The Covid Diaries --Day 10

Faith/Spirituality

I'm a spiritual person, I believe in doing what's right, being a decent human being and hopefully leaving the world or people better in some way.  There have been several moments in my life that I can't explain why things happened the way they did. I couldn't think of anything to write about when this was due a couple days ago, but then yesterday something happened that made me feel like my unusual morning routine was meant to be. 

Monday was not my day to run, for some reason, I felt compelled. Everyone, including me, has been sleeping in a lot during the quarantine. I woke up very early Monday morning and decided I was going to run despite the fact that I ran the day before and I was going to have sore legs, sore feet and was going overboard with the running. I got dressed, grabbed my watch and stepped outside my front door to find a man, wearing only shorts, in 49 degree weather, sitting in my yard.

I didn't know him and can't say why I wasn't cautious approaching a half-naked stranger but I soon realized he was sitting because he could not stand. I said good morning, how are you and started to walk towards him, still minding social distancing. He stuttered a bit, came across very apologetic and finally asked for juice or soda. I immediately knew what was going on and ran inside thinking, "Dammit, I never have juice and pop, what am I going to give him?" Luckily, I had strawberries, which I grabbed along with a glass of water. This man is diabetic. His blood sugar is low and that's very dangerous. 

He ate the berries and told me how he ended up in my yard. He is staying at a home at the very top of the hill on the street in front of my house. So if you're looking out my front door, a street runs perpendicular directly in front of my house and it's a very steep hill. This man woke up with low blood sugar, no shirt, no shoes, went out his back door, uncontrollably stumbled all the way down his street into my driveway at the bottom of the hill.  First, I said good thing you didn't sleep naked last night.  Neither one of us knew how long he'd been there. When I asked him questions I could tell he was having some difficulty processing so I had to keep talking and trying to make him feel comfortable. Luckily, I have a ton of experience with this because one of my best friends from high school is diabetic. He always took excellent care of himself too but it's such a tricky balance. You can do everything exactly right and still have occasional issues that will blind side you. One of two things would happen to my friend, Joe, when his sugar dropped, he would either slowly put his head down and close his eyes, or he would become belligerent and start fighting all of us! Ha-ha, either way, we would always have to force Joe to eat. I'm so glad this man in my yard remained calm and knew he had to eat. 

After the berries he tried to stand and still couldn't. So I ran back into the house and got two chocolate banana muffins and he ate those. All the while he was trying to call his girlfriend but her phone was silenced, she was still in bed and had no idea he even left the house.  After another 15 minutes or so, he slowly stood up and had regained his strength. I walked him back up the hill to his house. 

Thank God he got better. Thank God he is okay. And thank you, God, for telling me to run that day when in my head, everything was telling me not to. Isn't that funny how some things work out so beautifully?  

The Covid Diaries --Day 9

A Covid Saturday

I'll admit, all but one of us broke rules today. This was a very typical Saturday for us, pandemic or not. Dave has continued to golf. The club house in closed, along with the putting greens and driving range, but people are still scheduling tee times. On top of that, family members are joining along for the cart ride but not playing golf. Not me though. I'm not tryna catch that Rona. Before Dave left this morning, he made himself and the boys his famous breakfast eggs while I was out running. 

Apparently breakfast was way too early for this guy.

After breakfast my older son packed up his airsoft equipment and met a few friends in our neighborhood wooded area. I mean, a Nerf  (airsoft) war is technically social distancing, they are trying to stay away from each other and not get shot. I've kept them separated from their friends since school let out and I feel if they are outside riding bikes or staying 6 feet apart, their emotional health right now outweighs the risk. 

I move my home office around from the kitchen table, to the dining room, to my bedroom office to my outside office. After awhile I can't find another space that is going to motivate me any further. Today however, for the first time since the second week in March, I did meet a co-worker at the office (which is still technically closed.) I have to admit I desperately wanted to get out of the house but we needed to write up a contract together and felt it would be better to meet at the office instead of my house. We were there about two hours. Shhhh, don't tell anyone. 

Cooking every day. I love it and enjoy being in the kitchen.

Today I did some baking. I definitely don't do this everyday but today I needed chocolate.

I've been going on walks just about every day. I don't listen to music when I run but I always have my playlist going during my walk unless one of the boys comes along. 

