Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Teeth, teeth and exhaustion

Well....this has been a rough couple of days in home.  Little l is getting two new teeth.  She won't go to bed at night.  Refused a nap yesterday, and is playing at the same game for today (I am ignoring her right now).

I have to camp with my Girl Scouts this weekend, which will be exhausting in and of itself, so I really don't have time for this!  I told her today that I was going to take a nap too, but she is still getting out of bed.  I am not sure what has caused this lately.  It may or may not be the teeth she is getting.  Sometimes I think she is just having separation anxiety.

Be that as it may last night she was up and about until 9:30.  Then she came into my room around 4 am (I think, it is kind of a blur).  She was soaked, so the lovely hubby changed her and put her back to bed.  I was back into a deep sleep when she came in at 5am, and I let her crawl in next to me, where she kicked and jiggled for 30 minutes before the loving hubby put her back to bed.  I think that was the last time she came in.  Again, this is a blur.

Around 6 am big L came into my room to inform me that the tooth fairy didn't come.  Well, hell.  I forgot!  She promptly made an excuse for the poor tooth fairy, and I said she wouldn't forget tonight.  I also told her to go back to bed, we didn't need to be up until 7.  HAH!  She was noisier this morning than normal, and coughing that asthma cough.  I got up gave her the inhaler, told her to use it and be quiet, I had 30 more minutes I could sleep!  Well...the coughing did not stop post inhaler use.  I got up at 7 (I am stubborn, I may not have slept but I stayed warm another 30 minutes) and checked on her.  Told her to get dressed we had to be at school early today.  She was still coughing, so before school I gave her a breathing treatment.  She dumped half of it out, finished maybe 1/3 of it, but was finally breathing normal.  Getting big L to rush is IMPOSSIBLE.  The word is not in her vocabulary.  So we were a bit late for Spanish before school this morning.

The funny part is that I had to wake up little l at about a quarter to 8.  I didn't do it my normal way which is to turn the lights on and start saying "time to get up".  I was nice, made a little noise, turned on her bathroom light, then went over and rubbed her forehead.  She actually had the nerve to stretch big and pull the sheet over her head!  It was cute, and if the camera had been in the room you would be seeing a picture, but alas, I don't live with a camera attached to me.  I was a little irritated though because it did take awhile to get her to where I could pick her up because she didn't want to get up.  Now she won't take a nap again, and we have too much to do to not rest a bit.  We have to take big L for an allergy shot, AND to karate, AND find time to go to Target.  I don't want a cranky baby for that!

That is my rant for the day.  Good night!


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The beginning of a quilt



A few weeks ago I started working on a new quilt for my bed.  My current quilt is too small and is wearing out from all the washings.

I think i need to add one more border and then I may be done!


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Computer Frustrations

So...I had this post planned for today with pictures.  It only works with the pictures, but for some unknown reason my camera is not showing up in iPhoto.  This coupled with my complete inability to access my computer for one whole day almost made me run out and buy a new one.  Budget be damned, but I didn't.  Common sense has prevailed and though I want to throw it away and get a new one that is not seven plus years old, I keep plugging away on this one.  Until we can save enough money to buy a new one.  OY this being a responsible money person is hard!!!!

Hopefully my husband can figure our my photo issue so I can do the post tomorrow. 

Hope your computing is happy!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Banana Muffins-Allergy Friendly

I have been making banana bread since I was old enough that my mom would let me use the food processor and oven.  I love banana bread.  (obviously can't eat it right now)  When I was trying to find something big L would eat for breakfast banana muffins are what we found to agree on.  If she had her way she would have some fruit and then go until lunch.  However, what is a banana muffin?  Flour, sugar, and banana.  Not much.  So I played around and modified my recipe.  This is my allergy friendly banana muffin recipe.

2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup soy free earth balance
1 cup of white whole wheat flour
3 scoops of unflavored pea protein powder
3/4 cup organic sugar cane
6 Tbls applesauce
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup rice milk
3 tsps vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Combine the banana and earth balance in the food processor.  Process about 15-20 seconds, or until blended well.

