I wanna be Batman when I grow up.

(image from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/who-is-the-route-29-batman-this-guy/2012/03/28/gIQA8nPjgS_blog.html)

True statement.

Seriously!

Okay, no, you're right. I don't want to be Bruce Wayne, forever psychotically scarred from childhood trauma, raised by my butler, and with nothing to do with my vast fortunes (though I'll take the vast fortunes!) except pretend I'm a superhero and fighting equally-psychotic villains throughout the rough-and-tumble of Gotham City.

I have already admitted I wouldn't be against being unbelievably wealthy (so sue me. And really, can you REALLY say you wouldn't LOVE to take a book out of Scrooge McDuck's book and BE ABLE to swim in your money-pool? Come on!)  But, aside from my wish to someday own a house...at LEAST a wee little bit larger than the wee little bitty shoe-box of a war-home we currently live in (which I love), ...I REALLY want to be Batman.

Or at least, the so-called "Route 29 Batman."

You have GOT to read this article if you haven't already.  My heart sings for this fantastic man and the fabulously silly and ridiculously important work that he is doing.

It makes me wonder, what CAN I do, what AM I doing, and what WILL I do in the future?  In all honestly, I really hope to be at least a fraction as amazing as this and so many other unsung heroes out there, and to make some sort of change for the better for someone.  Isn't that kind of the whole point?

Yes, I really do want to be Batman.  Well, woman, I guess.

Time to be a little bit selfish...

I know it's Menu Monday today, but I didn't cook anything, really - we had dinner at friends' tonight and lunch was...not spectacular - AND I don't have anything pre-planned to post (whoops), so this week, you'll just have to get over it.  hahaha In fact, if you are so inclined, leave ME one of your favourite recipes to try out in the comments - I'm always looking for new, yummy things to eat!  You know, as long as they're not super weird...

No, today, in lieu of food, let's talk about me.

(image from: http://teachmelife.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/teach-me-not-to-be-selfish/)

You know, the me that you are.  And that I am. And that guy is.  You know. Me.

Here's the thing.

I am a mom. And a wife. And a daughter, sister, student, friend, daughter-and-sister-in-law and auntie.  A role model, teacher, (very small) business owner, housekeeper, pet owner, church-goer, music director and blogger.

But really. How can I expect of myself to do BE any of those things with any degree of success if I'm not, also, ME.  If I'm not someone who looks after herself, loves herself, and works on herself. Because I am NOT perfect, and do need work. 

Lots of it.

Think about it - when are you your best me.  What things do you do that make you just....aaaaaahhhhhh..... FABulous.  Reading a favourite book? Playing video games? Going for a run? A bike ride? Crafting? Cooking? Driving?

I am my best me when I make SURE to take time for me. When I say "SCREW IT!" to my housework, homework, whining family (not that my 4-year-old EVER whines 'cause I'm such an awesome mom she knows NOT to.... hahahahahaha yeah right.... Oh, man, that would be awesome!), and take the evening to go to a kickboxing class. To participate in a musical presentation, and rehearse rehearse rehearse rehearse ahead of time.  You know what? Sometimes, to lay my lazy butt down on the couch and watch some silly chick t.v. (Have you discovered Drop Dead Diva yet? I LOVE it. Netflix, I need more!)  I read books.  I occasionally craft something - I love the finished product; it makes all the work totally worth it to see something awesome and say, HOT DIGGITY I made that.

So, am I a horrid person? Selfish?  I don't know. Maybe some days.  Maybe the days where I spent a good chunk of YESTERDAY on the couch buried in a book and do the same thing today. That's not really ideal. 

But it's about balance, right?

So much easier said than done.

But you HAVE to do it. You HAVE to.  Seriously.

Think about it.  How are YOU your best self? What do you have to do for YOU to be me.  Think about people you like to be around - are they happy people, who are pretty good at being me, or are they....not.  I find lousy me people can really suck you dry - it can be such an effort to be around them a lot because you're almost trying to compensate for their lack of meness or something. I don't know what happens. It's like Eeyore or Tigger: who would you rather invite to a party? You know?

