baby food soup

And my final soup is....baby food!

I had such high hopes for this recipe I found in Parents Magazine.  I'm posting it with the hopes that some one out there can make some adjustment that can save it.

In a big pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium.
Add 1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
Stir occasionally
Cook 8-10 minutes until tender and starting to brown.

(I tasted a carrot at this point and it was delectable.)

Add 3 1/2 cups chopped butternut squash
2 medium apples, chopped
4 cups chicken broth

Bring to a boil
Reduce heat
Simmer uncovered 20 minutes until squash is tender
Cool slightly

Puree in blender or food processor.

Add black pepper and croutons

Easy and disgusting.  Li wouldn't even eat the leftovers and that's saying something.
I thought the croutons were mainly for garnish but if you omit them, you've got yourself a BIG pot of baby food.  I was this close to feeding it to Megan.

My mom suggested leaving out the apples.  Anyone else have an idea?

Macaroni and Cheese

I know, I know it's not soup.  But this recipe uses soup so I think it counts.  I am cheating though because Thursday was the night I clenched the world's worst mother trophy so you can bet your boots I didn't make dinner.

It's ridiculously easy to make.  You can probably pull it off, even on your bad nights.

I'm even going to type it out, it's that easy....
Over medium heat boil 1 can Campbell's cheese soup --- I use the fiesta kind, it's spicy
with 2 cups of water.

Add 2 cups uncooked elbow noodles --- I use whole wheat because I like to pretend this is better for you than the box.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until your noodles are soft.
Stir it every now and then.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese --- I used pepperjack once, and it was a bit much for me.  But maybe you like that kinda thing.

Let stand covered 10 minutes before serving --- we usually don't make it.

We all love this and I like to pretend Carter is eating veggies because the fiesta soup has red and green chunks it in.  I'm sure they don't really count, but maybe they'll prep him to eat the real thing some day. 

I don't even like cauliflower

Wednesday was Cauliflower Soup.  I feel special every time I type cauliflower and the red squiggly line doesn't come up.  It's a tricky word, right?

Here is the link to my cauliflower soup recipe.  I made this a few weeks ago.  It's incredibly easy and really yummy.  And Carter and I even ate vegetables without complaining.  It's pretty rich and creamy, so I did get a little bit of a bellyache after.

This time around I thought I'd get clever and make it with broccoli.  Which was a bad idea.  And then I got carried away with my vegetables.  I love a party and I always say the more the merrier.  But then I didn't want to add too many of those salty chicken cubes things so I didn't.  I just put in more water. 

It wasn't a horrible catastrophe. We ended up having to add more seasonings after it was cooked.  (I say we because I always call in Li to fix my kitchen blunders, I'm no good at anything but following a recipe.)  And the broccoli just made the texture yucky.  Next time  I'll stick to cauliflower and not invite extra veggies to the party unless I'm willing to add extra of everything else.  i.e. double the recipe, like a normal person.


Oh, and I followed the advice of one of the commenters and used a slotted spoon to put the veggies in the blender and then only added some of the broth back in.  Also, I don't have Worcestershire sauce (nor can I spell it without a squiggly line) I used some soy sauce and Tabasco instead. 

Try it.  You'll like it.

I was meant to be a Mexican

On Tuesday we had Tortilla Soup.

Yum.

Think of the yummiest thing ever.
And then think harder.

It's so good.

Out with peanut butter and chocolate.
Lime, avocado and cilantro is the new best combo.

(Okay, I guess PB and chocolate is still be the best couple.)


The only thing that would make this soup experience more wonderful for me would be some of these.

Does anybody want to buy me some?



I apologize for the lack of photos, I just doesn't usually occur to me to take pictures of my food.

Please don't read my blog

I've had mucho inner turmoil about blogging.  It seems the less time I spend reading blogs the happier I get.  But writing a blog makes me happy.  I feel a little like a drug dealer.  But I finally decided that I can't be responsible if ya'll wanna do crack.  I hope the real drug dealers don't see it like that.

Seriously though.  If my blog makes you unhappy, please don't read it.

If you're still reading I promised soup recipes this week so here goes...

