Author Archives: Jen

About Jen

Jen isn't quite sure when she lost her mind, but it is probably documented here on Meditatio. She blogs because the world needs her snark at all hours of the night... and she probably can't sleep anyway.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 11, 2011

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 11, 2011

Outside my window… cooler than it’s been. I think it was in the low 80’s today. It beats 105 any day!

I am thinking… about what I have left on my Daniel list this week. Today was multiple doctor’s appointments.

I am thankful… that the resident Daniel saw today for his well-child check-up was one of the ones who was in the PICU with us. She was overjoyed to see him healthy, having seen him the night when he was almost put on ECMO. I like her and asked for her to be the one with whom Daniel will follow up next month.

From the learning rooms… baby sign language. Daniel knows the sign for “more” — he just doesn’t want to do it. He’ll make the sign with my fingers instead.

In the kitchen… nothing super complicated.

I am wearing… light blue v-neck shit from Lady Foot Locker and sweats.

I am creating… entries for Michelle.

I am going… to Sacramento for Daniel’s speech therapy tomorrow, to WIC on Wednesday, and out with my church ladies on Wednesday night.

I am wondering… why drivers on Highway 99 are so stupid.

I am reading… The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs.

I am hoping… WIC isn’t too awful and that wherever it is can handle Daniel in a stroller.

I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out for church on Wednesday.

I am hearing… the fan in the bedroom and Qubo on TV in the living room.

Around the house… still relatively clean.

I am pondering… too many things to list at the moment.

One of my favorite things… my massage last Wednesday. I needed it. BADLY.

A few plans for the rest of the week… speech tomorrow, WIC and Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday, and nothing the rest of the week God-willing.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Daniel playing pattycake with my mom.

Daniel and Grandma playing pattycake.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

Not Quite What Was Expected…

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We’re trying to teach Daniel some baby signs and one of the ones we’re working on right now is “more”. We practice it at mealtimes and during snack as well. Daniel knows the sign — he just won’t do it himself. Instead he takes my hands and makes the sign using my fingers.

Silly bear.

Pesto

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Here’s the awesome pesto recipe that my family makes every year.

8 cups basil leaves packed into food processor
1 head garlic or more Peeled and separated.
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 cup walnuts or pine nuts.
—————————

Pack the basil leaves into the food processor. Pulse 8 ?? 10 times so that the level starts to drop. Place the garlic cloves in the food processor and press into the basil leaves. Add some of the olive oil and pulse several more times. Repeat adding oil and garlic until oil is completely added and the mixture is a paste. Add the walnuts/pine nuts and pulse several times, just enough to chop and mix. Add the shredded parmesan and pulse several times, just enough to mix. Press into a container and refrigerate for several hours.

Divide into the portion sizes you expect to need, and package in Press’n Seal or Saran Wrap. Put the individual packages into a ziplock bag and freeze.

7 Quick Takes: Admissions That Will Make Me Lose Readers

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7 Quick Takes

I’ve been pondering the idea of doing this for awhile. Here are seven admissions that will probably cause me to lose readers. None of these are open to debate — they’re things that are part of me or decisions I’ve made after careful consideration and consultation with professionals.

–1–

I take birth control pills. I can see the Catholic readers from Jen’s site fleeing as well as some of my readers who are staunchly anti-contraception. Before people start lecturing me on the state of my soul, I should probably explain a few things. Firstly, I mainly take them because my PMS is so severe that it can land me in bed during that week. After Daniel’s birth, I also started having hot flashes and dizzy spells. The pills moderate out my hormones so that I can be functional. Secondly, me pregnant is *NOT* a good thing. I would be on bed rest for 9 months and that’s not a viable option at the moment with Daniel needing so much of my time and care. I’m married to someone who works insane hours so I’m pretty much it as far as the person who can take care of him, arrange his therapies, and verbally abuse argue with insurance/SSA/Medicaid. Lastly, having a huge family is not a good choice for me with the fibromyalgia — the fatigue and pain make keeping up with Daniel hard enough. I know the risks of being on the Pill and with my (thoroughly Catholic) doctor’s help in Montana, we found one that had the fewest side effects for me. I also go in for my exams like clockwork so I’m at least being monitored.

–2–

I would rather pull my fingernails AND toenails out with pliers than vote for any current Republican candidate. The idea of Sarah Palin as president makes me want to repatriate myself to another country… like maybe Afghanistan. Michelle Bachmann is just as scary. None of the others are any better and because I live in California, I live in fear of almost putting the state up on eBay (Meg Whitman) or selling it to HP (Carly Fiorina). The only positive for the loser who represents my district in Congress (Dan Lungren) is that he’s put forth a bill to make it a felony to shine a laser at a plane.

–3–

I honestly want to vomit or throw something at the TV whenever John Boehner or Mitch McConnell (especially him) come on. Maybe it’s just me but I think that it’s positively ludicrous to have two white men who are independently wealthy and will have fat government pensions upon leaving Congress decide my healthcare needs and how important Medicare/Social Security are. I’m seriously praying that Obama wins in 2012 because it’s the only shot I feel like I have to get adequate medical coverage when companies stop being able to discriminate in 2014. I also have a kid who receives SSI and Medicaid and without those, we’d be up a creek without a paddle. All those therapies cost money and we couldn’t afford them if we didn’t have government help. I also just feel like Boehner and McConnell don’t give a rat’s butt about the people that actually *NEED* the services they want to cut and are just playing partisan games.

–4–

I hate summer. Where I live, it can be in the 90-100 degrees F range easily and I just don’t want to go outside when it’s that hot. Additionally, I’m fair-skinned and I burn if I even think about the sun. I’d be better suited to the Pacific Northwest than the part of northern California where I live. Unfortunately, this weather can stretch into October so I have at least another three months of hell before things hit a reasonable temperature.