If I'm not my best me, I CAN'T be Mom. A good wife. The world's greatest daughter, sister, an A student, best friend, world class daughter-and-sister-in-law and favourite auntie.  A decent role model, exemplary teacher, successful (very small) business owner, capable housekeeper, loving pet owner, avid church-goer, talented music director and blogger extraordinaire.  I cannot. 

And frankly, when I'm NOT being me, when I'm not taking care of myself and I'm depressed, in a funk... no one else likes me either.  Well, obviously not no one - Mommies always love their kids even when they're idiots.  But I'm not a ray of sunshine for anyone to be around when I'm not looking after myself.  And it's indicated by my interactions, or incredible lack thereof, with people around me.  When I'm ME I'm..."popular" for lack of a better, non-high-school-term.  When I'm lost?  I'm alone. I'm a mess. I withdraw from people and they're not overly disappointed to see me go.  I'm not missed or wished for because I'm so difficult to be around. I lose potential for friendships and have rock relationships with the most important people in my life.  Little Miss gets antsy with me because I'm such a crap mom.

So yes, I'm ALL for putting others first and doing for others and service.... ask my family; they accuse me regularly of being a "people-pleaser," and I have a heck of a time saying NO - I don't like confrontation and never want to step on toes.  Don't get me wrong, I really am a huge advocate for service.

But gosh darn it, if I'm not taking care of me, myself, and I then what the heck good am I going to be TO serve anyone else?

So...go look after you, okay?  Stop making excuses.  Bob Harper tweeted this morning: "Your challenge this week is to not make any excuses! Live in the present, not on yesterday or tomorrow!"  So STOP telling yourself you're too busy, that you'll start exercising TOMORROW, or at the end of the week, or as soon as that project is over.... you are WORTH it. You DESERVE to start now. You HAVE to look after yourself, I promise you.  You will be happier and everyone you're sacrificing your me for will be happier with and for you.

And that is the end of my soapboxing for tonight.  Now where's my book...

Thankful Thursday: Everything

A few days ago my MIL sent me the above picture in an email: "Just thought this was too cute and might fit into one of your Thankful Thursdays..." 


And I LOVED it. It IS cute!  But it made me think a little - usually my Thankful Thursdays I like to pick five things I'm thankful for and write about those five things.  But...what if today, I AM just grateful for everything? Not just five things, but EVERYTHING??  


Except, maybe mosquitoes. I don't think I can ever figure out how to be grateful for mosquitoes. 


I'm thankful for my girlie - she makes my heart warm and my face grin.  She is my everything, and today I am grateful for everything. 


I'm thankful for my hubs - he drives me crazy and some days, honestly, I have to sit and wonder what on Earth made me fall in love with him in the first place because he's driving me SO insane I just want to call it quits.  But he is a fabulous man, with a fabulous heart.  He is strong where I am weak, and weak where I am strong.  Being together makes us a whole team, and I know that together we can get through anything and everything.  And today, I am grateful for everything. 


I thankful for my family, both old and new - the amazing family I grew up in, married into, and have created together with Mr. Man.  I truly believe there is nothing stronger or more important than family, and I have some of the greatest people ever in mine.  My family is everything, and today I am thankful for everything. 


I am thankful for my friends - a while ago I posted about not having friends. And I think at least sometimes, we all feel that way.  But I do have friends. I have best friends who know me and love me anyway, who accept that I am not superwoman and that sometimes the ball I drop is on our friendship, but who will never let me down and are willing to give me and my family anything, and everything.  And today, I am thankful for everything. 


I am thankful for my home, my bed, my comfortable furniture, my clothes and shoes. I am thankful for food - OH how thankful am I for food! - for the nourishment and incredible enjoyment I derive from it. For water.  I am thankful for technology, music, talents, education, books, toys, games, sports.  Photos - I love photos.  Looking at photos makes me smile.  


