Grapefruit!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've never really been that big of a fan of grapefruit. Until now. Thanks to the good man Alton Brown (he hosts the show Good Eats on Food Network) I know like eating grapefruit.

I love how Alton actually explains some of the science behind the food we eat and the recipes he cooks. Anyway, he explained that the best way to get rid of the bitter flavor of this citrus fruit is to do a combo of sugar and salt. So you sprinkle some sugar on top of your halved grapefruit and you actually torch the sugar (so you caramelize it like you would for creme brulee). Then while the sugar is still warm you sprinkle some sea salt on it. In the words of Alton Brown...Those are some "good eats".

Picky eater and toilet hater

Ephraim has become a picky eater.
That is a sentence I never thought I would say. Even if it's food he likes, if it just doesn't sound good to him at the time, he doesn't want it. Well we are putting a stop to it. If he doesn't want what I made then he can get down, but he can't have anything else to eat until he eats at least some of his dinner. It works most of the time.
Truitt likes talking about the toilet but when it comes to actually going and sitting on it, it's then that we have an issue. I'm glad it's getting warmer this week, because we are going to try putting him just in training pants so that he feels the wet against his skin. I'm hoping this will help him make a connection.
Aaron has a big test on Wednesday so until that is past he will be busy studding.
I have to go to the grocery store tonight with 2 boys in tow. I am looking forward to Friday April 2nd. because Aaron and I are having a much needed date night! AND Christoper Elbow is releasing 12 new chocolate flavors!!! So you can guess one stop on our date.

food

A friend of mine decided she wanted to walk/run a 5k in June, and asked if I would like to at least train with her. So this morning at 5:45 we started out first day of training. During out little walk/run we started discussing the food we eat in America and what's in it and what it's doing to our bodies. She is reading a book that sounds right up the same alley as a book I read a few months ago.
The book I read is called "The Unhealthy Truth". It is a fantastic book that will open your eyes to all that is wrong with our food system, and why so many of us are seeing an increase in allergies and sickness.
I started reading it because our youngest son Ephraim developed a sever case of eczema when he was 4 months old. We discovered that he has an allergy to oats and he is lactose intolerant. Shortly after that my dad found the book and I started reading. I had no idea that different food allergies could cause so many different health problems (big ones and small ones). Allergies manifest themselves in so many different ways including asthma, eczema, ADHD, stomach ache, head ache, etc, even mood swings! I'm really hoping that as the word gets out, and more people discover the truth, things start to change.
I'm sure that most of you who try to eat healthy know that it is difficult to eat healthy (let alone organic) on a tight budget. I am always on the look out for deals at stores and recipes so that I can make things from scratch so that I know exactly what's in it. For example today I made homemade bread, granola bars, and chocolate chips (my husband is allergic to soy).
If you have any suggestions or fun recipes you would like to share send them my way!

Every once in a while a day comes along where you accomplish a lot. Today was one of those days! I stayed on top of the laundry. (I usually get distracted and forget to change it out) I swept the house, and mopped the bathroom and kitchen. I got rid of some clutter in the bedrooms. I even got my kids to eat some veggies at lunch! Let's just hope this keeps up!

Truitt is doing well. The other day he disciplined his bear. First he made the bear hit the truck, then he sent the bear to time out. He looked at us and explained why he put the bear in time out. Then he sat down with the bear and had a little heart to heart. The conversation when like this.

Truitt: "Why did you get a time out?"
Truitt: "That's right, you hit the truck."
Truitt: "What does the discipline chart say about hitting?"

So he proceeded to give the bear the appropriate punishment for hitting and even made the bear say he was sorry to the truck. He then looked at us and said "I'm going to make him hit the truck again."
Well at least he understands the standard we have in our house.

Ephraim is starting to talk more. I got him to say banana yesterday. He is really watching our mouths when we talk and is trying to mimic. He is also trying to learn how to get dressed and undressed. He already has great humor.

Aaron and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary of the day we met on Jan 29. He took me to the Peppercorn Duck Club. We had a very romantic dinner and had time to reconnect over yummy food. Then we got to experience the "chocolate bar". Oh yes you read that right CHOCOLATE BAR! Need I say more?

Well if I don't stop typing my productive day will turn into a semi-productive.

Operation Big Boy

The weekend after Christmas we traveled to Colorado to visit my family. We had a really fun time. Because we have has several "Christmases" once we were done, Truitt thought the gifts should keep appearing under the tree. Our kids totally cleaned up. I really had to sift through the toys and get rid of a lot of stuff.
Now that we have started a new year we are starting "Operation Big Boy"! We have said goodbye to Truitt's binkey, we are going to start wearing potty training pants tomorrow, and tonight is Truitt's first night in his big boy bed!
I will have to admit potty training intimidates me a little, so if you think about it pray for us.

The difference

It's amazing to see how different siblings can be. Even at this very young age I can see little ways that Ephraim's personality, likes and dislikes are so different from Truitt's. Truitt enjoys playing with cars mostly, and superheros. Ephraim seems to have more imaginative play at a younger age than Truitt. Ephraim likes playing with toy animals and he likes to play pirate. I love it when he comes toddling out of the play room with his pirate hat on and sword in hand swinging wildly with a big grin on his face. Tonight I got out the crayons to see how he would do with them. He actually colored with them. Truitt was NOT interested in crayons at this age.

I'm excited to see how Christmas turns out this year. We got Ephraim a Mr. Potato Head with lots of accessories. I really think he will like this. Mr. Potato Head is perfect for pretend play.
We got Truitt a Leapfrog Scribble and Write. The screen lights up to show him how to write a letter then he traces it. I've tried the pen and paper approach and he's not that interested, but there is something about a "computer" that I think he will find more interesting. It's simple enough though that I will still be involved. If you know me you know that I'm not for a computerized device teaching my children how to read and write. I believe that's the parents' job. That's a whole other post.

We had a lot of fun setting up the tree with the boys this year. This is the first year that they were old enough to help. They also helped me make Christmas cookies. That was more work than I anticipated, but they had fun. Here's to making memories!

Halloween

Ok so I know tomorrow is December 1st, but I wanted to post this. I know I'm really behind...I will try harder.
Our kids won a Halloween costume contest. We were so excited because is means a $50 gift certificate! As you can see Truitt was Dr. Frankenstein and Ephraim was his monster.