Natalie's "Big Apple"

Hi everyone. Niki has asked me to document an amazing event that I witnessed just a few days ago. I had recently returned home from work on a pleasant New York evening, Niki was making dinner, and I didn’t want to waste the good weather. I gathered the kids, some bubbles, and sidewalk chalk and took the kids outside to the stoop. As I was entertaining Caleb and Natalie with bubbles and sidewalk drawings, Caleb was eating a fist-sized red apple. After he had eaten his fill, he kindly gave the remainder to his little sister who had been eyeing the apple the whole time. At this point, Caleb took over the bubbles and chalk, allowing me to sit next to Natalie on the steps of our stoop. My attention was initially directed to Caleb, but it quickly swung to Natalie who cupped the apple in her two little hands and nibbled away with her six baby teeth like a chipmunk. I watched in awe as she rotated the apple in her hands chomping around the perimeter. Soon she made her way to the apple core, then she began to eat the core. My first impulse was to stop her, but my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to see how far she would go. I just watched her as she ate the CORE, SEEDS, and even the STEM! I couldn’t believe my eyes! My 17-month-old daughter had eaten the whole apple! She just sat there with her contagious smile. I scooped her up and took her straight into the house and told Niki, “I think this little girl is ready for some dinner.”

Busy Weeks and A Peaceful Sunday

Our New Busy Life

I have not written much, because we have been busy lately. I started teaching early morning seminary, and it has been wonderful! I love it, but as I anticipated, I have had to let go of some other activities. Most of these activities are not that important anyways, so it has been good for me to filter out what is not a high priority in my life...like television. Writing in this blog has also taken a hit. Hopefully, I will figure out a way to still write during this busy year.

From August 20 to September 18, we had three sets of visitors. It was so fun for family to come visit. We love NYC, and we love our family. When family come to visit, it is like we are on vacation too. We get to do fun tourist activities with them. The highlights of this month of visitors included:
1. Going to a Mets game with Kayla and Trent.
2. Eating out at yummy places with David and Talia. I especially loved going to Serendipity. The frozen hot chocolate is worth the wait.
3. Seeing The Addams Family with Sherrie, Maren, and Keilani.

We were so happy for our visitors, because we are not able to travel much right now. Our funds are low, and plane tickets across the country are pricey. We are so thankful that these people were willing to come out. We have a line up of visitors for the Fall, who we are also looking forward to seeing.

Teaching on the Fly and Listening to the Spirit

At the beginning of church today, the Bishop came up to me and said what every member dreads to hear. "Our third speaker isn't going to make it today. Would you be willing to share your testimony with us?" He said I could talk a little about seminary, or whatever I wanted to talk about. Now that I am teaching seminary, I do feel more capable of just talking about the gospel at any given moment, but I was still anxious about this situation. What should I say? Should I talk about what it is like to teach seminary? Should I talk about how great the kids are? Should I talk about the Savior or Joseph Smith or the Doctrine & Covenants? Should I talk about serving in the church and doing things that are hard? All these thoughts were rolling around in my head. I was anxious for the first 20 minutes of sacrament meeting, and then I knew what I should say.

I decided I would talk about part of the Plan of Salvation. My seminary lesson on the Plan of Salvation did make an impact on my life, and it would be easy for me to bear testimony about it. I specifically wanted to talk about what it means to "act for ourselves and not to be acted upon." This is found in 2 Nephi Chapter 2. We spent some time discussing this idea in seminary. I like this concept, because this is one of our big tests in life. Once I decided to share this scripture and bear testimony about it, I felt completely at peace. So, I listened and enjoyed the first twotalks.

The first speaker also talked a little about the Plan of Salvation. He ended up giving a longer talk than anticipated. The second speaker was my friend and neighbor (who I did not know was giving a talk today or the topic she was speaking on). Keep in mind I had already decided what I would say. She got up and she started to speak about Agency. She specifically mentioned this idea of acting for ourselves and not being acted upon. I was so amazed, because her talk was so similar to the ideas that I felt I should share. She also mentioned the Plan of Salvation. By the time she finished her talk, we were out of time, and I was not needed to speak after all. I was fine with that, but I was really impressed with this whole experience.

