yummy. and cheap.

I bought two pounds of zucchini through my produce co-op. I had thought I might use it in a stir fry, but instead found this delicious recipe for Zucchini Fettuccine. The title of the recipe is so fun to say, and despite the fact that I lacked several ingredients (fresh mint and parsley and I do not have a lemon zester and therefore added a tablespoon of lemon juice at the end instead) it turned out to be a fantastic find. I served it by itself but Michael and I agreed it would be even better with some grilled shrimp. Next time...

There were tons of leftovers, and I'm pleased to discover the leftovers are quite delicious as well.

Newspaper Boats

Aaron is dreadfully ill, and so we are reading even more than usual. Today, Michael and Aaron made a newspaper boat and floated it in the tub. Such fun!

Please pray for our little guy. He's struggling lots with this bout of illness - high fever and a cough that makes me feel his pain.

Open Windows

It's beautiful today in Michigan. We have our doors and windows open as we are trying to remove the vicious germ family that has decided once again to start making the rounds.

Aaron has a horrible cough, fever, and more congestion. We had to go to the doctor this morning and she gave us a prescription to fill if his fever does not go away by tomorrow. I am just PRAYING that the rest of us stay healthy.

The boys have had us up in the night for the past 3 nights, so we are hoping tonight will be one of peaceful slumber.

So for now we enjoy the sunshine and low 60* temperatures. It's enough to lift my spirits, and show me dust bunnies that until now have remained in the shadows. Time for Spring Cleaning!

Aaron's "Violin" Concert

Here we have an impromptu concert. Aaron pretty much loves to sing, and is creative enough to turn a hairbrush and a drinking straw into an instrument. Ah, imagination. The WD-40 of childhood.

Yes, his bedroom is cluttered. He's two. And yes, he put on his own socks, and I think it's funny, so I let him. We stay home a lot.

Planning your Menu?

I'm sitting here at my computer, working on planning my menu for the next 2 weeks. I do this, every two weeks, and every time I sit and struggle with the chore of it. My menu is a loose guide - I menu plan and then shop for the ingredients to fill out what I already have in the pantry. After the menu is made, up it goes on the fridge and I know I have everything I need for each meal. Then I pick off the list each night, sometimes going by the proper dates, sometimes not.

Michael likes Mexican food, we have that at least twice a week. I am loving my produce co-op which allows me to get way more fresh veggies and fruit for my grocery dollars. And the taste of fresh steamed broccoli does not compare to any frozen broccoli I've ever had. Fresh green beans? Same story. Fresh brussel sprouts, roasted? OH YUM.

There are several things that go on every single menu. Tacos, bean burritos, fajitas, my crock pot standards, a breakfast meal, and some sort of pasta with tomato based sauce. And then, it seems like my creativity goes out the window.

I usually peruse the ads for deals on meat and then go from there, but I'm taking this 2-week time off of major shopping, because right now I have a full-of-meat freezer, and when I say that I mean that I have ground beef, ground turkey, chicken breasts, some fish, various cuts of venison, and deli-shaved style ham (I buy a whole ham and have it shaved, then freeze it in 1 lb packages).

So help me today, friends. What is YOUR menu standby, or a tasty dish you've tried lately? Can you give me some ideas? Some links to recipes? Or actual recipes?

Works of God Monday

We finally seem to be emerging from the February fog of sickness. I hope this trend continues! What a work of our gracious God to allow the whole family to attend church this weekend - together, and all of the services! It was great to be a part of the baptism/communion service on Sunday evening. One of my mom's students was baptized.

And, my mom's symptoms are greatly improved. She has a stress test scheduled for a couple weeks from now, and she plans to also talk to the doctor about gastric reflux, which can mimic heart attack symptoms and happens to run in our family. I am praising the Lord that my mommy is okay!

So, how has God provided for your family this week? What has He been teaching you? What are you thankful for? How did you watch God work this week? Take a little time to praise the Lord with your blog or leave a comment!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up..." 1 Thess. 5:11

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

on the edge of your seat

I got my eyes checked today. They are getting better. And I found out the reason for phantom glasses. It is as you all hypothesized. The brain gets used to glasses, and it takes awhile for the nerves to stop sending signals. The doctor used wearing a watch or a new ring as an example - it takes a couple days to get used to wearing it, and then if you don't, you can feel the absence. Honestly, it wasn't a good enough answer for me. I want to know what happens to the nerves and the science behind it. I had the sneaking suspicion that the doctor was shooting from the hip on that answer. I guess I'll just have to go to medical school to get the answer to that one.

In other eye-related news, Michael got some new glasses from Zenni Optical. Two pairs, shipped, for around $26. If you've got a metric tape measure, and your prescription, you are pretty much set.

And now for a request. My sweet mommy had to go to the hospital this morning. She is having strange heart-related symptoms. So they've put her on a monitor, sent her home, and scheduled some tests. Please pray for my mom. And for us, that we would not worry. God is in control and I know he loves my mommy much more than I do.

Hope you're all going to have a great weekend. Don't forget to come back Monday and tell of all the things God has done!!

soap box, part two.

