The family was watching a nature documentary the other day. The narration was provided by James Earl Jones, but the following commentary, while less educational, was eminently more entertaining.
My daughter: What's that?
My husband: An elephant.
My daughter: I don't like elephants. They smell like penguins.
Me: They smell like penguins??
My daughter (nodding): They smell like penguins.
My daughter: What are those?
My husband: Those are zebras.
My daughter: I don't like zebras. They smell like elephants.
My daughter: What's that?
My husband: A water buffalo.
My daughter: I like water buffalo.
My daughter: What's that?
My husband: Hyenas.
My daughter: I don't like hyenas. They sound like penguins.
My husband: What did you like about the water buffalo?
My daughter: They smell like lions or something.
Tuesday, December 9
Monday, December 8
Food, Glorious Food **Updated with More Recipe Links**
Here is the list of menus I've come up with for the next few weeks. Had I no constraints, I'd add a bit more meat, use some additional eggs, and vary the vegetables a little more. Still, I'm pretty excited that we do, in fact, have enough food in our cupboard to make it through the next few weeks. I'm thinking I will be pretty tired of beans by the end of the month, though. I'm hoping that there are enough variations in the way they are prepared that it won't really seem like we're eating the same thing every day.
A few of these dishes are new to me. If they turn out well, I'll be sure to post recipes in the coming weeks. I have linked to the recipes I've posted previously.
**Updated**
I'm adding some additional recipe links and comments as we eat our way through the month.
Breakfast and Brunch
Lunch and Dinner
A few of these dishes are new to me. If they turn out well, I'll be sure to post recipes in the coming weeks. I have linked to the recipes I've posted previously.
**Updated**
I'm adding some additional recipe links and comments as we eat our way through the month.
Breakfast and Brunch
- granola
- farina with raisins
- oatmeal with apples
- egg sandwiches
- pumpkin waffles
- cornmeal popovers
- French toast
- apple puff pancake
- pan fried farina/polenta
- eggs in toast
- polenta with peanut butter and honey
- oatmeal with raisins
- monkey bread
- cinnamon rolls with orange sugar glaze
- beef sausage patties and biscuits
- cold cereal
- cornbread with peanut butter
- pancakes with vanilla syrup
- scrambled eggs and raisin toast
- bagels with peanut butter
- carrot muffins
- egg & bean breakfast burritos
Lunch and Dinner
- beef roast with potatoes and carrots
- roast beef sandwiches
- vegetable fried rice
- cream of broccoli soup in bread bowls
- hummus and pita with fresh veggies
- pork potstickers
- red beans and rice
- tortillas and fresh veggies with refried beans
- sesame chicken and rice with ginger glazed carrots
- broccoli calzones
- vegan potato pierogi with shoestring carrot fries
- chicken broccoli stir fry
- bean stew with carrots
- chicken salad sandwiches with celery
- lentil pastitsio
- wild rice casserole
- peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- pita with dal
- vegetarian beans and rice
- mini-burgers with caramelized onions
- flat bread and falafel
- risi e bisi
- pasta with broccoli cream sauce
- bean burgers with fried tomatoes YUM!! This one's a keeper! I didn't have enough black beans for the burgers, so I used a combination of black, pinto, and kidney beans (2/3 c dry or 2 c cooked). I had red roma tomatoes rather than green but they worked just as well. Very yummy, even without the bacon grease.
- French lentil soup
- bean burritos
- pumpkin soup with
yeast rollssoft pretzels - broccoli beef pies
- beans and corn cakes
- tomato wheat focaccia
- vegetarian potstickers
Sunday, December 7
Creative Menu Planning
One of the wonderful benefits of Adam's new job is health insurance that starts on day one. He's had any number of positions in the past which require new employees to wait 30, 90, even 120 days before benefits start, so this is a real treat for me.
Because he now works for a large multinational corporation, we had to choose from among four or five different medical plans. Unfortunately, it took us a few weeks to figure out which option would work best for us, so we're now being treated to double medical withholding for the rest of this month. As our other bills aren't any lower (and a couple are significantly higher this month), that doesn't leave a lot extra for groceries. In fact, we have grocery money at all because we got a wonderful gift of cash over Thanksgiving.