I felt anxiety when I did not know what to say, and then once I realized the right thing to say, I felt peace. The amazing thing is that the message I was prompted to share was the message my neighbor was ready to share. I hope this makes sense. From this experience, I learned that the Spirit can guide us, and when we are guided in the right direction, we will feel peace.

Learning from the Scriptures

I also learned some great lessons in Gospel Doctrine today. I didn't expect to, because I was watching Natalie and Rick was in a YM presidency meeting. They keep scheduling these during Gospel Doctrine. Any way, the last time I was alone with Natalie during Gospel Doctrine I was hardly able to listen to the lesson. Today was different. We were talking about Isaiah ch 40-49. I really didn't expect this to make an impact on me, but it did.

To better explain this, let me start from last Sunday. Caleb has been having a tough time with me not being in Primary any more. Last Sunday he was "kicked out" of Primary. I don't think he was being disruptive. I guess he was acting sick, and they thought he wasn't well. He was just fine. He just didn't want to be there. A couple days later at school, Caleb ended up yelling loudly at the teacher who was teaching that day. He was so angry, and he came home super angry. At one point that afternoon I put him in time out until he could calm down. I frequently do this with him, and he will calm down in about five minutes or so. On this day, he was not calming down. After about 20 minutes of him being hysterical, I had to hold him until he calmed down.

So, I have had a rough week with Caleb. The following thoughts have been going through my head...How many times do I have to tell him not to yell inside? How many times do I have to tell him not to antagonize his sister? When will he be able to behave appropriately? When will he be able to act for himself and not be acted upon? I can't wait for the day when he will be able to make his own decisions without my help. Will he be able to make good choices someday?

Okay. Back to Isaiah. These are some of the scriptures we read, and they seemed to speak directly to me and these concerns I have had with Caleb. Isaiah 40:28-31. The Lord never gets weary of us and our mistakes and our slowness to learn. If we wait upon the Lord, then we can also develop this strength and not be weary. I have felt weary with teaching Caleb, but I should call upon the Lord and try to be more like him. I should be more patient with Caleb's learning process.

Isaiah 44:3-4. Just as the Lord can pour water upon him who is thirsty, he can pour his spirit upon our seed and bless our offspring. And they (the offspring) shall spring up. I do worry about Caleb, and wonder if he will ever get it. Will he understand the gospel someday? Will he behave appropriately someday? I need to trust in the Lord and the blessings of the temple and know that he can "spring up" and be blessed with the Lord's spirit.

Isaiah 46:3-4. There is a metaphor here of the Lord carrying the house of Jacob from the womb until they are of old age and have grey hairs. It seems like the Lord is being compared to a parent, but really he is greater than a parent. Most parents look forward to their children moving out when they are 18, long before their children start getting grey hairs. The Lord will carry us our whole life. This is consistent with him never being weary of us. Maybe I shouldn't look so forward to the day of being relieved from caring for my children. The Lord is willing to carry us our whole life. What great love. I should also try to display this love.

Last one...Isaiah 49:15-16. Again the Lord is compared to a parent - specifically a mother. Can a woman forget her child? She may, but the Lord will not forget. He has engraven us upon the palms of his hands. Our walls are continually before him. This may sound a bit sacrilegious, but I feel like my c-section scar is "engraven" upon me. It is just a reminder of bringing these children into this world, and knowing that I am their mother. The real message here is that the Lord will never forget us and our walls are continually before him. Can I love as the Lord does and continually be aware of the walls my children face? At this point for Caleb, it is behavioral, but someday it could be more serious.

There were many other wonderful passages we talked about today, but these were the ones that spoke to me.

To anyone still reading, sorry to write such a long post. I just had an uplifting day, and I wanted to write it down so I don't forget it.

Labor Day - The Unofficial End to Summer

Today was one of those rare occasions when every member of our family was home. To celebrate this day, we took advantage of the public pool. It was the last day the pool would be open until next summer. We had to seize the day and brave the pool, even though we were a little worried about how warm it would be.