First, I have to get something out of the way. YOU are responsible for your healthcare. YOU have to do your research, ask your questions, and trust God to lead you to the right doctor. Doctors are NOT God. The good ones rely on God. Doctors do not know everything. Most of the time they know a lot more than I do. But they can be wrong, and they can definitely be misled. They can unknowingly mislead you. And they can have a much, much different philosphy of care than you. This may or may not be important to you. But the bottom line is, doctors and nurses work FOR YOU. They are YOUR employee. And you can say no. You have the final say.

Okay, here we go...

Here are some of the reasons we felt drawn to home birth. I haven't shared most of this before, so bear with me. It's gong to be a long post today.

It took me 4 months to find an OB that answered my questions in a way that I felt a kinship with. And I loved my OB. His practice has the highest rate of VBAC in our area (about 85%) but the hospital's policies put me on edge.

1. I was considered high risk simply because of my previous C-section
2. Mandatory IV's (because I was high risk).
3. Mandatory, continuous fetal monitoring (you know, since I was high risk).
4. Mandatory blood testing (and you might know my history with that).
5. Atmosphere was not conducive to my wishes for freedom of movement, access to a tub, etc.

And then there were the things about hospitals that just put me on edge in general, such as the normal hospital ew factors - other people's germs, sicknesses, and bodily fluids. The fact that certain nasty viruses can live on surfaces for days at a time. And the fact that hospitals are for sick people, so I immediately feel sick when I go there.

And then there are the things that make me and our family unique - I don't think a protocol, designed for the masses, is always the best choice for my kids. And yes, there is a birth plan, but it's not always followed. Nurses don't always read charts.

What kinds of protocols am I talking about?

Well, things like antibiotic ointment in my child's eyes (which FYI, is only put there to protect your baby from going blind from STD's transferred by the mother. If you don't have any STD's, you don't need it, and your baby will actually be able to SEE you clearly in the hours following delivery. Your doctor will not tell you this - and the hospital staff might not even know why they do it, but this is the truth.)

And I don't think my babies need Hep B shots within 24 hours as I don't have Hep B and they aren't going to be engaging in the types of behavior that would expose them to Hep B in their immediate future.

And there are a few other things, but if you want to know these, you can ask.

When Aaron was born, it was a horrible day. Please don't misunderstand - Aaron himself was a wondrous miracle, and I was and am happy and blessed to be a mommy. I am grateful that God gave us our firstborn and blessed us this way. However, (and I have never shared this before) during the surgery, I was treated with distain and disrespect.

It was as if the hospital staff forgot I was a person. While having contractions, I was told to crawl up on a cold stainless steel table, no clothing, with 6 or 8 total strangers in the room to be "prepped" for surgery.

When I told the anesthesiologist that I felt like I was going to be sick, he held a basin for me. When it took longer than he wanted for me to start vomiting, he snarled, "well, are you going to throw up or aren't you?" And the on call OB who did the surgery was very, very scary. She got done with the section and one of the nurses said, "Are you trying to set a new record? That was fast!" How reassuring - someone I never met cut me open and reassembled me in record time.

I am still deeply sorrowful (and embarrassed) when I think about that day, which I expected to be an overall happy and joyful experience. So you can see how it was a top priority for me to have an entirely different experience, should the Lord allow.

Was God still in charge during my traumatic surgery? Absolutely. Did He forget about me when I was mistreated? Not at all. If it wasn't for His grace, I would have absolutely collapsed. He protected, He watched the doctors, and yes, He saw fit for all of it to happen. I am still trusting Him, trusting that I needed to experience what I did for a reason. Maybe that reason is to share this experience with someone else in order to prevent it from happening to them. Maybe Aaron really wouldn't have been okay. Or maybe I just needed to grow.

This time around, I saw an OB and a midwife. My OB is a believer, he is wonderful, and should I have felt led to go with a hospital birth, he would have been quite capable and on my side one hundred percent. In fact, I will probably go back to him for any future pregnancies God should choose to bless us with. The dual care was a great situation, and because I was able to have ultrasounds, my mind was set at ease about the health of our baby. I was one of hundreds of women in the practice, however, and had no illusions that the doctor would remember each minute detail. And I'd never met the nurses at the hospital. I dug out my birth plan to polish it up.

My midwife, also a believer who even attends our church, was seeing maybe three total pregnant women during the end of my pregnancy. She had my birth wishes in her head, memorized. No strangers were present at my birth. (unless of course you count the yard sale customers, but they were outside!) I felt free to lie down or kneel on my own floor, as I knew exactly whose germs had been there before. I used my own tub and shower. I knew exactly how clean it was. No one stuck me with any needles, or put me on a fetal monitor. I was relaxed. I truly feel that the relaxation sped up the labor considerably.

Here are some reasons I was hesitant about home birth:
1. Risk of complications
2. Pain management
3. Aaron - would he stay home, go to grandmas, what?
4. Aaron - in the days following the birth, would having him around be inconvenient or would I be able to sleep?
5. What if I really, really needed sleep? No nurses to watch baby!
6. Pain management
7. infant screening, not available at home.
8. if something goes wrong, what will people say?
9. everyone will think I am a nut job.
10. cleanup. and seeing blood.