The Covid Diaries --Day 8

Entertainment

There have been an onslaught of creative and hilarious memes and videos since the pandemic hit. If anything, this has been an opportunity for people's creative juices to flow and I have been hysterically laughing just about everyday. YouTube has received most of my views during the stay-at-home order, unlike Netflix which was once my chillaxing go-to. Some of the clips may have been posted prior to Covid-19 but I hadn't enjoyed them until now. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBYkF7M4FxA

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=siri+not+going+to+catch+the+rono

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2BZNowCXws

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43RV7eZgRmI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR8ptUCKv5g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqvLbNX7q9U

My son and I learned the Blinding Lights Challenge and my friends have sent me videos of their kids' choreographed videos.  I've been well entertained. 

I also love watching live videos of TV chefs like Michael Symon cooking from home.  I enjoyed watching Ravenwood High School's Assistant Principal on FB Live spinning fresh 90's beats.

As a family we've had intense Connect Four tournaments. Blind Connect Four and Sequence are other games we like to play. 

The Covid Diaries --Day 7

How We Know What We Know

This is what I think I know about what's going on right now.

-This virus is spread through droplets an infected person would create by coughing or sneezing. 

-A person can become infected by touching the virus from a contaminated surface and touching their mouth, nose or eyes, or through the air from an infected person coughing or sneezing in their general direction.

-The virus is deadly for some people.

-We have been issued to stay at home in order to keep safe and keep others safe.

-There has been so much information, misinformation, debates, topic saturation, political agenda, it's been very difficult to understand what is going on.

I don't know the accuracy of the items I think I know. I don't care to watch the news. I subscribe to a media newsletter via email that summarizes international and world stories because it's the only broadcast communication I can tolerate.  I see all sorts of information and stories through social media that I'll start believing or worrying about and if I'm still thinking about it the next day, I'll ask my husband if he's heard about it and what he thinks. He's great at helping me through all this noise but there have been moments when I thought he seemed concerned, nervous. 

I feel like I've had to consciously decide to stop thinking about it. Focus on the moment, do what I can do right now. 

The Covid Diaries --Day 6

Reflection

The challenge is to have 10 minutes of quiet reflection with no distractions, and to set a timer to keep track of the time, then immediately write down everything that went through my head.

My reflection was spent in the evening, right before dinner, while the house was quiet, but my body and mind wasn't ready to be still.  I meditated a lot as a child before I really understood what it was. I had many opportunities while spending time in my room, from being sent to my room by my parents so often. They would want me to reflect on my behavior but I would reflect on my own existence.  Today's 10 minutes were just like all the other times I've tried to meditate as an adult. I just can't do it. 

First I had to crack my toes, then I tried to focus on my breathing. I noticed how great I felt. I feel strong, healthy, have clear breathing and am comfortable. I appreciate being pain-free--it's heaven. 

Bloomsbury Farm. Lauren's Instagram page is so amazing. I love her little girl dressed in all those adorable farm clothes. 

Head itches.

This is the longest Spring Break in the entire history of the world. 

Ohio has snow.

Today's sunshine was beautiful. It was a beautiful day. I'm in a good mood probably because of the sunshine. Just looking outside with the sun shining makes it a better day.

Blank space. Blank space.

Taps phone. There's 12 seconds left and I feel guilty for tapping the phone, I'm sorry I couldn't help it, but that 10 minutes did go kinda fast. 

The Covid Diaries -- Day 5

The G.A.C. Scale

The G.A.C. Scale stands for give a crap, using a scale from 1 - 10 with 10 being the highest of giving of crap. My GAC scale looks way different in quarantine than it did prior to Covid-19. It's been on this continuous but steady downward movement. 

Personal Appearance:

Right now I'm wearing a trucker hat, haven't yet showered today even though I worked out this morning and now it's precisely 5:15 in the PM. I'm going to go with my appearance having a GAC score of 2. It's not a one because I am wearing pants. 

House Rules:

When arguments and disagreements arise between the boys, I'd try to help them resolve, have them talk it through, redirect, assign chores or kick someone out of the house for a bike ride. Now I've been turning to my earbuds. It's crazy how listening to my favorite music makes all the uncomfortable noise disappear.  House rules and parental responsibilities gets a 4!

