Potty training #2 stinks!

By #2, I am referrring to the kid, not poop. And really it's not the kid's fault. It's the circumstances. I mean, when I trained Barrett, we had time. He had my full attention. We could stay home most days until we were at a point where we could make it from point A to B without an accident. Now, with poor #2 who we lovingly call Kyle, we are rushing around all morning trying to get fed and dressed and lunches packed and out the door in time for preschool which is (in our case) 30 minutes away! There is no time for a leisurely sit or two on the potty, much less an accident and the impending clean-up and wardrobe change. And now, it seems we are always on the go, never at home.
When I started potty training #2, I thought it was going to be sooo easy because he had seen his brother do it, he knew the drill, and I have been putting him on the potty every now and then since he was 18 months old. Famous last words. . .

Tips, advice, encouragement, and empathy are welcomed!!

Cilantro Chicken Soup for your Cold Toes

We've all been enjoying this soup this winter. Thought I'd share this recipe because everytime I make it, I get glowing reviews from everyone. I like to make it because it means I don't have to make a separate allergy-free meal for the boys. This recipe contains no wheat, soy, dairy, rice, nuts.

Cilantro chicken and white bean soup

2 15 oz cans great northern beans, drained
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 Tbsp chopped)
1 4 oz can chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne powder
5 cups diced or shredded chicken (cooked)
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a blender, blend one drained can of white beans with 1 cup chicken both until smooth.
In a large pot, saute onions, peppers, and garlic in grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add chiles when the onions become transparent.
Add the remaining chicken broth and the rest of the ingredients to the pot except for the beans. Cover and allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Add the blended beans and the whole white beans to the soup and simmer for 15 more minutes.
OPTIONAL: Garnish with monterrey jack and additional green onions

I spy with my little eye...

two happy boys! My mom "Gigi" made this quilt for the boys a while back and I have been meaning to show it. I love it because it's educational and it keeps the boys entertained and warm on long car trips. They love it because it has tractors and dinosaurs and crayons and frogs AND it's a built-in game. I can see these keeping the kids minds growing for years to come as there are so many levels to play I Spy. Sometimes we play "I spy something green" and other times we play "I spy the letter C" or "I spy a fish." Or for sharper little thinkers, "I spy something that flies" etc...they will find there's more than one right answer! (The squares aren't nearly as big as they appear in the car pictures.)

Gigi has more of these fabrics and she can get others too if you would like to buy an "I Spy" quilt for your budding detective. Each quilt is approximately 40" x 40" and is $50. Each one is unique and quilts made for girls would have in place of tools and tractors, fabrics that girls find more interesting. This one has patches that would appeal to girls and boys.

We almost got caught breaking the law for these pictures!

I was driving on a newly opened portion of road yesterday, when I almost fell out of my seat while turning to look at this awesome barn. I was so excited I had a hard time containing my squeals of delight. But both boys were alseep in the car and I didn't want to risk losing my moment of peace.

So this morning, after circling three times to figure out our entrance strategy, Cody, me and the boys, climbed over a gate and had ourselves a little photo session at this abandoned barn. It was amazing, you can even tell that it was once painted Barn Red!

Just as we were about to leave and climb back over the gate Cody saw a police car parked right next to our car. Oh boy. We decided to hang back behind some trees to see if he was waiting for us or if he was catching speeders. Luckily, about a minute later, he went after a speeder. Phew!

McDonalds = McBliss

It took 30 years (3 ½ years after the birth of my first child) but I have just now discovered the delight and splendor that is McDonalds or Chick-fil-A or anywhere with an indoor play area. I did have an unhealthy affair with MickeyD in college, but that's for another time. I blame my tardiness on the fact that my kids can’t eat fast food and so we have only been there a handful of times. In fact, until a couple weeks ago, Kyle would point at the Golden Arches as we’d pass and say, “Bunny Rabbit!” He had no clue what he was missing. Barrett saw the colorful tubes through the windows as we were driving by the other day and his eyes were like saucers.

