I have this amazing friend. She's strong and powerful and so very brave. She's loyal and loving and vulnerable too. She taught me to be ok with who I am (as much as I can ever be) and that it's ok to go to Wal-Mart without makeup or in your pajama pants. :) I've never worn the jammie pants... but the makeup is optional. I've known her for 13 years now, and we've shared so many things. She's like a sister. And now, our married names are the same. That's the funny part!
Anyway, my friend is pregnant. This wasn't a planned pregnancy - she thought she was done having children and wasn't sure about the stability of her marriage - not to mention the three sons she already had. It was rough on her. And she felt so much guilt because of my struggles with infertility. She is amazingly fertile. (She's offered to surrogate for us over and over again.) So... this pregnancy has been a long road for her.
When I was confirmed pregnant in February, I called her to share the news. We were so happy! Our babies would only be 11 weeks apart. They would so close! We were so excited for the possibilities.
When we lost our baby, she was equally as devastated for us. I spent the night alone with her about 2 weeks after the loss. It was so nice to be able to be honest and open with someone. She didn't understand exactly what I was feeling, but she never limited my feelings or emotions.
Today, she had a 3D ultrasound. And they saw that her baby is a GIRL! And I am so excited and happy for her. Especially after 3 boys. I was overcome with happiness for a moment. We talked for a few minutes, and then I had to go. I was remembering...
I remembered how we were so happy that our babies would be close together, how if they were girls they'd be best friends. How we talked about taking pictures and just enjoying it all together.
And then it hit me.
We wouldn't have that. I wouldn't have that. My baby is gone. The plans were empty. Even if I got pregnant today, our babies would be so far apart. And I don't believe I'm going to get pregnant immediately, I'm a realist. And it just hit me like a ton of bricks... the emotional overload. It doesn't go away. It's not going away. I keep thinking that I am better, forcing myself to be ok - everyone else has moved on, why can't I? And at times like these, I just wish I could shut down and hide under the covers. But I can't. I'm at work. With a bunch of men who have no idea what's going on, or care to see that anything is going on. And two women who don't See either.
I feel invisible and suffocating from my overwhelming emotions and, what I am sure someone would tell me, grief. But no matter how logical I am or how many books I read on the topic... nothing seems to change. I feel fine and normal one minute... and then everything crashes the next. Shannon's right, I probably need therapy.
May 3, 2013
April 30, 2013
Someone's in the Kitchen with... Erin: Hidden Veggie/Kid-friendly Tacos
There are no pictures for this one... I didn't even think about it once. It never crossed my mind. But here's a picture of what mine would have looked like had I taken one.
But... I had a pound-ish (I buy 9+ pounds tubes at Sam's Club, and then I break them down into 8 meals, combining 2 portions for a meatloaf, so my portions are almost 1.25 pounds) of ground beef defrosting in the fridge. And I had a 4 yr old crying that he was hungry. I asked what he wanted to eat and got the dreaded answer, "I don't know."
The reason I hate this answer? Because he won't be able to make up his mind. Or after saying "No" to everything, he'll want a Corn Dog. And there is nothing wrong with corn dogs... unless it's all he eats. Weston is like a walking school lunch. His favorite meal consists of corn dogs or hot dogs with cottage cheese and carrots with or without Cheetos depending on his mood. I feel like he needs a real protein, or just a change in his meals.
So, last night, I started throwing ideas out there... Spaghetti ('I don't like Spaghetti!' since when?), Surprise Sandwiches (what we call Sloppy Joes), Tacos like you have at school... he asks about the sandwiches and then actually surprises me with a request for Tacos!!! (I almost did a happy dance for the sheer fact that he would let me cook him a real meal.)
I got him settled with a drink to hold him over and proceeded to make dinner. "Tacos at School" are just ground beef with enough taco seasoning to change the color to orange-ish in a soft shell flour tortilla with Cheese. I had to ask this once to guarantee a similar appearance. Apparently its a shock that every child at our daycare loves these tacos. Woo-hoo for us parents!
