Sliders

Tonight's supper was something new, these Ham and Cheese Sliders.  They were really good and really easy. Colby said, "Home run, Mama." The kids all finished theirs, and Dade told me he's, "gonna need this recipe."

I'd say these sliders will be on our meal plan rotation from now on.  If only I had some of those yummy Portuguese sweet rolls from Jersey... I may have to try my hand at making them again.

Yummmm

If there is a Trader Joe's grocery store near you, may I suggest you buy a jar of their Cookie Butter?  It's delicious.

I'm not sure what speculoos means, but I'd guess it means, "This stuff tastes pretty damn good."

Kitten Update (Warning: Extreme Cuteness)

The kittens are growing like crazy and are generally not becoming the assholes their predecessor became.  Score!  They like to climb onto the kitchen counters and trip you down the steps, but at least they aren't purposefully drawing blood from the children.

And they really love each other.

Here is the ever-curious and food mooching Sheldon (he eats ANYTHING) in his new favorite resting place, my napkin basket on the kitchen table:

Here is the super-lovey but not so smart Penny:

And what post about our pets would be complete without a photo of our favorite old man, Jefferson?  He decided to take over the pillow for which Evie is sewing a case.  I suppose someone has to make sure said pillow passes softness inspection.

Swimming!

The kids love to swim; I don't.  I have a very short attention span, and swimming with the kids just isn't something I like to do.  That said, when a fellow stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) invites us to her apartment complex to swim in their pool it's hard to say no.  At least I will have another mom to talk to, right?

This particular SAHM has only been in America for a few years; she is Ukrainian.  Her English is awesome, and she should be over the moon proud of her English language skills.  I took Spanish in high school and was actually about two classes from having a Spanish minor in college, and she puts all that to shame with her abilities.  I know her from yoga classes, and I will also say that she is is very gifted in her yoga practice.  And she's super nice, gracious, and thoughtful.   I have really enjoyed getting to know her and was excited to see how our kids got along with each other.

We also had our nephew/cousin, Ethan, here with us this week, and he got to enjoy the pool. This was our second trip to I's pool, and her kids and my kids got along really well. She even asked if Dade would babysit her boys sometime.  He must have made a really good impression.  One thing I noticed is that boys from America and the Ukraine both like to wrestle, push each other in the pool, and generally rough house. It's definitely cross-cultural boy behavior, and it was great to see them become fast friends. 




Miss Soren

My little fish, Evelyn

There's Ethan with his signature cheesy smile!



Polka dot bikini!

Dade is now big enough to take on Brody and Ethan with little resistance.   

Sewing With Grandma

Colby always tells me how much Evelyn acts like me.  She's bossy, stubborn, high maintenance, and generally bitchy.  I mean, I hate to say that about a 7 year old, but the girl acts like she's got her period 24/7.  Of course, I see all those negative characteristics in the proper perspective: she isn't bossy; she just knows that if everyone does it right the first time (her way) everything goes much smoother.  She isn't stubborn; she really believes in her point of view and is not easily persuaded to change her mind.  She isn't high maintenance; she needs things a certain way and at a certain time because life is better for everyone when she's happy.  And the bitchyness?  Well, there is nothing wrong with being assertive, loud, and arrogant when you need to be.  I can't fault her for that.

Anyhoo, the point is that as much as she is like me, Evelyn is also something that I'm not: really good at sewing.  She saved up her birthday money and bought a real-life sewing machine. 

The reason she loves to sew is that my step-mom sews with her every time Evelyn stays at Grandma's house.  She gets to run the sewing machine, which is pretty darn special.  Grandma made a special trip in to Lincoln to help Evie pick out her sewing machine, and she came back another day to sew with her.  Grandma says Evelyn has definitely got some sewing talent. 

After the sewing machine lessons, Grandma even taught Evie how to hand-sew on a button.  She loved it so much that she has been randomly sewing buttons on her fabric.

Evie is looking forward to many more sewing lessons!

If Anyone Deserves A Vacation, It's You

No farm bill.  The Post Office problem isn't fixed.  Jobs bills?? No.

Hey...how about an English Only bill hearing??  YES!  Rallying against birth control??! Yes!  Plenty of anti abortion bills?? Hell yes! And let's vote to repeal Obamacare  one.more.time.

Republicans in the House of Representatives: go on vacation and please don't come back.  Take a few extra weeks, perhaps in a mental hospital.

A Thing Of Beauty

Have you seen the new Cover Girl television commercial running during the Olympics?  It features three normal looking Olympic athletes instead of stick figures, um, models.  Granted, the commercial also shows said athletes wearing makeup while boxing and playing volleyball, but the idea is magnificent.  These women aren't the most beautiful by entertainment industry standards, but they are successful, strong, and relatable in the looks department, you know?

I do a lot of research on Pinterest: recipes, projects, and ideas for my yoga classes.  I love all the healthy recipes, fun exercises, and words of wisdom.  However, anyone who has ever cruised the Health and Fitness category of Pinterest knows what I mean when I say this: Please, no more photos of stick skinny girls with captions like "motivation" or "why I workout".  For too long health has been associated with skinny.  It just isn't true.  With all certainty obesity is a huge (no pun) problem.  However, my size 8-10 is "fat" compared to our society's standard of beauty - or at least one would think so just looking at a magazine or even Pinterest.

I worry a lot about beauty.  Even after all the weight I've lost and all the changes I've made, I still have moments of terrible self esteem.   Teaching yoga is very important to me, and I know that I cannot lead others in a yoga practice if I am not confident in myself.   I get terribly guilty eating a bowl of ice cream or a second helping at supper.  I'm jiggly.  My teeth are crooked and stained.  I have cellulite.  I have bat wings that flop around when I wave.  Maybe, just maybe, if more women like me were promoted as the ideal, and as healthy, my daughters won't have to feel so much anxiety and guilt.  Maybe if more 33-year-old women were hired for beauty ads and fitness photos the world would be just a little happier.

So, thanks to Cover Girl for at least attempting to stretch society's definition of beauty.   Fitness and health don't always come with a perfect six pack and a tight little booty.  Fitness and health at age 33 after birthing four children is certainly not a six pack or tight little booty, no matter what Heidi Klum tells you.

And maybe if I would stop looking to others for validation I could relieve my own stress.  Fitness is not a dress size.  Health cannot be found by comparing yourself to others.  Tomorrow is the day to look in the mirror and see what's there and not what's lacking.