At the beginning of the summer, I hoped that Caleb would be able to swim by the end of the summer. He is super great at jumping into the pool. Maybe he is too great at it, because when we go to the pool, he likes to jump over and over again. In fact, as I am writing this, I am realizing why I have had a constant bruise on my arm all summer. When Caleb normally jumps into the pool, I am holding Natalie, and I try to catch Caleb with one arm. That one arm has had a bruise on it for most of the summer. I just realized why. Back to swimming. Today we had Rick in the pool with us, which made things much easier. Rick was helping Caleb swim, and then I asked Caleb to swim to me. I tricked him a little, because as I saw him swim closer to me, I kept backing up to encourage him to swim farther. He finally gave up swimming to me, and swam to the edge of the pool instead. We estimated that he swam about 12 feet on his own! It was so awesome. He was proud of himself, and Rick and I praised him with huge grins on our faces. We were unable to convince him to do this again, but we were still super proud of him.

Natalie is also quite the character at the pool. She loves the pool, and even if Caleb and me get cold, she still stays warm. The cool water doesn't seem to bother her. There is about a 1 foot edge on the pool that is covered by the water. Natalie loves to sit on the edge and crawl along it. She amazes the people nearby, because she can lift herself out of the pool by holding onto this edge and she can ease herself back into the pool. She just holds on to this edge, even though there is 3 feet of water below her. Don't worry, I am normally within arms distance of her. She also likes to "jump" into the pool, just like her brother, and then lay on the cement with him when he is drying off. At the beginning of the summer, a lady at the pool taught Natalie how to wag her finger in a "No, No, No" fashion. It is pretty cute. I should probably try to record it and post it on here.

Our pool day was cold, but it was fun to be together as a family. Caleb and I did get cold, and then we laid on the cement to dry off. The cement was so warm after the cool pool. As I laid there smelling the ground, I had memories of my own childhood and swimming. I was amazed at how relaxing this was. Seriously, everyone should try it, even if you are an adult.

This past weekend David & Talia visited us. We had so much fun with them exploring NYC, and eating at some of the most delicious restaurants. I especially enjoyed holding their baby Landon. He was so sweet and innocent. He reminded me how fast babies grow up. Caleb especially loved playing with David, who he referred to as a "big kid" and Caleb was the "little kid". This might have confused Caleb a little bit, because he was surprised to find out Landon was David's son. He didn't know "kids" could have sons. Talia and I also had a much needed girls outing to Serendipity 3 for the best chocolate drink I have ever had. It makes me smile to think about it.

The pool is closing. David, Talia, & Landon left. The leaves are starting to change...a little bit. Summer is ending. Caleb swam about 12 feet. Natalie learned how to walk this summer. It is a good thing Fall is so amazing around here, otherwise I would be more sad for summer to end. We are also looking forward to a visit next week from Grandma and more aunts. Yay! Maybe we will hold onto summer a little bit longer.

Natalie's Pivot Trick and other Talents

Natalie is walking all over the place now. Sometimes she looks like a sailor drunk on milk as she toddles around our apartment. Now that she is walking, her pivot trick has died out, but I want to remember that she used to do this all the time. This video showcases her talent...



What else is going on with Natalie at 15 months? Well, we think she will be an obedient child. Many times, I ask Caleb to do something, and then I notice that Natalie is trying to follow through with my directions. For example, if I ask Caleb to put his shoes on, many times he acts like he doesn't hear me. I will start to get impatient, but then I will turn around and see Natalie is picking out her shoes and trying to put them on her feet. What a sweetie.

Recently, I heard Natalie wake up from a nap. She wasn't crying, just chattering in her room. I sneaked into her room to see what she was up to. It turns out she was talking to a stuffed animal in her bed. I couldn't understand what the conversation was about, but she seemed to be happy about it.

Now that Natalie is walking, she has a new favorite place in our apartment. It is the fridge. Poor Natalie, how much longer until I don't tease her about food. She loves to pound on the fridge until Rick or I go and open the door for her. Sometimes she just likes to look in, but most of the time she wants a glass of milk.