Bribery may have led us there today, if I recall correctly. I packed their lunch, got
myself somethin’ there and read a book in warmth while the boys had a glorious time wearing themselves out at the indoor the play area…nice.

Oh, and this is what happened on the way home. Both of them. Funny. Since I have declared Barrett’s naps dead and buried, he’s taken about 5 naps! Couldn’t get him to blink for more than 5 seconds before the declaration!

Keepin' it real

A recent conversation about how we as bloggin’ mamas sometimes paint a portrait of a perfect family, home and children made me reflect. If I have been misleading, let me be clear, we are flailing most days, scrambling to find the right words to say in the parenting book, getting locked in the bedroom by the 3 year old, and then chasing him around the house when he refuses to go to the corner. I can assure you that I am completely humbled by this experience of being a mom and I hold no delusions that we are a “picture perfect” family.

I do understand how reading mommyblogs can make one feel alone in her struggles, though. I do not plan to start complaining about my husband and children and venting here on the ol' blog, however. I feel that would be damaging to my relationships with these people I care so deeply about. I don’t mind talking about my own blunders and “real mom” moments like last week when I wore a sweater that I knew had a kid’s dried up snot mark on it. Or when I Dustbustered muffin crumbs off my boys—okay, I have done this more times that I care to admit. Or I could tell you about the time I was making muffins and I could not figure out why they were taking so long to bake. An hour later, I realized I hadn’t turned the oven on! Yup, I’m a real mom! Just the other day Barrett wore rain boots to school, not because it was raining. He didn’t wear them because he loves them and he insisted (which is what I hoped the teacher would assume). Nope. He wore them because his one and only pair of shoes got covered in Play-doh, and washed. I knew his shoes were soaked and it was freezing outside but I still failed to throw them in the dryer to get them dry in time for school. With each step the rain boots seemed to squeak, “bad” “mom”, “bad” “mom.”

I have bad days too. Really. Bad. Days. where my husband comes in the door and I cry in relief that he is home and I actually survived. I am sure my poor husband loves coming home to someone who acts like I’ve been on a deserted island being chased by hungry feral beasts and swarmed and picked at by buzzards. But some days, it’s just about like that—but not because of what the kids do and say but because I do not always know how to respond to what the kids do and say. I learned from my college roommate Jenny, that it's me, not them. She was an elementary education major so she knows.

The Books on My Nightstand

In an attempt to regain balance and therefore be a better mother, wife, friend, human, I am giving myself some much needed "me" time to recharge. Writing that just now makes it sound like I am rationalizing, as if I don't deserve it (I know I do and so does everyone). Reading is one luxury I have put on the back burner for many, many months telling myself that I'm too busy and too tired and that I don't have the time. Recent events have sent me running to the bookstore in search of enlightenment and answers and have reminded me how much it comforts me to read. I am not much for fiction, but I dip my toe in occasionally. Here's what I'm reading...and yes, I am reading them all at once. Maybe you'll find something good on my list. I'd love to hear your suggestions too!

The Last Lecture --Randy Pausch I am a latecomer on this one--I had too much going on when everyone else read it.

The Shack -- My friends from Barrett's school talked about this book at the coffee shop so much I had to get it even though it's fiction. If you haven't heard about his book, I'm sure you will.


The Wednesday Letters -- Also fiction, but I like it because I can see it becoming inspirational in my life.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia --okay, I got stuck in the middle and I haven't picked it up in a long time. She's in India. I enjoyed Italy.

Parenting With Love And Logic (Updated and Expanded Edition) -- I also have the "Early Childhood" edition but this one has additional info and useful charts. I realized recently that I had let my L&L techniques slip and I needed to reread.

What Your Explosive Child Is Trying to Tell You: Discovering the Pathway from Symptoms to Solutions -- I don't like the title, but this book is really helpful. It addresses many reasons why a child my act out including allergies (like my kids have) and how to handle it. I had a major
"a-ha" moment reading this book.

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name --This is more for the kids, but I'll just share it here anyway. It's a childrens' Bible. Barrett and I sometimes read this during his quiet time.