Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Park adventure
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mother's Day 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Trying something new--daily reflections.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Refried beans
2t chili powder
1 1/2 t cumin
1t salt
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 yellow onion diced
1/2 jalapeño diced
Bacon fat
Reserved bean cooking liquid
So, after reading various directions on how to make refried beans, I decided I could do this easily. I always thought it would be really difficult or complex. Uh, not so much.
I soaked the beans for several hours. I'm not going to give an exact amount of time. Somewhere between two hours and overnight sounds good. Or really live on the edge and don't soak at all. You can do that with refried beans. Now rinse them really well, and put them in a pot and cover those pintos with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a couple hours. I just do it until they start to get slightly mushy. See how rebellious I am?? I'm not bound by any clocks.
Once they are soft, you want to drain the water, BUT you want to keep it. Next I put a few tablespoons of the bacon fat into a cast iron skillet. Got it nice and hot. Then I added the spices, onion, garlic and jalapeño. Sauté it until its all nice and soft. Now add your pintos. And smash! Smash! Smash! Smash! Just like your might if you we're making mashed potatoes. I found I needed to a some of the cooking liquid to get the right consistency. And of course, that will vary based on your own personal preference. I like to leave a hint of chunk and fairly thick. Just add it a little at a time. I used a ladle. Now your done. See how easy that was? Yum.
I made these once before and they were the best refried beans I've ever had. I did my prep work tonight to make beans with my oven fajitas tomorrow for dinner. If I get really crazy, ill take pictures of this process and post them tomorrow.
Seriously, do yourself a favor and never buy canned refried beans again.
Your welcome.
Monday, November 26, 2012
To Debt and Beyond!
We have definitely done that. We are down to just a few things.
- Car payment
- 1 credit card
- Some over draft fee's
- 401K loan from my wedding ring
We are hoping to buy a house. Wait, wait, wait...we need to buy a house. We can only stay where we are so much longer. We have worked really hard and I think we deserve to have our own space. Renting is just so outrageously expensive here. We are going to buy something somewhere between 1.5-3 hours away.
Buying a house is a huge step. Its complex, and the information is so confusing. Here's to hoping we are in our own place in the spring.
Are you a home owner? How was the buying experience? I'd love to hear about it!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The unfocused perfectionist.
I've been working on my placenta encapsulation certification. I started in back in February or, maybe March. It's been slow going. The first paper took me several hours. I wanted to get it just right, and I hadn't written a paper in YEARS. I was rusty. The second one went a little faster. Then I got pregnant. We found out we were expecting right before the peanuts 2nd birthday. Then I felt miserable...for months. Nothing whatsoever got done in that time period. I even got my first placenta the day before the peanuts birthday. Do you know where it is right now? In my freezer. That's right, I've have a frozen placenta in my freezer since June. My goal is to have the placenta done by the end of the year. I also had the goal of finishing the last of the 5 papers done by the end of November. I think that brings us to today. Bubbie watched the peanut, so I could work on paper four. I read some but I didnt get any writing done. It takes me forever to get into my groove. Normally by the time that rolls around, my time is over. Ugh. Well, I never even got close today. I have other things on my mind...
Baby. This baby is constantly in my ribs on the right side. I'm nowhere near as big as I was with the peanut, and at the 20 weeks scan baby was breech. We just had a prenatal visit on Tuesday. The midwife thought baby was head down, but posterior. I just instinctively feel like baby is not in the optimal position. It's really starting to bother me. I'm starting to think about worst case scenarios. I've been starting to look at spinning babies. I've done 2 of the techniques today, and I think she may be moving around a little more. We'll see I guess. I'm definitely getting a little obsessive about it. The midwife talked about doing an ultrasound at the next appointment which will be at 33 weeks. I'm kind of undecided as to whether or not I like that idea. I'd like to go to a chiropractor, but I'm not sure we can afford that. And speaking of finances...
We are closer than ever to paying off all the debt! I think all we have left is my car, and two or three other things. 90% of what is left will be payed off when we get our taxes back. It's so nice to have the money come in and not have it already all be spoken for. We have even managed to keep a very small amount of money in our savings account for the last couple of weeks. We are getting closer, and closer to our goal of owning a home of our very own. I can't wait to be in our own space. I hope its soon. My mister has been working hard on raising his credit score, and we payed all his debt first. I probably won't be on the house for a while, as I have no income and a less than stellar credit score. I got him some books about buying homes at the library today while I was supposed to be working on my paper.
