chinese new year = big cooking week:

Made a decent abondigas (Mexican meatball) soup last week, and headed into the lunar new year with some Chinese food.  I made shrimp and snow peas, noodle salad, and black bean chicken the night of Naomi's dental work, skipping the dumplings because they'd take too long.  So nothing really traditional in terms of New Year cooking.  Usually one cooks foods that sound like the words for longevity, abundance, etc.  I think we're fine with being a little Americanized.  Tuesday I took a break from Chinese and made homemade guacamole for Naomi, who likes guacamole now, and also homemade chicken noodle soup which turned out nicely despite omitting the onions.  I didn't feel like braving the Chinese supermarket traffic just to get dumpling wrappers, so I went for the gyoza wrappers at the local supermarket and made turkey potstickers instead.  I thought they were great, similar to my mom's, but I forgot Naomi doesn't like ginger, so she didn't eat too many of them.  I'll remember next time.  It takes me 2-3 hours to make and cook dumplings, so they're usually reserved for special occasions.

Shrimp and snow peas turned out well.

Ready to eat black bean chicken with broccoli and shrimp and snow peas!

My usual soba salad, but made with thin spaghetti.

Homemade chicken noodle.  I'm going to make homemade pasta for it one of these days, but that day was particularly busy.

Potstickers!  No ginger next time!

dentist appointment:

Naomi had to go in Monday for dental work.  Manny came home to watch Lucas while I took her.  She did pretty well, and the nitrous oxide didn't seem to affect her too much.  I tried to avoid it, but it was work that had to be done in three different areas of her mouth.  She went from having no cavities five months ago to two new cavities this last appointment plus a filling that fell out at Grandma's.  I guess Halloween + 2 holidays with the grandparents = lots of treats.  She also had to have a primary tooth extracted, because the new one is almost fully in, but the root of the primary one wasn't dissolving at all.  It took some effort to get it out.  She was a trooper and did fine.  Lucas had no cavities, but I was more diligent about brushing his teeth than Naomi's.

mother-daughter date:

Naomi and I got to spend some long-overdue one-on-one time on Saturday.  We went to see the morning showing of Beauty and the Beast in 3D with the entertaining Tangled Ever After short before it.  It is one of my favorite films, and I wanted to see it for the nostalgia and to share it with Naomi.  The 3D didn't make much difference to me except the higher cost of the movie.  Naomi had to hide her eyes during a few scary parts, but I made sure to warn her.  She's seen it before on DVD, but the small screen is different.  I still wanted to cry at the same parts I did when I first saw it at 16.  The film stands the test of time, except perhaps for the computer-animated chandeliers.  Back then, they didn't have as much CGI in animation, so it was exciting to see, but now it doesn't look so fluid.  We saw a friend from church out on a movie date with her kids.  It was funny because we were going down the escalator as they were going up, so we were trying to talk to each other while we were moving.

Afterward, Naomi wanted to do a little shopping.  She was okay if we came away empty-handed, which I thought we would.  It was a good opportunity to teach her about reading prices, finding a good value, and having restraint.  She did a great job in the end, finding an outfit originally priced at $30 for $10.  We also bought her a t-shirt and some socks.  Then we went to lunch.  Naomi wanted to have a place with sushi since she thinks of finger and dainty foods as being more feminine.  We don't live by a tea room or place with tapas.  Lunch was sort of a splurge, but it's been three years since our last lunch alone, and Manny encouraged me to take her, so we went.

We were talking about the homeless having to deal with the cold and rainy weather, and we agreed to do some charity work for one of our future dates.  When we were going up an escalator, Naomi turned around and said, "Mommy, I hope I can remember today always."  I said, "Me, too."

After the movie.  My friend made her beanie, and sells them if you're interested.

Japanese lunch.  We saved the edamame for Lucas.

Here's the outfit she found for $10.  Growing up so quickly!

lucas, 3 1/2 years old:

Not interested in looking at the camera.

After several months of trying, Lucas finally went number 2 in the potty this past week!  We're still not fully there, but it's a huge step.  It's funny how he only asks for a treat after going number 1 because I never offered a bribe for number 2.  I did sincerely dance for joy, and he got a kick out of that.

Also this last week, he actually drank a little bit of milk and ate all his macaroni and cheese.  He still won't eat butter, and maybe I don't even want him to, but at least I don't see any kind of milk allergy.  

Lucas had no cavities at his dental check-up last week.  I won't take him in to see the doctor until he's four, so I don't have a height and weight off-hand, but I'm happy that he's grown into most of his size 3T clothes now.  He is still smaller for his age than many of his peers, but I'm just happy he's growing.

