Sunday, December 26, 2010

To Make or Break...

Well, I hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas!  On to the New Year! 

A List of New Year's Resolutions:
  1. Keep the house clean(er) (I've been to so many houses lately and they all look fabulous.  Mine, on the other hand is... er... less than fabulous)
  2. Save money for Christmas 2011
  3. Keep the car cleaned out
  4. Exercise more (Gee, who's list is this not on?! lol)
  5. Be on time (We're always running late and it's usually my fault.  My husband was always on time before he met me. lol)
  6. Finish Novel
  7. Get novel published
  8. GET ORGANIZED
  9. Stay Organized!
  10. Read my scriptures everyday
  11. Stop hording stuff & have some yard sales
  12. Pay bills on time (pay attention to what day it is.  Days seem to fly by and generally lose track of what day it is until I get my "friendly" email reminders.  I'd like to get ahead like I used to be.)
Well, that's my dozen New Year's Resolutions.  My actual "To Do" list is quite a bit longer, of course, but these are the things I really need to work on and keep up throughout the year.

So what are your New Year's Resolutions?

Merry Ho Ho
~~~~~&~~~~~
Happy Humbug!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Baby Formula & "Experts"

Warning:  Ranting, Raving and TMI ahead.  Proceed with caution. 
(Or not, it's not really that bad unless breast feeding makes you squeemish)

I'm quite irritated at the moment and feel like getting on my soap box, if you don't mind.  My baby is 4 months old and we think he may be lactose intollerant.  I am, so his chances are good, and we've been having a hard time finding a formula that works well with his tummy.  So, we tried the soy formulas and the lactose-free formulas such as Alimentum and Nutramigen and quite a few others, too numerous to mention, (ones for gassiness, fussiness, regular ol' stuff too, etc.,) but tipically within these two same brands.  Now, don't get me wrong, I really like these two brands.  The first is actually the one that our baby prefers, but that's in the regular fomulas such as the Sensitive formula.  (He's very gassy... gets that from momma LOL) but lately he's been having a bit of trouble.  So, we decided to try the lactose free ones.  (and let me tell you, this crap is too expensive to be "trying" different formulas only to find that after a few bottles, it's not the right one!)

So, anyway, he won't take them.  He makes these nasty faces and pushes his tongue against the roof of his mouth and then out, like he's trying to get the taste out.  He didn't do that with the other Sensitive one.  So, I tried the lactose free ones myself.  OMG I thought I'd puke!  These aren't just bad, they're absolutely nasty!  Disgusting!  Gross!  No wonder he didn't want it.  Geez!  Not that regular formula is the best thing in the world, but c'mon, does it have to taste rotten?!  Like spoiled milk or something that crawled out from the back of the fridge, forgotten for months.  Y  U  C  K  !

We tried adding a little rice cereal to help with the taste (we'd been adding rice cereal for a while because just formula wasn't filling him up anymore. (he's a big boy, but not fat at all.  He was over 9 pounds when he was born!) The rice cereal helped a bit, he gets about 2 ounces down now, but that's about it... when he's been drinking 6 ounces easily, that's too little. 

So, I decide to try to look up if I can add sugar or something to sweeten it up a bit.  And I get this result.  So, I pick a few and read and that's what's irritated me the most.  Other than the fact that I've almost gone broke and have about 20 different cans of formula in the pantry that he'll never eat, from trial and error.  Honestly, why can't they make trial sizes?!  other than the few you get from the hospital when the baby's first born, I mean.... but I digress....

I'm not picking on any site inparticular.  I'm mad at the so-called "experts" who answered on Amma's site.  They had the nerve to say that ALL formulas have some sort of sweetner in them already and that there's no reason to add anything.  They obviously have never tried the soy or lactose free versions of formula.  Nor do they probably even have children of their own.  I know the formula makers can't possibly have kids... otherwise they would give us mom's a break on the price or make those trial sizes I mentioned! 

Anyway, who are they trying to kid?!  Already sweet enough?!  If that's sweet, then bitter or bad would probably kill a horse!  Ugh! 

Oh, and one expert (can't remember if it was from that site or one of the others) actually said that babies don't really know the difference between tastes/flavors (I'm paraphrasing badly) so it doesn't matter.  Are you kidding me?  I've seen the look on my baby's face when I've tried different things with him (please don't bash me, it's only little drops of stuff and only one or two at a time) and I see him either make a yucky face as with the nasty formulas, or he smiles with the taste of a popcicle or some other flavorful and yummy food, and he gets all excited when he tastes something like that. 