–5–

I think that Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose-Driven Live is a piece of pop culture crap. Many people swear by it. I’d prefer to swear at it. It’s pop culture drivel like Joel Osteen and it does positively nothing for my faith. I tried reading it and had to stop at Day 32, by which point my copy was beaten to a pulp from me throwing it across the room multiple times a day.

–6–

I can’t stand the sound of kids crying or whining in church. This makes it doubly hard with Daniel because he’s at an age where he isn’t going to sit still and he wants to pick up everything, shred papers, and crawl down the aisle. I simply can’t keep up with him most of the time and I feel like people who tell me that they don’t mind the screaming are lying to make me feel better. Thus, I’m not making it to church much these days. (I’ve also had personal illness, family emergencies, and other things preventing me.) I’m going to talk to my church ladies this Wednesday to find a solution for this.

–7–

I have no desire to see the Harry Potter movies. I’ve read all seven books multiple times and seen the first three movies. It bugs me when the movie doesn’t follow the plot of the book which made movie #3 an annoyance to me.

(For more quick takes, go see Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.)

A Guest Blogging Opportunity

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I thought I’d throw this out for my Catholic readers: Michelle at Catholic Unveiled is going on a 4-month mission trip to Mexico and needs some guest posts. I volunteered (even though I’m Lutheran) and I’ll be sending her a few. If you’re interested, here is the post where you can get information.

(I think she’d take non-Catholics as well but the topics are along a Catholic vein.)

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 4, 2011

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 4, 2011

Outside my window… bloody hot. We’re having a heat wave in northern California as usually happens about this time (late June/early July).

I am thinking… about that which awaits me in my week.

I am thankful for… time with my parents this long weekend and for the massage I have scheduled for Wednesday. (We’re talking medical necessity here, not Jen spoiling herself.) Also thankful that Daniel doesn’t have speech therapy tomorrow — I love Easter Seals and I don’t mind driving into Sacramento for speech; but I’m thankful to not have the appointment at 8:45 a.m. because it means that the little boy and I can snuggle and watch cartoons together. (It also means no drive into Sacramento in rush-hour traffic.)

From the kitchen… pesto… and lots of it.

I am wearing… my light blue “Preeclampsia survivor” shirt and jeans shorts.

I am creating… this entry.

I am going… back up to Gold Country this afternoon/evening.

I am reading… The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. I just finished Quiverfull by Kathryn Joyce and am happy to be done with it, especially after reading some of the ideas people had about the evils of c-sections (kids born to Satan — gee thanks… it wasn’t like there was much of a choice in my case) and about birth politics.

I am hoping… for a relatively calm week. I’m also hoping that Daniel’s cold doesn’t turn into an ear infection.

I am hearing… my dad watching a movie that seems to be a cross between Glee and Fame Glee. OK… serious questions being raised here — my dad usually watches things that involve cursing and/or things being blown up. My mind is being blown here.

Around the house… bookcases from IKEA to be put together.

One of my favorite things… Crystal Light on a hot day.

A few plans for the rest of the week: no speech therapy tomorrrow and possibly no physical therapy. Massage on Wednesday morning. I also need to drop off records at UC Davis Pediatrics at some point.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Daniel in his cupboard at my parents’ house.

Daniel in his cupboard.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes — At My Parents’ House

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7 Quick Takes

I’m at my parents’ house this weekend to give Jon some time to unpack and structure his man-cave. (Ahem!) It’s 11:00 p.m. and I want to do this post but I also want to go to sleep. Decisions! Decisions! Pardon any spelling or grammar errors — it’s getting late.

01.) Steak. As Jon is vegetarian, we don’t have steak at our house. Granted, I could go get myself a hunk of cow but I haven’t found any that are small enough to go on my George Forman grill when I’ve gone to the store. My dad, however, LOVES to barbecue so he makes it almost every time I come down. Good times.

02.) The tupperware cupboard. My parents have a cupboard where all their tupperware/Gladware/plastic containers are located and it’s right at Daniel’s level. We always drag a laundry basket over so he can ravage the cupboard and we can just toss the contents into the laundry basket until it’s time to go and Mom can organize it again.

03.) Bananas. Daniel likes bananas and he gets them whenever he wants here. Mom is a whole lot more patient than I am apparently and she doesn’t mind cleaning off the highchair tray… and everything else that gets covered. 🙂 She has also taught me quick ways to clean off the kid.

04.) Spoiling of Daniel. My parents see him at least once or twice a month these days now that we’re in northern California and they love the relationship. He gets away with stuff that I don’t if my brother and I got away with and he gets all the attention he wants from Grandma and Grandpa. (He adores both of them, especially Grandpa who invents new toys for him.)

05.) Garden. My mom has the green thumb that sprouts in her family around age 25 or 30. She has a huge garden and she and Dad actually started some plants for us. Right now, Dad is starting some pole beans to replace those that got eaten by snails in our garden.

06.) S’mores. My dad has a big cast-iron barbecue/fire pit that he got in Washington when I was in my teens. (My grandparents had a similar one at their cabin in British Columbia.) When I’m down, he usually builds a fire and we sit around and talk. Tonight, I had s’mores for the first time in probably 5 years. (The last time was when I was visiting from Montana in 2006 before heading down south for a wedding.)

07.) Pesto. Since I was probably 3 or 4 years old, I’ve helped my mom make pesto when I’ve been home in the summer. (The last time was 2000 when I cleaned a bumper crop of leaves one-handed after re-spraining my wrist at work.) Mom has a ton of basil right now so we’re having a pesto-making marathon tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.

(For more quick takes, go see Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.)