His speech is improving, but he is still hard to understand.  His "yep" sounds a lot like his "nope" and his "yeah" sounds like "nah."  So I keep reminding him to say, "yes" or "no."  He can't really say "l" or "s" clearly (great idea to name him Lucas, right?).  He says "Woo-cat" when referring to himself.  He always says "me" instead of "I."  So if I say, "I love you," he replies, "Me wub you, too!"  He used to say "I," and then one day it just disappeared.

He still likes cars, music, books, puzzles, and balls, and is now also getting into building.  Mostly typical, but he doesn't have much desire to sing the alphabet song or color pictures.  He likes to play cooking and puzzle games on the computer and watch vehicle simulation videos.

He is doing better in Sunday School.  There were a couple days when his silliness got out of control.  He often deals with unfavorable circumstances by acting silly and running in circles.  I guess it's better than a tantrum, but I think it's coming from the same feelings.

He loves Naomi, and they hug a lot, but sometimes he gets sensitive if she doesn't want to play with him and unleashes his anger.  It's tough because he doesn't have any friends aside from her.  Other kids try to play with him, but he'll only play with them if he has to, and usually only if Naomi's around as well.  I'm not going to force him to break out of his shell at this age, but I do hope he'll show some of his kind and loving heart toward kids his age.  He does better with adults.  We are planning to look into the community preschool for him, similar to Naomi's co-op preschool classes, but I'm not sure what they will say about me bringing Naomi along on days I have to work.

perm:

I've been used to $12 haircuts most of my adult life, sometimes even cutting my own hair.  I didn't have much time before having kids, let alone after, and my looks haven't been a priority.  But with age, my hair got to a point where it just changed in texture and started falling out more.  So it was time to get my hair done, first to look a little nicer for Manny, and second, to make it at least semi-manageable for me.  

So for four hours while Manny watched the kids, I went and got my hair done.  I got a digital perm, which just means they put heated rods in your hair which are regulated by a machine with a digital display.  Then you can't wash your hair for a couple days after, and you can't comb your hair either except in the shower.  I was hoping they'd be able to leave my hair long, but it was in such bad shape and thinning so much that they had to chop off several inches.  At first I was disappointed about it, but now I'm happy with it.  Shorter hair is easier, no doubt about it, but I'll probably grow it out again.  :)  

The kids were a little horrified.  Lucas didn't want me to come anywhere near him, and Naomi said I looked scary, but as the perm softened over time, they became accustomed to my new look.  I think the perm is supposed to last about five or six months, and a year for coarse hair (mine is not).  We shall see!

Before:  Balding on top, fried on the bottom.  My hair, like my mom's, is a little wavy, but it looks nappy if I don't straighten it.

After:  This was right after the perm.  The curls have loosened and softened since then.

dinner and a show:

Manny planned a surprise double date for us to see Cirque du Soleil's I.mmortal last night.  We had a fancy dinner at the restaurant inside the venue before the show.  I had the prime rib and Manny had the chicken.  I'm a true red-meat eater, but I've cut back on it for my health.  However, it was a special occasion, so...  Boy, was I stuffed.

We then met up with Chris and Orlie for the show, which was fun and amazing.  If we had to give it a review, Manny liked the second half more than the first half, and I felt it to be somewhat uneven overall but truly spectacular at the good parts.  The show included some popping, locking, and breaking scattered throughout, which I enjoyed watching, as well as elaborate costumes, some of which were rigged with light displays.  There are a few dancers in the show whom I've seen in dance videos, and it was interesting to see them side by side with some of the world's best acrobats.  I could have done without the person in the Bubbles suit or the giant glove, but the performers who played those parts did a very good job.  You truly have to contort your body to make a peace sign inside a glove.  A fun night overall, and I'm so thankful for a romantic husband and for friends like B & O, who were willing to watch our energetic kids into the late night.  I wouldn't mind checking out a different Cirque show sometime--I hear they're all unique.

Menu.

The venue.

Us.

Chris and Orlie.

like arrows, like a warrior:

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth" -- Psalm 127:4

On Saturday, a friend invited me to her homeschool group's breakfast and seminar with a seasoned mother/grandmother (that sounds funny after watching a cooking show).  Her talk revolved around the verse above, and the notes are on our school blog.  It's a great image of how our children are like arrows going toward the target, and we are like the warriors, who need calmness, stillness, and confidence (laying aside fear!) to aim and shoot the arrows.  We have slightly different convictions when it comes to certain educational topics, but I've learned from Manny over the years not to dwell on the differences or take them as a personal barrier, but to just be challenged and know better where we stand on various topics.  I appreciate everything I've learned from her over the years.