I am thankful for sunshine, rain, wind and snow. For falling leaves and fresh-cut grass.  For bugs and worms with their worlds to explore.  For cats and dogs, and all the beautiful creatures we share this world with. 


For flowers and trees, and the spider-plant in my living room that keeps sprouting 'babies.'  


For paint, play-doh, glue and scissors. Beads, wire, and string.  


Yes, today is a good day.  As all should be.  And today, with a cold, no work, an unemployed husband and an incredibly messy home, I am thankful.  For everything. 

Menu Monday: Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I was scowering my Mom's large collection of cookbooks a few weeks ago, looking for some new recipes to add into the rotation with my new, fabulous, totally different regular diet - lotsa' produce, protein, and DIFFERENT carbs - because, well, you know how boring it is to eat the SAME thing over and over and over and over.....   ANYway.  I found some great ones!

This is one of them (for which I had to get my hot little hands on an immersion blender... hooray new kitchen gadgets! Thanks, Mom!)

Cauliflower Cheese Soup, from Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Food Revolution

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8 cups cauliflower florets
• olive oil
• 1 3/4 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
• salt & pepper
• 8 oz cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp English mustard (I had Dijon mustard, so that's what I used)

Directions:

Peel & roughly slice carrots.  Slice the celery.  Peel & roughly chop onions.  Peel & slice garlic.  Cut cauliflower into 1/2 inch slices.  Grate the cheddar into a bowl and put to one side for later. 

Put broth in saucepan & heat until boiling.

Put a large saucepan on medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  All all your chopped & sliced ingredions and mix together with a wooden spoon.  Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is slightly golden.


Add the boiling broth to the vegetables.  Give the soup a good stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat & simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. 

To serve your soup:
Remove the pan from the heat.  Season with salt and pepper and add the cheese and mustard.  Using an immersion blender or liquidizer pulse the soup until silky smooth.  Divide between your serving bowls and grate over some nutmeg, if you like. 

Lovely topped with some lightly fried crisp bacon.

It was SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!! And makes, as you can imagine, a nice big batch, so I had it...most days last week while trying to recover from my death-cold. (Having a cold at the same time as your four-year-old is...not pleasant. 'Cause I don't know about you, but the secret to MY recovery is SLEEP, and I CAN'T sleep if the kid is up on and off on and off ALL FRIGGIN' NIGHT, EVERY night. It was brutal.  Mr. Man finally caught the cold, but Little Miss is better, so like, he gets off easy! GAH! What is WITH that??)

Okay, that's Menu Monday (plus a mini-rant - you are welcome!) and...time to plug into Netflix and lose some brain cells! O:-)

Thankful "Thursday": Disgusting Things

Alright, forget it. Here I'm ALL ready for Menu Monday, but I haven't put it up yet because I didn't get my Thankful Thursday finished last week.  I'm sorry, but when my head is THAT full of cold AND I'm just getting back into the swing of my gratefuls...it's just...not pretty.  hahaha  BUT I didn't write NOTHING!  So, HERE is what I wrote on Friday for Thankful "Thursday" - I only got 2 done (I had 5 listed, but just...couldn't...do it!) but better LATE and partially completed than never and nothing at all, right??  And THEN I'll go grab the camera and tell you about this fabulous soup I made JUST in time to have in the fridge for being sick - hooray!

Enjoy!
____________________________________________________________________

I KNOW it's Friday. I know. It's been a pretty crazy week. We started off well - I got my Menu Monday posted on MONDAY (I've even taken pictures for next week's already! HOORAY!), got my Crafty Betties post planned and posted on time yesterday...Little Miss has been home sick since Wednesday, there was a bed-wetting incident with emergency laundry, piano lessons, a Scentsy party, ME getting Little Miss' cold after nighttime coughing-consolation...  It's just been a WEIRD week. A good week, generally - neither Little Miss or I are deathly ill, we just have this icky, stubborn cough - but having her home throws us off a bit.  And so between not feeling well tomorrow and looking after my house and family, obviously, I didn't get THIS post done.