I guess that's all for now, maybe I should go work on my paper...
Thursday, August 16, 2012
the aha moment
We had planned to finish the basement apartment below my grandparents house. However, in the close to 9 months we have been her so much has changed. My husbands uncle died in early March, and a couple weeks later my grandma got diagnosed with lung cancer. My grandma. My rock. My everything for so long. Cancer. She did radiation, and some chemo. The tumor has shrunk. We are waiting to hear if the chemo killed it or if it just shrunk it. You'd never know she was/is sick. She continued doing everything she did before. She is incredible.
Well somewhere along the way the Mister and I decided we didn't want to live here indefinitely. We can't do some of the things we thought we could. Things that are very important to us. Garden organically. Cloth diaper. Live without being told everything we do/think is wrong.
My grandfather decided that he didn't want to build the apartment either with all the things that are going on, and I understand and respect that. Plus it got me out of telling him we dont want to live in it anyway. Score.
Before we moved up here almost everyone in my family told us it was a bad idea. They were right and I admit it. My brother lived up her for two years before we moved in, and I can see the same ugly pattern emerging with our stay. Nothing is good enough for grandpa. Nothing. I can do something the same way twice, and just because its right the first time doesn't guarantee it will be the second time.
But I've had an epiphany. I don't have to try to please him. It feels so good to say that, and boy does it take off the pressure. I don't need or want his approval. Up until this point, I wanted that so very much.
I am just going to attempt to do my best, and not let him get under my skin until we move out. When will that be? Where will that be? I can't say right now. But I'm just going to put one foot in front of the other, and know we will get there eventually.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Not pregnant
The test this morning was negative. My Bbt was still up so I know I'm not going to start bleeding today, but uh. I feel so hollow in my chest. It aches. I feel like I lost a baby. I just feel like the world is spinning around me. I feel sick. Then there is this tiny glimmer of me hoping the test will be wrong, and I am pregnant. I think we need to really start our paleo diet. I want to start trying to run. I want all the thoughts in my head to stop. Conflicting things. We want a house, we need to make more money. I want to start meditating. Trying to breathe here. I just want to run away. This makes me question what I want to do with my life. I think of everything in catastrophic ways. What if I can't get pregnant, ever. Sometimes I just want to jump out of my skin. I feel so guilty.
For now my goal will be simply to put one foot in front of the other.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Pregnancy?
Now, I've had a good feeling about this month. I've had a small amount of nausea. It comes and goes, but haven't felt any in the past few days. I've been craving guacamole and blue cheese. Then I drop of the peanut with my dad and step-mom on Saturday night, and almost before I get in her door she asks if I'm pregnant. So I tell her about how I don't know yet, but have a good feeling about this month. She tells me she thinks I am and it's a girl! Then later that night my mom asks me if I've been "feeling" anything. Yesterday my friend who knows we have been trying asks me how its going. It's all too much for me. I decide I can't wait any longer to test. I tell my friend and my step-mom I'm going to test in the morning. I'll let them know how it goes.
So, I go to the store. Get the least expensive box, with 3 tests! Are you guessing where I'm going with this? Cheaper in not better in some situations, and this may be one of them. I decide the test as soon as I get home. I mean I have 3 test, right?! Oh, man. At first it looks like its negative. Then I noticed a super faint pink line!! I think, yay!!!!! I'm pregnant. I'm excited, in a good mood, don't feel tired at all because, I'M PREGNANT!! I assume the faint line is because I tested at night. I'll get the nice dark line in the morning.
7am: I can't wait anymore I want that dark sure positive. I take the stick and dip it in my pee. It looks negative. Uh. Wait, wait! It look just like the one last night...I guess only time will tell.
I tried to upload a picture of the tests, but the lines don't even show up on the picture. Oh well.
Anyone else have a super light positive turn into a baby? I'd love to hear about it!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
The Pregnancy Plan
This time it's WAY different. My cycles aren't as regular. They are averaging 31 days. I have been under a lot of stress. I know I'm thinking about it way too much. Part of that is just my personality, but I know I need to tone it down. Stress can totally mess with your cycle. I had an IUD in for close to a year, and had it removed in July of last year. I keep thinking that has something to do with this.
So this is the plan for this month:
Wean off coffee, sugar, processed carbs.
Drink green tea in the am and raspberry leaf tea in the pm.
Continue with the ACV with honey.
Vitex elixir 2-3 times a day until ovulation, which I think will be April 9th. I'm going to take it until the 12th, because that is the latest date I got I might ovulate based on one of the million calendars I used.
