PJ's, Pirates and Princesses

"Mom,"

said G-Bear tonight as I tucked her in bed,

"today was an unusual day."

It sure was!

I would like to thank our pj's, which we wore until lunch.

I would like to thank the vacuum,

(like I said, ahem, such an unusual normal day around our house!),

which gave us a reason to get our "under the sea" rug out from under the kids' table, 

which in turn inspired dozens of running, hopscotch, and racing games across our living room floor
(even Baby Bear joined in!).

Thanks to our sweet neighbor friends, 

who invited us to dinner at our local Chick-fil-a for "Pirate and Princess Kid's Night," 

which inspired us to get out of our pj's and into our costumes.

Thanks to our local Chick-fil-a, 

which provided free kids meals to my [bandana, cape, and sword-tucked-into-his-belt-wearing] son 

and my [snow white dress, mermaid cape and tiara-wearing] daughter 

(and to the staff for complimenting me on my tiara and Baby Bear on his "Little Pirate" shirt).

And finally,

I would like to thank our preschool, 

for hosting "PJ and Pancake" day tomorrow morning at school

(encouraging us all, even parents, to "wear pj's to school on Wednesday and enjoy pancakes together in the commons"),

which will allow us to wake up tomorrow morning 

and have yet another wonderfully unusual day.

Grocery Bag

We are marching through Lent here in Happily Ever Johnson Land.  Our month is sure to be full of surprises, and we'll need a plan to rise to the occasion for dinner.  Here are my ideas for the week.

Day One 

Shrimp in coconut curry from Rachael  Ray

with basmati rice and broccoli slaw salad

This curry is great with my kids because the veggies are minced in a food processor.

If I don't have shrimp on hand, I sometimes substitute 3 cups of chickpeas.

Photo and recipe from Rachel Ray

Day Two

Mediterranean chicken couscous from Southern Living

with balsamic-rosemary vinaigrette spinach salad from Everyday Food Magazine 

Photo and recipe from MyRecipes.com

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Day Three

Chicken with coconut-lime peanut sauce from Tasty Kitchen

with basmati rice and kiwi fruit

Photo and recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Day Four

Chicken and spinach casserole from Everyday Food Magazine

with apple slices and homemade bread

This casserole is delicious and perfect for a chilly night.  

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Day Five

Punjabi curried kidney beans from The Indian Slow Cooker

with brown rice and carrot slaw salad from Everyday Food Magazine

Fresh spices make all the difference in this slowcooker dish from one of my favorite cookbooks.

Photo and recipe from The Indian Slowcooker by Anupy Singla

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Blessings on your kitchen this week!

When your feeling short on time

Feeling short on time?  

I constantly feel that the demands on my time outstrip the hours I have in a day.  I want to love my husband, my children, my family, my friends, and my patients well.  But loving others takes time, right?  Surely my lack of time is a shortcoming on my part, I often berate myself.  

This brief message is from Saint Josemaria Escriva, speaking to a doctor who is concerned about not having enough time.  His message is salient and pertinent to all of us who feel overwhelmed as we seek to love God and neighbor in our limited time.

Thank you, Lord, that I don't have enough time.

Simple pleasures on a Friday afternoon

Today I....

cooked three meals with one pot and a cutting board,

(brown sugar & oatmeal for breakfast,

parmesan noodles for lunch,

cherry pistachio quinoa for dinner)

took my kids to the doctor for well-child checks,

and left feeling thankful for our good health,

and

snuggled on my bed with my Bears 

as we watched The Little Mermaid before bed

(skipping the "scary" parts at G-Bear's request, which makes the movie quite short!).

Simple days don't happen everyday.

They are a blessing.

Leap Year Inspiration

Today is a treat we only enjoy once every four years.  Today is Leap Year Day!   In honor of February 29th, here is some inspiration from our day to help you leap into tomorrow and the year beyond.

"Hey Moooooooooom!  Could you please help me find my Buzzzz Wightyear sleep shirt?  

Thank you.  Hey, Mom?  I am going to be Buzz.  Here I go, "Whooooosh!"

~From E-Bear, who knows the importance of asking nicely

and that the best way to travel is to 'whoosh.'

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Sniff, sniff."

*smile*

~From Baby Bear, who knows that when you fall on your head,

you need moment to cry, 

a moment to refocus,

and the persistence to strike out again. 

"If I had a piece of hair on my pizza,

I'll tell you what I would do.

I would cover it up with mushrooms,

and eat my pizza with you."