Daily Routine and Structure:

Just no. This was an 8 a couple of months ago! I ran this house like a MOFO, baby! Getting out of bed, getting dressed, logging into the school website, getting outside, bringing dirty clothes from the bedroom to the laundry--arduous, grueling tasks for the great Prince Abdallah I and the mighty Prince Abdallah II.  GAC, 3!

Spouse Support: 

I happen to be married to a wonderful dude, a hard worker, great father, talented handy-man, funny, gross and hot. I try to make his life as easy for him as possible, we support each other. Right now, he's participating in a virtual happy hour in his office with the door open. I hear him mention his wife so I listen. He's complaining and laughing about how annoying I type on my computer and making jokes to all his co-workers. I yell up the stairs, "That's called knowing how to type!"  Spouse Support has dropped to a 5!

While the majority of my life right now seems to have a disappointing outlook, it's more of a ....self preservation thing, you see. 

Running:

Yay, running. I'm a life-long runner and no longer make a big deal about it since I know how much I need it forever in my life. However, this pandemic has me running more and looking forward to getting out of the house more than it has in a very long time. Running goes up to a 9!

Going Out:

I'm not going out so I miss my friends and my co-workers so much. I miss all the events and classes I get to go to and feel confident I'm not going to take any of that stuff for granted. I can't wait to go back out! Getting out of the house to socialize gets an 8!

K, bye!

The Covid Diaries -- Day 4

A Time Journal of One Day in Quarantine

This post comes with a key located at the bottom. 

Due to the thunderstorms all day Sunday and not being able to walk or run, I felt a little blah and ended up taking a 'quickie' afternoon nap which led to me tossing and turning until just after 1:00AM Monday morning. I woke up around 8:00 Monday morning. 

8:00 Get out of bed

8-8:15 Unload dishwasher, and wipe down the kitchen before making breakfast.

8:15-9:00 Make breakfast for the family and clean everything up. Ask kids about their plans for the day. 

9:00-9:15 Discuss the latest Rona information with the husband, create grocery list, debate home improvement projects.

 9:15-9:30 Pick out my running clothes, get dressed and put some clothes in the laundry.

9:30-11:00 ***

11:00-12:25 Go for a 5 mile run with the husband, shower, put on real clothes, make-up and did my hair for the first time in weeks.  One of kids said, "Hey, what's that smell?"  I said, "Oh, it's me, I'm clean."

12:25-2:00 Work. Log into my computer, check and respond to e-mail, register for a couple webinar presentations. Make phone calls, and write a few personal notes. 

2:00-2:30 Kids want lunch. Make a quesadilla and slice an apple, reheat left-overs.

2:30-3:30 More work, phone calls, emails. Talk to co-worker for 20 minutes, make plans to escape quarantine.

3:30-5:00 ???

5:00-6:30 Make dinner, eat, and clean the kitchen.

6:30-7:30 Searched for a really look time for my ear buds, I think someone took them because I recently overheard someone in the house say they lost theirs. I think I left mine in one of the few places I would have left them, for only temporary, then someone saw the opportunity to snag them and call them their own. They know they are mine but no one has confessed. I finally decided to use my blue-tooth earbuds and went on an evening walk around the neighborhood and enjoyed the sunset.

7:30-8:00 Listen to Jason talk about Roblox and Lego and who sued who and licencing and the Natural Disaster Worlds. 

8:00-10:00 Watched part of the Voice, texted friends, checked Facebook and Instagram, watched some lame comedy show that wasn't funny at all but I'm usually on my phone by this point anyway.  

I clearly see the need to stick to my planned schedule. The problem is I haven't been great at planning ahead my week due to the fact that I can't be anywhere accept for home. This is causing me to not use my time efficiently. Part of the reason I love my job is because it affords me many opportunities to get out and see people. It's been a huge adjustment for me to stay at home versus working from home.

THE KEY

***Something goes wrong with the space-time continuum

??? There was this portal, and I think I fell 

The Covid Diaries --Day 3

Food Purchasing and Consumption

Yay, food, my favorite topic! I haven't been to the grocery store in weeks, which is so weird. My husband has been picking up groceries about once per week since everything we eat can last about that long accept for the bananas. There's usually something on the list he can't find either because it's out or he had to purchase another brand. We are buying some things we usually wouldn't buy so the kids can make their own snacks when they get hungry, such as slider buns and deli turkey. The biggest change for us is we are not eating out. We love to eat out, it's more of a form of entertainment for us as a family. The kids are finally realizing that whatever is on the table for dinner is dinner. They are no longer asking to go out, they aren't asking for Sonic ice cream every night, they aren't asking for anything because they know I'm not going to the grocery store tomorrow like I usually do. It's nice. 

