Menu Planning A & Q

Micah asked some questions about my menu planning and I had enough to say that I decided to just answer it in post form. Hopefully some of you will add your thoughts as well – a lot of you are veteran menu planners and I would put myself in the novice group. :) Oh, and I answered a lot more than what was asked and I have a few questions myself that I’m hoping for some input on.

I tried planning all 3 meals and it didn't work very well for me - it was overwhelming and usually more than we would normally eat in a day. :) I found myself frustrated and I just needed the flexibility to do what worked for that day. So, I just plan dinners and try to keep things on hand for breakfast and lunch. We typically have cereal, oatmeal, or cereal bars for breakfast (occasionally eggs or pancakes) - the boys and I are not big on breakfast (and Andrew is usually gone earlier). Lunch is often sandwiches (pb&j, egg salad, tuna, grilled cheese, or cheese toasties), crackers and cheese, or scrambled eggs, yogurt, fruit etc. Just keeping a list of breakfast and lunch ideas on the fridge or taped in the cabinet would be helpful and I really need to do that.

As far as meatless is concerned, Andrew doesn't really care so I try to include a few meatless meals here and there. But if it's not your cup of tea (it isn't for many people I know), just plan other things. :) I try to do a variety of ethnicities, types of meat etc. I use less meat by putting it in things (like fajitas or stir-fry). Andrew often takes leftovers for lunch so I don’t plan in a leftover night.

I do try to incorporate a lot of organic products but we are not 100% organic at this point and I don’t know if we ever will be. I still use refined sugar in baking and don’t plan to give that up any time soon.

I am easily bored by the same food all the time, so I work to change up dinners to keep it interesting. :) I read cookbooks and magazines for inspiration. I probably spend about ½ hour – 1 hour per week planning the meals and making shopping lists. It’s fun for me and I get excited about cooking!

Most all of the meals I plan are ready within an hour or less which is important at our house. I don’t know about the rest of you but meal prep time is zero hour for my kids. They are demanding, want held, cry, fight etc. I often give them a little snack and/or drink and have them spend a little time hanging out on the couch and I go play with them or read to them when I have a break. Any other ideas for this time of day? I try to have dinner ready or nearly ready by the time Andrew gets home (between 6 & 6:30). Some days are better than others. :)

I’m contemplating doing a theme for each night – Monday (crock pot), Tuesday (Mexican), Wednesday (beef) etc. I’m not sure if this would be stifling or helpful. It may be an idea I try and then reject – we’ll see. :) Have any of you done this?

Hope that helps, it’s a bit trial and error and as with most things, it's really what works best for you, the cook! I’m gradually learning what works and what doesn’t and the great thing is that there is always next week!

This & That

I have so much to do tonight but I would much rather blog. :) So, I'll write a short one about a few things (in no particular order)...

We went to Chicago for Calvin's post-op appointment today - it went well and you can read about it here.

I'm teaching beginning and advanced biology this year to a few homeschool students. It's my 1st year teaching advanced (I'm really just doing labs and tests with them and answering questions) and my 4th year teaching beginning biology (I took last year off). They both meet at my house on Thursdays.

I had dinner with one of my best friends last night and it was such a great evening! We used to work together and I really miss not seeing her several times a week!

Cooking and baking are so much fun! I'm already starting to think about our Christmas Open House and what new recipes I'll make (December 15 is the current plan and you are all invited! :)).

Anyway, things are busy but good. The boys are awesome and I love being a mom!

Calvin's Appointment

We returned to the Shriner's Hospital today for Calvin's post-op appointment. It went well and the doctors were pleased with the recovery and healing! We will start massaging the scar and using Vitamin E on it. He is able to eat everything now and can learn to use a sippy cup w/stopper and to drink from a straw. I will call 1st Steps in the next week to see about getting him evaluated for speech therapy again - I'm pretty sure he will quailfy now (he did not qualify last time and really needed the palate repair first).