So here's the rundown of my Tacos:
Brown a pound or so of lean (we use 90%) ground beef. While it cooked, I finely grated some carrots and added them to the pan. And I would have done the same with some onion if I'd had any. Then I followed the directions on my package of taco seasoning. (Yes, I know that you can make your own taco seasoning. I want to. I'm just not that organized yet.) Now, here's where things get awesome: My sister adds 1 small can V-8 Spicy in place of the water. I never have V-8 on hand. So, I add 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes in addition to the 3/4 cup of water. So, we now have tomatoes and carrots (and possibly onions) hiding in the taco meat. I take a pair of kitchen shears and cut all of the large pieces of tomato into much smaller pieces. And then I let the whole thing simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now, you're pretty much done. Warm up some flour tortillas in the microwave. I put some Mexi-blend cheese onto the warm tortilla and add the meat mixture for Weston. fold up the bottom and sides, and call it good. This was an entirely impromptu meal. So we had chips and salsa as a side. I add sour cream and salsa to mine... I didn't have any fresh lettuce or tomatoes. Impromptu, remember?
Weston ate everything. And he only picked 3 tomatoes out of his taco... leaving about 30 in there. :) A big hit at our house. And it microwaves really well.
 |
| someone else's Soft Shell Taco |
But... I had a pound-ish (I buy 9+ pounds tubes at Sam's Club, and then I break them down into 8 meals, combining 2 portions for a meatloaf, so my portions are almost 1.25 pounds) of ground beef defrosting in the fridge. And I had a 4 yr old crying that he was hungry. I asked what he wanted to eat and got the dreaded answer, "I don't know."
The reason I hate this answer? Because he won't be able to make up his mind. Or after saying "No" to everything, he'll want a Corn Dog. And there is nothing wrong with corn dogs... unless it's all he eats. Weston is like a walking school lunch. His favorite meal consists of corn dogs or hot dogs with cottage cheese and carrots with or without Cheetos depending on his mood. I feel like he needs a real protein, or just a change in his meals.
So, last night, I started throwing ideas out there... Spaghetti ('I don't like Spaghetti!' since when?), Surprise Sandwiches (what we call Sloppy Joes), Tacos like you have at school... he asks about the sandwiches and then actually surprises me with a request for Tacos!!! (I almost did a happy dance for the sheer fact that he would let me cook him a real meal.)
I got him settled with a drink to hold him over and proceeded to make dinner. "Tacos at School" are just ground beef with enough taco seasoning to change the color to orange-ish in a soft shell flour tortilla with Cheese. I had to ask this once to guarantee a similar appearance. Apparently its a shock that every child at our daycare loves these tacos. Woo-hoo for us parents!
So here's the rundown of my Tacos:
Brown a pound or so of lean (we use 90%) ground beef. While it cooked, I finely grated some carrots and added them to the pan. And I would have done the same with some onion if I'd had any. Then I followed the directions on my package of taco seasoning. (Yes, I know that you can make your own taco seasoning. I want to. I'm just not that organized yet.) Now, here's where things get awesome: My sister adds 1 small can V-8 Spicy in place of the water. I never have V-8 on hand. So, I add 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes in addition to the 3/4 cup of water. So, we now have tomatoes and carrots (and possibly onions) hiding in the taco meat. I take a pair of kitchen shears and cut all of the large pieces of tomato into much smaller pieces. And then I let the whole thing simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now, you're pretty much done. Warm up some flour tortillas in the microwave. I put some Mexi-blend cheese onto the warm tortilla and add the meat mixture for Weston. fold up the bottom and sides, and call it good. This was an entirely impromptu meal. So we had chips and salsa as a side. I add sour cream and salsa to mine... I didn't have any fresh lettuce or tomatoes. Impromptu, remember?
Weston ate everything. And he only picked 3 tomatoes out of his taco... leaving about 30 in there. :) A big hit at our house. And it microwaves really well.
April 29, 2013
an open letter to JJ Abrams...
Dear Mr. Abrams,
I am a huge fan. From Felicity to Alias (OMG, Alias!!!) to LOST to Fringe and on to Star Trek, Super 8 and beyond, there is very little that you can do wrong when it comes to my personal entertainment over the last twenty years. (Yes, I enjoyed Forever Young and your early writings too.)
When I had heard that you were taking on the Star Trek franchise, I was beyond excited. When I saw the movie I was enraptured and completely blown away by your lighting and the visual effects.The story was fantastic - a reboot would have been too simple. An alternate timeline though? Brilliant! I loved the casting of hard working but not über-famous actors. We could grow with these characters.