There's an effort being made to have some sort of structure during these days. The kids are sleeping in so we are having a late breakfast and an early dinner. Some days there might be two large intermittent fastings going on and I'm down with that. I've had to give up some control on keeping everyone on the same schedule and making sure no one is spoiling their dinner. If I'm cooking breakfast and dinner then you better be there if you're going to eat. And they have been. I was the only person in the family to enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day but they are now open to having yesterday's leftovers if today's dinner is not to their liking. 

I believe the average American can pretty much go to a grocery store within a few miles of their home, purchase exactly what they are looking for based on their budget, any time, any day. Globally, that privilege is rare. We have conveniences and variety like none other. The rest of the world doesn't get to live like we do, is what I tell my kids all the time but they really don't get it and most of us don't or won't. Many people for the first time in their lives have witnessed empty grocery store shelves. I can't say if it's a shortage or there's a sudden high demand and the next shipment simply hasn't arrived. I think it's the latter but with so much business being shut down, people are left to draw their own conclusions and there seems to be an uneasiness and some fear. I feel terrible for all the businesses and especially small business suffering. I have confidence we are all getting through this and it's going to be okay, our economy will recover. This pandemic has been devastating for a great number of people world-wide. I think of them and am reminded how fortunate I am. I have my family, a place to live, clothes, clean water and I have food and I'm so very thankful.

Happy Easter! We have thunderstorms but still wanted to do something special for the holiday so we're smoking a bunch of food which will become this week's meals.

The Covid Diaries --Day 2

Safety Choices

There's a crap-ton of information floating around for all to enjoy regarding the Coronavirus.  The news is sensationalized and the political debates are depressing. Not that I don't advocate, but I do believe there are actual professionals, expert in areas of study where I am not, knowing a thing or two about their profession, for someone like me to learn from and analyze the data and hopefully make an informed decision. All I really know at this point is I don't want the Rona. If my kids get an allergy, I freak the fuck out. So, there's that. Here are a few of the facts: We are being ordered to stay home. That means if you are not an essential employee needing to report to work and unless you are traveling to pick up essential items, you need to please stay home. I cannot go into my office to work. The kids have no school. 

These are some of the extreme and irresponsible safety choices we have made and the reasons why. First, we are not socializing. I miss my running buddy. She just returned from being away from me for a year and we were finally back together running, right before this pandemic hit. Running is a major part of our lives. We ran a few times together, staying 6 feet apart, until a couple weeks ago when the number of infections and death count continued to rise, we decided it's best we run solo, for the safety of our families.

I'm fortunate in that I live in a neighborhood full of walking trails and paths, however, everyone else has the same idea of 'getting out' and these once naked paths are now full of families, strollers and dogs. I'm forced to run in the streets where I'm a bit more able to distance myself.

I mentioned the friend thing regarding my children in my previous post. We are not allowing our kids to visit friends. They do have access to call and communicate, but not visit in person. The reason is not so much the kids but we don't know where their parents have been. I have friends on the front line, working in health care. We ourselves could be infected and not even know it. 

My husband continues to golf. The golf club is so busy because it's one of the few places not closed. I'm not trying to throw him under the bus BUT HELLO! He says he's staying six feet apart. Fine. While he's out, he will pick up the groceries for me. I'm the cook. I'm the shopper. I always get the groceries, but right now I'm so scared that I haven't gone out at all. I'm embarrassed to admit it but I am. I'm also a control freak and surprised I'm allowing him to get groceries because I can't monitor what he's touching and how he's shopping, but that's how scared I am.
Speaking of husband, he's a chemist. So we have crazy debates about how I don't like chemicals like Mr. Clean in my house and he 'rationalizes' the actual chemical makeup.  I don't care. To me everything is cancer causing. Anyway, he just bought a farm animal medication to combat Covid-19.

Ummm, yeah, Ima have to take a hard pass on this. The kids and I are not taking this.