We will go back to Shriner's in February for a full team evaluation again and we'll know more about what will be next etc. As far as we know, the gum graft will be the next surgery in probably 5 years or so.

As always, Calvin loved the hospital and he makes friends every time he goes. He played outside a little after his appointment and watched trains and planes. We stopped for icecream on the way home which totally made his day. :) He was a great traveller today and was very cooperative for the appointment. Thanks for all your prayers and notes! We are so pleased with the results and so happy with our experience at the hospital.

Lentils

The Carrot Lentil Casserole was a success (I do not have a picture of it) - Andrew thought it was great and said he would eat it every week, my brother, Noah, had seconds, and the boys both ate it! We usually love lentils and have a couple of recipes that are really good. Here's the recipe from yesterday - it is from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly (compiled by Phyllis Pellman Good) but I changed a few things so I'm posting this with my changes. By the way, it was really easy to put together and Andrew had it for lunch and said it was great leftover.

If you would like other lentil recipes please feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail - I'll be happy to pass them on.

Let me know it you try it! Hope you enjoy it!

Carrot Lentil Casserole

1 lg. onion, chopped
1 c. carrots, finely chopped (I did just a little more)
3/4 c. dry lentils
3/4 c. brown rice, uncooked
1/2 c. green pepper (I just added a whole small one)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained*
1 1/2 c. chicken broth or vegetable broth*
1/2 - 3/4 c. shredded cheese (I used an Italian 4 cheese blend but you could use whatever you
like)

Combine all ingredients except cheese in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours. (It took 5 hrs. in my crockpot.)
Just before serving, stir in cheese until melted.

*Original recipe called for 1 c. tomatoes & 1 c. broth - this didn't seem like enough to me so I added more - it definitely needed it.

Calvin Pretends to Sleep...

...he insisted that we take pictures of his silliness. We did - of course!

Patrick Discovers Ketchup...

...and he loves it!

Menu Plan Monday

This is my first time to participate in Menu Plan Monday hosted here! I've really been working on menu planning and have found it to be so helpful. It seems to work best for me if I just plan one week at a time. I'm still figuring out the details of what will work for us but it has been a great success so far! I love cooking so I'm trying to also include new recipes each week.

Here's our menu for this week:

Monday: Carrot Lentil Casserole (crockpot & meatless), Salad, Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Tuesday: Chicken Burritos (w/black beans, cilantro rice, cheese, sourcream, & fresh salsa), Melon (from the farmer's market)

Wednesday: Casserole from the freezer (we will be in Chicago for Calvin's post-op appt. during the day), Salad

Thursday: All-American Patty Melts, Baked Sweet Potato & White Potato Fries, Apple Salad

Friday: Homemade Pizza (whole wheat crust and using whatever we have on hand for toppings - probably meatless), Veggies & Dip

Saturday: Spaghetti, Peas, Garlic Bread

Sunday: *Dessert - probably an apple pie or two! (Andrew's firm has a pitch-in picnic so this will be my contribution)

*Update - no dessert on Sunday. I just found out that his firm is providing dessert so I will bring a side dish - not sure what, probably a jello or hot veggie dish.

Circus!

We took the boys to the circus on Saturday with Uncle Luke, Aunt Liz, & Uncle Wesley. We had a great time! The boys loved most of the acts - Patrick especially loved the horses (he would grab our face and make sure we were watching whatever he liked) and Calvin loved pretty much everything (he pointed and screeched with excitement throughout the performance)! :) We weren't allowed to take pictures during the circus so we took a few before...

We had pretty good seats.

Mommy & Patrick - he was a little nervous at first. :)

The boys were mesmerized by the pre-show.

Patrick sporting the "Greatest Show on Earth" hat.

Calvin also modeling the hat.

The hat came on cotton candy which they tasted for the first time. No surprises - Calvin loved it and Patrick wasn't so into it. :) We all really enjoyed the show and would definitely go back - maybe in a couple of years.

