One of the advantages to being married to The Preacher Man is that he gets two weeks off at Christmas. Although we spend a lot of time together working for the ministry, time to simply be a family is a treat, and we look forward to this little break.
There is only one problem. He gets bored. And then he gets weird.
This year, the weirdness has manifested itself in a vendetta against my food.
Case in point: On Wednesday, I was making bread. Since the Free Spirit started the Feingold Program, I have had to bake our bread from scratch. Surely you've seen the gigantic loaves I've been making (if not, see here). I found two bread makers at garage sales, and while I didn't care for the bullet-proof square loaves they turned out, I was pretty impressed with their dough-making setting, so now I just use them to mix the dough and I bake it in a normal bread pan in the oven. I try to make two loaves at a time, because, as I'm sure I've discussed in earlier posts, I hate to cook. So if I'm going to have to do it, I do it in bulk so it can be done less often.
So on Wednesday I had made two lovely loaves of bread, one in my amazing silicone loaf pan, and the other in the new glass pan I'd just bought that day. Since it was my first time using the glass pan, I hadn't learned yet how to adjust the baking time, so the loaf baked in that pan didn't get cooked through.
Preacher Man happened to wander into the kitchen. When he saw the bread, he said, helpfully, "I don't think it's cooked all the way through."
"No, I don't think it is," I agreed. My intention was to slice the bread and toast it, thereby finishing the cooking and salvaging what could have been a baking disaster. Apparently, I should have said this out loud, and then perhaps Preacher Man would not have felt the need to rescue the bread.
I left the room for less than two minutes. When I returned, Preacher Man was gone, and my under cooked loaf had been gutted.
Now, as I keep saying, I hate to cook. I had just worked long and hard to make that bread. And now it was mangled. I stood in the middle of the kitchen making unintelligible sounds for several seconds, and then I sought out Preacher Man.
"Did you," I gasped, barely able to contain myself, "hollow out my bread?"
"Yes, I did."
"Why would you do that?" I'm pretty sure I was hyperventilating by now. Preacher Man is either extremely brave or he hasn't learned yet what I look like when I'm about to strangle him.
"It wasn't cooked all the way. I scooped the insides out and they're on a cookie sheet in the oven."
And so they were. A big mound of dough, right in the middle of my oven, now utterly useless for making sandwiches. And of course, there was the equally useless hollowed out bread shell on my counter top.
I tossed them both into the wastebasket and banned him from the kitchen.
I should have posted guards.
The next day, he bought some trail mix. Now, I like trail mix. In fact, my very favorite is a brand I've only ever seen at Aldi called Southern Grove. I will only eat the Dark Chocolate Cranberry flavor. But that isn't the kind Preacher Man bought. He bought an ordinary, run of the mill peanut and M&M trail mix. Which I can't stand.
All of this would have been okay, since he bought a small bag that was only for himself...but when I left him alone in the kitchen, he proceeded to mix the inferior trail mix with my heavenly Dark Chocolate Cranberry! Not a small bowl of mine mixed with his, mind you, but all of mine with all of his!
I think I handled the situation very well. I said, quite diplomatically, "WHY DO YOU KEEP RUINING ALL THE FOOD?!"
To which he replied, "I thought you weren't going to eat that. I'll buy you another one." And then he backed out of the kitchen.
This time, I'm installing an alarm.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
My Menu Making Adventure
I absolutely hate to cook. It isn't that I can't; actually, I'm quite a good cook. I just hate it. But there are several people in my house who have somehow gotten it into their heads that I'm the person who provides the meals. As if I'm the mom or something.
Oh...wait...I am the mom.
Okay, then! Since people around here insist on eating, and hubby can't cook and the Free Spirit is on a special diet and therefore we have to avoid a lot of pre-packaged junk, I have to suck it up and cook. Which brings us to the next step: deciding what to cook. I hate that too. For a while, I subscribed to a menu service for $5 a month. They sent me five meals a week, complete with recipes and shopping lists (awesome, since I also hate compiling those). The only problem was that half the stuff my family wouldn't eat. Plus I'm cheap and wanted to keep my five bucks. So, my solution: I gritted my teeth and created my own set of rotating menus. I hated every minute of it. But now they're done and I never have to do it again.