Here is what I did about those things.
1. I saw an OB, we had ultrasounds, we prayed. There were no major defects with baby. We live 6 minutes from the hospital.
2. Yeah, about that. I did a bit of research, and decided no pain meds was actually better for me, for baby. That was before it started hurting.
3. I didn't really know about this. It all worked out for him to be home - he was napping when Evan was born, and it just seemed natural for him to stay.
4. He was fine, and we had family to help.
5. I really, really needed sleep. Evan slept a lot the first couple days. Then we had the same first six weeks every new mom and baby have. It was fine. Not fun, but it never is those first few weeks, is it? Actually, if you think it is, don't tell me. Just enjoy it.
6. It hurt, a lot, but it was fine. Really - it was! And I am not a super hero.
7. Turns out you can have your infant screened up to 2 weeks after birth. At the hospital.
8. I had to put this out of my head. It was hard. But believing that God is in charge at home and at the hospital helped. Honestly, this was my biggest fear - that the baby would be sick or that I would die and Michael would be here with the assaulting thoughts and words of others saying "if you had gone to the hospital..." which really would have helped him grieve. We had to come to the place where we allowed God to lead us, and rested in Him for the outcome. Moms and babies die when and where God decides for that to happen. And thankfully, God decided I was staying put.
9. Everyone already thinks I am a nut job. It's okay. Most of the time.
10. It turns out, it's not all that messy. And I just asked the midwife to not let me see blood. She did a great job. And I decided not to check out the placenta.

Your list may look different. You may think you can't do it without drugs, and that is fine. You don't have to. (but it is great) Home birth is NOT for everyone. But I have to say, PLEASE don't dismiss the idea of home birth. Read the articles, do your research, and keep an open mind. And pray; pray lots. BTW, if you haven't already, you can read both kids' birth stories by checking out my sidebar links.

Please forgive me if you didn't want to read this today. I know it's long, but I think it's like any great experience - you want to share it with everyone possible. You want others to be joyful like you are/were joyful.

I'm just sharing the love, people. Just sharing the love.

up on my soap box, once again

My friend Sarah sent me these links today - one to an article, and another to a video. In the article, I found a link to ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network). When I visited the site, I found this statement, which pretty much sums up the facts:

“The choice between VBAC and elective repeat cesareans isn’t between risk versus no risk. It’s a choice between which set of risks you want to take on.”

The video is a photo slide show with written commentary of a woman who had a successful VBA3C at home. I am so excited for her.

I know VBAC is not for every person (especially if you haven't had a c-section to begin with) but it IS a wonderful option. And home birth after cesarean is not a stupid or uninformed choice. It is not a crazy choice. It IS a great way to avoid medical interventions that are standard protocol at the hospital. And any decision made about birth should be a decision based in prayer.

If you're thinking about VBAC, you should be informed. This article is one I've linked before, but it is a wonderful, fabulous, fantastic read. I love it. ICAN is another great resource, at least, from what I've seen today.

Tomorrow, I will post some of the reasons we felt drawn to home birth, and some of the reasons it freaked me out. I haven't shared most of this before, so bear with me. It was going to be today, but it was long, too long to share in one day. Plus, I need to warn the men - it might be a little too much info. You might want to skip tomorrow.

BTW, I would love to talk to you if you are facing a pregnancy after a c-section and have questions.

Works of God Monday

Last week was great! God allowed me to have increased energy and begin to get our family and house back into our routine. It feels good when the dishes and laundry can be in a semi-caught-up place. God also saw fit to allow us to pay off ALL of our non-house debt last week, thanks to our tax refund. I know I mentioned it before, but I am SO grateful for this. It has been a desire of ours for a long time to be debt free, and it is thrilling to be in this place now. We are humbled that God has chosen to provide for us this way.

I also have to thank the Lord for the wonderful husband he has given me. Sunday I woke with a horrible headache, one of the ones that you almost need a crane to get your head off the pillow, and he immediately made arrangements for our Sunday School class and stayed home with me, taking care of our (still congested) boys and making sure I got all the sleep I could. I am so blessed.

So, how has God provided for you? What has God been teaching you? What are you thankful for? How did you watch Him work this week? Take a little time to praise the Lord with your blog or leave a comment!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up..." 1 Thess. 5:11

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

for your free time

Carrie linked the Birth Survey today and I would encourage you to go ahead and fill it out if you've given birth in the past 3 years. It took me about 15 minutes, but it could take longer depending on your experiences and your internet connection.

I'd encourage you to fill it out because of the goal of the project - to provide women with transparent information so that they can find a provider that aligns most with their personal philosophy. Seeing that it took me 4 months to find an OB that I felt was on the same page, well, I definitely value a project like this that may help others find a great doc like mine. Too bad no one will be able to find my midwife. She's not listed. I guess I'll have to keep recommending Kelly the old fashioned way - word of mouth!

a new era

Last night we decided to let Aaron help make the pizza. It was a huge success. It was really, really fun for all of us - a great memory! He was so cute as he talked about how he was making "somethin' so, so, yummy"

And then let's talk about Evan. Yesterday he was an immobile infant. Today, he scooted himself around the living room floor like a pro. Here's a video - see for yourself. My tiny boys will soon be asserting their independence in more overt ways, such as taking themselves off to college. AHH! Where does the time go?

the case of the phantom glasses

As a voracious reader - well, at least until I had kids - I have learned that when someone has an amputation, there are times when pain will occur in the missing appendage. This symptom has been dubbed "phantom pain."