Tonight I'm working on menu plans for the remainder of the month. My challenge is to get 24 days worth of menus out of what we have in the house, plus one or two items Adam is planning to pick up tomorrow. He's not sure I can do it, but I love a good challenge. I'll post the results tomorrow.
As a side note, keeping to our extremely tight grocery budget has had one added side benefit. I think I'm losing weight. Most of my clothes are part of the mom uniform, so it's hard to tell, but I'm pretty sure I am.
Because he now works for a large multinational corporation, we had to choose from among four or five different medical plans. Unfortunately, it took us a few weeks to figure out which option would work best for us, so we're now being treated to double medical withholding for the rest of this month. As our other bills aren't any lower (and a couple are significantly higher this month), that doesn't leave a lot extra for groceries. In fact, we have grocery money at all because we got a wonderful gift of cash over Thanksgiving.
Tonight I'm working on menu plans for the remainder of the month. My challenge is to get 24 days worth of menus out of what we have in the house, plus one or two items Adam is planning to pick up tomorrow. He's not sure I can do it, but I love a good challenge. I'll post the results tomorrow.
As a side note, keeping to our extremely tight grocery budget has had one added side benefit. I think I'm losing weight. Most of my clothes are part of the mom uniform, so it's hard to tell, but I'm pretty sure I am.
Saturday, December 6
God's Parenting
I wouldn't make a very good god.
Now that we're all agreed on that, let me share my latest reason: I have little patience with the process of things. I tend to be very results oriented in my thinking. The path is not nearly as important as the destination.
Sometimes, that's a good thing. When a project needs to be organized, a problem solved, or a task completed, it's a great trait. The rest of the time, though, it can get me into trouble.
While I prepared dinner the other day, for example, my daughter was climbing on top of the kitchen counter. Again. And I was telling her to get down. Again. I was no longer using my indoor voice. The words came out of my mouth before I even realized I'd thought them, "How many times do I have to tell you?"
It suddenly struck me, God has never once said that to me. Now, granted, He's tried over and over to teach me some lessons that I certainly didn't want to learn anymore, but He never ever expressed frustration that I hadn't yet learned them.
Sometimes I think we expect entirely more of ourselves, and each other, than God does. Or we go the other way and don't set our expectations high enough. If only I could figure out which is which.
In the meanwhile, my prayer is that God will help me to be more the sort of parent to my daughter that He is to me. Would you pray with me?
Now that we're all agreed on that, let me share my latest reason: I have little patience with the process of things. I tend to be very results oriented in my thinking. The path is not nearly as important as the destination.
Sometimes, that's a good thing. When a project needs to be organized, a problem solved, or a task completed, it's a great trait. The rest of the time, though, it can get me into trouble.
While I prepared dinner the other day, for example, my daughter was climbing on top of the kitchen counter. Again. And I was telling her to get down. Again. I was no longer using my indoor voice. The words came out of my mouth before I even realized I'd thought them, "How many times do I have to tell you?"
It suddenly struck me, God has never once said that to me. Now, granted, He's tried over and over to teach me some lessons that I certainly didn't want to learn anymore, but He never ever expressed frustration that I hadn't yet learned them.
Sometimes I think we expect entirely more of ourselves, and each other, than God does. Or we go the other way and don't set our expectations high enough. If only I could figure out which is which.
In the meanwhile, my prayer is that God will help me to be more the sort of parent to my daughter that He is to me. Would you pray with me?
Friday, December 5
You Make Me Laugh
Hooray, it's my 300th post! And I finally decided what to give away. Woo-hoo!
What you can win
A custom crocheted item, such as a hat, shawl, bag, or stuffed toy.
Take a look at my sidebar to see a few examples of my work, or click on the thumbnails below for larger images.
How to enter
I've been having a tough week. Adam told me it's been showing a bit in my most recent posts, so maybe you already knew that. I could use some fun. Your mission is to entertain me. Tell me a joke or a funny story in the comments. Link to a video of you making a fool of yourself. Share with me what has made you laugh out loud.
You can earn an extra entry by publicizing my contest on your blog. Feel free to use my blog button or the rotating image banner in my sidebar (let me know if you need the script for the banner).
As a special bonus, if you actually make me laugh out loud, you will earn a second (or third) entry.
