that description.

Update: I dropped off the package at a mailing place at around 4:20 this afternoon. At just after 9 p.m., I was notified that my Amazon gift card is ready to be used. (SquareTrade is notified by UPS when something is shipped to them because of the prepaid label.) I'm off to order my new Kindle....

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Fear

Soon after Jerry, our houseguest/possible future pastor, got here, we were having a conversation about faith. I started a sentence with, "What I'm really afraid of is...."

After hearing my fear, Jerry replied, "You know that's not from God. So when that comes to your mind, just don't focus on it. Leave it behind."

That simple answer--just don't focus on it--was just what I needed. I tend to try to "talk myself out of" my anxieties, and in doing so, they can become even worse. When I'm trying to talk myself out of it, I'm just focusing on it more.

It's so easy for me to manufacture fear and anxiety--and I'm talking about the stuff I really don't need to deal with, not real stuff that truly needs to be figured out. Things like, "What if...?" and "Does so-and-so dislike me for some unknown reason?" When those thoughts come up, I'm trying to learn to just mentally walk away.

Leave it behind.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Woo hoo! A car repair!

Our vehicles have conspired against us. Between needed-repairs (electrical, alternator, etc.) and scheduled maintenance (timing belt, brakes, blah, blah, blah, etc.), we've had major auto expenses lately. So of course...perfect timing for me to make a silly mistake while driving, right?

Our neighborhood has some traffic circles along the main road.

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I'm so used to driving around them that Friday as we drove toward the library, I zoned out and misjudged where I was. I took the traffic circle too wide and hit the curb. It was hard enough for me to quickly pull over and check my tire. Sure enough, a little chunk of the tire was gone...not enough for it to be flat, but enough for me to drive straight to Discount Tire and see if it needed to be repaired or replaced.

(Oh, and I also hit the curb hard enough that I just might have let loose with a word I really shouldn't say around my kids. Not proud of that, but...if I'm going to be honest about my faith, I suppose I could also be honest about my potty mouth, right?)

We made it to the tire store where I found out that the tire needed replacement. That's when my day really got good.

Yes, I said good. I found out that we had purchased full replacement coverage on the tire. All I had to pay was $17.50 (to continue the warranty on the new tire.) The tire shop didn't have the tire in stock, so they sent us to another location.

We had lots of library books with us, since we'd been headed there to return them.

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We haven't read much lately, so Chickie, Zoodle, and I got some great, quality reading time while we waited for the installation. We actually had a really fun time in the waiting room.

By the time we were through, though, I was quite hungry. I'd forgotten to eat breakfast (and I pretty nearly always eat breakfast!), and all I'd eaten was some of Chickie's Goldfish crackers (plus some pretty bad tire shop coffee). But wouldn't you know, on the way to the second tire shop location, we'd passed a gas station with this out front:

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It's kind of hard to see, but that's a little trailer that says, "Customer Appreciation. FREE Hot Dog. FREE Soft Drink. FREE Chips." Yep, the gas station was giving away FREE lunch! We filled up our car with gas and enjoyed our food, sitting outside in the shade. (See the Cheetos powder on Zoodle's fingers and face? Mmmmm.....)



Chickie, Zoodle, and I came home, free food in our bellies, with the happiness of knowing we'd enjoyed each others' company for a few hours, in a car with a practically free brand new tire.

I wish all car repairs were this much fun!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Migas Breakfast Casserole

Chances are, if you've never eaten breakfast at a Tex-Mex restaurant, you haven't tried migas. Migas is a mixture of scrambled eggs and cheese, mixed with various other ingredients depending who's making it (such as peppers, onions, tomatoes, chorizo, etc.) It's topped with bits of fried, crispy corn tortillas. Yum!

Recently I was sent a package of Knorr Homestyle Stock (Chicken Flavor.) It's a concentrated stock, and it will be on shelves in the U.S. in August! (And it's already available in Canada!)

The stock comes in tiny little containers, about an ounce and a half each. One container of concentrated stock can be mixed with water or other liquids to make 3 1/2 cups of stock, almost as much as the boxes of stock I usually buy (shown here for comparison.)

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Alternatively, the Homestyle Stock may be used as-is, to add concentrated flavor to recipes.

And that's where the migas comes in. I used the concentrated stock to help make migas, but in a different form...as a breakfast casserole! I am so excited about this recipe. It's my entry into a contest sponsored by Knorr and BlogHer. (And...it's good!)

199 other bloggers were also sent Knorr Homestyle Stock. We've all been asked to create recipes using this product. The creators of the top eight recipes will be sent to BlogHer '11, a blogging conference in San Diego. Then the top four will be chosen to represent Knorr's products.

I want to win! (Update, 8/12/11: I didn't win. Sigh. But really, I did win, because I got a new recipe out of the deal!)

So let's hope the judges like this recipe, and whether I win or not, I hope you'll enjoy making it, as soon as the Homestyle Stock becomes available!

Here's the brand spankin' new recipe! (First is the recipe with photos; at the bottom it's written in an easy-to-read format without photos.)

Migas Breakfast Casserole
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6 servings
Stovetop cooking time: 6-9 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Total cook time: 36-39 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups seeded and diced bell peppers (approximately 1 1/2 peppers), any colors (preferably not ALL green)
3/4 cup diced onion (approximately 1/2 medium onion)
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely-diced, seeded jalapeno (approximately 1 to 2 peppers)
1 tub Knorr Homestyle Stock (Chicken Flavor)
6 large eggs
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (such as Mexican 4-cheese blend, cheddar, or Monterey Jack), divided
1 cup fried corn tortilla strips (If using regular chips, break into bite-sized pieces)

Optional garnish: cilantro, salsa, and/or pico de gallo

Instructions
1. Prepare an 8" x 8" casserole dish by lightly spraying with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Seed and dice bell peppers. Dice onions. Seed and finely dice jalapeno(s).

