Food, Glorious Food: Week 2

So, this obviously didn't make it up Monday, and our eating has suffered as a result.  Rather than do the end of this week and post again next, here is my 11-day dinner plan:

Th - Black Bean and Sweet Potato Flautas
F - Cafe Rio Sweet Pulled Pork Salad - I realize that "Coke" certainly doesn't fall within clean eating, but I know after a full day of meetings tomorrow coming home to some easily finished comfort food will be nice and I will make sure to add lots of salad to help balance the scales!
S - Cauliflower Crust Hawaiian Pizza
Su - Thai Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Goat Cheese and Spinach Sandwiches

M - Pumpkin Sage Risotto & Mixed Greens Salad
T - Butternut Squash, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza
W - Spicy Butternut Squash Meatloaf
Th - Grilled Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Carrots
F - Italian Turkey, Spinach, & Feta Stuffed Peppers
S- Out to Eat.  Going to see Bill Cosby! (Tyler's Christmas present.)
Su - Carrot Orange Soup & Mixed Greens Salad

All About Me

I was just asked to answer some "about-me" questions for a newsletter put out by my church.  It was hard!  I mean, I want to sound interesting and fun to be around (who doesn't?).  I also don't want to come across as arrogant, or even worse, bland & boring.  How do you paint an accurate picture of yourself without watering it down with self-deprecation?  So after much deliberation, here is my attempt:  

1.    FULL NAME?  Hannah M. Thomson 

2.    BIRTH DATE, BIRTH PLACE? June 4th, Provo UT

3.    GREW UP WHERE?  Payson, UT (small town on the outskirts of civilization)

4.    SIBLINGS?  1 younger sister, 1 younger brother

5.    MARRIED? CHILDREN? Married for 13 years to Tyler in March.  Ryder, age 2.

6.    TALENTS?  Hmm.  Not sure how to answer this.  People tell me that I am very calm (which my husband loves, because in tense situations he gets to be the one freaking out while I keep cool) - guess that is a talent?  I also love to teach, especially "do-gooder" subjects (again a Tyler phrase), like interpersonal skills, stress management, problem-solving, etc.  I play guitar, hippy folk songs mostly, but consider that more of a hobby.

7.    DO YOU LIKE TO COOK?  I do like to cook, although I don't really like to bake.  I'm a bit of a health nut and am always trying to find recipes that incorporate more whole and homemade foods.  Ty does his best to thwart these efforts by creating goals like finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.    

8.    WHAT DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?  This answer changes constantly.  I love to learn and would be a professional student if I could get away with it.  Right now, I want to learn more about gardening and horticulture.  I'm fascinated by neuropsychology.  I am  also listening to a lecture series on Children's Literature.  

9.    MEMBER OF THE CHURCH HOW LONG?  My parents converted before I was born.  They threw away most of their awesome 60's clothes and records, thinking they weren't church appropriate (heart-breaking! - I still mourn that loss).

10.   SERVE A MISSION?  Nope.

11.   FAVORITE MUSIC, BOOK, MOVIE?  Hard to answer.  I'm not picky about music, and basically like anything that has a good tune and I can sing along to.  I love to read, and probably average a book a week.  I don't know that I have a favorite, but I read Les Miserables every few years.  When I want comfort books I turn to the Anne of Green Gables series or Laura Ingalls Wilder.  

No opinion on movies, although I do like to watch them and love the old musicals.

12.   WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CALLING YOU HAVE HAD? Relief Society Teacher

13.   FAVORITE SCRIPTURE, HYMN? Be Still, My Soul

14.   SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?  I feel like I talk about this a lot, so not sure it something "few know":  I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  I have experience working with mental illness, addictions, homelessness, etc.  I am currently an adjunct lecturer at USC; teaching trainings in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Problem-Solving Therapy.  I have just been hired to provide individual counseling services and supervise student interns.  

15.   ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?  I exercise early in the morning and am always looking for victims, I mean partners, to join me.  I keep a blog at www.hmrt.blogspot.com if you would like to read more of my almost-daily ramblings. 

Scary Things Don't Fart

Last night Tyler was tucking Ryder in and telling him a bedtime story.  It was a story about a bear who was trying to scare the forest creatures by roaring.  Every time the bear roared he farted.  So the forest animals laughed at him because he wasn't scary.

