The Favorite Veggie of the Season is...

"Good morning my little love,"  I turn on the light. 

"Goo Mornin Mama" Goose looks up at me from his pile of blankets. "Nigh, Nigh, mama," as he pats Jay Jay's (Giraffe) back.  He stuffs his head into Jay Jay's belly.

"What would you like to eat this morning?"

"Corn!" As he looks up at me with complete delight.  "Corn!"  

"Ooohhkaaay...? Corn it is!" 

Goose jumps up and down in his bed and lays back down, "Nigh, Nigh, mama."  

Pause. 

Looks up at me with a shocked face, "CORN!?"

I boil up some water and place a fresh piece of lovely, sweet, yellow corn.  As it cooks, my little guy runs around in circles yelling, "corn, corn, corn!!!"  Oh my, my little man can't handle himself!

He climbs up into his chair as the corn cools and becomes impatient.  

I take a bite... cooled perfectly and surprisingly yummy for a breakfast treat. 

I place it on it on his plate, "Yummy! Corn!" He hollers.

He looks at me, "Cat??"

"Where is Cat??" as he shrugs his shoulders, with both hands, facing up.

I grab cat and hand her to him...  

  

"Yum, Cat eat corn."  He lightly puts cat's nose to the corn.  

"Cat eat corn." 

As he finished up his last morsel...

"Yummy corn..."

He looks up at me,

"Corn in poop???"

Almost 4 years is a long time...

What were you doing 4 years ago and what has happened since then? 

I got married 4 years ago to the love of my life, went on a wonderful honeymoon to Nice and Corsica.  We settled into married life, went on a trip Belize, came home pregnant,  and had a fantastic little boy.  We decided I would stay home with my little man for a year, went to Italy, came home, became a full-time working mama, celebrated 4 years of marriage - those are just the highlights. 

Tonight after almost 4 years, someone is coming home and a family is still mourning the life of their little girl.

The next 4 years, we can only look forward and learn from the past.

Good Night.   

 

Falling Back

I adore Fall.

I love the windy days and hearing rain hit the roof.  Putting on warm sweaters and Uggs, and curling up with a thick blanket.  Fall brings many cozy feelings from candles burning throughout the day to our fire burning late at night to smelling the heat turn on for the the first time since early spring. 

One of my most favorite parts of fall is falling back into making soups, stews and chilies!  Last week we had our first windy storm of the season, so I pulled out my green french oven and cooked up my first chili of the season - Chili Blanco! 

Last year I got this fantastic magazine! Soups, Stews and Chilies from Betty Crocker.  It listed 321 warm & cozy recipes and tips - I just could not resist!  I laid my eyes on the my first Chili Blanco recipe ever and fell in love - chilantro, white beans, Monterey Jack cheese, green chiles, and chicken - oh my! 

First off, I haven't tried Monterey Jack Cheese.  After my first bite of this yummy cheese - I fell in love, so did Goose!  It was late, last year, "cheese" became one of his first food words and he wanted it all the time. For breakfast - "CHEESE!", for lunch, dinner and snack - "CHEESE!" and only Monterey Jack Cheese.

Second, we all ate two huge bowls of this delicious soup.  As I recall we ate the entire batch between us 3!  I made it some many times last year I began to wondered when I would get sick of it, but it never happened.  

When I made Chili Blanco last week, I used onions and garlic from our garden!  The garden we grew this last year was such a success we even had a few visitors this year whom decided to eat all our corn... 

Chili Blanco

from Soups, Stews and Chilies (Volume 20, Number 5) by Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 55 minutes
Start to Finish: 55 minutes
Servings: 5 (1 1/2 cups each)

1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoons of red pepper (cayenne)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 can (15 to 16 oz) of great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (15 oz) cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (4.5 oz each) chopped green beans
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (more the better!)


1. In 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Cook onions and garlic in oil 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened.

2. Stir in cumin, salt, red pepper and chicken.  Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned.

3. Stir in beans, chiles and broth.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover; cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Add cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cilantro. 

This recipe is so easy and quick!  I found if I prepared what I could and pulled out the ingredients, which didn't need to be refrigerated, at the beginning of the day, I could just walk in the door and put it all together.  I would have it ready right when my husband walked through the door. 

