Lucky Sevens

7 things I can do:

• analyze a piece of music in about 7 different ways
• put in my contacts without a mirror
• drive a stick shift
• spell
• lead a choir
• make angel food cake
• feel fetal movement very early
  

7 things I can't do:

• curl my hair with a curling iron
• throw up
• decorate
• sing whistle tone
• think straight with music/noise
• give a talk without every word written out
• play volleyball
  

7 things that attracted me to my spouse:

• his kindness
• his righteousness
• his ambition
• his muscles
• his eyes
• his dedication
• his friendliness
  

7 things I say the most:

• Just a minute, please!
• What do you say?
• What?
• Caleb!
• Savanna!
• Bryan?
• Not right now.
  

7 people I admire most:

• Jesus Christ
• Joseph Smith
• Thomas S. Monson
  
• Bryan
  
• My mom
• My dad
• Britta

7 favorite foods:

• Brick Oven Broccoli Soup
• Papa John's pineapple pizza
• mashed potatoes and gravy
• any ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter
• Mom's chocolate chip cookies
• Life cereal
• Cream of Wheat
  

7 books I've read this year:

• Jane Eyre
• Frankenstein
• The Book Thief
• The Book of Mormon
• Sanditon
• Mansfield Park
• The Tipping Point
  

Pictures soon, I promise!!!

Having Trouble Getting Your Kids to Eat Vegetables?

Well, I'm having trouble getting my kids to eat anything lately. Halloween didn't help, but I think they're both just not going through growth spurts right now.

So, we've stopped giving them candy at all. In fact, we have completely hidden it so it's not even a temptation anymore (well, for them).

And we've stopped giving them snacks a couple of hours before dinner time.

And we've started giving them only vegetables at the beginning of dinner. If they're hungry, they'll eat it. And if they're still hungry, then they'll get the main dish. And if they're still hungry, they can have bread or a treat or whatever. And although I'm also struggling to get them to drink enough, they don't get drinks during dinner. Well, except for maybe water, or a swig of milk to help swallow dinner (I can't eat without a drink--I choke!). I try to give them plenty to drink when it's all over. And truly, I'd rather have my kid hydrated and wetting the bed (with pull-ups of course), so we let them drink up until bedtime (as long as they filled up on dinner first).

Last night, we ate spinach. Savanna looked at it sideways, literally. We had to clap after every time she took a bite. Which meant that we also had to clap after every time Caleb took a bite. Toward the end, the little manipulator (Savanna) wouldn't eat anymore. When I saw her put a bite up to her mouth, and she caught me looking, she immediately spit it out.

Yep, I'm going to have a rebellious teenage daughter someday...

What I've been thinking about today:

I find that my life consists of cycles. And I'm finding that it is much easier to view it in cycles versus accomplishments and finished projects. Because then I can feel good about accomplishing the cycles and not feel bad that the cycle must start over again.

Let me explain in more detail by listing some of the cycles I go through:

1. Life, in general is a cycle. You are born, you live, then die (although I don't believe that's the end).
2. Within that cycle, you go through the cycles of education, work, having children, retirement.
3. Each child/person is on his own schedule for the above mentioned cycles, so you are technically going through as many different cycles as there are close relationships in your life (and still interconnecting with other indirect relationships exponentially).
4. Yearly cycles of seasons, holidays, traveling.
5. Monthly cycles of tests, paychecks, and menstruation.
6. Weekly cycles of laundry, budgeting, shopping, consuming, religious practices, family time, vacuuming, mopping, organizing, weather.
7. Daily cycles of eating, bathing, sweeping, dishes, playing, sleeping, exercising, washing, working, checking email and blogs.
8. Hourly cycles of parenting, breathing, heart beats.
9. And then you could take it down to the atomic level and beyond if you know anything about that.

And many of these cycles happen simultaneously, weaving in and out of each other, interrupting each other.

So I guess all I'm saying is that I'm sick of beating myself up over half-done cycles and interrupted cycles. And I'm tired of worrying that once I've completed a cycle that someone might come along, eat something, and start a new cycle of dishes, etc. It is definitely easier to look at it as "Way to go, me! I just completed a cycle!" and calmly allow another cycle to begin.

What Would You Do?

I have a problem, and I may have already told you about it.

I look young for my age.

Which means I get funny looks from people who learn that I'm pregnant with my third child.

It happens over and over. And a few of you have been with me during these experiences.

Yes, I feel like I need to defend myself so that people don't think I'm some idiot teenager who can't keep herself from getting pregnant.

But more than that, I want people to understand our conscious decisions, which have been based completely in our moral and religious beliefs.

I want people to know that we waited to have sex until after we were married. I was 20 and my husband was 22 when we got married in the temple for eternity, not just till death do us part. I finished my college degree, and chose to be a stay-at-home mom. I have two small children and one on the way. Yes, I have my hands full! But each child that has come to us was a result of prayer and inspiration from Heavenly Father. And I feel so privileged to be their mom, that Heavenly Father trusted me to do that job. Children have a right to come to a good home, and that is what we try to provide.

