Mission: Two week detox

This weekend, I was able to chit chat a bit with a good friend of mine about a "diet" he had started.  His meals for the past 11 days consisted of only raw fruits, veggies and almonds.  I know, I know...where's the meat!?  Or more importantly...Where's the chocolate!!??  


When I first heard of this diet a couple weeks back, I was convinced that there was no way I could do it.  For one, I love meat.  Seriously.  Secondly, I'm not all that crazy about eating fruit unless it's a raspberry.  So, I logged it into the deep recesses of my mind and pretty much forgot about it.  My recesses must not be very deep because when I saw him it was the first thing that pop'd into my head.  I asked him how it was going (as I ate chips with this amazing buffalo dip that was super cheesy, rich and a tad spicy).  It's his answer that convinced me that I needed to give this a try.  He went on to tell me of how he had more energy, he felt better overall and how he could think more clearly.  More than all that he told me that his emotional responses to the ones he loved most was drastically improved.  Things didn't immediately cause irritation or anger, his blood pressure wouldn't spike up during things that before would be stressful.  He was able to calmly talk through things and handle them much better than he had before emotional and health wise.  To me, that was what made it worth it!  


I'll be the first to admit, sometimes I can become easily irritated with those closest to me.  I tend to raise my voice (drives me crazy when I do that!  It's like I've become some kind of beast.)  So, I'm gonna give it a try.  It's going to take lots of self-control on my part, mostly because I'll still be preparing meals for my family.  So all the yummy things will be right there.  I'm hoping to have time to blog about this as I go through these next two weeks, almost like being accountable to whoever reads this.  But mainly i'll be depending on God's grace being renewed every morning and the strength that only He can give me.  


The tangerine pear smoothie I had for lunch today was really yummy!  I'm looking forward to exploring all the smoothie possibilities. 

So Far So Good

Week one of following a meal plan has gone quite well for me! I love knowing what I'm going to cook. Saying that, I did stray from my plan yesterday. Last night was supposed to be Taco Night. Well, it was freezing outside! My hubby had to work late then drive 5-10mph on 94 in the snow, slowly working his way home. He needed something hot! Or so my mother told me over the phone which made me see that tacos weren't gonna fit the bill. So instead I made a pot of Pasta e Figoli using one of Giada's recipes off food network. It was yummy and hot and I had the ingredients on hand, yay! When I went shopping for my "plan", I picked up extra packs of ground beef and extra cannelini beans for the just in case. Glad I did, both of those helped with our snowy Friday.

Today my dear hubby is off to Caro for a quiz meet with our two eldest kiddos, so...I'm thinking tonight will be Taco Night with me and the little ones. Chicken Stew, and all of it's ingredients, will be in the wings for our next plan.

Menu Planning is Not For the Birds!

Ok ok..I'll be the first to admit it, most days I have no idea what I'm going to make for dinner until it's almost too late to defrost anything. (Thank you Lord for the invention of the microwave defrost button) So, this year I'm going to try...TRY...to do better! I'm going to attempt to make out a menu for 1-2 weeks at a time...grocery shop for that menu...and the most important part...FOLLOW IT! Here goes, this is my first week menu and once I finish posting, I will be going shop for it. And maybe, just maybe, I'll add a second week to it first. We'll see.

Monday---This day has of coarse already passed, but we had Ginger beef with carrots, shallots and broccoli over rice. It was yummy.

Tuesday---Zoopa Toscana with Focaccia topped with Roma Tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil and Parmesan.

Wednesday---Redbeans and Rice with a side of Buttermilk Cornbread.

Thursday---Roasted Turkey (I just so happen to have a fully cooked Turkey in my freezer, Yay!) with Guy Fiere Potatoes (can't remember the exact name, but that's where I found them and they are soooo yum.) and garlic greenbeans.

Friday---Taco night, hard and soft with the trimmings...served with Spanish Rice (homemade O'coarse)

Saturday---Chicken Stew

Super, now I'm hungry! Off to go shopping, these meals don't cook themselves!

While sitting here finishing up, I came up with my second week meal plan! Got some great ideas from the food channel site. New recipes to try, so excited!

