Kitty-cat princess

Happy Halloween!! Today was my login date (LID) in 2005 for Lil M!! So, it is particularly special for me. :)






Peace.

Pumpkin muffin recipe

I want to try this recipe, but doubt I'll make them tonight! ;-)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese (room temp.) and
3 Tbl. maple syrup or honey
Set aside

In a large bowl, place
1 cup honey or maple syrup (we like honey)
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 stick butter - soft
2 eggs
Mix this well
Add:
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 ts baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
Mix until well blended

Now fold in the cream cheese filling very gently.
Fill greased muffin tins or lined muffin thins 3/4 full.
Mix 1/2 cup nuts with 2 Tbs. brown sugar and sprinkle on top (I double this...just cuz-yummmm).

Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly brown on top.

Peace.

Aloha Friday

IslandLife808 blog does an Aloha Friday that I thought I'd participate in this week. Here's her definition:

"In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

Her question is:

If someone offered to buy you lunch today, where would you go?

My answer:

I would go to the Cheesecake Factory and get a turkey burger and a big giant piece of cheesecake!! :)

Go check out other great answers here. Or feel free to post your response on my MckLinky too!!

Peace.

Still shell shocked

There are so many things I'm feeling right now. After an almost 2 year relationship with Scott, I got a 'dear john' letter in my email on Sunday night... and am still just shell shocked, to say the least.

First, let me say, I am not a perfect person. Not by a long shot. And, frankly, I think I needed him more than he needed me these past 2 years. How he stuck by me through all the crap I was going through is beyond me... but now ...when I thought I had more to give and wanted to try to figure out how/if we might have a future together... now he leaves.

color change

I changed the color of my blog... the other one was feeling a bit drab... wonder if anyone will notice or care?!! :) (also, don't be surprised if i change it back...)

Also, I know that I say that Sis will post, but she's really only ever posted once. I will certainly try to get her to post again, but for now... you're stuck with ME!

Today, I met some guys that I used to work with for lunch at a local Pizza place... YUM. It was good catching up with them.


Tonight, Lil M and I will be having our 3rd play-date this week. We're on a roll... mostly, 'cause Mommy doesn't want to sit at the house and mope. (ok, well, technically... last night was just dinner and the night before we were attempting to put the toddler bed together, but play-dates sounded more fun.) It will be great to see Carol and her daughter Kate tonight. Hopefully, I'll remember to take my camera and get a pic or two. :)

Peace.

Another no pull-up night

So, Lil M is really working on nighttime potty training... she has told me every night for the past week, except one, that she didn't need a pull-up. We had 3 of 4 nights dry... then pull-up (and dry), then just slightly damp...and last night was a bust. Totally wet.

But she wanted to try again! My little trooper. :) So, let's see how she does.

Peace.

Temporary Placement

I thought I might have an emergency, temporary foster placement today... it was going to be 3 kiddos (5,3,1)... and, again, it was just temporary. But I did try to get ready for it, and now I'm a little sad that they won't be coming. They were placed with a different family, which is fine.

What happens is that the Agency calls me to see if I will accept a placement. When I say yes, they send my homestudy to the State Agency Worker... and that person gets more than one homestudy... then they the State worker decided which family to place the child(ren) with. In this case, they went with a traditional DCBS family. No biggie. 3 kids would have been a little tough, but since it was a true foster situation, I felt OK about it.

Oh, and the fact that I had a crummy night last night. So, I was trying to forget about all that...

A friend is going to come help put the toddler bed together tonight. :D Woohoo! And, another is going to let me borrow a twin bed... plus, Mindy has one I can use if I need it... so, I will have at least one twin bed soon. The agency has already asked me about two other placement situations, but they weren't emergencies, so I will probably figure that out tomorrow or sometime this week.

Peace.

Lentil Loaf?

I am considering trying something new this week... a 'meatloaf' made out of lentils. I love beans. What can I say... we eat them because Lil M and I both really like them... and, that works, too, because I don't have a super-love for most meats. Normally, I'd make meatloaf out of ground turkey. But I'm considering trying this recipe. :)

Vegetarian "Meatloaf" with Oats Recipe

Serves 6

Takes 10 minutes to prepare and 30-40 minutes to cook.

