Bet you were tired of staring at that pasta salad- no?
We have been busy summer-ing it up around here,
and I can hardly be bothered to sit in front of a computer.
I would much rather be sleeping during my kid-free time.
But I think that I am getting ready to come back.
Almost.
(Am I allowed to make a Brokeback reference on what is largely a family-friendly blog?)
I have a recipe for you that will make you want to move to Idaho and become my best friend.
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I know what you are thinking- but really, the potatoes are SUPER awesome around here, and Idahoans aren't ALL hicks. A lot, but not ALL. And the salad is worth it.
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This heaping bowl of goodness was first made for me right after Isaac's birth by my good friend, Colleen.
And we haven't been able to stop eating it since.
Seriously.
I am almost (if I wasn't so darn tired) willing to have another baby just so that Colleen will make me some more.
When I just started thinking about writing this post, I had to go to the store to get ingredients to make some more. That is how strongly I feel about this pasta salad.
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It is also, almost definitely, the answer to the question : why do I still feel so chubby and pregnant-ish when my baby is 4 months old?
I'm sure that it has a gazillon calories,
But, you know what else has calories?
Vegetables.
And fruit.
And rice.
And chicken breasts.
.
So, here is my theory:
If I cut out all of that other “healthy” junk, and just eat this pasta salad, pretzel m&ms (yes.), and s'mores, than I will actually start getting thin.... ish.
I also have some crest-whitestrip knockoffs burning my teeth right now, so maybe my smile will be such a dazzling shade of white that it will blind anyone before they can look down at my stomach/hip/thigh region?
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Armed with those weight-loss theories, here you go:
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(This recipe came out of the Taste of Home magazine, but I don't know what it is called. So, for all intents and purposes, it will hereafter be referred to as:)
This is Why My Pants are Unbuttoned Pasta Salad
-Boil up a package of cheese tortellini. I choose rainbow pasta because color makes it look a little healthier to me. It is probably actually the opposite (food coloring, anyone?) but there you go.Drain it and dump it into a bowl.
-Throw in a container of MARINATED fresh mozzarella balls.
-Add a can of olives
-Dump in a jar of MARINATED artichoke hearts, quartered. (I break these up into little chunks so that I have one in every bite.)
The original recipe had chopped up orange bell peppers in it, and it was delicious. But remember that vegetables = calories, so I would throw in a few more cheese balls instead.
-Stir it on up with some pesto sauce to taste (I use about 3/4cup)and a glug of red wine vinegar.
Let it sit in your refrigerator for a few hours, and serve.
Take bites out of the leftovers any time you feel like you can't survive being a mom for another minute.
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I’ll meet you at the airport.
Alternatively titled: “HELLLLOOOOO Ladies!”
Dear Isaac,
Today you are four months old.
And a whopping 20 pounds! (Average 9-10 month old…)
You are busting the seams out of your 6-12 month clothes, and settling comfortably into the 12-18 month size.
Could you slow down a little, please? I love babies and you are getting so big so fast!
I took you to the doctor today. You were so cranky last night (up. all. night) that I was convinced that you had an ear infection.
Not so much.
Just a little stuffy nose. (which makes you KIND OF a chubby little wimp…)
When you were younger, I would always tell people how GOOD you were. It was one of the first things I would say. “Oh, Isaac is SOOOO good/easy.”
Well, not so much anymore.
I love you anyway, you know, but let’s just say you are starting to “assert yourself.” In other words, if you are not strapped to mommy, with a full belly, and being walked around following Joseph or being visually stimulated in some way… you are NOT having it! (read: crying hysterically)
Also, the sleeping through the night thing has gone out the window. You, little smartie pants, have discovered- why sleep through the night when I can be fed every three hours* in the arms of my mother?
*or constantly from 3 am on, depending on how tired mommy is…
But you are a great napper.
And SO smiley.
And the cutest 20 pounder I know.
I love you SO much.
Now please start sleeping more. A stuffy nose isn’t THAT bad…
1) “Mommy? Have poo-poo on my finger! Have
poo-poo on FINGER!!!!”
Not sure what the other 9 are, but that has to be number 1.
(He was right, by the way.)
It is rare that I fully take advantage of the fact that I am allowed to stay home all day and never go to work.
I tend to feel guilty if I nap (although I still feel guilty about not giving my mailman anything for Christmas- GAH!- so clearly I have a little guilt problem.), and if Joseph doesn’t have an outing, even just to the backyard, I start to worry if he is getting enough exercise/experiences/fresh air/…..
So, I often find myself pushing through the day: keep the house clean, keep laundry going, get those errands done, zoo!, park!, library!, Barnes and Noble!!!
Today I got up before the boys (well, that was the plan, although Joseph surprised me with a 6:15 wake up…) and got myself ready for the day. The plan? Keep the house clean and beat the rain by going to the library!
Joseph was dressed and fed by the time Isaac woke up.
And then, things started spiraling out of control.
Isaac was hungry.
Then Joseph was hungry for a “little snack. Chocolate snack? Big HUGE chocolate?”
Then Isaac pooped all over himself.
And then Joseph pooped (not all over himself, thankfully.)
and then Isaac projectile vomited.
and then Joseph started crying because he wanted to watch a movie.
and then…
you get the picture.
I found myself breaking out into “nursing-mom sweat” (think menopausal hot flashes, but with occasionally-leaking boobs thrown in for fun) and my stomach tying itself into knots.
And I thought-why?
Who cares if we don’t make it to the library today?
So, I unbuckled an already-screaming Isaac from his torture device (aka the carseat),
I changed into sweatpants,
I popped some popcorn,
and we stayed in.
Watched Magic School Bus, played a game, read books, and admired my new favorite flower, the peony, that I cut from my front yard.
The work may be hard, and the pay sucks, but being a stay at home mom definitely has it’s perks.
And today I’m enjoying them.
ZZZZZZZ…..
Well, blog readers, it feels like it has been years.
And if you want someone to blame- blame this little fella
who has decided
that he won’t go to bed
before 11pm,
and that, after an hour,
all naps must be spent in my arms with his face pressed against me.
What’s that you say?
You can’t be mad at him?
You only want to pick him up and squeeze his juicy goodness and chew on his cheeks?
You see my dilemma.