Monday---Chicken fried steak (sirloin patties smothered in onions) with mashed taters and steamed carrots.

Tuesday---Roast Chicken with Parmesan butter noodles and green salad.

Wednesday---Beef/spinach lasagna with green beans tossed in garlic oil.

Thursday---Orange Ginger Pork Skewers with Vegetable Lo Mein.

Friday---Homemade Pizza Night (Anything goes!)

Now seriously, I'm off to shop!

Take it Outside!

Our days usually all start off the same way...coffee, breakfast, chores, school, lunch then freetime. Lately in between these times seems to be "argue with the closest sibling" time. Yesterday, however, I decided to cut into their argue time and make them all go outside. Your thinking that this isn't odd, but trust me, it is! We homeschool remember?? We don't go outside until around 2:30 to not give the neighbors anything to wag their tongues about. Well, it was 12:11 and they were out!

It started out kinda rocky, they still wanted their argue/fight time. So now I have to go out. Put the dishes down and go out. Close the laundry room door and go out. In other words, my "chore" time had to have a time out. So, I decide to build a fire in our fire pit. This of coarse encourages my boys to help me find sticks to burn. All three very happily help me collect dried leaves and small twigs to get things started. I'm very proud to say that I started a very nice fire without the help of gasoline! Not to say that anyone in our house does that! {clears throat and does NOT look towards her husband} Yet one of our lovely boys still wants some fight time. So now he has to go sit in the kitchen and watch us from there, being sure to let me know which sticks are really his carved weapons that he's made and that, "please mom don't burn those". He makes sure over and over that I don't touch "his" sticks. Eventually he calms down and can join us in our stick hunt to keep the fire going.

At this point, I'm not even sure why I built a fire. But now they are all distracted and swinging and laughing and getting along! Amazing. So, I text (I'm quite savvy!) my dear hubby to pick up buns from the store and I get a plan together. He shows up at 2 and our fire is roaring. We decide to grill burgers and hot dogs right there over the open flame. We even throw a couple of peaches on. The kids absolutely love doing this. They were so yummy! So there we were, eating our burgers, peaches, grapes and cucumbers. Getting along.

The afternoon continued quite nicely. I even got a hot bath! Weird! Kids were all out the door with dad at 5 for football with just Bells and I left home in a very quiet house. She played, I read. Oh what an afternoon of fresh air can do!

Milestones

Amidst all the cards, crafts, awards and other seemingly meaningless things I keep of my children...there is one that may stand out as odd, weird, gross or some other descriptive word you may thing of. Their first tooth...lost! Oh the things mothers keep, or at least this one. I remember their faces when the first one wiggled. The excitement, apprehension, wonder that filled their eyes. They had done it! They had entered big kid world! Soon they would have their first "big" tooth!
This morning my son Tom entered into this big kid world. The world that you enter with a hole in your smile that is quickly replaced with a grin as you show off the gap! The world where you sometimes accidentally whistle while you talk, even spit! The world where all of your friends want to see the gapping bloody hole, that you of coarse show them with pride! The world that finds them checking each tooth in turn to see if there is the slightest hint of a wiggle. The world that tonight will find him placing under his pillow this first tooth lost, dreaming of what he will find come morning.
The world that has reminded me that my Tom is growing, every day growing. Soon he'll be five. Soon he'll be a kindergartener, a Sparky. That last thought brings a smile to my face...a Sparky. Soon he'll understand, it'll all click. Until then...we pray.
Three of my children have entered into this big kid world. One is soon to enter another world. For now, for today, I get to enjoy watching my Tom. Watching him stand tall and grin to show me his gap and be sure I notice the tooth next to it is wiggling too. Don't worry Tom, I noticed.

