Jen and Steve have taken this stroke by its horns and while it's a constant battle, they have not once let it beat any of them. The progress Will continues to make is quite amazing, really, and the reason he continues to make strides is due to the energy and determination they (and he) put into his therapies each week. This fundraiser was amazing with tons of alcohol, a great band, delicious food, fantastic auction items and a whole bunch of fun people. If you would like to make a donation, please click here.
The last couple of weeks, this event consumed every moment of "free" time I had, so now that it's a thing of the past, I feel like I'm constantly being given the gift of time. I actually sat down on Sunday night with a glass of Cabernet and enjoyed a full episode of Mad Men, one of my favorite shows.
It'll make even the most prude of us long for a tumbler full of strong liquor and a cigarette. Oh, and the clothes are just fabulous. I think I may just starting donning (no pun intended) some 1950's and 60's style clothing. Perhaps I'll start a trend....
I've been cooking when I can. For those of you with big kids, think back to the days when your little one took a nap. It was precious time, wasn't it? The second I lay her down, I am doing laundry, cleaning my house, folding clothes, doing the dishes, checking email, preparing dinner, making calls, etc. and be it an hour or three hours that she sleeps, I use every second to get stuff done. When she's awake, all my attention has to be focused on her.... or else.
Here she is up on my desk while I was trying to do something the other day.
I've made some delicious banana bread, chicken and rice, sandwiches, etc. that I have been photographing and will share with you. I've also made a lot of quesadillas and eggs and bacon for dinner. On the days I both work and have baseball games, there is no 1950's style meal served to my family. I turn into a drill sergeant on the way home from the ball field. We get into the car after the game, chat for a few minutes and then as we get closer to my neighborhood, I starting dishing out the orders, "Champ, you shower in your bathroom - Matthew, you shower in mine...Champ, when you're done, please go downstairs and make sure your backpack is packed and ready for tomorrow. I will put Brooke to sleep and then come down and give you guys dinner. Matthew, while I'm putting Brooke down, start cooking the turkey bacon.." It's GO GO GO - it's hurried and frazzled, occasionally funny, sometimes stressful.... but we get it done. My goal is to get them fed and into their beds early enough that they get a good solid night's sleep. On those nights, I throw together some quesadillas (with turkey bacon and shredded cheese) and applesauce, turkey sandwiches and sliced cucumbers, breakfast for dinner - sometimes Zaxby's... we do what we need to do and somehow it works.
Lately, I've cooked a lot of quesadillas and a lot of breakfast for dinner. Last week, I bought a loaf of challah bread. Challah is available in the bakery section of your grocery store.
It is a beautiful loaf of bread and it's super soft and squishy on the inside. I used it last week to make French Toast. It was AMAZING! I mixed some eggs, sugar, cinnamon, a splash of vanilla extract and a little milk together. I dipped each slice and then cooked it on the stove - poured some warm syrup over it all - served it with orange juice, turkey bacon and some cut up fresh berries - and we were all happy. Of course, while I was cooking, I was taking whole slices and smearing Smart Balance butter over the slices and devouring them. Do you ever do that? You eat so much while you're cooking that by the time you're finished cooking dinner, you're full? That was me - except I proceeded to have some French Toast, too... The deliciousness was followed by a massive stomach ache! But it was worth it.
My friend, Kerri, told me about some cold oatmeal that she treats herself to from time to time at a local cafe. It sounded interesting and I came across a recipe for it, so Kerri, this is for you. One of the ingredients in this recipe is Chia Seeds.
They don't have a taste whatsoever. I even mixed some in a glass of water and didn't taste anything. The texture is what's interesting. They gel when mixed with anything close to a liquidy substance. So, you have a bit of a gel texture followed by a little crunch on the inside where the middle of the seed is. It is said that they help us stay fuller, longer; slow down how quickly our bodies convert carbs into sugars; they are great for athletes because of their hydration properties; reduce blood pressure and they are really high in Omega 3's. I'm already a fan. I picked up a bag from Whole Foods for about $15.00.
I came home and made my cold oatmeal. First I gathered my ingredients:
I filled a Tupperware with everything but the blueberries.
I put the lid on and shook it really well.
I took the top off, added blueberries, mixed and in the fridge it went overnight. When I grabbed it in the morning, it was ready to eat!
It was really tasty. It's creamy with a little chia seed crunch to it. For such a small amount, it is VERY filling. This morning, I even sliced some banana to go with it.
I must tell you that the first time I made it, I used vanilla Greek yogurt and did not add the honey to it, thinking that it would be sweet because I used vanilla, but that was not the case. So, the second time I made it, I drizzled some honey on it, and it was perfect!
You can use any fruit (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, mango, peaches, etc.) and you can use any sweetener (maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, etc.). It's an interesting taste and I've only made it twice now, but I can't wait to have it again! I made 4 containers at once and so the next morning, all I had to do was open the fridge and grab one! It takes MAX 10 minutes and that is if you're making 4 at a time. What a delicious breakfast when it's 100 degrees outside this Summer!
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