i would like to get back to blogging soon, mostly because i enjoy the creative output of writing.plus, i need a break from telling the kids to stop fucking with each other. if i have to stop one more argument over nothing i am going to start pulling my hair out.
our house has bee full of the plague for the last week - actually, since the beginning of 2013. so far this year i have suffered a miscarriage, the husband has suffered large amounts of stress at work, and the kids and i have been sick on and off every other week.
on the plus side ge man has been enjoying his gymnastics class, chunk has been a little more reasonable even though the has ramped up the drama, my husband has a job to support us, and i have a great amount of support and love surrounding me from family and friends.
the miscarriage was hard. we have been trying for over a year to get pregnant and were so excited to get the positive line 2 days before christmas. to be honest i felt something was amiss from the word go, but i wanted to believe that we would finally be getting the baby we have dreamed about so i pushed forward with hope. my pregnancy signals started and i thought this was going to be it, but at the six week mark i miscarried and was crushed. a lot of my girlfriends around me are either a.) newly pregnant b.) ready to give birth or c.) just gave birth this week and it has been an emotional struggle. i am super happy for everyone, but the quiet moments are hard and often full of tears. we are trying to be hopeful, but it's hard after the emotional struggle from the last year to keep my head up. i was amazed by the female support i have received through all of it, though, and am grateful to be surrounded by some amazing female friends.
chunk is doing really well and is talking up a storm. i tell everyone she lives life like she is writing a story and it is so true. there is always a scenario to play out, a mystery to solve, or a song to sing. she brings high energy and high drama to absolutely everything she does and is hard to keep up with some days. we are working on teaching her colors, but she simply cannot connect the words to the colors themselves. her recognition of animals is beyond anything i have ever seen, and she enjoys telling you what they say as loudly as she possibly can. she still loves reading books, is starting to enjoy crafting (although it never goes off without a lot of stress), and potty trained herself in two days (TWO DAYS!) her current favorite toys are her baby dolls and her doll house (filled with a variety of small plastic toys to create drama and happiness with). she prefers spicy food, loves her big brother more than life itself, and gives some damn fine hugs when she wants to be nice.
ge man has come light years from where he was when we first moved here. his playgroup has been super good for him and he has forged friendships that i didn't know he was capable of. our little ladies man has quite a few girls with crushes on him and he always enjoys making sure they are happy in the sweetest of ways. he is the most considerate little guy i have ever met and has a brain unlike any i have ever known. still a lover of all things rules, he is starting to be able to build a bit more structure for himself and is thriving under his new status as a 5 year old. he loves his legos, anything scientific, and creating art. his phineas and ferb birthday party was a huge success and i was amazed to see how many people showed up to celebrate him. i may or may not have cried many a time because i honestly don't know how he got this old so quickly. ge man is loving his gym class at the community center - so much so that i signed him up again through the spring. we also enrolled him in tball for the first time and i know the hubs is looking forward to taking him and watching his big guy do the sports thing. ge is insistent he will be an artist when he grows up, but is letting us push him a little in the activities direction. he is reading, wonderful at math, and loves to learn. he loves his little sister and tries not to be too annoyed that her favorite activity is pushing his buttons. i could write paragraphs on how far he has come, and how proud i am of him. he continues to amaze me daily.
we are grateful to be here, even on the hard days. the husband and i's anniversary is coming up soon and i am continuously grateful to be married to him and to have him in my corner. he works incredibly hard for this family and rarely complains. we are a lucky bunch.
Showing posts with label this beautiful life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label this beautiful life. Show all posts
2.21.2013
7.01.2011
no blog til sleeping
i know that i have been seriously lagging on my blog updates as of late, but i have a really good excuse :
having two kids this age is freaking hard.
i wrote up a post last weekend, but i never got around to finishing it and now it is just sitting in draft status all lonely without it's ending paragraph(s). i was going to finish it, but chunk is a lighting quick crawler, and also a 3 am riser, and by the time they go to bed i am so exhausted that i can no longer form sentences. hell, i can barely move my fingers by 8 oclock. but i do, because that's when i make dinner. and then dishes. and by 9 it is finally time for me to sit down and blogging sounds stupid. stupid, stupid, stupid.
the kids aredriving me crazy doing great! chunk is a crawler, and is working on being a stander as well. the other day she stood up on her own by pushing off a teeny box and i thought it was going to go really badly, but by the time i got around to almost intervening she was safely down on her bum and she still had all of her eyes and toes. ge is insane and 3. he is really, really good at being 3. we have had a lot of activities for him lately to keep him busy and it seems to help him from not going crazy and speaking in tongues. they are both playing in ge's room happily together these days, which helps me do things like vacuum and make sure that the dishes we own aren't covered in gross. their ages may be hard at the moment, but i know in the next few months it will get a bit more easy.
the husband, the amazing husband, killed his fiscal year end at work and had a real live smile on his face when he came home from yet another 14 hour day at work last night. he threw himself into making june his month and he succeeded. we miss him, though, and i am so happy he is home for a 3 day weekend. we are going to go to the farmer's market, light of some cheap fireworks, and have a movie night with ge. should be a wonderful weekend. plus, backup! huzzah for backup!
i am going to try and blog more in july. i keep this blog for my kids so i really want to stay more updated on it. eventually a lot of the entries will make their way into book form so i can tell my children howawful wonderful and fun they were when they were little. time really does fly by with kids and this here word thingie helps me slow down and remember all of the moments we have.
having two kids this age is freaking hard.
i wrote up a post last weekend, but i never got around to finishing it and now it is just sitting in draft status all lonely without it's ending paragraph(s). i was going to finish it, but chunk is a lighting quick crawler, and also a 3 am riser, and by the time they go to bed i am so exhausted that i can no longer form sentences. hell, i can barely move my fingers by 8 oclock. but i do, because that's when i make dinner. and then dishes. and by 9 it is finally time for me to sit down and blogging sounds stupid. stupid, stupid, stupid.
the kids are
the husband, the amazing husband, killed his fiscal year end at work and had a real live smile on his face when he came home from yet another 14 hour day at work last night. he threw himself into making june his month and he succeeded. we miss him, though, and i am so happy he is home for a 3 day weekend. we are going to go to the farmer's market, light of some cheap fireworks, and have a movie night with ge. should be a wonderful weekend. plus, backup! huzzah for backup!
i am going to try and blog more in july. i keep this blog for my kids so i really want to stay more updated on it. eventually a lot of the entries will make their way into book form so i can tell my children how
6.11.2011
today was the day
every once in a while one of those days comes along that redefines perfection - today was that day for my little family. the last 3 + weeks we have been in a funk. my cooking has suffered, husband's work has suffered, the kids have been miserable in the heat; it just hasn't be noteworthy in so long that i think we started to give up. and today, today we didn't even try to turn it around, but it naturally fell into place and today i am so grateful, because i needed that ... we needed that.
the kids loved the phillies game. when we first got there it started to rain, heavy rain, but the clouds parted and our seats stayed dry. ge was worried at first, but he quickly warmed when the players and the sun came out. we got a game, a good game. we left during the top of the 7th after the score reached 4 - 1, phillies. a perfect time to leave because when we came home the kids were bathed and happily put to bed and the husband and i ordered ufc 131. (phillies over cubs, 7 - 1 in the end.)
