Arm hurts but it's done!!! :)

Since this is the blog where I started my brain tumor journey, just happy to say the dreaded yearly brain mri scan with/without contrast is done! I really don't enjoy it but it has to get done and now I'm just so relieved. Not that I have even heard from my doctor as I am waiting to get an appointment but the whole process of the MRI has so many crummy memories that it just makes me nuts~!

However here is one tool I use when I am in need of it ... actually I use it every day but today I made a specific 11/7 list to get me there with a clear head.

I am in love with the website: http://www.cozi.com/family-calendar.htm
It has an app for you as well so your whole family can link up and see what's on the agenda for the day, week, month, year; what you need from your grocery list; each person's to do list and even some journal settings along with other posts that might help you organize family life. And I am a list freak! I love to cross off things! So every day I pull it up on my laptop, phone or ipad and check things off! If I can't remember what my husband asked for from the grocery store I bring up the list as he added it to it from his phone. And one of the best tricks I've learned was to put the meal of the day on it ... actual meal planning is done weeks at a time. Yes, those that know me know that I like to wing it most of the time but I have found that this is so important to keeping sanity in my kitchen, the grocery store and that time of the day you start to worry about ... WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

What a relief! Check it out!

Happy Monday! Sunshine out there and a beautiful sky! Here is a new tool I found for the kitchen and those meals that get boring. Pier One has many kinds of "tasting party"sets. I bought this with the intention to grab my kids' attention with it's colorful little compartments that are quite tiny and three little "shot glasses" (not really but about the size of one). I've used it in the morning with fruit so they can pick at it while waiting for what they really want ... at least they can get in their fiber and nutrients early in the meal. In this picture there is one cup of orange juice (smaller than her usual size), one cup of kefir (my picky eater actually loves it and being that she's on anti-biotics at the moment I've stocked up), and I juiced a big glass of beet, carrot and apple for myself and wanted to have them at least taste it ... success! I've also used it for building our own salads. I fill the compartments with whatever I have ... cut up carrots, cucumbers, edamame, fruit, seeds, and whatever else I think they'll add to a plain green salad. So far, so good. This way they are putting on what they like and it's their own creation.

Just my latest find that I thought I'd share!!
Enjoy :)

Well those are some serious words for us! What's wrong with being comfortable? Nothing if you ask me! I love being comfortable ... when things are aligned and everyone is happy! Don't you?

Especially the last few days here in the Northeast. Yes, the freaky winter storm before Halloween. We've been out of power, out of school (2 days here in Pompton Plains and from what I've heard a few more to come), out of patience! As glad as I am that our power came back last night, there are a few positives that came out of the storm. One being the realization of how lucky we are as a people as far as conveniences go. All I kept thinking of was Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on the Prairie! They had no grocery stores, they had no tv, internet, refrigerator, and of course no lights to even see what happened after sun down except for lanterns. Ah but life was simpler. Not as much was expected to be accomplished in a 24 hour time frame ... maybe it was harder physical work but once it was done, it was done. Now I am rambling (yes, I am short on sleep this week with texts going off in the middle of the night, kids coming in because they're wigged out by the power outage, my husband checking on the generator's gas level, etc) but my thoughts on this card that I found above were simple:
Sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone for real growth to happen. Huh? Why would I want to do that? Because sometimes you have to "get off that train," and try something new. How would you ever know how good that soup was unless you tried it? How bout that photography class? Or even a belly dancing class?

Take that first step and jump! The sky's the limit!

As far as my patience? Well, my daughter is learning how to cook meals for herself this week as I've been working on some projects. That is AWESOME in my opinion! I was never comfortable letting her near a gas stovetop! But she is starting to learn and that makes me proud! If we're off from school tomorrow we are going food shopping together and it might actually be fun with some help!

Wishing you much warmth!
Krista

Chicken With Apples Dinner Recipe

Hey all you busy cooks ... hope you all had a nice dinner tonight! I've been thinking of blogging about the subject of crockpotting (is that really a word?). I never thought of a crock pot as a real cooking tool in my life till this year. Whenever I heard the word "crockpot" I thought of all those recipes that would come off a can of condensed soup or casseroles that reminded me of the 1970's and The Brady Bunch! Not very hip for the modern tastes of today but boy was I wrong! I thought it was good to keep meals warm when family members are coming and going at different hours but I have found that not to be it's only use these days.