Take B6 morning and evening, and a time released b-complex in the morning.
I'm going to really focus on relaxing, and am going to make a effort to get 9ish hours of sleep on most nights. I'm going to take naps on the days I don't need to be anywhere.
I'm going to check my cervical mucus everyday. Not sure when the best time to do that is...Google here I come! First thing in the morning according to Babycenter.
Drink lots of water, and get out of the house for a good walk everyday barring any rain. Its supposed to rain all week here.
Just did a little reading about macca powder and I might try that as well.
Mostly, I think I just need to have fun with the Mister! ;)
Baby Dust to all that need!!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Paleo Dinner 2/27/12
Here are the veggies I used:
First I sauteed The onions and the bell peppers in coconut oil
Then I added the zucchini
Lastly I added the mushrooms
At this point I added maybe a tsp of salt ans some fresh ground black pepper. I didn't measure any of the veggies. It was just what I had laying around.
Once everything got soft and the onions were translucent I cooked the package of turkey in a smaller skillet. I seasoned it with
- red pepper flakes
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- cumin
- Italian seasoning
- a mortons salt blend
On to the green beans...I sauteed them in Coconut Oil for a few minutes. Then I added some soy sauce, sesame seeds, mirin and cooking sake. Then I added everyone's favorite....Sriracha aka Rooster Sauce. I let it all reduce until it got nice and thick. SOOO good.
I know some of the ingredients are not in the least bit paleo. Its a work in progress. This was the first time Ive cooked turkey in close to a year.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Mamatography: Week 7 2/8-2/14
This is her first milkshake. She was being very...spirited on this lunch outing with great grandma.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Patience is a virtue I do not posses.
My cycles has been approximately 30 days. My period is due to arrive this Sunday. I want to know NOW. So, I take the babies and walk to the store just to look at the tests. I see one on sale that says early results! 6 days before missed cycle. I buy it. I take the babies to the park, and all the while I just want to go home and pee on the stick. Finally it's time to go home and I really have to pee. This is good.
We get home. I pee on said stick. I replace cap. I lay stick down. I wait. I look.
I get disappointed. I might still be pregnant, but it's unlikely. This is only the second month of TTC, but it was so easy with peanut. My SIL, a friend of mine, and I all had babies less than a year apart. All girls. Peanut is the oldest. Both the other moms are pregnant again. I guess this time it will be in reverse order. (the last of us to give birth, was the first pregnant)
Honestly, I feel jealous. I want to be pregnant, too! I LOVED being pregnant, and am really looking forward to it in a whole new way. I know so much more, am so much better informed.
So many things are running through my head. Am I going to be able to get pregnant? Does this have something to do with the mirena I had for a year? But on the other hand, it's only been a couple months. It will happen when the time is right. I should just continue to work on myself. My health, my family, hammering away at our debt.
And I can always retest on Sunday or Monday.
Care to share you story of fertility woes. no matter how big or small...it's always nice yo know you aren't alone, right?
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Mamatography: Week 6 2/1-2/7
Here is my week 5 Mamatography.
This has been quite eventful week here. I'm glad it has been well documented with photographs.
I think I posted the picture I took on the 1st last week, so I'm starting with Thursday February 2nd. Little Boss smacked the peanut in the face with a plastic bucket on Thursday. This was the first time my baby has bled from THIS kind of injury. Once she bumped her face on a chair arm, but that just doesn't compare to this. I've never heard my peanut scream like this. I had to call my mom. She just happened to be staying home from work, and she lives only a few minutes away. She came to my rescue. Now that it's been almost a week the cut is almost completely healed, and the bruising is s l o w l y going away.
| Poor Little Peanut. :( |
Saturday- We took a walk down to feed the horse a carrot. The horse wasn't outside so we got a special treat to see them in the barn. Peanut still isn't so sure about horses.
Peanut got some weird rash all over the torso and her back. I called the doctor's office and they told me to put hyrdocortisone on it! That didn't fly with this Mama. I did give her a single dose of Benadryl because when I called back to talk to a more competent nurse she said if it was an allergic reaction to something it would go away. I used it mostly for diagnostic purposes. The rash didn't go away with Benadryl, but it was gone Monday morning. Thank goodness.
Monday- Playing around with a mask at the little boss' house.