my husband and i, we work together for so many reasons. the most important, and cliche reason, is that we are best friends. we are, best friends. we share passions, and when we don't we remain involved no matter what. we share a love for ufc and it energizes us and brings us to a great place. tonight we were not going to order the fights, but we did, and we made the right decision. tonight has been nothing but conversation and smiles and my jaw bones are sore from the happiness that today has brought. this has been one of those days where i feel lucky, and these days are the moments i carry because i know we will always be back here no matter what.
this is the day i have needed for weeks. today makes all of the previous day's tears worth it. this life, this life is beautiful. i thank my husband and my kids. i thank my family. i thank the east coast. i thank my sister, my friends, my mother, and every good person i have had the opportunity to meet. i thank the bad times, because without them, i would have never known good. i am just thankful.
cheesy? yes. but i would write it again, and again.
the kids loved the phillies game. when we first got there it started to rain, heavy rain, but the clouds parted and our seats stayed dry. ge was worried at first, but he quickly warmed when the players and the sun came out. we got a game, a good game. we left during the top of the 7th after the score reached 4 - 1, phillies. a perfect time to leave because when we came home the kids were bathed and happily put to bed and the husband and i ordered ufc 131. (phillies over cubs, 7 - 1 in the end.)
my husband and i, we work together for so many reasons. the most important, and cliche reason, is that we are best friends. we are, best friends. we share passions, and when we don't we remain involved no matter what. we share a love for ufc and it energizes us and brings us to a great place. tonight we were not going to order the fights, but we did, and we made the right decision. tonight has been nothing but conversation and smiles and my jaw bones are sore from the happiness that today has brought. this has been one of those days where i feel lucky, and these days are the moments i carry because i know we will always be back here no matter what.
this is the day i have needed for weeks. today makes all of the previous day's tears worth it. this life, this life is beautiful. i thank my husband and my kids. i thank my family. i thank the east coast. i thank my sister, my friends, my mother, and every good person i have had the opportunity to meet. i thank the bad times, because without them, i would have never known good. i am just thankful.
cheesy? yes. but i would write it again, and again.
5.25.2011
please send ice
you know what is hard? finding the motivation to blog when it is hot and humid. also difficult, not turning on the air conditioning. i have made myself a promise that i will delay turning on the air conditioning for as long as possible this summer because i absolutely do not enjoy the rape like bills that peco sends me for our old ass air conditioner and its constant state of on. seriously, i almost threw up last year when i got our first bill, but we maintained the condition of the air being cold because i was pregnant, and i get grumpy when i am pregnant. very. easily. i purchased a 17 dollar fan from target that seems to be helping, but still ... being on a grown up budget is hard. and it sucks.
the kids were absolutely horrible demons today. poor chunk is growing in her two top teeth and ge is 3. ge is 3 a lot, and chunk's teeth never seem to stop growing in. i am glad that peco can't charge me for this because i am sure that budget billing would not cover it at all. this business of being alive is incredibly expensive.
chunk-a-tron is a rolling fool around our house. she can scoot backwards, readjust her turn to move in a new direction, and she is trying really hard to manipulate those fat little knees of hers to stay up. she is an absolutely hilarious and sweet little baby. her papa loved my, "hold my closer sloppy kisser" song, because she loves to just latch on to any piece of my skin she can find to show affection. my tag line for the chunk is, "i am just happy to be here." because she continues to just love being alive, and being around everyone that pays attention to her. i honestly cannot believe that she is 8 months old, and that she will soon be 1. time flies when you live in such a beautiful world.
ge is a talking, singing fool. tonight he was following me around the house screaming nonsense while i was on the phone with his aunt brook. i jokingly told him that he was a burden and he burst out into a laughter that lasted 10 minutes. he loves to be challenging. he will tell me, "mom, i am going to be frustrating now" and he does, and he will. i love that he challenges me, i love it most when he is asleep and i am relaxing - like now. he loves to paint, sing songs while he drums, tell me what to do, play mickey mouse friends with his dad, and go anywhere outside. he is such a help at the grocery store and takes such loving care of his little sister. ge has always been and remains and incredible blessing on my life.
the husband is stressed with work, but he is wonderful as always. i am so incredibly proud of the person he is and the husband he is. he keeps me laughing at my worst moments and is always there for us unconditionally. plus, he knows my favorite wines and my drink order from starbucks! how can you say anything bad about that?!
the feeling in my hands is starting to return, but that has been met with a lot of pain from the various injuries i seem to have sustained in the 4 weeks of numbness. i am starting to believe that the last month + of hardships were completely due to zoloft withdrawal. horrible, awful, zoloft withdrawals. i will never miss that drug.
it's hot. i am sure that there are other words i planned on typing, but a 17 dollar fan only blows so much ... just ask lloyd how much more 8 dollars could have gotten us.
the kids were absolutely horrible demons today. poor chunk is growing in her two top teeth and ge is 3. ge is 3 a lot, and chunk's teeth never seem to stop growing in. i am glad that peco can't charge me for this because i am sure that budget billing would not cover it at all. this business of being alive is incredibly expensive.
chunk-a-tron is a rolling fool around our house. she can scoot backwards, readjust her turn to move in a new direction, and she is trying really hard to manipulate those fat little knees of hers to stay up. she is an absolutely hilarious and sweet little baby. her papa loved my, "hold my closer sloppy kisser" song, because she loves to just latch on to any piece of my skin she can find to show affection. my tag line for the chunk is, "i am just happy to be here." because she continues to just love being alive, and being around everyone that pays attention to her. i honestly cannot believe that she is 8 months old, and that she will soon be 1. time flies when you live in such a beautiful world.
ge is a talking, singing fool. tonight he was following me around the house screaming nonsense while i was on the phone with his aunt brook. i jokingly told him that he was a burden and he burst out into a laughter that lasted 10 minutes. he loves to be challenging. he will tell me, "mom, i am going to be frustrating now" and he does, and he will. i love that he challenges me, i love it most when he is asleep and i am relaxing - like now. he loves to paint, sing songs while he drums, tell me what to do, play mickey mouse friends with his dad, and go anywhere outside. he is such a help at the grocery store and takes such loving care of his little sister. ge has always been and remains and incredible blessing on my life.
the husband is stressed with work, but he is wonderful as always. i am so incredibly proud of the person he is and the husband he is. he keeps me laughing at my worst moments and is always there for us unconditionally. plus, he knows my favorite wines and my drink order from starbucks! how can you say anything bad about that?!
the feeling in my hands is starting to return, but that has been met with a lot of pain from the various injuries i seem to have sustained in the 4 weeks of numbness. i am starting to believe that the last month + of hardships were completely due to zoloft withdrawal. horrible, awful, zoloft withdrawals. i will never miss that drug.
it's hot. i am sure that there are other words i planned on typing, but a 17 dollar fan only blows so much ... just ask lloyd how much more 8 dollars could have gotten us.
5.24.2011
i'm about to get list like up in here
first, with the teevee talk
this weekend we get to see my sister and her family and they are going to take the little devils off of our hands for two hours so we can actually be grow-ups and go see the hangover two. i. are. excited!! i feel spoiled with all of this family time because my family is way cooler than yours. i mean, no offense, but i have to be biased. you would be biased, too.
- how awesome was house last night? i felt like the sick person story was a little draggy and ridiculous, but she paralleled house well and i absolutely love that actresses voice. i hope that it wasn't a hallucination, because that would be like the billionth time they have done that and i totally love the car into house scene. win.