Izabellas Birth Story

Izabella Cait

It all started on Friday night, the 18th of September. Chris and I had just finished rearranging the living room in preparation for my fathers arrival that Sunday afternoon. We were getting the children ready for bed when I was clued in that labor was going to be starting soon. I'll be the first to admit it, I was suddenly very nervous and a bit scared lol. After Williams quick birth I wasn't sure of what to expect, that little bit of unknown weighed on me. It had been a long day and Chris had been gone since 5am and was pretty tired. So I decided to go to bed to try to keep things slow or even to stop them. If any future mothers are reading this...don't do that. Let it progress, don't slow it down!
All through the night the contractions stayed 20-30 minutes apart. Around 5:30 they changed, became stronger and lasting a little longer...but still 20-30 min apart. I finally passed out around 6 and woke up around 8. Chris and I decided it was best for him to miss quiz practice and Celsi went on ahead with the Wideners. He then started packing up the boys to go to Gamma's house and made the necessary calls stating, "It'll be some time today, prob late this afternoon." All the boys got dressed and were ready to go.

It was almost 9 when I decided it was time to get out of bed and let things progress (like I have control over all of this anyhow, my human mind). I walked the 10 ft to the bathroom, 5 feet to my desk...in those moments my contractions went from 20min apart to 2min apart. Calmly calling to Chris, he peeks his head in..."We have to go now"..."I'm packing the kids, almost done."..."No, really...we have to go now". He turns to get a last thing and "Pop!" there goes my water. It was an amazing feeling...I felt her thump me, then "pop"...I thought I could almost hear the sound. Once again I call for Chris as I'm looking down. I notice the water isn't clear, it's stained with lots and lots of meconium. Chris pokes his head in, "My water just broke, I think you need to call 911...it's full of meconium!" He glances down, grabs the phone and is transfered to the Emergency service line.

They instruct Chris to "check" me. Mind you, at this moment in time my contractions are now on top of each other and we're in our bedroom...I tried to lay down on the floor but I just couldn't...it was too painful! I was saved by a knock on the door and a police officer coming in. I got as far as the top of the stairs. The officer is at the bottom calling up to me, "Can you make it down here or do you need me to carry you down the stairs?". All I could do is hold up a "just a minute" finger and shake my head. In my mind I was wondering if I'd make it down or have the baby half way...maybe on the landing...Oh Lord God help me get down these stairs! As soon as the contraction was over I went down as fast as I could while the next contraction was climbing already.

Door opens and this time it's our local firemen! 5 by my count. My youngest William is now entranced by the fire truck parked out front with the lights on. Now it was their turn to get my 411 and inform me that they need to "check" me. While preparing to lay down, now in my front room, I calmly ask, "Who here has ever delivered a baby?" One fireman raised his hand. He became my focus. Funny how just knowing there was someone that knew what they were doing calms you. Enter stage right, the paramedics walking through the door. I also hear my dear friend Kim's voice talking to my husband...was wondering when she got there. Then once again more relief knowing she was prob there to take my boys. Knowing she'd care for them, calm them and be sure they knew I was ok.

Back to the "scene". Paramedics inform firemen that there is no time to "check" me, it would be done in route that we had to go! For the second time in my laboring life I once again find myself strapped to a gurney (have I mentioned how skinny a gurney is? Not much to hang on to) about to have a baby. They stroll me out of the house, past my boys standing there with Kim. I hear her saying that prayers would be said and feel her hand on my shoulder. I can't speak, contractions are too close and too long...all I can do at this point is breathe as they load me in and shut the doors.

