Free Advice 3

Treats

It's been more than two months since I gave up sugar and I'm going strong. I love the way that I feel. I've been sleeping better, my skin is clearer, and I managed to avoid the strep throat that brought down Babyface and My Heart's Desire.  My palate has also changed and I'm able to appreciate the sweetness of foods like carrots and grapes.

Until I gave up sugar, I didn't realize how much I used sweets as treats.  Dipped cones, brownies, pie, cake, those were the things I wanted as treats.  A clean eating friend says, "Don't reward yourself with food.  You are not a dog." That just makes me feel bad.  I prefer the message below that I saw on Pinterest.

I recently celebrated a personal milestone and was flummoxed when I had to come up with a non-food treat.  I ended up getting a fancy pedicure with a friend during Spa Week and it was lovely. Another time I was in a bad mood, wanted a sweet treat and ended up buying a magazine (I almost never buy single copies of magazines since subscriptions are usually the cost of two newsstand issues).

What are some good non-food treats? So far my free treat list includes: a couple of hours at a bookstore, having someone else do Babyface's bath and bed routine while I lounge, and leisurely reading. Treats with a small budget include buying flowers, a scratchy soap, or registering for a 5K.

If you have any other ideas, please share in the comments.

Grandma's Old Fashioned Granola

My honorary grandma gave me this recipe and it's a breeze to make. I make it with whatever I have on hand so it's different every time. So far it's always turned out well.

Grandma's Old Fashioned Granola Ingredients:
2-3 cups old fashioned oats
2-3 cups of any or all of the following: soy flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, rolled wheat flakes, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, powdered milk, unsalted almonds or walnuts or pecans, or whatever else you like
1/4 cup veggie oil or 1 stick butter
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Raisins (optional)

Melt the oil or butter, honey, water, and vanilla in a large pan.  Add dry ingredients, mix well.  Bake on a cookie sheet at 200*, stirring every 20 minutes, until golden brown. As you can see, I lined my pan with parchment paper.  The granola doesn't stick to it and I don't have to wash the pan.

Granola with fruit and yogurt

Grandma's Old Fashioned Granola

I made granola for Babyface yesterday and my dry ingredients were: oats, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, powdered milk, a little nutritional yeast, whey protein powder, and powdered milk.  It smelled amazing and was very tasty. After it cools, I stirred in some raisins. I keep it in the fridge. He loves it with Greek yogurt and berries.  So do I.

NaNoWriMo

For several years I have known about National Novel Writing Month and thought it was too ambitious for me. Of course there are a lot of reasons why this month isn't a good time—two family weddings, travel, Thanksgiving, I already get up before dawn, trying to stay focused on exercise, keeping my eye on the prize with healthy eating, home projects, and the list goes on. In the past I've done other things that I thought were very unlikely, like participating in a half marathon.

There's never a perfect time to do anything.  As my mom says, it's always something. But if not now, when? The stars will never line up perfectly for me to write a book so November is a good a time as any. The one thing that I always have is plenty of ideas.

My friend Megan from Anatomy of A Mother signed up with me (at my request) so I've really got to do it now.  I'm officially signed up on the NaNoWriMo site and am only slightly terrified.  I know it doesn't have to be great, it just has to get done.  Any whole draft gives you something to revise and edit, and that's when the magic happens.

What is this library carrel missing? Me!

I haven't written anything book length since my master's thesis way back in 2006.  I have the time, even if it means getting up even earlier (right now I get up around 6), typing quietly while Babyface sleeps, trading childcare with other moms, going to local write-ins, and sneaking out to the library with my laptop.

Fall in Love

Fall is officially here.  It's my favorite season. It's just beautiful to see colorful leaves almost everywhere.  I know people love to visit in the spring or summer (when it is a zillion humid degrees!) but fall is even better.  After a very sporadic start this year with some temperatures near 90* at the beginning of the month, fall has finally settled in.  I've had to put away my summer clothes and break out the fall/winter wardrobe.  

