My Resolutions for 2011 (Plus, Another Dancing Video, Just Because!)

First of all, if you're already sick of reading everyone's New Year's Resolutions, you can just skip down to the bottom of this post, where I've thoughtfully added another dancing video. In this one, Nick is dancing around shirtless, in jeans, with a bucket on his head. Just for fun.

I'm guessing that 2011 will be a pretty busy year for me, and I want to make my resolutions attainable. I made resolutions last year, and while I didn't do too badly, I want to have more success than last year. Here is my recap of last year's resolutions. Some of my resolutions this year will be similar, but I also have some changes. Here we go:

1. Devote plenty of time to playing/reading/singing/building with Nick. I think I do a pretty darned good job of this already, but if I don't make it a priority, I'm afraid it will fall by the wayside. Spending quality time with my son (plus the new baby, when he comes along) has to be my #1 resolution. I'm hoping that as Nick matures this year, he can have fun helping me with things that I like to do, such as cooking and gardening. Last year he mostly ate the dirt and threw the flour, but he understands much better lately. Plus, I'm not afraid of a little mess. (Or a big one!)

2. Do whatever it takes to keep my body healthy. As for eating healthy, I've been most successful with eating only when I'm hungry and indulging cravings in small amounts. Right now, I'm mostly concerned with the pregnancy and the physical therapy, but I'd also like to either walk or work out on the elliptical trainer at least a little bit, now that I'm past the first trimester. Greg is bringing it in from the garage right now, so I won't be able to ignore it.

3. Properly back up and organize my pictures and files.About a year and a half ago I bought a backup drive, and it suddenly stopped working a few months later.  No one from either the company or any experts could help me--they all said to just buy a new one. I'm thinking when our tax returns come in, I can get a new drive and have everything organized properly. We wouldn't want pictures like the one below lost.

4. Be easier on myself. I've often felt guilty for not being a good enough mother/wife/teacher/housekeeper. This year, my goal is to concentrate on what I enjoy. For example, I will stop blaming myself for not being able to keep things organized, and instead I'll spend that time doing things that earn me money. For example, last year I earned well over $800 by posting lesson plans and powerpoints on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I spent that money on a cleaning lady who can do in 5 hours what would take me an entire weekend (if I even finished it at all.) I need to find more ways to reallocate my time like this so that I'm not wasting time on things I hate. For me, this probably means spending more time writing or tutoring, and then using the money I earn to outsource the tasks that are time-suckers.

5. (Same goal as last year) I want to have more dates with my husband. Once we have two children, this will be harder, but we need to find a way. We have never once regretted going out by ourselves.

6. Get rid of crap. I have clothing in sizes 8-12, and at least 50 pairs of shoes (size 9, mostly) that have barely been worn. Now that my doctor is telling me I have to wear thick, heavy orthotics, most of my shoes are useless. I need to either have a garage sale, list some things on ebay, or donate some stuff as a last resort. Let me know if you're interested.  :)

7. Somehow keep up with my gardening and indoor plant tending, despite being in the last trimester of pregnancy during the spring. I'm a fair weather gardener, literally. This means that if it is the least bit cold, or wet, or humid, I get neglectful about my gardening. Greg has promised to help, but I really want to have a decent garden this year, even if it is small.

8. Writing. I really enjoy writing, and blogging specifically. I'd like to keep up with my average of about 15 posts per month on this blog. I'd also like to investigate other ways I can earn money with my writing, even though the economy still isn't doing too well.


Okay, boring resolutions over. Now for the fun stuff. Here's Nick posing in his jeans and shaking his groove thing.

What on Earth is a bento?

Lately I've been reading a lot of blogs with healthy recipes, and I kept hearing about bento lunches. I'd never heard of a bento, so I looked it up. A bento lunch is a small, traditional Japanese lunch served in small boxes. When they're for children, some moms go crazy and decorate all of the food to make it fun. I don't have a kid in school, but I thought that it might be neat to get a bento set, just for fun. So I went to ebay and bought a bento kit.

It was smaller than I thought, but very cute, what with the little bananas and all. But the saying printed on the case made me crack up. You can tell it was (badly) translated. I love it!

