Baby It's Cold Outside!

It's snowing in Houston!!!  We were driving to our playgroup PJ's and Christmas Ornament exchange and I started seeing snow flurries.  They melted as soon as they hit the ground, but after about 30 mins it started sticking.  The whole city is white!  Zachary got to play in his first snow.  He thought it was hilarious, looking up at it coming down... sticking to his lashes and face.  We're expecting 2-4 inches!  I took a few pics with my phone camera, but I'll get some video of Zachary in the snow when he wakes up from his nap.

Meal Plan - Week of Nov 30

Mon - Leftovers

Tues - Pork Tenderloin "Dragged Thru the Garden"

Weds - Leftovers

Thurs - Curry Pork n Rice

Fri - Spicy Pumpkin Chili

Sat - going to a White Elephant Gift Exchange Party

Sun -

Meal Plan - Week of Nov 23

Mon - something from LoCal's

Tues - out with John and Elizabeth (here from San Francisco)

Weds - ???

Thurs - THANKSGIVING (see previous post for menu)

Fri - Leftovers

Sat - Leftovers

Sun - Leftovers?

Thanksgiving

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year!  We're expecting about 12 guests (10 family, 2 friends).  John and Elizabeth (from San Francisco) are staying with us Tues-Fri that week.  Here is the menu:

Cajun Fried Turkey
Sausage Rice Dressing
Sweet Potato Crunch
Green Bean Casserole
Broccoli Salad
Red Beets (for Jamin)
Cranberry Cherry Relish
Giblet Gravy
Artichoke Dip
Deviled Eggs
Ambrosia Salad
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Chocolate Mousse Pie

Wow, that's a lot of food!  I'm going to start cooking on Wednesday since we only have one oven.  Wish us luck!

Meal Plan - Week of Nov 16

Mon - Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry

Tues - Spicy Italian Sausage and Tomatoes

Weds - Lupe Tortillas

Thurs - Pei Wei

Fri - Chicken Tacos

Sat - BBQ Pork Ribs

Sun - Grilled Chicken Salad

Fun in Florida

Zachary took is 3rd airplane trip last week.  We went to Tampa/Clearwater, FL to visit Gigi and Uncle Jason (my MIL and BIL) and Mandy.  I was really nervous about how he would do on the flight sitting in my lap for 2 1/2 hours, but of course he did great.  It was a full flight but we got lucky and got a window seat and Zachary played with an Elmo sticker book the whole time.  Gigi picked us up at the airport and we all stayed at Uncle Jason's house.  Jason and Mandy have a big dog named Scout that Zachary just loved!  He liked to give her hugs.  We went to the beach where Zachary chased the gulls and collected shells (the water was too cold to swim).  We took him to a park where Jamin used to play when he was little.  We went to a children's museum and a bouncy house place.  Jamin flew in for the last 3 days of our visit.  We got to meet Uncle Matt and Aunt Phyllis who brought an "Elmo Live" doll for Zachary.  Elmo sings and dances, tells stories and jokes... he's pretty funny.  One night Mandy and her sister made sushi at home and it was delicious!  Better than Sushihana here in Katy for sure.  The day before we left we took Zachary to visit his Great Grandparents.  It was a great trip!

Meal Plan - Week of Nov 2

 Mon - Lettuce Wrap Tacos

Tues - Pork Tenderloin

Weds - Tilapia with Spinach Pecan Pesto

Thurs - Sun - in FL visiting Gigi

Zachary's Learning the Alphabet

Click on the arrow to view the video of Zachary naming the letters on his Elmo step stool! He also surprised me this morning when he started spelling his name! He was looking at the letters of his name on the wall and said them all in order. My little smarty pants!!!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I always look forward to October when Starbucks brings back their Pumpkin Spice Latte.  I had one yesterday after dropping Z off at preschool.  But Starbucks is too expensive to get more than once in a while.  So I searched the internet and found a version that I can make at home.  It comes pretty close. 

