Extreme Adventures in Motherhood (and life and knitting and photography and trying to keep a house with 3 boys from smelling like a locker room!)

I have a theory. I believe parents can “catch” senioritis from their kids. I believe it- because I think I have it. If senioritis is a disease that makes you nearly sick with mixed emotions during your seniors year;)

It’s true that there is a salsa of mixed feelings peppering our home. Excitement about summer on the horizon. Happiness over my kids’ accomplishments…. (whew- we made it to graduation;) a few nerves over what the future (which I cannot control- nor choose for my kids) holds. And a bit of sadness- for the little boy who is no more- he has been replaced by a man. (a rather delightfully stubborn, opinionated one- I may add;)

Don’t get me wrong- there are moments when the little boy peeks out at us- from under his bristley chin and glasses. He pops out via a grin and a pushing up of the glasses (exactly as he has done it since he was 3 and first got them:) or a quizzical look or zinger statement… brief, beloved visits. Brief, because, in general- my boy is no longer a boy.

I’m not sure when it happened, this becoming a man. It seems to have snuck up on both of us. (He seems to forget- too- sometimes.) We’ve been in denial for a while– but this “end of senior year” activity… is not exactly conducive to denial. A couple of weeks ago, he picked up his yearbook. He was listed in the senior section. Ouch. Today, he picks up his cap and gown. (His first dress, I may add. Yes, I’ve been hasseling him…) I’m fairly certain, that I’ll have a mix of happy and sad tears to use as steam, as I iron out it’s fed-ex packaged, wrinkles.

Last week, we managed to bribe and threaten him into taking senior pictures. (He had refused them until then.) My denial looking glass was shattered during the photo-session. First mistake? I went and picked out a “dress outfit” for him to wear. Red oversized polo, (a designer.. so NOT his thing) black dress pants (again- not him) and black dress shoes. He cooperated under duress with everything but the dress shoes. “NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.” He said ( And yes- it was in all caps- trust me.) I knew he meant it. ( Hubby returned black shoes of lameness, the same afternoon.)

My second mistake- was playing “stage mom” and suggesting shots to the photographer. ANNOYING. I am it. If looks could kill… the kid would be cashing in my life insurance right now. He was a (fairly) good sport- although he looked miserable in every single red-polo shirt pic.

Fortunately- I also brought his fishing pole, camo t and a camo- ballcap. Suddenly- he changed from moody, “my mom made me wear this” child, to confident, comfortable in his own skin, young man- right before my eyes. My eyes welled up at the sound of denial shattering.

He’s not a kid. He needs guidance- but not bossiness. He wants respect, and, he gives it. I am so proud of who he is- and who he is becoming. That man peeks out from time to time just like the boy inside him does too. That man, is sure of his beliefs, challenges and questions, admits when he’s wrong (sometimes) apologizes for wrongs… and trusts God with his future.

Today- he maybe a bit confused, a bit afraid and wonderfully confident, all at the same time. He has senioritis— but it isn’t terminal. Good thing- cause Mom (and yes- Dad) have it too.

Knitting, slow food eating and house preps for the grad party are all underway… stay tuned- it’s definitely hopping around here;)

PS- Son, I love you.

PPS— other sons— I love you too;)

“Dear Lord- I ask you to be with my boys and help them to become all that you have planned for them. Give me wisdom and courage to know when to hold on and when to let go. I love you Lord- and know you love them too…keep them in your care- amen”

Ok- so I haven’t been posting- but I’ve been tagged twice this week!  OK— OK– I hear you- back to business;) So more about me……

1) What was I doing ten years ago? (you are gonna make me try and remember that far back???)
My kids were 8, 6- (I only had 2 then, now have 3 ;)  driving them to private school and back consumed quite a bit of my day.  I was also working nearly full time as a volunteer pastoral counselor- and I was coordinating a local MOPS Intl. Group.
2) What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today:
haircut  for oldest, (this will involve an argument over crew cuts and senior pics..)

senior pics (one with his fishing pole and ball-cap- our negotiated compromise;)

knit

grocery store

bake bread;)

3) Snacks I enjoy:

depends on my hormone level.  when it’s high- chips n salsa with a chocolate chaser. When it’s not so much— cookies, cake.. I’m a baked goods junkie.  I’m TRYING to eat fruit instead…but not exactly loving it.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
billionaire?  Dude, that’s a lot of money- and I’m just the girl to spend it:

1) purchase dream homes for my kids- friends and family.