I then shopped for food, cleaned, and watched the exciting end of the 49ers-Saints game before preparing for our biggest date night ever (next post). My friend, a former teacher, sent me this humorous take on the misconceptions and realities of homeschooling:

chore planning:

I downloaded this Motivated Moms Chore Planner for $7.  After going through several different charts or methods for cleaning over the years, this turned out to be "the one" for me.  This one has upstairs and downstairs in the plan and addresses many chores pretty much the way I do them.  So no major learning curve or new habits.  It also gets down to the nitty gritty, has a bible reading plan, and schedules in time for pampering myself, something I never really did until I didn't have time to do it anymore.  Manny asks for a hard stop on my cleaning at 10 pm, but I'm still getting so much more done now than before.  I have a better plan of attack, and checking off a list afterward gives me a great sense of accomplishment.  I used to look around and spend a long time figuring out where to start and where to finish, and now I have it right in front of me.  It's only been a couple weeks since I began using the planner, and I see a tremendous difference already, even in my attitude (which is the most important thing).  Also, the timing is right, as the kids are a bit older now.  They can even help a little bit.  While raising them still takes up most of my time, I am able to get a little more done than before.  Last year was about simplifying our lives, and this year, I want to get more focused on the right things.

Try to give people with small kids/babies a break if their houses aren't up to par.  Remember we have to spend most of the day carrying, feeding, nursing, diapering, calming, lulling, dressing, washing, etc.--all things that require us to sit or use our time or hands, and for many of us, it's pretty much around the clock.  There isn't much left for household chores.  And we still do what we can.  Even though I felt like I was judged unfairly at times, I realize there isn't any way you can explain to someone what it's like to not sleep more than a couple of hours a night almost every night for over a year (and then inconsistently for many more years) with constant pain from medical complications.  Or what it's like to have an infant or toddler like Naomi.  :)  Now that things are different, I can reflect on what I've learned from my/our trials, and I always come out of with greater appreciation for God, the life He gives me, and the people He puts in it.  God alone knows what's in your heart and whether or not you've been faithful and done a good job.

sweet potato minestrone recipe:

Good and good for you.  My friend Frieda gave me this recipe years ago, and it's a great soup.  We omit the onions and double the carrots and celery.  Our local supermarket now carries organic versions of all the ingredients except the sausage, even the northern beans.  Half this recipe is enough for the four of us.  If you're concerned about the BPA in the diced tomato cans, you could probably use four cups of diced fresh tomatoes and a little tomato juice.

7 links Aidell's turkey or chicken sausage (she uses turkey with sun-dried tomato, and I use chicken and apple)
4 cups sweet potato, diced
2 cups diced carrots (we double this)
2 cups diced onion (we omit this)
1 1/2 cups diced celery (we double this)
4 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans northern beans
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp black pepper
6 cups water
4 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale (we use kale; the kids don't like spinach as much)

Slice sausage 1/4 inch thick and saute in large stock pot.  Add onions, carrots, celery, and cook to soften.  Add water, tomatoes, oregano, pepper, sweet potato, and cook about 20 minutes over medium-high heat.  Add beans and cook 10 more minutes.  Add spinach before serving.  (I add kale about 5 minutes after the beans).

sad bowl of fiesta:

Well, the Fiesta Bowl came and went.  It had all the makings of an exciting game--all the touchdowns answered, Luck completing many difficult passes, and a chance to close it in the final minutes in the Cardinal's favor...but it wasn't to be.  That poor guy (Williamson).  He missed both kicks that would've won the game for the team.  He was a freshman who was injured during the season.  Too little experience for that amount of pressure, perhaps?  I think the coach should've given the ball to Luck at the end rather than do the conservative or even wise thing.  What did he have to lose?  That would've been Luck's last great college play.  And I thought it was OSU that called the timeout when he was about to kick, but it was Stanford!  That just added to it.  Oh well, like Manny says, it's just a game, but you can't help wanting things to turn out different for the team for which you've been rooting.

Chris came over to watch the game, and I made tri-tip, a spinach salad with golden raisins and candied walnuts, asparagus in oyster sauce, rice pilaf, and an apple strudel with vanilla-caramel ice cream.  I was inspired by my in-laws, who are fantastic cooks.  We had leftover chicken meatballs with rotini pasta as well--why not, Chris doesn't mind.  :)

Apple strudel from scratch (and Pepperidge Farms puff pastry).  Naomi brushed on the egg wash.

Dinner!  I still do not have matching serving dishes/bowls, but I'm still okay with that.

In the other photo, Lucas and Chris have weird faces, but in this one it's Manny and Naomi with the grimaces.  Sorry, Manny, had to go with this one.

Naomi playing Scrabble with Uncle Chris.