Unlikely Favorite...

I’ve been thinking for awhile that I should write about one of my favorite kitchen appliances. When I received it from a co-worker at one of my bridal showers, I thought it was ridiculous. I mean, who could possibly need this when the stovetop method is simple and furthermore, who would want to find storage for yet another, clearly unnecessary appliance. I purposed to return it as soon as possible.

Well 5 ½ years later and many eggs later, I still have my egg boiler. It is awesome! It’s quick and precise and most importantly, mindless. :) You can do soft boil, medium boil, and hard boil eggs. I use my egg boiler regularly and would replace it if it broke. What a surprise! I highly recommend this small kitchen appliance which really doesn’t take up much storage space after all. :) It may not be necessary but it sure is great and I never wonder how long I've had my eggs in or if they are done!

Do any of you have kitchen gadgets or appliances that you love and wouldn’t want to live without?

Starbucks Goodness

Occasionally, I unapologetically splurge on coffee drinks. :) And my husband and I had a coffee date last night - a rare occurance these days! And Caffe Vanilla Frapuccino (Brownsburg makes the best!) & Pumpkin Spice Latte are my current favorite Starbucks drinks! I did not drink both last night - I opted for the frap since we have had our air conditioning off at home and it was a little warm yesterday. Anyone else love these drinks? Any other favorites?

More on the Environment

It seems that environmental issues and organic living are popular topics these days! I sometimes read this blog** and she recently posted a link to this article about a family who believes that organic farming is the way to fulfill the Biblical mandate.

These questions were raised:

Do you agree or disagree with this family's view of environmental stewardship?

I agree (as I previously wrote) with the general concept of environmental stewardship. I believe it is clear that we are to take an active role in conserving and caring for the earth. God set forth these mandates in Genesis (see Genesis 1 & 2 especially). I sincerely appreciate that they are looking beyond the health benefits and looking at how best to protect and manage the world entrusted to us. It was hard to tell how much the article was slanted to portray this family as ultra-conservative wackos. :) To the extent that they "believe the Bible demands an organic or natural approach to agriculture" as a tenant (or essential) of the Christian faith, I disagree. I also feel that their attitude towards insects was strange.


Do you think that promoting organic foods and good nutrition are tenants of a Christian lifestyle?

The 6th commandment is "thou shall not murder." The implication (or positive) of this commandment is that we are to preserve life. I believe that part of preserving life is caring for our bodies. I do think that promoting healthy living is an important aspect of Christian living but perhaps it goes a little far to call eating nutritious, organic food a "tenant of a Christian lifestyle". And, as I have said before, good eating and nutrition will look different for every family. Not everyone can afford to buy all organic foods and some do not feel that it is necessary but I definitely don't believe this means that they are failing to live a Christian lifesyle.


Oh, I really liked this description/definition in the aforementioned article, "Organic agriculture emphasizes crop rotation, composting and the use of animal manures, avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides that organic farmers say contaminate food, wildlife and the environment." As an aside, we have not been able to start a compost - when we tried, our dog went out and ate the things on the compost and was sick. The carpet suffered and...you get the idea.

One of the things I'm most disturbed about is that many, many people I know choose to eat healthy but don't think about the environment much at all. I mean it's all well and good to be healthy but what good is it going to do us if the world is falling apart. I really think nutritious living and being eco-friendly go hand in hand. So, next time you go to the store ask for paper instead of plastic or better yet, bring your own bags. :)

The other thing I really don't understand is why the city charges for recycling. This makes no sense to me - wouldn't more people recycle if it were free and easy? Our solution is to just drive our recyclables to a donation bin (we are trying to do better about this).


**While I appreciate some of the views expressed by this blog, I disagree with others.

Trader Joe's

Do any of you shop at Trader Joe's? It's not the most convenient for me but I LOVE that store! I desperately needed to get out of the house this evening (Andrew was working late), so I packed the boys up and headed to the store. We really like their cereal (the maple pecan clusters granola is awesome!) and we were almost out.