This translation is perfect for one of my favorite sites, Engrish Funny, which shows examples of bad translations around the world. I think I'm going to send it in. I love showing these examples to my students, especially when they know the language. That way they can tell me why it was mistranslated. It makes them feel really smart.

So here is my very first bento box lunch. I had a spinach salad with a hard boiled egg, red and yellow peppers, and croutons. I didn't want the pieces to get soggy, so I put tomatoes, cucumbers, and blueberries in the other box. I used those silicone baking cups to separate the ingredients. Best of all, my bento set came with chopsticks. I love eating with chopsticks, though I'm probably only as good with them as a Japanese five-year-old. For some reason, they make eating anything more interesting. They certainly make me more conscious of what I'm putting into my mouth.

I brought my bento lunch to summer school with me last week, and all of my students were fascinated with it. They said things like, "Wow, that looks really yummy!" And this from kids who often eat nothing but cheetos and chocolate milk. I thought it was great that they were interested in my healthy food, but I think the special packaging was a part of it.

Nick went crazy for the chopsticks. He walked all over the house with them. I think it might be a few years before he can eat with chopsticks, but I definitely want to try bento boxes for him when he goes to preschool and elementary school. I might even try the more complicated ones and make Nick's eggs into little animals.

Brown Rice and Beans with Chicken Sausage

Nick loves to eat beans, whether they’re chickpeas or green beans or black beans. Last week, I made rice and beans for dinner, and boy, did he make a mess! This picture was taken after we took his bib off, if you can believe it.

This recipe is a favorite of his, and we make it quite often because it makes an insane amount of leftovers. Greg originally came up with the idea, although his version is more simple. Decently lowfat and healthy, this recipe provides fiber, protein, and vegetables. It’s also absolutely delicious, and it is quite cheap because I always make it when I have vegetables that are getting past their prime. For some reason, I never seem to get tired of this recipe. Enjoy!

Brown Rice and Beans with Chicken Sausage*


-3 T olive oil (or more, as needed)
-5 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 or 2 onions
-2 sweet peppers, chopped into little pieces
-5 cloves of garlic
-A couple of handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
-8 to 10 mushrooms, chopped into tiny pieces
-2 cans of stewed tomatoes, not drained
-2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
-6 Chicken Sausages, sliced (We use Chicken-Apple-Gouda Sausage from Costco)
-At least 1 t each of red pepper and garlic powder (or more)
-2 C Brown Rice
-Tons of parmesan cheese to pour on top

*Disclaimer--I do not typically measure when I cook. However, I've made this recipe with multiple variations of the above ingredients and it always turns out yummy.

1. Heat up the olive oil on medium heat, and add in the garlic, onions, and peppers. They take the longest to cook. Make sure you don't burn the garlic.

2. At the same time, cook the brown rice according to the directions on the bag. I usually make about 2 cups so that I have lots of leftovers.

3. Start tossing in the spinach, one handful at a time. You might need to add more olive oil, if it looks too dry. It should look like this.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Add in the mushrooms, the spices, and the two cans of tomatoes. Let it simmer for awhile (15 minutes, perhaps), stirring frequently. You're going to let some of the tomatoey liquid boil off. Taste it to make sure you have enough spices added. I often add more red pepper if I'm in a particularly spicy mood. It will look something like this.
 

4. Add in the beans (drained!) and the chicken sausage. Cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat, or until the mixture is somewhat thick. Serve over the brown rice, and dump as much parmesan as you'd like on top. The finished dinner looks something like this (pardon the bad photograph). I usually serve this recipe with broccoli, a half slice of bread with butter, and a glass of milk. Enjoy!

Munching on Apples and Daddy's Poulet Roti

Yup, somebody likes apples. My mother-in-law brought us Panera on Saturday, and I was good and got the apple instead of the potato chips. However, Nick decided that he was going to take custody of the apple for his own amusement. I guess we all figured he was just playing with it.

Nope, he was eating it, and enjoying every bite, apparently. I didn't know a 1-year-old could eat an apple the regular way. We'd always given it to him in little tiny chunks. I suppose I won't trust him with whole apples anymore. Not bad, though, for a little guy with only five teeth.