I think you can easily lose yourself in the craziness, the changes and inconveniences. I know people cope with change in lots of different ways.  The first few weeks didn't seem to be a big deal but this week my 10 year old had a melt down, crying, telling me he missed his friends. Heartbreak. Yesterday, the 13 year old informed us he was the only teenager on the entire planet not allowed to hang out with his friends. This was shocking to us as parents (cue the stair stomping and door slamming.) Believe me, I know, if I was living in this as a 13 year old I would have been giving my parents hell.  This will be life changing for the young people. I try to remind them, this is incredible! It's devistating that people are dying, it's awful. This will somehow change your character and I truly believe only for the better. 

The Covid Diaries --Day 1

Per assignment, I'm to take five pictures that demonstrate what my life looks like during this pandemic.  These photos are supposed to be interesting and representative of who I am. I'm not sure how interesting they will be because the days have been very similar and familiar for at least a few weeks now. I try to somewhat keep a schedule and some structure in order to break the days into more interesting pieces. I'm encouraging the kids to do the same thing because they tend to let the day get away from them too often.
Cooking and cleaning the kitchen three times a day sucks. And I love to cook, well, at least I used to. Gone are the days I tried a new recipe every evening. It's the same carb-loaded meals that the kids won't whine about (such a Debbie Downer!) So, with the whole diary, honesty thing, I'm letting the kids sleep in. I think they are thinking, why get up today? I'm cooking a late breakfast and making an early dinner.  There. Down to two meals and kitchen clean-up per day. They've eaten the snacks too fast to last for the next grocery trip so they are learning the term and meaning of 'rationing,' which is a word my mom used often during my childhood because we did not have extra money for tons of snacks and extra food to spontaneously invite friends over for dinner.

Dish washer runs twice a day instead of just once.

Multiple walks a day to get out of the house.

After breakfast we have to move! I'm running now more than ever because of the need to get out of the house. My 10 year old has movement issues, as in, he doesn't want to move his body off the couch, so he and I take walks around the neighborhood or he rides his bike down to a park and back. He's no longer allowed to play at the park or with his friends. It's difficult because he can see other kids in the neighborhood still playing together and we decided that was a risk. I'm feeling terrible for my kids. They are 10 and 13 and their friends are their world. I was the same way at that age. In fact all throughout my childhood I only wanted to play with and see my friends. I'm sure this quarantine is much harder on them than it is on us.

Jason bikes to this wonderful park in our neighborhood.

My husband works from home when he's not traveling and he's definitely not traveling. I'm a realtor and have only showed one vacant house since the quarantine and most of my clients are waiting to move. I'm using my work time to catch up on continuing education and planning for a busy summer and rest of the year. It's great I have that to focus on. The kids have student resources available to them through their school district. The activities are voluntary at this time. They take the rest of the morning or early afternoon to get in some math practice and reading.

Working from home looks like no shower, no makeup, large bags for me!

Dining table is for puzzling and school work.

Mid-afternoon has been the most difficult time of the day for me. I'm tired of reading and I already exercised. I've found it helpful to call a friend or parent just to talk which is very spirit-lifting. I'm dying to go to a happy hour and I've never really did that much prior to the stay-at-home order. The fact that I can't see my friends makes me want to have more meet-ups for coffee and come over to my house for back-porch drinking. When this passes, there will only be better perspectives.
Dinner time gives me a second wind while getting out the cutting board and chef knife. Maybe I'll even pour a glass of wine and I think about the rest of my family that I can't see. Dinner has been eerily quiet. I guess everyone thinks they don't have a 'day' to talk about. I wonder what everyone is thinking, but I'm just kinda dozing off into space myself. It could be so much worse. We've spent time counting our blessings and feeling grateful for what we have.
We try to agree on a movie to watch in the evening. I'm the only female so I'm always outnumbered by Marvel, another episode of The Office or another episode of the Simpsons. After about a half hour into whatever we're watching, one by one, people start disappearing from the family room to go text a friend, finished up some work, or get into the shower and I'm left with the remote I don't want because I'm scrolling through Facebook looking at all the funny memes about The Rona.

Fantastic Food Fake Out

Ever see those recipes come through your feed with only three ingredients?  Skeptical.  The pancakes are good, the energy bites are okay.  Then I saw this two ingredient gnocchi recipe.  What? There's no way.  It's sweet potato and flour.  Take a roasted sweet potato, mash it up and add enough flour to bring a dough together.  I can't believe it actually worked!