No more heavy casseroles or unhealthy, salty meals that are just not good for ya! Here is just one recipe that I made tonight as my sister test drove it last week. It smells sooo good when you walk in the house and I have to say it totally passed the test with the kids as well! Oh yeah! Prep time is very small and the clean up is just about nothing as we only have to clean the crockpot!

Crockpot Chicken and Apples
Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 T. curry powder
2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
3 Granny Smith apples, cored and thickly sliced
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 T. cornstarch

In a small bowl, combine apple cider, vinegar, nutmeg and curry powder.
In a small microwave-safe bowl combine butter, onions and garlic. Microwave on high for 1-2 mins. until onion is softened. Place mixture in bottom of 3-4 quart (or larger) slow cooker.
Dip each chicken breast into the juice mixture to coat and place in crockpot over onions. Pour any remaining juice mixture over the chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours until chicken is almost cooked. Add apples and cook 40-50 minutes longer on low until apples are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Mix together broth and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir into the liquid in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high heat stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and bubbly, 10-15 minutes. Serve with some hot cooked brown rice and a green salad.

Seriously, if you don't have a good crockpot think about investing in one today! For busy families it is a fantastic tool to have! More recipes to come!

Have a great night!!
Krista

Being Brave

"You're braver than you believe,
and stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think."

~Christopher Robin to Pooh

How many times do we tell our kids not to be scared to try something? To go ahead and speak up if they know the answer in class? Or to try a new activity like theater if they think it would be a good thing? Or believe they can do anything they set their mind to? I think most of us do it all the time ... but do we ever tell ourselves the same thing? Some days are not easy ... but what is great is when it's happening, when you are present with it ... you really can grow from it. All things happen for a reason and for that we need to take that opportunity and grow. Just like we tell our kids.

Whatever challenges are thrown our way.

This picture was taken on a local trail in our town a few months after my surgery. I was told by one of my healing therapists to get outside and walk a path alone. No dog, no kids. Now this sounds like a treat right? But my inner fears of something happening ... you know the bear who pops out of the woods, the stranger who looks scary or even some other little creature you'd rather not run into? Ya know what? I did it anyway. And it was a sweet success for me who was still running into trees, people and anything else over there. I took the fear and turned it into a nice feeling of completion and strength!

One more favorite:
"The best way to deal with fear is to feel it, name it, and do what needs doing in spite of it."
~Dr. Joan Borysenko

New Season

New Season it is! Holy cow it is cold out! How did it go from summer temps last week to now I'm debating putting on the heat ... shhhh don't tell my husband! I mean that was a quick change! New routines, new classrooms, new friends, new weather ... it's part of the deal with the new school year right?

I did have a great Summer season ... although it was so crazy with soccer and swim that it flew by! I love the warmth and sounds of the season. I truly will be one of those "snowbirds" who spends the winter down South!

This is a crazy pic of Sophie and I on the beach on obx in August. She truly can be present and loves life ... although her name should be Silly Sophie as she always entertains us!

But now that it is getting to be the busy season of Fall I have found myself forced to get organized again (thank God!) and use my time efficiently. I have found that the whole food thing we all are familiar with ... "What's for dinner?" to be extremely easy. How? Keeping it Simple! "Cook once and eat three times?" Yep, it is a tool that I was actually patting myself on the back this week as The Today Show had on Martha Stewart who was offering the same advice! Wow...really? I usually shake my head when I see her on tv pushing some ridiculous dessert or paella dish that I just don't have the time to make ... or even want to make ... but this one made my day!

My family is happy and I'm happy. No big deal!

You know the old quote:

If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy!

And I rest my case :)




Goodbye Summer! See ya next year!

Awesome video ... check it out!

June 13th! Really ... time is flying as so many things are wrapping up and new things starting! I am feeling kind of scatter brained ...maybe even a little ADD lately with so much to keep track of!! Anyway a friend of mine Jane posted this link on her blog and I didn't want to watch it as it was over 9 minutes long and who has an extra 9 minutes to spare these days?! But I was curious and watched it as my quinoa pasta was cooking (yes I have been told to go wheat free due to allergy). Check it out and enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZPjjZCO67WI

I happened to see a similar "LipDub" last week on the Today Show as Meredith Viera was honored on her last day on the job. So much fun to watch and amazing teamwork required I'm sure! As my kids (and so many of yours) are fully involved in team sports this time of year it just reinforces the point of how important it is to work together, talk to each other and help each other in whatever way needed. Ahh...I love aha moments that come from watching hours of my kids' games!

Now watch the video! Our favorite song in this house!
xo,
Krista