It was a tough and boring job, but somebody had to do it. I used a really cool template from Busy Bee Lifestyle to plan these blasted menus. I liked their template because it had separate meals for the kids. Clearly the person who created that template understands kids. Or at least my kids. Of course, I like things with color, so I made a Publisher document and copied the style of their template and added illustrations.
Hopefully, my family won't get tired of the same 16 menus, because I have no intention of ever doing that again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to print my shopping list.
Oh...wait...I am the mom.
Okay, then! Since people around here insist on eating, and hubby can't cook and the Free Spirit is on a special diet and therefore we have to avoid a lot of pre-packaged junk, I have to suck it up and cook. Which brings us to the next step: deciding what to cook. I hate that too. For a while, I subscribed to a menu service for $5 a month. They sent me five meals a week, complete with recipes and shopping lists (awesome, since I also hate compiling those). The only problem was that half the stuff my family wouldn't eat. Plus I'm cheap and wanted to keep my five bucks. So, my solution: I gritted my teeth and created my own set of rotating menus. I hated every minute of it. But now they're done and I never have to do it again.
It was a tough and boring job, but somebody had to do it. I used a really cool template from Busy Bee Lifestyle to plan these blasted menus. I liked their template because it had separate meals for the kids. Clearly the person who created that template understands kids. Or at least my kids. Of course, I like things with color, so I made a Publisher document and copied the style of their template and added illustrations.
Hopefully, my family won't get tired of the same 16 menus, because I have no intention of ever doing that again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to print my shopping list.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The Perfect Combo
I have two addictions. Well, okay, three, if you count cappuccino. But I digress. As I was saying, I have at least two addictions: bacon and chocolate. Until today, I never thought the two would meet. But then, lo and behold, my friend brought me...wait for it...bacon chocolate bars.
Ohhhh Yeah. As I've long suspected, bacon tastes good with everything. And the irony here is that it comes from the health food store.
Life is good.
Ohhhh Yeah. As I've long suspected, bacon tastes good with everything. And the irony here is that it comes from the health food store.
Life is good.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Book Nook
So I decided to make The Free Spirit a reading nook. She reads constantly, and loves to curl up in small places and go off into her own world. I'm sure she's always wanted a reading nook. Well...I've always wanted one, anyway. (For more on living out my childhood dreams vicariously through the Free Spirit, go here.)
Now, if you google "reading nook", you will find all sorts of wonderful photos and articles. People are apparently always turning closets into reading nooks. Here is a neat one. It would appear that this woman built a bench, added shelves, a reading lamp with dimmer switch, blah, blah, blah.
This lady was pretty handy, and thrifty as well. Well, while I am thrifty, I'm not as handy (translation: broke, cheap and really bad with power tools), so I didn't get nearly as extensive. I used items I had around the house already (with the exception of the pink curtains--Dollar General, $5 each), had the Preacher Man build the shelves, and went to work. Here is what we began with.
Yes, it's her closet. Her clothes are never in there, so we might as well do something with it. First I covered the wall:
It's a sheet set given to me by a friend for Cheeks' room. We never did use it, so...now we are.
Here are the shelves her dad built:
A cozy place to sit:
Yeah, I know the chair is ratty, but it's her favorite. She's had it since she was three.
Once I created a place to sit, I moved on to hanging curtains. The power tools actually did have to come out for that one, and I was on my own, since Preacher Man and Free Spirit were out for the day.
And here they are with a pretty tie-back:
Next, I made some tinfoil stars. If you can't see the pattern on the sheet, uh, wall covering, it's stars.
And, the finished product:
It's not as sophisticated as some reading nooks you'll see online, but it was the best I could do without building, painting or sewing anything, so let's cut the Hippie Chick a little bit of slack, hm? And the most important thing is that my 8 year old will love it.
In case you're wondering, yes, I have already been in it.
And here is the princess enjoying it.
Now, if you google "reading nook", you will find all sorts of wonderful photos and articles. People are apparently always turning closets into reading nooks. Here is a neat one. It would appear that this woman built a bench, added shelves, a reading lamp with dimmer switch, blah, blah, blah.
This lady was pretty handy, and thrifty as well. Well, while I am thrifty, I'm not as handy (translation: broke, cheap and really bad with power tools), so I didn't get nearly as extensive. I used items I had around the house already (with the exception of the pink curtains--Dollar General, $5 each), had the Preacher Man build the shelves, and went to work. Here is what we began with.