Natalie is also following in her brother's footsteps with a love for books. She loves to look at books. Many times she will grab a book and climb onto Caleb's toddler size bed to read to herself. She even likes to babble to herself while she looks at a picture book...many times the book is upside down.

At this moment, my family is trying to make some new house rules that have to do with bedtime. Caleb suggested, "No stepping on people's heads." Good rule Caleb. I better go join them.

Called to Serve

A little over a week ago, our bishop called me up and wanted to meet with Rick and me. He requested to come by our home, which is a little out of the ordinary compared to other callings that I have received in the past. He didn't even say he was coming to call me to something, he just said he wanted to come by and visit. When he came, he started to talk to me about what my time schedule was like and whether I would be willing to serve more in the church. I really had no idea where he was going with all of this. Rick and I are planning to move away in less than a year. It didn't make sense that he would call me to be a president of an organization, and I doubt he would make a house call to place me in a presidency. I really wasn't sure what was going on. Rick anticipated what was happening, but I didn't understand until the words were actually stated. "We are considering calling you to be an EARLY morning seminary teacher." Early morning seminary...I was in a bit of shock.

I have had a range of emotions go through my head since that evening. The first was definitely shock. The next thoughts I had were a sense of possibility. Rick and I could make this happen. Logically, I could attend seminary and be home before Rick had to go to work. Our kids sleep through the night (for the most part), and I do not feel overwhelmed in other aspects of my life right now. Yes. I could do this. I told the bishop that I probably could be a seminary teacher, and I even thought it could be a great opportunity for our family. He told me it WILL be a great opportunity for our family.

The next range of thoughts to go through my head had to do with doubt and inadequacy. How could I be a seminary teacher? Sure I know the scriptures, but there are so many other people who seem to know them better than I do. I thought of my previous seminary teachers who seemed so much more experienced in life than me. I thought of trying to prepare lessons and wondering when and how I could realistically do this. The doubt definitely came in, but I tried to not let it linger.

Soon after my doubtful thoughts I began to be excited again. I was going to be teaching Doctrine & Covenants and Church History. I have a great opportunity to study Joseph Smith and the restoration of the church. I thought of my connection to church history. Our family has been to most of the church history sites, which I thought would be useful as I teach this year. I also thought of my own family history and how great it will be to understand more about my own ancestors and their role in the restoration of the gospel.

Even though this excited feeling had crowded out my doubts, I still felt a twinge of anxiety over the task of teaching five days a week at 6 AM! A couple days after the bishop visited with me, our friend and neighbor - who is also on the high council - came by to officially extend the calling of seminary teacher to me. He immediately set me apart. I don't remember the specifics of the blessing. It extended to our family and to my students. The thing I remember the most about this blessing is that my feeling of anxiety was gone. It has been gone ever since. Now, I am excited and at peace with what this year will bring.

In preparation, I have been reading the RS/Priesthood manual on Joseph Smith. Previously, I had only read a couple chapters in this book, because I was attending Primary the two years that the RS studied this book. I am enjoying this manual and I am gaining a stronger testimony of the restoration of the church. A couple thoughts that have stood out to me are: 1 - The church was restored line upon line and 2- The Book of Mormon was essential to the organization of the church. Rick's mom also sent me a book that I started reading entitled "Becoming a Great Gospel Teacher". I have only started this book, but it looks promising, plus it is endorsed by Sherrie, a Great Seminary Teacher.

I realize there are some things I will have to sacrifice to make this calling work. I might be watching less television this coming year. I just got back into reading novels since Natalie was born. I am worried that my novel reading will also be put on hold. And, I started this blog. I hope that I will still find time to write. I love writing our "Family Journal" in this blog.

I do think the spirit has been preparing me for this. Even though I was shocked to learn about this new opportunity, the thought of teaching seminary had crossed my mind before. I would even say teaching seminary has crossed my mind a handful of times. Each time, I thought, that would be cool, but I quickly dismissed the thought. Who really dwells on the idea of teaching a class at 6 AM? I think the spirit was preparing me. The week before this call, a friend of mine from high school reminded me of a female seminary teacher who was truly a great teacher. I was reminded of the great impact she had on the LDS students at my high school. Lastly, the day the Bishop came to visit us, I attended institute that day. The class was all about Joseph Smith, and we watched a seminary video. The video was new. After the class, I thought how wonderful it would be to teach seminary and see all the other videos on the DVD. I also wished that I had been to more institute classes to learn more about Joseph Smith. As my shock was wearing off, I was reminded of some of these thoughts, and I realized that the spirit really had been preparing me for this calling.