You have made me love this storyline when I only had room in my American NerdGirl heart for Skywalkers and Solos.
That being said... This three year wait has been brutal. I understand that it takes time to make movies of this caliber, I really do. But the selfish movie-lover in me is impatient. I haven't even seen this new movie, and I am already hoping that you are hard at work on the next one.
Please be working on this next installment. Please get a head start. You know the world is on the edge of our seats for the next chapter. Please.
Oh, and Mr. Abrams - I am expecting the same care and treatment for the Star Wars franchise as you've given Star Trek. I'm just saying....
Sincerely,
an Iowa NerdGirl
P.S. I forgot to mention my favorite of what feel are your signature traits, and it goes back to actors: I Love how you value the actors that you work with. I love how I continue to see them pop up through your various endeavors - Hello, Greg Grunberg in Felicity, Alias, and a single memorable episode of LOST. It says a lot about you and your work, and about the quality people that you work with. Thanks for this too!
I am a huge fan. From Felicity to Alias (OMG, Alias!!!) to LOST to Fringe and on to Star Trek, Super 8 and beyond, there is very little that you can do wrong when it comes to my personal entertainment over the last twenty years. (Yes, I enjoyed Forever Young and your early writings too.)
When I had heard that you were taking on the Star Trek franchise, I was beyond excited. When I saw the movie I was enraptured and completely blown away by your lighting and the visual effects.The story was fantastic - a reboot would have been too simple. An alternate timeline though? Brilliant! I loved the casting of hard working but not über-famous actors. We could grow with these characters.
You have made me love this storyline when I only had room in my American NerdGirl heart for Skywalkers and Solos.
That being said... This three year wait has been brutal. I understand that it takes time to make movies of this caliber, I really do. But the selfish movie-lover in me is impatient. I haven't even seen this new movie, and I am already hoping that you are hard at work on the next one.
Please be working on this next installment. Please get a head start. You know the world is on the edge of our seats for the next chapter. Please.
 |
| Benedict Cumberbatch, JJ Abrams, and Chris Pine event for 'Star Trek: Into Darkness' 2013 |
Sincerely,
an Iowa NerdGirl
P.S. I forgot to mention my favorite of what feel are your signature traits, and it goes back to actors: I Love how you value the actors that you work with. I love how I continue to see them pop up through your various endeavors - Hello, Greg Grunberg in Felicity, Alias, and a single memorable episode of LOST. It says a lot about you and your work, and about the quality people that you work with. Thanks for this too!
April 24, 2013
Someone's in the Kitchen: a new start
A friend has suggested that I start blogging my recipes. I use Instagram to post pictures of my homemade food and pretty much all other fun food. So, this is my first official recipe post - and I'm also trying so new products! (Also... this is my first post from the Blogger App on my iPhone!!!)
So, the husband went to Hy-Vee Sunday and took advantage of their $1 sale of Split Chicken Breasts at $1/pound. And Prego sauces were 3 for $5.
Now, I'm not a fan of Prego, I think it's too acidic. But- it was a good deal. So I picked up some new and unusual flavors. One of which was a Creamy Vodka sauce. I LOVE Vodka Sauce. But let's be honest, I rarely have the time on a week night to make a good one. The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, has one of my favorite recipes, and Bella Italia in Pleasant Hill (Iowa) has my favorite restaurant sauce. Anyway, in my opinion, Vodka Sauce needs a thick al dente noodle to really shine. So I actually decided to try a new-to-me noodle - Barilla's Gemelli - it's a think twisted noodle cut a little shorter than penne.
First things first - preheat the oven to 350°. Rinse and pat dry your chicken breasts. Rub each breast with Olive Oil, sprinkle with Salt, Spanish Paprika, and Italian Seasoning - back first, then the top. I roasted these for 50 mins on a broiler pan. Then I broiled on a low broil for 4 mins to get everything crispy. *Watch while you broil to avoid burning!*
While roasting your chicken, put a pot of salted water onto boil. This pasta took about 13 mins to cook al dente, so time it to be done about 8 mins before the chicken is done. Before dumping the pasta, reserve about a cup of the pasta water.
Turn the stove top down to medium-low. Pour the jar of Prego Creamy Vodka sauce into the pan - Use a little of the pasta water swirled into the jar to get all the sauce into the pan. Warm gently, stirring often.
