Tidbits from our Week

1. Landon scored two points in his basketball game. Nothing but net. I screamed like he'd just won the Nobel Peace Prize.

2. Reagan asked me if my wrinkles hurt.

3. My mom spent all day Tuesday with me!

4. I got retainers on Wednesday and a bunch of people asked me to say words that have the letter "s" in them. Some of the best ones are "excuses", "satisfaction", and the entire hymn "Standing on the Promises".

5. Reagan asked me why I slobber so much. ("Slobber" is another fun word to say with retainers.)

6. Connor learned to point to his belly.

7. I became obsessed with spaghetti squash.

8. I thanked Nathan for disliking pets as much as I do and we reminded each other to never get one. Yes, I know we're weird and most people love animals. Blah, blah, blah. I don't care. We don't.

Public Service Announcement

In 2010, I pretended I was a 90-year-old. I got kidney stones and a gallbladder removed and I got assigned to a urologist. Pretty sure only 90-year-olds do that. At least those were the only people in the doctor's office every single time I was there.

Apparently, 2011 is the year for me to pretend to be a 13-year-old. Because I got 2 retainers yesterday and got a "talking to" from the orthodontist about how to take care of my retainers by doing things like not boiling them and not leaving them near dogs. I'm for real. He said, "Do not leave your retainers near dogs." I was like, "Dude, I'm 31 years old. I've got 3 kids. I have a bunch of degrees and stuff. I think I can handle not leaving my retainers near dogs." And he was like, "No, you're a 13-year-old. Because you just got retainers. 13-year-olds get retainers." And I was like, "Touche." And he was like, "Wait. 13-year-olds don't use words like 'touche'. They use words like 'sweet'." So then I was like, "Sweet."

So, here's my PSA to all the teenage followers of my blog:

When you get your braces and then you get them removed two years later, don't get all prideful. Wear your retainers. Because if you don't, you'll eventually turn 31 and your teeth will be out of whack and you'll have to go back to the orthodontist and get retainers. And it will hurt. And you will talk funny. And people will look at you weird. And you'll get tons of saliva in your mouth all the time. And people will think you're 13.

Recipe Wednesday: Spaghetti Squash

This recipe is easy.

Before Thanksgiving, my family went to Disneyworld. Then there was Thanksgiving. Then Christmas. Then Colorado. And because I enjoy food so much and ate loads of food on all those vacations/holidays, I gained 5 pounds. So, I've been reaaaaally watching my calories the past couple of weeks.

If you're doing the same, this recipe is for you. But I promise it doesn't taste low-cal. It is absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 cup of your favorite brand of tomato sauce (I love it with garlic and basil)
Salt and pepper
Parmesan Cheese

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half length-wise and remove the seeds.
2. Place the two halves facedown on a baking sheet.
3. Bake at 425 for one hour.
4. Take it out and, using a fork, scrape the squash out onto a plate. (It will look JUST like real spaghetti!)
5. Warm the tomato sauce and pour it over the squash. Add salt and pepper to taste. Shave some parmesan cheese over the top.

*This makes 2 servings if it's your main dish. It could easily make 4-6 servings as a side dish. It's so much food. So healthy. And so yummy! Oh, and it reheats very well. I enjoyed more today!

Connor's 18-month well visit

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CONNOR MAN! 18 MONTHS OLD!

How sad is that? The most recent picture I can find of him is one where's he's buried behind his big brother and sister. I have GOT to do better at taking pictures of him all by his lovely self. Drats.

So you'll remember that at his last well-visit (15 months old) it was discovered that I:
a. don't teach Connor words.
b. don't teach Connor body parts.
c. am doing better at feeding him.

You'll also remember that I covered my ears and acted like I didn't hear the doctor when she told me that I no longer had a newborn.

Today, I did much, much better.

Stats:
Height: Lots of inches (42%)....WOOHOO! Our kid's getting some height on him.
Weight: 22 lbs. 6 oz. (9%)....BOO! Our kid has not gained even an ounce in 3 months.
Head: 1,000,000 cm. (90%)....Go Connor! We think his huge noggin is the only reason his weight is up to 9%.

At this point, the doctor read his chart and it must have said something on the computer screen like, "Be really nice. This mom's a nutjob. She still thinks her toddler is a newborn. She cries at the drop of a hat. Encourage her. Tell her everything is ok. Lie if you have to."

Because the rest of the visit sounded like this.