Today, we got a new bishopric in our ward. It is satisfying to realize the great work the previous bishopric has done, and it is exciting to see the hope and testimony of the new bishopric coming in. I love that our church functions through volunteer service. People are willing to serve, because of their testimony of Jesus Christ. That is why we give of our time to help bring others and ourselves to Christ.

Naming the Blog and other Calebisms

I have been thinking about starting a blog for some time, but my biggest hang up was trying to figure out what to name it. I wanted it to be clever. I wanted it to have meaning. I wanted it to be original and witty. As I tried to think over different phrases, I kept coming back to something Caleb said in his evening prayers. For about a week, Caleb prayed, "Thank you for our great family." It really touched me. It isn't that original or catchy. Our blog's name might even sound a bit egotistical, but it has meaning, because it sincerely came from our son. I don't want to write about how great we are, but I do want to write about how great our life is together, and how great it is to have a family. With the ups and the downs.

Lately, when I have punished Caleb, he likes to place the blame on me. If I tell him he can't have dessert before he finishes his dinner, he defiantly calls me a "Bad Mom!" Or, if he gets put in timeout for carelessly knocking Natalie down, I definitely get the bad mom label. I try to explain to him that he is being punished for his own actions, but it is taking awhile to set in. Today, he resisted going to quiet time. When I closed his door I inevitably started to hear my infamous phrase, but today he changed it. "You're a b...good mom, but you use bad words!" I stood outside his room and almost burst out laughing. He said it a couple times, so I know it was not an accident. He may not understand some of the things I do, but at least he recognizes that I am overall "good" too him.

Last night I went to check on Caleb, after a dramatic bedtime ending. He was already asleep. I felt bad that I had been harsh with him, but he did try to come out of his room about 10 times. Rick is still out of town, and I think Caleb is trying to push his limits with me. I knelt down by his bed, and I tried to explain to my sleeping four year old how sad I was to be sharp with him, and that I really did love him. I'm glad that I went in there, because I noticed five different books nestled in his bed. There were a couple in the sheets, one was laying against his arm, and another was wedged under his back. As I discovered each book, I smiled bigger and bigger. Even though I would like for him to go to sleep at bedtime, I was proud that he likes to read so much. I was also happy that he found another way to occupy his time other than trying to escape from his room.

Life is a Gift!

Yay! I actually uploaded a picture. This blog won't just be about words. It will just mostly be words. Like most things in my life, this is a work in progress. I am so impressed with some of the postings in the blogger world. Maybe someday I will have fancy pictures, but for now I am happy just recording about my family and our life together. Please bear with the words.

I like this family picture, because right before we took it Caleb wrapped his arms around our necks and held us in tight. Like we were his best buddies. It was so natural and fun. I don't think we showed him how to do that. He just did it on his own. Natalie is at least looking at the camera. She looks like she wants to get down and crawl around. Sorry Natalie - it is tough to get us all smiling at once. This picture captured more of Caleb's personality than anything.

Rick is away right now. He left for Mike's memorial service on Friday night. We miss him. He left about 24 hours after the kids and I got back into town. Thursday night we were all home, and then Friday we were taking him back to the airport. I am so glad Rick went to WA for Mike's memorial service. I think it was a positive experience for him to see Mike's family and his old friends. Rick is also visiting with his family, which I know makes him so happy. Jay leaves for his mission in two weeks, so I am glad Rick was able to see him one more time before Jay leaves the country.

I can't speak for Rick on this, but Mike's passing has left a strong impression on me. He was Rick's friend, but I am glad that I knew him too. Mike's death has given many people a chance to reflect on the life he lived. Mike really enjoyed life. He was passionate about life. He was adventurous and creative. I remember him sharing music with me, and books, and poetry, and outdoor activities. He really knew how to live. I am sure he had his down times - like all of us - but I did not notice them as much. He was always fun in my mind. So, the greatest message I have gained through Mike's tragic ending is to live life to the fullest. Enjoy life.

