Whew!

What a roller coaster, whirlwind, soap opera...life can be. I started blogging in the summer with every intention of being more consistent. Then life happened. Lice, hunting season and then Mark was seriously injured Labor day weekend. It feels like we have been playing catch up ever since. His arm is on the mend and it looks like we are past the critical stage when it looked like he might need a bone graft to correct the breaks.

This post finds me recuperating from one of the most vicious sore throats I can ever remember. Still feeling a little weak, but thankful that I can once again swallow small, soft items and breath without pain.

Isabella ran the jog-a-thon at her school last friday. Daddy told her that in addition to her pledges, he would take her to get a doughnut if she ran 25 laps. Unfortunately, the person recording her laps was a little sloppy with the tally marks. Isabella thought that she had reached the goal, but was actually 10 laps away. So, I dutifully got out there and jogged/walked with her to help keep her motivated.

Now that we are somewhat caught up, I thought I would share my menu for the week. More of just a log for me.

Monday 3/14 ~ Soup, Spinach Salad and Sour Dough
Today's soup was Beef and Barley. I like to submerge my sour dough roll, broken in pieces, in my soup. It seems to heighten my awareness of the sour flavor. My kids like to eat it by itself and Mark is somewhere inbetween.

Tuesday 3/15 ~ Salmon, Broccoli, Spinach Salad, Twice Baked Fingerling Potatoes
I was watching Dinner Impossible while I was physically unable to swallow. I can't wait to try these. Salmon will be baked with garlic, lemon and dill.

Wednesday 3/16 ~ Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Home Canned Green Beans, Salad
(yes, probably spinach again)

Thursday 3/17 ~ Stuffed Green Pepper Wheelbarrows, Green Fruit Salad, Green Garden Salad, Broccoli
The wheelbarrows will be stuffed with a traditional beef and rice mixture, but will be fashioned to look like these from Noodle and Doodle. The fruit salad will be a combination of kiwi, green grapes, pear, and granny smith apples. The green salad will include lettuce, spinach, celery, and cucumber. (This is also my Bunco night, so the family will be eating this menu without me)

Friday 3/18 ~ Peanut Chicken, Brown Rice and Cauliflower
Again, another shortcut dinner. I would eventually like to find a recipe for Peanut Sauce that I can make myself.

Saturday 3/19 ~ Dinner with Friends: Braised Pot Roast, Carrots, and Potatoes, Dinner Rolls and Salad

Sunday 3/20 ~ Beef Stew and Salad
I have been moving away from a heavy meal on Sunday because we enjoy having popcorn while watching AFV.

Roller Derby Darlings in Training

My friends were teasing me about Child Services taking my children due to an onslaught of recent injuries, which inspired this posting.

Some of you may not know that I sing on worship team at our church. I had made it to practice and through the first service like normal. I left after we finished singing and went home to pick up the family. I helped everyone finish getting ready and we were actually ahead of schedule. I was getting Tobias' hat when I heard the screaming. Talk about having your heart leap into your throat. Apparently Isabella had her hands in her pockets (there were no injuries to her palms) and was jostled by Natalia enough that she fell on her left side. Words cannot begin to describe the disbelief and fear when I saw her left side covered, head to toe, in dirt and gravel. You could see the violet bruise through all the muck. Luckily, Mark iced it right away and once she was cleaned up, the injuries were not as bad as they first appeared. We were late to second service and I had to sneak back on stage during the greeting time.

Injury #2 happened later that night while I was going to pick up our babysitter. Natalia decided that it was the perfect time to shave her face. Four razor blade impressions on her forehead, two razor blade impressions on each cheek and a cut on her upper lip that wouldn't stop bleeding. I'm still surprised that we were brave enough to leave them home with the babysitter.

Injury #3 Neither girl seems to comprehend the lesson of the monkeys that they know so well. Natalia decided to emmulate them and received injury number three when she fell off her bed and on to only who knows what (it changes each time you ask them and depends on which girl you ask). She received several gashes on the bridge of her nose.

I imagine by now you can reason out the title of this posting. My attempt to cope with the new look with a twisted since of humor.