At first, I confess, I was rolling my eyes at the fart story.  Fart jokes are so adolescent.  Then, I thought more about the moral of the story:  Scary Things Don't Fart.

Think about it:  Vampire (fart).  Boogieman (fart).  Disembodied Voice (fart).  Demon Wolf (fart).

It is impossible to be scary and fart at the same time.  Yep, new coping skill for fear.  You're welcome.

The Sweet Spot

For a stay-at-home parent, I have a lot of (paid) work.  And, I get to do really cool stuff.  Stuff that is interesting and challenging.  I teach classes.  I contribute to choose-your-own-adventure style interactions with a Virtual Human (better explanation here: https://vimeo.com/51562173).  I score research data.  I will soon be a field supervisor and seeing clients for individual therapy.

The challenge for me now is finding that "sweet spot."  It is a balance to appreciate and enjoy all this work, but leave time for the things that made me choose to quit my full time job in the first place.  It feels a bit like standing in the middle of a teeter-tooter and not falling off.  

How Facebook Has Ruined Me

Facebook has ruined my ability to write.  I have devolved to the point where I now think in "what's on your mind" sentences.  Take tonight.  While trying to find a topic to blog about, here is what popped into my head:

"Love So Cal Weather."

"Meal Plan Day 1: Success!"

"My son escaped during bedtime pajama changing and pooped on the couch.  Ew."

"(Some deep MLK quote that makes me look smart and socially conscious)"

"Spin class is the devil."

Ruined!  Ruined, I say.  Now how many of you are going to try to "like" this?

All about Food - Week 1

I have a love/hate relationship with menu planning.

I love finding and trying new recipes.  Yes, often it is through Pinterest. 

I hate the execution of meal planning - having to decide on what to have, make a grocery list, do the shopping.  Not to mention that it has to happen every. single. week.

I love how well I eat when I meal plan.  I am very good at making healthy whole-food meals that taste delicious.

I hate that when I meal plan, I really become the one wholly responsible for cooking.  Don't get me wrong - Tyler is a wonderful, helpful, and very willing kitchen participant.  It's just his repertoire consists of things that taste good, but aren't that good for you.  Think Spinach Cheese Dips, Spaghetti, & to-die-for Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Plus, the reality is, it makes the most sense for me to cook considering he doesn't get home until after 6:00pm.

I love how clean and energized I feel when I eat well.

I hate how I have to make sure to pre-plan when I eat clean.  I've noticed that I need to be much more on top of eating at regular intervals or my blood sugar drops and I'm grumpy.

I'm constantly experimenting with how to make my cooking more streamlined.  I know lots of people who post their weekly menus so it is all in one place.  I'm trying that this week to see how I like it.  So, without further adieu:

Breakfasts*:
*I always choose recipes I can make and then have leftovers for several days running
Baked Oatmeal Muffins
Swirly Crustless Quiche from cookbook Practical Paleo
Scrambled Eggs with Homemade Cilantro & Walnut Pesto
note: If you have never tried Eggs with Pesto have some right. now.  It will change your breakfast dining experience forever!

Lunch*:
*Usually just leftover dinners, but will sometimes mix things up a bit.  I'm curious to try these Wheatberry Salads, but am not sure they are a great dinner item.  
Roasted Brussel Sprout and Wheatberry Salad
Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Wheatberry Salad

Dinner:
Shepherd's Pie
Braised Pork with Asian Spice Rub
Chinese Chicken Salad
Moroccan Squash Stew with Quinoa
Citrus and Slice Almond Tilapia (or another good, fresh white fish)
Spinach Artichoke Whole Wheat Pizza
Harvest Cheddar Soup in the Vitamix with Homemade Rolls if I get ambitious.

Slacking... or not?

I'm in full-scale clean and organize mode over here.  It is seriously taking over my life.  Bedrooms & Garage done.  Office, Living Room, Patio, Kitchen still in chaos.  Will be back when I have either conquered or admitted defeat (it's kinda a toss-up right now).

What I Wish I was Doing Right Now.

...ah, elusive sleep that I just don't seem to have time for...

On a happier note, I beat my previous Buzz LightYear Disneyland ride ranking today (in no small part to the ride breaking down).  At 275,500 I am now a Level 4 Space Scout.