Starting last Saturday, I had been wearing my glasses instead of my contacts due to the semi-severity of my congestion and the fact that my eyes were affected. I never wear my glasses. I have the fabulous extended wear contacts and I can wear them for 30 days straight. I love them. I forget I'm wearing them 90% of the time. And yes, I wear them longer. I know, I know. So, yesterday morning I was feeling that it was time for a switch back to contacts. I opened the last new pair of contacts and happily put my glasses in their resting place to wait for the next time I'd need them.

All day long, I was having phantom glasses. Has this ever happened to you? I could FEEL those things sliding down my nose; I would actually reach to push them up!!! I could feel the weight on my nose and the light pressure of the arms behind my ears. It was the strangest thing. I wonder why this happens.

No, SERIOUSLY, I wonder. I've been up for a half an hour trying to type in different ways to ask the search engines, to no avail. I have to make an eye appointment to renew my prescription so I can get another round of lenses. I guess this is something to ask my eye doctor. She will probably laugh at me.

Like you are laughing at me now.

early childhood education

I know it's blurry, but I wanted to show you what I found yesterday when I came back into the living room after putting Evan down for a nap.

Aaron was saying, "LOOK! I FIT! I not too big!!!" with the best look of jubilation.

Have you ever tried to explain the concept of body mass to a 2 year old? It is quite interesting.

Works of God Monday

This weekend, God showed me an area of sin that I'd been needing to realize and deal with for quite some time. I praise HIM for being patient and loving with me!!

I never used to be a sick person. I think it started with my first pregnancy, but it could have been before that. My immune system just isn't what it used to be (I'm working on boosting it, trust me!). I have been SO frustrated about this - it seemed like I'd get healthy and I'd just get ahead with the housework and then I'd get sick again, and suddenly there would be a huge mountain of laundry and I'd be flat on the couch just trying to keep up with taking care of the kids. I was frustrated about this, and about everything else I was unable to do because of this sickness - I had no energy to work out, which means no progress is made on my "getting in shape" goal, I couldn't go to church and I couldn't have play dates for Aaron. I was feeling sorry for myself, too, which always makes you feel more healthy. Ha.

I was MORE than frustrated with this situation, and more than self-pitying. I was angry, and when I followed my line of reasoning to it's origin, I realized that I was angry with GOD because I felt like I deserved to be healthy and be able to take care of my family, and go to church, and have fun.

That is NOT a good place to be. (ALL I really deserve is punishment for my sin!) So this weekend God allowed me to repent of my sin of anger and I know He has forgiven me! This is going to be a battle that I will continue to fight, but I am sure that when I ask for help from God, HE will give it to me!! Praise the Lord for His conviction.

So, what has God been teaching you? How has He provided? How did you watch Him work this week? I would LOVE to hear more of the Works of God!!

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

and the winnah is...

Remember when I had y'all send in your tuna recipes? I purposely did not remind you a third time because I got SO many recipes to try, and well, we can only handle so much tuna. Alicia sent me this one, and in our book, it's the best. Seriously, I've made it TWICE and it is fabuloso! Even Aaron scarfed them down. I feel that I must tell you that I did leave out the relish, and I found we liked it even better with sharp cheddar. Alicia will receive some handmade soap (what a fitting prize for one who fixes tuna) and possibly some other surprise goodies!

Thanks to all who participated, and maybe we will have to do it again some time. Maybe I should offer a prize to the person who makes and sends me the most delicious brownies. I would love that. But I would get fat. Er, fatter.

And speaking of things that (without moderation) make you fat, Karen and Carrie both get coupons for Peanut Butter Girardelli squares, so if you could email me your addresses, that would make life so easy for me.

Happy day of Hallmark Love! Hug your sweetie twice today (at least)

hi uncle gary.

Grandma told me you're reading, so I'm on to you!

Here are some pictures for you (and the rest of the family) of the adventures of late at the Muth house.


Most kids like to eat icing, but the spoon that Aaron's licking came from the sour cream bowl. The tower there was built this morning, and the teeth marks in the soap are Aaron's. He really likes to play in the sink with cups, so I let him and will check on him every 2 minutes or so. I walked in one day to see this lying on the sink. Aaron was hilarious when he was trying to get rid of the soap taste. He grabbed his toothbrush and was brushing away when I went to check on him.

We are SICK here. I'm congested, the boys are about over it, and Michael came home early today from work. Happy Friday!! Hope you are healthier at your house than we are at ours!

huh.

So, my igo*gle page says it's Darwin's 200th birthday. And just like that, I thought to myself, WOW it's only been 200 years since he was born, how long has it been since he dreamed up "a workable theory" of evolution?

So a few minutes' of research later, I found out today that Darwin was 29 when he came up with his theory of natural selection, and 50 when his Origins of Species book was published. So, in the 149 years since his book was published, the world has really done some "progressive" thinking. I say this with tongue in cheek. (just in case you don't know)

Growing up in a Christian school, I was NOT taught the history of evolution*, at least not in a way that impacted my long term memory, and I thought some of my readers might be in the same boat. I found this timeline of pre-darwinian thought, and did a little reading on Darwin elsewhere.

All I have to say is "huh." I guess if you do not have faith in the Bible's account of Creation and the power of God you have to have faith to believe something else happened. I for one choose to believe that a loving God created me for his glory.

*I do believe students in Christian schools SHOULD be taught evolutionary theories, for a variety of reasons, chiefly so that we can be educated about common thoughts in our culture and so that we can have intelligent conversations on this topic.

