Success! Butternut Squash

Last nights dinner was both successful, and not.  The butternut squash was yummy, and I'm so glad my impromptu side dish went well.  I cubed it, and sauteed it with garlic and olive oil.  The recipe I found for my cooking directions advised it would take 20 minutes, which I planned for.  However, it was a liar.  I had to put them in a bowl and nuke them for about 4 minutes after the rest of the dinner was ready, and they were not.  They were very tasty!

Cubed and in the pan!

On my plate, now get in my belly!

The part that didn't work was the main course.  A friend/business associate of the Husband's gave him some steelhead trout.  We baked it according to the directions he gave, and it tasted delish.  The problem was that it "shouldn't have any bones" in it.  The Husband's portion didn't have bones.  Mine had 5 or 6.  I have this weird thing about bones in fish.  It makes me want to gag, and then I can't finish it.  I wanted to, and I tried to, but I couldn't.  I'm kind of like a child.  Actually, I'm worse than a child.  Colin ate his fish, and then asked for more.  I gave him mine...sans bones.

Anticipation

I went to the grocery store earlier and bought a butternut squash.  All I have to say today is that I am SO EXCITED for dinner.  I'm going to sautee the squash with some garlic.  There is really no reason for me to be this excited to make dinner, but there it is.  I'll let you know how it turns out, with pictures, if it's beautiful! 

I'm not even kidding that this is all I have to say today.  Short, sweet, to the point.  I can not stop thinking about how good dinner is going to be. 

Winter Just Got Better

We've been having a mild winter so far.  We've had some snow, but it doesn't last.  Sledding/playing in the snow has only been possible with 2 snows, and the temperatures have been mild in between "snowstorms".  (That's in quotes because nothing quite qualifies for that word, yet.)

Today, we went to play outside.  We still had on coats, and I put on Colin's hat and mittens.  I tried to get him to take them off part way through playing, but he said no.  It was way too warm to be February 20th in Michigan, but we didn't mind. 

We were out for an hour and a half.  We walked around the block, rode a tricycle up and down the driveway, and used a sand shovel to dig at the tiny amount of snow left from the snowplow/snowblower piles of snow.  We even went over to the middle of our yard and the neighbors to play in their Little Tykes house and slide, as well as pick up sticks from their yard and drum them on the sandbox seats and their tree.  It's amazing how much fun that little boy can have with the oddest things. 

The best part of the adventure was that when we came back in the house, I took Colin's hat off, and he had the best hat hair I've ever seen.  He wouldn't sit still long enough to get a picture, but it was pretty awesome.  I couldn't stop laughing, and chasing him with the camera to try to capture it.  All I got were blurry, back of the head pictures.  I think he thought it was a game.  I'm so bummed I didn't get a picture.  I think only a lot of hair product will ever reproduce the look.

No Mess Painting

I've seen a bunch of mommy blogs talking about painting in a sealed plastic bag, taped onto a table.  It looked like fun, and an easy way to paint without worrying about a big mess.  I found a homemade finger paint recipe on Pinterest a while ago, and have hesitated making it because I'm not sure that Colin is ready for it.  This gave me an opportunity to try both. 

First, I made the finger paint.  It's very easy, and you can find it at this website. I was expecting it to be like the photos, but it didn't quite work that way.  I followed the recipe exactly, and got lumpy, thick "paint".  I added some water and it thinned, but it was still lumpy.  I found another website that used this recipe that advised to remove the mixture from heat before it reaches it's desired consistency because it will thicken as it cools.  I found this website after I made it all and had a lumpy, thick mess.  I added color to it anyway, because I wasn't going to stop the project midway through.

This is what my paint ended up looking like:

I put 8 drops of food coloring in for blue and red, less for yellow, and it worked for the yellow, but everything else was still pretty pale.  I wonder how much I'd need to use to get the dark, beautiful colors I was picturing.  Also, if I have to add much more food coloring to get dark colors, won't it stain fingers?  I guess it's a good thing we were bag painting with it and not finger painting. 

After it was all set, and in a bag, I couldn't figure out how to get the air out so Colin could "paint" without a bunch of air bubbles.  I tried several ways, and lets just say it's good there was no video camera on me during this portion of the project.  For me, it was good.  You all would have had a good laugh. 