I will be accepting entries through December 15th, so be sure to spread the word. And please, keep it clean. Confine all toilet humor to incidents involving training. (Thanks!)
This contest is open to everyone, but my international readers should be forewarned that if you win, your crocheted piece will be mailed slow-boat-to-China class, so it may take a while to arrive.
I make you laugh
I'll get us started on the laughter. I've shared this story before, so it may be familiar to longtime readers.
I was visiting Cornwall a few years back, and I watched the local news one evening. They had a story about a nearby football (soccer) team that had gotten into trouble because their ball boy was wearing shorts on a cold game day. Some official body was giving the team management grief about it. I probably missed some of the details, since I don't understand UK organized (or should I say "organised") football, but I was under the impression that the big concern was the ball boy's age and making sure he wasn't working under unduly harsh conditions.
At any rate, the news show had an interview with the team's manager and he pointed out that the boy had been wearing plenty of other warm clothing (mittens and wool socks and a jacket and so forth) and he never even complained of the cold. The interviewer asked some question about the upcoming game and what plans had been made to be sure the ball boys kept toasty.
The team manager kept a completely straight face and said, "Well, if the boys get cold, we can just wrap their legs in red tape."
What you can win
A custom crocheted item, such as a hat, shawl, bag, or stuffed toy.
Take a look at my sidebar to see a few examples of my work, or click on the thumbnails below for larger images.
How to enter
I've been having a tough week. Adam told me it's been showing a bit in my most recent posts, so maybe you already knew that. I could use some fun. Your mission is to entertain me. Tell me a joke or a funny story in the comments. Link to a video of you making a fool of yourself. Share with me what has made you laugh out loud.
You can earn an extra entry by publicizing my contest on your blog. Feel free to use my blog button or the rotating image banner in my sidebar (let me know if you need the script for the banner).
As a special bonus, if you actually make me laugh out loud, you will earn a second (or third) entry.
I will be accepting entries through December 15th, so be sure to spread the word. And please, keep it clean. Confine all toilet humor to incidents involving training. (Thanks!)
This contest is open to everyone, but my international readers should be forewarned that if you win, your crocheted piece will be mailed slow-boat-to-China class, so it may take a while to arrive.
I make you laugh
I'll get us started on the laughter. I've shared this story before, so it may be familiar to longtime readers.
I was visiting Cornwall a few years back, and I watched the local news one evening. They had a story about a nearby football (soccer) team that had gotten into trouble because their ball boy was wearing shorts on a cold game day. Some official body was giving the team management grief about it. I probably missed some of the details, since I don't understand UK organized (or should I say "organised") football, but I was under the impression that the big concern was the ball boy's age and making sure he wasn't working under unduly harsh conditions.
At any rate, the news show had an interview with the team's manager and he pointed out that the boy had been wearing plenty of other warm clothing (mittens and wool socks and a jacket and so forth) and he never even complained of the cold. The interviewer asked some question about the upcoming game and what plans had been made to be sure the ball boys kept toasty.
The team manager kept a completely straight face and said, "Well, if the boys get cold, we can just wrap their legs in red tape."
Thursday, December 4
Who Am I?
Last weekend, I listed a couple of my patterns on Ravelry. I got an e-mail this morning that the new policy for the site requires all designers to use full names. That was a problem for me, since I don't use my full name online. Erica from Ravelry suggested a pseudonym might be the answer.
Well, that got me to thinking. Have you ever wanted to be someone you're not? I spent a whole lot of my childhood trying to decide what I would call myself if I ever wrote a book or starred in a movie or made an album. In fact, the leading contender in junior high was "Lysandra" after Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
So, I gave myself a new name today: Amy James Gray. When I asked Adam what he thought of it, he wanted to know why I chose a man's name. I explained that the "James" was a surname. Even as, in real life, I'd taken my maiden name as my middle name when I married, Amy James became Amy James Gray when she got married.
What do you think? For those of you who know my real name, this is sure a lot easier to spell, eh?