1 cup milk
1-2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons pumpkin (from a can)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 - 1/2 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee

In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar, and pumpkin.  Bring to a light boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.  Whisk until frothy.  Pour mixture over espresso.  Top with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.  Enjoy!

Meal Plan - Week of Oct 26

Meal planning a week in advance is definitely saving me time and money!  I'm also coming up with some yummy and healthy menu ideas!!!

Mon - Leftover pot roast and veggies

Tues - Sausage, Broccoli and Parmesan Brown Rice Dinner

Weds - Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

Thurs -Leftovers

Fri - Scallops in White Wine over Whole Wheat Angel Hair with Asparagus Tips

Sat - Making Roasted Apple Cream n Caramel Brownies for a Halloween Party!

Sun - Pizza

Pet PEEves

As most of you know my cat, Duchess, is terminally ill with intestinal lymphoma which has spread to her blood.  We found this out in January '09 and were told she had about 6-8 weeks to live.  Well I must have a miracle cat because it's been 9 months!  I am thankful for the extra time with her.  She is eating okay (soft canned food and sometimes dry food), but I am sad to say that she is a little frail and lethargic.  Here is where the pet PEEve comes in... she has decided that it is easier to pee and poop right outside the litter box instead of IN it.  ARGH!  I took the lid off the box, but that didn't help.  Cat pee is nasty!  Poop too, but it's the cat pee smell that stays in your nose (and house) long after you clean it up.  We had scrap carpet down in the laundry room under the litter box, but it got nasty so we threw it out.  Now we have the whole laundry room lined with newspaper.  I don't know what to do.  She is dying and I can't get mad at her, but come on!  Anyone got a solution to eliminating cat pee smell from tile grout?  I am embarrassed to have anyone over.

Btw, I have already decided that we are not getting any more animals for a long time after Duchess passes.  I mean, like, 5-8 years!  I am so tired of litter boxes, cat hair, etc.  I love Duchess, but I'll be ready for a break.

Meal Plan Monday - Week of Oct 19

Mon - Chicken Parmesan and Steamed Broccoli

Tues - Broiled Orange Chili Chicken Breasts and Salad

Weds - Jerked Chicken with Acorn Squash

Thurs - Leftovers

Fri - Pork Tenderloin "Dragged Through the Garden" with Roasted Asparagus and Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Sat - Leftovers

Sun - Pot Roast with Roasted Fall Vegetables

Swine Flu

So, Jamin came down with the flu last week.  All three of us started taking Elderberry Extract which exhibits proven anti-viral properties, as well as vitamins C, D, and echinacea.  Jamin's flu was very mild and short-lived and neither Zachary nor I caught it.  It was probably the swine flu since that is what is going around currently (we are not quite in regular flu season yet.)  I have to say that the illness is just what I expected --- a much milder form of the regular seasonal flu.  I am sure that Zachary and I were exposed, which is good since we have probably built up some sort of antibodies to it now.  Much better than getting the vaccine with all the chemicals in it. And according to epidemiologists, up to 60% of people who are exposed to or infected with the swine flu will exhibit no symptoms.  That is good news for us because we were in contact with it and are now likely immune. 

18 Reasons Our Family Will Not Be Getting the Flu Vaccines

I'll preface this by saying that this is the right decision for MY family.  It might not be the right one for your family.  Do your research and make an INFORMED decision. 

In my opinion, this year it is more important that we protect our family and loved ones from the flu vaccines than from influenza itself.