I taped the bag down on Colin's high chair first, because I was making more granola bars and I thought it would keep him occupied while I cooked and cleaned up my mess.  I was wrong.  He told me "done" less than 2 minutes after I put him in the chair.  After that, I taped the bag to the tile on my kitchen floor, and just let him come back to it when he wanted.  We both played with it for a while, but it didn't really hold our attention. 

I ended up putting paint in a smaller bag, and that worked better.  I had put too much in the large bag, and that plus the air in it didn't create a really workable surface. 

So, if you want to do this for your kids someday.  Learn a few things from me.  1) Don't let your paint thicken so much when it's cooking.  2) Use lots and lots of food coloring, except with yellow.  I used 6 drops of yellow, and that was plenty bright.  3) If you buy painters tape from the dollar store, you should expect that it won't stick really well.  Splurge and buy nicer stuff, maybe it will work better and your kid won't have more fun peeling it up over and over.  4) Only put in a small amount of paint into the bag.  If you use a large amount, it just doesn't smear around as well.  5) This is probably an activity meant for children a little older than Colin.  Not quite 2 is not the ideal age for this. 

He enjoyed it a little, but I expect it to be more entertaining in a year or so. 

The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers, and Nanas

Nana stopped by today with a few little somethings for Colin.  One was this Tigger, which upon waking from his nap, Colin wasn't all that interested in.  He's kind of a grump when he gets up from a nap.  (I wonder where he gets that from...)  Once Nana left, however, he and Tigger bounced all around the house like old pals.  He loves it!  He grabbed the old Winnie the Pooh that used to be mine, and they all bounced for a while.  I followed and took pictures, of course.  :) 

I made him smile at me so I could show Nana he really did like it.  He wasn't pleased to take a break from bouncing, but agreed to my request. 

Thanks, Nana! 

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, readers!  I hope your day has been filled with a little love and joy.  Mine has been blessed with love, as was yesterday, my birthday.  Today, I watched my little man open his Valentine's Day gift from his Nana.  He got a tricycle on Sunday when we were over at their house, and today was a bag of treats and a card.  He was so excited, he couldn't even get all the way onto the couch to sit and open it. 

And then, he fell off the couch. 

He was fine, don't worry.

I made a gift for the Husband.  It was easy, inexpensive, and it turned out lovely.  I took a square votive holder from the dollar store, used Armor Etch to etch a band around it, put a smaller votive holder inside it, and filled the space in between with a zillion punched out hearts in red, white, and pink.  I used white and red ribbon to tie a heart shaped "Love" charm left over from my scrapbooking days over the etched band.  In went a pink votive, and there you have it!  Everything I needed, I had on hand and the only time consuming part was punching out all the hearts.  I think it looks pretty!





The best part is, if I want, I can punch out other shapes, change the ribbon and make it fit any holiday or season!  Yay!

Tentative Treats

This week has been tough, so yesterday I decided to try and make my own granola bars because I hadn't done anything crafty or tried a new recipe yet.  I've found a few recipes on Pinterest and decided it looked easy enough.  I was hesitant, though.  Granola bars are my go-to low blood sugar snack.  (Unless it's REALLY low, then it's straight to the juice.)  I didn't want to make them and then not like them.  I'm the one who will be eating them, so I didn't want them to suck. 

The recipe I used can be found here, but I changed it just a little bit.  I used a little less sugar, and added peanut butter chips also. 

Here's the recipe:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup rice cereal
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp vanilla
generous, unmeasured amounts of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips

Directions:

Mix rice cereal and oats in a large bowl, set aside.  In a small pot, melt butter, honey, and brown sugar over medium high heat.  After it bubbles, reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes.  Add vanilla, stir, remove from heat.  Pour mixture over dry ingredients, mix well.  Press mixture into lightly greased 8x8 pan, firmly.  (This is key so it doesn't fall apart.)  Pour assorted chips over mix, press gently to set them.  Let sit for 2 hours, cut and enjoy!

I didn't take many pictures, as I was doing this while Colin was awake.  This does not leave a lot of creative time. 

Cooling in the pan

Yummy side view.

Ready to eat!

Enjoy!

My Favorite Things!

Can you count all of my favorite things in this photo?

