Sunday: Crockpot Smothered Pork Chops
Monday: Swt Tater Ckn
Tuesday: Crock Italian Lentil Stew
Wednesday: Lumberjack Hash
Thursday: BEP Casserole
Friday: Ckn Enchiladas
Saturday: Pork/Cabbage/Onion
As always, subject to revision.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
Menu Plan Monday
Sunday: Grandma's Meatloaf
Monday: Navajo Fry Bread
Tuesday: Veggie Soup
Wednesday: Crock Rotisserie Ckn
Thursday: Pancakes
Friday: Cajun Skillet Ckn
Saturday: Fish Tacos
As always, subject to life.
Monday: Navajo Fry Bread
Tuesday: Veggie Soup
Wednesday: Crock Rotisserie Ckn
Thursday: Pancakes
Friday: Cajun Skillet Ckn
Saturday: Fish Tacos
As always, subject to life.
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Song That Never Ends
I'm considering deleting this blog. Comment if you actually read it (when I manage to post something).
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Balancing Motherhood
Motherhood is a balancing act. Balancing the needs of various family members. Balancing the needs of the house, hearth, and home. Balancing the needs of the bank account. It's like balancing spinning plates.
It feels like my spinning plates are careening out of control for a moment. *lol*
I started pumping for the first time in six months this week. I cannot aptly express the anxiety that melted away when I saw that liquid gold dripping into the storage bag. I had stopped pumping because I didn't have a need for milk wasting away in the freezer (I threw out almost 30-ounces of six-month old dairy-laden breastmilk earlier this month); but now I have a need again and, gratefully, I am able to still pump.
It's interesting to observe differences between my milk back in August (with a four month old) and my milk now (with a 10 month old). It takes a little longer for it to start dripping into the storage bag. There is no obvious foremilk. I still get less with the pump from the same side I have always gotten less with (even with the first child). And I'm getting less milk overall than I was in August. But, while we rely heavily upon my breastmilk, it is no longer the only nutrition received so I'm not spazzing about only pumping one or two ounces at a time.
We will likely rely heavily upon my breastmilk until he is at least two years old. He has an issue with dairy. I have an issue with soy, almonds and coconuts that I would prefer not to introduce him to prior to more effective communication. So we'll be providing breastmilk for at least two years.
It's just another plate to spin into balance--and it's looking like a good balance at the moment! Now to work out the other wobbling plates. ;)
It feels like my spinning plates are careening out of control for a moment. *lol*
I started pumping for the first time in six months this week. I cannot aptly express the anxiety that melted away when I saw that liquid gold dripping into the storage bag. I had stopped pumping because I didn't have a need for milk wasting away in the freezer (I threw out almost 30-ounces of six-month old dairy-laden breastmilk earlier this month); but now I have a need again and, gratefully, I am able to still pump.
It's interesting to observe differences between my milk back in August (with a four month old) and my milk now (with a 10 month old). It takes a little longer for it to start dripping into the storage bag. There is no obvious foremilk. I still get less with the pump from the same side I have always gotten less with (even with the first child). And I'm getting less milk overall than I was in August. But, while we rely heavily upon my breastmilk, it is no longer the only nutrition received so I'm not spazzing about only pumping one or two ounces at a time.
We will likely rely heavily upon my breastmilk until he is at least two years old. He has an issue with dairy. I have an issue with soy, almonds and coconuts that I would prefer not to introduce him to prior to more effective communication. So we'll be providing breastmilk for at least two years.
It's just another plate to spin into balance--and it's looking like a good balance at the moment! Now to work out the other wobbling plates. ;)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Do As I Say
How do you address others?
As adults we tend to be on first name basis with many of the people we interact with, but were you as a child or youth? Did you grow up addressing the adults in your life by titles? Mr. Storey? Uncle Tom? Sister Bailey?
I'm not sure why exactly, but somewhere around age 10 or so I started addressing the adults in my life by their first name. Perhaps because my mom did? Likely because I'm uber-casual about pretty much everything? ...well, Mr. Storey was still Mr. Storey--I continued addressing my public school teachers as Mr., Mrs., and Ms. But those adults that our family interacted with somewhat regularly I started addressing by their first name. My cousins addressed my mother as Aunt even when they were in college, while I had been addressing their parents by first names since before we migrated south. At church, rather than addressing family friends as Brother Winn or Sister Steele I was addressing them by their first names as well.
This has been a point of recent reflection for me. As an adult I have mixed reactions to being addressed as Sister or Mrs. or just by my first name. Especially with the various levels of Southern Hospitality in our area. My jury is still out on my own personal preference.
When we first started in Cub Scouts I was impacted by how a friend (an Assistant Cubmaster) prompted the boys to address the adults as Mr., Mrs., Ms. These few short years later--after leaving that Pack, Lone Cubscouting, and then joining a Pack closer to home--I find myself following her example. (She sets a remarkable example within many aspects of life and living, but that's another tangent). I usually address our adults by Mr., Mrs., etc. Sometimes I slip, especially with those that I communicate with beyond scouting, but overall I make an effort to more formally address our adults.