Doctor: Do you have any concerns?
Me: Well, his weight. He's still not gaining weight.
Doctor: No worries. You are awesome.
Me: Oh, wow. Groovy. Ok. Next concern....he still can't speak any words. You fussed at me last time and I've been sweating all morning waiting to receive your punishment. What am I doing wrong?
Doctor: You're doing absolutely nothing wrong. My child didn't start speaking until he was 19 months old. You are really cool and pretty and I love your hair.
Me: Really? Wow. Thanks. This well-visit form that your nurse asked me to fill out said 18-month-olds should be saying 2-word phrases by now and so I just thought....
Doctor: Let me just interrupt you right now. You are a blessing to me. There is not a thing in the world you should do differently. You look in that mirror and you repeat after me, "I am gorgeous and I am the perfect mom."
Me: I am gorgeous and I am the perfect mom.
Doctor: It's true, you know.
Me: Gee, thanks.
Then, You're Just Too Good to be True started playing in the background.
Doctor: No prob. Now get your rockin' self out of my office. See you when your genius baby is two years old!
Me: Sweet!

Basketball Stud

Recipe Wednesday: Turkey Sandwich!

Remember a long time ago when I said I would post a recipe every Wednesday? I'm sorry I've not kept that little promise. But I'm going to try to start back.

Today, I have for you something so simple, yet so yummy. I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago about lunch and how it's easy to get caught in the "boring turkey sandwich rut". But this little sandwich really bumps it up a notch.

All you need is:

2 pieces of bread
One wedge of Laughing Cow Cheese (I prefer garlic and herb)
1/2 TB of Jalapeno Pepper Jelly
3-6 slices of Mesquite turkey

optional:
9 pickles
fresh spinach

I love to spread the cheese on one slice of bread and the jelly on the other slice. Then I sandwich the turkey and 9 pickles in the middle. Yes, it has to be 9 pickles. It just doesn't taste the same with 8. Or 10. Plus, a 3 x 3 matrix on a piece of bread just makes sense, right? I don't really like spinach in mine but I know how healthy it is so I suck up and add it about half the time.

Oh, and if you're counting calories, the sandwich comes in at 200 calories (if you use bread that is 50 calories per slice....like Publix brand 100% stone ground whole wheat.) Not too shabby.

Enjoy!

Thankful

McDonald's Happy Meals always make me think about God's grace. If I take the kids to McDonald's I usually get them a 10 piece chicken nugget entree to split plus one small order of fries. It's much less expensive than the Happy Meal.

But sometimes, just because I want to surprise them, I'll buy the kids their own Happy Meal. I love to see how excited they get about the new toy and their own order of fries.

But it never fails that they never finish their fries and, after about 15 minutes of playing with the toy, they never play with it again.

Now, let me be clear. I'm not comparing the number of times I give my kids Happy Meals to the number of times God gives us grace. Because God's grace is an every day, twenty-four seven, kind of thing. We wake up because of God's grace. Everything we have is because of God's grace.

But what I am comparing is the way my kids react to Happy Meals to the way I act to God's grace. And that's with a forgetful heart. A heart that just wants the next thing instead of being full of joy in the present. A heart that is focused on me instead of the giver of the grace.

I've been reflecting today on the little ways God has revealed his love for me and the grace that only He can give me:

1. Yesterday, Landon was crying of an earache. That's not like him so I immediately called the pediatrician's office. Sure enough, he has a double ear infection. But while we were in the waiting room, I noticed Connor's ear leaking. The pediatrician checked his ears and they were also infected. Both of them. It was 4:20pm and God allowed Connor's ears to leak in the waiting room so I only needed to make one trip to the doctor. Otherwise, I would have been back first thing this morning. God's grace was all over that.

2. I have been a stay-at-home mother for almost two years now. I knew that when my third child was born, I wanted to take a couple of years to be away from my full-time job as an elementary school teacher. I love staying home with them. But I have so missed teaching a room full of 6 and 7-year olds. This past summer, I got a phone call from the children's director at church asking me to be a Sunday School teacher for the 2nd and 3rd grade girls. So, since September, I've been able to teach 10 girls about Jesus. And I absolutely love it. My co-teacher, Susan, a dear friend of mine, teaches with me. It's a blessing. Again, more of God's grace.

3. The weather is gorgeous today. Just absolutely gorgeous. And today is Tuesday, and Jennifer is off work on Tuesdays. So, her two youngest got to meet my two youngest for a playdate at the park. And Jennifer and I got to chat on a bench for 45 uninterrupted minutes. Grace, grace, and more grace.

4. I have really weak ankles. I've sprained them plenty. If you have weak ankles, you know what I mean when I say there's just a "feeling" about a millisecond before you sprain an ankle where you know it's about to happen. You step the wrong way. You walk down the stairs a little too quickly. It doesn't have to be much. But you know when it's coming. Today, I took an aerobics class and, as I stepped down the wrong way, I got that "feeling". But then my ankle didn't sprain. I could not believe it. Nothing happened. I finished the class. That may seem small to you, but to me, that was a big deal. And to all the weak ankle people out there, you're smiling, aren't you? 'Cause that was just more grace. My ankles are not strong enough on their own to not sprain after the way I landed. But God is.

5. My husband still loves me. Grace. And I love him back. Grace.

Thanking God today for his grace. For giving me stuff I don't deserve. Like everything. And for reminding me of that today.