Last Monday we had coconut chicken curry.  I didn't mean to make soup on Monday.  I had sweet potatoes that I wanted to do something with.  While searching for recipes to use them I found this recipe, which didn't even call for sweet potatoes, but I made it anyway and used my potatoes instead of regular ones.  It was yummy!!


I'd repost the recipe, but that's a lot of typing or copy/pasting.  I suppose if you really want to try it, you can click the link, right?  Here it is again, in case you didn't find it. 

I made a few changes....
Like I said I used sweet potatoes instead of regular.
I don't like peas so I used some carrots and put them in with the potatoes.
I didn't add the optional toasted coconut because I don't know how to toast coconut.
My coconut milk was about a month expired.  (I'm sure this is key to getting it to taste great.)

I did that whole step where you brown the chicken before you put it in the crock pot but I'm sure that next time, I'll just throw it in.  I didn't notice much of a difference.  And I spent way more than the suggested 15 minutes on prep and 10 minutes is usually my limit, so the browning step has got to go.

Also they recommend cooking on low 6-8 hours.  Maybe my pot cooks hot, but it was way done by 5.

We will make this again.

If I can find some more coconut milk that's not expired.

Now I understand why my parents put me in the garage

I had the sugary sweetest post planned for today.  

All about smoothies and matching clothes and kitty-cats and rainbows.  

Well, some of that anyway. 

Maybe another day.  

If you're good.

(I just realized I typed god instead of good.  Do you think God reads blogs?)

So maybe it was because I've been playing nurse to 2 sick kids for the past 6 days.  

Or maybe the fact that my baby isn't yet 5 months old, and hasn't started solids but I still started my period this morning.  

Or maybe the gravitational pull of the moon in line with jupiter.....whatever.  

I woke up from my 7 solid hours of sleep feeling like there was no way I could function without 7 more.

But I yanked myself out of bed and Netflix and I did our best to raise these children.

(Megan likes to watch Carter while he watches TV.)

I remember wishing that Li had a sick day so that he could come home and I could have a sick day.
In retrospect, that should've been a red flag.

Megan finally fell asleep so I stuck Carter in his bed and fell asleep.  

Carter did not go to sleep and got into...well, I don't want to get arrested....so, something he shouldn't have.   

I was still desperate for sleep so I locked him in his room and he started yelling.  

Of course. 

Then my tender little Megan started crying in her sleep because Carter was crying.  

Ugh.  

As if I hadn't already blown the competition for world's worst mother out of the water.  

But yelling and door slamming and stomping around were soon to follow.  

Putting him in the garage to keep him quiet would've been much kinder.

(How could I get mad at a face like that?)

How much would I love a phone call like, "Please take my kids for an hour I'm desperate for a nap."?  So much. 

I know for a fact that if I had posted something similar on facebook I would have had multiple offers of help in minutes.

I watched Carter yank on a hose tonight for several minutes crying his brains out because he couldn't move it any further.  (I really am a mean mom, huh?)  When I finally convinced him he needed help it took me all of 30 seconds to fix his problem.

"I wanna do it myself."

Well I can't. 

And neither can you.

Or maybe you can.

But you don't have to.

And speaking of food, which we aren't, but my original post idea was going to... everything I wanted to make for dinner this week was soup.  So we ate nothing but soup all week.  And next week I'm going to post a recipe a day.  It should be yummy.

Ride with Sophie

This is how I feel since getting my new wheels.





Did you watch?
Tell me you don't want to hop on a bicycle and get some ice cream.

My daughter's a dummy

I spent the whole entire day flipping Megan from her tummy to her back.  She's a back to front expert.  She's back on her tummy as soon as I let go.  And then she screams.  It's like a compulsion.  I wanted to shout, "Hey dummy! Quit doing that."  But I didn't.  Because she's a baby.

I got home from Zumba last night with a rather large list of things I wanted to do.  Some how I found myself going from facebook to some blog I hardly understood and eventually wound up on an article about why barefoot is best.  (Which I already knew.)

Why do we do things that don't make us happy?!

I have a little bit of a crush on James Altucher these days.  It's okay, I think Li does too.  I recently read a post that mentioned we should wish people well.  Not really a novel concept I guess, but it smacked me on the face.  I don't do that.  More often I see people and I think I'm better than they are for some ridiculous reason, or I hate them because I can't come up with a ridiculous reason why I'm better than they are.