The boys probably think it's the greatest store ever because I let them each push one of the child carts and that's what we put the groceries in. We didn't need very much (other than cereal) but we meandered through the store checking out various items. Andrew and I love Trader Joe's sparkling waters especially the grapefruit and orange so I picked up one of each. We also brought home a wholegrain baking mix, organic mac 'n cheese for quick lunches, and some organic plain yogurt. Sometimes I buy cheese there - they have an awesome variety. They also have delicious hummus. And if you are a wine drinker, they have many different kinds, very reasonably priced.

They also have great eco-friendly reusable bags - they range from .99 to 1.99 and they even have insulated bags. The one pictured here is the one I bought today - itsn't it cute?! I really like that stores are offering these type of bags but this is by far the coolest one I have ever seen! Now if only I can remember to bring it with me when I shop!

So that was our outing for the evening. Oh, I forgot to mention that we also came home with 4 balloons - the boys made a few friends along the way. :)

And Then One Day...

...they ate vegetables! I've been having a little trouble getting the boys to eat vegetables lately and then all of sudden they decided that vegetables weren't so bad after all. :) Calvin still doesn't really like green beans but both of them started eating salad (and asking for it!). They also have been eating peppers and some fresh tomatoes. I'm so glad!

The boys favorite book right now is My Little Word Book. They look at it and excitedly identify pictures and make appropriate animal sounds, car noises etc. It is adorable!

Patrick said his first prayer last night thanking God for the day, Mommy, Daddy, Calvin, & Pippi (with some help, but he repeated all the words). He was so sincere and sweet.

Calvin loves to sing and after we sang 'Happy Birthday' to my Grandma on Sunday, he stood in the middle of all the people, held up his finger, and said, "wight, wight, wight!" Translated this meant,"Let's sing 'This Little Light of Mine'." We obliged and he was thrilled. It's his favorite song - we sing others but this is definitely the most requested.

Every day is a wonderful adventure being parents (okay, admittedly some of them aren't our favorite kind of adventures). :) We love watching our boys grow up - they are so funny! They keep us on our toes and certainly keep us laughing. It's so much fun!

Irish Fest, Pets, and Food

We went to Irish Fest (downtown Indy) on Friday night and had a great time! The music was fantastic and it was so relaxed that we could just let the kids run around and dance to the music (of course!). It was a last minute decision to go - we found out on Friday that if we went between 4:30 and 5:30 we could get in for free! It worked out perfectly!

The boys' favorite parts (besides the music) were playing with Andrew's boss, Greg, and seeing puppies. Seriously, watching Calvin play with the cute puppies was practically the highlight for me - it was a good thing Andrew was there or we might have had a new addition to our family! :) (Intellectually, I know that adding another dog would be a HUGE mistake but the kids love animals and especially dogs so much that it's hard to resist. :)) I think the next addition will be a low maintenance fish or two. :)

Since we went to the festival on Friday, we didn't eat our planned meal. So today we will be having a variation of last week's plan (since I still have all the ingredients!). We are having chicken fajitas with lots of fresh peppers, homemade salsa and guacamole, and probably an apple salad.

Here are a couple of thoughts - frugality/eating on a budget plays out differently for individual families. While I think it's great that some people are able to eat on very little money, I don't think that anyone should feel like they are less of a person if they don't achieve that same budget. I sometimes choose to spend more for a nicer piece of meat or an unusual ingredient and I like doing that. We also have a couple of cow shares which is more expensive than buying milk at the store but is what we think is good for our family right now.

For me, the biggest problem I was having was wasted food. In that way, menu planning is definitely saving us money! All that to say, make decisions that work for your family and don't feel guilty if it isn't what everyone else is doing. :)

1 Year Ago Today!

One year ago today, we met the wonderful little boys who are now our sons. It feels like forever and yesterday all at the same time. We cannot believe that God chose to bless us with these two children! He knew from the foundation of the world that we would be parents to 2 Kaz cuties and that's pretty awesome! They have changed our lives and we are so grateful for the chance to be their Mom & Dad.