Fantasy

Steampunk: A subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner." It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes. 
(Source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=steampunk)

When I was a little girl, I wanted to live in a musical.  I tried to get my friends to sing our make-believe games; which was mostly just met with weird looks.  Now, going to a Steampunk Symposium isn't exactly like stepping into a musical (i.e. there is no music), but it pretty much fulfills all other aspects of imagination wish-fulfullment.  So glad my friend Kristen suggested we go, and found enough like-minded friends for a true day out.

And serious and sultery:

Of course, most of the day was spent doing this:

Which resulted in this:

This guy had his wheelchair all punked out.  Best ride ever:

The Queen Mary is rumored to be haunted.  I believe it:

Sometimes it is good to step away from reality.  We are never too old to play.

Checking In

Just a quick one.  I have a big post all about my Steampunk Symposium day on the Queen Mary.  However, all my pics were shot as raw files, so at the very least I need to shrink them and make them JPGs.  And I'll probably touch up a few...  I want to do the day justice after all!

Does Composing in My Head Count?

So, I've already fallen off the everyday thing.  Which is fine, because again, the goal here is not to be perfect but just to write already.  What I have done daily is thought about what I to post.  Its just the actual sit down and do it time that got away from from me.

Wednesday:

More just "mom catagory" stuff.  Took my kiddo to the zoo.  Spent more time crawling on metal lizards and snakes than seeing live animals.  He was also quite obsessed with the alligators for some reason.  Rode a dung beetle on the carousel.  You know, typical day.

Thursday:

Was going to ask about organizational tips with a toddler in the house.  Maybe it is just because my house is small, but it seems like I am never able to keep on top of just having things picked up and put away.  Is this just a phase I have to learn to live with or are there tricks.  Anyone?  (Realizing this is embedded in a post, I may come back to this topic later)

Friday:

Random thing I am grateful for:  ceiling fans installed in the house.  Even though Tyler and fight over the settings (he likes high, I like low) they are very nice to have.  Considering theming this one: Thankful for the Little Things Fridays.  Or, perhaps, more appropriately: The First Random Thing I See Fridays.  Hmm...

"Don't Hit, Buzz"

Ryder received a Buzz LightYear for Christmas.  He is a much loved toy.  He is also the cadillac of Buzzes - he has wings, says movie quotes, has a laser, has bendable arms and legs, has a helmet that pops open, and has a button that creates the infamous karate chop action.
"Big Buzz" goes almost everywhere with us.  When we are in the car he has to be buckled in to 'stay safe.'  He also sleeps with Ryder at every nap and bedtime - he even has his own pillow and shares Ryder's blankie.
Yesterday, Ryder was lying down with Buzz for his nap.  He accidentally hit the karate chop action and Buzz's arm hit him in the face.  Ryder turned to Buzz, "No hit, Buzz!  No hit Ryder.  Go time out!"  Buzz was then banished to the other side of the bed while we counted to 10.  When Buzz got back in bed he received another stern lecture: "Buzz, no hit me.  Not nice."
I am happy to report that Buzz has been very obedient.

Health

This is always the New Year's goal, right?  Eat healthy, Exercise, blah blah blah.  So, I'm back at it.  I actually don't mind.  Except for when I am sick, I am pretty on the whole exercise thing.  The eating thing is a bit harder.  Not because I eat poorly - I'm pretty good at getting in my veggies and avoiding processed food.  I just really like to cook and eat good food.  This battles with my goal of losing that pesky 10 lbs (okay 15 lbs) that I want gone.  It isn't even all that much junk food... well, when it isn't the holidays.  The kicker is that I don't gain weight either.   I just don't like the "deficit" that has to go on for loss.  Well, enough whining.  Onward and upward to Health and Fitness 2013.

Lessons from 2012

A friend of mine posted on FB, asking about lessons learned in 2012.  They could be practical, funny, serious --- whatever.  Here's a few from my list.

1.  Although I have made peace with my ugly garden spiders, and recognize their value in keeping my plants bug-free, I still take issue with them living in my cabbage.