But I've been extra conscious of what makes me happy and what doesn't.   A few nights ago I went to bed early and then got up early enough to ride my bike to zumba.  I got there and found myself thinking things like... She has the best smile.  Her butt looks great in those pants.  Her personality seems so fun! (Are you recognizing yourself here fellow Zumbis?)  She is so adorable pregnant.  (Yeah, that's you Melis.)

I did it.  And I think it was because I was happy myself and so I wasn't threatened by the happiness of others.

I'm being proactive about happiness.  I'm having a book party.  Here's a link to the info on facebook.  I probably sent you an invite.  But for those of you who avoid facebook here's the details....

I'm reading this.

On Thursday October 20th at 7 I'm having a party to talk about it.
Please come.

If you can't come, you can still read it and talk to me about it.  I'd love that.

And while writing this post I checked facebook again.
And another blog.
Dummy!

Bone Tired

And tonight I'm the kind of tired, frustrated, annoyed blah blah blah where all I want to do is cry.  

But I'm too tired.

(Just wanted to keep it real.)

Li is talking to Megan while she sleeps.

(This is when Li proposed to me on a mountain.  I had no idea I was picking such a yummy life by saying yes.)

I am so happy and so lucky tonight. 

My kids are great and adorable.  (And sleeping.)  

I love my husband. 

I am stoked that I get to bike around town instead of walking or even driving. 

I finally have the means to be committed to a regular yoga practice with an inspiring and helpful teacher.   

Li is starting school and happy.

Is this sounding a little "Seriously-So-Blessed-esque?"

I don't know what to say about that.

(Really I don't.  I've written and erased multiple explanations.)

Bottom lines is I'm really happy and I felt like saying thanks.

I started blogging in the first place with this picture and the hope of being more grateful.

And tonight I just want to shout, "Yippee Skippee!"

Hello happiness!

My weekend was filled with loads of my favorite things.

There was

and

plus friends and family 

and my new favorite thing....

my bucket bike!!!!!!!

(I know it's unprofessional to use too many exclamation marks.

Believe me, I toned it down.

I could've used about a million more.)

Zucchini babies

 I'm not eating treats this week and while I know that zucchini "bread" is really more like zucchini cake, I ate it anyway.  

I make the rules around here anyway.

I used this recipe, which I'm pretty sure I've shared before, but it's basically my favorite thing.

In my defense I didn't frost it and I used applesauce for most of the oil, some wheat flour and less sugar.  So I'm totally justified right?  Whatever.

But let's get down to the nitty-gritty.  My neighbor gave me these.

As you can see, they are huge.  

I do love zucchini cakebread, but I can only eat so much.

Suggestions?  Recipes?  Pancakes?

She didn't give me the fiesta cheese soup, I put that there for perspective, but one thousand bonus points if you've got a recipe that uses both.

 (Actually that sounds super gross, but who knows?)

And here's another shot for perspective....

They are as big as a small child.

But my small children are much, much cuter.

Megan got a new toy.  Carter loves it.

Again.

I've been reading and learning and trying a lot lately.  

I've been reading about unschooling.

I've been reading James Altucher and Leo Babauta and Brene Brown.

And I want to share some of it.  

And since I'm trying to overcome my all-or-nothing mentality I'm blogging again.  

We will see what that turns out to mean.

For Cathie

Do you read my blog? :)

Killcam

Remember this post when I was so excited that I got a kill on Call of Duty?

Well, guess what....

Li handed me his controller while he went to get 2nd dinner 

and I wandered in circles all around "The Villa."  

And then I saw a guy from the other team.  

And somehow managed to get a couple shots off before he saw me.  

And then I realized I had just ended the game.  

And maybe you don't know this, but the last kill of the game is broadcast on the "killcam" for 

everyone to see.

I'm so famous!

A birth story (in novel form)

I feel like I already wrote this post almost 2 years ago...
second verse, same as the first, or something like that.
I got to a 10, pushed for way too long, had a C-section and ended up with a brand new, perfect human being.

And if you want to know ALL the silly details, read on...