I did try to change things a few times, like replacing chicken with fake chicken, and only northern beans.  I found that this recipe is perfect exactly the way it is.

I like to make double batches of soups and then freeze half, but we found that we would eat it all before we could get it to the freezer.  Therefore, I don't know how it is after it has been frozen.  I am hoping I will be able try this season sometime. 

Welcome to Fall!!

Just a few things have happened...

I have started a few different posts these many months and never posted them... 

Too Difficult?  No, okay maybe one in particular.  Not enough time? Yes. Tired? Yes. Had too much to say? Yes, Yes, Yes!

In the last few months; my husband lost his job, I worked harder, we had an awful sickness that continues to plague me, my husband got a new job (Yay!), I got my regular schedule back, summer visited us for 2 weeks - only!, I seriously thought about a promotion and decided not to go that route at this time, etc....  I could go on, but I wont.

Within just a number of months your life can change. 

But it is amazing when you know it is going to change and all you are doing is waiting...

   Waiting for 2 weeks to pass, so you can test your urine.

   Waiting 7 - 10 days to find out if there is something wrong with you or nothing at all.

   Waiting weeks to meet with a specialist when you know the time MUST go faster. 

   Waiting till that 12 week mark and then it feels like you can breath again.

   Waiting Etc...

I ignore the minute hand on the clock and live my life.  

The new arrivals

Yesterday, my husband called me and said - there are two turkeys at Portal Way for us....

I was surprise - crazy surprised!!  We have been wanting to raise our own turkeys for years - the first year the order never came (turkey shortage - who would have thought!).  The second year we thought about it and thought about it and never placed our order. 

The third try - "surprise your order is in!"  My wonderful husband placed an order and never told me, probably because I was so disappointed the first time around. 

Today he got the "nursery" together.  Lamp up - check. Fresh wood shavings - check. New watering bucket and feeder (yippee! since our chickens have destroyed the others).  Feed - check.  Baby Turkeys - check!

And here are our new arrivals to the Ranch!

Maybe a male??  OH what fun this is!!!

The nursery - nice and toasty. 

Let the new adventure begin!

The First Half

The first half of my plan has worked.

Today, I went to the dentist.

I clutched my new paperwork of my "dental card" (when did the card end up to a page??) in my hand.

At the last minute, as I was packing up my stuff for the day, I told my co-workers I was a tad nervous...

I walked into the familiar dental office (I can still remember my first visit - even though I was two or three at the time...).  Same receptionist looked at me surprised and said "HELLO!  My goodness!  We haven't seen you in such a long time..."

I responded with, "Maybe we should try not to remember the date?"

Two second later she told me, "It was July 2009."

"Oh"

They did the works: x-rays, around the head scan (I am sure there is name to this contraption), cleaning, a good ol' polish, AND

a few fixings....

Yep I have a few cavities under cracked old fillings on the right side....

And the left.

He started with the right side - check and done.

I am almost done with my first thing on my list.  

By the way, I have been working on other things on my list and have accomplished a ton of things and have had some set backs (including an annoying cough that WILL NOT go away!).

But that is life, we have a few rough times that make our lives just a little difficult and make our souls stronger. 

I remind myself - to reach farther for my goals and imagine how I will feel after the hard work is done.

"Take your vitamins"

After our big scare in December, I was a tad nervous for Goose to get sick again.  Within 3 weeks after William getting out of the hospital, he was sick 2 times.  He was able to fight off each of the sicknesses like a champ.

When we went into the doc for the final check I asked the doc "Will his nose run all the time???"  

His response - "Expect him to get sick every 3 weeks."  

Um okay (with a nervous laugh)...

Sure enough every 3 weeks he has been sick and he has fought everything off like it was no big deal.

I have figured out some tips to keep us all healthy and ways of getting the vitamins down.

The basics to stay healthy:  Drink lots of water, sleep full nights (and naps), eat healthy and exercise.

The more difficult ones with a toddler:

1 - Take your vitamins.  Toddler taking a liquid multi-vitamin is not easy...  Mixing it with Odwalla Superfood saves the day.  And I give it to him at the beginning of a meal - he drinks it so fast I don't think he even notices that it taste a little funny.