- i am still mourning the loss of how i met your mother for the season, but they went out with a good bang and i can spend my lame summer television months thinking that lily is happily pregnant. i told the husband as soon as it started that she was with alien life form. this season was a lot of sad so i was happy to see it end with so much happy.
- i have never watched the biggest loser before, but i got hooked about half way through this season and i am loving it. i don't know what happens tonight, but i hope the best things happen to hannah. it really is amazing to watch the transformations.
- uhm, voice? yes? i love it and i got the husband hooked on it, too. i still think blake shelton is an absolute idiot for letting tyler robinson go, but i will move forward with the show trying to hold only a little grudge. the show really is the awesome and i am excited for it tonight.
- and yes, glee. i love me some glee. i love me some over-the-top break outs into random song and ridiculous plot twists. you could judge me, but jesus said not to. so there. i am hoping they win nationals. i don't know if the writers will do that, but i would rather it not completely mimic the last season-ender. plus, if they lose nationals you know they will probably take it next year and the formula gets a bit boring.
- how sucky is the end of good television!? i am super excited that we get so you think you can dance and next food network star soon. the closer is a huge summer time tee vee win for us, too. excuse me a minute while i go hug my television and tell it that i love it and i don't know how other people live without it.
this weekend we get to see my sister and her family and they are going to take the little devils off of our hands for two hours so we can actually be grow-ups and go see the hangover two. i. are. excited!! i feel spoiled with all of this family time because my family is way cooler than yours. i mean, no offense, but i have to be biased. you would be biased, too.
5.20.2011
laser envy
the kiddo's beloved paw-paw is in town and not only did he bring his love for entertaining our children, he brought a really cool blue laser with a super powerful beam. for his line of work he is the kind of person who needs super powerful laser beams, and as a proud relative i am the kind of person who just found out i love to play with super powerful laser beams. for instance: did you know that if you hold black paper up to said laser it will actually start on fire!? très bien!! also, playing with laser beams during the night time is a lot, and i mean a lot, of fun. i am probably not responsible enough to own one, nor could i legally buy one, but it was a lot of fun.
last nights adventures in phosphor fun were a blast, and today brings more merriment as we head to the slides and later make some blue cheese burgers. i absolutely love the chance to spend time with family and watch the kids get some solid interaction with their grandfather. slides and books by day - science, mma, and politics by night. perfection!
my blood test results came back clean, which is good, but slightly annoying. i am almost positive i am going to have to move myself to a gluten free diet to see if that brings the feelings back into my hands. i miss having extremities that feel normal. right now i am either in excruciating pain, or numb. blah. perhaps i will make the month of july not only about our freedom, but my freedom from gluten. i am going to give the zoloft withdrawals the two more weeks necessary to finish off, too, before i make any major decisions. part of me was just really wishing the doctor would call back and give me a solid issue and solution. they never have before though, so i suppose i am not too surprised.
off to play in the rain.
5.10.2011
the struggle
the doctor's tell me i suffer from anxiety, agoraphobia, and extreme ocd. i tell myself, well, of course i do. i think we all struggle with something or another. i know a lot of beautiful people that all struggle with something. i have a lot of wonderful female friends that struggle with so many things each day and i am proud of all of them for so many reasons. it is easy to feel like you are your issues, and i have made a promise to myself, my kids, and my husband, that i will no longer let my struggles run my life. and so, instead of keeping my kids indoors this spring, i have decided to pick myself up and move us all out to explore our new stomping grounds. today was awesome. limerick, pa has an amazing park. and rather than tell my blog readers what an amazing time we had; i am going to let the pictures speak fro themselves.
tomorrow i urge you all to get out and do at least one thing that you don't want to do; especially if it is good for you. <3 and, if you read this little blog, please tell me what you did. i want to share these moments with my friends. <3
tomorrow i urge you all to get out and do at least one thing that you don't want to do; especially if it is good for you. <3 and, if you read this little blog, please tell me what you did. i want to share these moments with my friends. <3
5.08.2011
impossible
i want to blog about my day, about my mother, about my sister, about the michael bolton being the most awesome person in the world that ever sang a song about jack sparrow, but i don't. my morning started early and was full of happy like tears. today has been here, but a bit off, and i am ready to just find my peace and blog tomorrow. my mom is such an amazing person that when i send her all of my positive thoughts she will not care that they came a day later than hallmark wanted me to send them. plus, we have already spent the weekend talking, and telling her over the phone that she is nothing short of amazing is just as meaningful as my mom day ramblings of the keyboard variety.
i will say this : the highlight of today was my 3 year old, gage, telling me "happy birthday mother's day!" and literally running towards me to hug me. to say i burst out into tears is an understatement. this day is not a celebration of me, to me, but a celebration of all the people in my life who helped me to be a mother. and i am grateful. and i am tired. and i am ready for a glass of wine.
to all the mothers, to all of my women friends, to all of the people that have had a mother to celebrate - happy mother's day. happy day in general. , ma
i will say this : the highlight of today was my 3 year old, gage, telling me "happy birthday mother's day!" and literally running towards me to hug me. to say i burst out into tears is an understatement. this day is not a celebration of me, to me, but a celebration of all the people in my life who helped me to be a mother. and i am grateful. and i am tired. and i am ready for a glass of wine.
to all the mothers, to all of my women friends, to all of the people that have had a mother to celebrate - happy mother's day. happy day in general. , ma
5.07.2011
sadistic slumbers
* i feel like i have to preface this blog by saying that i do not choose to watch the kardashians. but yes, i am a person that will stop to watch a train wreck if one happens in front of me. if, for some reason (the soup!), our tv is tuned to E! and the kardashians are on i cannot look away. they are such interesting people to me because i truly cannot understand why people would actually want to watch them. and yet, they are my television show equivalent of a train wreck.
this morning the husband let me sleep in. (i actually slept until 9 am!) for me, most of my crazy dreams happen after the sun has risen and i continue peacefully in my slumber, burritoed in my soft comforter and squishy pillows. today the crazy dreams reached a monumental peak by way of the kardashians. i will tell the dream as i saw it - please try not to judge my insanity too harshly.
we begin at a dive bar. the best way to describe this bar is dusty; the colors were very sepia toned and the faces of the people around me took on a very softened look. my husband and i were surrounded by some friends that are real in our life and some of, what i call, my dream friends (people that do not actually exist, but often pop up in my sleeping head.) we were deep in detective like conversation about the serial killings that were happening around us. the surroundings began to take shape as the conversation unfolded, sort of like they happen in a movie; where there is a description of events and places and the camera pans the location they are speaking about. the location was a large quarry with a giant mansion settled in to one of its ledges. the home was vibrant, but the surrounding were very gray and ominous looking. the dive bar happened to sit above the quarry and our homes were somewhere around, although never really shown in my dream. there was a television that was giving us the news of a serial killer in the area and the prime suspect was scott disick. anyone who has ever seen the kardashian shows would most likely agree that out of anyone on the E! network, scott would probably be the person voted most likely to be a creep ass killer. and yet, i was skeptical. we started to piece together the events and i started to argue with our group. is scott an ass? yes. but does being the world's most giant bag of douche make you a killer? not so much. i broke from the group and started a very video game like search for the killer. there were ledges to cross, clues that were grabbed by just the force of thought, and everything started to pull together. the video game like parts of my dream were vibrant, full of color and speed. the husband and i journeyed together and in picking up all the clues realized that it was actually rob kardashian that was the killer. and we brought it to everyone, who immediatly jumped to the defense of what they saw as such an innocent little guy, but the cops started to agree with me and finally i busted the case wide open. rob kardashian, serial killer. we found the clues all over the quarry and were congratulated for our hard work.