He's looking at me like, "Mom, what's the big deal? It's just an apple."

Amazing what five teeth can do. Nearly six, since he's teething. Plus Nicholas has a horrible cold, poor guy.  He's coughing pretty bad, but the doctor said it sounded like just a cold.  At least we're all eating pretty healthy. One of my really "unique" resolutions is to eat healthier food. We've been doing pretty well. I've been writing everything I eat down in a little book, and I did four elliptical trainer workouts and two pilates workouts last week. I'm trying to have reasonable expectations for myself.

Greg cooked a delicious dinner for us tonight. I got him a few fancy cookbooks for Christmas, and he used the French one to make Poulet Roti. It looked scrumptious and tasted even better. Nick was trying to grab it before it was even carved. Doesn't this chicken look awesome? I am very lucky to have a guy who can cook. Greg served the chicken on a platter with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. We also had fresh asparagus and baked red potatoes. My tummy is very happy, and the meal was pretty good for me, too. Nick sure loved it.

You'll notice in the background of that picture of Greg and Nick one of my neuroses. on the fridge another way I am trying to keep up with those darned resolutions. I do a list of lunches and dinners for each week, so that I don't buy too much food. It keeps us eating healthy and prevents me from stocking the fridge like a natural disaster is coming.

I hope the list helps keep me out of the grocery store. If I don't have a specific plan, I end up hitting the grocery store a couple of times a week, and every time I go in there I buy other random things. I've been pretty bad, at times, about having a fully stocked fridge. When I was in my early 20s, I went through a couple of years where I lived off Ramen and canned pork and beans. Since then, I feel like I need to keep the fridge full "just in case." The list is the only way I keep track and make sure there's enough to eat but not too much. It's a silly paranoia, I know, but I feel more comfortable knowing I could live off the food in my kitchen for weeks.

Resolutions for 2010

Nick looks a little wary about the new year. He isn't sure what it will bring, and he's a little nervous about what is to come. It is tough to be a toddler.

I'm not sure what his resolutions are, but I have a few in mind for myself. Not that resolutions usually matter by January 7th or so, but I figure it's worth a try. Something about writing down goals makes me more likely to at least attempt to stick to them. This year I want to make my resolutions attainable and reasonable. I also want to use the last day of every month to take account of how I'm doing. I'm going to try to make my last post each month an evaluation of my resolutions. So here goes. . .

Melissa's 2010 Resolutions

1. Exercise more. I don't want to set goals that are out of my league, but I think doing a cardio workout for at least 30 minutes, a minimum of 4 times a week is reasonable. That should make about 16+ workouts each month. I didn't buy an elliptical trainer for nothing.  : )

2. Continue reading to Nicholas every day. Right now I'm averaging about two books on a school night, and 4 or more on other nights. Already, he brings his favorite books to me and sits down on my lap. I want to continue reading to him every day. It is our special time.

3. Plan healthy meals each week. I am pretty good at eating healthy right now, but what will get me is if I don't have something planned for dinner. I've been known to munch on tortilla chips and call that dinner. If I have a plan, I tend to eat better. Weight loss is one goal, but not a resolution. No dieting. If I eat healthy, the last 20 lbs. of baby weight will come off once my thyroid is finally regulated.

4. Have more dates with my husband. As I re-discovered during our trip to Chicago, Greg and I have a lot in common, and we need to set aside some time to be a couple. Maybe we can finish using our dance lessons (he got me a gift certificate last year) or even go to a movie. I can't remember the last movie we went to. .

5. Start to organize my clothing better. The giant vortex that is our bedroom is filled with piles, stacks, and laundry baskets of clothing for every size, type, and season. I have so many clothes, and I keep buying more when I'd probably be okay if I could get it all put away each week. I need to spend less time desperately searching for specific clothing items. I've even been known to buy new things when I cannot find something. (I know, that's bad.) I think my first step will be to hang up everything I can find on Sunday, and pack up everything that doesn't fit. (Wishful thinking just wastes closet space.)