Works of God Monday

Today is the Thankfulness Edition!

It has been great to have my brother Nate and his wife Lissa visiting from Oregon for the past week and a half. I'm thankful that they are vital & growing Christians and that they have a strong marriage. I'm also thankful that they are a lot of fun! :-) It was great to have them here.

The funeral for the young man in our youth group went very well, and it was evident that God was giving grace and strength to the family. They have more to face than just the death of their son & brother, so we are still praying, waiting to see how God will continue to show Himself strong.

Being at a funeral always causes one to contemplate more on the topic of death, and Michael and I were both saying how blessed we are to still have so many family members as a part of our lives. God is gracious to us.

So do you have just "little" works of God that you have been aware of this week? Do you think "oh, it's not worth an entire post!" Let's praise God together this week - all week long! Please post the things you are thankful to God for, or the things you've been watching Him do this week. We can have an online concert of praise!

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

photo-iffic

Michael took the two middle pics of Evan in front of our curtained french doors. I like the effect. These are my latest favorite photos of my boys. I am so blessed.

AND A BIG WOO HOO for CPSIA laws

Every child is "unique"

My two and a half year old child is DEFINITELY unique! I told you how he's potty training himself, but what I need to tell you next is one of those stories that is NOT FUNNY at all when it's happening, but it really does get funnier the further away you get from the situation.

Monday, Aaron woke up early. And he'd stayed up until 10 the night before because of the Super Bowl and the visiting family members. So he was g.r.u.m.p.y. And the first thing he wanted to do was "poop and pee in potty!" so off we went.

And he went. And went. And went.

(I try to tell myself that this is all going to be worth it in the long run, but the child takes at LEAST 30 minutes in the bathroom for each session. I'm not complaining. I know I'm a lucky, lucky mom. But that is a long time to sit perched on the side of a very cold bathtub while singing our bathroom standards - Aaron Went Pee in the Potty and Old MacDonald Had a Potty. I'm just saying.) Yeah, that would be the one that goes "...a flush flush here and a flush flush there..." You got it.

So, back to the story. Aaron was grumpy, tired, and going potty. And when he ran out of both things that are typically deposited in the potty, he started to cry. "I not have more peeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Poop is all gooooooooooooneeeeeeeee! Want mooooooreeee!!" And he was inconsolable. He cried for another 15 minutes while I rocked him, saying things I never thought I'd ever say, like, "more poop will come later, sweetie, it's okay."

Seriously. I have a very strange, or should I say, UNIQUE child.

Works of God Monday

We've had a hard weekend. Andrea posted a little of that today, so I will refer you to her blog for the details. We cling to God and rest in His grace at times like this. Please join us in prayer.

Also, my brother Nate and his wife Lissa are visiting from Oregon this week. I'm going to be using my larger chunks of blogging time to do my housework so that my free time can be used spending time with the family. I do have several hilarious stories to tell, so I will try to get around to those this week if I have a chance.

What is God doing in you?

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

flushing is its own reward

My little boy, my little 2 1/2 year old, is potty training himself. I'm thrilled. And all he asks is for me to sing a made up potty song and of course, he wants to flush. I think that is a fair enough request. The best part is that I don't have to battle with the my own strange ethical dilemma of rewarding with M&M's (not to mention, I don't have to introduce candy yet)

Yes, I realize most children have had pop and candy and all manners of sugary sweets by now. I realize most of you think I am a psychomom, but whatever. They are my kids. And that means they aren't going to eat junk yet. So there. (tee hee)

We've kind of had a laid back approach to the toilet training, with potty sitting sessions off and on since Aaron was about eleven months old. He has never really cared either way, until recently. And now, this week, today, he's pooping, and peeing, and asking to go on the potty. I'm thrilled. Even though each toilet session includes multiple flushes, and extra gallons of water are being flushed. It is worth it, for there were no dirty diapers today. Well, no two year old dirties, anyway.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I was over at Raising Five today, and found the link for Website Grader which was quite the interesting tool to find out more about my little blog, and what I'm doing wrong (quite a bit if I'm trying to run a business, which I'm not).

What I found absolutely staggering is that the tool detected 1,349 subscribers to this blog. And, "this is usually a small fraction of the total subscribers to the feed" according to the page.

GULP.

Honestly, do I know that many people? I suppose I do. Welcome, little readership group. We could have quite the party, if we all got together. Let's wait until summer. I don't think that you'd all fit in my house. Oh, whew. Karen noticed she has the same exact number. I think there is a glitch, which makes me sigh with relief. Not that I would mind the expanded readership, but I was slightly shocked.

Another OH my goodness is this. The quarterly Bloggy Giveaways Carnival is going this week. But seriously, don't visit unless you have a ton of extra minutes to burn. And I mean a TON. One of these days I'll participate, but until then, I'll just have giveaways here for you, my 1,349 loyal readers.

SURPRISE!! TADA! I am giving away some coupons. I have three coupons for $1 off a Ghirardelli Peanut Butter bag, and I'd use them myself but I won't, for several reasons.

1. Eating peanut butter and chocolate does not help me achieve my weight loss goal.
2. I can't find them in the stores around here.
3. They sent me a sample, and they were very delicious.
4. I would eat the whole bag.
5. See number one.