The other thoughts running through my head deal with the Plan of Salvation. This life is a gift. We came to this earth to be happy. Which is one reason why the Plan of Salvation is also known as the Plan of Happiness. This earth life is a huge part of that plan. The other comforting part of that plan is knowing that we live again after we die. I don't even know if it is best to say "live again". Our spirit really does go on living. There is no end. I know that when our time on earth ends, our life does not end. I know that Mike's family will see him again. That is such a comforting thought to me.

Here is a link to Jennifer's blog. Jennifer is Mike's wife. She has an amazing way with words. She has sincerely described the life Mike lived and the heartache of losing him. I hope it is okay if I share her blog. I think her posts have been beautiful, and they really have strengthened me. http://lovecatandcaterpillargirl.blogspot.com/

Missing Rick and Life is Fragile

The kids and I have been out of town for 9 days. We came home tonight, and it feels good to be back in our home with Rick. Before I left town, I told a friend of mine that I really don't like going on vacation without Rick. When we lived in Buffalo and now that we live in NYC, it is common for moms to leave town with the kids while the dads stay home and work. We live far away from grandparents in the west, so I understand why so many families do this during the summer. I don't have the luxury to take off for a long period of time, because I also have a job. I am impressed with the moms who do make these long summer trips happen, because I get to a point when it is really tough for me to be gone without my husband. As I explained this to my friend, she was quick to realize that Rick must be a big help to me. He really is. I am so glad to be back home with him.

Rick is a wonderful husband and father. He likes to play with the kids, and he likes to challenge them to try new things. He is the one who taught Caleb how to spell his name, and he taught Natalie how to give high fives. While we were gone, he cleaned our apartment. I hate to admit this, but it was probably the cleanest it has ever been since we have lived here. It looked awesome. There are many times when I think, I am so lucky to be married to him.

Rick is generally a positive guy. He has not cried since he was 12 (or maybe younger). So you guessed it, I have never seen him cry. I am the opposite in the emotional department. I've been known to cry at small things, like if our kids start acting up. Since Rick shows emotion differently than me, it is tough to know if something really bothers him.

Tonight when Rick picked us up from the airport, he told me that he had some bad news. Rick only shares bad news if it really is bad, so I knew this was serious. He told me that his friend from high school, Mike McCullough, had passed away in a scuba diving accident. Wow. We talked about it for a little while, but I think I was mostly in shock. I had known Mike while Rick and I were dating. He came to our wedding, and we would run into him every other Christmas in WA. I didn't really know what Rick thought about all of this.

We came home. He watched Natalie wobble around the room and rediscover the toys she hadn't seen in 9 days. He helped Caleb get ready for bed by reading him a story and brushing his teeth. And then, when the kids were mostly in bed...I mean mostly because their time schedules were so off that they were not falling asleep. Rick checked out some facebook posts and some blog posts about Mike. He tried calling Mike's parents. We laid in bed talking about what had happened. That's when I realized that most of the night his mind was back in high school remembering Mike. I think Mike's death has affected him more than any other death he has known. Maybe it is because Mike was so young with a young family. Maybe it is because Rick wished he had been in better touch with his old friends. But, I think mostly it is because Rick had a relationship with Mike at a crucial point in his life. Adolescence is a crucial time, and I think Mike helped shape Rick into the person he is today.

We will miss you Mike, and we pray for your family. We are so grateful for the gospel and the knowledge that life goes on after we die.

Quinoa Pilaf & Sweet Potato Fries

Here are two more recipes I tried that I liked. The Quinoa Pilaf was super yummy. I will definitely make it again. It is even great chilled. Can I say that I LOVE QUINOA! The sweet potato fries were pretty good. I wish I could get them a little bit more crispy, but they still tasted great. The avocado dip was also super yummy...a little spicy, but not bad.

Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/quinoa-pilaf-with-pine-nuts-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Directions

Put the broth and quinoa in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and grain is tender.