I was dilated to a 5 for a week and a half.  A couple of times I thought she was coming and then the contractions would quit for a few days.  On Sunday I had some contractions during church and they continued during the afternoon while I tried to nap.  And then, once again, they quit.  This time they started up again around midnight and were strong enough and regular enough that I thought I should start keeping track.  But instead I dozed off and woke up at 1.  Li was just about to go to sleep, but I told him I didn't think we were sleeping tonight.  He started timing contractions for me.  It was hard to time because I had pretty constant back pain, so the pain never really went away.  I would just tell Li when it was REALLY bad.  After awhile he told me my contractions were 3 minutes apart, we called labor and delivery and I figured they would say to hurry and come over.  But they pretty much said it was up to us.  I debated through a few more contractions and finally decided we should go.  I didn't want to get to the hospital and have them have to intervene if it wasn't really time to deliver, but I did want an epidural as soon as possible if it was time to get the party started.

But I still wasn't sure if this was the real deal, so we pulled up in the parking lot and I said, "I wish my water would've broken on the way over so I knew there was a reason to come here." And just as I said it, my water broke.

We went in and told them we thought my water had broken.  In retrospect we should have told them I was in crazy pain and wanted an epidural.  They had me change into a gown and came back to check if my water had really broken.  They were in no hurry.  Once they concluded my water had indeed broken they had me walk across the hall to a room.  A little while later a nurse came in to check me.  Li asked, "what do you want to be at?"  I joked, "Oh a ten."  Seconds later the nurse was saying, "I can't find your cervix.  You are at a ten, you're complete."  And then the most dreadful words of the whole event..."You're not getting an epidural."  She said there wasn't time.  I asked if she was sure, and told her last time around I was at a 10 for a long time.  I was worried because I was having so much back pain, I knew there was a good chance this baby was posterior like Carter.  She said she was sure and to try not to push until Dr. Lunt could get there.

After a short eternity Dr. Lunt arrived and we started pushing.  I was a little angry, I've always thought that medicine was created for our benefit and I never planned on trying to brave the pain alone.  At first I was resisting the whole situation and just kept yelling that it hurt.  Eventually I settled into the idea that I was going to experience "natural" childbirth and started focusing my energy on pushing.

As the pushing went on and little progress was made it became increasingly difficult to remain optimistic.  I kept flashing back to hours of pushing with Carter and didn't know if I could do that again without some drugs.  And I knew for sure I didn't want to.  After a long time (no real idea how long 20 minutes? 30? at least 8-10 contractions) Dr. Lunt said, "Part of me wants to get you an epidural and let you take a break and then see what happens."  I jumped on that!  I knew I could push better if I wasn't afraid I was going to be pushing in such insane pain forever.

My best friend the epidural man came in and I started counting my last contractions (which I had done over an hour before in the car on the way over.)  Then we began the familiar process of laying my leg up on a table and switching sides every 1/2 hour or so trying to get the baby to flip.  I was still cautiously optimistic that I could deliver vaginally, even though this was all playing out like a nightmarish repeat of last time, only worse because it started out with so much more pain.  At one point Dr. Lunt came in and said she was definitely not in the same position and might be starting to turn.  So we kept going.  Later the nurse said she had turned far enough that we could start pushing and she would turn the rest of the way in the process.

I really enjoy pushing.  It is empowering.  After months of carrying this child around, waiting, I finally get to DO something to get them here.  Dr. Lunt came in and confirmed that she had turned some. I pushed for almost 2 hours, which is not unheard of for first births (which this basically was since my first was a c-section.)  The nurses seemed very optimistic that we were making progress.  I was watching my mom and Li's faces and they seemed very hopeful.  They had seen me push with Carter and seemed to think we were further along then Carter ever made it.

Dr. Lunt came in again and basically said he didn't think it was going to work.  I was crushed.  There was so much hope along the way that I really thought I had a chance at pushing a baby out all on my own.  I knew in my heart that he was right.  That I needed to have a c-section.  But I didn't want to have any regrets, I wanted to know that I had given it my all.  I really wanted to say, "Let's try to push one more time."  Even though I knew it wouldn't work, I couldn't quit without giving it everything I had.  We discussed for a long time and I cried.  Finally I decided it was my pride wanting me to keep pushing and that if I were really concerned with the safe arrival of my baby I wouldn't wait another second to get her here.  It was still really hard to say,"Let's have a c-section."  One of the hardest things I've ever done.

