Vegetable Beef Soup

I decided we needed some homemade soup since our immune systems have been working overtime. So yesterday afternoon, I decided to tackle Vegetable Beef Soup. I've decided to take my cooking up another level. I need to not be so tied to a recipe. I need to try to "create". Granted, my creativity level is pretty low, but I think its something I can learn. So create I did. I'd add a dash of something, taste it, then add more. I felt like a real cook. In the end, I had a very good soup, in my opinion. So at dinner, my husband was telling me how good it was. Let me just interject a little info about my husband. His mother is an excellent cook. Therefore, he has very high standards. All too often, I don't make the mark. But this particular evening, I knew I had achieved another level when he sat shaking his head saying, "I just don't get it. It tastes just like my mom's." Now I could have been offended that he thought I would never make something that tasted as good as his mom's. But I didn't. Instead, I took the compliment.
Now, if I could only remember how I did it.

And it lingers....

I realize that about 75% of people who have blogs and are moms are blogging about the plague of sickness. That makes me feel remotely better. But now I'm the one with a 50 ton head full of mucous. I just haven't even had it in me to get on the computer and do my normal blogging or even peruse the blogs I read for entertainment. But I'm close to being on the mend thanks to this. Emergen-c, I heart you. Because I know I'm not getting better because of all the sleep I'm getting. So I bid you adieu until I'm back to my old, over committed self.

And it all went downhill from there

Yes, I was on a little "high" for being such a good mom with such nutritious smoothies (see below). And it promptly went downhill from there. My kids became ultra whiny and sensitive. We'll blame it on the fevers. The afternoon nap for Paige was 30 minutes instead of 2 hours. I think they watched 7 videos. And as Oprah was ending I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the phone that was ringing was my husband, saying he was on his way home. I had made it. Until that man on the end of the phone said he was working late and he wasn't going to be home for like 2 hours. I about lost it at that point. Dinner for 2 children and a baby is hard enough as you feel like you are running an obstacle course between the kitchen and dining room because you are either continually forgetting something or someone is needing something. But 2 sick kids and a baby is described as nothing but sheer torture. Somehow we made it. But we were on to bath time. I almost skipped this altogether but when your sick, a bath just makes you feel better. I did have to remind Paige that even though she was sick, didn't mean I'd be letting her pour water on the floor with the bowl and if she was going to do that, she wasn't too sick to get a spankin' for it. So one at a time, I got the baths done - no spankings necessary. The only reason I made it through the baths was because I was reciting out loud "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 4:13". Nothing like teaching a little scripture memory to your children while trying to remain sane and calm. When each child was done, I plopped them on the couch with their respective blanket and pillow and turned on "Praise Baby". Even my 5 year old loves it and the music was nice and calming. Zak fell asleep and I decided 6:45 wasn't too early to put the baby and a sick 2 year old down for the night. As I walked back into the living room and plopped myself into the rocking chair in walks Andy. Soft music playing, girls to bed, and Zak asleep on the couch, I realized he thought this was how peaceful my day had been. I was sure to correct him.

Then I prayed "Lord, if I could just have 6 hours of sleep tonight I promise I'll be a better mom tomorrow".

I think they have the flu.

freezing drizzle and smoothies

Its a cold, grey day outside. And it was snacktime. I was about to dole out the crackers out of sheer laziness when I remembered my committment I made to myself the other day - to stop being lazy. My kids are harboring fevers so I broke out the deceptive smoothie. In this smoothie was your usual, OJ, ice, frozen berries, bananas and honey and yogurt. But I added some things to ramp up the nutrition. Included were 2 leaves of Kale ( Traci, I know your proud), wheat germ, and an avacado. So you can see for yourselves, my kids were sucking it down, very happy with their smoothies, and I'm happy that I got in some fiber, vitamin A and C, and some good fat.

Better late than never

Rene's first birthday was a couple of weeks ago. I'm just now getting to post the pics. Mainly because our camera stinks so I have to mooch the pics off my moms memory card. Can't believe she's already 1!

The birthday girl

It took a little coaxing...

You would have thought it was Paige's birthday, as she was stealing the presents

Thats chocolate girl! Eat it!!!!