Meanwhile, toast the nuts in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove nuts from pan and set aside. Heat the oil in the same skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.

When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, onions, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Per Serving:

Calories 180; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 3 g) ; Protein 6 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 30 mg

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Avocado Dip

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ingrid-hoffmann/sweet-potato-oven-fries-with-avocado-dip-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Fries:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 4-inch long and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick fries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Coarse ground rock salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Avocado Dip, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil until the sweet potatoes are coated. Add the paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper; toss to distribute evenly.

Arrange the coated fries in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack until the sweet potatoes soften. Transfer the pan to the upper rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, until fries are crispy. Serve with Avocado Dip.

Avocado Dip:

• 1 avocado, see Cook's Note*
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup cream cheese
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
• 2 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the avocado, mayonnaise, cream cheese, jalapeno, scallions, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until you have a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve as a dip for the Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

* Cook's Note: We find that Hass avocados make the smoothest and best tasting Avocado dip.

Watch out for flying shoes and Toddler Blues

Just in case some of you are worried about my kids being too amazing, here is the post to bring them back to reality.

Caleb recently was promoted to a big boy car seat. He is now buckled into a booster with a regular seat belt. It didn't take him long to discover that he has a little bit more freedom in this new arrangement. Which is why we now use the child lock on the car doors. I am quickly learning that it is also important for me to make sure his seat belt is in a locked tight position - you know when you have to pull the belt all the way out and let it release so it is super tight. Well, he hates it when I do that. After I did that today, he got so angry. He chanted "Your a bad mom" over and over again. Then he proceeded to take off his shoes and throw them at me in the car. Lucky for me he has poor aim. In fact, the shoes kept hitting the seat in front of him and bouncing back to him (which was kind of funny, but I didn't laugh).

During his chanting and ranting, I wondered what can I do to keep my cool and teach him a lesson. Isn't that the greatest challenge in parenting? I tried rationalizing with him, which did not work. He was too angry to be rational. What seemed to work the best was to test him on our "House Rules". I asked him which rules he was breaking. Despite his irrational behavior, he was able to tell me some of the rules he was breaking. Sigh of relief, we had a little bit of a break through. I really can't say it was a complete turn around in his behavior, but it was a start.

Maybe Caleb's tendency to express his opinions has inspired the youngest Wolfgramm. My sweet little Natalie is quickly becoming a toddler with her new found independence. She is becoming more opinionated and demanding. One of my favorite demanding traits that she has occurs when she is eating. I hate to focus so much on food with Natalie, but food does seem to be linked to her personality in many ways. When she is hungry and I am not feeding her fast enough, she will pound the table, kind of like she is a judge with a gavel trying to get my attention. "Come on mom! Don't forget about me! I'm hungry!"

Her latest demanding attitude is coming out at nap time. I swear, less than a month ago, she was the easiest baby to lay down for a nap. The babysitting instructions were, "Just lay her down." No special instructions. She was so easy to put to bed. She would hardly make a sound. Now, she is not so easy. Today at nap time, she stood in her crib and cried for a good ten minutes before wearing herself out. Is it her age? Is there something I need to figure out to help her be happy again at nap time?

Sometimes I think my kids behaviors are like little problems that I need to solve. How can I help my son not be angry? How can I help my baby sleep? And probably the biggest problem - How do I keep my composure and not get frustrated in the process? I used to think that the kids were the ones learning the most through this parent-child relationship, but now I realize that I am learning some of the toughest lessons that life has to teach.

Both kids are up from their naps now. Caleb is happy. He hasn't tried to throw one toy at me. Natalie is happy. She gave me a huge grin when I rescued her from her crib. One of the great things about kids is that they quickly forgive you for whatever it was you did to make them angry or sad.

Dinosaurs, Dum Dum, and Black Olives

Today, we met up with Jon, Julie, and their family in Manhattan. First we went to the Natural History Museum. I learned that I need to watch "Night at the Museum" to find out who "Dum Dum" is. Some of the kids were sad to find out he (Dum Dum) didn't really talk to them. After the museum, we went to Grimaldi's....the best pizza place in NYC. I was also reminded that olives in New York are not the same olives you get on Domino's Pizza. Our little food trooper Natalie still liked the New York olives though. I guess she is a real New Yorker or a child that will eat anything. Tonight in his prayers, Caleb said, "Thank you that the Dinosaurs are dead, and the animals are not." He really does love dinosaurs, but he is glad they are not alive to eat us.