and then i woke up, because i could hear my little girl making noises from the other room and i knew that her dad did not have the same means to feed her that i did. and it took me a few minutes to realize what a crazy brain i live in. and i laughed. as much as i love my morning sleep in sessions, they send my dream brain to absolutely insane places. like i said, please do not judge me. you should hear about the crazy shit my mom dreams up!
lovely day in kerry land. we finally retrieved my summer wardrobe from storage and i found that last bit of motivation i need to lose the baby weight when absolutely nothing in my wardrobe fit me. i am going to dig down deep into my motivational bucket and pull that last bit out to help myself. i have been living in such a sad place for the last year and i am ready to help myself, finally. i need to do this because i want to feel better. the husband and ge went on a mother's day shopping trip and ge came home to tell me most of the presents that were bought and how excited he was to surprise me. chunk and i danced around the house a lot and i teared up several times thinking about how grateful i am to have the kids, the husband, and the family that i have.
i am looking forward to tomorrow because it is a day to reflect on my beautiful mother and the past that has brought me here today. it's like the facts of life always said : you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have. until tomorrow, goodnight and good wine.
this morning the husband let me sleep in. (i actually slept until 9 am!) for me, most of my crazy dreams happen after the sun has risen and i continue peacefully in my slumber, burritoed in my soft comforter and squishy pillows. today the crazy dreams reached a monumental peak by way of the kardashians. i will tell the dream as i saw it - please try not to judge my insanity too harshly.
we begin at a dive bar. the best way to describe this bar is dusty; the colors were very sepia toned and the faces of the people around me took on a very softened look. my husband and i were surrounded by some friends that are real in our life and some of, what i call, my dream friends (people that do not actually exist, but often pop up in my sleeping head.) we were deep in detective like conversation about the serial killings that were happening around us. the surroundings began to take shape as the conversation unfolded, sort of like they happen in a movie; where there is a description of events and places and the camera pans the location they are speaking about. the location was a large quarry with a giant mansion settled in to one of its ledges. the home was vibrant, but the surrounding were very gray and ominous looking. the dive bar happened to sit above the quarry and our homes were somewhere around, although never really shown in my dream. there was a television that was giving us the news of a serial killer in the area and the prime suspect was scott disick. anyone who has ever seen the kardashian shows would most likely agree that out of anyone on the E! network, scott would probably be the person voted most likely to be a creep ass killer. and yet, i was skeptical. we started to piece together the events and i started to argue with our group. is scott an ass? yes. but does being the world's most giant bag of douche make you a killer? not so much. i broke from the group and started a very video game like search for the killer. there were ledges to cross, clues that were grabbed by just the force of thought, and everything started to pull together. the video game like parts of my dream were vibrant, full of color and speed. the husband and i journeyed together and in picking up all the clues realized that it was actually rob kardashian that was the killer. and we brought it to everyone, who immediatly jumped to the defense of what they saw as such an innocent little guy, but the cops started to agree with me and finally i busted the case wide open. rob kardashian, serial killer. we found the clues all over the quarry and were congratulated for our hard work.
and then i woke up, because i could hear my little girl making noises from the other room and i knew that her dad did not have the same means to feed her that i did. and it took me a few minutes to realize what a crazy brain i live in. and i laughed. as much as i love my morning sleep in sessions, they send my dream brain to absolutely insane places. like i said, please do not judge me. you should hear about the crazy shit my mom dreams up!
lovely day in kerry land. we finally retrieved my summer wardrobe from storage and i found that last bit of motivation i need to lose the baby weight when absolutely nothing in my wardrobe fit me. i am going to dig down deep into my motivational bucket and pull that last bit out to help myself. i have been living in such a sad place for the last year and i am ready to help myself, finally. i need to do this because i want to feel better. the husband and ge went on a mother's day shopping trip and ge came home to tell me most of the presents that were bought and how excited he was to surprise me. chunk and i danced around the house a lot and i teared up several times thinking about how grateful i am to have the kids, the husband, and the family that i have.
i am looking forward to tomorrow because it is a day to reflect on my beautiful mother and the past that has brought me here today. it's like the facts of life always said : you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have. until tomorrow, goodnight and good wine.
5.02.2011
joy, the sweetest
maybe i ate a chili dog for breakfast. and maybe i covered that chili dog in cheese and red onions and hot sauce. and maybe i enjoyed every single bite of it. maybe.
yesterday during my yay-i-finally-can-sit-down-and-play-on-the-internet(!) time i was catching up on all of my favorite blogs (listed over there on the right, in case you didn't notice). i made my way over to joy the baker dot com and started reading her recipe for gluten free strawberry cupcakes and i was just so excited to see a flour girl show the gluten free crowd some love, especially since my sister is part of that gluten free crowd (a life changing thing for her, YAY!) i noticed half way in that this post was also a contest and up for grabs were not only the cookbook for gluten free cupcake, but also the coconut flour and arrowroot powder necessary to make them. holy gluten free cooking awesomeness, batman!
the criteria for the comment was to tell her what you did this weekend out of your comfort zone, and i did, but mostly i told her about how my wonderful sister had to go out of her comfort zone over the last year to rid her life of her beloved friends, pasta and bread, because they were literally harming her and her body. i also told her how wonderful it is that she was showing the gluten free crowd some love. and that i would love the book and flours so i could give them to my sister and demand that she bake me cupcakes every time i have the chance to come down to see her so we could eat cupcakes and drink wine (yum!)
seeing as i am a person who has never won anything i have learned to curb my anticipation for the luck of the draw, so i was very surprised this morning to see an email titled, "hi from joy". and i was super excited that she was so sweet to give this gift to me, so i could be the most thoughtful regifter ever. if that is something that one could be. i am excited and my sister is excited and she said that she will even let me have two (2!) cupcakes when she makes them. i couldn't have more support for brook and her gluten free life, especially because the bread is delicious and it is always fun to try new things when we go to her house.
and seriously, she made a gluten free rum cake that was to die for this christmas and you would have never said, "well there is no flour in this" because you would have been far too busy just eating and eating and eating. gluten free is just assumed to be not so good, but those assumptions are so far off and that community deserves all the love they can get because that life is expensive and often very inconvenient. did you know things like midol and crystal light have gluten in them? and that when people who have gluten intolerances have gluten they in turn have horrible reactions? that. just. sucks. most people don't have to worry about the realities of gluten allergies, but i have come to understand just what a solid pain in the ass it is.
so thank you to joy the baker for not only being an awesome blogger, but for making my morning. i love the internet and the blog-o-sphere because of people like her. and because people write funny things on pictures that make me laugh. and because of wikipedia.