Calvin Amirkhan Joseph

Patrick Murat Rudolph

We can't believe how much they have changed! They are definitely not the babies we brought home! We are so proud of our little men - they are learning so much and growing like weeds!

Another Farmer's Market

We went to the Zionsville Farmer's Market this morning - it's held in their adorable downtown. It was the perfect morning to go with a crisp chill in the air but the warmth of the sun shining to give you that wonderful fall feeling.

There were lots of vegetables, fresh baked bread, pies etc., some fruit and honey, and a little meat & eggs. This market did not have very much organic produce but my feeling is that locally grown, fresh food is good no matter what. :) The prices varied but seemed pretty good overall.

I bought peppers (way cheaper than the store!), lettuce, spinach, bread, and we splurged on a couple sweet rolls for a breakfast treat. :) There are only a couple more weeks until this market is finished for the season - it is open Saturday mornings 7:30-10:30a.m.

It was quite different than the Creamery market - I can see going to both on a weekly basis. We were remembering this morning how great it was when we lived in Florida - they had a Green Market every Saturday in the spring & summer which was HUGE! We also went to an outdoor market (year round) for our produce quite a bit.

On an unrelated note, we met our boys one year ago today after having travelled for many, many hours. It was a great day and the start of one of the most beautiful chapters in all four of our lives. We are so blessed and thankful - we couldn't have asked for anything better! Later, I'll write more on the boys' blog to commemorate this special day and of course post pictures. :)

I Won!

Wow, I've really enjoyed reading all the comments on the last post! I'm sure I'll have more to say on the topic another day. :)

This is a quick post to say - I won a drawing! And not only did I win this drawing but I also won a drawing a couple of months ago (a super cute diaper bag!). I don't know what to do with myself - I usually don't win anything!

I won Ciao Bella's Hand Cream & Soap Gift Set (I picked the lemon verbena). They specialize in natural body and skincare products. I can't wait to try them!

You all should sign up at Rocks in My Dryer's bloggy giveaway site. They aren't all things I'm interested in but I would say at least half are things that interest me and you can pick and choose what to sign up for. It's also great for learning about a variety of companies and products. And really, who doesn't love getting free things?!

Words

Why is it that some of the first, very clear words are 'mine', 'me', and 'no'? :)

Support Local Farmers & the Environment

Like my friend, Catherine, I’ve been really trying to incorporate locally grown and seasonal foods into our meals. This has required menu planning and I’ve also made it include trying new recipes! It has been delicious and has been a great discipline for me. It is especially helping me not to overbuy food.

We went to the Farmer’s Market at Trader’s Point Creamery last week and the prices were overall very good and of course the quality was fantastic! They had a wonderful assortment of meat including pork, beef, and lamb, various fresh vegetables, dairy products, and even some baked goods, honey, and different wines. Many of the products are organic. The really great thing is that this is a year round farmer’s market. My favorite thing that I bought was fresh mushrooms – I could buy exactly what I needed instead of a whole package at the grocery store!

Andrew and I have been talking a lot about supporting local farmers and being more environmentally minded (like taking our own cloth bags to the store – lots of stores offer them these days). We aren’t going totally green – yet, but we have really been convicted about our responsibility to care for God's creation. I am troubled by the general idea that being conscious of the environment equals being politically liberal. We need to change that perception!