So, if you want a coupon for these delectable treats, leave a comment, and I will pick 3 winners at random and send each of you a coupon!

keeping up

Last week, Katie drew my attention to the new White House Blog. Today's post caught my eye. I agree that we need to be responsible for our choices when it comes to the environment, but is this a federal guideline issue? What do you think?

Works of God Monday

This past weekend was Snow Camp, and though Michael stayed home this year to take care of me, we were blessed to hear of multiple spiritual decisions made by teens in our youth group. Snow Camp was held at Camp CoBeAc this year and there were 3 other groups besides our church in attendance - over 120 kids! Four teens accepted Christ as Savior, and it is always exciting to hear that.

In less eternal exciting news, sometimes, God chooses to provide through the government!!! We are still waiting on one form before we can complete our taxes and file, but this year's refund looks like it's going to be a good one! What a blessing it was to see the larger-than-expected number come up on the Turb*T*x screen! It seems like during the course of this year we have seen one financial setback after another, and we were just grateful that we could pay our bills and keep going!! It seemed like no matter how hard we tried, no matter how much we economized, we felt like we couldn't get ahead! I praise God for allowing us to economize where we needed to, for surely it was HIS wisdom that prompted us to scrimp - sometimes the exact amount needed for an unexpected bill!

Our income didn't change very much, so I am guessing the difference is due to the fact that we have TWO little tax deductions this year! We are praising the Lord as this refund money is really going to help take care of some things we've been praying specifically about, and allow us to put more money into savings on a monthly basis. (Lord willing)

I'm also praising the Lord for modern medicine and a loving husband who takes care of me when I am ill. My infection of last week has bid adieu for now, so I am beyond grateful for that.

How is God showing Himself at work in you this week?

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

Romans 13:1-7

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." (ESV)

Wednesday

We have fun at our house! The first photo shows Michael's genius idea to prop up the futon mattress on the frame to make a "hill" for Aaron, who has had a blast rolling down and climbing up all week long!! We have to be creative with ways to run the energy out of this boy!!!

Last night we had a unique opportunity to meet with a Christian attorney and discuss Estate Planning - we are praying about what God wants us to do. We believe that creating a trust would be in the best interest of everyone, (since we would hate for everything to go into probate) so we are praying about what to do about the initial cost (which would be worth it in the long run). We also learned a lot about durable power of attorney and medical decisions that need to be made - did you know that HIPPA laws can prevent anyone but a judge to make medical decisions for you? Precluding your family, even your spouse? We didn't.

Anyway, mom and dad watched both kids for us so we could learn where our will went wrong. Isn't my mommy beautiful?

a vvvvvvery important question

When you get to the end of the cereal box and there is slightly more cereal than you planned on pouring in your bowl, what do you do? Eat a little more or leave less than a serving in the bottom for the next unfortunate soul?

Inquiring minds want to know.

check this out

I cannot believe the ridiculousness of this case. While the alarmist tone of the article doesn't jive with my view of things, I am still struck by the idiocy of the judge.

History

Happy Inauguration Day, everyone! I've seen and heard many thoughts online and off regarding the new president. Regardless of your political views, this is a day that will be written in our American History books for years to come, and it's really, really awesome that we get to see it.

I kinda missed out on the first man on the moon moment of history, but I sure remember the day that the Challenger went down. I was 7, but it's really a moment I remember. And I remember when the Gulf War began. I think today is another one of historic proportions.

And, if you need the reminder, take a deep breath. God is in control, and HE knows best!

Works of God Monday

I am fighting a nasty round of mastitis, feeling a whole lot like I've got the flu, so my Work of God Monday consists of the fact that Michael can be home to take care of us all.

What has God done in your family this week?

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

Kickin' Corn Chowder

I came up with this recipe last night after church with items we already had in our pantry. It would have been good with chicken but I did not have any in the fridge and it would have taken too long to cook some due to the time of night I started to cook dinner!

4T butter
3-4T flour
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cans cream style corn
1 can carrots
1/2 bag frozen hash brown potato cubes
4-5 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (a hefty sprinkle)
leftover chicken, optional

Melt the butter in a dutch oven, cook onions until just softened. Add flour to make a rue and gradually wisk in milk. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the seasonings, heat until slightly thickened. Season to taste, be careful with the cayenne! Serve with biscuits and salad and enjoy! This makes a pretty good size pot of soup, probably enough to serve 4-5. I don't know - we had lots left over! It's perfect for the freezing cold temps and the squeaky snow that reminds us of Northland (with fondness, and thankfulness that our winters are usually much warmer here)



Thanks, Aunt Mary and Karlene for this great blanket! We use it all the time to play on the floor. As you can see, Evan is QUITE enamored by his older brother. The feeling is (thankfully) mutual. This is getting more fun every day.

listening

So this morning, Aaron tried to grab this long broken mop handle thingy to play with and had a meltdown when I would not let him. After he yelled at me in his sassy toddler way, and got in trouble, we sat on the rocking chair in his room and I asked him what was going on. He told me through tears that he wanted to "hold the violin" and I realized he wanted to pretend that the handle was a violin.



