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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Good present giver, bad surprise keeper

I love giving presents, but I really struggle keeping it a secret. That being said I bought mike an awesome Christmas present. I bought him an iPhone and I also bought myself one. Mine came on Tuesday and I have been playing with it at work secretly for the past few days. I downloaded a bunch of apps and I wanted to share my fun news but I had no one. So I caved in and told mike what I bought him. He was super excited. I am glad that he liked his present but bummed that I couldn't keep it a secret until November atleast.

The phone is awesome. I still have a lot to learn and need practice typing but I am actually blogging from my phone right now. The good thing is we won't have to fight over the laptop anymore.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Ham and Potato Soup

It is the perfect time to eat soup. I found a great ham and potato soup that is super easy.

Mike and I don't eat ham that frequently but occasionally we like to have a potato bar, fried rice or ham steak but it can be so expensive. To save money I bought a huge ham, baked it and sliced it up and divided it into freezer ziplock bags to save money. If I buy ham steaks separately it is usually around $3.69/lb but if I buy it in bulk it usually costs $1.69/lb. That is just the frugality coming out.


Ingredients: I didn't measure vegetable amounts. I just winged it.

* peeled and diced potatoes (I prefer to leave the skin on for more fiber)
* chopped celery
* chopped onion
* chopped carrots
* diced cooked ham
* 6 cups water (original recipe called for 3 1/4 cups)
* chicken bouillon granules
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
* 5 tablespoons butter
* 5 tablespoons flour
* 2 cups milk


Directions

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

This produces a thin soupy mixture but it is super easy to thicken up with potato gems or instant potatoes. The soup makes a great base. Other variations or substitutions would be Italian sausage, corn or green beans. I am making it the night before because potato soup always taste better when it gets to sit awhile.

Olivia is growing so fast

On Monday I took Olivia in to get her hips checked on and everything is growing well and she looks normal. We will have to take her back when she is 2 and hopefully her last check up will be when she is 4. The doctor wants to monitor her a lot longer because she started off so underdeveloped. Nothing is slowing her down.

She is growing so fast. I had to more her to the third row of snaps on her happy heiney's and she has no more snaps on her bumgenius. Basically it is like moving up a diaper size in disposables. I can't believe she has grown so much in 13 months. It has been quite a journey both enjoyable and exhausting.

I also got her hair trimmed.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Baking success

So on Saturday and Sunday during Olivia's nap I usually bake my goodies for the week. And even though I have posted 3 times today I just wanted to share my baking success story. The first time I made my blueberry bran muffins, they tasted great but didn't rise like I hoped. After researching and taking the cooking class on my third batch they turned out beautiful. Here are my pictures:




Muffin batch 1 made on October 9, 2009



Muffin batch 2 made on October 24, 2009

French Toast recipe

As a working mom I am looking for fast, easy but tasty recipes. I have been scouring the internet for healthy breakfast ideas. I found a great french toast recipe and I love it because I make a huge batch and freeze them and warm them up in the toaster for Mike and Olivia. Ta dah! Homemade breakfast that taste great but it super easy.

French toast recipe (yields 6)
Original recipe was for 12 but I cut it back and modified it. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon teaspoons brown sugar (optional to me) I have made with and without.
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 slices white bread
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon; stir well to combine. In the original recipe, sprinkle the cinnamon after it is cooked but I just add it all.
2. Dip bread and my personal note is to remember to stir the mixture between each slice because the brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon will sink to the bottom.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Brown slices on both sides.

Changes or suggestions: Substitute the milk for heavy cream and even though it ups the calories, it is so worth it. Some people left out the nutmeg and added a 1 tsp of vanilla.

If serving hot, sprinkle with cinnamon and/or powdered sugar.

If freezing I let them cool on a rake, cut some of the them in half (for Olivia) and freeze on a cookie sheet. After an hour or so in the freezer I will put them in the original bread bag and then double bag it in a freezer bag. Even though I use them within the week, I worry about freezer burn which is so unappealing.

