Hubby pulled out some sort of canned fish this morning - sardines maybe? - and fed them to my daughter. They made the whole house stink.
That's fine, I can deal with a bit of smell for a while. Just open the windows and let it air out. HOWEVER, I don't think her hands got washed after she ate the fish, and there is a distinct odor in the living room now. I gave her a bath, scrubbed her hair and body, so it's not her. She must have touched something in here, and I am now on my and and knees, sniffing around and preparing a bucket of bleach water to remove the hideous odor. Uck.
I am banning sardines from this house.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Our first family vacation
Aside from our honeymoon, our first real family vacation (with me, hubby, little man, and my MIL) was to my husband's old stomping grounds: Puebla, Mexico. He spent five years there with his mom - junior high and high school - and many of his friends were (still are?) living there. I got to meet a lot of his buddies, as well as their families, and got to sample real Mexican food. To this day, I maintain my stance that Mexico has THE BEST STREET FOOD EVER. And I've traveled to a lot of countries, and eaten a bunch of street food. I've also gotten sick from a lot of street food, but we can talk about that another time :-)
Puebla is located southeast of Mexico City, and is a popular tourist destination for Mexicans and what my hubby calls "the historically minded," due to its traditional, colonial feel downtown. Lots of historical buildings, old style haciendas, and the like. It's a beautiful city, and I'm hoping we can go back to visit sometime!
Street vendor preparing tacos (al pastor, if I'm not mistaken)
View of the square
Random street shot
Cathedral on the main square downtown
Church in Cholula, just outside of Puebla (and yes, that's the place that the sauce comes from, for all you South Texas people)
Inside the church
Ixtacihuatl, an extinct volcano close to Puebla
Popocatepetl, Puebla's most famous mountain (try to say it out loud... Yeah, it's okay, I can't do it either)
This next picture was taken from the bus on our way back to Mexico City from Puebla. We kept seeing all these people walking on the street with pictures hanging on their backs. I had asked my husband what they were doing, and he explained that they were on pilgrimage. Some of these people had been traveling for days, many on foot, to celebrate the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City. According to the legend, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to an indigenous Indian man, and she was dressed as a Indian woman and Indian facial features. This, in turn, led to the voluntary conversion of a great number of the indigenous Mexican people.
If you ever make a trip down to Mexico - I mean real Mexico, not border towns or high school party cities - I highly recommend visiting Puebla, and perhaps you can make your way over to Veracruz while you're there. It's only a four hour drive by car, and it's one of my hubby's favorite places to visit when he's there.
What are some of your favorite places that you've visited, either in the USA or outside the country?
Puebla is located southeast of Mexico City, and is a popular tourist destination for Mexicans and what my hubby calls "the historically minded," due to its traditional, colonial feel downtown. Lots of historical buildings, old style haciendas, and the like. It's a beautiful city, and I'm hoping we can go back to visit sometime!
Street vendor preparing tacos (al pastor, if I'm not mistaken)
View of the square
Random street shot
Cathedral on the main square downtown
Church in Cholula, just outside of Puebla (and yes, that's the place that the sauce comes from, for all you South Texas people)
Inside the church
Ixtacihuatl, an extinct volcano close to Puebla
Popocatepetl, Puebla's most famous mountain (try to say it out loud... Yeah, it's okay, I can't do it either)
This next picture was taken from the bus on our way back to Mexico City from Puebla. We kept seeing all these people walking on the street with pictures hanging on their backs. I had asked my husband what they were doing, and he explained that they were on pilgrimage. Some of these people had been traveling for days, many on foot, to celebrate the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City. According to the legend, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to an indigenous Indian man, and she was dressed as a Indian woman and Indian facial features. This, in turn, led to the voluntary conversion of a great number of the indigenous Mexican people.If you ever make a trip down to Mexico - I mean real Mexico, not border towns or high school party cities - I highly recommend visiting Puebla, and perhaps you can make your way over to Veracruz while you're there. It's only a four hour drive by car, and it's one of my hubby's favorite places to visit when he's there.
What are some of your favorite places that you've visited, either in the USA or outside the country?