So, did I ruin his ability to eat formula because he now knows good flavors?  No, because he'll still eat the regular formulas without issue, but his tummy doesn't like them.  It's the nasty soy and lactose free versions that I'm upset with.

And let's not forget to complain about the "experts" who insist on breast feeding.  I would have loved to have breast fed my little one... I was devastated when I couldn't.  But unfortunately, I didn't produce enough milk.  And I know there are people out there who think that ALL women produce plenty of milk and I'm just not trying hard enough... well, you're wrong.  I'm sorry to tell you that, but you are.  I even tried pumping... and after 45 minutes on both sides, I didn't get barely an ounce and then I'd have to wait a couple hours before any more would come out.  OK, that's a little TMI, but I'm really ticked off at those who think that it's impossible for me to not be able to breast feed.  I tried.  I tried until the doctor said that if he didn't get formula, then he'd have to be put in the hospital for losing too much weight.  So, devastation set in and so did depression, because I'd looked forward to that bonding method all my life, only to have it dashed and destroyed.  (On the up side, my husband was able to take the middle-of-the-night feedings and let me get some much needed sleep.  I was still recovering from the surgery, afterall.)

So, that's what ticks me off at 5am with a crying baby and a nasty taste in my mouth. 

~Oddyssey

Friday, December 17, 2010

A Day Late and a Dollar Short...

Always falling behind... ah well, at least I'm consistant at something!  Better late than never, they always say.  Who's this "They" everyone alway talks about anyway?  And who ever said They are so smart?  Sometimes I'd like to meet this They person and punch them right in the nose!  Who are they to tell me that I'm better off for this or that?  Maybe it's better to be late sometimes.  There's "Fashionably Late" showing up to parties and such.  And you never know when an obstacle gets in your way, it may be to keep you from an accident that you would be in if you'd have left on time. 

So who are They?  Do They actually exist?  Or are They just made up to make us feel better about falling short on something and we say it's "...[ok], They always say." 

"Well, They always say, hindsight is 20/20"  Well of course it is!  DUH!  In hindsight (after the fact) you see what happened and how you could have done better or different.  OY!

Ah, well... They say, this too shall pass......

~Oddyssey

Monday, December 13, 2010

This Weeks Prompts:

1.) A Christmas gift that was not well received.
2.) Describe yourself in five words. Choose one, and write a poem.
3.) It happened at daycare.
4.) Let's rewind to Summer and warm up! Share some favorite photos from a vacation you took.
5.) A fist fight.

Mama's Losin' It

Now I just need to choose one and write.  I'm so not into anything these last few days and I just don't want to do anything right now.  I was so gung-ho about writing my novel, writing in my blog everyday, etc.  Now, it seems the "fun" is fading and I just need some rest.

Hmmmm....
2.) Describe yourself in five words. Choose one, and write a poem.
Ok, sounds like I'm on track for this one....
  1. Exhausted (I've been so tired the last few days)
  2. Hungry (I haven't had lunch yet and it's almost 3pm)
  3. Irritated (Tthe dogs are driving me crazy)
  4. Worried (about our oldest son who's trying to figure out who he is)
  5. Blessed (I'm very thankful for who and what I have in my life, despite the above list)
So, I know this list isn't exactly what Mama Kat had in mind when she said to describe myself... but these words are Me-at-the-Moment, so now I have to choose one and write a poem.

Blessed:
I never fear
for the Lord is here
waiting for me
to call to him

No... that's not right... I'm always worried and fearful about something.  But then I remind myself that the Lord will provide.

Exhausted:
Tired and worn
my body feels torn

Meh... that's dumb.

Hungry:
Turkey and stuffing
Sweet potato, mashed
Cranberrys, corn
Pumpkin pie last
Holiday waistline
Two sizes too big
Twice for the price
Thanksgiving and
Christmas too
Cookies galore
And gifts for me and you

Well, that's kind of cute....

Irritated:
Dogs go in
Dogs go out
Dogs go in
Dogs go out
in out in out
in out in out

Not really a poem, but the dogs keep going in and out the stupid dog door and the loud <*FLAP*> is getting on my nerves and threatens to wake the baby, so that's all I have to say about that.

Worried:
Young boy of sixteen
blond and naive
in love so it seems
with no idea of what it means
searching for life
and where he fits
I have the answers
when he asks for advice
but it falls on deaf ears
he hears what he wants
wrapped up in misery
of nightmares not dreams
he'll find his way
someday when he's gone
I hope I am there to see
the adult he can
one day become
old and shriveled
his dad and I will be
proud we hope
of his life to Thee

That would be a poem about how I worry about our oldest son.  Not too bad, I think I'll go with that one. 

So, that's my submission to This Weeks Prompts.  I hope you enjoyed a trip down my chaotic thought process.