This version of Lentil Loaf is a classic. It is high in protein, yet free from soy. It is flavorful and has a lovely texture - this loaf is a perfect starter vegetarian dish. Appreciate lentil loaf for its unique taste - it doesn't try to copy the flavor of meat.

Because Vegetarian Meatloaf is smaller than a turkey, there is plenty of room left in the oven for roasting vegetable side dishes like sweet potatoes, turnip, or squash.

Ingredients:

• 1 (19 oz.) can lentils, drained, rinsed, and slightly mashed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup rolled oats (quick or large flake)
• ¾ cup grated old cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ – 2/3 cup spaghetti sauce or barbecue sauce
  
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• ¼ – 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix lentils, onion, oats, and cheese in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Add the beaten egg and mix well.
4. Add the sauce, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
5. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and pour/scrape the lentil mixture in. Even out the top surface with a spatula or fork.
6. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes or until top is golden and crispy.
7. Let cool at least 5 minutes.
8. Turn out onto serving platter and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Variations:

Add chopped celery, different sauces, different cheeses (or no cheese!) or try more traditional poultry spices instead of the Italian ones. Serve with all the 'fixins: mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, and salad.

Read more: http://vegetariancuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/vegetarian_thanksgiving_dishes#ixzz0V3fHPvAi

Thoughts or suggestions (if you've tried something like this)...are welcome. :)

Peace.

Bread...made of squash

So, I made butternut squash the night before last... and I figure it is pretty close to pumpkin, so why not use it in my bread recipe...?? Yep, I'm crazy.

Oh, and I didn't have any flour in the house. How is that possible, you ask? Well, I haven't baked in awhile and I don't like to leave it just sit forever, so apparently I was out. So, what did I do? I took oats and ground them in the blender/processor attachment. Yep.

pumpkin bread recipe

Found this recipe tonight (here), and am thinking of trying it tomorrow with the squash I cooked last night (or the can pumpkin I bought)... just to see how good it is. :) 'cause, it looks darn good.

I was thinking I might use canola oil, but somehow I think I need to go get some veggie oil instead.


Preheat the oven to 350.

1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup water

Mix all the dry stuff in one bowl. Mix all the wet stuff in another bowl. Then mix them together. Easy.
Grease and flour a loaf pan. Dump the batter in. Bake it for an hour or until it is done in the middle.

Toddler bed

Lil M has had 3 dry nights in a row. :D Shall we try for a 4th tonight? Let's!

What I need to do, though, is put up her toddler bed. It's actually a 3-in-1 bed (crib, toddler, full size) that my dad and I bought for my nephew when he was born. He isn't using it currently, because he is using a twin bed (that was my grandfather's). I've been procrastinating... this doesn't feel like a fun chore. Oh wait, fun and chore don't really go together, perhaps that's why I haven't done it, yet. ;-)

Besides that, the other fun-filled excitement for this weekend is to organize my sewing room / 2nd bedroom.

No, I haven't gotten an update about the possible placement from my agency yet... bah.

I will post pics once I get things done! :) Because... well, I know just how exciting it is and how much everyone cares that I get these stupid chores done. ha! ;-)

Peace.

Pull-ups, and I don't mean exercise...

Lil M has not worn diapers in almost a year!! Woohoo! She has, however, worn pull-ups for night-time... She's not even worn these for pretty close to that year mark during the day.

Well, this week she seems to want to go pull-up-less at night. So, I'm letting her... She has had 2 out of 3 dry nights... and I'm hoping tonight goes well, too. :)

Now, hopefully, I've said this before... but Lil M just turned 3 in August, so I'm not too worried about the overnights... she seems more and more ready, though, and I will definitely encourage that!

The day was pretty good. Had my work review (6 month) and it went well. I have a great boss who seems to understand me pretty well. That's amazing for a change.

I called the agency to talk to someone about my fears of the placement... and they listened and encouraged me. But didn't push. That is always nice. I'm now waiting to see if the state will allow him to stay with me, regardless of my decision, until/unless I have the medical training they want. Thanks Beautiful Mess for the advice today!! :D You ROCK!