A secret

You might be slightly disappointed when I reveal this secret, because its not all that juicy. But it will make your life slightly easier. I drug myself out of bed at 5:45am to head to Walmart to do my grocery shopping for the week. Now, I can't seem to drag myself out of bed at 5:45 to exercise or read my Bible, but the lure of a virtually quiet trip to walmart is what did the trick. I had my coffee set to go off and be ready for me to pour a to go cup and off I went. And I'll say, its so worth it. Now if you don't like dodging all the night stockers finishing up their job, this probably isn't for you. But I'd much rather dodge boxes than other shoppers. I was the only one buying groceries. It was great. Not only did I finish in 35 minutes, but I actually enjoyed my alone time. When I got home, the house was still asleep. I do believe I'll be adding this to my weekly routine. Alright, the secrets out.

Here we go

So I am finally free to share some of the changes going on in my life. I am quitting my bookeeping job at the church. I'm sad, because its like my baby. But I'm leaving it in good hands. And that's the only way I'd leave. And now I am going to work for my brother, the skymom's husband. (Oh yeah, happy birthday today, skymom!) That's what my visit last week was to his house to get some training. I'll be typing up his appraiser reports. Its so cool that all this can be done when we live in 2 different states. The internet is a great thing. Now the tricky thing will be managing the 3 children while I try to work a couple of hours a day. I'll probably break out a schedule and video time will be a necessity. The bottom line is this is a good move for me and I'm excited to do something different. And even break out of accounting.

I'll be back tomorrow with some Valentine's pics.

Brutal Honesty

The monitor was on in the girls room while Andy was putting them to bed. I was in the living room, listening, of course.

Paige: Daddy, you have a big belly
Andy: Don't say that, that could hurt my feelings
Paige: Daddy, I like saying "bottom"
silence
Andy: *sigh* goodnight Paige.
Paige: (in her sweetest voice) goodnight daddy

Nothing like your kids to cure your writers block.

*I must say, Andy really doesn't have a big belly

Writers block

Yeah, I've got it.

Silence is Golden

I'm sitting here, at 10:00pm in a house that isn't mine - in complete silence. It is a sound I usually only hear when I'm sleeping, and of course I don't remember it. I'm out of town for a few days visiting my brother. Its just me and Rene', 3 hours away from our usually moderately fast paced life.
My brother has a great house.They've always got yummy treats in their pantry, big TVs to watch all the cable shows I don't ever get to watch - we even got in a game of Scrabble this evening. My brother and his wife, the skymom, go to bed so early. We're talking 9. 9:30 at the latest. I think I need to take home this tip. I'm not used to bedding down til about 10:30. So I'm wide awake. It was hard for me to turn off the big TV that has every cable channel I could ever want to watch. But I did. The desire for complete silence outweighed the desire to watch the Food network all night.
Slowing down is so rejuvinating and so necessary. And going to someone else's house for some reason forces you to do it. And after the week I had last week, I am in desperate need of rejuvination.
So the coffee talk will be quiet this week. I'm going to do as little as possible for the next few days. Rest assured, I'll be back.

Because its so stinking cute

I think I'll be 80

when I learn to not overcommit myself.

January 31st is a big day for accountants. Right there behind April 15th. Since I'm the church bookeeper, it is my duty to get out everyone's giving statements by January 31st so they can use them to prepare their taxes. Its not a small job. And I had 400 to print, stuff, and label. But my dear husband helped me out one evening and between the 2 of us it only took 2 1/2 hours. It felt good to be done.......Until the emails began to come that they were wrong. I always expect a few of those calls. But there were more than usual. And I began to see the common thread and my stomach became sick. I had made a big mistake. And now, I have to redo them.

This all happened after I had told my hairstylist's husband that it would be no problem for me to get his 1099s out for his company - also due January 31st.

Oh yeah, and the church has 1099s and W-2s to be out by the 31st as well.

And I had a BUNCO game planned for my house Monday night and I sure wasn't going to cancel that.

I've been burning the midnight oil, and have left Andy to give the goodnight kisses all week.

And I am not done, and it is February 1st.

And lets top all that off with a week long visit from the in-laws to begin Sunday.

I will not be writing a self help book on how to do everything you want to and be a pleasant person to be around.