Tuesday was the our two year wedding anniversary. We took the peanut the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Then we had lunch at a restaurant my old roommate works at in the city. We got to have dinner alone at a fancy restaurant we have been wanting to try for quite some time. It was sooo nice. We had a real adult conversation. There was no talk of the peanut, and I only brought up placenta a few times. Very refreshing. I actually felt rejuvenated for work today. Mister and I havent had a whole day off together since we moved.
| This was a bubble experiment. |
| Clearly we are ocean people. :) |
Thursday, February 2, 2012
I got the first cold I've had in a looong time. I think it's the first one I haven't been able to combat in the early stages since I was pregnant!
I haven't been pregnant in 20 months.
Truth be told, I haven't really been taking as good care of myself as I ought to. When I got my period this month I was pretty disappointed. Things have kind of spiraled out of control from there. Mister and I have been fighting a little bit. I have been consuming WAY too much coffee and chocolate. Then we ventured into San Francisco for one of my best friends birthday last Saturday night. That's what did it, I'm sure. SF is a good hour away from us up here in the forest. I had more than a couple drink. I mean, I might as well I'm not pregnant, right? And after dropping off my brother at his warehome...we got in at 3am. I know, that's shit aint right. We are getting old! Relatively speaking, of course.
Sunday when we got up I thought I was just hung over. Nope. I was getting sick. Bubbie and Papa just moved, so peanut and I went to help them settle on Sunday. On the way home we stopped by whole foods, and picked up some elderberry syrup. This was my first time buying it. I dont know if I got a "good" one or not. So these are the things I did to try to kick this colds ass ASAP:
- Taking the Elderberry Syrup twice a day/2 tsp
- Taking Oil of Oregano capsules 2-3 times a day
- Drinking copious amounts of tea.
- Drinking Raw Apple Cider Vinegar in hot water
- Eating raw garlic
- Juicing
I found this post from a gluten-free vegan mom who knows very helpful.
I'm hoping at some point in time to take some herbalist courses. It's part of my Mommy Metamorphosis! Now that it's Thursday, I'm starting to feel much better.
So tell me, do you go the natural route for healing? What has your journey looked like?
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Mamatography: Week 5 1/25-1/31
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mamatography: Week 4 1/18-1/24
Here goes...
This is Seitan Piccata with Olives and Green Beans from Veganomicon. We aren't real vegans, but I cook mainly vegetarian with lots of vegan stuff too. This is one of my favorite meals...
This is the peanut helping sweep the kitchen floor. She loves to help clean. She didn't get this trait from either of her parents.
This is the peanut's blankie, and the little boss' bear. We don't leave home without them.
Got this at Costco on Friday! It's SOOOO much easier to juice that "adult" kale. Planning to also make some "chips" out of it too.
These are the first eggplants I ever cooked. I made Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew with Chickpeas another super meal from Veganomicon. I started the stew on Sunday and finished it on Monday night. Here is the finished product.
This was on Saturday. We had to go to babies r us to get her a new booster seat. Its plastic. Not crunchy at all. I guess I should have looked into a greener alternative. That would have kept me out of
She was helping me cook.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Mamatography: Week 3 1/11-1/17
January 11- Hazards of co-sleeping...
This is the Mister with the peanut's blankie!
January12- The Peanut walking with Great Grandma at the park.
January 13-This is the peanut searching for rocks. We did this at every tree.
January 14- Helping the bubbie reduce the clutter in her closet. These bags went to the goodwill.
January 15- Burning a copy of "Babywise" I got at a used book sale!
January 16- It has been really cold here. This is cold for California at least...
January 17- Reading "Everyone Poops"
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Jan Plan
Fix Milo--I'm working on this. I just took him to get his first shots, and need to call to make his surgery appt. tomorrow.
Organize closet and pantry--I've been slowly working on this, and I can see the progress.
Return cable equipment--This one is a toughy. I guess there is ALWAYS a crazy long line at the comcast place...
Finish a book!--I read so many pieces of books. Never one cover to cover. Well, I'm not including books I read to the peanut. I want to read an adult book. I'm going to try The Natural Pregnancy Book.
Start a meditation/ relaxation routine--I need to do some research on this stuff. It has been said by more than one that I'm wound like an 8 day clock. And I feel like it sometimes...
Exercise--Hoping it will help me feel better about myself, and ease some of the anxiety I feel. All the activites below are ones I've done in the past and really enjoyed.
•yoga
•pilates
•hiking
Write up birth story--because it needs to be done. I'm hoping writing about it will be therapeutic. I'm also hoping it will be one of the many way I can get myself in shape so to speak for the next birth.
Do you ever use To Do lists to help you accomplish the things you want to?