In his article published on LewRockwell.com, Bill Sardi details 18 reasons why you should not vaccinate your children against the flu this season.  Here they are paraphrased:

1. This flu is simply another flu. It is not unusually deadly. In fact, the H1N1 swine flu in circulation is less deadly than many other influenza outbreaks. The first 1000 confirmed swine flu cases in Japan and China produced zero deaths. The Centers for Disease Control alleges 36,000 Americans succumb to the flu each year, but so far, since March through August of 2009 (6 months), the swine flu has been attributed to ~500–600 deaths in the US. The swine flu of 2009 has already swept through the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season without alarm. Only exaggerated reports have been issued by the World Health Organization regarding hospitalizations required during the flu season in South American countries. Getting exposed to influenza and developing natural antibodies confers resistance for future flu outbreaks. Artificially boosting antibodies by exposure to flu viruses in vaccines is more problematic than natural exposure. Americans have been exposed to the H1N1 swine flu throughout the summer of 2009 with far fewer deaths and hospitalizations than commonly attributed to the seasonal flu.

2. Health authorities tacitly admit prior flu vaccination programs were of worthless value. This is the first time both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines will be administered. Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. Very young children and older frail adults, the high-risk groups in the population, may not produce sufficient antibodies in response to the flu vaccine. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless. The same people who brought you the ineffective vaccines in past years are bringing you this year’s new vaccines. Can you trust them this time?

3. In addition to failure to produce sufficient antibodies, this swine flu vaccine is brought to you by the same people who haven’t been able to adequately produce a seasonal flu vaccine that matches the flu strain in circulation. In recent years flu vaccination has been totally worthless because the strains of the flu in circulation did not match the strain of the virus in the vaccines. Authorities claim the prevalent flu strain in circulation in mid-September ’09 is the H1N1 swine flu, which appears to be milder than past seasonal influenza in circulation. If this data is correct, why receive the seasonal flu shot this year?

4. The vaccines will be produced by no less than four different manufacturers, possibly with different additives (called adjuvants) and manufacturing methods. The two flu inoculations may be derived from a multi-dose vial and in a crisis, and in short supply, it will be diluted to provide more doses and then adjuvants must be added to trigger a stronger immune response. Adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost production of antibodies but may trigger autoimmune reactions. Some adjuvants are mercury (thimerosal), aluminum and squalene. Would you permit your children to be injected with lead? Lead is very harmful to the brain. Then why would you sign a consent form for your kids to be injected with mercury or aluminum, which are even more brain-toxic than lead? Injecting mercury and aluminum may fry the brains of American kids.

5. This is the first year mock vaccines have been used to gain FDA approval. Mock vaccines are made to gain approval of the manufacturing method and then the prevalent virus strain in circulation is added just days before it is actually placed into use. Don’t subject your children to experimental vaccines. Yes, these vaccines have been tested on healthy kids and adults, but they are not the same vaccines your children will be given. Those children with asthma, allergies, type I diabetes, etc. are at greater risk for side effects. Children below the age of 2 years do not have a sufficient blood–brain barrier developed and are subject to chronic brain infections that emanate into symptoms that are called autism. Toddlers should not be subjected to injected viruses.

6. Over-vaccination is a common practice now in America. American children are subjected to 29 vaccines by the age of two. This means a little bit of disease is being injected into young children continually during their most formative years! Veterinarians have backed off of repeat vaccinations in dogs because of observed side effects.

7. Health officials want to vaccinate women during pregnancy, subjecting the fetal brain to an intentional biological assault. A recent study showed exposure to flu viruses among women during pregnancy provokes a similar gene expression pattern in the fetus as that seen in autistic children. This is a tacit admission that vaccines, which inject a little bit of influenza into humans, causes autism.

8. Modern medicine has no explanation for autism, despite its continued rise in prevalence. Yet autism is not reported among Amish children who go unvaccinated. Beware the falsehoods of modern medicine.

9. School kids are likely to receive nasally-administered vaccines (Flu-Mist) that require no needle injection. But this form of live vaccine produces viral shedding which will surely be transmitted to family members. What a way to start an epidemic!  (Stay away from those who have received the Flu-Mist vaccine for at least 5 days.  There is a possibility that they can transmit the flu virus to you through viral shedding.)