Take out the chicken when done. Let it rest.
Add a green veggie - I chose broccoli. My favorite is the Steam-in-bag from Sam's Club - it's 4 bags for under $6, and each single bag seems about 25% larger than the Steam Fresh bags from my local grocery. A delicious deal.
Once the sauce is warm, add one Tablespoon of real butter. Let it melt in. This will add a richness to the jarred sauce. I read this somewhere. And let's whisper the truth between us - butter makes everything better - Paula Deen says so. :)
Now a lesson about Vodka Sauce - it always tastes slightly bitter to me when I do a taste test. But once I add the noodles and let them reheat in the sauce and marry all together - I find that the sauce is perfect. No added salt or anything. And I really thought that Prego's was one of the best I've had.
Ok - so portion each onto the plate and add a little Parmesan to the pasta.
And enjoy!
 |
| Complete dinner! I debone my chicken breast before sitting down (it's just easier) and truthfully, I could have split the chicken in half. |
***
I thought that the chicken was ok - I think I'd try to get the flavors more into the meat, but really - it wasn't even necessary, the pasta and broccoli were delicious on their own.
Total meal was $7.34 + seasonings for 4 servings.
That's $1.84 per serving, with my lunch not having any chicken.
(The breasts were large enough to cut into 4 servings, but I didn't want any.)
That's a Happy Homemaker win.
Ok, well let me know if you like this post, if you have any suggestions for form or flow.
Thanks for reading!
March 29, 2013
Some More Musical Notes...
So, we've obviously had some personal obstacles lately, and I've had this half done... now is the time to finish this up. Because life moves one. Back to normal!!!
My list of Favorite Songs is still sitting on my desk. It's time to get to work on Part 2 - numbers 11-20.
11. Rhiannon/Landslide - Fleetwood Mac, both from the 1975 self-titled Album - I love both of these songs equally. Actually at any given moment, I always love one a tad bit more than the other, but they flip so often that they are listed together. Stevie Nicks wrote both songs, and has so much of herself poured into each one that they can only be described as my introduction into the beauty that is Stevie Nicks. I love her. I love the raspy sound of her voice, the tone, the depth. Heck, I heard her singing with Dave Grohl's Sound City Players and I was floored. It was Rock and Alternative and such a crazy blend of Nicks, Nirvana, and Foo Fighters, that while stumped I still just loved it. When a voice can transcend a genre... it's just amazing.
12. Lightning Crashes -Live, from the 1994 Throwing Copper - I first saw this video on MTV in what had to be 1995. The opening chords of this song just make the whole song. They make my chest tighten in anticipation of... I'm not sure what, but it just happens. I have always loved this song, and I bought the entire album just to get it, sometime in 1998. This was the beginning of my love for the Alternative Rock/Post grunge sound. I like to think the other songs on this album, much harder than this, are what lead me to Linkin Park, etc. Everything builds on something before it. As a mom, this song, and especially the video, took on a much deeper meaning. And during my pregnancies, this video is as emotional as a Hallmark commercial. ;)
13. Sugarhigh - Coyote Shivers, from the 1995 Empire Records soundtrack - this song was awesome in the movie sung by Renee Zellwegger and Coyote Shivers. It was great. And it's what led me to the entire soundtrack. Gin Blossoms, Cranberries, this soundtrack has some great bands with popular and songs I'd never heard before. I like the entire thing. And this movie is still one of my favorites! (I add in Renee's part while singing in the car, and my sister actually thinks I sound good. For once.)
14. Hypnotize - Notorious B.I.G., from the 1996 album Life After Death, I don't remember when I first heard this song. In the middle of Iowa, East Coast vs West Coast rap was something that was a big deal, but not a huge deal. The guys "fighting" it over were generic white middle class kids. My brother first brought Biggie into our house. And I liked hearing the beat and the smooth voice pounding out of Nathan's room. When I went to college in 1998, Hypnotize was a regular frat party anthem. My roommate Katie would do the Vivica Fox's stripper pole dance from the movie Independence Day to Hypnotize any time it came on. And then it was featured in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate about You. It exploded at the bar scene from there. It's a great song with a great beat. Every time I hear it, I see Katie's stripper dance, and I remember the laughter and happiness that surrounds this song. And the little twinge of sadness at Biggie's life cut short.
15. Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar, from the 1983 album Live From Earth, this song is the Battle cry for all hurt women every where. I loved this song (and most of Pat Benatar's singles) from the moment they hit the radio waves. and 30 years later, these songs are still played on the radio - they are timeless. I love how this song builds and builds to this explosion of Feminist Liberties. ;) And now... every time I hear this song, I no longer see Benatar and her 80s army of neon, scarved empowered women, I see Jennifer Garner and her army of newly initiated 13 yr olds from the movie 13 Going On 30! Great movie if you haven't seen it - even better soundtrack. This song has carried me for 30 years, and it will never grow old.
16. Someday - Mariah Carey, from the 1990 self titled album Mariah Carey, this song blew me away the first time I heard in Janet Berkey's bedroom on the radio while reading an issue of Seventeen magazine. See? I can remember every detail which shows how important this song is. I've heard that she doesn't even like this song because of the changes that Sony made to the original track, and that her husband, Nick Cannon, is begging for her to once again sing it live. Hmmm... I'm not sure I would go to a concert where she didn't sing this song. I was so amazed at her vocal range. People kept comparing her to Whitney Houston. And she is just as good, maybe better. This song began my life long love of Mariah Carey. For the most part, I have loved part of every album she's made (exception - Glitter and everything around that period.) She came back again with The Emancipation of Mimi and it was like she never left. But I'll be honest, this is the top song for me from one of the best Diva's of all time.
17. True Blue - Madonna, from the 1986 album of the same name, though this song came out after earlier hits Like A Virgin and Material Girl, songs that introduced me to Madonna, True Blue made me fall in love with her. This song was so peppy and young and melodious without being a true dance song. It felt most like a song you could sing along to. This was a great record too... but this song sealed the deal for my childhood love of Madonna. I still love everything she has made prior to her Ray of Light album. Disco, leotard sporting Madonna was just something that I couldn't get into. But when it comes to her classics, I'll always be a fan!
18. It Must have been Love - Roxette, from the 1990 soundtrack for the movie Pretty Woman, this song was originally released as Christmas single in Sweden in 1987, but it wasn't until seeing Pretty Woman, that I fell in love with this song. It's the end Love song. When Richard Gere's Edward goes to the slums of LA and sweeps Julia Roberts' prostitute-with-a-heart-of-gold Vivian right off her fire escape. This song led to Roxette moving state side, and it led me to some other great music by this Swedish duo. But this song will always be my favorite. It's a great love song and just brings up so many happy feelings.
19. Sabotage - The Beastie Boys, from the 1994 album III Communication, I more than likely first heard the Beastie Boys on MTV, but it was my brother Nathan's love of them that brought them into our house. He played them loud and did it to annoy everyone. But the the funny thing was, I liked them. A lot. Maybe it was the percussionist in me. I remember seeing this video for the first time and just being so tickled by the humor of it, from the cheesy 70's costumes to the overplayed acting. It was great, but then the song was just outstanding. I delved deeper into the Beastie Boys since this song, and while I love so many other songs (the intro to Mullet Head on the Clueless movie soundtrack was by far, ah-mazing, let's be honest, that soundtrack rocked) - Sabotage will always be my fave. And I'm not sure if it's the vision that the video brings, or the beat, or the bonding to my brother... but this song is just a part of my music.
20. Killing Me Softly - the Fugees, from the 1995 album The Score, I first heard this song on MTV Jams in the early morning while getting ready for school. It was a soft beautiful song with just enough hip hop to make it hot. I had fallen in love with Lauryn Hill's voice in the 1993 movie Sister Act 2, and this introduced me to more of her music. I'll admit to enjoying this song above all other Fugees' music and Lauryn Hill's other music, but it led me down a road to experience more than just the usual Iowa White Girl 90s Pop music of my time. I bought The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill a few years later and though she's moved on to music outside of my realm, I still love going back to this song.
Next up in my world of music... the Honorable Mentions!
My list of Favorite Songs is still sitting on my desk. It's time to get to work on Part 2 - numbers 11-20.