There are four things in this photo that I love very much.

1) Colin
2) Books
3) Winnie the Pooh
4) Firetruck (More specifically, my love of firemen.)

I love getting a photo with so many things I love.  It's a little 4x6 of love that I can carry around.  How perfect!

Car Trouble

Last Thursday, my car wouldn't start.  It would turn over, but not start.  My husband jumped it, I went and got a new battery and was told that my battery was the only thing testing with an issue.  The new battery should solve the problem.  I was relieved that it wasn't more serious and went on my way.  

Yesterday, I loaded the dog and Colin into the car to hurry to the vet because Olive broke her dew claw nail. It was bent towards her other paw, instead of forward and was bleeding.  She didn't want to put weight on it, and didn't want me to touch it.  A call to the vet resulted in them asking me to bring her in to see if they needed to take off the nail or not.  The preemptive question was, "Can you get a hold of the nail and pull it off easily or is it more firmly attached?"  I swallowed hard and made myself get a hold of the nail to see if it was firmly attached or not, which it was thank goodness.  I don't think I have the stomach to pull off my dog's nail.  It makes me shudder to even think of it. 

After everyone was loaded, I tried to start the car.  It turned over and wouldn't start.  After a few attempts to start it, and several four letter words shouted in my brain.  I stopped trying, sat in the car for a few moments, sighed, and got everyone out.  The Husband was due to be home in another half an hour, so we waited.  Olive's injury wasn't life threatening, so I knew we had time, plus the vet was open late yesterday so we didn't have to pay for an emergency visit. 

Today, we tried to jump the car to take it to our mechanic but that didn't work.  Instead we called our AAA Roadside Assistance people, who sent a tow truck.  The mechanic was supposed to look at it tomorrow, but must have had extra time.  He called a little while ago to tell us that it started up just fine for him and did we want to come get it?  My brain may have flipped around while I was trying to suppress the "ARE YOU KIDDING ME" scream.  They're keeping the car until tomorrow and will keep trying to start it.  If it doesn't start, then they can diagnose and fix the problem.  If it continues to start, we have to come get it.  My guess is that if it keeps starting, once it's back home and I go to try and drive somewhere, it won't work.  I don't think I should be responsible for any pain or damage I cause if/when that happens. 

Wish me good luck and send me good car karma, friends.  I need this to be 100% fixed, and on the cheap.  Please.

PS - Olive is fine today.  She was a champ at the vet, and is back to her normal self.  See:

Olive is not a big fan of the camera.  It really doesn't do her justice, ever.  She's beautiful. 

Nap Time Bliss

Most of my blog posts happen when a small ball of energy stops to recharge.  (i.e. Naptime)  I love, love, L-O-V-E, love naptime.  It lets me recharge also, and that's a good thing.  If this mama is a bear, then no one is going to have a good day. 

Yesterday was one of those not so great days.  Colin hadn't slept well the night before and his nap didn't seem to help.  He was wonderful one second, and a terror the next.  I was exhausted, and wanted to lay down during his nap, but instead I did more job searching and applying. When that was done, there wasn't enough time to nap so I did some blogging and other interweb related activities. (cough, cough...Pinterest...)

This morning, someone slept in until 8.  It wasn't me.  My alarm goes off early enough for me to get a workout and shower in before the Husband goes to work.  That left me time for reading this morning between his departure, and Colin getting up.  That was a little gift from Colin to me, I think, to make up for yesterday being exhausting, frustrating and stressful.  So far, today has been much more enjoyable.  It's amazing what a good night of sleep can do!  Now, I think I'll just lay down on the couch and see what happens...

Not a Runner....but....

I do not like to run.  It is my least favorite fitness activity.  I wish I liked it, because it's good for you.  You know, when it's not damaging my knees, ankles, or feet.  It makes me so TIRED.  People who say they feel good after a run are crazy.  Or something is wrong with me, because after I run all I want to do is lay down until I can catch my breath.  Then when I can breathe normally, I want a nap. 

So, quite obviously then, I am not a runner.  However, have you heard of the Color Run?  If not, go to their website and check it out.  It looks like so much fun, aside from the running.  I am so tempted to start a couch to 5k type workout so I can do this.  There's one in Chicago in June, and I'm pretty sure I can tempt a lovely Chicago friend of mine to join me in this. 