So how would you convey that to random people who ask or make comments?

Butternut Squash Soup

I don't usually post recipes unless I really think you should try them. This is one of them. We discovered this soup at a fancy restaurant back in our college days. And later made some at home. And we made some this week because we found some butternut squash (es?) for a reasonable price. But you better go out and get them now because they're almost out of season, and then you'll have to wait until next year to try this:

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 chopped onions
1 chopped clove of garlic (not the whole onion-thing)
2 butternut squash
1 large potato
1 large carrot
7 cups chicken stock
salt, pepper, thyme, parsley to taste

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken stock. Add squash, potato, and carrot. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley. Cook until all the vegetables are really soft. Mash everything together and/or use a blender to get a very smooth consistency.

This is really good with fresh bread. And if you want to do it in the true Portuguese fashion, get hard bread (French bread will do), break it up in the bottom of your bowl, then add the soup.

The only thing I don't like about this recipe is that I don't know a fast way to cut up the squash. It might be helpful to cut up the squash the day before or earlier in the day. Once everything goes in the pot, it takes less than thirty minutes. It's the chopping that takes a while. And actually, it would probably help if I had a sharper knife...

And not to deter you from trying this recipe, because it was so worth it, but it seemed to dry the skin on my palms to the point that they were peeling. Weird effect. I did some research, and many people have the same reaction. The recommendation is that you wear a latex glove on the hand you are not wielding the knife with.

Also, I think you can substitute pumpkin for the squash, which is even more true to the Portuguese fashion. But I really like the taste of the butternut!

Household Tips

My sister-in-law Shalissa polled her friends and family on mommy tips. I thought they were helpful and decided to post them here. I’ve added a few of my own, as well as a few of yours. I've renamed them "Household Tips" because many of them can apply to anyone, not just Mommies. Feel free to add your own tips in the comment section.

From Wendy (Shalissa's friend):

• Yogurt container bath toys. We've been through a few phases where someone was always pooping in the tub and it was a huge hassle to not only try to santitize the people and the tub, but also the bath toys! With old yogurt containers, big and little, I don't feel bad just throwing them away if they're dirty or mildewed, and they work great for rinsing hair, and they're good for kids developing spatial awareness (volume ie Archimedes) AND I feel like I did something good for the environment by reusing them since they're a #5 which our recycle bin doesn't take.

• Hubby pack Sunday bag. Should have thought of this long ago, but Josh to help with my chronic lateness has taken on the task of packing our church bag before he leaves with cheerios, extra clothes, sippy cups, Sunday books, etc. This is something he can do to help us every Sunday on his own time table, even when he has meetings, and I can grab it and go.

• Clipboards nailed to walls, especially in bathroom and kitchen. You introduced me to this and it's still one of my favorites. Great place to post Ensigns, pictures, all sorts of educational and inspiring handouts you don't have time to sit and read but might glance at on the wall.

• Jimmy-rig lamination. Use wide packing tape to enclose small quotes or scriptures and read them in the shower.

• Laundry drawer near entryway, since that's where everyone's socks come off, at least at our house. It's also nice to have a place for other dirty laundry on the main floor. I use the bottom drawer of a plastic set for laundry, and the upper drawers are for socks, hats, gloves, hair ribbons, etc. It's closed so out of sight and not smelly. On laundry day I dump it into the laundry hamper on the way down to the basement, or bring the whole drawer with me. Hmmm--that might not work if there were a very curious toddler who liked dumping drawers out.

• Week-view planner. I read on an organization site that a big problem people have is their information is scattered so many different places throughout the house--wall calendar, to-do lists, shopping list, purse, menu list, scraps of paper with notes, etc. Computers are great for this but not as portable or always practical. So I'm starting to try using just a week-view planner (M-W on left, Th-Sun or right side) for everything (well, more things). Appointments (just here, not on calendar too), to-do lists, week's menu ideas or non-specific-time activity/project/task ideas at the top, people's phone numbers and notes get written in on the day I got them and I can always turn back to find it if I need it later. This is not fully tried and tested yet. :)

From Michelle (Shalissa's friend):

• Okay, so my son is not so excited about the homemade bread sandwiches that I try to send in his lunches. New favorites? Leftover homemade pizza from the night before or bean and cheese tortillas (pop in the microwave for 30 seconds just to melt cheese, then wrap up in plastic wrap). Both are great cold, not messy at all, and both he can pack up himself!

• [Michelle also introduced me to 1) the marvelous Clorox bleach pen which doesn't jeopardize everything in the vicinity with a spill--great for stains and tubs and 2) the myriad uses for industrial strength velcro, available anywhere.]

From Virginia (Shalissa's friend):

• [Referencing "The LDS Mothers Almanac":] One that I remember is to tie a plastic grocery bag to your vacuum so you can pick up misplaced items as you move from room to room, then you're going that way anyway and can put things away.