11. Rhiannon/Landslide - Fleetwood Mac, both from the 1975 self-titled Album - I love both of these songs equally. Actually at any given moment, I always love one a tad bit more than the other, but they flip so often that they are listed together. Stevie Nicks wrote both songs, and has so much of herself poured into each one that they can only be described as my introduction into the beauty that is Stevie Nicks. I love her. I love the raspy sound of her voice, the tone, the depth. Heck, I heard her singing with Dave Grohl's Sound City Players and I was floored. It was Rock and Alternative and such a crazy blend of Nicks, Nirvana, and Foo Fighters, that while stumped I still just loved it. When a voice can transcend a genre... it's just amazing.
12. Lightning Crashes -Live, from the 1994 Throwing Copper - I first saw this video on MTV in what had to be 1995. The opening chords of this song just make the whole song. They make my chest tighten in anticipation of... I'm not sure what, but it just happens. I have always loved this song, and I bought the entire album just to get it, sometime in 1998. This was the beginning of my love for the Alternative Rock/Post grunge sound. I like to think the other songs on this album, much harder than this, are what lead me to Linkin Park, etc. Everything builds on something before it. As a mom, this song, and especially the video, took on a much deeper meaning. And during my pregnancies, this video is as emotional as a Hallmark commercial. ;)
13. Sugarhigh - Coyote Shivers, from the 1995 Empire Records soundtrack - this song was awesome in the movie sung by Renee Zellwegger and Coyote Shivers. It was great. And it's what led me to the entire soundtrack. Gin Blossoms, Cranberries, this soundtrack has some great bands with popular and songs I'd never heard before. I like the entire thing. And this movie is still one of my favorites! (I add in Renee's part while singing in the car, and my sister actually thinks I sound good. For once.)
14. Hypnotize - Notorious B.I.G., from the 1996 album Life After Death, I don't remember when I first heard this song. In the middle of Iowa, East Coast vs West Coast rap was something that was a big deal, but not a huge deal. The guys "fighting" it over were generic white middle class kids. My brother first brought Biggie into our house. And I liked hearing the beat and the smooth voice pounding out of Nathan's room. When I went to college in 1998, Hypnotize was a regular frat party anthem. My roommate Katie would do the Vivica Fox's stripper pole dance from the movie Independence Day to Hypnotize any time it came on. And then it was featured in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate about You. It exploded at the bar scene from there. It's a great song with a great beat. Every time I hear it, I see Katie's stripper dance, and I remember the laughter and happiness that surrounds this song. And the little twinge of sadness at Biggie's life cut short.
15. Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar, from the 1983 album Live From Earth, this song is the Battle cry for all hurt women every where. I loved this song (and most of Pat Benatar's singles) from the moment they hit the radio waves. and 30 years later, these songs are still played on the radio - they are timeless. I love how this song builds and builds to this explosion of Feminist Liberties. ;) And now... every time I hear this song, I no longer see Benatar and her 80s army of neon, scarved empowered women, I see Jennifer Garner and her army of newly initiated 13 yr olds from the movie 13 Going On 30! Great movie if you haven't seen it - even better soundtrack. This song has carried me for 30 years, and it will never grow old.
16. Someday - Mariah Carey, from the 1990 self titled album Mariah Carey, this song blew me away the first time I heard in Janet Berkey's bedroom on the radio while reading an issue of Seventeen magazine. See? I can remember every detail which shows how important this song is. I've heard that she doesn't even like this song because of the changes that Sony made to the original track, and that her husband, Nick Cannon, is begging for her to once again sing it live. Hmmm... I'm not sure I would go to a concert where she didn't sing this song. I was so amazed at her vocal range. People kept comparing her to Whitney Houston. And she is just as good, maybe better. This song began my life long love of Mariah Carey. For the most part, I have loved part of every album she's made (exception - Glitter and everything around that period.) She came back again with The Emancipation of Mimi and it was like she never left. But I'll be honest, this is the top song for me from one of the best Diva's of all time.
17. True Blue - Madonna, from the 1986 album of the same name, though this song came out after earlier hits Like A Virgin and Material Girl, songs that introduced me to Madonna, True Blue made me fall in love with her. This song was so peppy and young and melodious without being a true dance song. It felt most like a song you could sing along to. This was a great record too... but this song sealed the deal for my childhood love of Madonna. I still love everything she has made prior to her Ray of Light album. Disco, leotard sporting Madonna was just something that I couldn't get into. But when it comes to her classics, I'll always be a fan!