2.  Exercise always feels better at the end than the beginning.

3.  Leaps of faith are scary.  Then I look back and realize how things have come together.  I was extremely nervous about quitting full-time work to stay home with Ryder.  I love being a therapist.  I didn't know how I would adapt.  I have always felt that I would probably be a better 80% of the time Mom than 100% of the time.  I have not. had. a. single. work. gap. since giving my notice.  I have always had the perfect amount of work.  I have also gotten to do incredibly exciting things, like write a CEU course, develop a training program, learn and teach new evidence-based practices, etc.  None of this would have happened if I had stayed where I was.  (related lesson: "Change is Good")

4.  My toddler will always find new ways of challenging my ability to multitask.

5.  I can do hard things.  I actually wrote that on my calendar the month I took my second licensing exam (and passed!).  This lesson applies to almost every area of my life.  There are so many things I avoid because they are scary, or hard, or overwhelming.  Then, I do them, and realize that I really can do hard things.

And, as a wise friend said, "No one wants to read more than 5 things."
Anyone want to add their lessons?

a sneak peak

We have been hard at work trying to make our little home a bit more organized and functional (love those words!).  Here is a sneak peak before the grand unveiling of all our recent projecting:

...asleep

3:30am  "Dada, lay down"
4:45am "Ryder, you aren't sleeping.  I'm leaving."
4:46am ...screaming commences (I go into his room and close the door so Ty can get some rest)
4:47 - 5:06am  ...I lay on his bed while he rolls around on the floor...  still screaming at dad through the crack at the bottom of the door.
5:07am "Momma, hold me"
5:11am ...asleep

8:02am  "Hannah wake up!  I turned off your alarm and your work meeting (online) started 2 minutes ago."

Codes of Communication

I spent this morning in a sound studio listening to voice recordings of a made-up client that I helped write.  For four hours we asked the actor to be more angry, less said, more guilty, less sarcastic, more matter-of-fact.  I then came home to finish writing "tags" explaining why a therapist response is good or bad.  For example:

Reflective statements can backfire if not formulated properly.  Common errors include:

- Reflections that too closely mirror the client’s original words (parroting)

-Reflections that are changed to questions by inflection and tone of voice. 

-Reflections that are overly detailed (client hears them as summaries and answers with a yes or no)

It is so hard to codify communication.  

Analysis:  Overly tired brain leads to work-driven blog posts.  

The Little Fish

Once upon a time, there was a little fish.  One day the little fish went for a swim in the deep water.  He swam around and around.  While he was swimming, a big green-blue shark came up behind the little fish.  The big shark said, "I'm going to eat you little fish.  Yum. Yum. Yum."  The little fish said, "No, don't eat me!" and swam away.  The big shark chased the little fish.  He said again, "I'm going to eat you little fish.  Yum. Yum. Yum."  The little fish swam all the way home and shouted to the Mommy fish, "Help me.  Help me.  There's a big shark chasing me!  He's going to try to EAT ME!"  The Mommy fish heard the little fish and swam up to the big shark, pinched his nose and said, "Don't eat little fish."  The Shark said, "Ouch!" and swam away.  The little fish said "Thank you" to the Mommy Fish.  And the Mommy Fish said, "That's why I told you not to swim in the deep water.  That's why you need to listen to Mommy Fish."  The End....  ("mo fish?"*)

*mo fish variation:  Hot water, Octupus & Daddy Fish

2013

I'm [a bit of] a perfectionist.  Creativity and perfectionism don't always go well together - mostly because I don't want to do something unless I can do it "right."  This is a problem because, when I write, I feel pressure to do something meaningful.  To be insightful, or witty, or develop a cause, or something.  And, I feel torn.  Do I make this a "family" space or a "thinking" space.  How to balance both?  Obviously, I'm over thinking this (perfectionist, remember?).

The thing is, I really don't know what I want to do with this space.  I started my blog in grad school - it was a good way to avoid research papers.  Then I started reading blogs and it just got so much easier to follow other people than post myself.  Then, I decided to do R.'s baby letters here, which meant they got done, but it really turned this space into an "ode to a baby".  Something I wasn't trying to do.

So, I'm creating a 'goal' for 2013.  To be less precise.  To write something every day (gah!).  But not worry about how polished it is, or having a cute picture to go along with it, or creating any kind of meaning.  It is an exercise in just being here.  It feels messy and awkward.  Then again, new things usually do.

Happy New Year.