I did find a decadent french toast recipe that makes a sandwich with cream cheese in the middle. When I try it and if it is delicious, I'll be sure to post about it.

Homemade Syrup

So I started using real maple syrup a few years ago and Mike refuses to eat imitation syrup. And if you have ever bought maple syrup you know how expensive it is. Plus there are a lot of chemicals and ingredients in imitation maple syrup. I found a compromise between cost, taste and healthy. Even though sugar isn't healthy atleast I know what is going in my syrup.

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com and I modified it a bit:

Simple maple syrup yields 2 cups
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 imitation maple flavoring (original recipe) I didn't use it
1 teaspoon of real vanilla (my addition)
2-3 Tablespoons of real maple syrup (my addition)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (my addition)
1 Tablespoon of butter for butter flavoring

1. In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. I simmered it until it was the consistency I liked. Usually 5-10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, and stir in flavoring. Serve warm.

The nice thing about this recipe is it is quick and easy and cost effective. Mike and Olivia liked it.

Olivia must be Asian

I made one of Mike's favorite dinner's last night which was soft tacos. I made a cheese quesadilla and put some of the taco meat on it and I thought she would love it. Boy was I wrong. So I fed her my dinner which was baked tilapia seasoned with salt, basil and black pepper with asparagus. She loved it. She ate a third of my dinner and she couldn't stuff the asparagus spears into her mouth fast enough. I was worried that her dinner was too light so I fed her baby blueberry applesauce and bananas.

She loves Asian food. My aunt babysits her everyday and Olivia eats lunch and dinner and she gets to eat the good authentic Cambodian food. I am a little jealous. I wonder if it made a difference that I ate so much Cambodian while I was pregnant.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Birthday pictures from September



Olivia the morning of her birthday. She has crazy hair like I do.



Her hair sprayed down.



Talking on her cell.



Loving her cake, ice cream and milk.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Low fat Blueberry Bran Muffins

Here is a recipe that I recently found that Mike loves. The source is allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour (originally 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries
*1/4 cup ground flaxseed (my addition)
*1/3 cup white chocolate chips (my addition)
*1/2 cup nuts (my addition)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or use paper muffin liners. Mix together wheat bran and milk, and let stand for 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat in bran mixture. Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into bran mixture until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into muffin cups.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped.

Suggestions from other reviewers were:
-Beat egg whites to give muffin extra fluffiness if using all wheat flour.
-Mashed banana can be used instead of applesauce.
-Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
-Add 2 teaspoons wheat gluten and cut the baking powder and baking soda to 1 teaspoon to keep fluffiness if using all wheat flour.
-Add grated carrot or zuchinni for more fiber.

My comments are they are a great breakfast on the go or snack. They freeze well so you can make a batch and freeze half.

Monday, October 19, 2009

I luv to cook!

So I have been on a cooking streak for the past few weeks. Even though I haven't been able to eat anything I cook I would hate for Mike to suffer while I am on this diet. It has been hard occasionally but ever since I have been on this diet I have been go, go, go.

On Saturday I attended a cooking class at Kitchen Kneads and the topic was "Fall Favorites: Fresh from the Oven." The class was taught by a pastry chef from Salt Lake and this was my first class ever so I didn't know what to expect. All I can say is it was well worth the $17.50 I paid. It was hard not to try anything but the smells were amazing and Olivia and Mike got to enjoy the rewards. I learned how to make cinnamon rolls, bagels, cream scones, cheese danishes and pumpkin bread. I had a tiny crumb of the scone, danish and pumpkin bread. The pumpkin bread was freakin' fantastic and I can't wait to make the recipe. Mike said the cinnamon roll was the best he ever had. Usually I find recipes and modify them so they are healthier but from the class I learned that fat = flavor = taste so very good. So I might tweak the recipes in the future but this time around I am going to put all the heavy cream and butter asked for in the recipes.