18. It Must have been Love - Roxette, from the 1990 soundtrack for the movie Pretty Woman, this song was originally released as Christmas single in Sweden in 1987, but it wasn't until seeing Pretty Woman, that I fell in love with this song. It's the end Love song. When Richard Gere's Edward goes to the slums of LA and sweeps Julia Roberts' prostitute-with-a-heart-of-gold Vivian right off her fire escape. This song led to Roxette moving state side, and it led me to some other great music by this Swedish duo. But this song will always be my favorite. It's a great love song and just brings up so many happy feelings.
19. Sabotage - The Beastie Boys, from the 1994 album III Communication, I more than likely first heard the Beastie Boys on MTV, but it was my brother Nathan's love of them that brought them into our house. He played them loud and did it to annoy everyone. But the the funny thing was, I liked them. A lot. Maybe it was the percussionist in me. I remember seeing this video for the first time and just being so tickled by the humor of it, from the cheesy 70's costumes to the overplayed acting. It was great, but then the song was just outstanding. I delved deeper into the Beastie Boys since this song, and while I love so many other songs (the intro to Mullet Head on the Clueless movie soundtrack was by far, ah-mazing, let's be honest, that soundtrack rocked) - Sabotage will always be my fave. And I'm not sure if it's the vision that the video brings, or the beat, or the bonding to my brother... but this song is just a part of my music.
20. Killing Me Softly - the Fugees, from the 1995 album The Score, I first heard this song on MTV Jams in the early morning while getting ready for school. It was a soft beautiful song with just enough hip hop to make it hot. I had fallen in love with Lauryn Hill's voice in the 1993 movie Sister Act 2, and this introduced me to more of her music. I'll admit to enjoying this song above all other Fugees' music and Lauryn Hill's other music, but it led me down a road to experience more than just the usual Iowa White Girl 90s Pop music of my time. I bought The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill a few years later and though she's moved on to music outside of my realm, I still love going back to this song.
Next up in my world of music... the Honorable Mentions!
March 20, 2013
num num num
It's been suggested that I write a Food Blog on the recipes that I use for my family.
I'm mulling the idea over. It might be fun. It won't be consistent, but it might be fun. :)
Thinking about it....
I'm mulling the idea over. It might be fun. It won't be consistent, but it might be fun. :)
Thinking about it....
March 18, 2013
normalities
It's been one week since my surgery and the removal of our pregnancy.
Things are slowly getting back to the new normal. I went on a Girls Night on Friday. It was a nice distraction... Oz: The Great and Powerful was a huge disappointment in a movie. Just huge. And it had so much potential. Our late dinner of (mine was cooked) Sushi at Wasabi Chi was amazing. I loved it all, and would definitely go back. If you are reading this from the DSM area, make a visit, and then send me a Thank You note.
What I've noticed about people though... as the week went on, my tragedy was no longer in the front of their minds. And while I understand this, it would be nice to be asked how I'm doing, or to have my Mom want to talk about it. I still need to talk about it. My SeaStar has been a God-send. More than she will ever understand. She lets me talk and cry and talk some more. She is the best sister on the planet. I am beyond lucky to have her.
So, Saturday, we were back to normal. Big family thing - we bought a Family Membership to the Science Center of Iowa and the Blank Park Zoo. It was our big expenditure, but we're doing it in lieu of Adventureland passes this year. We spent about 3 hours at the Science Center Saturday, and then Shannon and I ran errands all over West Des Moines after we dropped the boys at home. It was really rough for me. I'm not sure if I overdid it, or what, but I was in a lot of pain with the worst cramps since labor with Weston, and it was the absolute worst day since surgery. It was so bad that I thought this was all over after it. I was wrong, but nothing has been as bad as Saturday. So, I hope that means that I am healing well.
Last night I didn't go to bed as early as I had hoped (Darned husband got me hooked on the Walking Dead.) But I dreamed a lot last night. A LOT. I dreamt that it was April 2nd. The day of my 3 week Post-op check up. And I was pregnant again. Just newly discovered. And I was afraid that my doctor was going to be so mad at us. And I was so worried that this was too soon, that we were asking for another miscarriage. The kicker? The whole time that I am dreaming about this, in the dream I am wondering how I could even be pregnant at all - it's only 2 weeks from tomorrow, how is that time enough for this to happen? So in my head in the dream, I am worried about a supernatural pregnancy on top of an impending miscarriage and an angry doctor. Wow... Freud would have a blast with that one... I can just hear him (think back to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure for the Freud in my head) -
"Oh! I zeenk zat you are hazing zee issues of zee babies... ."