Well, that got me to thinking. Have you ever wanted to be someone you're not? I spent a whole lot of my childhood trying to decide what I would call myself if I ever wrote a book or starred in a movie or made an album. In fact, the leading contender in junior high was "Lysandra" after Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
So, I gave myself a new name today: Amy James Gray. When I asked Adam what he thought of it, he wanted to know why I chose a man's name. I explained that the "James" was a surname. Even as, in real life, I'd taken my maiden name as my middle name when I married, Amy James became Amy James Gray when she got married.
What do you think? For those of you who know my real name, this is sure a lot easier to spell, eh?
Wednesday, December 3
The Experience of Imagination
I've been trying to help my daughter understand the difference between make-believe and reality. She's probably a little young for it, but she has such an active fantasy life, it tends to impinge on family interactions--like blocking the door, making her father and I wait outside with groceries so her imaginary friends can all get inside.
Today she was wanting to play with a purse-sized collapsible umbrella. I was in the midst of making lunch and told her she'd have to wait.
"But it's raining," she insisted. "For real!"
"It's not raining for real," I responded. "It's raining for pretend inside your head."
"No," she exclaimed. "It's raining for real inside my head!"
Today she was wanting to play with a purse-sized collapsible umbrella. I was in the midst of making lunch and told her she'd have to wait.
"But it's raining," she insisted. "For real!"
"It's not raining for real," I responded. "It's raining for pretend inside your head."
"No," she exclaimed. "It's raining for real inside my head!"
I Know I Promised a Giveaway
And I'm still considering what exactly it will be. Meanwhile, I've got a couple of big work projects I'm trying to complete this week, so my celebrating may just be pushed off until next week.
I did pass 10,000 posts over the weekend, though.
Get some use out of the confetti and noisemakers for me, okay? I'll join in the celebration another day.
I did pass 10,000 posts over the weekend, though.
Get some use out of the confetti and noisemakers for me, okay? I'll join in the celebration another day.
Tuesday, December 2
Okay, Which One of You Didn't Vote?
It's not so bad to lose, but I really didn't want to lose by just one vote! Congrats to Lisa at Crazy Adventures in Parenting for creating the winning design.
Monday, December 1
Update!
Okay, here's the deal. There have been some technical difficulties over at Inspired Bliss, so the contest is still going on!
Attention all you late night folks ... voting will now close at 7:00 AM PST--and last I checked I was only down by ONE VOTE!
Off to see who else I cancajole encourage to go vote.
Attention all you late night folks ... voting will now close at 7:00 AM PST--and last I checked I was only down by ONE VOTE!
Off to see who else I can
No Update
Well, I was going to come back this afternoon and share the results of the design contest. Only I don't have any yet. I've been checking every couple of hours since about 8:00 this morning, but no news yet. In fact, voting still seems to be going on. Go check it out for yourself, if you'd like.
Meanwhile, we're hanging out on the couch watching Big and trying not to drip hamburger grease on ourselves. Adam was convinced to make homemade french buns this morning. YUM! I made some oven-baked seasoned fries. Also yum, even though they stuck to the pan.
After dinner and the movie, apparently we'll be playing soccer in my daughter's room. She's been really interested in soccer ever since we've started watching JellyTelly. They have a little snippet of soccer techniques that's one once in a while. Lately she's been trying to hit headers on her beach ball.
Meanwhile, we're hanging out on the couch watching Big and trying not to drip hamburger grease on ourselves. Adam was convinced to make homemade french buns this morning. YUM! I made some oven-baked seasoned fries. Also yum, even though they stuck to the pan.
After dinner and the movie, apparently we'll be playing soccer in my daughter's room. She's been really interested in soccer ever since we've started watching JellyTelly. They have a little snippet of soccer techniques that's one once in a while. Lately she's been trying to hit headers on her beach ball.
Voting Ends at Noon
Just a reminder: Voting ends at noon Pacific time.
If you haven't yet voted for your favorite Mother Letter badge over at Inspired Bliss, you only have a few more hours.
Go. Vote.
Please.
Oh, and thank you so much for everybody who has been e-mailing to compliment my design. Warm fuzzies are just flowing through the internet lines!
If you haven't yet voted for your favorite Mother Letter badge over at Inspired Bliss, you only have a few more hours.
Go. Vote.
Please.
Oh, and thank you so much for everybody who has been e-mailing to compliment my design. Warm fuzzies are just flowing through the internet lines!
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