• I also subscribed recently to about.com weekly housekeeping newsletter. I've gotten only one letter and it was simple and quick (it was about tile and we don't have a lot of that here). But there was a link to this interesting video on cleansers http://video.about.com/housekeeping/Green-Kitchen-Cleaners.htm

From Kristen (Shalissa's friend):

• Take a paper cup and put food coloring mixed with baby soap and let kids paint the walls in the bathtub and then just wash off after.

• I don't know how it is around your home but I have noticed that I neededa little "extra help" :-) in having productive conversations around the table at dinner to replace the "don't look at me" and "eat your food" and "nagging" that seems to happen. I decided to make a colorful CONVERSATION JAR that we can pick out of. Thought I'd pass on the document.
  

From Brianne (yep, that's me):

• I subscribe to this website (http://themomclub.blogspot.com), which has had some good ideas. I particularly liked the kitchen tips, like lining your measuring cups with plastic wrap before measuring hard to clean foods (e.g. shortening).

From Shalissa:

• I bought a 3 1/2 foot "Gopher" (extension clutch thing for the elderly to use) that prevents my having to bend down to pick up toys during the last 2 months of pregnancy. It cost $9 at Walmart, and is WONDERFUL.

• A pocketed apron costs $1 at Home Depot. Wearing either this or scrubbs (maternity comfy, with BIG pockets) allows me to just collect random everythings all over the house as I go. In my laundry room, I have stacking open sided baskets labled for each room. When I periodically go in there, I just empty all my pockets into the right bin. This makes for very little walking back and forth when it's time to clean up. Sometimes I wheel a little cart through the house picking up everything out of place, and then sort it into the baskets. I deliver the baskets once a day to the right room.

More from Brianne:

• I'm in love with flexible cutting boards. They are great for regular chopping; but you can also line the bottom of your kitchen sink when you are peeling potatoes, etc., and then dump the peelings right in the garbage; and since I don't have a pastry cloth, I knead my bread on one of these. Less mess, less clean up.

• Use a pizza cutter to make child-size bite of toast, waffles, french toast, pancakes (keep shapes if you make shaped pancakes), sandwiches, etc.

• Hand sanitizer in the car cup-holder during winter, also disinfecting wipes in my purse for shopping carts

• Keep diapers and wipes in regular changing spots (I have a couple different spots I tend to use), and same set-up every time (I put the clean diaper on the left of the child, wipes on the upper right side, and dirty diaper on the lower right side) so you're not scrambling to keep a poopy diaper from being poopy carpet.

• Everything has a spot, especially toys (labels are good for kids)=cleaner house.

• Empty sink=cleaner kitchen. If the dishwasher is full, I rinse everything on one side and store it on the other (if you have two sides)

• Love disinfecting wipes. Keep in each bathroom (for little boys with aiming skills less than par) and in kitchen.

• In the kitchen I have one scrubber for scrubbing, and one scrubber for cleaning. This keeps the cleaning scrubber sanitary for longer.

• Let kids get truly hungry (not to be mistaken for starving) to encourage eating what's placed before them. In other words, don't let them snack all day. Also, don't eat anything in front of them that you don't want them to see while they are working on their vegetables or whatever.

• Use straws to get them to drink.

• When I'm pregnant, it gets increasingly difficult to lug around laundry baskets. I've fallen in love with the mesh laundry bags. I can sort my clothes into them, and toss them down the stairs.

• This comes from when I was dealing with morning sickness: I just didn't feel well enough to fold laundry. So I started sorting the clean laundry into baskets based on which room it was going in. And eventually, when I got around to that room, I would fold and put it away in one sitting. This only works if you do the next thing:

• Clean laundry stays in the room, dirty laundry leaves the room. If you try to take a basket of clean, unfolded laundry into a room with dirty laundry, it will inevitably get mixed together.

• When sorting your dirty laundry, it is helpful to label the separate loads. I have enough laundry of different colors that I have these labels: very dark, blue jeans, medium/light blue, medium/light pink and yellow, red, and white.

From a different Kristen (my friend):

• About the mommy tips... hmm, I guess the thing that came to mind for me is getting your kids to say "please" and "thank you." The best way to do this (as well as most things) is to lead by example. Instead of ordering your kids to do something (which I do too much), ask politely, and they will pick up on it and do the same. We also are sticklers about saying please at the dinner table. Sentences that begin with "I want.." are not really heard.

From Meg (my friend):

• as for my parenting/housekeeping tip--i take this from the flylady. use your timer for things you don't want to do, or don't feel like you have time to do. you can do anything for ten or fifteen minutes, and even that little time will make a difference. sometimes i use the timer for a time-in for jane, time that we do whatever she wants to do and i can play without distractions.

• my other tip comes from a friend who recently read glimpses about marjorie hinckley. her mothering philosophy was to say yes as much as she could and to hold her children as much as she could. this is a good reminder to me to do the same.

I'm just curious...

How many Emmas dressed up in this costume for Halloween?

Link 1

Link 2