Monday, November 9, 2009
I (heart) soup
One of the reasons I like fall is the change in menu. Cool, refreshing fruits and light salads make way for hearty stews and soups, served with homemade dinner rolls or biscuits. No wonder we all gain weight during the winter!!
This is one of my favorite winter soups, courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens. Three reasons I like it:
1. It has six ingredients (seven, if you want to use molasses)
2. It's fast
3. I love pasta, but I get tired of eating ravioli with sauce. Putting it in a soup makes things a bit more interesting.
* 2 lbs butternut squash
* 2 14-1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon butter or heavy cream
* 1 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese ravioli (or tortellini)
* 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)
Directions
1. Peel squash. Halve lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cut squash into 3/4-inch pieces.
2. In a large saucepan, combine squash, broth, water, and cayenne pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
3. Transfer one-fourth of the squash-and-broth mixture to a blender container. Carefully blend, covered, until smooth. Repeat until all of the mixture is blended. (Or, you can use a hand blender. Just be careful not to splash yourself. Ouch!)
4. Return blended mixture to large saucepan. Bring just to boiling. Immediately reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the butter or cream, stirring until just melted.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the ravioli according to package directions. Drain. Ladle hot squash mixture into bowls. Divide cooked ravioli among bowls. If desired, drizzle with molasses. Serves about four people (unless you're feeding college-aged boys, in which case, you might want to double the recipe!!!).
What are some of your fall food favorites?
This is one of my favorite winter soups, courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens. Three reasons I like it:
1. It has six ingredients (seven, if you want to use molasses)
2. It's fast
3. I love pasta, but I get tired of eating ravioli with sauce. Putting it in a soup makes things a bit more interesting.
* 2 lbs butternut squash
* 2 14-1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon butter or heavy cream
* 1 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese ravioli (or tortellini)
* 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)
Directions
1. Peel squash. Halve lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cut squash into 3/4-inch pieces.
2. In a large saucepan, combine squash, broth, water, and cayenne pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
3. Transfer one-fourth of the squash-and-broth mixture to a blender container. Carefully blend, covered, until smooth. Repeat until all of the mixture is blended. (Or, you can use a hand blender. Just be careful not to splash yourself. Ouch!)
4. Return blended mixture to large saucepan. Bring just to boiling. Immediately reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the butter or cream, stirring until just melted.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the ravioli according to package directions. Drain. Ladle hot squash mixture into bowls. Divide cooked ravioli among bowls. If desired, drizzle with molasses. Serves about four people (unless you're feeding college-aged boys, in which case, you might want to double the recipe!!!).
What are some of your fall food favorites?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sundays: A Day of Thanks
As today has been (traditionally, in the life of the Church) a day of celebration and thanksgiving, I thought Sunday would be an appropriate day to talk about the things I'm thankful for. This week, I'd like to say thanks to: my mom.
It sounds stereotypical and such, but as I watch my kids grow, there are a few things I've learned by her example that I'm incredibly grateful for.
1) For using her words to build up her children instead of tearing them down: This holds especially true for my teenage years. Back then, I used to think my mom just wasn't as clever as I was, that she was unable to come up with good insults to hurl back at me when my tongue was wagging away foolishly. Now, I know the depth of wisdom and maturity it took to respond with love and discipline instead of lashing out. As my son starts testing verbal limits, I know how to handle it. And it's mostly because of my mom's example, as well as my dad's.
2)For never fighting with my dad in front of us: Yes, they would disagree in front of us, but a fight? Never saw it. I'm sure they happened behind closed doors, but in general, my parents did a good job of having a united front when dealing with us, and also when interacting with one another. It didn't give me an unrealistic view of marriage at all; on the contrary, they showed by their words and actions the appropriate way to handle conflict. This also holds true for trusting my dad's decisions for what was best for our family, even if she didn't agree or understand. I don't think there have been many times in their marriage like that, but of the few times that this has occurred, she has done the right thing.
3)For continually praying for her children: We were all difficult in our own ways, but I think it was her continued stream of prayer that helped us grow up to be well-adjusted, functioning adults with a love of the Lord.