Add the remaining ingredients, process another 10-15 seconds until combined.

scoop into muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes at 350.

VIOLA!  Allergy friendly, protein packed muffins.

What made me even happier is that for once the middles did not sink in.  They are very pretty little muffins if I do say so myself. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

my favorite topic: budgeting

I have freely admitted here that I am BAD with money.  Always have been.  I am trying not to be, but it is hard.  Mostly because of that darn Discover card. 

When my husband and I got married I was very up front with him regarding my history with money.  It is a checkered past, very checkered.  I told him that it would be wise for me to continue to operate on a cash basis, which I had done for the year or so before we met.  Cash is hard to create out of thin air.  You have it or you don't.  I was not opposed to rewards, I just used a debit card with rewards, NOT a credit card. 

I did not win that argument initially.  But in December we decided that for the items I am in charge of purchasing we would go to a cash basis.  I told him that was the WORST month to start a cash budget in.  We always host x-mas dinner, and this year that was 13 people.  There are gifts left to buy (only a few really), more driving, thus more fuel needed and various other things to contribute to.  It was difficult.  I really struggled.  At the end of the month though I think I was only over budget by $150.  Not too bad for the first go 'round. 

While figuring all this out, he and I decided that a weekly, instead of monthly, allotment would be better.  I had a monthly figure last year and it was half spent by the first seven days of the month.  Not good.

So far the weekly amount is working.  I have to plan more.  For instance, I have to know when I am going to need fuel, because I can't just go pop the credit card in the slot and not think about it.  I have also been moving us to a more organic/fair trade diet.  Not as expensive as you might think.  Despite all of the "special" food allergy food I have to buy I think this is doable, but I have to plan.

Instead of going to the store 2-3 times a week I am trying to only go once.  I can't go that often with little l, she is at the throwing fits in stores stage.  The hardest part is getting my hubby on board with this.  He is not always good at planning his food needs. 

There are four stores I frequent:

Costco:  They have lots of organic veggies.  At least the basics.  They also have organic egg whites which I need for my diet.  We buy a lot of frozen organic fruit there as well. 

Whole Foods:  My first love grocery store wise.  I would only shop there if they had the best deals.  However, they have the biggest selection of organic fruits and veggies, and that makes it my go to store for apples, celery (it actually has green tops instead of brown like another store I go to), meat, and when I am done with my diet, bulk items.  They carry all of the special items I need for big L too.  Including rice milk chocolate bars (a necessity when making smores with Girl Scouts). 

Safeway:  This is my in town store.  The other two involve a 30+ mile round trip, and I only go to them bi-weekly, and I try to coordinate the trips with another reason to be out that direction.  We don't have any nice natural food stores in town.  I was using one, but they don't have produce and they started raising their prices too high.  It was worth driving to get items, rather than be overcharged.  I mostly by milk and bananas here, plus gift cards for Target, so I can earn gas rewards.

Target:  Baby food.  They carry the brand l likes, and when they are on sale it is a decent deal.  They also have all the other household stuff I use.  My favorite cleaners are Method, so it makes it easy to pick up family prescriptions (love their color coded bottles, we are all on some of the same meds) and any necessities.  Plus, they have a small grocery section if I am totally out of something. 

I am trying really hard to stick with my budget, and I am hoping that for once in my life it will work.  I have even made a savings pledge.  In order to redecorate my bedroom I will have to save money from my weekly budget.   I have also decided I should put away a little from the child support, not much (it is not a big amount), but enough to not want to cry in three years when big L needs braces!

Now, if I could just consistently plan menus for the week.........or maybe that one should be done monthly. 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

A new diet

At the end of November I started a new diet.  It is a pretty serious diet.  It is called a Protein Sparing Modified Fast.  I am under a doctor's supervision, and so far I am making it.  My own doctor referred me to my diet doctor.  She is hoping a lot of my health issues will fix themselves.  I am hopeful, but I also know that some of the issues were there long before I started gaining weight. 