"Would you like me to make a violin out of cardboard?" I asked. You would have thought I offered him the moon, and that this hastily drawn and sloppily cut violin was the real thing. He "played" it all morning and it was the first thing he asked for after his nap. Ah, simple pleasures. He's been enthralled with the violin since the day he first saw it being played in person. (I think that would have been the Pettit team)

Works of God Monday

God is at work - all the time! He has given us many opportunities this week to serve, and has held us up when we are weak. But this week, I'm taking a break from reporting God's work in our family to let you read about His working elsewhere. God has allowed us to watch some friends begin trial after trial with bravery, peace, and quiet acceptance of God's Will. This family's testimony is a shining light in our church and our community. Read the linked article and see how God has been at work, and how this family is continuing to trust His will.

Then, post about how He has been at work in your family!

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

another hot topic

I was doing a little reading online today, and, frustrated by the extremists on both sides of the child-having debate, decided to focus on one aspect that not too many Christian women know, or even care to know. I am hesitant to share my findings from my research on hormonal birth control pills, but God has really been laying this issue on my heart lately and I feel that I have to share it.

Like I've posted before, this is a sensitive issue, and one that must be approached with humility and grace. I beg you, please do some research on what options are available if God leads you to delay or prevent the growth of your family.

Please do your OWN reading and research. When I was first married, my PA gave me some information that was misleading on this topic. I personally was so concerned about convenience that I really just jumped on the bandwagon without taking the time to research things out for myself. I knew which questions I needed to ask, and when she gave me the answers I wanted to hear, I was satisfied with that alone.

I believe that the next few months of sickness, trying various pills, patches, and potions was the wakeup call I needed to go do some research. Again, God used my desire for convenience (my desire to not be sick) to prompt me to research what this stuff was doing, how it was working, why it was making me sick, and what I could do about it. Turns out that for me, there were a lot of reasons that hormonal contraception was a bad idea. Including my view of when life begins.

Here are some links for you to get started.

How Birth Control Pills Work
A very short condensed version of a book in reference to how BC pills work
Is there a link between the Pill and Breast Cancer?

You are welcome to leave comments, but please remember that my only goal is to have you do this research for yourself, and prayerfully consider what God would have you to do. I do not intend to begin a debate. I ask again on this one post that if you would like to comment, please make sure you season your words with grace, and consider keeping your comment anonymous for this one post.

clearance makes me happy, good service is even better

I found Crat* & Barr*l's winter clearance sale via a postcard in the mail. I was able to score a square baker and a set of Parker nested mixing bowls (in last season's fall tones, but I like them better anyway) and both items shipped to my door for under $30. Now that makes me happy. Especially since I'd considered buying a set of 3 bowls at Men*rds' Black Friday sale for the same price as these FIVE great bowls! I'd been hoping for a deal on a square dish for casseroles (a 9x13 is too big for our little family!) and got this one for $6ish.

What else makes me happy is the grrrrrrreat customer service. A thank you email, a card in the box thanking me for my purchase and urging me to call with questions or problems. Reciepts, notification of shipping - I didn't have time to wonder what was going on.

And that is the way it should be! Valuing customers is key to repeat business. Which companies are your favorites for deals and/or service?

A little reminder

Don't forget to send me your tuna recipes! I'm working on a prize and I'm certainly ready to ditch forever the childhood memories of tuna noodle casserole (sorry, dad, I know it's still one of your favorites) I've gotten several recipe ideas already that I'm looking forward to trying.

Remember: no "cream of" soup and it must contain at least a whole can of tuna. You have until the end of this month to submit, and my goal is to announce the winner on or around Valentines' Day. If any of you have recipes that minimize the tuna taste, make sure you send those, too. Michael is not a huge fan of the frugal(ish) fish.

I'd settle for a drip brewed water.

It's not like I'll ever get a chance to tell anyone who could fix the problem, but I've got a pet peeve about television. OK, more than one, but this particular one is a non-moral issue. This is not to say that it is not an important issue, because it has seriously distracted me from many a semi-decent plot. I've missed vital information, anyway.

It's the empty coffee cups. The "to go" variety of coffee cups.

I understand why they wouldn't want actual coffee in the cups, but would a few inches of water hurt anyone? It's a little thing, but really. Why would you pay attention to the intricate details of the accuracy of other parts of the show and skimp on the simple things, like coffee cups?

Let me just say this - when someone walks in with a cup carrier full of coffee cups and hands one to someone, it's not supposed to be able to to tilt at that angle without spilling coffee. A lot of coffee. And when someone hands you a cup of coffee, it weighs more than air. Puh-leeze. Drinking air from a cup? Not cool. At least not as cool as a water latte. That way, you can fake us out for real.

Please, tell me I'm not the only one who has noticed this.

nothing a little heart-shaped cheese can't fix

Just because I have boys, doesn't mean I can't still have fun with lunch. Aaron has been having a series of funky mornings. And when I say funky, I mean he's IN a funk, mostly due to the fact that he gets up waaaay too early and is tired and whiney until after his post-lunch nap. Today, I put him in his high chair for lunch and he starts crying, whining "NO HUNGRY, NO HUNGRY!"

I told him whining is unacceptable, and that when mommy says it is lunch time, it is lunch time. And then I presented him with a plate of crackers topped with bologna & cheese cut with some fun little Pampered Chef cookie cutters, (thank you, wedding gift-er!) and voila! Suddenly, the child is very hungry. I even got a tiny smile.

