100/4 is not 30...... just sayin

So I have a brand new niece! She was born on Thursday to Bud's brother and his wife. They named her Isabella Grace, isn't that beautiful? She is only 5 lbs 2 oz and 18 inches, but my SIL is very tiny. She was about 10 days early, which is always nice. They had a lot of fertility issues and went through IVF so this has been a very long road.

It brings back memories of having Owen. Remember how different it is the first time? How you can just hang in hospital room, rather than being in labor and wondering how the older child is doing? When we had Maddie, Bud would leave the hospital room at 5:30 am so that he could go to mom's so she could leave for work. Then he would get Owen up and ready and take him to daycare when she opened at 7:00. Not quite as idyllic.

Speaking of idyllic, aren't pregnant hormones like being bathed in serenity all day long? On Thursday my glucose monitor stopped working, I have had it for 6 years (yes I replaced the batteries). So on Friday I called my doc so he could call in a new prescription for one. This morning I called to make sure he had called my pharmacy and he had. Then I asked about refilling my prescription for testing strips, I was told that insurance will only pay for one month at a time, which is a box, of 100 strips. Well standard practice is to test 4 or 5 times a day, which means I will run out 5 days before I can renew. The "helpful" technician informed me I can pay for some if I would like..... gee thanks. I pointed out it is mathematically impossible for 100 strips to be a month supply, but maybe math is not her strong suit. I understand it isn't her fault, but seriously she could have been a bit more helpful. Or at least understood the point I was making. If she had just said "yes, you are right you will run out. I suggest calling your dr and having him call in a more specific prescription for you" that would have been great. Rather than "yeah that's how it works I guess...hm". So clearly the best option is to cry about for 20 minutes, which I did.


But I have a new niece withe a head of dark curly hair.

Technical Difficulties

Yippeee we finally have our new laptop. On Tuesday it was only 40 minutes away, then they shipped it 10 hours away. I don't understand the shipping system, oh well. We finally got it on Saturday, the same day our other laptop developed a worm! So instead of Bud and I spending our time on Saturday working on separate lap tops, Bud spent his time battling the computer demons. He thinks he finally got it fixed. Keeping my fingers crossed. I have a bunch of lessons due by midnight tonight so I am sure I will be busy until late.

Mom took the kids overnight, so that is helpful. I got a decent night sleep, so that was good. Mom called a bit ago, Maddie was having one of her screaming fits. She rarely does that in front of other people, everyone thinks she is an angel. Usually she is, but she is stubborn, and feisty and when she is mad she goes into these rages. You can see she is trying to learn how to control herself, and you can see what a struggle it is. I feel so proud of her when she manages to pull herself together.


I have neglected recipes lately, also I have neglected cooking. I am sure cereal is a nutritious dinner for growing children. Another popular option has been "whatever you find in the fridge, that is not growing stuff". Yep low standard parenting, I am so proud. I hope this summer when we are both done with our classes we can get a system that works better.

Last weekend Owen and I made these brownies . They were so good, and Owen loves helping in the kitchen, instead of semi-sweet Owen made up a cup of random chips, milk chocolate, white chocolate and peanut butter. I am sure brownies are on the gestational diabetes diet, right?

Catching Up

Wow, I guess I disappeared for awhile. Things have been super busy around here, my dad was in town. We had a lot of fun. And Maddie didn't cry at all around him, she hugged him and even gave him kisses. Of course, now he is completely smitten with her. Owen read him a few books with his mad reading skillz. We also had to rearrange all the freezer space for the great meat gift.

Mom ended up picking the kids up from school for us 3 of the 5 days last week. Bud and I are the coaches for a quiz bowl team. We have had playoff matches the last few weeks. We are now in the championship. So that was Monday, Tuesday Bud has classes until 9:30 pm, Wednesday I had a doctor appointment. Then Thursday was an appointment with the high risk doctor and another ultrasound. The baby looks great and is right on track growth wise. Then on Friday we had a memorial to attend. Whew busy week.