Yes, it's her closet. Her clothes are never in there, so we might as well do something with it. First I covered the wall:
It's a sheet set given to me by a friend for Cheeks' room. We never did use it, so...now we are.
Here are the shelves her dad built:
A cozy place to sit:
Yeah, I know the chair is ratty, but it's her favorite. She's had it since she was three.
Once I created a place to sit, I moved on to hanging curtains. The power tools actually did have to come out for that one, and I was on my own, since Preacher Man and Free Spirit were out for the day.
And here they are with a pretty tie-back:
Next, I made some tinfoil stars. If you can't see the pattern on the sheet, uh, wall covering, it's stars.
And, the finished product:
It's not as sophisticated as some reading nooks you'll see online, but it was the best I could do without building, painting or sewing anything, so let's cut the Hippie Chick a little bit of slack, hm? And the most important thing is that my 8 year old will love it.
In case you're wondering, yes, I have already been in it.
And here is the princess enjoying it.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Arise, My Loaf
Uh...this is what happens when you forget you have bread rising.
Anybody remember that old I Love Lucy episode?
Anybody remember that old I Love Lucy episode?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Fall Food Feelings
Isn't my title great? I just love alliteration.
Okay, so I'm a nerd.
Anyway, I promised to keep you updated on how our food adventure was going. We're on about week 10 of the Feingold Diet, and things are going well. Hardly any emotional meltdowns, and quite a bit less hyperactivity. We're still fine-tuning; some days she is still far too energetic, so I'm thinking some other things may have to come out of her diet. But all in all, Feingold seems to be a good fit.
My own food adventure has been somewhat different...but that's another post.
Later Days
Michelle
Okay, so I'm a nerd.
Anyway, I promised to keep you updated on how our food adventure was going. We're on about week 10 of the Feingold Diet, and things are going well. Hardly any emotional meltdowns, and quite a bit less hyperactivity. We're still fine-tuning; some days she is still far too energetic, so I'm thinking some other things may have to come out of her diet. But all in all, Feingold seems to be a good fit.
My own food adventure has been somewhat different...but that's another post.
Later Days
Michelle
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
A New Food Attitude
Ever since The Free Spirit was a baby, she has been a whirl of energy and emotion. Before she could walk, she flapped her arms constantly. Once she learned to walk, she walked...and walked...and walked. And don't even get me started on the talking. She started talking at ten months and hasn't stopped since.
When she was a year old, I took her to her pediatrician. "She has too much energy," I announced. "Her dad had ADHD. Should I be worried about that?"
"No," he assured me. "All this energy just means she is intelligent."
Well, she is intelligent. She also has ADHD.
She fooled us for a while. When she isn't hanging from the light fixtures, she sits quietly and reads. As soon as she's done reading, she climbs the nearest person or object, talking all the while. She loves to sit and draw. She also loves to run screaming through Wal Mart.
The periods of sitting quietly led me to believe she couldn't possibly have ADHD, but I've since found out that it's quite common for these kids to be able to focus on something they really enjoy. If they aren't enjoying it, though...watch out.
The excess energy I could have put up with. The emotional meltdowns, not so much. So this year we finally tested her, and guess what? Mr. Pediatrician dropped the ball on this one.
Preacher Man and I have nothing against meds, but we like to try everything else first. So we decided to try the Feingold Program. It's a diet based on the idea that ADHD symptoms can be triggered by the additives in our food. We will no longer be consuming artificial dyes and preservatives.
This past week, I cleaned out our pantry of all non-Feingold approved foods. Here's all the food that didn't make the cut:
That was most of my pantry. So then, my Feingold approved food list in hand, I embarked upon a two hour shopping trip.
So far, it's not as difficult as I feared. Most of what I bought is normal food; it's just that some brands use dyes and preservatives and others don't.
It's certainly not as difficult as peeling a 7 year old off the door frame.
I'll keep you posted.
When she was a year old, I took her to her pediatrician. "She has too much energy," I announced. "Her dad had ADHD. Should I be worried about that?"
"No," he assured me. "All this energy just means she is intelligent."
Well, she is intelligent. She also has ADHD.
She fooled us for a while. When she isn't hanging from the light fixtures, she sits quietly and reads. As soon as she's done reading, she climbs the nearest person or object, talking all the while. She loves to sit and draw. She also loves to run screaming through Wal Mart.