2) staff/ open and run a comprehensive pastoral counseling center - that is FREE for anyone who needs help.

3) pay for college for all my kids- and adopted nieces and nephews;)

4) Buy a starter home for a random young couple. (Thats a dream I’ve always had)

5) buy a house on a lake for my fam… with an additional “beach house”  on site for visitors;)

6) oh- I guess I should invest, too;)
5) Places I have lived:

westland, canton .. ummm I’ve traveled pretty broadly but lived within 10 miles of where I grew up- my whole life;) 

6) Jobs I have had:

Pre-school teacher, waitress, worked at Hardees for one summer.. (till shortly after I accidently mixed bleach and ammonia in the mop- closet….2 cleaners are NOT always more efficient than one. ) queen of the house, pastoral counselor, speaker-teacher,  blah blah, chief toilet scrubber and laundress for a commune of young men… (I also happen to be their mom;) Council Coordinator, Ministry Advancement Coordinator for MOPS Intl.

7) Peeps I want to know more about:  Consider yourselves TAGGED:)

indigodragonfly

Kat

Sheri- (Loopy ewe)  

Jillian-

KnittingPamela-

Will try to catch up more later after accomplishing some senioritis motivating:)

Sorry I’ve not updated- I swear- we’re still (for the most part) on the slow food wagon;) So much so- that my bread machine croaked!  (I’ll remedy that soon enough- for now- it’s whole wheat the old fashioned way.  Just a note- bread dough under fingernails- as bad a s dirt- just saying.)

I’m now officially on a mission.  I WILL conquer Mozzarella.  However- thus far? Mozzarella is kicking mah bootay. 3 batches on 3 different days- various ingredients and I keep ending up with squeaky ricotta. I just cannot get the curds to smooth out!  If anyone has any input- I’d appreciate it- before I drown in whey.

Monday- we had whole wheat pasta primavera- sauteed veggies (fresh tomatoes, zucchini, onion, mushrooms) olive oil and garlic, topped it off with a bit of parmesan.  Next time, I need to double the veggie amount- (but since I didn’t measure… I’ll just make more) and probably add a bit of tomato sauce, but it went over fairly well. ( However the kids keep calling me a “food hippie” and asking if I’m going to “grow my own”… yes- they think they are hilarious. )

Tuesday, I used a batch of bread dough to make a nice calzone- type treat.  I used a batch of “fozzerella” (messed up mozzerella)  and some pesto— rolled it up in the dough with a bit of olive oil and baked.. served it up with a salad and fresh sliced tomatoes with sea salt and cracked pepper… I’ll try this one again- but will add black olives and sundried tomatoes;)

Yesterday- we cheated.  Pizza- ordered in.  oopsy. The little guys begged- I caved- what can I say?

Tonight- grilled pork chops- and veggies galore;)

Everyone is pretty much healed up from the dental day of oral surgery doom… and we’re busy playing catch up (school- house etc).

I’m knitting away- finished a loverly Tuscany Shawl- and cast on a “Shetland Triangle” Also working on An “Orange Smoothie” from More big Girl Knits… in Hempathy– again- the boys think thats HILARIOUS.. hemp giggle. teenagers. sheesh.

I was lucky enough to win a fantastic prize from Sheri at the Loopy Ewe

A Spring Fling Swag Bag!

WOW! Sheri is the best- Loopy Ewe is the best Online store ever.

