Inspired by SouleMama
{this moment} – A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Camping July 29, 2010
I’ve been neglecting this blog for the past week or so, not because I have nothing to write about, but because I have too much to write about!
This past weekend we went camping with just the 10 year old. It was very relaxing. So much so, that I forgot to take more than just a couple of photos. I only got two photos of the 10 year old, and on both he is covering his face with his hands!
He had a wonderful weekend, though. Luckily, we had a nice family camping right next to us. They had a 10 year old boy that had the same interests and energy level as Jimmy does. The two were thick as thieves within minutes of meeting each other and were practically inseparable all weekend. The parents were great too and took to Jimmy as much as we took to his friend. The kids spent most of their time in the water. Sometimes, we had both kids. Sometimes, the other family had them. It worked out perfectly.
The rest of the week was spent working and spending time with the younger two. They had a good time with their relatives, but they were missing Mom and Dad by the time we got home. I also aired out the blankets and repacked everything for this coming weekend. We are taking the two youngest camping and to Knoebel’s Grove. it should be lots of fun.
Time Out July 20, 2010
Since the baby arrived, there has been very little one on one time for the older kids. Especially the ten year old. So, when he asked if we could play Star Wars Monopoly, I dropped everything and sat down at the kitchen table.
Well, actually, I didn’t drop everything. I had some bread rising that needed to be taken care of during a break in play. And, for part of the time, the baby sat with us. But, my attention was focused on the game.
So much so that 5 hours later, when Gramma called and asked to take the boys swimming, I was shocked to see how much of the day was gone. At first I was upset with myself that I had “wasted” so much of the day to a game. Then I remembered that time with my son is not a waste. It won’t be long that he’ll have a job and a girlfriend and a life away from Mom. So, instead of stressing about what didn’t get done. I focused on how much fun I had with my son.
Meal Plan Monday July 19, 2010
This week starts a new series where I list our planned meals for the week along with any recipes that I’m using. I only plan for the dinner meal since the rest of the day we just forage as we get hungry or have time to eat. Working at home
Today I’m going to try out my “new to me” pasta machine to create my very first homemade pasta. I’ll let you know how it goes. This weekend we’re going camping so our regular camp food is on the list. To make things easier on me we always have the same thing when camping. No one ever seems to mind. Now, without further adieu…
Monday – Fresh pasta, meat sauce, summer vegetables tossed with olive oil
Tuesday – Grilled barbeque Chicken, baked potato, steamed broccoli
Wednesday – Lemon Pepper Pork Chops, Seasoned Rice, Green Beans (I’ll post the rice seasoning recipe on Thursday after I test it).
Thursday – Hot ham and cheese, pasta salad
Friday – Chicken Packets (I’ll post my recipe and photos next week when we get back!)
Saturday – Hamburgers and chips
Sunday – Hot Dogs and baked beans
What are you having for dinner this week?
Blueberry Coffee Cake
My local farm stand had beautiful blueberries for sale this week so I bought a quart. Now, my three year old will eat an entire quart of blueberries in a single sitting, but that’s not really a good idea. I kept some back for eating, froze some and then used the rest for blueberry coffee cake using this recipe.
I’m not a fan of the bundt cake so I made it in a regular cake pan. I have no reason for my aversion to bundt cakes. They just weird me out. As you can see, the cake turned out just fine. Actually, it turned out so good that three “nobodies” ate a large portion of it before I could grab my camera!
{This Moment} July 16, 2010
Inspired by SouleMama
{this moment} – A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. (A little late today, it’s been rather busy around here!)
This Wrap July 13, 2010
This wrap was sewn up three years ago for this baby’s older brother. It was a way for me to combat the postpartum depression that was threatening to control my life. I read somewhere that babywearing helped relieve some of the depression and strengthen the bond between the mother and child. No one I knew practiced this type of parenting, my family and friends all told me to “put him in his crib and let him cry.” What they didn’t understand was that the crying was slowly killing me. I could not stand it! But, I could not stand just sitting on the couch for hours holding the baby. I had just come off of 6 months of bed rest (seriously!) and did not want to spend one more minute sitting. Once I figured out what was wrong (at least part of it), I set out to fix it. This wrap, another one like it, and two ring slings were born.
This baby is even more of a cuddler than his brother. This wrap has become invaluable. Even though I have 8 mei tais that I can choose from (I went on a sewing spree for baby shower gifts and to give to charity), this is my “go to” carrier. It has just the right stretch, and I love the fabric. I love that I can carry him in a cradle hold or upright depending on his mood. This wrap has helped me continue to work, even when the baby is not feeling well, or just needs to be held more.
I’m still the only person that I actually know that practices babywearing. I know it works for our family. I also know for a fact that it doesn’t cause “spoiled” children. My three year old is proof of that. He is the most independent kid I know. So, I continue to smile and nod when I’m told to “put that baby down for his own good.” And, I grimace internally when someone tells me they “put him in his crib and let him cry it out.” (He isn’t away from me very much, once or twice won’t hurt him.) I just calmly tie on the wrap, pop him in it and breathe a sigh of relief. Just look at how content he is…
Wrapping Paper July 12, 2010
This summer is the summer of crafts for the three year old and me. Our first craft was to start to create some wrapping paper for Christmas. I have discovered that my son is not a fan of coloring. He lasted about 10 minutes before he decided he was “bored.”
We have six months to Christmas, so there is plenty of time to revisit this craft. Next time, I’m going to give him some paints and see if that increases his attention span. I always loved to color and draw. I’m slightly disappointed that none of my other children enjoy it. Maybe the baby will be my budding artist…
{This Moment} July 9, 2010
Inspired by SouleMama
{this moment} – A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Oatmeal Cream Pies July 7, 2010
My family loves the Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies. Instead of spending tons of money trying to keep up with their insatiable appetites, I decided to make my own. I used this recipe for the oatmeal cookies and simply omitted the raisins. Then I put a little dab of store bought frosting in between the cookies. The cookies were a little more dense than the store bought version and the frosting was much sweeter, but they were still a big hit.
Next time I will use a slightly less sweet homemade frosting. I was going to do that today, but the thought of standing over a pot of boiling milk in 100 degree weather made me rethink that idea. I should have rethought the whole idea of turning on the oven, but the three year old was insistent that he have them.
A Geek and her Babies 