This came at a time when the last few dinners were total battles trying to get our picky eater to eat something, anything, that was somewhat nutritious.  I'm not saying flour is good for you, but getting that sweet potato in along with the delicious bolognese sauce I had already prepared, was a sneaky way of fitting in some much needed nutrients and protein.

This type of meal should be presented on a day following several previous battles at the dinner table. After hearing whining night after night of, "What?  You know I don't like that!" Responding with shame, regarding respect and gratitude and starving children everywhere.  When you switch food up, it needs to be introduced something like, "Fine.  We're having pasta tonight."  It may seem different but after the last few nights of fighting, they may be less inclined to question the look.  Yes, it's a story of great manipulation, however, certain stages of life require certain skill sets that will last as long as they're needed.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients:
1 roasted sweet potato (Poke a medium sweet potato with a fork all over, wrap in foil, roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until done)
unbleached, all purpose flour

Directions:  Leaving the skin behind, mashed up a sweet potato in a medium bowl.  Add flour until you're able to knead into a dough.  Cut dough into smaller portions at a time to roll into about 1/2 inch log.  Cut bite sized portions from the log then use a fork to press indentations into the dough. Drop gnocchi into simmering water.  Once the dumplings rise to the top, remove with a slotted spoon.

The entire dough. Cut smaller portions to roll into 1/2 log.

Strain the gnocchi once you remove it from the boiling water.

You'll have a delicious, fluffy, sweet vehicle to support the boldest of sauces.  Here's the recipe I used for an amazing Bolognese Sauce found on Food.com:

http://www.food.com/recipe/real-italian-bolognese-sauce-83950

If you're looking for more adult versions, consider the following sauces:
Garlic, brown butter, herb sauce
Maple, cinnamon, sage, brown butter sauce
Balsamic, sage, brown butter sauce

Amazingly, this was a winner for us especially since we never see second portions taken!  For me, it was glorious to watch all that Vitamin A unknowingly going down the hatch {insert evil laugh.}

Punishment Soup ~ Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics

Winter Break starts out so exciting, with finishing up shopping, anticipating the holidays, baking treats, delivering gifts, visiting friends and family and eating until guts burst.  It can be a whirlwind of activity up through New Year's.  Then shortly after the New Year, normally, people return to work and the kids head back to school.  Oh, but not us.  Our kids have an entire extra week off school, which having moved from the North two years ago, I'm still not used to all the school year time off they get versus a long summer vacation, which I'm properly prepared to handle. 

It's really chicken, noodle, vegetable soup

Once the Christmas decorations get stored away and that (I already got crap and no longer have to behave) magic is gone, I start feeling (in my best Madea voice) like the 'chirren are tearin up my nerves.'

Admittedly, I have my parents' voices in my head with the memory of their, "I can't WAIT for you to have children!"  Oh the paybacks hath cometh.  I don't understand how my parents made it through my brother's and my fighting.  We drove them crazy and now I know the feeling.  My mother usually handled it by yelling at us to go to our rooms.  If she didn't feel like yelling, she would take off into the kitchen and violently rattle the drawer where she kept the wooden spoons and we would run in all directions out of her sight.

Each generation seems to say, "Kids today are so different."  I don’t know if they are or not.  I haven't read a parenting book since my first born was born, so about a decade.  Most days I still don’t know what the F I'm doing.  I used to lie in bed at night and rehash all the parenting that I could have done differently that day, but now I'm even over that.  It's not at all that I don't care-- I love my kids, would do anything for them, blah, blah, okay.  We are in a stage with our little family where there is an endangered supply of fucks given.  And this is how I'm going to push through this trying phase.

   

Sending the kids to their rooms or kicking them out of the house is only a temporary solution for their personal safety.  It's not really a punishment and it's not behavior changing.  In fact, I don't have any ideas for changing behavior since I'm still saying, "Eat over your plate, please" 500-600 times a day. 

You know where you are?  You're in the jungle baby!

My parental goal is to hopefully raise kind individuals.  It's a simple, yet thoughtful goal and I'm hoping to get back to that goal in the next stage because we've temporarily detoured to, "I hope you have a plan by the time you're 18." 

So getting back to the kids fighting.  This is about their fighting.  If they have time to fight, then they have time to work.  I've decided that whatever items are not yet checked off of my to-do list, will immediately become their next redirection.  I'm totally using their fighting to my benefit, AND I LIKE IT. We hit the jackpot today. Just as poor choices were being made, I had just started dinner. 

