Friday, February 20, 2009

Brilla, recipes and other bits and pieces!

I'm feeling much more even-keeled after hiding myself in the Rock of Ages. God is ALWAYS faithful.

I've been noticing something lately...my cute bug of a daughter is growing up! She's interested in so many things, learning skills left and right. I feel like on the toddler stepping stones she's taking leaps.

I can't keep up!!

I've felt like I need to get out the number and letter workbooks and guide some of this energy into a positive direction! But we're pretty busy already. I take her with me to the gym every morning. While in the kids club, she enjoys "reading" books, coloring, and puzzles. She also gets exercise by climbing up to the very top of the playtoy and not being able to get back down. Trust me, those things were not made for adults who need to rescue their child!

The highlight of her week, though, is Bible Study Fellowship. She loves it! While I learn in my adult way about God, Brilla learns about Him from her's. Her class is like a Bible-centered preschool! I've been a helper a couple times; it's pretty neat. They have Intro time, Pledge of Allegiance, Prayer, Activity, Skill (like learning colors/alphabet, etc.), Lesson Time (they have them sit semi-circle, criss-cross applesauce, on tape; can you believe toddlers actually can do it?!), Bible Verse Memory, Quiet Time (not nap, they lay on carpet squares while the teacher walks around and speaks Bible verses to them, it's like Meditate on Scripture time), and Game Time. Not in that order, but it all gets done in 2 hrs! They have high expectations for these children, and do you know what? The kids CAN be still, they DO listen, and it's usually the exception that they don't. Brilla comes home quoting Bible verses I've never taught her!

She's almost got the potty down. She now comes up to me and initiates it! Finally! It's so nice for being in the store. Sometimes I get this feeling she just wants to see the pottys in every store, so sometimes I'll say, "Can you wait?" And she usually does. Cracks me up.

Well, I've been trying new meals again. You know how you get in that (sometimes really nice) funk where you just cook all the old favorites that you know everyone likes? Only problem is, they eventually get kind of old news, and I'm the adventurous cook type. So I'm going out on a limb again! Sometimes my hubby loves me for it, sometimes he doesn't! The last recipe I tried I really liked, but he didn't. He said it was the flavor. It may have been the tarragon or asparagus in it. Or the sweet flavor (maybe that's the tarragon??) Since I thought it was fabulous, here is the link. Kind of a twist on chicken pot pie.

Then for a twist on Sloppy Joes, try Sloppy Joaquins! You will want to keep eating and eating!!

I have a thing pretty much for any kind of unique dish (with not too rare of ingredients)!

Our weekend has been SO relaxing thus far. Yesterday we browsed Old Cannery, but bought nothing. I peeked at the Scratch & Dent furniture just to see what was there. I was secretly hoping they'd have a low-priced not-too-big china cabinet to display my china in. But nope. Not this time. It probably would've helped to get there earlier in the day. But we did get our free popcorn and apple cider! And B thoroughly enjoyed the kids section with the famous train set, and various chairs all in her size!

We had forgotten what a fun place it is for little guys!

Then we went home for naps and such. Did a little cleaning. Btw, I'm cleaning our garage; a monstrous task. As of yesterday, I now have 5 trash bags full of clothing on my living room floor, ready to be donated! Last year, instead of immediately giving away clothing, I had stuffed them in a container, in the garage. ???? Perhaps I thought some of them would come back in style? Who knows. Garages/storage tend to be the catch-all for the "maybees" and "ifs".

An aside...it's SO hard being a woman. My single body alone between pregnancies, gaining weight throughout pregnancy, post partum, and losing weight again ranges between sizes 6-12. Only 5 months ago, I was wearing a stretchy size 12, and I just (yesterday) fit into my size 6 jeans again. Crazy, huh?! I can't let go of all my clothing, but I just get rid of the stuff I know I would never wear again and is plain uncomfortable.

After naps, we went to Costco for cheap dinner and looked around. We came out with cookies, chocolate caramel macadamia clusters, bread, and deli turkey. We then stopped by Home Depot for some basics. Mike and I each picked out a magazine. I chose Every Day with RR (at Home Depot, I know) and Mike got Money. After putting the B down, we sat on the couch and browsed. One of our absolute favorites together.

Sunday has been decent so far. Brilla is currently napping, Mike's helping his brother move, we (B & I) recently got home from choir practice. I am playing for our Easter cantata this year. My parents are coming over for dinner. I'm servin' up Lasagna Casserole with whole wheat sourdough bread! After that, hopefully I can get in some Bible study questions. I'm a little behind...

We hope to stop by Amelia's grave today. Her 5th month of being gone from us is coming up on the 24th. We have some bright yellow and white daisies for her.

Oh, and the good news is that I've now lost 12 poundaroos! Yeah! Some days I feel like I want to raid the frig (like yesterday), and sometimes I feel like my hour-long workout will never end. So this week I'm changing up things a bit. I'm gonna try some spinning classes again and aerobics. I'm also going to plan out (or at least try) my snacks and meals. But recording the calories and cutting back on the sweets has really been the key.

Now that I've written my novella for the day, I'm gonna get workin' on that nap!

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