In the bag is Wollmeise in a limited edition colorway… a loopy ewe mug- beautiful patterns  yarn samples and body treats…wow.  Just WOW!

http://theloopyewe.com

for all your yarny needs;)

More later- i’m off to the grocery- in search of fresh foods—-to convert to slow meals…. ;)

And maybe to oogle a new bread machine……  ;)

*Blink* *Blink*

That was pretty much my answer to my primary care physician a couple of weeks ago, when she asked me a question that I had NO answer for. (Me speechless? I know- it’s shocking.) We were discussing my (now plateaued) weight gain. “Trouble shooting”. (As if I may not KNOW what I’ve been doing wrong.) It started off fine… until she asked whether we’d had any dietary changes…. I said “You know, we’re probably eating more pre-packaged and convenience foods…”

That’s when she asked me “Why?”.   My response was this:

*Blink* *Blink* 

I didn’t want to say what I was thinking. “Ummm laziness…convenience…ease.”

I finally did answer after losing the ”she who speaks first, loses” game.  (My doc can be brutal when she needs too be, she just stood there looking at me waiting for an answer! ) My answer has bothered me, ever since. 

I did a pantry/fridge evaluation.  My pantry and fridge, both flunked.   Almost everything had an expiration date further in the future than my youngest son’s graduation.  Instead of actual foods listed in the ingredients, there were chemical combinations that sounded like diseases.  That can’t be good.

So- I’m doing a little experiment.  We’ll call it a “real-food experiment”.   My goal is not to lose weight or diet… (alhtough that would be nice;) but to eat actual food as opposed to chemical cocktails in ever-fresh packaging.  It’s May- and farmers markets are opening up, it should be fairly easy to find actual- real food.  I love to cook- and actually can do it… it’s time to stop being lazy.

Yesterday- we baked whole wheat flax seed bread and had whole wheat pasta with easy homemade pasta sauce. Yum. 

Today- Noah and I are making a second attempt at home made Mozzerella (yesterdays shall remain unmentioned… gross:( ) We’ll toss some more ingredients into the bread machine (I and I put chicken, canned tomatoes, black beans, onion, green peppers in the crock pot to cook all day.  I’ll serve it up over brown rice with a salad on the side. It wasn’t hard… but it’s all actual food.  No powdered cheese… no rice mix of salt with pseudo-flavoring…. just, real food.  There will still be plenty of treats and snacks…some “real food” and some “junk food”… but definitely a move towards the “real”. 

I can do it.. and I have the time… so I will.

Stay tuned- you’ll get to watch the wins and losses- enjoy:)

From the top left:  Whole Wheat Bread with ground flax. Home made pasta sauce.  Second row- OOPs thats not food… thats my Tuscany Shawl from “No Sheep For You” .. Indigo Moon Fingering weight yarn in Aubergine. I love it;)

Bottom row- What was supposed to be Mozzerella cheese- but someone accidently let it boil….That’s a loss. and real ingredients for today’s chicken dinner;)

Whole Wheat Bread Good for Toast-  I added 2 tablespoons of cold milled flax seed, and instead of oil, I used fresh butter;) .

Tracey’s Homemade Pasta Sauce:

fresh mushrooms, sliced

chopped onion, minced garlic, green pepper diced

turkey sausage (1 lb)

1 lg can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion

1 small can tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

Brown turkey and drain, add onion, garlic, green pepper, mushrooms, salt and pepper sautee until veggies are slightly softened. 

Add tomato sauce, tomatoes and tomato paste.  Stir and simmer until pasta is ready.  (about 45 minutes) Serve with  your favorite whole wheat pasta;)

Today’s dinner-

Chicken and sauce-

Whole chicken cut up

Can tomato sauce

can tomato paste

can of black beans

onion, garlic and green pepper chopped, salt and pepper (I’m part Italian.. can’t cook without these ingredients;)

toss everything in the crock pot, and cook until you are no longer afraid to eat it;) (I usually cook on high for 5-6 hours) Serve over steamed brown rice;) Maybe with a few grates of parmesan or fresh mozzerella.