Also my birthday was last week and Bud got me this cute t-shirt. I like to display my dorkiness as much as possible, plus with the belly the calculator really pops. He also got me a gift certificate for a prenatal massage. I am so excited. We don't really do the valentine's day thing. I don't like going out to eat when there are tons of other people eating, it just isn't that romantic. We both have had a ton of work to get done, so mom took all four of her grandkids for Saturday night. Bud and I spent the evening grading and doing homework for our various classes. I have two online classes going right now, and Bud has a few 20 page papers due this semester. I am a bit ashamed to say that one laptop does not cut it for two people who are on the computer all the time. So we ordered another, I feel like such a consumer. It will be delivered tomorrow or the next day! I am so excited. I haven't been keeping up with some online things that I would like. I can't really tell Bud to do his paper later, I need to comment on various blogs. Luckily he is sleeping right now, he was up until 2:ooam working on school stuff.

Well Maddie smells like she needs a new diaper, so off to the trenches I go.

Playground Conversations

The other day when I picked up Owen at school I noticed a variety of band aids all over his body. He told me about falling down, yada yada, the usual. Then sums up with "also my butt itches". Thanks for that.

So as I am signing him out one of the teachers fills me in more on the falling and injuries. Then tells me that his butt has been hurting all day. They sent him to wipe, and that made it worse and he has had trouble walking around. Awesome. So I am apologizing for my son's dirty butt, wondering is this normal? Do other people discuss their child's wiping habits with the teacher in Kindergarten? I had expected him to be more proficient at this point. Am I suppose to still be double checking his technique? I need a book on these things.

Why are there a million books about taking care of a newborn, who just eats, poops, and sleeps all day screams all night, but nothing about how to make a 5 year old stop the freaking whining and sighing all day, or when they should be able to wipe themselves. Also, should he be able to rinse his own hair now? Because he still freaks out if the water touches his face. Should we take him to a therapist, or just dump water on him and tell him to suck it up? I am leaning towards the latter by the way.

Today at dinner he told us about a girl at school who wants to marry him. He doesn't want to marry her, when I asked him why, he said, "she just isn't the right person". Which is a better answer than you get from some adults.

Cookies, yay cookies

This recipe is my all time favorite cookie. It just melts in your mouth, leaving a happy feeling on your tongue. It is from my favorite cook book The Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking. It was originally printed in 1947, my edition came out in 1959. It is a total hoot. There are all these creeds, the "meal planner's creed", the "cook's creed". It is comedy gold! My favorite? This section

"Butter is more than just a nutritious food with a delicious flavor; it may be highly decorative also, if shaped with imagination. All these attractive little butter pats, balls, curls and blossoms can be made by any enterprising housewife armed with a sharp knife, a pair of wooden paddles, a butter curler, and a mold or two. When directions are followed, they are easy the first time, easier the second and fun no matter how often you make them."

What is not to love? A) any cook book saying butter is nutritious is awesome B) making butter decorative? cool C) envisioning a life where you have time to make pretty butter? where were the children, in the basement??

You can feel the effects from the Depression with all the ways to use everything, bacon fat and stale bread. There are lessons on how to make attractive canapes, keep your fridge clean (I skipped that section apparently), pick good fruits and veggies at the store. It even has a sample weekly menu for each month. I have been looking through this again the last few months and am amazed at how many of our family recipes are adaptation of this cook book. My grandma has one, and she bought one (actually it's two books) when mom got married I think. My SIL found mine on amazon or ebay a few years ago. I remember using this book as a very young girl. My mom's book still opens automatically at this cookie recipe.

Almond Crescents

1/2 C almonds (chopped fine) (Walnuts work as well)

3/4 C + 2 Tblsp. Flour

1/8 t salt

1/2 C butter

1/3 C powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

1/4 t almond extract (if you don't have it use extra vanilla)

extra powdered sugar

Heat oven for 10 minutes before baking at 325 degrees. Cream butter until shiny, add sugar and cream well. Stir in flavorings, then almonds and flour and salt. Knead dough til smooth. Divide dough in two. Roll each into a rope of 15 inches. Cut ropes into 1-inch lengths, then roll each piece to 2-inch lengths, curving to a crescent shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, bake 15 minutes until a pale golden color. Remove at once to cake rack, then roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Makes 30.