Children should learn cooking, cleaning and organizing anyway. Mine don't have a strict schedule of chores.  The projects they don't volunteer for become distractions, gets them some one-on-one time with a parent and almost always leaves them with a feeling of accomplishment and pride.  No, they are rarely happy about it, but that's why I do it.  Hopefully they learn something from it. 

This dough is easy to roll out and cut with a pizza cutter if you don't have a noodle maker, but I feel like how Princess Vespa feels about her industrial strength hair dryer and I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT!

Recipe for Punishment Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 egg

1 Tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 large carrot, diced

3 medium gold potatoes, diced

1 cup white wine

6 cups chicken stock

Bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 whole roasted chicken, picked and chopped

homemade noodles

Hand Cut Noodles (make these first)

In a food processor, using the dough blade, pulse the flour and egg.  Slowly add a very small amount of water just until the dough comes together to form a ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. 

On a floured surface, cut the dough into fourths.  Roll each section very thin then cut into desired length strips. Allow noodles to dry on floured parchment paper while preparing the rest of the soup.

Rest of the Soup:

Melt butter in a large Dutch Oven.  Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes.  Sautee until the vegetables soften.  Add the wine stir often while it cooks out.  Add Bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cover for about 20 minutes. Check that potatoes are soft then add the chicken and noodles.  Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  

  

  

Banana Bread...Unrefined, But Still Classy as Hell

Once those bananas get a few too many dark spots, I know they're all mine.  Sometimes I make those three ingredient pancakes.  One smashed banana, one egg, two tablespoons flour are all you need to make a healthier hot cake.  There's no leavening, no sugar, none needed.  I use coconut oil to grease the pan and that makes it even more delicious.  Top with a little maple syrup or low sugar blueberry jelly from the Farmer's Market or sliced fresh fruit.

Anyhoo, today I have four lonely, nasty looking, sugar filled pods I'm about to bust open to make this week's school snacks and after dinner dessert.  The bowl is fitting.

Past your prime potassium posse

WHOLE WHEAT BANANA NUT BREAD

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1 cup of coconut palm sugar

4 bananas, mashed with a fork

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and sugar.

Then add the mashed bananas and eggs.

Next, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.  Add this to the creamed mixture.  Mix just until combined.  Stir in vanilla and chopped walnuts.

Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Test with toothpick to make sure center is set.  Cool slightly then remove from loaf pan and place onto a cooling rack.  

 Now that's what I'm talking about

Takin' it Back to the Old School

Because it's Friday and we like to celebrate with chocolate, peppermint sandwich cookies.  

The kids were asking to make cookies this week.  We make the same chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal cookies all the time.  They're our favorite.  So I thought they might have some fun looking through this old timer....

Then my oldest found them.  Sandwich cookies that I'd never have attempted whenever I first acquired this book.  The dough comes together very fast but you do have to chill it for several hours or overnight.  I stuck mine in the freezer for a couple hours.

{insert yule log joke}

Here's the original recipe.  I subbed in 1/4 cup of coconut oil for 1/4 cup of shortening and I used 1/2 cup of coconut palm sugar instead of regular sugar.  I couldn't help it, it's 2015!!!

 My helper

Triple stuffing these suckas!

These were fun to make and yeah, they're not going to last very long.  

Stank Eye Pizza

Homemade Pita Bread

The only thing scary about making pita bread is how hot you have to get your oven.  Although there's white flour in the recipe, this bread is so versatile, preservative free and delicious.  It's easy to store and freeze.  It's a weekend project that will save you some time planning dinner during the busy work week.  The kids get so excited when they see I'm about to make pita bread.

Pita Bread
Easy recipe but it takes about 3 hours with having to wait for the dough to rise

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees
1 teaspoon of dry yeast
2 cups of whole wheat flour
4 cups of unbleached, all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Tablespoon of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  In a huge mixing bowl, mix the yeast into the warm water.  Add the whole wheat flour and one cup of white flour.  Mix well with a spoon for one minute then set aside for about 20 minutes.  Next, add the salt, oil and one cup of flour at a time while you mix.  When the dough becomes too difficult to stir, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes.  The dough should be sticky and become smooth.  Then return the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rest for about 1 1/2 hours until it's doubled in size.  Meanwhile, make aluminum foil squares which we'll use to bake the dough.  Take a piece of foil and fold over each side 1/2 inch to make a small 'tray' to bake the dough. Make about six of these:

Save the foil trays for next time!