aside from the joy love, my little chunky princess started feeding herself today! one puff at a time, deliberate hand to mouth action; it's a huge moment in her motor skill milestones! she is currently sitting next to me playing with her favorite toy she owns, a water bottle, and looking so proud of herself. and i know that i wrote about this over on flickr, but that little chunk, she just warms my heart. her smile and her happiness are infectious, and she always fills me with ooey gooey good feelings. puppies, unicorns, kittens, and rainbows - oh my! i wanted to share this video with you all, which doesn't truly do the chunk's cuteness justice, but it just feels like such a good moment to share with my fellow internet stompers. and so, i leave this post of gratitude for joy the baker, with a shared gratitude for baby smiles. in particular, my baby's smiles.
yesterday during my yay-i-finally-can-sit-down-and-play-on-the-internet(!) time i was catching up on all of my favorite blogs (listed over there on the right, in case you didn't notice). i made my way over to joy the baker dot com and started reading her recipe for gluten free strawberry cupcakes and i was just so excited to see a flour girl show the gluten free crowd some love, especially since my sister is part of that gluten free crowd (a life changing thing for her, YAY!) i noticed half way in that this post was also a contest and up for grabs were not only the cookbook for gluten free cupcake, but also the coconut flour and arrowroot powder necessary to make them. holy gluten free cooking awesomeness, batman!
the criteria for the comment was to tell her what you did this weekend out of your comfort zone, and i did, but mostly i told her about how my wonderful sister had to go out of her comfort zone over the last year to rid her life of her beloved friends, pasta and bread, because they were literally harming her and her body. i also told her how wonderful it is that she was showing the gluten free crowd some love. and that i would love the book and flours so i could give them to my sister and demand that she bake me cupcakes every time i have the chance to come down to see her so we could eat cupcakes and drink wine (yum!)
seeing as i am a person who has never won anything i have learned to curb my anticipation for the luck of the draw, so i was very surprised this morning to see an email titled, "hi from joy". and i was super excited that she was so sweet to give this gift to me, so i could be the most thoughtful regifter ever. if that is something that one could be. i am excited and my sister is excited and she said that she will even let me have two (2!) cupcakes when she makes them. i couldn't have more support for brook and her gluten free life, especially because the bread is delicious and it is always fun to try new things when we go to her house.
and seriously, she made a gluten free rum cake that was to die for this christmas and you would have never said, "well there is no flour in this" because you would have been far too busy just eating and eating and eating. gluten free is just assumed to be not so good, but those assumptions are so far off and that community deserves all the love they can get because that life is expensive and often very inconvenient. did you know things like midol and crystal light have gluten in them? and that when people who have gluten intolerances have gluten they in turn have horrible reactions? that. just. sucks. most people don't have to worry about the realities of gluten allergies, but i have come to understand just what a solid pain in the ass it is.
so thank you to joy the baker for not only being an awesome blogger, but for making my morning. i love the internet and the blog-o-sphere because of people like her. and because people write funny things on pictures that make me laugh. and because of wikipedia.
aside from the joy love, my little chunky princess started feeding herself today! one puff at a time, deliberate hand to mouth action; it's a huge moment in her motor skill milestones! she is currently sitting next to me playing with her favorite toy she owns, a water bottle, and looking so proud of herself. and i know that i wrote about this over on flickr, but that little chunk, she just warms my heart. her smile and her happiness are infectious, and she always fills me with ooey gooey good feelings. puppies, unicorns, kittens, and rainbows - oh my! i wanted to share this video with you all, which doesn't truly do the chunk's cuteness justice, but it just feels like such a good moment to share with my fellow internet stompers. and so, i leave this post of gratitude for joy the baker, with a shared gratitude for baby smiles. in particular, my baby's smiles.
4.30.2011
sprouting, yeah i did that.
the last 30 days have been an interesting time for me. i turned 30, my littlest one is 7 months old, the 3 year old gave me a run for my money every single day, and my husband and i truly found our stride as a couple. i am honestly thankful that i chose to blog this month, and i had no idea what this april had in store for me when april fool's day rolled around.
tonight i am having a hard time. the withdrawals have finally reached my brain and i am so frustrated that i have been reduced to self deprecating tears multiple times today. my memory has given me a run for my money tonight and i am frustrated because i know i shouldn't be having these issues. tonight i feel like the things happening to me are happening in snippets and it is hard to deal with. i can say, with all honesty, that the last week has been one of the most trying times in my life, and i am still powering through.
the husband didn't have a very good end of month and i feel for him. he works so hard for his company and for his family and i feel bad for him when things don't exactly work out for him. he kept his head with him as soon as he walked through our doors this week and he, as always, stepped in as the amazing father and husband that he is. i just couldn't put my feelings towards my husband in words that would give him justice; he is my best friend, my rock. i just love him, i really do. i couldn't possibly begin to be me without him.
chunk is growing up so quickly. i can't believe that she is already 7 months old. when i was 7 months pregnant with her i was miserable, and i never thought that she would be here. i remember wondering if i would be able to breastfeed her, if i would love her the same way i loved ge, and if i would even find the time to be a mom to her in the middle of the life of crazy that i lived. and chunk came and she blew me out of the water from the word go. i gave birth to her via c-section and being away from her during those moments of recovery were so hard. from the moment i met her i loved her with every inch of who i am. chunk has put the color into the sketch of my life and i love her for it more every day.
and ge, my sweet ge. that little boy is so brilliant and so sweet. at least once a day he turns to me and says, "mom? i love you, mom." and my heart is filled. i didn't know who i was before there was ge and he reminds me everyday that he has helped me find myself. being a mother to him has changed me for so many positive reasons and he taught me to find meaning in myself. ge is a hard subject for me because i feel like i become so choked up when i think about who he is. i am so proud of that little boy and we are so connected for so many reasons. even on our hardest days i can't help but pick him up into my arms and thank him for just existing.
i thought that 30 was going to be the end of me, but with my family behind me i know that it is just the beginning. living so close to my sister again has given me such happiness. being able to be 2 and a half hours away from a patio and a glass of wine with my hero, my friend, has brought such a new light into my life. i have reexamined my life and my friendships and everything i have in this life feels solid.
so sprout, yeah, i am doing that. i am going to keep doing that. i felt like blogging through april was hard, but when nablopomo sent me the email today that the theme for may is maybe, well i am on board. and maybe they won't all be lengthy. and maybe i won't make it every day. but i am going to try and i am going to pat myself on the back if i make it. and maybe tomorrow i am going to wake up and all of this shit is going to be gone and i will be back - 30 years old, mother of 2, proud wife, and still trying to figure it all the frack out.
tonight i am having a hard time. the withdrawals have finally reached my brain and i am so frustrated that i have been reduced to self deprecating tears multiple times today. my memory has given me a run for my money tonight and i am frustrated because i know i shouldn't be having these issues. tonight i feel like the things happening to me are happening in snippets and it is hard to deal with. i can say, with all honesty, that the last week has been one of the most trying times in my life, and i am still powering through.
the husband didn't have a very good end of month and i feel for him. he works so hard for his company and for his family and i feel bad for him when things don't exactly work out for him. he kept his head with him as soon as he walked through our doors this week and he, as always, stepped in as the amazing father and husband that he is. i just couldn't put my feelings towards my husband in words that would give him justice; he is my best friend, my rock. i just love him, i really do. i couldn't possibly begin to be me without him.
chunk is growing up so quickly. i can't believe that she is already 7 months old. when i was 7 months pregnant with her i was miserable, and i never thought that she would be here. i remember wondering if i would be able to breastfeed her, if i would love her the same way i loved ge, and if i would even find the time to be a mom to her in the middle of the life of crazy that i lived. and chunk came and she blew me out of the water from the word go. i gave birth to her via c-section and being away from her during those moments of recovery were so hard. from the moment i met her i loved her with every inch of who i am. chunk has put the color into the sketch of my life and i love her for it more every day.