4) For NOT being a short-order cook: This should probably be "for not catering to our every whim," but it's the little examples, like not fixing us whatever we wanted for dinner, that stand out in my mind. She would make stuff that we liked, but, say, if five of us liked a dish and one of us didn't, too bad. No food until the next day. It taught us to try every new thing, and even old things, because we found that we grew to like (or at least tolerate) foods we used to say that we couldn't stand.
So mom, even though it isn't Mother's Day, I'd like to tell you just how much I appreciate the way you raised us, and I hope I can be as good a mom to my kids as you were to me.
It sounds stereotypical and such, but as I watch my kids grow, there are a few things I've learned by her example that I'm incredibly grateful for.
1) For using her words to build up her children instead of tearing them down: This holds especially true for my teenage years. Back then, I used to think my mom just wasn't as clever as I was, that she was unable to come up with good insults to hurl back at me when my tongue was wagging away foolishly. Now, I know the depth of wisdom and maturity it took to respond with love and discipline instead of lashing out. As my son starts testing verbal limits, I know how to handle it. And it's mostly because of my mom's example, as well as my dad's.
2)For never fighting with my dad in front of us: Yes, they would disagree in front of us, but a fight? Never saw it. I'm sure they happened behind closed doors, but in general, my parents did a good job of having a united front when dealing with us, and also when interacting with one another. It didn't give me an unrealistic view of marriage at all; on the contrary, they showed by their words and actions the appropriate way to handle conflict. This also holds true for trusting my dad's decisions for what was best for our family, even if she didn't agree or understand. I don't think there have been many times in their marriage like that, but of the few times that this has occurred, she has done the right thing.
3)For continually praying for her children: We were all difficult in our own ways, but I think it was her continued stream of prayer that helped us grow up to be well-adjusted, functioning adults with a love of the Lord.
4) For NOT being a short-order cook: This should probably be "for not catering to our every whim," but it's the little examples, like not fixing us whatever we wanted for dinner, that stand out in my mind. She would make stuff that we liked, but, say, if five of us liked a dish and one of us didn't, too bad. No food until the next day. It taught us to try every new thing, and even old things, because we found that we grew to like (or at least tolerate) foods we used to say that we couldn't stand.
So mom, even though it isn't Mother's Day, I'd like to tell you just how much I appreciate the way you raised us, and I hope I can be as good a mom to my kids as you were to me.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Sounds of Autumn
Certain songs just "sound" like the leaves falling from trees, and the cool, crisp air that whips at your face -- the rain that falls softly on your rooftop, the crunching sound your feet make when you walk through the woods. Most of the time, these are albums that I bought in September or October, so when I listen to them, I think about the first time I heard the album. A few are actually about fall, and a few just have that melancholy feeling of the season before the onset of winter. So, here is a list of a few of those songs or albums that stand out in my mind as "a tribute to autumn":1) Close of Autumn (Caedmon's Call): This whole album makes me think of the beginning of school, for some reason. Maybe I bought it at the beginning of my junior or senior year in high school, I really don't remember. But this one in particular is a part of my "fall" mix on iTunes.
2) Autumn in New York (Ella Fitzgerald): I love Ella's voice; it's smooth and delicious like a chocolate lava cake. Her recording of this song just makes me want to jump on a plane and head to NYC.
3) Why Should the Fire Die? (Nickel Creek): This whole album takes the band in a completely different direction than their previous albums, but it's the overall melancholy feel that gives this album the autumn feel. "Doubting Thomas" is probably one of my favorites from NC, and their recording of Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow is a Long Time" is almost magical.
4) Extraordinary Machine (Fiona Apple): I'm not a huge Fiona fan, but I really enjoyed the third album of this songstress' eternally beckoning siren call.
5) Merrimack River (Mandy Moore): Yeah, how did Mandy Moore get on here? Her music has improved dramatically since Candy came out several years ago. I love her recording of Elton John's Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, but Merrimack is a wonderful opening tune to her newest album, Amanda Leigh. We could also put Indian Summer on here, but that'd be too obvious :-)
6) Anything by Counting Crows: Long December. 'Nuff said.