I've always wondered what a ride in an ambulance is like. I know now, and trust me...it's no picnic. It could of been my imagination, or every bump was bumpier. Contractions while flying an inch or two in the air while holding on to the side of a gurney is quite the ordeal. I'm sure in a short film it could even be viewed as somewhat comical. In real life, not so much. It was pretty painful. It was during these bumpy moments that the EMT informed me that she would "check" me. This is usually a painful thing, but necessary to see how far you've progressed. Well, all she did was pat my knee and inform me that I was a 3. Somehow she knew this without checking me at all. In my head I was laughing, it was quite funny her "checking". Then immediately I was wishing my husband were in the back with me instead of up front informing the other EMT of how quick our last birth was. 10 min or so pass by and she "checks" me again, this time proclaiming I'm a 3 maybe a 4. I'm amazed at how she knows, wish I had a flash light or something to pass her...you see, still in labor sarcasm is not lost. She walks over near my head to strap things above me down tighter and such, beats me what she was doing. All I knew is that I was in trouble...we weren't at the hospital yet and this EMT had no idea what she was in for.
While I contracted, pondering our fate...things changed. Baby Girl Wallace was on the move. I tell the EMT, the baby is coming now! She calmly tells me, "OK, I'll go "check"". It's at this point that later my hubby fills me in on the front seat conversation. When he heard me, he leaned and told the EMT driver...we're not going to make it to the hospital. EMT informs him that he has permission to speed. Lights go on, pedal to the medal, sirens flare. (Back to the back) She "checks" me (I know she is going to see Baby girls head) and informs me that...She's right there! Yells to the front, get us to the hospital now! I feel the ambulance stop, the door to the side open and out comes baby girl. I can feel her little foot on my thigh move every now and again...but I don't hear her. I keep asking Chris if she is ok, he says she looks good that they are just getting out the fluid. I ask again and again, waiting to hear her cry. Emergency nurses flood the ambulance, the cord gets cut and she is whisked away...I hear one small cry. Chris follows her out.

At this point of our story it goes in two directions...Chris is asked by the nurses in emergency, "What is her name?" We had never decided on one, yet he answers..."Izabella Cait" Her apgar goes from a 4 to an 8! She's closely monitored for almost 4 hours. In the mean time, I'm taken to L&D to finish up. Ob's inform me that things needed to be done so that I would heal properly. I won't go into details but it was the first time I've ever tried to climb a hospital bed to escape a doctor. Then I was informed I needed stitches, not many...just a small tear. No big after all the other stuff they had just done. The Lord was merciful, I managed through the pain.

It was almost 4 hours when they brought the baby to me. The nurses were just asking me what her name was going to be. I told them, I don't know just yet. We hadn't decided. Chris had walked in and informed them of her name. I was shocked. I was pleased. I was ecstatic! Then I had my turn of holding her, Chris whispers to me that I was the first...he had not held her yet. She was so tiny, so perfect...dark hair, olive skin, long fingers, long toes. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you God, she's amazing.

A day at the Salon

I thus far have not met a 4 year old that doesn't love to cut and paste. My Taters is no different. Give him construction paper, scissors and glue and he'll make a "masterpiece"!

This Sunday the children and I stayed home from evening service because of recovering colds. My eldest spent her evening drawing in her sketch pad, my youngest bothering my eldest and my other two boys creating with construction paper and glue. My eldest son made a very remarkable moose, it actually looked like a moose. Taters on the other hand was more abstract to say the least. I choose after about 1/2 hour into this to bring laundry upstairs...(me upstairs...is this a running theme?) Not even 4 min later I hear a "AHHHH PIE!" Once again I find myself running down the stairs to the kitchen. Oh boy. There is his creation on the table...with a pile of hair on top of it. He no longer has bangs. This was my child with wavy, thick, every girl would want...hair. Now standing before me looking absolutely ridiculous. He appears as though he is wearing a really bad tupea. His forehead still red from his scissors rubbing against it, I bring myself down to his lvl. After explaining why we don't do this I send him to bed. Text his father. Start cleaning the hair off the floor, table...umm everywhere.

In my pre-Tater haircut mind I had been in denial. I assumed boys didn't do this, only girls. My eldest daughter had done it, my eldest son had not. Boy was I wrong, entering stage right Sweet Tater Pie. I do believe we're in for a world of adventure. You see, when my Pie is told something will happen...he wishes for it immediately. The day prior my dear husband told him that on Monday he'd bring him to have his haircut. It is one of Taters most favorite things to do. He adores her. Calls her Aunt Nikki. Not excusing what he did, but I believe this was his motivation...he had to have a haircut immediately.

And yes, early Monday he did get his haircut. Thankfully she was able to somewhat rescue it without him having to be shaved. Trust me, my son has a huge melon that he is still growing into and we agreed that it wouldn't look very nice. So, every two weeks he will get a tweeking. I've so kindly posted before and after pics of my dear child.

I'm beginning to think that I could dedicate a whole blog to Sweet Tater Pie antics. At least this time, however, I didn't need a fire extinguisher.