10. This triple reassortment virus appears to be man made. Virologists admit this part swine flu/part avian flu/part human flu virus must have taken time to develop. But it somehow wasn’t detected by hundreds of flu monitoring stations across the globe. On April 24, 2009 Dr. John Carlo, Dallas County Medical Director, alludes that the H1N1 strain of the Swine flu as possibly being engineered in a laboratory. He says: "This strain of swine influenza that’s been cultured in a laboratory is something that’s not been seen anywhere actually in the United States and the world, so this is actually a new strain of influenza that’s been identified." (Globe & Mail, Canada)

11. Recall the swine flu scare of 1976. In a politically charged atmosphere where Gerald Ford was seeking election to the Presidency, the swine flu suddenly appeared at a military base. Vaccine was produced and millions of Americans were vaccinated. But the vaccine was worse than the disease, causing hundreds of cases of Guillain Barre syndrome and a few deaths. In a replay of the past, the White House is directly involved in promoting the H1N1 2009 swine flu vaccine. The federal government will use federal funds to pay off schools to administer vaccines, promote vaccination via highway billboards and TV advertisements, and conduct military-style mass inoculations in such rapid fashion that if side effects occur, it will be too late. The masses will have been vaccinated already. Over $9 billion has been allotted by the federal government to develop and deliver an unproven and experimental flu vaccine. Don’t be a guinea pig for the government.

12. Researchers are warning that over-use of the flu vaccine and anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza can apply genetic pressure on flu viruses and then they are more likely to mutate into a more deadly strain. U.S. health authorities want 70% of the public to be vaccinated against the flu this ’09 season, which is more than double the vaccination percentage of any prior flu season. This would certainly apply greater genetic pressure for the flu to mutate into a more virulent strain.

13. Most seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus strains tested from the United States and other countries are now resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Tamiflu has become a nearly worthless drug against seasonal flu. According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control, among 1148 seasonal flu samples tested, 1143 (99.6%) were resistant to Tamiflu!

14. As the flu season progresses the federal government may coerce or mandate Americans to undergo vaccination. France has already ordered enough vaccine to inoculate their entire population and has announced that vaccination will be mandatory. The U.S. appears to be waiting to announce mandatory vaccination at a later date when it can scare the public into consenting to the vaccine. The federal government is reported to be hiring people to visit homes of unvaccinated children. This sounds like the Biblical account of Pharaoh attempting to eradicate all the young Israelite baby boys. Must we hide our babies now?

15. Public health authorities have cried wolf every flu season to get the public to line up for flu shots. Health authorities repeatedly publish the bogus 36,000 annual flu-related deaths figure to scare the public into getting flu shots. But that figure is based on the combined deaths from pneumonia in the elderly and the flu. Maybe just 5000–6000 or so flu-related deaths occur annually, mostly among individuals with compromised immune systems, the hospitalized, individuals with autoimmune disease or other health problems. As stated above, the swine flu in full force has only resulted in ~500–600 deaths in the first six months in circulation and it is far more dreaded by public health authorities than the seasonal flu. The Centers for Disease Control issues a purchase order for flu vaccines and then serves as the public relations agency to get the public to pay for the vaccines. Out of a population of 325 million Americans, only 100 million doses of flu vaccine have been administered each year and no epidemic has erupted among the unvaccinated.

16. The news media is irresponsible in stirring up unfounded fear over this coming flu season. Just exactly how ethical is it for newspapers to publish reports that a person has died of the swine flu when supposedly thousands die of the flu annually? In the past the news media hasn’t chosen to publicize each and every flu-related death, but this time it has chosen to frighten the public. Why? The late flu season of 2009 peaked in week 23 (early June) and has dissipated considerably. While every childhood flu-related death should be considered tragic, and the number of flu-related pediatric deaths in 2009 is greater than prior flu seasons as a percentage, in real numbers it is not a significant increase.  According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control, for week 34 ending August 29, 2009, there were 236 hospitalizations and 37 deaths related to the flu. That would represent just 5 hospitalizations and less than one death per State, which is "below the epidemic threshold."