It's very chilly in the mornings and I am in love with my fleece-lined hoodie. My mom visited recently and we went for walks with Babyface and it was gorgeous out.  Last weekend we went to a toddler Halloween party in the park and it was hilarious to see the kids dressed up.  Babyface was a bumblebee. We didn't carve pumpkins but we do have some festive mini pumpkins that Babyface keeps trying to eat.

My mom, Babyface, and I also took a trip to the farm to pick apples.  We've eaten plenty and I'm going to make applesauce. I can hardly wait for the first fire of the season.  I love the way a wood burning fire smells.  

I've been trying out some new soup recipes in crock jr. Before long I'll have flannels on the bed.  They are so cozy I even have flannel crib sheets for Babyface too. And my collection of pashminas and cashmere wraps will soon come out of hibernation.

What is your favorite thing about fall? 

Grateful Thursday

Green Monster

Today I am grateful for my exercise bike on this very chilly morning, a new blender jar since I broke the last one after making a Green Monster, writerly ambitions, mom friends, non-food treats, clean towels, and that Babyface loves to help do chores.

The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog

The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog is certain to make you laugh out loud at least once.

Untidy and un-crafty Lancaster spends a year trying to emulate Martha Stewart in a suburban home run amok by cats and pit bulls.  Lancaster tackles holidays, knitting, organizing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, entertaining and more and finds some things life changers (slow cooker!) and others not so much.  Gold spray painted pumpkins aren't my thing but now I want to have an alphabetized spice rack.

Jen Lancaster writes amusing nonfiction though some books are better than others.  This one is almost as good as her first, Bitter is the New Black.  If you're traveling over the holidays and need something entertaining, this is a good choice.

Free Advice 2

Grateful Thursday

Today I am grateful for going to bed early last night and rising early this morning, getting in 2.5 miles before sunrise, library books, that the blender jar I broke is replaceable in plastic, Amazon, seeing cute babies on FaceTime, guilty pleasure TV, pretty toenails, resisting the lure of the Balducci's treat tray and am still sugar free, that Babyface loves to help with chores, like throwing things in the garbage and unloading the dishwasher, and getting in my bonus walks.

October 15

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  Last year a very dear friend had a stillborn son. I have never been heartbroken for someone before. The loss has changed her profoundly. It's so hard to talk about. What I do know is this: Her baby will be remembered and loved.

The saddest book either of us will ever read, Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby, was tremendously helpful.  It helped her deal with her grief and it helped me to understand what she was going through much better and be a supportive friend.  I have probably started hundreds of sentences with the phrase, "The book says.."

On his birthday this year, I made a donation to help the important research of the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth in his name. Though I haven't mentioned this on the blog before, Babyface was born prematurely.  Even though he is two years and three months old, when I talk about it or even think about it very much, I burst into tears.

On October 15, people are invited to light a candle at 7 pm in their time zone and let it burn for at least an hour. The result is an international wave of light that lasts for 24 hours in remembrance of the babies who died during pregnancy or shortly after birth.

In America, stillbirths occur in 1 out of every 160 pregnancies.  For more information, visit March of Dimes.  For pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or early infant loss support, visit Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support.

Déjà Vu

I was looking online for links to old news articles that I wrote when I came across my name mentioned in a journal that did not sound familiar.

A few clicks later, I came across a photograph I took.  I had completely forgotten that it made the cover of a literary journal back in 2007.

I took this picture in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, in 2006, the year before it was published.  My mom lived in Mexico for many years and my siblings and I visited more than a few times.  Sometimes we would take the deluxe bus to other places and Tlaquepaque was one of the places that we traveled.  We were there in December, after Christmas, and it felt like summer. My siblings, mom, and I perused the artisan's market, walked around the historical district, and ate authentic and delicious food. 

How could I forget something great, like having a photograph make the cover of a wonderful if slightly obscure literary journal?  What other great things have I forgotten?