and ge, my sweet ge. that little boy is so brilliant and so sweet. at least once a day he turns to me and says, "mom? i love you, mom." and my heart is filled. i didn't know who i was before there was ge and he reminds me everyday that he has helped me find myself. being a mother to him has changed me for so many positive reasons and he taught me to find meaning in myself. ge is a hard subject for me because i feel like i become so choked up when i think about who he is. i am so proud of that little boy and we are so connected for so many reasons. even on our hardest days i can't help but pick him up into my arms and thank him for just existing.
i thought that 30 was going to be the end of me, but with my family behind me i know that it is just the beginning. living so close to my sister again has given me such happiness. being able to be 2 and a half hours away from a patio and a glass of wine with my hero, my friend, has brought such a new light into my life. i have reexamined my life and my friendships and everything i have in this life feels solid.
so sprout, yeah, i am doing that. i am going to keep doing that. i felt like blogging through april was hard, but when nablopomo sent me the email today that the theme for may is maybe, well i am on board. and maybe they won't all be lengthy. and maybe i won't make it every day. but i am going to try and i am going to pat myself on the back if i make it. and maybe tomorrow i am going to wake up and all of this shit is going to be gone and i will be back - 30 years old, mother of 2, proud wife, and still trying to figure it all the frack out.
and here it is
i came up with the idea to send the kids on an in home treasure hunt while watching the easter egg hunting weather turn sour a few days leading up to the holiday. i had a basic idea of what i wanted ge to experience, but the idea unfolded after the presents were bought and the husband and i sat down with a pad of paper and newly bought markers. the husband suggested that we cover the home in misleading clues mixed in with the obvious. i suggested that we end the hunt in riddles to make the big presents a bit more thought provoking. ge brought the fun home when he figured out what we were doing and became so excited that we no longer cared that it was early morning.
we did minimal candy and more practicality in gift form. games, cars, bottles, pacies, necessities, and the occasional emmie were purchased and hidden throughout our home. ge was given his easter basket with a star taped to the bottom and we tried to explain to him that he needed to find a star in the house that matched the one in his bucket. little man looked around and immediately started naming off the presents he could see, but couldn't quite grasp what we were asking of him. by the third clue he was in, and was off an running as soon as he found his next goal; be it letter, shape, or number.
after the first few clues in he was led to a new basket, a pink basket, and his treasure hunt became his and chunk's treasure hunt, and he so enjoyed being the collector of all gifts. ge would find the clue, open the present, and tell chunk what he found. he was very good at placing the presents in the correct basket and was never jealous that chunk was part of this new game. i don't know if we have seen him so excited for a new adventure and that smart little brain of his was so happy to be so active and so intense in search.
he loved that the letters of the alphabet went in order and would often pause to sing us the alphabet song. clues and eggs were left behind as he went in search of the next piece of paper that would lead him to the next treasure, and so on. we wondered how quickly he would catch on, if he would become bored, but he loved the rate that his basket filled with new treasures and the excitement of the educational aspect of this new easter tradition. he was always so happy to accomplish the next task, to figure out the clues and run throughout the house to pounce upon his hunting grasp. to say that we were proud of him throughout the hunt is an understatement.
the riddles were a point of concern for his dad. was a three year old ready to grasp the concept of begging a question through rhymes? turns out, he was. he blurted out the answers to the riddles seconds after they were asked and those were his favorite moments of the entire hunt. chunk's book, a new bubble gun for ge, and uno moo were perfect gifts to round out a perfect morning.
this is a new tradition in our home for easter. as the kids grow older the elements of the hunt can become more difficult. i look forward to ge always taking the lead in letting the little ones know how to get a treasure hunt done. by the time he was done searching for his treasures we had spent an hour of our easter morning in pure bliss and morning coffee and breakfast tasted even sweeter than thought possible.
we finished off our easter day by taking a 3 hour tour of our area by way of the schuylkill trail. we made it to valley forge national park, where george washington housed the revolutionary troops, and the weather gave us a beautiful background for a wonderful family walk. there wasn't a moment in our entire day that wasn't full of laughter and smiles and i will always look back on our first tradition easter with fond memories. especially because warles joined us.
4.29.2011
7 long days in withdrawal hell
last friday i decided to throw my zoloft away rather than take my dose of addiction for one more evening. the last 7 days have been nothing short of a trial and the ebb and flow of my body's withdrawal from that horrible medication has been difficult. today my lips are almost numb, with the occasional intense tingling feeling finding its way in there. my hands and feet are numb and tingling and my emotions are all over the board. i cried all morning when i saw kate's dress. i mean, it was really pretty, but i don't think that a sane kerry would have spent an hour crying because of the lacy beauty of the dress. last night the zaps were so horrible that it felt like i was going to have a heart attack. every 3rd beat of my heart was a bit off and i felt like i was being tenderly electrocuted. i hate all of these feelings. i hate the anxiety and the physical and emotional pain that this fracking drug withdrawal has given me.
on the plus side; my hair isn't falling out anymore, my sex drive is coming back, i don't feel like shooting myself in the head, and i am starting to find my old spark of me again. my husband told me last night that he was happy to have me back and that seems silly, but the last few months have just been so incredibly difficult and i had no idea that a drug that was supposed to "help me" was swallowing me whole.
i am looking forward to a weekend of 70 degree temperatures, 2 wonderful kids, and a marvelous husband to share those things with. i am thinking there will be a trip to our local dairy to find ice cream and something to cook whatever we decided we want for dinner. merrymead farm has the absolute best strawberry ice cream that i have ever consumed. and the cream i bought from there and used for a decadent thanksgiving tiramisu was amazing. perhaps a nice steak will do, we shall see. i can say, with 100 % certainty, that i will not be getting the scrapple. it concerns me that people actually eat that shit.
for those of you that haven't heard of scrapple before and do not understand why i cringe at the word, let me quote the informational gods of wikipedia to explain:
"Locally called "everything but the oink" or made with "everything but the squeal", scrapple is typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other scraps, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head), to make a broth. Once cooked, bones and fat are discarded, the meat is reserved, and (dry) cornmeal is boiled in the broth to make a mush. The meat, finely minced, is returned to the pot and seasonings, typically sage, thyme, savory, black pepper, and others, are added. The mush is formed into loaves and allowed to cool thoroughly until set. The proportions and seasoning are very much a matter of the region and the cook's taste.
yeah, that's disgusting.
on the up and up the kids are doing well this week. ge and i have had a few battles, but only because i have ramped up lessons on politeness and listening a bit. he is such a smart and sweet little boy and is adapting to the lessons well. he never ceases to surprise me with his kindness and intelligence. chunk has decided that sleeping isn't necessary again, but i am sure that is because she is getting ready to crawl. she is doing well with solids and i absolutely cannot believe that i have made it this far with breastfeeding her. i was hoping to make it to a month when i was pregnant with her and now it has just become second nature for both of us. we have such a strong bond and i thank my body for that. i hate to spend so many days complaining, but it has been nice to blog through this withdrawal and put it all down instead of bottling it up. hopefully this passes soon.