I am not going to say it is not hard.  I would LOVE a slice of bread and butter right now, but I will live without it.  I thought when I started this diet the hardest thing to give up would be dairy.  To my joyful surprise I am NOT craving dairy.  Sometimes I crave a pizza, but not for the cheese, for the whole package. 

I also had to give up being a vegetarian to be on this diet.  After almost 19 years I started eating meat again.  To be honest I don't like it.  I especially don't like fish.  At All.  I mean really, it made me sick.  Poultry I can choke down, but I don't really care for that either.  I tried steak, not a fan, too much chewing involved.  Pork is okay if prepared properly.  If I could eat bacon, pepperoni, and sausage I would, but those are generally highly seasoned, and don't exactly taste like what you are eating (with the exception of the bacon). 

I am quite proud that I made it through the holidays, still managed to make all the goodies for everyone, and did not indulge myself. I did cheat a little, but I still lost weight over that two week period.  

The true test is in the results.  As of today I have lost almost 30 pounds.  That is a lot of weight, and when I was doing my yoga today I was actually able to enter child's pose without my fat stomach making it impossible.  I find I have a lot more energy, and I am able to go go go all day with only a few breaks for eating and resting.  I am hoping I will have even more energy. 

What I have really learned so far from this diet is that I was mindlessly eating and telling myself I did not have time to make healthy food for myself because of the kids, or all the stuff I HAD to do, or the energy wasn't there to make the food. All of this was just a pile of excuses.  I have time to make food, and my kids still have lots of fun with me.  The amount of "snack food" I was eating was horrible.  The only reason I was eating it was because it was easy and required no preparation.  Now I await the day I can prepare myself fully balanced lunches and only eat "snack food" on occasion. 

I am going to be on the fast for a couple more months before I can take a little break and eat normal again.  My big motivation is that I plan on doing two things after making it through this.  One, going to a nice dinner alone with my husband.  Two, getting my bike fixed, or getting a new one, which ever ends up being the most cost effective.

For the record, this is NOT a new year resolution.  I started this long before the end of the year, especially if you count the time it took me to gather my medical records to be cleared for the diet.  This is just me, trying to take care of myself again.  The baby is almost two after all, it shouldn't be long before my hormones finally level out!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Getting Back into the Groove....

Our winter break is over and we are back to school today.  I thought it might be hard to get the big one up this morning, but she was fine.  We didn't even have any arguments about eating breakfast.  Off to school early this morning, for she had her before school Spanish class, which she moans about sometimes, but really likes.  In fact, she is completely excited that she can now tell us what the street names mean around our home (the ones in Spanish that is). 

Somehow last year ended before I was ready.  I had plans, lists....you name it.   I got a lot done, but I did not get everything done.  I have a shirt for little l that is far from being knitted, I have about 20 rows done.  I have yarn for leg warmers sitting in the knitting bag untouched.  I had plans for my own gifts (to myself) that never saw the light of day.  I waited too long in the year.  I kept procrastinating because I just didn't feel up to it. 

Instead of being upset with all I did not do, I have decided that I should admit I needed a little more rest last year than I have in the past few weeks.   Further, some of the things that got put on hold will be modified because inspiration is striking, and I am ready (after almost 3 years), to start decorating the house.  

I have been losing weight, which I will talk more about tomorrow, and I have been getting a lot more done than I used to.  It feels great, and the more I do, the more I want to do. 

For today though, I think I will take a bit of a rest this afternoon.  Little l and I dropped off big L at school, then spent an hour and a half taking down stage decorations from the performance in December.  We then ran over to another local school to confirm that they had what I need and were ready for us to do our Cookie Rally on Friday.  Then off to my allergy shots, blood test, dropped off a form at the High School, and we were done.  It was a busy morning.  We have eaten, and the little l is napping, so now is normally my time to get stuff done. 

However, I think that since I started dinner in the crock pot, cleaned the kitchen and the kid's humidifiers, I deserve a little break before my after school chauffeuring begins. 

Hope you had a nice break and are enjoying getting back into the groove again!