The Physician's Assistant

This past week, I had my year check up with my oncologist.

Dr. M, my oncologist, is a gray haired man that reminds me of someone's grandfather. He goes straight to the point, and doesn't mess around. His vocabulary is far more advanced than mine. He speaks to me by using words such as "nodules" and "nebulous."

I dread these appointments. Aside from the whole cancer thing, It's difficult to discuss such personal issues, with an older man, when one us isn't wearing our pants. I know no woman enjoys those types of exams. I suppose I'm fortunate enough to be able to have "mine" checked out quarterly. I don't even change the oil in my car that often.

As added bonus this week, Dr. M had a female P.A. he was training. She sat in our conversation, as well as the exam. If the exam is not awkward enough, Dr. M took extra time so he could show off my area, and describe in great detail (with excellent vocabulary), to his trainee. She was nice enough, but it's not the time one wants an audience.

Finally, Dr. M tapped me on the knee and said that I could sit up. In that moment of sweet relief, I see the P.A. has slipped on a pair of gloves and asked if she could also examine me. I know from my education background, that students learn best with hands on experience. What was I going to do? She already had her gloves on. I laid back down and hummed the Star Spangled Banner. Awkward.

All I know is I'd better not get charged twice.

Sausage & Herb Stuffing

image courtesy of foodnetwork.com

I have revamped this recipe to make it easier. Plus, I just wasn't getting the results I wanted with thick chunks of bread. Our stuffing would fall apart, and while everything was tasty, I wasn't a big fan of eating individual bites of celery, sausage, and bread.

The original recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa. The recipe can be found here. There is a quick video. Watch it, as it clarifies a couple of steps in the directions.

2 boxes of stove top stuffing - favorite flavor
1 bag of dried cranberries, 6 oz
1 pkg. Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage links
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 large onion, finely diced
parsley to taste
1 large granny smith apple, diced (unpeeled)
1 stick of butter

1. Cook sausage. Remove casings, and brown sausage in large skillet. Drain & set aside.
2. Dice celery, onion, & apple. Saute in large skillet with olive oil until vegetables are soft about 10 minutes. Add parsley, salt & pepper to taste.
3. In large pot, boil 3 cups of water. Add 1 stick of butter. Once butter is melted & water is boiling, add 2 packages of stove top. Stir, remove from heat, and cover with a lid for 5 minutes. (This is the package directions)
4. Combine everything, including cranberries, in the large pot & stir. Add cranberries to your liking. (I used about 3/4 the package.)

Put everything in a large, sprayed 9 x 12 pan. Spread out in pan. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

I cooked this in my largest rectangle pan, and it filled it to the top.

Paula Deen's Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Click here for recipe

I had a bunch of berries bought fresh and had frozen. Which may have been my problem in this recipe. Paula calls for fresh, and what I had was frozen, previously fresh. I did let the berries defrost (well most of the way) before I put them in. Since I had some raspberries and lots of blueberries that is the combo I used. We loved the blueberry part, and not so much on the raspberry. The raspberries did not retain their shape, and kind of made a mushy mess, albeit tasty, in the bottom of the muffin.

We loved the streusel! I would make these again, and just use blueberries.

Greatness

The reason I don't take pictures professionally.

Imagine if someone had paid me for this.

Baby Shower Gifts

Here's a ballerina piggy bank I made for a friend's baby shower. It was super simple! I lucked out and found everything at Hobby Lobby.

I should have planned ahead and took tutorial pictures, but I didn't, so imagine.

You need:
- 1 painted piggy bank
- 1/4 yard of tulle
- ribbon 7/8th inch thickness
- 1 bow (I'm good at making hairbows...but Hobby Lobby had these already pre-made, and with a 40 off coupon, it was too tempting to go the simple route. I just broke off the clip & hot glued that sucker on.)

For the tutu:

1. Fold the tulle in half (so you have a long skinnier piece.)
2. Use a needle and thread on the open ends and sew a running stitch from one end to the other (start with a knot.)
3. Gently pull the thread to create a gather. Measure against your pig's belly to make sure it's the right distance. Adjust gather as needed & then tie off with a knot.
4. Use your glue gun to glue the tulle, sewed side closest to the slot. (I went right at the end of it, so that it doesn't block any of the hole -- I'm feeling a lot of "that's what she said jokes" in this post.) Then glue gun a ribbon to cover up thread. Glue a hairbow on one ear & you are done! So easy!

I finished it all of with a paper mache gift box!

You need:
mod podge
5 sheets of 12x12 scrapbook paper
tulle - optional
paper mache box

Directions:
1. Measure one side of the box without the lid.
2. Cut paper 1/4-1/2 inch shorter than measurements.
3. Mod podge the paper on the box. Use a light coat. When dry, add a 2nd light coat.
4. Repeat steps for lid.
5. Let box & lid dry separately overnight.

Adam's Kindergarten Graduation

Last month Adam graduated Kindergarten.
Adam, this year you've learned to read, add & subtract, made new friends, and gained independence & responsibility. You are still very much our wild man, and we struggle to keep up with your daily abundance of energy. You've come along way though, and we are so proud of you!

When Adam's class lined up, he insisted that he was the only one facing the correct way, even though all the other students knew to face the audience.

I don't have any pictures of Adam getting his diploma because he excitedly ran down to get his when another student, with the same first name, was called. I wasn't expecting him to do that, so my camera wasn't ready. Stinker!

Here's Adam with his amazing teacher Mrs. Brown. We love her!
We are so lucky, because she's moving to first grade and Adam gets to have her a 2nd year!

12 weeks....and collapse.

I've had a long week. Well, a long 12 weeks. I finished out the year teaching art for a teacher friend. I thought it would be easier, after all, I did teach elementary art for 5 years. I'm glad for the opportunity, but it turned out to be a shorter version of the first time around when I taught. It reaffirmed that for our family, me working full time was not a balancing act I can do well.

Today was the last day to walk across the crosswalk. I was joyful.

I thought I would have a fun night with the kids. I had decided to let them pick out their own dinners at the store where we could do an indoor picnic dinner at home. (Hey, did you know it hit 100 degrees today?) It was just really a way to try to make the trip to the store with two young children and an exhausted mom bearable.

In the beginning of our trip, Adam was leaning dangerously close to the stacks of blueberry cartons. I asked him to move it, and he screamed at me and threatened to kick my basket. I immediately talked with him. As he walked away he gave it a little nudge with his foot. Stinker.

Albertson's moved cereal to the aisle with the toys. New battle, enough said.

The kids decided, well Adam decided, that out of the entire store he wanted a pizza lunchable. Hadley was happy to take one too, since Adam was so into his.

And then it happened. The kid less customer comment. I was busy trying to keep Hadley from opening her lunchable in the store, when I hear it, an accusingly judgmental, "Aren't you watching him?!"

I'm thinking good grief, he is right by me, of course I'm watching him. (I guess she didn't see how I single handedly diverted the blueberry catastrophe in the produce section.)

When I look up, Adam is busy licking the entire rim of the grocery cart. Not just a little bit, he doesn't do that kind of stuff halfway. I tell him to stop, and the lady returns to her phone call, no doubt waiting until I'm out of earshot so she can tell her friend some version of how her future children will never do such things. I only know this because in my younger childless days I had the same thoughts, although less vocal to strangers.

And then God gave me Adam.

I'm less horrified of Adam's behaviors, because little does the lady know, it's probably not the most disgusting thing he has had in his mouth today. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd prefer he not chew his t-shirt, suck on legos, and lick grocery carts. But there are so many times I can physically say "stop it" to him in one day. And today, I reached my limit.