The class was very helpful because baking success is so technique driven. The chef gave us a lot of baking tips that were so helpful. The class peaked my interest in the different types of flour i.e. cake flour, whole wheat pastry flour, high gluten flour and how does that relate to hard, soft, red and white wheat. Thanks to a lot of googling and reading I think I have it figured out.

Check out the kitchen kneads site. The website seems very pricey but if you ever go into the store you can find any type of gadget to make cooking, baking, and hosting a party so much easier.

I plan on taking a class every month just in case Mike and I move away after he graduates so if anyone is interested, I would love to have a friend attend with me.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Libby at the beach

Olivia has all sorts of nicknames but I usually call her Libby. And occasionally Miss Olivia. We went camping at Bear Lake for a few days. It was pretty fun except it was super duper windy so boating wasn't the greatest. Maybe one day I'll get back into shape and I'll be able to wakeboard again. Here is a photo of her at Bear Lake in August before she could walk.



Here is another photo of Olivia. We have this desk and she loves to climb into the back against the wall and play. She sometimes drags her books. The funny thing about this picture is Mike dressed her that day and she has her outfit on backwards. (Sorry Mike! I'll won't forget our conversation during lunch that day ;D)

Olivia's path of destruction

Olivia's routine is to play on the bed with her toys for a bit while I get ready then she wants to get down. Then she opens up our wardrobe and pulls out the clothes she can reach then she moves onto playing with the door. Then she moves into her room. She loves to pull out her disposable diapers and shake them and carry them around the house. Then she moves onto her toy box in the living room. She loves to pull out most of the toys and get in the toy box. Basically our house looks like a tornado ripped through it everyday but I don't have the energy to pick up after her all day so I let it be and pick it up after she goes to sleep.

She loves to climb everything and if she can she does. She is learning so fast.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Separation Anxiety

So my aunt from Cambodia started watching Olivia this month. My old sitter, who is fantastic, needed a break which I totally understand. Mike and I were sad because Olivia loved Amanda, Peter and Abby. The first week with my aunt was a little rough for Olivia. She cried every time I dropped her off and I noticed her separation anxiety has been worse in all aspects. It is getting better now that she has spent more time there.

The good things is she is learning how to understand and hopefully speak Cambodian. If she can speak it she will basically surpass my skills.

I am transitioning Olivia to one nap a day and boy are the afternoons rough. Especially when she doesn't take a very long nap. Plus she still is waking up at 6 AM.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Rough sleeping

For the past week or so Olivia has been waking up and not going back to sleep very easily. I have been so tired I would just bring her into the bed with me which means severe lack of sleep for me. Even though Olivia has so much space in the middle of the bed she has to scoot right next to me or on top of me.

I did some research and I think her stranger/separation anxiety is pretty high right now. I think she wakes up and even though I give her the binky, she just cries louder when I walk out. But I am so tired at this point I am just going to let her cry it out. Even though it is torture sometimes, she really only cries for 3-4 minutes before settling down. I had to time it because I didn't want her to suffer. :(

I also think Olivia might be on the verge of eliminating her late afternoon nap. If she goes down too late for her morning nap 11 AM or after she will sleep for like 2 hours plus and she won't sleep in the afternoon. But if I can get her down before 11 she sleeps for atleast 1.5 hours. And another hour in the afternoon.

The dilemma now is she is waking up around 6:15ish when she use to wake up around 7:15ish. I am wondering if I move her to one nap a day she will sleep longer. It doesn't seem like she is sleeping enough though. It is nice to get a break in the afternoon.

Right now it is hit and miss and it stinks to be in limbo with a routine.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Olivia's rough day

We went to a birthday party on Saturday and we let Olivia stay up to 9 AM and she was so so tired on Sunday but refused to nap. That probably was the biggest factor to her rough day.

While getting her diaper bag ready for church, Olivia went into the bedroom and she started crying. I just knew that she pulled my flat iron off the dresser. I usually remember to pull the cords up but today I was in such a hurry. Luckily for Olivia it had cooled down quite a bit. I sprayed her hand with colloidal silver and applied some lavender. She didn't act like it hurt so I assume it scared her more than hurt her.