I'm going to consider working towards running this race, because if I can feel/look like this after a run, it might just be worth it. 

Runners at the end of a Color Run. Image courtesy of www.colorrun.com

 

Something Shiny

So, readers, this is where diabetes is going to show up.  I have a confession to make.  I do not wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.  My endocrinologist has lectured me about this, and told me over and over that I need to wear one for my own safety.  "But they're ugly" is always my response. 

Well, that's where Lauren's Hope comes in.  They make BEAUTIFUL (and handsome) products that people under the age of 120 would be proud to wear.  The ugly ones that you can buy at any pharmacy are just that.  Ugly.  No one under the age of 120 enjoys wearing them, they just do because they need to.  I know I need to, and I should.  Lauren's Hope has give-a-ways on Fridays, and I'm hoping that I can win one someday, for my own safety.  Also, I'd like to get my endo off my back on this topic. 

Need a medical alert bracelet?  Go here to find one that fits your style: http://www.laurenshope.com/

I wouldn't mind a little something shiny to keep me safe.  Like, this maybe. 

Let's Get Messy!

Today, someone started out a little cranky.  It wasn't me.  I decided that in an effort to keep his attention and redirect some negative energy, we were going to do one of the messier toddler activities I've found on Pinterest.  (Is my Pinterest addiction showing?)  We made cloud dough.  I found the activity on Pinterest from this blog, who found it here.

The recipe is easy.  You take 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil, mix it really well for a few minutes, then play. 

I made half the recipe because I didn't think we'd need that much.  I was wrong.  I should have made the whole amount, and used a much larger storage container/box.  A lot of the dough ended up outside of the box it was in. 

We had fun, and got messy.  Here's what we did:

First, I measured 4 cups of flour into my container, and added 1/2 cup of baby oil to it. 

I mixed and mixed, and had lots of fun with that.  It's really soft!  I love the smell of baby oil, so I enjoyed this part.

This is all mixed and ready to go.  I have several different sets of measuring cups.  This one we don't use much, so now Colin gets to use them. I laid an old sheet on the kitchen floor, since I knew this would get messy.  I sat down with the little man, after taking off his tee-shirt as a precaution, and showed him what this stuff was about. 

He wasn't sure about it at first, so I added a shovel from a shovel/pail set I picked up on clearance last fall.  It was waiting for summer, but came in handy today.  Then I added a plastic drinking cup that Grandpa gave us.  It will be a while before he can drink out of it, so for now it's a toy.  After that...things got messy...

And ended up like this:

I was able to pretty easily pull the sheet up and save the cloud dough that spilled.  Then I shook the sheet out in the backyard, put it in a plastic shopping bag for storage, and put the lid on the box with the tools in it.  I expect we'll be playing with this pretty frequently, so we'll wash the sheet later.  I will need to get a bigger container and make the other half of the dough.  I think that will make it more fun, and easier to contain the cloud dough.  I also wondered if I could add food coloring to the oil to make it more fun.  Thoughts?  Has anyone tried that? 







Everything Hurts

I'm at the point in my goals to get fit that my workout has gotten harder.  As I mentioned here, my workouts started small and are getting progressively more difficult and longer.  They are starting to kick my butt.  I'm sore because of the chest flys I did yesterday with 5 pound weights.  FIVE POUNDS.  That's all!  Why am I so sore?!?  You'd think I was using 50 pound weights.  I'm sore because today I ran for 10 minutes (with only a 15 second pause to take some breaths and tell myself I could do this) straight. There was more to my workout today, but it was the running that did me in. 

Actually, the running for 10 minutes surprised me.  I didn't think I could do it, so I spent the entire time chanting with each step: I. Can. Do. This. I. Will. Get. Fit.  It actually worked.  I got through it.  My legs are sore now, but not that badly. 

I'm trying to remind myself that this takes time.  It will be a while before I see results.  I have no patience, so it's hard for me to stick with a fitness routine.  I'm determined this time, though.  I'm not sure what changed, but I know I'm tired of feeling badly about myself.  Now, I just need to tell myself every day that I can do this.  I will get fit.

Oh, and I'm up to 12 pounds lost, just in case anyone is keeping track.