Even when they encourage first names.
If it's a conversation occurring in the vicinity of the cubs, I'm making an effort to address them properly. Because I'm recognizing the power of that example.
They do as we do. And they say as we say.
As adults we tend to be on first name basis with many of the people we interact with, but were you as a child or youth? Did you grow up addressing the adults in your life by titles? Mr. Storey? Uncle Tom? Sister Bailey?
I'm not sure why exactly, but somewhere around age 10 or so I started addressing the adults in my life by their first name. Perhaps because my mom did? Likely because I'm uber-casual about pretty much everything? ...well, Mr. Storey was still Mr. Storey--I continued addressing my public school teachers as Mr., Mrs., and Ms. But those adults that our family interacted with somewhat regularly I started addressing by their first name. My cousins addressed my mother as Aunt even when they were in college, while I had been addressing their parents by first names since before we migrated south. At church, rather than addressing family friends as Brother Winn or Sister Steele I was addressing them by their first names as well.
This has been a point of recent reflection for me. As an adult I have mixed reactions to being addressed as Sister or Mrs. or just by my first name. Especially with the various levels of Southern Hospitality in our area. My jury is still out on my own personal preference.
When we first started in Cub Scouts I was impacted by how a friend (an Assistant Cubmaster) prompted the boys to address the adults as Mr., Mrs., Ms. These few short years later--after leaving that Pack, Lone Cubscouting, and then joining a Pack closer to home--I find myself following her example. (She sets a remarkable example within many aspects of life and living, but that's another tangent). I usually address our adults by Mr., Mrs., etc. Sometimes I slip, especially with those that I communicate with beyond scouting, but overall I make an effort to more formally address our adults.
Even when they encourage first names.
If it's a conversation occurring in the vicinity of the cubs, I'm making an effort to address them properly. Because I'm recognizing the power of that example.
They do as we do. And they say as we say.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Menu Plan Monday
 |
| http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday-guidelines |
SUNDAY:
- muffins
- animal crackers
- chips&dip
- meatloaf
- cereal
- cheesy chips/nachos
- sandwich
- ckn alfredo
- eggs, bacon, toast
- granola bars/jello
- soft tacos
- chili
- oatmeal/cream of wheat
- popcorn/cake mix muffins
- sandwich
- crock down home chops
- eggs, bacon, biscuits
- nuts/jello
- soup and quesa
- ckn teryaki
- cereal/lftover muffins
- pretzels and craisins
- tuna, carrots
- lumberjack hash
- breakfast burros
- apples&pb/graham crackers
- leftovers
- ckn fajitas
Monday, January 23, 2012
Menu Plan Monday
|
| http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday-guidelines |
SUNDAY:
- muffins
- animal crackers
- chips&dip
- Roast Ckn
- eggs, bacon, toast
- cheesy chips/homemade nachos
- sandwich
- chili mac
- cereal
- granola bars/jello
- soft tacos
- ckn noodle potato
- eggs, bacon, biscuits
- popcorn/cake mix muffins
- sandwich
- naked burritos
- oatmeal/cream of wheat
- nuts/jello
- beef&barley and quesas
- Ruth's Sweet & Sour
- cereal/lftover muffins
- pretzels and craisins
- tuna, carrots
- biscuits and gravy
- breakfast burrito
- apples&pb/graham crackers
- leftovers
- yellow-eyes and brauts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Menu Plan Monday
|
| http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday-guidelines |
Baking with rice milk is my saving grace!
SUNDAY:
- pumpkin muffins
- animal crackers
- chips & dip
- herbed pork roast
- eggs, bacon, toast
- cheesy chips/homemade nachos
- sandwich
- rotini or hillbilly beans
- cold cereal
- granola bars/jello
- soft tacos
- cajun skillet ckn
- eggs, bacon, biscuit
- popcorn/cake mix muffins
- sandwich
- pork stew
- oatmeal/cream of wheat
- nuts/jello
- veggie soup and quesas
- Auntie's skillet ckn & rice
- cereal/lftover muffins
- pretzels and craisins
- tuna, carrots
- ham steak, scalloped taters
- breakfast burro
- apples & pb/graham crackers
- lftovers
- tortilla pizzas
We've already revised this plan though. We forgot to pull out the roast for Sunday so Grandma made meatloaf. We fetched some pork ribs when we were shopping Saturday, but didn't end up getting home with them until dark so we're saving them till this weekend so DH can grill them.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Anxiety & Overwhelm
I am feeling completely anxious about a wee little thing that occurred as 2011 became 2012. It was intentional. We had discussed it at some length. I even aired it amongst some confidants for further sound-boarding. None of this reduces the anxiety I'm currently experiencing tho.
This wee little thing is really more of a mere delay. A delay that carries some repercussions, but a delay nonetheless. The resolution of that delay is completely overwhelming me. Which solution(s) to go with? There's options that I really want to do, but they're not in the best interest of the family at this time. Even if I won the lottery I never play they wouldn't be viable within the time frame I need them to be viable within. So which alternative configuration is going to best serve my purpose AND serve my family??