Bargain Day: Santa Baby

Yes, I know I recently lamented Christmas creep.  But when I saw this Babyface-sized Santa outfit for $6 at a toddler consignment sale, I couldn't resist. It's even more adorable on.

I take Babyface to get his picture taken about every other month and he will definitely be wearing this next. I'm crazy about professional photos of him and our family.

Today In One Sentence

This morning I rose before daybreak to do some writing and fiction submitting, fed and played with Babyface, took him to be minded at a friend's (we swap), got five minutes away and realized I had the diaper bag with me, went back and dropped it off, ran errands (sans toddler = efficient), ate and ran into someone I hadn't seen in a long time, went to the store for mushrooms, almond milk, and canned pumpkin, picked Babyface up and got a good report, put him down for a nap at home, worked on my laptop, walked to the park, met up with some moms for playground fun and a walk, a 10% chance of rain turned into a 100% chance when it started raining, I walked more, made fish tacos for dinner (so-so) for the first time, dined with My Heart's Desire, watched a little Netflix, and am going to bed early.

tiny beautiful things

tiny beautiful things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
by Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild

Read it.  Read it now.

Grateful Tuesday

Today I am grateful for exercising consistently, the lovely rain, making a CD of all happy songs to wake up to, having become a morning person, dressing Babyface in my old, groovy toddler clothes, that I got a hot shower before the water heater went out,

Vintage toddler outfit

grapes, making plans, coupons, having a date with My Heart's Desire on the books, looking forward to my mom's visit next week, and the adorable photographs of my friend's newborn baby.

Chicken Salad Salad

Since it's nearly 90*, I had to shelve the soups for a bit and make a summery salad.  I had leftover chicken from some homestyle roasted chicken so I decided to make some chicken salad for the following day's lunch. I had it on greens and it was delicious. 

Chicken Salad Ingredients:
Chopped leftover chicken

A little light mayo (go very lightly, you don't want it to be gloppy)

Chopped celery

Chopped onion (frozen is fine)

Garlic salt

Pepper

Chicken Salad Salad Ingredients:

Chicken salad

Grapes

Diced apple

Grape tomatoes

Sliced almonds

Mixed greens (I like the kind with veggies) 

Balsamic vinaigrette  

 

Chicken Salad Salad

Put the greens, grapes, apples, grape tomatoes, almonds and balsamic vinaigrette into a big colander and mix well with a pair of tongs.  Then add the chicken salad and give it one stir with the tongs.  I really like fruit and nuts in salads.  It is great!  

The Lost Husband

Katherine Center's The Lost Husband features Libby, a broke single mom, widowed for one year and living with her volatile mother in Houston.  When Libby relieves an invitation from her estranged, zany aunt to move in with her kids and work on her goat farm in a tiny Texas town, Libby jumps at the chance. The city-girl-adapts-to-farm-life story has its appeal, and this one features handsome farmers, a former celebrity turned quasi-psychic, square dancing, and goats with names like Lady Bird Johnson, Toni Morrison, and Helen of Troy.

Libby and her family adjust to life on the farm and I found the story very charming.  I kept reading because I was waiting for a twist, and there was one, but not the one I was expecting, which I liked.  Libby grows in small bursts and connects in meaningful ways to her family as well as to other characters. I found it charming and enjoyable.

This is the second book that I've read recently where a single woman goes to rural Texas to find herself.  The first was Liza Palmer's Nowhere But Home. I wonder if finding yourself in small Texas town is going to become a fiction sub-genre, like a few years ago when there were a zillion books with wife in the title.

Grateful Tuesday

Today I am grateful for breaking out my super-cozy fleece lined sweatshirt, Washingtonian's Cheap Eats issue, duct tape (keeps Babyface's diapers on), fast typing skills, plans with friends, caffeine free diet Dr. Pepper, letting others have time to mull, late season tomatoes, that My Heart's Desire is tech-y, not wanting sugar free candy when it was passed around in class yesterday, and for singing really loudly and off-key.