Anyway, here is a brief glimpse at some of the recipes we’ve been enjoying:
Monday: chili & cornbread
Tuesday: mushroom meatloaf patties w/pan gravy, herb mashed potatoes, & steamed broccoli
Wednesday: pumpkin black bean soup & warm homemade applesauce
Tonight: leftovers – it’s been a busy day :)
Friday: chicken quesadillas, fresh salsa & guacamole

I’m pretty new to all of this but I hope it sticks. Menu planning has been very freeing for me and is saving us money! I’m planning to incorporate a homemade pizza night into each week using an easy crust recipe and whatever veggies we have leftover. I’ll let you know how it goes. And I do still go to the regular grocery store – not everything is fresh and seasonal. :)

***A caveat for me is that even though I know that using cloth diapers is totally a better thing for the environment, I’m just not able to do that right now. :) Props to those that do, I admire but definitely do not envy you (except your budget!)!

I'll leave you with these passages:

Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Genesis 1:28

Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15

Happenings from the Week!

I unexpectedly made the boys morning. :) I gave them our old cordless phones (without batteries) and told them they could have them. They looked at me a bit incredulously as I assured them that they could indeed play with them! They are happy campers carrying around their phones and having countless conversations complete with pauses, 'no', 'um', 'hello' and many, many words that I don't understand. :) They also hold the phone exactly like I do - how funny. :) Really, you would think I gave them the moon - I love surprising them! Their smiles and delight are so much fun! Every once in awhile I have one of those, "aha, what a great idea" moments that I'm so grateful for (last week it was the solo cups :)).

In other news - Patrick tried to thread a belt through his diaper. Now that is determination to wear a belt!

Also, we made a return to the Children's Museum on Tuesday after a couple of months hiatus. What a difference two months makes - the boys were so obedient and just did a great job! I was so proud of them. We even went to the story time and singing time - they especially loved the story (Brown Bear, Brown Bear).

And - yay, for fall! I love the cooler days! We went raspberry picking at an orchard yesterday and it was just beautiful!

FF 2007

So…it’s begun…it really never ends…one season goes right to the next (at least for my husband)…but the 2007 season officially began last Thursday. Perhaps your home has also been dominated by football and more specifically fantasy football. This is year four for my football loving husband and this year he is in four leagues. Many of his friends play with him and so every fall the wives and significant others were football widows.

Last year, in a brilliant attempt at understanding this passion of our husbands, my friend, Becca, decided that the girls should start their own league. And so we did. And most of us had a good time. And we understood a little more. And we know more players names. And we even know roughly how good they are. And our husbands are proud of us and pleased they can talk about it with us. We still don’t know what a tight end does and we may never but we do know that starting the right one is important. :)

And so, it was with much anticipation that we hosted the annual FF draft on Labor Day. There were 12 guys huddled around their computers eagerly drafting their perfect team and 6 women chatting, asking each other advice on choices, and checking the cheat sheets (mostly printed off by their husbands) to pick another player for their team.

After the draft and the first week of games, I find myself strangely drawn back into the madness. I was disappointed that I lost my first game by less than a point and hope to do better – if only I had started different players! While I don’t read everything about every player, I do think about who to start and check on their status come Saturday. And yes, you will even find me watching some football and understanding more than I ever thought possible and yes, I’m actually enjoying it!

So here’s to another year of fantasy football – hope I win! :)

Thoughts

My heart rejoices with Amy who is now in the presence of her Savior but grieves for the family and friends she left behind. I know Amy only through her blog which I have read for the past several months. I have been challenged and encouraged by her steadfast faith and love for the Lord despite trials that most of us can't imagine. Amy battled cancer for the past 14 months; she fought hard. Please keep her husband and 21 month old son in your prayers.

I am so excited for Jeff and Abbey as they welcome their son into their family. They are also blog friends (we've never met in person) but I came across their blog when they were just beginning the adoption process. Their adorable son is from Taiwan. Congrats Lands - we are so happy for you and so thrilled that another beautiful child has found a forever family! God bless all three of you!

And finally, I remember clearly this day 6 years ago. I was at work when the planes hit the World Trade Center. What a terrifying day! Please take time to say thank you to those serving our country, to remember those who have given their lives for our freedom, and to say a prayer for the families that lost loved ones so unexpectedly on 9/11.

What Would You Do?