Though I planned it, so I wasn't totally blog-free yesterday.  Well, that's my story, anyway.... O:-)

But having Little Miss home for a few days, NOT with a crazy, hectic-with-fun, filled March Break, has been delightful.  And I've some things to share today that may or may not be classifiable as T-M-I.

...You've been warned.

Thankful "Thursday"

The Disgusting Edition

read ahead at your own risk

1) Farts

Okay, really. They're gross, smelly, embarassing...a nasty byproduct of your digestive processes...  But goodness me, they're HILARIOUS, aren't they?  WOW.  I mean, really. Is there anything else in life that is universally comical to such degrees? 

Even our attempts to not be crude regarding flatulence is funny - 'toot,' 'pass gass,' 'cut the cheese,' or my personal, childhood favourite 'gas attack."  GAS attack. For real. I was raised to think that F-A-R-T was a four-letter word and always said 'gas attack'.  When my childhood best friend and her family all used the 'f' word liberally it made me blush and embarassed!! hahaha  Meanwhile, I'm farting up a storm saying "Oh, excuse me. I gas-attacked."  hahahaha  (Don't worry, Mom - I have lots of great 'gas attack' stories I would never had if we hadn't had this crazy rule as kids! I LOVE that we did!)

AND, they feel amazing. hahaha  I mean, really.  Just.... aaaaaahhhhhhhh.....

Anyway. Little Miss and I are very proud farters - you know the saying 'girls don't fart, they fluff?' TOTAL crap in this house.  This gorgeous little girl has been a FARTER since....forever.  I remember being just absolutely astonished at the incredible decibles her adorable little butt was able to produce so early on in her life.... it hasn't changed.  And Mr. Man? Well, let's just say that between her two parents, Little Miss comes by her farting expertise very honestly. 

But yesterday morning, laying in bed with a sick Little Miss post her peeing-in-her bed accident....I farted.  

And she GASPed! And said "You fawted!" And I said, yup - 'scuse me. And then SHE farted, looked at me with a big grin on her face and said "I fawrted, too!  We're best fweinds." 

Farts are now one of my absolutely favourite things, and I have a new bestie because of it. :-)

2) The Disgusting Book

image from: http://www.amazon.ca/100-Most-Disgusting-Things-Planet/dp/0545197759

A little while ago, we were out for lunch with Mimi and Little Miss got a $5-free coupon for Indigo books from the server; I dunno for sure if it was part of her meal, a special promotion, or if she's just so darn stinkin' cute people throw gifts at her...I think it's most likely that last option.  Anyway, here we're sitting with a crazy little 4 year old who loves books!  With her MIMI, who loves shopping for kid stuff FOR the kid!  With $5 burning some crazy holes in all our pockets.

(I think the Becky Bloomwood tendencies may be genetic...at least, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

Really, the whole set-up couldn't have been more ideal.

So we head off in search of a big box book store!  And FIND one with relative ease.

Little Miss LOVES big book stores - so many books to look at, and there are always TOYS, too - we told her she had $5 and she went around to anything and EVERYthing that interested her in the remotest and said "this is 5 dollars. THIS is 5 dollars." ....of course, most of the most-desired items were like, SIXTY-5 dollars. hahaha Try explaining that one to a 4 year old having a conniption because of all the awesome she's surrounded with; it was like taking her to Santa's workshop.

Finally we told her she could pick a book. ONE book. We figured it was unlikely she'd pick one for $5 or less, but the difference between the $5 and actual price wouldn't be unaffordable. So one book, she set out to find!