See, even the awake stuff running through my head is a bit crazy, so the dream stuff has to be so much more entertaining. :) I hear from the message boards that I belong too, that dreams are normal, even weird guilty dreams.
Obviously, my mind is on babies. In an almost desperate way. I feel more like I did when we struggling with infertility the first time around - jealous and angry and mad at all of the pregnant women and girls around me. A great sense of unfairness. I realize that this is all a part of grieving. I've been told to accept my sadness and anger and everything I feel and to actually recognize it for what it is, grief. And I am trying. I really am. Scott looks at me and asks me if I'm ok, what's wrong, etc. And I'm just wallowing in my feelings. I'm trying to be normal, and for a little while, I am. But sometimes, I just fall back into the wallowing. And apparently, this is normal too.
I am normal. All the time. I just have to accept that for myself. I'm working on it.
Things are slowly getting back to the new normal. I went on a Girls Night on Friday. It was a nice distraction... Oz: The Great and Powerful was a huge disappointment in a movie. Just huge. And it had so much potential. Our late dinner of (mine was cooked) Sushi at Wasabi Chi was amazing. I loved it all, and would definitely go back. If you are reading this from the DSM area, make a visit, and then send me a Thank You note.
What I've noticed about people though... as the week went on, my tragedy was no longer in the front of their minds. And while I understand this, it would be nice to be asked how I'm doing, or to have my Mom want to talk about it. I still need to talk about it. My SeaStar has been a God-send. More than she will ever understand. She lets me talk and cry and talk some more. She is the best sister on the planet. I am beyond lucky to have her.
So, Saturday, we were back to normal. Big family thing - we bought a Family Membership to the Science Center of Iowa and the Blank Park Zoo. It was our big expenditure, but we're doing it in lieu of Adventureland passes this year. We spent about 3 hours at the Science Center Saturday, and then Shannon and I ran errands all over West Des Moines after we dropped the boys at home. It was really rough for me. I'm not sure if I overdid it, or what, but I was in a lot of pain with the worst cramps since labor with Weston, and it was the absolute worst day since surgery. It was so bad that I thought this was all over after it. I was wrong, but nothing has been as bad as Saturday. So, I hope that means that I am healing well.
Last night I didn't go to bed as early as I had hoped (Darned husband got me hooked on the Walking Dead.) But I dreamed a lot last night. A LOT. I dreamt that it was April 2nd. The day of my 3 week Post-op check up. And I was pregnant again. Just newly discovered. And I was afraid that my doctor was going to be so mad at us. And I was so worried that this was too soon, that we were asking for another miscarriage. The kicker? The whole time that I am dreaming about this, in the dream I am wondering how I could even be pregnant at all - it's only 2 weeks from tomorrow, how is that time enough for this to happen? So in my head in the dream, I am worried about a supernatural pregnancy on top of an impending miscarriage and an angry doctor. Wow... Freud would have a blast with that one... I can just hear him (think back to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure for the Freud in my head) -
"Oh! I zeenk zat you are hazing zee issues of zee babies... ."
See, even the awake stuff running through my head is a bit crazy, so the dream stuff has to be so much more entertaining. :) I hear from the message boards that I belong too, that dreams are normal, even weird guilty dreams.
Obviously, my mind is on babies. In an almost desperate way. I feel more like I did when we struggling with infertility the first time around - jealous and angry and mad at all of the pregnant women and girls around me. A great sense of unfairness. I realize that this is all a part of grieving. I've been told to accept my sadness and anger and everything I feel and to actually recognize it for what it is, grief. And I am trying. I really am. Scott looks at me and asks me if I'm ok, what's wrong, etc. And I'm just wallowing in my feelings. I'm trying to be normal, and for a little while, I am. But sometimes, I just fall back into the wallowing. And apparently, this is normal too.
I am normal. All the time. I just have to accept that for myself. I'm working on it.
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