When I make this, I just roll it into balls, because I am lazy like that. Also I never get 30 cookies, more like 2 dozen, so I triple or quadruple the recipe. You have time to make these for the big game today! yummmmm

Fail

I found out this week I failed my one hour glucose screening. My doctors office wanted me to go for the three hour test, but since I had gestational diabetes in my other 2 pregnancies, I didn't see the point. So I will be back to testing my blood sugar 4 times a day! Yay, whatever. I remember the first time I was so freaked out, second time it was an inconvenience and now, meh. I have been able to control it easily with diet, and I don't expect this time to be any different.

My dad is coming to visit us this week. I am looking forward to it. This will be Meat Week. For the last few years my dad has purchased and had butchered a cow, which he then divides with my brother and I. It is the best Christmas present ever. It gets us through most of the year without buying meat. I can't imagine the amount of money we save. Also the taste is far better than what we get at the store. Also, no hormones or what not.

Unfortunately, Maddie is not a huge fan of grandpa. It is so sad to watch, he desperately wants to hang out with her, and her whole personality changes. She doesn't play or talk, she just sits next to one me or Bud. I am hoping she will do a bit better this time.

My dad wants the guys, Bud, my brother and the two 5 year old boys to go skiing. The kids have never been and dad wants to see them go their first time. So his plan...... we all drive 3 hours to a ski resort and stay at a hotel. Then the guys will ski, I will stay in the resort all day, so when the little boys get tired, I can take them, so the big boys can ski. I know, sounds awesome! Why aren't I jumping on this? Bud is not pleased with the plan, he figures why spend all that money when the boys aren't going to ski that long. Also, Owen is not a huge fan of new things, he is a bit of a scaredy cat, and we are fine with it. So we don't think he will have fun. Bud has a 20 page research paper to work on and can't spend the time. So my brothers new suggestion is that Bud and I can stay home and he and dad will take Owen. I feel bad saying no, but seriously, the boy is 5, I know him, he won't enjoy himself enough to justify the trip. gahhhhh

So I am sure there will be a big guilt trip involved. Yippeeee, isn't it fun when family is in town?

Pepper Steak

This is one of my all time favorite dinners. We had this for dinner last night, I have a bunch of round steak that needs to be used. The kids like this pretty well, Owen doesn't care for the peppers, but is able to pick them out. Remember all seasonings are approximate, feel free to adjust for your family.



The great thing about this recipe? You can make a couple changes and make Broccoli Beef. So on a Sunday you can make a huge batch, halfway through set some of it aside for later in the week. I am a big fan of cooking something time consuming on Sunday, then using it later in the week. As I have mentioned, we don't have a ton of time for cooking each night, so I try to make a few things over the weekend to make life tolerable during the week. So here it goes:



Pepper Steak



1 1/2 lb (ish) round steak

1-2 cloves of garlic

1/3 of an onion

pepper

2T soy sauce

1 can beef broth (or you could use bouillon, or not if it means another trip to the store)

1 28oz can diced tomatoes (drained a bit)

3-4 large green peppers (or other colors if they aren't $12 each)

Hot Rice



Cut the steak into smallish pieces, and trim whatever amount of fat suits you. For me that means not just fat, but anything that is sort of close to the fat. Put the meat into a tupperware with a bunch of flour. Put the lid on and shake it, til everything is coated nice. Throw a big blob of shortening into a stock pot, when it is nice and hot put the coated pieces of meat into the hot oil. When it is about halfway browned add the onion and chopped garlic. When the meat is browned and the onions are looking a bit cooked add the beef broth until the meat is just covered. I actually usually just use water and throw in some bouillon. Add the soy sauce and some pepper. Now turn it down to simmer with a lid for about 30 minutes. Stir periodically so it doesn't stick to the bottom. The flour on the meat will help the sauce to thicken. * Then add the diced tomatoes, when it is simmering again throw in the sliced peppers. If the sauce is to thin let it simmer without a lid, to thick? just add more liquid. In 10 to 15 minutes the peppers should be tender. Serve over hot rice.



*For Broccoli Beef, same directions, but after the meat has simmered for 30 minutes add fresh or frozen broccoli and a can of sliced water chestnuts. Again serve over hot rice.





These are both great as leftovers for lunch.