The periods of sitting quietly led me to believe she couldn't possibly have ADHD, but I've since found out that it's quite common for these kids to be able to focus on something they really enjoy. If they aren't enjoying it, though...watch out.
The excess energy I could have put up with. The emotional meltdowns, not so much. So this year we finally tested her, and guess what? Mr. Pediatrician dropped the ball on this one.
Preacher Man and I have nothing against meds, but we like to try everything else first. So we decided to try the Feingold Program. It's a diet based on the idea that ADHD symptoms can be triggered by the additives in our food. We will no longer be consuming artificial dyes and preservatives.
This past week, I cleaned out our pantry of all non-Feingold approved foods. Here's all the food that didn't make the cut:
That was most of my pantry. So then, my Feingold approved food list in hand, I embarked upon a two hour shopping trip.
So far, it's not as difficult as I feared. Most of what I bought is normal food; it's just that some brands use dyes and preservatives and others don't.
It's certainly not as difficult as peeling a 7 year old off the door frame.
I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Whole Lotta Science Goin' On
For some reason, this has been a science week at our house. I would love to say I planned it as part of our summer curriculum, but the plain and honest truth is that sometimes the Free Spirit gets on a science kick (or an art kick) and the result is that things are invented and the house is destroyed. On Monday, she made a stethoscope out of a balloon, a funnel and some hollow tubes:
It worked, by the way.
Then on Tuesday, she decided to do the Mentos geyser:
Here she is sneaking in a drink. She's not allowed to have sugar, by the way. She also ate the Mentos.
That was just the beginning of the week. Since then we've done 2 taste tests and made several batches of slime, using, I might add, every measuring cup in the house. Which means I had to do dishes. Sigh.
Maybe next time she'll get on a cleaning kick?
A mom can dream...
Then on Tuesday, she decided to do the Mentos geyser:
That was just the beginning of the week. Since then we've done 2 taste tests and made several batches of slime, using, I might add, every measuring cup in the house. Which means I had to do dishes. Sigh.
Maybe next time she'll get on a cleaning kick?
A mom can dream...
Thursday, July 21, 2011
I Really, Really, Really Want One of These!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Cappuccino Dreams
So, for years I was a non-coffee drinker. Couldn't stand the stuff, would not touch it. In fact, I still hate coffee.
Except....
...for those frothy, delicious sweet dreams of heaven called Gas Station Cappuccinos.
It all started one cold, wintry morning on our way to church. I had my usual hot chocolate, and my husband emerged from the gas station clutching a steaming cup of his own. Grinning, he shoved it at me. "Here. Try that."
"I hate coffee," I reminded him.
"Just try it."
Screwing up my face in anticipation of intense nastiness, I took a tentative sip. And then another.
Ah, bliss...as that warm, sugary delight rolled over my tongue, an addiction was born. Now I love gas station cappuccinos, be they hot or cold. Mind you, I can't stand a real cappuccino with an actual coffee taste. I figure the gas station variety is probably 60% sugar, 35% milk and 5% coffee. Which is just the way I like it.
The beauty of it is that you can also get cappuccinos of this sort at places other than gas stations (just not at coffee houses). You'll find them in grocery stores. You'll find the chilled variety at restaurants such as Dairy Queen, Sonic and McDonalds.
And now for my dilemma. McDonald's has been running their "happy hour" promotion, where certain drinks are $1.00 off between the hours of 2 and 5 p.m. Initially, this made me very happy indeed . Off I went every day to McDonalds clutching my $4 to have my specialty drink. It was about a month before I noticed two things: my wallet was decidedly lighter, and my body was decidedly heavier.
At this point, I did a little research, and to my horror, discovered that one 16 oz Frappe, as McDonalds calls them, contains a whopping 560 calories and 66 grams of sugar. Calorie wise, this is like eating a Big Mac, only you don't feel as full afterward. And sugar wise...well, I don't even want to contemplate.
Now, the hot Cappuccinos are not nearly as bad. They have 150 calories, which I can deal with. So, naturally, I assumed the cold variety were comparable. Even with whipped cream. And extra chocolate drizzle. Really.
Okay, fine, I should have known better.
So now I had two choices. Give up my chilled delights or make my own. Guess which option I chose.