2 - Freeze Plain Organic Kefir yogurt in extra mini ice cube trays.  Oh my this is the best treat ever and great teething relief!  At about 12 months old, little Goose decided he didn't like ANY pureed food and yep that included yogurt. I find that he benefits from yogurt so much from digestion to diaper rash, When he decided that yogurt was not yummy anymore, I came up with this little idea and it has been a huge change (and a fabulous dessert option). 

3 - Brush thy teeth (and tongue).  William went to the dentist for the first time last week and she taught us some new tricks to brush Gooses teeth.  The number one trick - hold the chin down while brushing.  I am able to get all teeth and the entire tongue - Yippee!  Sounds easy, but if you have a wiggle worm, then a little distraction and/or being held down a tad by another person helps tremendously.  Oh also another thing dentist said was for juice and milk - only 3 times a day for no more than 5 minutes - check.

Last week William ended up with the icky cough and snotty nose thing going around.  I called the nurse help line on Sat morning and she told me that the cough will last for 3 weeks and the nose will run for about 2 weeks.   It is amazing for a little guy who sounds so awful - how can he still have so much energy??  What a tough guy with an awesome immune system!

Watching the rain with Kee-Ka

Defeat

I think today was the first day I felt defeat, but I have this way of brushing it off my shoulders.

Today, was a tad different.  I have been running around, trying to catch my tail for the last three months: at work, at home, with Goose, with my husband, with me.

Yesterday, I got to work and took stuff out of my file cabinet to work on, thinking about my nice, beautiful long list of all the things I needed to get done at work by the end of the week....  Beep, beep (the best intercom noise I can make) "I need an override..." or "Can you help me?" or "How do you do this?"...

The other scenario was:  I took stuff out of my file cabinet to work on, and some one walks in and says oh I need to talk to her... Pointing at me...

The files I just took out was slowly being put back into my file cabinet  and locked (needs to be locked up every time I leave my desk or if I have a client there...).

This is all I accomplished yesterday - OH and telling one of my employees to QUIT telling me I was stressed!  I didn't feel stress, I felt EXTREMELY annoyed that all I was accomplishing was unlocking my drawers, taking files out, putting the files back in and then locking my door! 

Yesterday, was a day I wished so hard I had a door, could close it and get everything done productively!

Today...

I felt like someone didn't think I was doing a good job, from my understanding even complained!!!  I could NOT believe it!  I come to work early I leave at the same time everyone else does.  I chase my tail all day, go home, think of a plan for the next day, wake up re-energized, and chase my tail again.  All at the same time doing this at home too!!

DEFEAT!

I do a good job, my employers would not have done what they have done for me this last year, if I didn't do a good job.  Yes, I may not get my entire list done, but that is what tomorrow is for!

But this is the reason I brush it off and start over again:

I love you my boys!

Just a tad difficult

I am having a hard time with my new list.  Maybe I feel I am failing since there are a few things I am having a hard time with, so lets focus on the positive!

• I have made 2 appts with the dentist - one for a teeth cleaning and the other for a cavity(ies) I might have.  I also got in the swing of things - found a great dentist for Goose and made an appt for him too!  I have been using my Sonicare and flossing like crazy - BTW - I love Listerine! 
• I have been visiting my chiro and tomorrow is my first massage!
• I put together a podcast to teach me about meditation.  What a perfect place to do it - at work!!  Lets see how that goes tomorrow... ;0)
• I have increased my water intake, but my decrease of coffee has gone to a "large" cup of coffee (got to start somewhere - right??)

My routine is the most difficult thing to break!!!  I think that is the toughest part of my list of goals.  Maybe I need some sort of reminder - like a pinch to the arm or something like that...  

That is about it, but here are a few photos of Goose which make me smile:

A reminder spring is just around the corner - Yes, Goose is not in the picture...

Just a little kiss from Kee-Ka

Never leaves his side

A shadow!  Oh we adore the sun!!!

My new favorite new photo...  Sweet Goose - What a trooper this last week!!!  I am so proud of you!

Let Me Introduce Goose's Buddy... Kee-Ka

Sucia is Kee-Ka to our little one.  About a month ago we were hiking up to Fragrance Lake and for the first 30 minutes Will kept repeating "kee-ka, kee-ka, kee-ka."  He fell asleep and woke saying the same thing.   We didn't put two and two together until we told Sucia to jump into the car and Goose got so excited and screamed - "Kee-Ka!!!" 

So Sucia got a new name...