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I used one jalapeno and really wish I'd used two. With the seeds removed, the pepper was not spicy, and I would have liked more jalapeno flavor.

3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat Knorr Homestyle Stock until melted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add peppers and onions. Cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown and soften.

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Don't stir too often.... You want to give the veggies a chance to sit there and get some nice brown spots! By the way, this will smell heavenly, and when it's done cooking, go ahead...try a little of it. Delicious! I wasn't sure about using concentrated stock in a breakfast dish, but whoa, it added fantastic flavor. Makes me think about what else it could be used for. (Stir fry chicken and veggies over rice, anyone?)

4. While peppers are cooking, use a hand whisk, the whisk attachment of a mixer, or a blender to combine eggs and sour cream until quite smooth. Any remaining sour cream lumps should be small! I used the whisk attachment on my mixer, and it worked well.

5. Stir pepper/onion mixture and half the cheese (1/2 cup) into the egg/sour cream mixture. Pour all into prepared casserole dish.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle final 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Sprinkle tortilla strips on top of that.

I found pretty, tri-color tortilla strips with the salad toppings (croutons, etc.) next to the salad dressing.

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Alternatively, you could break up tortilla chips. Or be really authentic, and chop and fry your own corn tortillas. Greasy and more time-consuming...but good!

7. Bake for 15 more minutes, or until eggs are set and cheese is melted. (You may test the eggs by inserting a knife in the middle.)

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8. Slice into six pieces, and enjoy! Optional: Top with garnish such as cilantro, salsa, or pico de gallo.

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This is not just a breakfast dish. We love "breakfast for dinner," so this was our evening meal. I think it could easily be doubled and cooked in a larger dish too, for a party, potluck, or breakfast meeting.

Now for the short-form recipe (no photos).

Migas Breakfast Casserole

6 servings
Stovetop cooking time: 6-9 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Total cook time: 36-39 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups seeded and diced bell peppers (approximately 1 1/2 peppers), any colors (preferably not ALL green)
3/4 cup diced onion (approximately 1/2 medium onion)
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely-diced, seeded jalapeno (approximately 1 to 2 peppers)
1 tub Knorr Homestyle Stock (Chicken Flavor)
6 large eggs
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (such as Mexican 4-cheese blend, cheddar, or Monterey Jack), divided
1 cup fried corn tortilla strips (If using regular chips, break into bite-sized pieces)

Optional garnish: cilantro, salsa, and/or pico de gallo

Instructions
1. Prepare an 8" x 8" casserole dish by lightly spraying with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Seed and dice bell peppers. Dice onions. Seed and finely dice jalapeno(s).

3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt Knorr Homestyle Stock until melted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add peppers and onions. Cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown and soften.

4. While peppers are cooking, use a hand whisk, the whisk attachment of a mixer, or a blender to combine eggs and sour cream until quite smooth.

5. Stir pepper/onion mixture and half the cheese (1/2 cup) into the egg/sour cream mixture. Pour all into prepared casserole dish.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle final 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Sprinkle tortilla strips on top of that.

7. Bake for 15 more minutes, or until eggs are set and cheese is melted. (You may test the eggs by inserting a knife in the middle.)

8. Slice into six pieces, and enjoy! Optional: Top with garnish such as cilantro, salsa, or pico de gallo.

Disclosure: I was provided with one free four-pack of Knorr Homestyle Stock for this contest.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Reconsidering Belle

As I write this, my kids are watching Beauty and the Beast. It was one of my favorites when I was a romantic teenager. (I was 14 when it was released in theaters.) So it makes me happy to see my kids enjoying a movie that I still love to sing along with.


Image credit: Amazon

I love some of the messages of this movie.
  • Belle, the heroine, loves to read.
  • It's a great story of redemption and true change, both shown in the character of the Beast/Prince.
  • The relationship between Belle and her father is a mutually respectful, loving one.
  • Belle even teaches the Beast table manners. (Think she could come help my kids?!)
But as I watch it as an adult, I start to analyze the story more than I did as a teenager. Here's what I see now:

Beauty and the Beast is about a girl whose father has been imprisoned (in a genuine dungeon) by a bitter, mean Beast. The sweet girl, who has her whole life ahead of her, then offers to take her father's place, and the Beast allows her to. She is taken captive (in a nice room with nice clothes--but captive nonetheless) by the Beast. Then as she stays there longer, she starts to fall in love with her captor. When he finally releases her, she defends him and returns to him.

Fourteen-year-old Beth saw an incredibly romantic heroine who sings beautiful music as she begins her happily-ever-after.

Thirty-three-year-old Beth sees a poor, desperate girl experiencing Stockholm Syndrome.

Poor, poor Belle.

But...

I guess there is a small chance I'm overthinking this Disney film. I suppose that's within the realm of possibility.

But don't worry, it's nothing that a little more singing (at the top of my lungs) won't cure.

Ahem. (Sing with me now.) "Tale as old as time...song as old as rhyme...Beauty and the Beeeeeeeast."

Ahh...that's much better. Beauty and the Beast is just a sweet, romantic fairy tale.

(Sometimes being 14-year-old Beth is way more pleasant than being 33-year-old Beth.)