So, what are your favorite "autumn" songs?
Friday, November 6, 2009
Babies!
No not for us right now (not because we don't want another one, but... ah, that's another post for another time). However, we've had three friends give birth in the past few days, so it's been an interesting experience going to the hospital to visit. Two of the families are Arab, and one is American. In this part of the world, you are supposed to have sweets (chocolates), wrapped in either pink or blue tissue paper, to give out to guests when they come to visit. Also, it's not like the States, where the visiting hours are pretty much come-and-go as you please. There are strict visiting hours in the maternity ward, and they WILL kick you out if you overstay! Anyway, I got to visit a friend of mine today for a little while. She seemed to be recovering pretty well after her c-section, and her little guy was so precious. A couple of things I noticed here:
1) Women are SUPPOSED to be noisy when giving birth - that is, they are expected to cry out and yell, "Oh, I can't, I don't want to, this is TOO HARD!!!!" rather than learning breathing and focus techniques to help you through each contraction.
2) Lack of lactation consultants - the last time I gave birth, the lactation consultant was always available, and I'm guessing there was more than one on duty at any given shift. Here, while they are trying to raise breast-feeding awareness, there is only one woman in the maternity ward who I would consider a certified lactation consultant, and she can't work around the clock! There's still a strong cultural push to bottle feed, which is a sign of wealth and status in this part of the world. That, and I think that women can't be bothered with breast-feeding, which can be inconvenient and a hassle for some women.
3) Giving birth doesn't cost $10000 - which was how much it cost to deliver our son in the US (my daughter was even more)! Now, our insurance covered almost all of it in the USA, but here, because our insurance is based in the USA, we have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed by them later. I sure don't have $10000 lying around the house, so it's good to know that we can afford to have babies here!
That's all I have for today. Be aware that if you ever give birth overseas, it'll definitely be an incredibly different experience than being in the USA! Even a top-notch facility in a foreign country will have a completely different style of doing things just because the culture is so different.
1) Women are SUPPOSED to be noisy when giving birth - that is, they are expected to cry out and yell, "Oh, I can't, I don't want to, this is TOO HARD!!!!" rather than learning breathing and focus techniques to help you through each contraction.
2) Lack of lactation consultants - the last time I gave birth, the lactation consultant was always available, and I'm guessing there was more than one on duty at any given shift. Here, while they are trying to raise breast-feeding awareness, there is only one woman in the maternity ward who I would consider a certified lactation consultant, and she can't work around the clock! There's still a strong cultural push to bottle feed, which is a sign of wealth and status in this part of the world. That, and I think that women can't be bothered with breast-feeding, which can be inconvenient and a hassle for some women.
3) Giving birth doesn't cost $10000 - which was how much it cost to deliver our son in the US (my daughter was even more)! Now, our insurance covered almost all of it in the USA, but here, because our insurance is based in the USA, we have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed by them later. I sure don't have $10000 lying around the house, so it's good to know that we can afford to have babies here!
That's all I have for today. Be aware that if you ever give birth overseas, it'll definitely be an incredibly different experience than being in the USA! Even a top-notch facility in a foreign country will have a completely different style of doing things just because the culture is so different.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thursday: Bible Study
This year, our English-speaking group at church is doing Beth Moore's study on the book on Daniel. There are six ladies in our group, plus a couple around the city who are doing it on their own b/c they simply can't make it on Tuesday mornings. I try to keep up with them, give them encouragement, etc., even though we don't all meet. I'm hoping that, at the end of the study, we can all get together and have a celebratory "We did it!" party.
This week, we went through the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. The Lord has been teaching me so much about humility and trusting Him through this study. Kind of springboarding off of my last post, I'm realizing I really need to just bathe my son in prayer, and ask the Lord to work in his heart. I am doing a good job as a parent (not a perfect one, but good), and these accusations of being a bad parent come from the enemy, not the Lord. There are a couple of things I can do (I think) at home to motivate my son, but at the end of the day, he is in God's hands.
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