Sucia is our patient, gorgeous, sweet two year old, golden retriever.  I always wanted to have a golden named Sucia - after my most favorite island in the San Juan Islands. 

Goose has become the best of buddies with Sucia (Kee-Ka).  Here is a day with Will's most favorite buddy in the whole wide world...

"Lets see can I lean on you?"

"OR maybe I can climb over you?"

"Kee-Ka, maybe one day I can ride you - what do you think....?"

"Um - Goose that hurts... Just a little!!!"

"Oh I could eat you up Kee-Ka!!!"

"Goose, I am bored, lets do something..."

"Kee-Ka, lets go for a walk... Or maybe we should go mess with the chickens? Roosters? What do you want to do??"

"

"Goose, how about we go outside and run circles??  Or we could go outside and I could tackle you?"

 "Kee-Ka what is 'tackle'???"

"How about I show you - Goose...  Um...  Just kidding... 
How about you grab my nose again!" 

An Idea From the Past

A few days ago I woke up with a chink in my neck.  I flashed back to the day I had an awful experience with my neck cramping up like a charlie horse.  I stretched, drank water and babied it for the day.  The next morning I woke up the same, but my jaw was hurting too.  And the next same, and the next worse... So I broke down and called the chiropractor. 

Last night I was thinking, "What is wrong with me???"  I have been sick 4-5 to times since last November.  My neck is killing me.  My jaw has this dull pain.  I have headaches.  I feel just gross inside.  And then I realized something as I was making this mental check list in my head - My body is screaming at me!  It was telling me that I needed to take better care of myself - NOW!

As I was thinking about my realization, I just could not help but realize the excuses I kept coming up with - I didn't have time (more like it I wasn't making time).  In all reality, I haven't since I had my little boy.  

For me to start taking care of myself, I needed to change my behavior. 

Suddenly, I flashed back to huge life changing event in my life.

The event I am talking about was one that lots of people in this country deal with - debt.  I had the worst spending habits and I felt like I just could not keep my head above water!  I broke down one night and showed my husband (who at the time was my boyfriend) what kind of mess I was in.  It was a huge deal for me, but also for him.  I started paying it, but it wasn't going as planned and my behavior continued. 

One day, at the dinner table, I got the best advice of my life from my now mother in law: 

• Live on one income and save or pay off debt with the second income 

Between the two of us we had quite a bit of debt - manageable, but annoying and frustrating for both us.  We went home that evening and devised a plan.  The cards were long gone, so no need to cut them up, but we totaled up everything we owed and made a very detailed plan and budget.  It was hard and trying at times, but very exciting!  When we paid off the first card we just about had a party.  Then the next and the next and finally it was all paid off - car, tractor, and credit cards all a zero balance.  We were amazed at the road we took and what we accomplished (and what we are still accomplishing)! 

So, when I think about the change I need to make in my behavior on taking care of myself I look at it in the same light I did a few years ago. 

I need to make a MAJOR change to my behavior.  

I have a nice long list of thing I need to do, so I think I will tackle them one step at a time.  We paid of each credit card/loan as we went, so I will need to do the same here. 

First, I need to get to the dentist.  So my first goal is to set an appointment with them to get my teeth clean and checked.  If I have any cavities, schedule an appoint right a way.  Plus, consistently care for my teeth - floss (once a day), brush (2xs a day), Listerine, etc. 

Second, go the chiropractor regularly.  It is amazing the pain I feel, I can see in my scan and my x-rays - my back is a mess and that needs to get fixed.  That will include stretches and strengthening daily.  Plus, massage weekly for one month (especially since my insurance will cover it - Yay!) and then every other week after that.

Third, take care of my lungs.  I have asthma.  And I really don't care for them like I should, which I will pay for when I get older.  So, I need to use my medications like I should and get my asthma back under control. 

Forth, drink 80 oz of water a day (10 - 8 oz a day).  And stop drinking things that will dehydrate me - coffee, beer, etc.  Maybe one glass of red wine - ever once in a while...

Fifth, exercise.  I am going to start out with 2-3 times a week, plus the one hike a week we do as a family.  My goal is to exercise at least 5 times a week, so I am going to start out slow and move up.

Sixth, find 30 minutes 3 times a week to meditate.  I want to master meditation.  

6 changes are good to start out with.   

Yippee!