It's a small world: October 2011

today was a glorious day
it rained and we stayed home
we played "my little ponies" which consists of me chasing bayley around in circles and i am the scary zebra pony and she is twilight sparkles
we made cupcakes and i learned if you don't use a mixer, they turn out better
i really do love having all our stuff in storage because its helping me learn what i can do without and what i cherish and miss (my le creuset soup pot and mom's cast iron skillet)
i made lentil vegetable soup and crescent rolls and put a dollop of cream cheese inside the crescent roll and then put butter on top, heaven!!! oh and trader joes crescent rolls are the only ones i buy now, they are healthier and yummier.
oh and you know those spoons at japanese restaurants for miso soup, well i bought a couple at the asian market for bayley and they work great for soup.
we watched movies like "feck" (shrek 3) kinda sounds like a bad word when bayley says it, but i still love that she can't pronounce her "s's" skip=kip skeleton=keleton skittle=kittle
our library here has the most amazing selection of kids movies, better than any movie rental place.
we built a fort and i browsed pinterest because it's my new favorite internet addiction
at bedtime bayley has been saying her prayers out the window and its so sweet it made me cry the other night. she thanks God for everything she loves and tonight it was cupcakes, cars and bubble guppies. some nights its family and puppies, pillows and water. i'm just so grateful that she is learning gratitude and how to practice it daily. it makes my heart ooze happiness.
and since bayley didn't take a nap, she actually cut me off mid book tonight and said "mom, lets go to sleep" you could say i was speechless considering last night i laid with her for over an hour as she tossed and whined and begged for another snack and drink and potty and back rubs.
the evening ended with adam and i laughing til we cried reading auto text correct.

i have been getting really frustrated lately with bayley not listening and i really didn't like some of the things i was saying and my tone. i was nagging, punishing, being way too harsh. i realized that it is my problem how i react, not hers. i am her parent and i am here to teach her, not dictate. the thing is, most of the time she is teaching me way more than i am teaching her. a three year old is living how we all should be living. in the present moment, happy just to be exactly where they are. so after reading up a little on the montessori method, i decided to try a new approach. instead of getting all bent out of shape over something and saying something like "nooooooooooooooooo bayley, stop that right now" i have started to remain calm but firm. and if it's not that big of a deal, i either let it go or i ask her kindly. sort of how i would talk to a friend or coworker instead of "i need you to throw your candy wrapper in the trash"
i try "hey bayley can you please throw your candy wrapper away?" a lot of it is about tone, the second she senses my irritability, she is gonna up the ante big time.
the more i started thinking about being kinder and more patient, i realized that a lot of time people are nicer to complete strangers than to their spouse and kids. obviously families can have a lot of stress and no one is perfect, but i am starting to realize that this is a big deal for me. i want to do whatever i can to minimize our stress so that i can be less snappy and irritable and more light hearted and thoughtful. because what a huge difference i feel when i control the crazy lady inside me and now my child listens more often and we are both much happier.

pumpkin patch this weekend and more good good things coming soon

peace out

i think i can survive anything
after driving cross country with a bad case of bronchitis, being put on steroids that actually made me lose my mind and have a 48 hour panic attack, and settling into a place i've never even been...
i am alive
and doing quite well
except i really miss my mom, will you come move here please?

they say to give a new place a year before you decide if you like it or not. we've been here a month and things are growing on me yet at the same time i am feeling my california roots tugging at me more often than i imagined they would. i love the true autumn that the midwest has to offer. i stop at every gold tree and take pictures like some crazy tourist at the Eiffel tower. people stare, it's funny. we are living downtown and can see the st louis arch out our window. i am getting to know my way around downtown and can walk to the grocery store, library, starbucks and several restaurants. i get lost everyday, it's the only way i learn how to find my way...eventually.

Bayley is taking it all in and sets such a great example of acclimating

doing yoga

i've actually been cooking quite a bit even though our kitchen is tiny, it's kind of challenging and fun

apple crisp

grand canyon

flagstaff, az

family photo ha

easy healthy dinner that is cheap

-chinese chicken legs

marinate organic chicken legs in
soysauce (about a cup)
2 tblsp minced fresh garlic
2 tblsp minced fresh ginger
pepper
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil

bake on parchment paper on cookie sheet at 375 til browned well
40 min-hr depending on how big the legs

at the end melt butter on each leg and dot with honey
bake a couple minutes longer