on the plus side; my hair isn't falling out anymore, my sex drive is coming back, i don't feel like shooting myself in the head, and i am starting to find my old spark of me again. my husband told me last night that he was happy to have me back and that seems silly, but the last few months have just been so incredibly difficult and i had no idea that a drug that was supposed to "help me" was swallowing me whole.
i am looking forward to a weekend of 70 degree temperatures, 2 wonderful kids, and a marvelous husband to share those things with. i am thinking there will be a trip to our local dairy to find ice cream and something to cook whatever we decided we want for dinner. merrymead farm has the absolute best strawberry ice cream that i have ever consumed. and the cream i bought from there and used for a decadent thanksgiving tiramisu was amazing. perhaps a nice steak will do, we shall see. i can say, with 100 % certainty, that i will not be getting the scrapple. it concerns me that people actually eat that shit.
for those of you that haven't heard of scrapple before and do not understand why i cringe at the word, let me quote the informational gods of wikipedia to explain:
"Locally called "everything but the oink" or made with "everything but the squeal", scrapple is typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other scraps, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head), to make a broth. Once cooked, bones and fat are discarded, the meat is reserved, and (dry) cornmeal is boiled in the broth to make a mush. The meat, finely minced, is returned to the pot and seasonings, typically sage, thyme, savory, black pepper, and others, are added. The mush is formed into loaves and allowed to cool thoroughly until set. The proportions and seasoning are very much a matter of the region and the cook's taste.
yeah, that's disgusting.
on the up and up the kids are doing well this week. ge and i have had a few battles, but only because i have ramped up lessons on politeness and listening a bit. he is such a smart and sweet little boy and is adapting to the lessons well. he never ceases to surprise me with his kindness and intelligence. chunk has decided that sleeping isn't necessary again, but i am sure that is because she is getting ready to crawl. she is doing well with solids and i absolutely cannot believe that i have made it this far with breastfeeding her. i was hoping to make it to a month when i was pregnant with her and now it has just become second nature for both of us. we have such a strong bond and i thank my body for that. i hate to spend so many days complaining, but it has been nice to blog through this withdrawal and put it all down instead of bottling it up. hopefully this passes soon.
4.28.2011
rah-roh
so michael scott hasn't officially left yet, but i am already tearing up watching the engagement episode, so i know that in 3 minutes from now i am totally screwed in the kerry-cries-at-the-drop-of-a-hat arena. the husband and i spend so much time devoted to our marriage and our children that we forget to have real friends, so our television shows kind of turn into our friends and we really get involved. i actually talk about the people on how i met your mother as if i really spend time with them and they are something other than a script. and, to be fair, that show (and parenthood!) is the best show ever.
i could take a moment here to discuss my thoughts on the new season of teen mom and the fact that dustin from rrlv is totally effed up in the head because of his stint as a boy on boy porn star, but i won't. i feel as if i have already said too much.
i am feeling a lot more like myself today. i actually spent the morning laughing and playing and none of my feelings were forced in any way. and that is saying a lot because chunky decided that sleep was for bitches last night and that neither her father or i are bitches. don't worry, you'll get it. i cleaned the house, bought some red wine, turned some of that red wine into an amazing sketti sauce, and now it is time to tune into our television friends to see if their days were okay, too.
i love my g rated life. goodnight.
i could take a moment here to discuss my thoughts on the new season of teen mom and the fact that dustin from rrlv is totally effed up in the head because of his stint as a boy on boy porn star, but i won't. i feel as if i have already said too much.
i am feeling a lot more like myself today. i actually spent the morning laughing and playing and none of my feelings were forced in any way. and that is saying a lot because chunky decided that sleep was for bitches last night and that neither her father or i are bitches. don't worry, you'll get it. i cleaned the house, bought some red wine, turned some of that red wine into an amazing sketti sauce, and now it is time to tune into our television friends to see if their days were okay, too.
i love my g rated life. goodnight.
4.25.2011
that's stupid silly, mom
for easter we got chunk an adorable little "book" by vtech that sings songs and does other flashy crap that 6 month olds love. the 3 year old loves it, too, as he is finally getting into the whole music isn't evil thing. he is currently obsessed with the hey diddle diddle rhyme and presses it just to tell me, "mom, dishes don't run away with spoons, that's stupid silly. we wash the dishes."
ge absolutely hates jokes and refuses to talk about things that are not possible. he loves to sit in his room with his dad and make his dad talk to him through his mickey mouse doll. yesterday ge and mickey mouse were having a conversation and his dad tried to use his own voice for a second and he said, "dad, i am not talking to you, i am talking to mickey!" i am glad that his dad is patient, and has a decent mickey voice, because ge loves to "play that game"
and everything we do is a "game" in ge's world. he will literally look at me and say, "mom, let's play that game where i say bleck." or any other crazy sound of the moment. he uses the word game for any activity he wants to do. he has an amazing memory and told me the other day that he misses his old sandbox, a sandbox that he had in our old house over a year and a half ago. he remembers things that happened throughout his second year of life with vivid detail. i guess my point is that the kid is brilliant and we love him. and i just felt like writing it down.
ge absolutely hates jokes and refuses to talk about things that are not possible. he loves to sit in his room with his dad and make his dad talk to him through his mickey mouse doll. yesterday ge and mickey mouse were having a conversation and his dad tried to use his own voice for a second and he said, "dad, i am not talking to you, i am talking to mickey!" i am glad that his dad is patient, and has a decent mickey voice, because ge loves to "play that game"
and everything we do is a "game" in ge's world. he will literally look at me and say, "mom, let's play that game where i say bleck." or any other crazy sound of the moment. he uses the word game for any activity he wants to do. he has an amazing memory and told me the other day that he misses his old sandbox, a sandbox that he had in our old house over a year and a half ago. he remembers things that happened throughout his second year of life with vivid detail. i guess my point is that the kid is brilliant and we love him. and i just felt like writing it down.
4.23.2011
twoduetoodew
i would like to write a lengthy blog about how our day was awesome, but the husband and i are currently setting up a lengthy treasure hunt for ge. new easter traditions + crayola markers + tape + a lot of toys = an adventure for the parents. will explain and post pictures tomorrow. happy peep day, everyone!
4.21.2011
choppin broccoli
last night i made the best pork chops i have ever had. in fact, i have really been on top of my cooking game for the last few weeks. i wish i could take credit for the pork chop recipe, but it is actually from a cookbook i own called hot & spicy. 4 thick cut pork chops. marinate @ room temp for 30 minutes in 2 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs molasses, 1 tbs black pepper, 1 tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 2 minced cloves of garlick (i doubled the marinade, added a lot more red pepper and garlick, and marinated for about 45 minutes.) drain the chops, reserve the marinade, and throw those beautiful pieces of meat into a 375 degree preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes. i cooked them on a baking sheet covered in tin foil (important! sugar boo-urns) and put the chops on a (cookie) rack on top of that. transfer the glaze to a sauce pan,bring it to a boil, boil for 1 minute stirring constantly, and cover those cooked chops in spicy, garlicky goodness when they are done.
i am telling you - they were orgasm in mouth quality.