6. Be more positive. I am already much, much better about this than I was in my twenties, but I can improve. Cynicism is neither productive nor attractive, and I know of lots of ways to make myself feel better. My life is pretty awesome, and I need to dwell on the many wonderful things rather than the irritating things. I have a fulfilling job that I enjoy, where I can make a difference everyday. I have a husband and a son, both of whom I adore and are healthy and generally pleasant. We own our own home, have a large, loving extended family, and while we're not rich by any means, we can pay the bills despite the recession. I like my life.

7. Budget more. I'm not committing to anything crazy, but I think I can cut down on trips to the store if I plan a little better and know more about where my money is going. If I use a spreadsheet, this shouldn't be too hard. Small steps.

Well, seven resolutions doesn't sound too bad. I think I can swing these. I'm going to give it a shot, anyway. Now I'm off to put away some baby toys and have a nice glass of wine. Happy New Year, everyone!

TGIF

Another long week is finished, and I have a 3 day weekend to look forward to. . . TGIF indeed. This week (Sunday-Friday) I have worked out twice at the YMCA and done two pilates bodyband workouts. Each time I went to the Y I did 35 minutes on the elliptical trainer while keeping my heart rate somewhere between 125 and 135. Not too bad, but man am I tired.


Here is Nick doing his workout with the piano. He bangs until he's tired, and then he tries to use it to stand up. Then he cries when it falls over and he crashes into the keys. Nick doesn't have to worry about his weight, though. He looks cute when his belly sticks out. Me, not so much.


I also ate pretty healthy and slept well. Then came Friday. At my work, Fridays are "treat day." People who work in schools already know that they are evil places for those trying to lose weight. Each place has their own tradition, none of which is healthy. My school has Friday breakfasts. There are all sorts of selections, such as "sausage cheesy dip," "homemade chocolate cake with fudgy frosting," "brie with apples and craisins," "potato cheesy casserole," "tiny cupcakes with tons of frosting," "giant bagels with cream cheese," "yummy pesto with pine nuts, "amazingly large, soft cookies," "tortilla chips with salsa," and "giant bowl of fresh popcorn." With as many good cooks as my school has, it's surprising we're a school and not a restaurant. Fridays are my downfall. Today it was the brie and the popcorn. Yes, for breakfast. It was good. I had some level of moderation, but I still probably had more calories during the day than I have all week.

I am still going to try to do that pilates tape tonight, no matter how tired I am. I used to figure "What the heck, I already ruined the day." Then I would proceed to sit on my rear end and read, without any thought to exercise.

Today, though, I am going to try to work off that brie and chocolate cake by doing pilates until I can barely drag myself up the stairs. That is committment. :)

Nick is playing with his stuffed giraffe here, and grinning happily at the camera. He's just thrilled whenever I let him explore outside of the baby cage. This feeling of crawling freedom is heady and exciting for him. I think he probably feels the same way I did when I got my first driver's license.

He's also understanding more the way his toys work. Take his gumball machine, for an example. He finally figured out how to make the balls come out, and he loves pushing the lever again and again. Good for him. To be easily amused is a wonderful thing.

Wistfully Remembering Vacation

I am going to talk about the day we took my dad and stepmom to Brookfield Zoo. It was last week, back in the days of blissful summer vacation.

Here we are in front of the fountain. Nick was fascinated by the mechanical dinosaurs. Why do they have mechanical dinosaurs at the zoo? Why, to confuse little children, of course. "I want to see the elephants and the lions and the dinosaurs," one little girl exclaimed at the entrance. I'm not sure what their motivation is, but it sure gets the kids excited.

Here Nick is checking out the alligator and all of the birds in the swamp. I think he really liked seeing the different animals. It is very cool to see him respond to what he's seeing and hearing. As he gets bigger, he responds to things in different, more mature ways.






Here his grandma and grandpa are holding Nick at the butterfly gardens. The one at Brookfield Zoo was gorgeous, but I think there were more butterflies at Reiman Gardens. Nick was happy to see both. He is a first grandchild, so he gets to go lots of places with his four grandmas, three grandpas, and two great-grandmas.