This dough should make at least 16 pitas, depending on the size.  You can choose to divide the dough up into smaller pieces and roll into balls or pull apart golf ball sized amounts.  Roll the dough on a floured surface and then place the 1/4 inch thick dough onto the foil.  I usually place three foils at a time directly on the oven rack for about 3 minutes.  It's better to under cook than over cook because the leftovers can be cooled, frozen and then reheated in the toaster oven on another day.  Using tongs and an oven mit, carefully remove each foil from the oven racks.  Turn the foil upside down to remove the pita onto a long piece of foil, stacking them as you go.  Bring an end of the foil up over the bread to allow the steam to continue cooking the bread.  Repeat the process.

I usually make this bread over the weekend and our first meal with it is almost always a scrumptious Mediterranean spread.  The following night we'll do 'make your own pizzas.'

Oh, and look!  These pizza toppings look a lot like what I'll use for Taco Tuesday the next night!  Chop once, use twice!  

If there are any leftovers after all that, stack the pitas, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil.  These can be stored in the freezer.

School Snacks

It becomes a battle when the kiddos see what others eat for lunch and snacks and what I  prefer to pack for them.  It'd be easy to occasionally include a cookie for dessert if they wouldn't bring back a half eaten sandwich and untouched fruit and carrot sticks because "they ran out of time."

Supposedly, the school lunch program has made nutritional improvements but they are still selling chocolate and strawberry milk and offering ice cream for an additional cost in elementary school. Of course the kids are going to buy ice cream if it's available.  I have the ability to log into a website and see what my children purchased for lunch but I have no idea if they ate any of it.

The kids choose two days per week to buy a school lunch, while I encourage them to eat whatever vegetables are offered.  I think that's a pretty good deal for a 4th and 1st grader.

It's not like I deprive them of chips and sweets but I think it's so important to learn the value of whole food and the benefits of staying away from processed foods as much as possible.

Food manufacturers' goal is to make money.  That's it.  They want their product to look and taste delicious so consumers keep coming back for more.  It's all about the benjamins, baby.  We have to be accountable and responsible for our own health.  There are more advertisements, conveniences, and choices in America than anywhere else in the world.  We have all been subjected to images that influence our choices and it's happening to our children too.    

There still aren't daily percentages for the amount of sugar on food labels.  Gee, I wonder why? Could it be because most people exceed the recommended limit of sugar regularly?  The World Health Organization lowered the daily recommended amount of sugar to 25 grams per day, which is about 6 teaspoons (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/sugar-guideline/en/.) Processed food has sugar disguised as many different words which the average non-nutritionist person would hardly recognize.  Why would anyone be surprised over the childhood obesity rate or the obesity rate in the U.S. in general?

How are these family food battles handled?  Well, there's this one little word I have to use every day, sometimes hundreds of times a day, and that would be the word 'no.'  It's not easy, but it's necessary.

Here is an after school or lunch box snack I feel really good about.  I've made numerous attempts in making successful granola bars, each ending up too dry, not really tasty and falling apart into just plain granola.  This recipe is amazing.  I'm even a little reluctant to share because I'm sure I could make a boat load to sell at the Farmer's Market (but am I really gonna do that?)  

Homemade Granola Bars
Ingredients:
4 cups of quick cooking oats
2 cups whole almonds
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup dried cranberries, diced
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seed
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon vanilla
Optional:  1-2 cups of chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spread the oats, almonds and coconut onto a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the rest of the dry ingredients into a very large mixing bowl.  In a medium saucepan, bring the oil, syrup, honey, water and cinnamon to a simmer.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.  Remove the ingredients from the oven and add to the mixing bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients then pour the ingredients from the saucepan into the mixing bowl.  Mix well until everything is coated.  Place enough parchment paper into an 8 x 8 baking pan to hang over the edges.  This will allow the granola to be easily removed from the pan in order to cut into bars.  Pour the granola into the baking pan over the paper.  Cover with an additional sheet of parchment paper and press firmly into the pan.

Allow to set in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Once it's set, carefully pull the bottom sheet of parchment paper to remove the entire snack, then cut into single serve squares.  At this point you may melt chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave until smooth and drizzle chocolate over the bars.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I always double this recipe to fit my cookie sheet!  They're that good.