Well, you can guess what she picked.  I don't even know where she found it, or WHAT on Earth made her see it and think, hot-dang THAT looks GREAT!  I mean, really?  It looks DISGUSTING.  In case you missed it up there, the cover is COVERED with brains, beetles, various worms, spiders in noodles that appear to be actually PART of the meal.... ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew eeeeeeewwwwwwww!!!

I TRIED to talk her out of the book. I TRIED to tell her how great THIS book, or THIS book....or ANY OTHER BOOK are.  But she was convinced - THIS is the book I want.

Shudder


The book? It's DISGUSTING.  Some of my 'favourite' entries? tick; tapeworm; tongue-eating louse; eyeballs (AS FOOD!!!!!); chocolate-covered ants; spit; phlegm (ew, looking at that one just made me gag); pus; poo; maggot therapy.

Can I just tell you, PEOPLE eat some REALLY REALLY REALLY nasty things. OHmigoodness. Wow.

Little Miss LOVES this book. She loves it. Nights when Daddy asks at bedtime "do you want to read the disgusting book?" she almost always bounds up and down and says YEAH!  She loves it.

I won't read it to her.  hahaha  It's way beyond too gross for me.

But you know what? I LOVE that she loves it.  I LOVE that she's her own little self and so grateful that she can just BE that. That she can PICK The Disgusting Book over some more conventional happy story about gumdrops, lollipops or princesses and fairies.  That she likes herself some princesses and fairies, but she, at LEAST equally, likes her disgusting things too. 

Menu Monday: Chicken "Parmesan"

One of my FAVOURITE things about having married my husband...is my mother-in-law's SUPER easy, delicous recipe for chicken parmesan hahahaha.  It's SOOOOOOOOOOOO good.   It has become one of my absolute favourite meals, one of my favourites to cook when I have company, and a couple of my friends' must-not-miss meals at my house.  hahaha  It was also a cheat meal back in detox days - YUM!!

Here we go!

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients: 

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning or 1/2 tsp oregano + 1/2 tsp basil
• butter
• lots of shredded mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese
• can of spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Melt butter in large frying pan. Meanwhile moisten chicken with water and shake in bag with breadcrumbs and seasonings. Place coated chicken in pan and fry in the butter until brown (both sides).  Place chicken in a baking dish and cover with mozzarella cheese.  Cover with spaghetti sauce (if you have more than five pieces of chicken you may need another can of sauce, FYI).  Cover AGAIN with more mozzarella.  Top it off with parmesan cheese (fresh grated or the shake-shake-shake kind) :-) Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly.

like this!

Mmmm...fresh from the oven! YUM yum yum!

Serve with (whatever you want) spaghetti noodles.  You can use the excess sauce (if you used a large enough sauce to chicken ratio - 3 chicken breasts to one can of sauce works pretty well) from the pan on top of your noodles OR..I LOVE to add a yummy white sauce to my noodles so that when I put my chicken on top I end up with a scumptious orangey/pink mixed mess.  It's SO SO SO yummy! 

White sauce: equal parts (unwhipped) whipping cream and FRESH grated parmesan cheese, and a pat of butter.  Cook and drain the noodles, and then add the cream, cheese, and butter, and stir.  That's IT and it's AWESOME. (Stole it from Better Homes and Gardens "new cook book" or whatever it's called. hahaha

And now I have laundry to fold. :-)  Cheers!

Procrastination....again...

So, I know it's Menu Monday, and I actually have two recipes all ready to go, but I haven't had a chance to sit and write yet today, and NOW...I can't be bothered. hahaha I'm tired, my 14-year-old bud is here for a sleepover (High School Musical marathon tomorrow - booyah! hahaha) and I really just...don't want to. hahaha SO...I'll post today's recipe tomorrow. :-)

Here's this FABULOUS thing my darling friend RaeDawn posted on Facebook, like, a minute ago. I LOVE it.

haaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

One of my other favourites, for while exercising: I'm not sweating - that's my fat cells crying!!

Okay. Time to pretend I'm a teenager for the night! Cheers!