Two recipes I hope to replicate again

In the past week I tried both of these recipes, and I LOVED them! The potato salad recipe reminds me of the classic potato salad I ate growing up. I would like to compare it to my grandma's recipe, because it reminded me of her. The second recipe is a delicious vegetarian recipe made with quinoa - my new favorite seed. The quinoa salad is a great summer meal.

Potato Salad
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/potato-salad-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Idaho potatoes
• 4 jumbo eggs, hard boiled
• 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

In a large pot, add potatoes and water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and cool. Peel cooked potatoes and cut into small chunks. Put in a very large serving bowl or container. Peel and finely chop hard boiled eggs and add to bowl. Add mayonnaise, green onions, celery, mustard, white pepper and salt. Mix until just combined. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours before serving.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad Recipe

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/quinoa-black-bean-salad.php

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• Optional: 1 carrot, peeled, halfed lengthwise, sliced thin diagonally
• Optional: 1 cup chopped fresh yellow or green beans
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, OR 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 red pepper, sliced thin
• 1 green pepper, sliced thin
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• Optional: 1 large ripe tomato
• Optional: 1/2 cup sliced olives
• Dressing:
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Pinch cayenne or chili powder

Directions

1. The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated
2. Soak the quinoa 10 - 15 minutes in cold water
3. Rinse well in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer
4. Place in a 2 qt pot with 1 1/2 c. water and 1/2 tsp salt
5. Bring to a full boil, cover tightly, turn down to low, and cook for 15 minutes
6. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes covered
7. Fluff quinoa gently with a fork and set aside to cool
8. Sauté jalapeno, fresh garlic, in 2 Tbsp oil until garlic is browned, pepper and celery are softened
9. Add the green and red peppers and sauté briefly
10. Add the cumin and coriander, cook and stir 5 minutes
11. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
12. Gently combine sautéed veggies, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
13. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro and scallions, and serve warm or cover and chill

It starts now

The idea of starting a blog has been swimming around in my head for too long. I will probably explain the details in a future entry, but for now I want to write about what made me finally do it today. This will be short, because Rick has already come out to tell me it is time to go to bed.

Yesterday, was a really hot day in NYC. I heard that it was breaking heat. We spent most of the day indoors, except for a little trip to the library, which was an excursion, but it was also hot. We lost Natalie's shoe on the way home. I went back to look for it, but decided it was gone for good. It was a rather uneventful day. After dinner, Rick volunteered to take Natalie for a walk. And then, Natalie decided it was time to do some walking of her own. It was such a joy to watch her take her first steps. She was so proud of herself, and when she fell, she kept wanting to get back up and try again. We all cheered for her, which I think helped. Caleb gets so much attention in our family, that I think Natalie just eats up the praise when we give it to her. It was one of those moments when you think, "Life is great".

Last night, I read in the New Testament Reader with Caleb. We read about the Resurrection. Afterward, Caleb knelt to pray. I suggested that he thank Heavenly Father that Jesus was resurrected. When he finished his prayer he said, "I felt the Holy Ghost". Rick and I asked him what it felt like. He declared that, "It felt magical". I just smiled. How sweet for this four year old to have a "magical" feeling like that when he prays.

Today, Caleb got into trouble for licking the salad dressing lid. It is delicious salad dressing, but we do have some limits when it comes to our table manners. We mentioned it too many times, and then he was punished by not having ice cream for dessert. He started wailing. We sent him to his room. When he finally came out, he said, "I'm sorry Mom. Is there anything I can help you with?" I swear he came up with that all on his own. I knew I needed to stick to my guns on the ice cream, but my heart just melted.

Caleb didn't get ice cream, unless Rick sneaked some to him while I was gone.

Miraculously, I found Natalie's missing shoe in the street near our car.