The anesthesiologist came in and I had a good chat with him about how after Carter was delivered they put something in my epidural that made the room spin and my head go fuzzy and how when they brought Carter to me I was afraid I would drop him and didn't want to see him and how I was devastated to meet my son in such a state.  We discussed options and I felt confident that this time it would be better.  And then he gave me my first dose of medicine and the room started spinning and my head went fuzzy and I threw up.  I was so bummed.  Of all the things associated with birth: pain and pushing and emotions and decisions and recovery - the one thing I didn't want to repeat was feeling so out of it when I met my child.  But there was nothing to do about that now.

My mom convinced them to let her come watch so she and Li got into their scrubs and they wheeled me into the OR.  I felt like I was on Scrubs.  I don't know why that show, I don't even watch it.  A c-section is a bit scary and painful, but this time I knew that ahead of time.  Still, I was shaking so much that I thought they wouldn't be able to cut me open right.  My mom assured me that I was clamped tight and my shaking wasn't affecting anything.  Dr. Lunt started pushing and pulling really hard and the room seemed tense.  I was hearing comments about how tight she was in there.  And for the first time I was genuinely scared for the welfare of my baby.  What if they couldn't get her out?  And then my mom smiled and started squealing, "She has a face!"  I was insanely jealous that everyone in the room could see her except me.  Eventually they brought her around to show me.  I was happy to meet her.  I endured a good scrub of all my internal organs and they stapled me shut.  I threw up again and made it back to my room.  The dizziness and confusion was starting to wear off.  When they got me back to my room I actually asked to hold and feed the baby.  I was full of joy when they put her in my arms.  My baby girl was here safely.

Dr. Lunt later said he had never seen a baby wedged in more tightly.  He said that all the progress we thought we were making was actually her head getting more and more swollen in the birth canal.  He is confident that she never would have been delivered vaginally.

I knew going into this whole trial of labor that because of my bone structure I have a very narrow passageway for my babies to enter this world.  But with Carter we were so close.  I was fairly confident that if I could deliver early, before she had a chance to weigh 9 pounds and if she wasn't posterior I could do it.  She was much smaller than Carter and it still didn't work.  And the angle of my bone structure seems to put my babies into a posterior position.  Basically, I physically cannot deliver a child.  I was really upset about this.  I mourned my loss.  I'll never push a baby out and have them placed on my chest, Li can never cut the cord, my recovery will always be long and painful, I will always be recovering from major surgery when I have a baby.

And then the next morning I woke up overwhelmed with gratitude.  If no one had come up with the c-section idea Carter would have died and most likely I would have too in the process and Megan would never have even been an idea.  Dr. Lunt saved my life twice and the lives of my children.  I will never deliver vaginally, but because of c-sections I can conceive, carry and give birth to children of my very own.  And that makes me incredibly happy.

I am also grateful that I had the chance to labor and get to complete without any medication.  I never want to do it again.  Ever.  Kudos to all those who sign up for that on purpose.  But I think I always wondered if I could do it.  Never enough to actually try, but I'm glad I had the chance to prove myself.

And I am so grateful that I made the choice to have a c-section when I did, instead of putting my child at risk to gratify my pride.

A few days before I went into labor I wrote this quote on the chalkboard in my room (I told you I'm a little obsessed with chalkboard paint these days.) "I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be."  (You can read it in context here.)

I am grateful that the Gardener is kind and loving as He carefully shapes us into who He needs us to be.

Great News!

My camera battery charger has been found!

It was apparently spotted in the junk drawer

and from there it spent the last semester at college in Logan.

Now it is off to Guatemala to learn some espanol.

Luckily it stopped here long enough to charge my battery

so I could capture this....

Not so happy family

 I drew this on the chalkboard the other day.

Then I stood back to admire my work and noticed my unfortunate placement, under the remains of the last thing someone drew on the board.

Welcome to the world

Megan Anela Kane

May 2, 2011 @1:46 pm

7 lb. 13 oz.

20 1/2 inches

We're so glad you're here!!

Paint

I don't like to paint when I'm pregnant, it makes me nervous.

Unfortunately for Li, when I'm pregnant is pretty much the only time I think things need painting.