~An original poem (in the style of Shel Silverstein) by G-Bear, 
who knows that sometimes life is messy,

and good food should be shared, not wasted :)

And finally, a quote that I needed to read today, thanks to my friend Kat and Father Najim:

"So you have failed?  You - be convinced of it - can never fail.  You haven't failed; you've 

acquired experience.  Forward!"  ~Saint Josemaria Escriva

Grocery Bag

This week, I am finding comfort and healing in the 'everyday details.'  Our grocery bag meal plan is part of that.  Here is my plan for dinner this week.

Day One

Barley, chicken and vegetable chili from Quaker Oats

with parmesan potato wedges from Cooking Light

Potato wedge photo and recipe from MyRecipes.com

Day Two

Lentil soup from Martha Stewart Living

with pears and homemade wheat bread

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Day Three

Crockpot chicken 

with wild rice pilaf and steamed peas
 A whole chicken meets my slow cooker in the morning, and 10 hours later (on LOW) I have a fully-cooked chicken ready for dinner.  Don't forget to cover the leftover chicken bones with water and cook overnight in the slow cooker for an awesome homemade chicken stock. 

Day Four 

Butter chicken from Tasty Kitchen

with basmati rice and steamed broccoli

Photo and recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Day Five

Quinoa with dried cherries and pistachios from Cooking Light

with broccoli slaw salad and oatmeal irish soda bread from Lunds & Byerly's

Photo and recipe from MyRecipes.com

Blessings on your kitchen!

Lent Preparations 2012

"Yet even now," declares the Lord,

"Return to me with all your heart, 

with fasting and weeping and morning;

and rend your hearts and not your garments."

Now return to the Lord your God,

for He is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness

and relenting of evil.

~Joel 2:12-13

Today we welcome Lent.  I wish I were more prepared.  I must confess I have been distracted by other things, other deadlines.  Thankfully, before us lies a whole season to prepare for Easter and focus on our daily opportunity to grow closer to God.  

The themes of Lent are prayer, fasting and giving.  With that in mind, I have tried to come up with ideas for our family that incorporate each of these elements in a special way.  Our plan this year is similar but not identical to our plan for last year.  As always, I have been inspired and encouraged by the Lenten preparations of our family and friends.  

Prayer:

~Prayer Chain Garland:  I know, garlands are usually for Christmas, but this one is for Easter.  Each day during Lent, the kids and I write a prayer on a piece of colorful paper and then attach them one by one to make a prayer chain garland.  Depending on the day, we may write down our prayers for other people, a new prayer we learn together or a Bible psalm.  By the time Easter arrives, we have a long, flowing prayer chain garland decorating our living room.  I also like the idea that at the beginning of Lent our decoration is rather sparse.  As Easter approaches, the decoration of our prayers becomes more visible in our home, representing the positive effects of our prayers in the world.

~Jesus Stepping Stones and Bible stories: Thanks to Equipping Catholic Families for this Jesus Stepping Stones activity, which is based on the Jesus Tree from Shower of Roses.  Each stone is decorated with a picture and Bible verse from an event in Jesus' life and is a wonderful way to incorporate the stories of Jesus' life and ministry into our daily routine.  We'll start tomorrow by making the stones together.  When reading the verses, we'll probably read parts from the kids' Jesus Storybook Bible where possible, and supplement with passages from my Bible when a story isn't included in their book.

Jesus Stepping Stones from Equipping Catholic Families.

Fasting:

~Food shelf box: I don't expect the kids to notice the absence of meat in our Friday meals during Lent.  So in addition, I plan to set out a box marked for a local food shelf.   Before we sit down to dinner each Friday I am going to let the kids go to the pantry and pick out a food item to put into the box.  It will give us the opportunity to talk about how thankful we are for God's blessings and for the chance to be a blessing to others.  We did this last year and it seemed to be meaningful to our kids.  Plus, it gave them their own "stash" of food to take to school and church on "food drive" days and other communal days of giving that come up during Lent. 

Giving

~Jar of Beans: This idea comes from an old March edition of Family Fun Magazine that I read several years ago.  On Ash Wednesday, we set out a large jar of dried beans on our coffee table next to a small, empty easter basket.  Each time one of us does a good deed or something nice to or for another,  he or she will get to go to the jar and move a dried bean from the jar to the basket.  I remind the kids that on Easter morning, when Jesus Is Risen, the dried beans will be replaced with jellybeans, representing the new creation we become through Christ: the old is gone and the new has come!  (2 Cor 5:17)  Last year this was a really special part of our season.  

Our bean basket from last year!