When we got home Olivia was so excited to see her daddy who was in the basement she raced to the stairs and forgot to stopped. So she fell down the stairs. We live in a split entry house so she fell down half the stairs. She cried but she was okay.

Then I was making dinner and Olivia crawled down the stairs and started crying. When you go into the basement you have the option to turn left into the family room or right to go into the hallway. If you go forward it is just a wall. Olivia was playing with the door and managed to get her head stuck between the door and the wall and she was choking herself because she was freaking out. Her body was on the left side of the door and her head was on the right side of the door wedged up against the wall.

Right before going to bed she tripped and she hit her chin on her chair and I think she bit her tongue. That is Olivia's rough day.

Friday, October 9, 2009

This that and another

So I haven't been very good at the blogging thing lately. I'll admit it. I am completely obsessed with the hcg diet stuff. I found this great forum and I have met a ton of people. I spend a lot of my time over there. Plus I have noticed less people are blogging. I have been blogging about my weight loss on my other blog which I have been updating daily.

I have a side project I am working on which is building a webpage which has taken a ton of time.

I love to cook. I really do. I just don't have the time to do it. And I am always looking for new recipes to try and modify to make them healthy. I bought some organic wheat bran and made these awesome white chocolate blueberry bran muffins with flaxseed. I am also researching on making my own yogurt in addition to putting together a digital version of my cookbook of modified recipes. Plus I have been working on my food storage and trying to figure out ways to save money by using food storage.

Plus work has been super busy and I have been working extra. I know I am can be crazy at times but it must be me nesting for winter and trying to get all this stuff done before Mike graduates and we have to move again.

It would be nice if I posted more pictures of myself but honestly I don't like them so I would rather not. Maybe after I am done with this hcg thing I'll post a before and after pic.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Olivia's birthday

I know it was a few weeks ago and I was hoping to get her pictures downloaded but that probably isn't going to happen for awhile. Olivia turned one and we didn't have a big party. Just some cake and ice cream at my mom's house. I bought her some balloons and she loved those. I let her feed herself cake and ice cream and she did really well. She ate the cake mostly with her hands. Since she doesn't eat much sugar the frosting gave her a sugar rush and she was go go go for the next hour. On a side note I did make the cake myself which I am super proud of even though I didn't get to eat any because of my diet.

We bought her a baby stroller and she absolutely loves it. The sitter has the same one and Olivia loved to play with it. In a nutshell Olivia had a great birthday, nothing too fancy and she almost blew out the candle by herself.

She is still in the 50th percentile in height and head circumference. But only 25th percentile in weight. Basically means she eats a ton and she gets a big belly but her arms and legs are super skinny just like her dad.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Hhcg diet

I have been doing this on the down low because I was a little embarrassed and skeptical but since I am halfway done I figured that I should share. I have been doing the hcg diet but the homeopathic drops instead of the shots.

If you don't know what the hcg diet is, check out the manuscript: http://www.hcgdietinfo.com/Dr-ATW-Simeons-Pounds-and-Inches.htm

I just started a blog to journal my experience so if anyone is interested: http://sandyandhcg.blogspot.com/

Anyway I have been on the diet for 22 days and have lost 11.8 pounds so far.

Not walking, walking. Not climbing, climbing.

Olivia has been cruising along the furniture for a very long time. The first week of August she couldn't walk but by mid-August she was cruising all by herself. She is quite the climber and figured out how to climb the stairs during that time and maybe even in late July. I have been trying to teach her how to climb down the stairs with various techniques but haven't been successful.

I don't use gates but she has been super cautious around the stairs. She has great depth perception and she probably has fallen off the bed enough to know that it is scary. Well she finally figured out how to climb down the stairs. She gets on her belly and slides down feet first. She has attempted many times sliding on the bum but she just isn't coordinated enough. I know there will be many many falls in the future but atleast she knows how to get down now.