The recipe is below, in case you're interested:
Low Fat Frozen Cappuccino
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons instant coffee
4 teaspoons cocoa
4 teaspoons non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
1 cup nonfat milk
3 tablespoons sugar substitute (I like Whey Low or Ideal. They taste like real sugar)
1 cup of ice
Combine dry ingredients in blender. Add milk and ice cubes. Blend until it has a slushy consistency.
I modified this recipe from one I found on the web. Without having to do too much math, this is what I came up with:
Makes approximately 32 ounces (which is 2 servings, unless you're greedy)
90 calories per serving
It's very low in fat, too. Something like 2 or 3 grams.
Since hubby and I usually like to drink these on the go, we pour them into these awesome, dishwasher safe plastic cups my friend got us from JoAnn.
Except....
...for those frothy, delicious sweet dreams of heaven called Gas Station Cappuccinos.
It all started one cold, wintry morning on our way to church. I had my usual hot chocolate, and my husband emerged from the gas station clutching a steaming cup of his own. Grinning, he shoved it at me. "Here. Try that."
"I hate coffee," I reminded him.
"Just try it."
Screwing up my face in anticipation of intense nastiness, I took a tentative sip. And then another.
Ah, bliss...as that warm, sugary delight rolled over my tongue, an addiction was born. Now I love gas station cappuccinos, be they hot or cold. Mind you, I can't stand a real cappuccino with an actual coffee taste. I figure the gas station variety is probably 60% sugar, 35% milk and 5% coffee. Which is just the way I like it.
The beauty of it is that you can also get cappuccinos of this sort at places other than gas stations (just not at coffee houses). You'll find them in grocery stores. You'll find the chilled variety at restaurants such as Dairy Queen, Sonic and McDonalds.
And now for my dilemma. McDonald's has been running their "happy hour" promotion, where certain drinks are $1.00 off between the hours of 2 and 5 p.m. Initially, this made me very happy indeed . Off I went every day to McDonalds clutching my $4 to have my specialty drink. It was about a month before I noticed two things: my wallet was decidedly lighter, and my body was decidedly heavier.
At this point, I did a little research, and to my horror, discovered that one 16 oz Frappe, as McDonalds calls them, contains a whopping 560 calories and 66 grams of sugar. Calorie wise, this is like eating a Big Mac, only you don't feel as full afterward. And sugar wise...well, I don't even want to contemplate.
Now, the hot Cappuccinos are not nearly as bad. They have 150 calories, which I can deal with. So, naturally, I assumed the cold variety were comparable. Even with whipped cream. And extra chocolate drizzle. Really.
Okay, fine, I should have known better.
So now I had two choices. Give up my chilled delights or make my own. Guess which option I chose.
The recipe is below, in case you're interested:
Low Fat Frozen Cappuccino
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons instant coffee
4 teaspoons cocoa
4 teaspoons non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
1 cup nonfat milk
3 tablespoons sugar substitute (I like Whey Low or Ideal. They taste like real sugar)
1 cup of ice
Combine dry ingredients in blender. Add milk and ice cubes. Blend until it has a slushy consistency.
I modified this recipe from one I found on the web. Without having to do too much math, this is what I came up with:
Makes approximately 32 ounces (which is 2 servings, unless you're greedy)
90 calories per serving
It's very low in fat, too. Something like 2 or 3 grams.
Since hubby and I usually like to drink these on the go, we pour them into these awesome, dishwasher safe plastic cups my friend got us from JoAnn.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
I Don't Have Time to Blog!
I must be crazy. I don't have time to blog. Really. My days are filled with homeschooling a daughter who must be constantly in motion, caring for her 9 month old baby brother who eats everything--except food (seriously, the other day he ate my bookmark), typing sermons for The Preacher Man, creating multimedia presentations for the Children's Ministry we run, writing and practicing music, plus all the usual cooking, cleaning, and shopping stay at home moms generally do. And I'm certain I missed some things.
So why on earth am I starting a blog? Simple. I love to write. I love my unique little family. I love posting photos and I love sharing our world. So, although posts may be sporadic, I hope you'll come along with us as we do this strange thing called life.
So why on earth am I starting a blog? Simple. I love to write. I love my unique little family. I love posting photos and I love sharing our world. So, although posts may be sporadic, I hope you'll come along with us as we do this strange thing called life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)