~Spring cleaning, 40 bags in 40 days: 

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." ~Psalm 51: 10

House cleaning may not be as important as the spiritual cleaning we pray for during Lent, but it can be a great way to bring Lenten themes alive in seasonal chores.  Details of the challenge can be found here, and I am inspired every year by our friends and family members who adopt it.  Our bags will be smaller this year than last year, but this remains a great challenge for us nonetheless.  It will certainly require an exercise of generosity and total family participation!  

May this Lent be a blessed season, drawing us all closer to the Lord as we prepare for Easter.

Daybook for February 2012

Ah, a Daybook entry, what better way is there to reflect and ramble about our latest musings and happenings?  Today's edition is a mix of big and small choices, difficult and delightful moments.  Like a small town newspaper, the news borders on gossip, but you can't help read it anyway.  As always, thanks to the Simple Woman's Daybook for providing the inspiration.

Outside my window...there is brown grass where yesterday there was SNOW!  We enjoyed our one and only snow day of the year yesterday.  Conveniently, school had already been dismissed for Presidents' Day.  We wasted no time getting outside and quickly made a snowman.  He wasn't Minnesota-sized, but he was pretty cute.  We built him in the shade so that he would last longer, and thank goodness we did!  By the time we finished playing in the snow, most of it had melted.  Even our snowman was gone by the evening, before I could snap a picture.  Ah, well, that's life in North Carolina.

Our back yard playground, covered in snow!

I am thinking...about our Baby Bear, who turned ten months yesterday! 

A Bear and his daddy.

Our little man impresses us everyday with his new skills.  He loves to make people smile by waving hello and good-bye.  He likes to clap along, whether to a song or to show his delight.  He is standing, furniture walking, and crawling like lightning.  I can no longer let him out of my sight because he is getting into everything!   Big sibs, mom and dad have to be careful where we leave our toys and treasures if we don't want to share them with Baby Bear.  And oh, my, what a voracious appetite he has!  This boy is a growing boy.  

Baby Bear celebrates in style :)

I am thankful...to Neen for nominating us for the Versatile Blogger Award.  How kind!  I am most thankful that our blog has brought enjoyment and escape for her as she anticipates the birth of her twins!  Thank you.  I'll fulfill the obligation of passing along this award in a future post.

In the kitchen...I am cooking our Mardi Gras meal complete with roasted vegetable pasta and the last minute addition of a crock pot chicken.  What a treat!  Thanks, Whole Foods, for providing organic, free range chickens on sale.  Yum.  

I am wearing...fuzzy socks.  I found them at the back of my sock drawer yesterday, and they were perfect for our snow day.  They are oh, so comfortable.  

I am creating...my annual plan to help us make the most of Lent.  With Ash Wednesday tomorrow, it is time to add the finishing touches.  Lent is a season that offers us the tremendous opportunity to regroup, reflect and recharge in our walk with God.  I say, bring it on.


I am going...actually, I went to the grocery store with the Bears today.  You might think I have a death wish or just get a kick out of tempting fate.  Actually, I was desperate for ice cream.  With three in tow, I chose the grocery store with the mini "shopper in training" shopping carts.   My kids love the mini shopping carts.  Thankfully, both mini carts (they only have two) were available at the entrance, so both G-Bear and E-Bear got to push one.  We have two rules when I allow the little shopping carts:  #1: Everyone must stay behind mommy and follow me at all times.  #2:  We walk, we don't run, with the carts.  Often, someone has a lapse of behavior and looses their cart privileges part-way through our shopping trip.  Not today.  Today my Bears were cherubs, and they were rightly showered with compliments from the other shoppers.  "Oh, my, aren't YOU TWO big helpers?"  "What excellent helpers you have there, Mom!"  And my personal favorite:  "Hey, Sam!  Look, it's a train!"  My kiddos beamed with pride as they pushed their carts.  I would like to thank the legion of angels over my shoulder.  And yes, we bought a lot more than ice cream.

I am wondering...why, with so many wonderful toys surrounding him, Baby Bear is most interested in chewing on the power strip hidden behind the couch.  Like I said, I can't let that boy out of my sight! :)

I am reading...phonics books from Progressive Phonics with G-Bear.  Actually, I should say that SHE is reading them with me!  I am so impressed and amazed as she develops this new skill.  The look on her face is priceless as she sounds out a word and realizes she has read it.  So far we have done the first book in the series, the short "a." Now we are onto the second book, and we are all excited to start it.  Even E-Bear asked if we could read it for story time today.

Photo from Progressive Phonics

I am learning...so much from the women in my Bible Study.  Right now we are reading James, and I love our discussions about how to practically live out our faith. 