~Oddyssey

Friday, December 10, 2010

T & E Cookies

T&E Cookies... Trial & Error!  What doesn't work out well for the first batch (and the second and the third...) will work for the next one.... maybe....

I had to make two dozen cookies for a church get-together last night.  Well, apparently it's been a LOOOONG time since I've baked cookies!  I used to bake all the time.  Cakes, pies, cookies, you name it... and I was good at it too!  But not now.  Oh, my pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving came out great (all four of them!) but I make them every year, so I'm used to them. 

But cookies?!  Wow, I really don't remember them being that hard!  I wanted to make them from scratch... well, I ran out of time, so scratch that idea.  (pun intended) So, I got two packages of a Betty Crocker mix.  Couldn't be simpler, right?  Riiiight..... NOT!  So, each package is supposed to make 24 cookies.  Great!  I need two dozen, that's one package.  And I can whip up the extras for us.  Meh... not so much.  So, I roll out the dough (a major undertaking in and of itself, much more difficult than I remember as a kid) and try to make cookies with the cutout shapes that I have.  Again, issues... they stuck to the table and I couldn't pick them up in one piece.  And, yes, I floured the table before rolling out the dough.  Hmmm.....

So, I finally decided to just make "drop cookies" out of the dough and do as the directions say (gee, what a concept, eh?) and decide to use this peppermint grinder I found.  Looks yummy to put on sugar cookies.  Well, I got the grinder from the dollar store and let me tell you, you get what you pay for!  What a pain in the... ahem... anyway... I pull out the first, small trial batch and they're ok.  Need to stay in a minute or two longer and needs sugar, not just the peppermint stuff.  Ok, that batch is for us. 

Next I try adding sugar and use the crumbled pieces from the jar, rather than trying to grind them... they're better, but not the best.

Next is a little more sugar... oops... accidentally over-sprinkled on a handfull of the cookies on that batch... then went back to grinding peppermint.  Took forever, but was worth it, they came out ok... but the cookies didn't bake up and expand like they should have (or like I remember they should) so they ended up quite small... but I've got 50 cookies, so it's all good.



Pay no mind to the dirty counter, I hate tile counters, you can never get them clean.  Can't wait to redo them.

OMG such a mess!  The peppermint and sugar got everywhere!

~Oddyssey

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Balance... or not...

ex·haust·ed   /igˈzôstid/   Adjective
1. Drained of one's physical or mental resources; very tired.
2. (of resources or reserves) Completely used up.

Honestly, I would love to know how so many other women do it.... they balance work, baby(s), household chores, church callings, husband, and sometimes more... and do it gracefully, without complaint and generally are able to get it all done.  I really could use some time management training!  But then again, I really don't think there are enough hours in the day anyway.  LOL

Any suggestions out there?  What little tips do you have that really make a big difference in your balancing act?

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Le Poéme

Enchanted

Adrift a swirl of clouds
Torn by thorns
Reformed by the wind
The subtle whistle
Of the strong breeze
Whips around thistle and quill
Bending not breaking
Cattails and lilies
Pasture and paddock
The smell of spring
Skipping to autumn
Carries over the tips of trees
And sprinkles down
Fresh rain below
The green into brown
Small creatures fade fast
Beneath the snow
Crystal castles
Freeze the tongue
With frozen drops
Of liquid fun
Long awaited colors
Burst free of the tundra
Once again bright and fragrant
Touched by the warmth
Of a summer’s day kiss
The brief moment takes flight
On butterfly wings
Giving birth to a babe
After an exchange of rings
Eternally yours
And you are mine
Our love will endure
As our faith ‘til the end

This poem was inspired by the word Enchanted from
Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop

Mama's Losin' It


This poem kind of just wrote itself.  I started out with one idea, but it took it's own form and I think it turned out pretty good, considering I haven't written any poetry for years!  I usually never rhyme in my poems and I started out that way in this one, but some lines just came out rhyming for some reason, then fell back to my non-rhyming style.  (forgive me for not knowing the proper terminology... that English class was a lifetime ago.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.


~Oddyssey

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Well, Crap!

I've been trying to get to my blog all day and now I've just missed posting on the last day of the month.  Nuts!  The days go by so quickly and there aren't ever enough hours in the day to do what I want and need to do. 


So, time for bed so I can wake up and try to accomplish something tomorrow.  Have a good night, everyone!

~Oddyssey

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