today we ate the leftover chops and they were still amazing the next day. we had the leftover garlick and olive oil couscous that i paired with them the night before, and i made my brilliant roasted broccoli tonight. easy recipe, super delicious, and still somehow finding out how to make our household favorite even better :
preheat oven to 450. i don't like the stems of the broc, so i cut it down into cute little florets and throw the stems out - i am sure you could cook them, too. depending on how much garlick you want, cut some into thick slices (i used about 3 heads of broccoli and 9 cloves of garlick, but we are junkies.) in a 13 x 9 pan i mix the broc and garlick with a bunch of olive oil (i infuse my own olive oil with rosemary and prefer to use that kind), a tbs or so of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. cook in the oven until you can't resist the sweet smell of roasted veggis any longer (15-30 minutes depending on how you like it done - i prefer about 30). straight out of the oven i cover the cooked broccoli in fresh lemon juice (to taste, honestly) and cover it in freshly grated pecorino. i am here to tell you now that it is beyond heavenly. i promise you. i promise me.
i also promise that the mini dq blizzard my husband brought me home tonight was the perfect ender to a(nother) great dinner. i just. love. eating.
i am telling you - they were orgasm in mouth quality.
today we ate the leftover chops and they were still amazing the next day. we had the leftover garlick and olive oil couscous that i paired with them the night before, and i made my brilliant roasted broccoli tonight. easy recipe, super delicious, and still somehow finding out how to make our household favorite even better :
preheat oven to 450. i don't like the stems of the broc, so i cut it down into cute little florets and throw the stems out - i am sure you could cook them, too. depending on how much garlick you want, cut some into thick slices (i used about 3 heads of broccoli and 9 cloves of garlick, but we are junkies.) in a 13 x 9 pan i mix the broc and garlick with a bunch of olive oil (i infuse my own olive oil with rosemary and prefer to use that kind), a tbs or so of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. cook in the oven until you can't resist the sweet smell of roasted veggis any longer (15-30 minutes depending on how you like it done - i prefer about 30). straight out of the oven i cover the cooked broccoli in fresh lemon juice (to taste, honestly) and cover it in freshly grated pecorino. i am here to tell you now that it is beyond heavenly. i promise you. i promise me.
i also promise that the mini dq blizzard my husband brought me home tonight was the perfect ender to a(nother) great dinner. i just. love. eating.
4.19.2011
the best part of waking up
first thing in the morning, when my husband is rising from bed to get ready for work, i like to shift myself and my pillow over to his side of the bed and saddle into supreme comfort. i do this because i love the smell and the reminder of him just existing. ge often walks in shortly after, with the biggest pouty pants face ever, to crawl up next to me and ask sadly why daddy has to go to work. one day, during the comfort and the pouting, i let ge know that daddy has to go to work so we can have a house and presents; ge replied saying, "i don't want presents, i just want daddy to stay home." and my heart melted.
i may be the person that cleans our home, cooks our dinners, and cares for the kids throughout the day, but my husband is the glue that holds everything together. not only is he amazingly handsome, but he is such a caring and loving man. there isn't a single day that passes where he puts his own needs in front of anyone else and he always knows how to bring a smile and a laugh in the very hardest of times. i know it is cliché, and perhaps a bit fluffy lovey, but he really is my best friend and the light at the end of my tunnel. it would be impossible to put words to the way that i love him, and the way he loves us.
and so, in those morning minutes, i take in everything i feel for him with a deep breath and an intense feeling of appreciation and love. i may not tell him those feelings each day, but i try and never let a moment go by where i don't let him now that he is our strength and peace. and every day those moments are the most relaxing ones for me, the ones that get me ready to great my day and ready myself for whatever insanity the little uns' are about to bring upon me. i do not know what heaven feels like, but i imagine it has nothing on that.
i may be the person that cleans our home, cooks our dinners, and cares for the kids throughout the day, but my husband is the glue that holds everything together. not only is he amazingly handsome, but he is such a caring and loving man. there isn't a single day that passes where he puts his own needs in front of anyone else and he always knows how to bring a smile and a laugh in the very hardest of times. i know it is cliché, and perhaps a bit fluffy lovey, but he really is my best friend and the light at the end of my tunnel. it would be impossible to put words to the way that i love him, and the way he loves us.
and so, in those morning minutes, i take in everything i feel for him with a deep breath and an intense feeling of appreciation and love. i may not tell him those feelings each day, but i try and never let a moment go by where i don't let him now that he is our strength and peace. and every day those moments are the most relaxing ones for me, the ones that get me ready to great my day and ready myself for whatever insanity the little uns' are about to bring upon me. i do not know what heaven feels like, but i imagine it has nothing on that.
4.13.2011
candle light vigil - twenties edition
my wonderful husband lit thirty candles for me this morning and woke me up to come see them along with the sweet ass classic 160 gig i pod he got me. he said it was welcoming in my 30s, but we see things a bit differently. and so, as i blew them out, i mourned the loss of my sweet friend 2. may my twenties rest in the chaotic peace they lived in. forever and ever, amen.
4.06.2011
post of the day, take two
today i somehow managed to cook, clean, and care for the kids on such a minimal amount of sleep that i think chunk is turning me into a robot, too. we had fun, though, and ge loving the game epic mickey on wii was helpful for a bit of downtime when the chunk was taking her 15 minute nap.
i had ge help me put the roast in the crock pot today and help me make mashed potatoes and he was just so happy to be there helping. the kid is a natural in the kitchen and is completely enthralled with the process of cooking. i love his inquisitive nature and his love for getting in and helping no matter the situation. he is such an observant little guy and that can be both challenging and rewarding, depending on the situation. he doesn't forget anything and remembers things that happened over a year ago at only 3 years old. when he is trying to recall something that happened i can watch him view the moment in his mind through pictures and his words can never seem to come out as quick as the pictures he sees in his head. we have to often help him along a bit to find some of his words because he gets stalled and gets frustrated pretty easily. i hate to be "that mom", but the kid is just so damn brilliant.
having a 3 year old is such a surreal experience at times. he is so loving and tender and so willing to turn on you at any moment for any reason. i feel like i am often walking a tight rope to make sure that everything is held together and i have to be honest, my feet are tired. this weekend the husband is going to be stand-in-mom so i can do a bit of mall shopping for my upcoming dirty 30 birthday. i cannot wait to smell the commerce during the first moment i have been without a mini attachment in over a year. i am just hoping that the clothes i buy fit me as well as my beautiful family.
i had ge help me put the roast in the crock pot today and help me make mashed potatoes and he was just so happy to be there helping. the kid is a natural in the kitchen and is completely enthralled with the process of cooking. i love his inquisitive nature and his love for getting in and helping no matter the situation. he is such an observant little guy and that can be both challenging and rewarding, depending on the situation. he doesn't forget anything and remembers things that happened over a year ago at only 3 years old. when he is trying to recall something that happened i can watch him view the moment in his mind through pictures and his words can never seem to come out as quick as the pictures he sees in his head. we have to often help him along a bit to find some of his words because he gets stalled and gets frustrated pretty easily. i hate to be "that mom", but the kid is just so damn brilliant.
having a 3 year old is such a surreal experience at times. he is so loving and tender and so willing to turn on you at any moment for any reason. i feel like i am often walking a tight rope to make sure that everything is held together and i have to be honest, my feet are tired. this weekend the husband is going to be stand-in-mom so i can do a bit of mall shopping for my upcoming dirty 30 birthday. i cannot wait to smell the commerce during the first moment i have been without a mini attachment in over a year. i am just hoping that the clothes i buy fit me as well as my beautiful family.
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