Around the house...we are missing our three cousins, who joined us yesterday for playtime and dinner!  We had so much fun.  G-Bear said today at lunch:  "I miss them.  It was so LOUD when they were here.  I felt like our house was shaking we were so loud."  I can assure you that this was a most sincere compliment on her part.    

I am look forward to... Thursday.  Why?  Rank lists for all residency applicants are due tomorrow by 9pm.  I can't wait to wake up on Thursday and have the deadline behind me.  


I am pondering...residency.  With rank lists due tomorrow, this is the eight hundred pound gorilla in my room.  Actually, to say that I am "pondering" residency does not do justice to the amount of mental energy and capacity that this decision has consumed for the past two years.  I somewhat ashamed to admit that I am so nervous about tomorrow that my hands are shaking right now, even as I type this.  For me, the question is not only what rank list I will submit, but whether I will submit one at all.  Eight hundred pound gorilla, indeed.  

A favorite quote for today...

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it shall be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord."  ~James 1:5-7

One of my favorite things...is snuggling with my Bears.  Whether we are reading a book, tucking in for the night or watching a movie, their sweet snuggles make my day.  

A few plans for the rest of the week...Ash Wednesday and a decision tomorrow, basketball with T this weekend, and a visit from Uncle C round out our plans for the next week.  

A peek into my day...

Our porch yesterday, more proof that it really did snow.

Grocery Bag

It is a rare, snowy day here in Winston-Salem, Ash Wednesday is a few days away and Lent starts this week.  Good thing we have a meal plan!  Here are my dinner ideas for our week.

Day One

Honey ginger chicken bites from Cooking Light Magazine

over basmati rice with broccoli slaw salad

These bites are delicious.  If you are short on time, as I often am, mix up the marinade as you cook the chicken in a skillet or wok, then add the marinade for a quick asian saute and serve over rice.

Photo and recipe from MyRecipes.com

Day Two

Pasta with roasted vegetables and bacon from Martha Stewart Living

with pineapple slices and spinach salad

Cauliflower is in season!  It's the perfect time to make this dish.

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Day Three

Lima bean corn chowder with apple and parmesan by Happily Ever Johnson

with chopped corn tortillas and apple slices

This pureed soup is sweet & savory.  We like it best with the toppings.  My kids like to sprinkle the parmesan, minced apple and diced tortilla onto their own soup.  Plus they are more likely to eat their soup after they have "made it" the way they like it! 

Lima bean corn chowder with apple and parmesan

by Happily Ever Johnson

Ingredients:

2 Tbs olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 small potato, diced

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups sweet corn kernels (drained if using canned)

1-2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup half-and-half

1 Tbs corn starch

Toppings:

1 apple, chopped fine

fresh grated parmesan cheese

3 corn tortillas, chopped

1.  In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown at the edges, stirring frequently.  Add the broth, water and rosemary.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat, add the potato and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

2.  Add the lima beans, corn, red bell pepper, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes more or until potato and veggies are tender.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

3.  Carefully ladle the soup solids into a blender or food processor along with 1-2 cups of broth.  Puree until smooth, taking care when blending the hot liquid.  Return the puree to the pot and stir well. 

4.  Mix the half-and-half and cornstarch together until smooth.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the hot soup and stir to combine.  Simmer 1-2 minutes more until slightly thickened.  

5.  Serve soup sprinkled with parmesan, chopped apple and tortilla.

Day Four

Baked penne with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes from Everyday Food Magazine

with dried cranberry, orange and spinach salad

The rich and creamy sauce makes this a great choice for a cold night or a make-ahead freezer dish.

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Day Five

Spaghetti with veggies and peanut sauce from Everyday Food Magazine

with orange slices

This is quick and tasty for a weeknight dinner.  

I separate out the ingredients for my kids on their plates, but they love the sauce.

Photo and recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Blessings on your kitchen this week!

Prepping for Lent

I have a big decision looming.  

T has been out of town.  

We have had two days of sixty degree weather in a row.  

It is easy to forget than Lent begins next week.  

I find that my Lent is more meaningful if I do a little forethought and preparation.  So today, I laid the groundwork:

Christmas lights still up? 

Took them down.

Moldy fairytale pumpkin hiding on my porch since October,

sorry, buddy, into the trash you go.

The last surviving Christmas books and toys that we couldn't bear to put away in January,

packed away into yet another Christmas treasure box.

The pile of arts & crafts supplies that Baby Bear is always tearing into?

Tucked away into a basket for E-Bear and G-Bear next to their art table.

Today was all about making space to make space.

It is easier for me to pray when my space isn't a mess, and I have a lot of praying to do this week.

The bonus?  T will be so impressed when he gets home.