We were in our “fence free” yard.  I was knitting away, DH was doing the “commentary” for my youngests’ individual soccer tournament. (Interestingly enough, he always wins when he plays with invisible opponents- however it’s usually a close game … he’s all about the sports drama. ) Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed 3 varied sized potential soccer players, hovering at the invisible line that divides our yards.

“Hey- go ask if they want to play” I called to the soccer meister. 3 “real” players joined him almost immediately.  My youngest introduced himself- and they returned in kind. However- my little guy kept asking their names.  They were not names he was familiar with. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders and just went with it.  An epic game of “make up the rules as you go” soccer soon unfolded.  A chair and a soccer net were the goals.  Dandelion clumps marked the sidelines. Much cheering and laughing rang out.

After awhile, the soccer game dissolved, and all of the kiddos were watching me knit.  I have a few ideas why watching my knitting was more interesting than the playscape or soccer net.  Magic, rhythm and color are kid magnets for sure!  But, even I, was surprised by what happened next. “I always wanted to learn to do that!  Can you teach me?”  Said the doe-eyed female soccer player who had held her own playing against 2 boys.

“Sure can” I went inside to search out needles and yarn that would work for a quick project.  In a few minutes, she had caught the basic stitch.  She quickly declared she’d “Teach everyone at school.” Then she started planning her next projects…”How long will it take to finish?  I want to finish this today!”  Her excitement was contagious, and soon her older brother wanted in on the fun. 

I came back from inside with another set of yarn and needles.  He was quick to catch on as well. We all chatted and knit until their mom’s voice called from next door. “Time to go!”  They were next door visiting Grandma.  I told them they could keep the knit supplies, and to keep practicing. It was getting chilly and nearly dark- so my youngets and I went int too. 

After a few minutes- I heard happy chatter out back.  The staccato of foreign language filled the yard. I went out to find my neighbor- (who speaks little english- I’d assumed) Happily helping her grandkids knit away.  The gentleman soccer player was telling Grandma she wasn’t do it the way I’d showed him.  I went over- and found that yes- actually she was.  I learned to knit “middle eastern… eastern uncrossed” or “combination or continental” style.  My lovely, Lebanese neighbor knit the same way.  Funny- continents-religion and language barriers instantly seemed to melt away.

We’ve always done the “suburban smile” greeting and said “Hi”.  However, that has been the extent of our conversation. (If that even counts as conversation)  But this day- I heard about a sweater knit for her husband and her enjoyment of knitting with her grandkids.  I met her daughter-in law- and found myself sounding like an older female version of my youngest, as I asked and repeated her name several times, before I finally got it right. In the 7 years or so that we’ve been neighbors, this was the most conversation we’ve had. 

I’m excited about the potential knit- pal I’ve found.  And about the kiddos who’ll be coming back to visit, knit and play soccer with my little guy.  This week- instead of knitting in my house- or knitting in the backyard- I think I’ll move to the porch and see if  anyone want to join me;) Amazing, what finding a common interest can do for your neighborhood;)

Once in a while the stars align and everything hits the fan at once.  This is one of those days.  My oldest son had to have emergency oral surgery this morning, and the yougest is having some dental work done as I type.  (I’m a big wuss- Daddy does dental duty) At the moment- there is a giant whiskered chipmunk on the couch next to me.. playing video games to distract himself from the pain.  ( he says he likes laughing gas, btw;)

Now, I’m waiting to hear how the youngest does.  He was excited to go to the dentist.. but I’m anticipating that he’ll be over the excitement by the time he gets home. 

I’d appreciate prayers for my guys….(and their wuss-mom) I hate not being able to “kiss the boo-boo and make it better” Truth is- sometimes the best you can do- is be there with them in the pain.  And while I’m not at the dentist with them- I sure am here when the numbness wears off….

This is what I’m doing for distraction…

It’s the “Tuscany Shawl” from “No Sheep For You” By Amy SInger- Can’t tell you how many I saw at the Knitters Frolic- much more beautiful in person!  A “must make” in my book;)

more when we recover- ts