17. Public health officials are irresponsible in their omission of any ways to strengthen immunity against the flu. No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease where the lungs fill up with fluid and literally drown a flu-infected person. In addition, Black Elderberry extract has been proven in research studies to keep the H1N1 virus from binding to human cells, thus making it unable to reproduce.  The only plausible explanation as to why the flu season typically peaks in winter months is a deficiency of sunlight-produced vitamin D. Protect your family. Arm your immune system with vitamins and trace minerals.

18. Will we ever learn if the flu vaccine this year is deadly in itself? In 1993 the federal government hid a deadly flu vaccine that killed thousands of nursing home patients. It was the first year that flu shots were paid for by Medicare. The vaccine-related mortality was so large that this set back the life expectancy of Americans for the first time since the 1918 Spanish flu! Mortality reports take a year or two to tabulate and the federal government may choose not to reveal the true mortality rate and whether it was related to the flu or the vaccines. You say this couldn’t happen? It did in 1993!

Meal Plan Monday - Week of Oct 12

Now that all the high school reunions, family get-togethers, and weddings are over Jamin and I are getting back in shape.  And that means eating better too.  It's time for Phase I of the Atkins Diet.  (Before you leave any comments on how bad you think Atkins is, do a little research and check out my recipes.  It is not all bacon and cheese!  It's definitely a lot healthier than most people eat.)  Here's what we're having:

Mon - Chicken Spaghetti (using spaghetti squash for the "noodles")

Tues - Leftovers (Stuffed Peppers and/or Chicken Spaghetti)

Weds - Beef Stroganoff (no pasta or rice)

Thurs - Baked Tilapia with Lemon and Dill; Steamed Broccoli

Fri - Jerked Chicken Salad (we didn't have this last week... had chicken soup instead because Jamin was sick)

Sat -Mini Italian Meatloaves and Cucumber, Tomato and Green Onion Salad

Sun - Stir-Fried Thai Chicken with Basil

My Little Brother Got Married!

My little brother got married!!!  I am very happy for him and his new wife, Tia.  I pray that they have a very long and happy life together.  The wedding took place on Friday, Oct 9, the date of my late mother's birthday.  It was a nice way to honor my mom's memory.  It was a very emotional night for me.  Chad and Tia had set up a tribute to my mom (a picture and candles) which was displayed on the alter during the ceremony.  Dinah stepped in to fill the mother-of-the-groom role.  I couldn't have asked for a better person to be the MOG for Chad.  When I saw them dancing during the mother/son dance at the reception, though, I got very emotional.  It was hard just knowing that my mom wasn't there in person and it totally caught me off guard.  I didn't expect to have that reaction.  I also got to spend some time with my older brothers and sisters - Terri, Sheryl, Ken and Randy, who I don't see but about every 5 years or so.  My little Zachary was the ring bearer.  He was dressed so cute and he ran down the aisle when it was his turn and everyone cracked up.  It was an awesome night! 

                                                                      Tia and Chad

Zachary checking himself out

Me and Chad

Meal Plan Monday - Week of Oct 5

I've been getting better and better at planning meals around what's on sale at the grocery store, what we already have in the fridge/freezer/pantry, and what I have coupons for. On Mondays I try to plan at least 5 days worth of meals for the week so I know what we're having each night and don't have to scramble at the end of every day to figure out what to cook for dinner. The other two nights I leave for leftovers or special occasions to eat out. Here is what we're having this week:

Mon - Turkey, Spinach and Pesto Meatloaf
Fiery Corn

Tues - Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
Asparagus in Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Weds - Chipotle Beef Burgers with Fire Roasted Garlic Ketchup

Thurs - (my brother's rehearsal dinner)

Fri - (my brother's wedding)

Sat - Jerked Chicken Salad

Sun - Stuffed Tri-Color Peppers

Zerberts for Zachary

Zachary loves it when Daddy "zerberts" his neck. He signs "more" and tries to pull Daddy's face to his neck. It is so funny.

Zachary Laughing

Click on the triangle to view the video.

