Sickness From Under the Laundry Pile

While I was driving to pick Keri up from school yesterday afternoon, poor Cory got sick and threw up multiple times in the car … all during our 4 minute drive.

He then threw up all night and is still miserable today. I have already done at least 5 loads of laundry. I hope no one else in our family catches this bug and I hope these debilitating headaches I have been getting, including today, go away soon … or heaven help us.

In Loving Memory – Gordon B. Hinckley

I just found out that President Gordon B. Hinckley has passed away. He was the prophet of our church, The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) for the last 13 years.

Of course I cried, but I am grateful to know he is now in a better place.

Sunshine and Menu Plans

This past week has been a busy one, but the fact that the sunshine has been abundant … although it has also been frigidly cold … and the fact that Cory is still making progress with potty training is a good thing. We are definitely taking this process of his slowly, but moving in the right direction is what we are all about.

On to the menu plan for the week:

Monday: Pot Roast with roasted potatoes, carrots, and onions; fruit and rolls

Tuesday: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and toast

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Chicken, Broccoli and Ziti Skillet and fruit

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Beef Tacos and veggies

Sunday: My Day Off

For more dinner ideas and Menu Plan Monday participants, please visit Laura of I’m An Organizing Junkie.

Enjoy your week!

Help Fight Autism

I grew up with cousins who are autistic and when our own little Cory was just 15 months old, we were extremely worried that he was, too. He wasn’t talking, he didn’t respond to his name, he didn’t wave hello or goodbye on his own, and his receptive listening skills were non-existent.

He is now almost 3 and luckily we are blessed to know he was just a “late bloomer.” We sought out early intervention and his progress has been profound. He is now functioning at a “typical” level and all he really needs is some speech therapy to help with pronunciation.

But autism is still out there and it is very real for many people. It affects a lot of families. I still vividly remember the struggles we endured while we waited to see what direction our little man was going to go.

The band Five For Fighting has decided to help raise money for the charity Autism Speaks. You can do your part by simply watching this short video set to their song “World.” They will donate at least $0.40 for every hit they get. They are aiming to get at least 10,000 hits, but we can help them surpass this goal.

So please, go watch it. When I watched it, I got tears in my eyes and my heart just ached for the health of these little ones.

Small Miracles Still Abound

Lately I have resigned myself to the fact that Cory, who will be 3 next month, will not be potty trained any time soon. I am stubborn, my husband is stubborn and our poor little man has no choice but to be stubborn. He definitely marches to the beat of his own drum. He will only do things when he is good and ready to do them.

Now I highly doubt he will be going to Kindergarten in diapers, but until recently I thought for sure our little guy would be at least 4 before he learned to successfully use the toilet.

However, maybe … just maybe … he might surprise me. The other day, this past Saturday, he finally took his first pee on the potty.

Miracles definitely still happen.

My Birthday Memo

Apparently my two year old son did NOT get the memo yesterday telling him it was my birthday. **sigh** All I really wanted from my family for my birthday present was the chance to peacefully sleep in and a quiet and relaxing day. Well that kind of happened, other than the fact that Cory was an absolute bear.

Granted he didn’t have a chance to take a nap on Friday because the day was so crazy and then he also didn’t sleep well the night before, but still, he whined and crabbed and grumped practically the entire day.

By the time 4:00 rolled around and it was time to pick up the sitter, I was nearly in tears. I was more than ecstatic to leave my two children in her capable hands while Rudy and I went out. I told my husband I didn’t care what we did, as long as we didn’t come home until after the kids were sound asleep.

After being gone from our noisy-whine-infested house for just 10 minutes, I was already in a much better mood. Sometimes parents just really need some time away from their kids!

We had a more than fabulous dinner at P.F. Chang’s and then we spent the rest of the evening leisurely wandering through shops and bookstores chatting up a storm. The best part? The fact that we could take our time, we didn’t have anyone pulling on our arms or asking us question after question, and we could engage in some adult conversation on the topic of our choice.

I was a little leery about going home and getting the Cory report from the sitter, but luckily he enjoys having his “friends” over to play. He was completely fine and only fussed when he had to go to bed.

This morning we had Operation Happy Birthday Mom Take Two … I am pleased to report it was an abounding success. Cory was calm and I was able to peacefully sleep in.

Plus today the sun is brilliantly shining. What more could I ask for?

First Menu Plan For 2008

Now that we are about half way through the first month of the new year, I am finally finding a little bit more motivation to get things done. It probably helps that there is abundant sunshine today, at least you can call it abundant if you live in the Pacific Northwest. We will take what we can get, even if they really are just extended sunbreaks .

Last week we were still in the re-entry process from extended-vacation-mode so I didn’t get a chance to do a menu plan. Let me tell you, our week suffered because of it. Hopefully this week won’t have quite so many bumps in it … although I still reserve the right to be flexible with our meals. If one week I don’t feel like the meal planned for Tuesday, then I will merely substitute Friday’s meal for it since I have all the ingredients for the week on hand. Flexible meal planning is the best.

One of my goals for 2008 is to also add some new recipes to our cooking rotation, but I don’t have that much motivation in me yet. However, if you would like to see some of my other recipes, feel free to visit the Recipe Tab on the top of my blog.

Monday: Lasagna, fruit and salad

Tuesday: White Sauce Chicken Enchiladas and veggies

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Kidney Bean Tacos or Beef Tacos

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Swiss Chicken Bake, fruit and veggies

Sunday: My Day Off

For more dinner ideas and Menu Plan Monday participants, please visit Laura of I’m An Organizing Junkie.

The Process of Re-Entry

I should know this by now, but when I get home from an extended vacation, it usually takes me a few solid weeks to finally get back to “normal.” Typically within a few days the unpacking is complete and laundry is done. It is just the lack of motivation to return to the grind of daily life that takes forever and then some to go away.

My motivation right now to do anything that doesn’t absolutely have to be done? Zero. I am blaming it on the lack of sunshine I have experienced over the last 7 days since I have been back in the Pacific Northwest. I admit, I am addicted to sunlight. I need it in order to thrive.

I was definitely spoiled while in Los Angeles and Laguna Niguel.

(Picture courtesy of Google)

The sun was plentiful, the warmth was inspiring, and the backyards for kids to play in were well used. I thoroughly enjoyed the cooking that was done by mom and sisters, I adored my nephews and nieces and siblings who entertained my kids, and my husband who got up with the children every day so I could sleep in deserves a medal. My list of luxuries could go on and on.

I should dazzle you right now with some gorgeous pictures from my trip, but I can’t even do that. I spent so much time relaxing and enjoying my family that we didn’t snap a single photo while on our excursion. Ironically I am not too distraught over this. At least we created lots of memories we can cherish for years to come.

I was hoping writing this post would bring a tiny shred of motivation back into my life, but that hasn’t happened yet. All well, my birthday is this Saturday, perhaps my birthday present to myself will be to remain unmotivated for just a few more days .

Home Sweet Home

For nearly three weeks we have been in sunny and warm Southern California enjoying what I call happy weather. We are finally back home in the soggy and gray Pacific Northwest, but it feels great to be back in our own space and not living out of suitcases and duffel bags … almost.

It seems like it always takes me at least a week to get settled back into my old routine. Laundry needs to be done, bags need to be unpacked, the fridge needs to be restocked … maybe I will go take a nap .

I hope everyone had a happy holiday season and a wonderful start to their new year!