This all started as a need to be of service to my family and it has yet to be so.
And to top it all off---the baby is suffering because of my lapse in food judgement. I mistakenly had dairy and his poor bowels are "tore up." Nothing but a fury of fretting over here. How's your neck of the woods?
This wee little thing is really more of a mere delay. A delay that carries some repercussions, but a delay nonetheless. The resolution of that delay is completely overwhelming me. Which solution(s) to go with? There's options that I really want to do, but they're not in the best interest of the family at this time. Even if I won the lottery I never play they wouldn't be viable within the time frame I need them to be viable within. So which alternative configuration is going to best serve my purpose AND serve my family??
This all started as a need to be of service to my family and it has yet to be so.
And to top it all off---the baby is suffering because of my lapse in food judgement. I mistakenly had dairy and his poor bowels are "tore up." Nothing but a fury of fretting over here. How's your neck of the woods?
Sunday, January 1, 2012
We attend a congregation that asks the membership to speak from the pulpit occasionally. A topic is given a few weeks prior, but the speaker prepares their own thoughts to share utilizing scripture, literature, their own experiences, the experiences they've observed others having, previous messages or sermons from church leadership, etc. I find there is always something in these mini-lectures that feeds the soul and bolsters one's faith.
What my brain is mulling over though, is a recurring theme that became very obvious today while I was nursing in the mother's lounge. "I have to speak today."
Usually it's couched in the humor utilized in the opening remarks, but it's there all the same. I have to speak today.
They don't have to. They are provided an opportunity. Yes, a request is made for them to speak to the congregation, but they don't have to. They can say no. They can pass on the opportunity to speak upon His Word and His Works within their life; to fellowship one another across the pulpit. They don't have to speak--they get to speak.
Perhaps they need my mother's friend to give them the nudge she gave her kids when they'd complain about taking care of their responsibilities or other bits of life by whining: Do I have to?
"No. You don't have to. You get to."
It reminds me of my Sunday School class when I was ten or so. As children our Sunday School classes are by age, and then all the children's classes convene together towards the end of the meeting. Each week one of the classes would speak, share a talent, and cover the opening and closing prayers for the meeting.
My class had four kids (including me). There were four responsibilities: opening prayer, closing prayer, talent, and speaker. I got tired of the awkward silence when it was time for my class to determine who was volunteering for which because nobody wanted to be the speaker; so I volunteered. Every single time when nobody else spoke up. Which means that by the time I was a teenager I had a lot of practice for when I was called upon to be a youth speaker at the pulpit.
I didn't have to speak as a child. I didn't have to speak as a teenager. I had the opportunity to and I could have declined. But I chose to take each opportunity.
Those opportunities were of great benefit to me.
What are you missing out on because you have to, rather than you get to? Do you have to read your scriptures, or do you get to read your scriptures? Do you have to go to church, or do you get to go to church? Do you have to prepare food for your family, or do you get to prepare food for your family? Do you have to eat together, or do you get to eat together? Do you have to spend time with your children, your spouse, your parents, your siblings; or do you get to? Do you have to go home, or do you get to rush home? Sometimes verbage is everything.
What my brain is mulling over though, is a recurring theme that became very obvious today while I was nursing in the mother's lounge. "I have to speak today."
Usually it's couched in the humor utilized in the opening remarks, but it's there all the same. I have to speak today.
They don't have to. They are provided an opportunity. Yes, a request is made for them to speak to the congregation, but they don't have to. They can say no. They can pass on the opportunity to speak upon His Word and His Works within their life; to fellowship one another across the pulpit. They don't have to speak--they get to speak.
Perhaps they need my mother's friend to give them the nudge she gave her kids when they'd complain about taking care of their responsibilities or other bits of life by whining: Do I have to?
"No. You don't have to. You get to."
It reminds me of my Sunday School class when I was ten or so. As children our Sunday School classes are by age, and then all the children's classes convene together towards the end of the meeting. Each week one of the classes would speak, share a talent, and cover the opening and closing prayers for the meeting.
My class had four kids (including me). There were four responsibilities: opening prayer, closing prayer, talent, and speaker. I got tired of the awkward silence when it was time for my class to determine who was volunteering for which because nobody wanted to be the speaker; so I volunteered. Every single time when nobody else spoke up. Which means that by the time I was a teenager I had a lot of practice for when I was called upon to be a youth speaker at the pulpit.
I didn't have to speak as a child. I didn't have to speak as a teenager. I had the opportunity to and I could have declined. But I chose to take each opportunity.
Those opportunities were of great benefit to me.
What are you missing out on because you have to, rather than you get to? Do you have to read your scriptures, or do you get to read your scriptures? Do you have to go to church, or do you get to go to church? Do you have to prepare food for your family, or do you get to prepare food for your family? Do you have to eat together, or do you get to eat together? Do you have to spend time with your children, your spouse, your parents, your siblings; or do you get to? Do you have to go home, or do you get to rush home? Sometimes verbage is everything.
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