If you worked in a hotel and someone called down to the desk and asked for the nearest hospital because their child needed to go to the ER, would you:

A) Laugh & hang up.
B) Tell them to come down to the front desk and then you can tell them.
C) Ask if everything is okay and offer to call 911.
D) Put a manager on the phone.
E) Act bored and say you aren't sure where a hospital is.

Today

The lighting isn't very good...
Pippi & Calvin are still good friends!

Patrick still needs a haircut...
He loves to smile for the camera!

Warning, Please

So, I think you should warn people if you snore. When Calvin returned to the hospital for the stitch removal, he had a roommate the night before surgery. This sweet little girl and her mom were in the other half of the room. They were such a nice family – their little girl was from China and though she was older than Calvin, she made him look like a giant! We visited with them throughout the evening and I was feeling a little nervous about two toddlers sharing a room. I wondered if any of us would be able to sleep!

Well, the kids went to bed just fine – Calvin woke up but I already told you about that. I was having some trouble sleeping when I heard a little snoring; I got up to check to make sure it wasn’t Calvin - he was sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, the snoring escalated. People, it was like freight train going through the small hospital room. I have never heard such awful sounds. It was incredible! I could not sleep. I tried plugging my ears, putting my pillow over my head, and thinking about something else - all of that did pretty much nothing to block the horrific sounds. Thankfully, the kids slept through it.

Finally, I caught a few hours of sleep. Quite frankly, I think that if you snore, you should have your husband stay instead. I also think you should warn your roommate that you snore. And I just have to say, her husband probably had the best night of sleep he has ever had since he married her unless, of course, he snores, too.

WARN PEOPLE IF YOU SNORE!

My Morning...

This picture sums up my trip to work. Thankfully, my husband rescued me - we switched cars and I left him behind changing the tire with two kids in tow. What a great guy! Lest you think I'm a horrible person, these facts should also be noted: I was late to work, I had a patient waiting, Andrew had agreed to be in charge of the boys until the sitter came, and I took him to lunch (well, maybe he took me but whatever! :)).

Cute Pictures

Silly boys! They have been learning to walk up and down the stairs - they are so proud of their accomplishments!

Love this picture - really captures the change and his eyes are gorgeous!

These cups entertained them for quite some time today! They make great hats. :)

A different look at his mouth - see the dimples?!

Loving each other - most of the time!

As Promised - Here He Is!

Sorry for the snotty nose - he has had a runny nose for a week and we can't get it fully cleaned up because his lip is still a little sore and he hates having his nose wiped!

Elmo

My kids love Elmo! They occasionally watch Sesame Street and that's their favorite part. Yesterday I was looking at the BabiesRUs ad and Calvin saw an Elmo chair and yelled, "Melmo!" He was so excited! The program really is quite interesting and the boys love fish so Dorothy (the goldfish) is a hit, too. I'm not sure how they got so in to it but it's kind of cute! And I love to hear them say Elmo. :)

Note: Calvin is thrilled I'm writing this post and putting in the image. When I browsed the images he was sitting next to me and pointing at each of them and telling me who it was. :)

Wow! It's Been a Week...

It's been over a week since I posted - sorry! I guess that either means we are doing great and are super busy or we are doing horrible and can't get to the computer. :) Thankfully, it's the first. We had a great Labor Day weekend filled with family and friends.

Calvin looks awesome - I'll take a picture today and post it later. He is able to eat more which has been good for all of us. We had a little scare on Monday when he and I were playing and he fell face first on the carpet and started bleeding from his mouth. I think I was more hysterical than he was! It turned out that his tooth had hit the inside of the lip bruising it and causing the bleeding but it did not damage the surgical site as far as we could tell. He seems to be fine!

Today we are hanging here at home - Calvin has a swollen hand due to some circulation restriction overnight. Hopefully the swelling will go down (there is circulation to the hand) but trying to get a 2 year old to keep his arm elevated is a challenge! You just never know what curveballs will come your way. :)