I feel really lucky to have so much family wanting to spend time with Nick and cuddle him. They say that children grow up and reflect all the love that they were given; I believe Nick will have a lot of love to share.

Nick is petting, er, slapping, the goat. I'm not sure what kind of prozac they give these goats, but they sure were mellow. This poor goat even seemed to like Nick's manhandling. (Or would you call it babyhandling?)

One thing that I'm loving about being a mom is noticing how babies learn things. I know Nicholas so well that I pretty much notice as he's learning something new. Take today, for example: Nick is trying to learn how to pull up. I had him sitting in the baby cage while I made him dinner, and I was watching him pull his body up. He hadn't figured out what to do with his legs yet, so he would just hang there. But then he got an idea, and his face lit up. A lightbulb shined above his head and everything. Suddenly, he turned one leg underneath him. He tried to turn the other one, but couldn't. Still, he was able to pull pretty far on one knee and one foot.

Monday was my first day back to work, and school officially started today. I'm excited about the school year, and optimisic as well. I have a classroom with windows this year, and the sunlight coming in just makes me feel happy. I bought all these plants, so our room looks very homey. I also work with the friendliest people, so going to work is enjoyable. But boy, am I tired. I actually think I might go to bed early.

I'm trying really hard to stay on track with my healthy eating, working out, and blog posts. Nick was sick earlier this week and is still pretty crabby, but I'm very proud of how much I've still managed to accomplish. I worked out twice at the YMCA this week, did two Pilates Band workouts, and even turned down the sweets table at work yesterday. (Our PTA had a whole table of homemade goodies, and I never say no. But yesterday, I did.) Tomorrow I will try to do another Pilates workout. It has to stop hurting so bad at some point. I'm pretty sure I'll never look like the toned ladies in the video, though.

Healthy Banana Oat Bread with Blueberries

I got lost in the mall today for about 20 minutes. I genuinely couldn't remember where I had come in. I've heard it called baby brain, and I definitely have it. I decided to run into New York & Company because I had a coupon. Many of my shopping trips begin with that phrase: "Because I had a coupon." Anyhow, they had this huge sale, and I have a shortage of summer clothes that fit, because I still have 20 lbs. of baby weight, so they suckered me in. I'm walking out of the store, headed towards where I think I parked the car, when I realize that I'm walking in the wrong direction. I don't recognize any of the stores around me. It took going out two entrances to figure out where I had come in. Then I had to use the clicky locks on my car to figure out where I parked. (Don't pretend you've never done this. . .I can't remember what I did before they had clicky locks.)

On a different note, I love trying healthy recipes and then making them healthier or tastier. I found this one online and then made about 14 changes to it. This bread is mostly whole grain, with protein, fiber, and Omega-3s from the flax and wheat germ. It is also relatively low in sugar. The almonds add more protein, and cinnamon is good for your heart.

I also like recipes where the proteins and carbohydrates are balanced. I have trouble with hypoglycemia, and snacks such as this one help me keep my blood sugar stable. All the fiber helps me feel full, too. Healthy Banana Oat Bread with Blueberries

Ingredients:
¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup wheat germ
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup oatmeal
¼ cup milled flax
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon (plus more for sprinkling on top)
3 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs beaten
2+ cups mashed bananas (about 7 medium, very ripe)
1 cup of Splenda
½ cup white or brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil (or applesauce)
¼ to ½ cup sliced almonds (I actually crush these first, so I can’t taste them)
1 cup (or more) of frozen blueberries (you can also use chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Grease 2 medium bread pans.


3. Combine the flour, wheat germ, oats, flax, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon in a big bowl.


4. Use a mixer to combine the bananas, sugar, eggs, oil, and almonds.


5. Dump the wet batter into the dry.


6. Stir it until it is just moistened. Make sure you don’t mix too much!


7. Add the blueberries and stir just enough to distribute them. The key is not to stir too much!


8. Pour the batter into the bread pans. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top.


9. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.


10. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then take out of the pan and cool another 10 minutes.


11. Slice and store however you’d like. I freeze one loaf and have ready-to-go breakfasts.