Yes, I know, bologna is disgusting and gross. It is not healthy, not even close. But sometimes, a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do. It was buy one, get two free awhile back, and I'm using up my freezer at the moment. The applesauce is Mott's Healthy Harvest, no sugar added, and I used whole wheat crackers, so that should count for something.

How do you make lunch fun at your house?

Works of God Monday

Today is the first day back to school for a lot of kids, so I am sure SOME moms will get a lot done today and have time to blog about all that God is doing. I am not one of those moms. Michael went back to work today, and I am trying to re-adjust to our old/new normal. I've got to get back to the routine of things, or else. I'm sure you understand.

This has been a great break, wonderful family time of resting and relaxing as well as being able to get some pretty significant things done on our house. God is good, all the time. I'm hoping for some of you to share what God is doing in YOUR life and family too - remember, you can post a work of God any day of the week and link here - this is not for Mondays only! And if you don't have a blog, leave a testimony in the comments, please!!

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

what ridiculousness!

This is madness. The article is published in the LA Times, but it is not just for California. I wrote my congressman, and you can too.

nostalgia

I was looking at 2007 January's posts, and found this *sigh* Aaron was Evan's age, almost exactly. And about 2 full pounds lighter. Evan's a lightweight according to the charts, I'd forgotten that Aaron was off them for awhile. Check out the little Aaron picture. I think my boys are definitely looking like brothers!

on a (constructive) rampage

Michael has not been to work since December 23. Don't be sad, this was a planned vacation! Hallelujah, praise the Lord for paid vacation! Well, a week of it, anyway. The first week was spent celebrating Christmas here and in Ohio, and having a day or two where we tried catching up on any relaxation we'd missed.

Then, this week has been a busy one here in our house. I'm so thankful for a handy and hardworking husband! Here are the highlights - so if you are not into reading about home improvements, well, you are out of luck today!

When we first moved into our house, the floors were nasty. Stained old smelly matted down with dirt and goodness knows what else carpet on top of (drumroll please) asbestos tile. A joy to us all. So in the first months of gutting this place, we scraped up everything and took it out to the road. Leaving us with glue-stained concrete as our flooring choice. Before Aaron was born, mom and dad helped us paint the floors a nice neutral color. It wasn't my favorite choice, but it did the job of making our house look cleaner. I say cleanER because the texture of the concrete and glue under all that paint really made actual clean nigh unto impossible.

About the time Aaron was starting to crawl, God provided a sale and the money and we put laminate flooring down in the main living areas - and the bathroom. It said right on the box not to do that, but we gave it a go anyway. Little did we know that there were issues with the wax ring seal and then we had leaking going on, leading to a full ripout of the laminate flooring in the bathroom. Squishy floors = not good.

All that to say, we (ok, Michael & dad) have laid the final flooring (hopefully) in our bathroom this week, and there is actual trim around the door. And there are baseboards, too. Trim is one of those things that you don't really think is important or that you will miss it, but once it is up it's like the difference between antenna TV and cable. The edges go from fuzzy to sharp and the house is transformed.



I had gotten a green shower curtain on uberclearance at Target a couple months ago, then at the Menard's Black Friday sales we scored a curved shower curtain rod for $20. Worth every penny for that extra room in the shower, might I add. So we are enjoying a new looking bathroom!



The living room and the kitchen are divided by a wall and our weird fireplace, so when we deconstructed the kitchen, we put a window in the wall between the two rooms so that we could be in the kitchen and not feel separated from those in the living area. We've loved having it there, but it has been untrimmed and looking like the rough opening that it is.

Michael trimmed that this week, too. It looks so much nicer. I can't wait to re-arrange our living room back to its original state (we have a different format for Christmas) and see how it all looks.

Still hoping to get done this weekend, a couple doors for closets which have been hidden by curtains (which work just fine) Michael is at Home Depot even as I type. (Looky, looky! Those are the doors!!)

Just for those of you wondering why I can't just live with the house I have and be happy - I CAN! We are pressing on because our goal is resale - we hope to have the house refinanced later this year in order to increase our equity on paper, pay off some things, and become free from PMI, and then we home to sell this house (hopefully at a profit!) sometime in the next 3-4 years. It's not the "conventional" way, but we are confident that God has directed us this far and will continue to direct.

wanted

Ok, break out the recipes, friends. 2009 is the year to wow me with your best tuna recipe. Two rules: it cannot contain "cream of" soup and it has to use at least a full can of tuna fish. Please. I'm begging you. I have at least 10 cans of tuna in the pantry. And they aren't going anywhere. Unless I make your killer recipe.

So submit your recipes! I will try them out and my family will be the judges! You have the whole month of January.

The winner will get a very special prize. Of course, it is yet to be determined, but still. I'm sure it will be Awesome. Just like your tuna recipe...

we are so cool

We had fun today. Family bowling with the church, then home to put Aaron to bed at 7. Whewie, we are party animals.

Mom & dad came over after watching the film at church and we Skip-Boed into 2009. California, you are like, so 2008. Oh, and you definitely want to check out my mom's face in that first photo. She is priceless after 11pm (well, always, but especially fun the later it gets!)

Oh, did I mention I had to go to the dentist? Nothing like squeezing out the last possible day on that deductible. I had to get 2 old fillings replaced. I'm happy - they are white now! Yay!

Happy New Year to you all!