Like how I decided last week that we NEEDED a chalkboard wall in the dining room.

And once the idea took root it couldn't happen fast enough.

I couldn't wait 1 day to go buy the paint.

(Which happened to be on sale the day I went to get it, furthering the idea in my mind that we really NEEDED this wall.)

I taped and Li patiently indulged me with 2 generous coats of paint.

Yesterday I rubbed the side of a piece of chalk all over the whole thing and erased like MAD to "prime" the surface.

(Which I'm only slightly embarrassed to admit was BY FAR the hardest workout I've had in months and nearly sent me into labor...it was really hard!)

Here she is in all her glory....

 I love it!

(Carter does too, but once I got the camera out he wanted to cheese instead of color.)

And yes, our dining room floor is now red.

I told you Li's been doing a lot of painting.

Do over.

I guess I should have been more specific.

The post below was a link to here,

where you'll find a video.

I watched it and had no words to describe,

I just wanted to share.

Confused?

click here

Wow.

I have no words.

Chocolate

I've been feeling fat these days.

And lazy.

Much fatter than necessary.

Tonight Li came home with this...

 

and now I can't get this song out of my head.

Omega 3s?

Carter made fish for dinner.

(No worse than the fruit snacks and caramel apple dip I tried to pass off as a meal.)

Today

I am: 

37 weeks

at least 3 cm

having fun buying/making girly clothes

excited/nervous to meet this new creature

still looking for my camera charger.

babies

We're all getting ready for the baby over here in our own special ways.

Carter watches Babies (the documentary) almost every day. 
He tries to share his apple juice with the baby, and rubs my tummy while saying, "Get out."

Li got his Tdap shot yesterday.  And you should get yours too.  I'm not being paranoid, I know the chances are extremely small that my child will be exposed to pertussis.  Last year in California there were at least 10 pertussis-related infant deaths, enough to declare an epidemic, but still a small number percentage wise.  But why should there be even one?  And what if that one was yours?  Read about Natalie's here.

And me?  Well, thanks to a free trial of Netflix, Prisonbreak has replaced all nesting activities around here.  Let's be honest, it's replaced ALL activity around here.  Now I wake up in the night thinking that secret service men are coming to get me, instead of thinking I have to save the world one gallon of paint at a time.  Surprisingly the secret service men are much less stressful!!

Before

My aunt and uncle are starting P90X this week.

I can't wait to see how much better I look for my after picture in 90 days!

My face

My make-up/skin care dilemma is up The Coterie Blog.

Check it out here,

and then give me your advice!!

Zzzzzz

I think I must be a sissy-pants

but ever since I got pregnant, I pretty much sleep when Carter does.

Which leaves basically zero time to do all my pregnancy-induced projects.

And even less time to blog about them.

Like now, I'm about 10 minutes late for my nap.

Have a happy weekend!

March

It's March, so I'm reading The Book of Mormon this month.

(I read it every March.)

This year though I made a new goal to read it every 2 months.

I just finished and started all over again.

I always love reading it in March,

but it is 1,000X better having just read it.

I'm learning about gratitude and miracles and faith.

And hopefully becoming a better person.

Didn't the groundhog see his shadow?

  This is what Carter picked out to wear today.

I hear you buddy.

Hopefully the sun does too.

I want to blog

But I've been so busy doing stuff that there's no time to share.

Hopefully soon :)

How to be a mediocre blogger...

Or maybe even pathetic (at no extra charge)

Start a new blog with high hopes and the best of intentions.

Blog religiously for a few months, even write preset posts when you go on vacation.

Get sick, lazy and apathetic.

Stop writing, except an occasional update about your bodily functions.

Lose your camera so you can't post pictures.

Find the camera and realize you still don't have the battery charger,

and so all you really have is a little message telling you to "change battery pack."

Debate in your head nearly everyday if it is even worth starting again;

or if it would just be too humiliating.

Find yourself thinking in blog post format from time to time; 

framing stories in your mind to share with the www.

Decide to give it a go.

Happy Halloween & A Happy New Year

My sister in law begged and begged for a Halloween picture for the family calendar.

So I finally uploaded a few pictures.

I present to you a lumberjack/ax murderer and his zombie parents come back to haunt him.