Oh, of course, MK... she's a great IRL friend... and very patient with me! God love ya! (actually, i have wonderful friends... of which...without you all, I'd go crazy!) oh wait, maybe I'm already there...

...so, I guess I should go clean the sewing room more now. but ... um, no. Off to beddy-by time! ;-)

Peace.

Yep, it's Wednesday

This week and last, I've been trying to figure myself out a little more and more. I haven't had any major revelations, yet, though. ;-)

I was presented with a potential placement (foster to adopt) yesterday and am not sure what I'm going to do yet. It is a 12 YO boy with type I diabetes (juvenile) and it's a little scary. At the same time, I feel like I should consider it, so I am. I have the option of taking him for a weekend to see how I might handle everything (without him knowing it would be a potential placement)...and if I do, I need to get the 2nd bedroom ready now!!

Oh, let's see... I bought some butternut squash this weekend when we went to the pumpkin patch, and I cooked 2 of the 3 of them. I think I might try to make a pie out of it tomorrow, but I need some evaporated milk. I know it isn't pumpkin, but it seems mild enough and might make an interesting pie. :) Who knows... or I might see about making a pumpkin (type) bread with it.

Peace.

Self-worth

So, have you ever thought about self-worth? I mean... people go on and on and on about love. Love others. Love yourself. Or not. But it's all about love.

And I mostly agree with that. Love is good. And it is certainly something I espouse to do. ;-)

But it has occurred to me recently that I don't feel so "worthy"... worthy of expressing my own needs and wants. Worthy of not only expressing them, but demanding them as an equal person among all of my friends and family and anyone else on the street. Yes. I am worthy. Not just lovable, but worthy.

And oddly, I've always felt like someone else's needs were more important than my own. Why? I don't know. This isn't even the 'mother' or 'woman' complex. It is really just a core feeling. Something I've felt since before I can even remember... and, yet, it is just not right. I mean, really. It is important to love other people. But it is also important to know and love yourself. And part of loving yourself is acknowledging what your own needs are and realizing that it is OK to have those needs. It is not being self-righteous or even selfish in the normal negative connotation. It is just realizing that you are equally as worthy as those you love and defend and take care of.

And when we put ourselves down and let other people lord over us, it is not good. I believe that is what it is, "Lording". Putting others before your own self is like putting them on some type of pedestal ... like they are better or greater than you and your own self and your own needs.

And that's exactly what I've done my entire life. Even when others can't see it, it's been my modus operandi (MO). And when others can't figure out my needs, then I get upset. Why can't they see it? ... well, they can't see it because they can't read minds and if I don't tell them, how do I expect that they will see it???

So, this is what I'm trying to learn... and it probably sounds super easy for some people. And those people would probably think me nuts for even bringing up the subject. But, I have to be honest with myself... I need to learn that I am worthy just for being me. I am good enough as is.

Isn't it interesting the things we learn as we grow up and how convoluted our self-perception can be? I would really prefer not to pass this learned behavior on to my daughter. So, I better figure out how to deal with it now! :)

Peace.

Reunion weekend

Here are a few pics from my reunion this past weekend. I had a great time getting to see all our classmates...




Peace.

Montessori School

I'm considering putting Lil M in Montessori school... but am not completely sure this would be beneficial for her. She is 3 and I think by next year she will likely be bored at daycare... even though it has "preschool" for a couple of hours each day. I just don't know that it is enough...

We went to a function the other night where there was a child a little older than Lil M (approx 3.5 years old) and he had a really rough time with his speech... he apparently doesn't know his colors or counting either or ABC's... Lil M, on the other hand, can count to 20, can say all her ABC's, knows a lot of colors (even colors like gray and silver), and can recognize most of her alphabet in writing (capital letters). I didn't think this was too much to ask of her, and am quite proud, of course, but it does make me wonder if she'll be bored with daycare soon.

Of course, then there is a "real" school schedule to deal with, like holidays and week long breaks and such.

Regardless, I'm going to keep teaching Lil M at home and if she's ahead of the other kids, so be it. ;-)

Peace.