Noah's Ark

Gigi came into town and we decided to take Zachary to Noah's Ark splash pad yesterday. The water is only 6 inches deep with toddler sized water slides and little animals that spray water. He had a blast!



He loves the slide



My son the fish

A Day at the Beach

We took Zachary to Galveston beach a few days ago. He LOVED it! This boy has no fear. He went right for the water and kept on walking thru the waves. (Great, give mommy a heart attack!)

And Baby Makes Four?

No, not ours... I am keeping a friend's new baby during the week. Little baby Ethan is about 12 weeks old now and so cute! Zachary loves to say "baba" (baby) and then go over and put his head on baby Ethan's arm, giving him some love. Zachary is fascinated by Ethan and he "helps" me by trying to put Ethan's pacifier back in his mouth when it falls out. This is a great learning experience for both myself and Zachary (and Jamin too, hehe). Jamin asked me the other day if, since taking care of both Zachary and Ethan, I think I could handle another one (ours). That is certainly a question worth a lot of thought. I would love to have another baby, and handling Zachary and Ethan has been pretty easy so far. But how would it be with the serious sleep deficit that comes with having your own newborn? Anyone who knows me, knows I don't do well on lack of sleep. And I really like just having Zachary and being able to focus on him as he grows up. There are a lot of advantages to a singleton. But another child would be wonderful too. Zachary would have a playmate as they got older. He'd have that close sibling bond. I think we'll just wait and see what God has planned for us.

Zachary and Baby Ethan

Zachary's Splash Pad

Okay, so I ordered what I thought was a baby pool for Zachary to play in in the backyard. What I got was more like a splash pad, though it turned out to be perfect for him because it's not too deep. You don't have to blow it up with air. (Thank goodness, I get dizzy just blowing up balloons!) You just hook up a garden hose and it fills little inner channels with water. It has random "holes" all over it so that water will squirt up. Zachary loved trying to catch the water in his mouth as it squirted up, and then he thought it was funny to stick his face down in the water. And he loves the fishies and other aquatic life pictured on it.

(The very bright sun came out from behind a cloud, so the video is a little washed out.)

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is always a little bittersweet for me. Having lost my mom to cancer when I was only 27 hasn't gotten any easier, just more manageable. As I celebrate the joys of being a mom to the most wonderful baby boy in the world, I miss having my own mom here to share those joys with. I'm sad that Zachary won't know her as he grows up, and she won't get to hold him in her arms and feel his baby soft skin against her cheek. I think about her all the time and hope she knows how much she is loved and missed. I know that she is looking down from Heaven with a big smile on her face as she watches us.

I know my mom is glad too that I do have two amazing mothers in my life - Dinah, my step-mom, and Kathy, my mother-in-law. They definitely make it a bit easier, and I am glad that Zachary has two wonderful grandma's (Mimi and Gigi) in his life who love him and who he gets to have that close relationship with. So on this mother's day, I remember my mom and all the wonderful mother's who love, nurture, pray for, encourage, teach and cherish their children every day.

Zachary's First Haircut

Zachary got his first haircut on May 1. He had the "toddler mullet" going and although he was still cute, he needed it cut. He got to sit in the Fire Engine seat and watch Thomas the Tank Engine on the DVD player. He did so well. He wasn't scared, didn't fuss or anything. (There was actually a bigger boy that came in after us (you can see him in the background of the video) that threw a fit.) I was so proud of Zachary for being such a good boy and his hair is so cute short!

Watching Thomas the Tank Engine on the DVD Player



Spiking it up like Daddy's



No more mullet!

Easter

We spent Easter at Honey and Mimi's house with Gigi (who flew in from FL), and Zachary's four cousins and their families. Easter egg hunting was a hoot. Last year Zachary was only about 2 1/2 months old, so this was his first real Easter!

Of course the real reason for the celebration is that Jesus is Risen!

My first blog

Ok, so I'm gonna take a gamble at blogging. I've never been into journaling, so this might be a challenge.