Menu 5/14

I am excited about this week's menu. Maybe because I feel like things just work together.

Monday - Salmon, wild rice, and asparagus

Tuesday - Taco salad

Wednesday - Stuffed cabbage (uses the leftover wild rice) and Greek salad

Thursday - Chile con corne pie (uses some of the corn leftover from taco salad)

Friday - leftovers

Saturday - hike to the peak

It is getting hot here and so time to eat salad meals except my local grocery store didn't have lettuce today. I am heading downtown tomorrow and again on Thursday so hopefully I can find some lettuce.

Mother's Day Giveaway

Isn't this exciting. Be sure to check out this chance to win. I hope I win!

Menu 5/7

What do you want to eat? What do we have in the house? Those seem to be the questions. Let's see.

Monday - baked zita, salad, and bread - Need to make my sauce
Tuesday - Brocolli chicken casserole - brocolli was just $2.3 a head, I have some chicken and lots of bread crumbs
Wednesday - leftovers. I will be out all day
Thursday - Greek - I want to make kabobs again. I have had Greek on the menu and each week it seems to get pushed
Friday - leftovers - S is out that evening so it is time for leftovers.
Saturday - day trip so we will just eat out

I love my Ergo

I never leave home without it. Over a year ago Miss K had outgrown her Bjorn and living in the urban jungle a stroller just doesn't work too many steps, mini-buses, and double decker buses. Someone mentioned an Ergo so we looked at it and broken down and bought one. Then we couldn't wait 4 months till we went home for a summer visit so thankfully my parents were able to Fedex it to us. Since receiving it we do use it every day.

It is very durable. It has held up great in the plus year that we have had it. It is dirty and needs to be washed but I have to find a day or two that we are home and don't need it. Hmm, maybe I should buy another one.

It is easy to use. I am able to put it on and put Miss K in it without any needing any help.

I can wear it all day as we roam the city and not my back is not hurting. I am tired but even if I wasn't wear her.

It is man enough that my husband will wear it. Not cutesy prints but durable fabric.

I love the front zipper pocket. Perfect for my wallet, cell phone and keys.

I can wear the Ergo and my backpack which is important when you are out shopping. My hands are free to shop.

Speech Therapy

In the past 2 1/2 years almost 3 year God has reminded us time and time again that he is caring and providing for K's needs. It began in the hospital with doctors and nurses that were willing to operate even though she had complications with the heart catheterization. It was the hospital bill that just floored us because it was so low. It was the PT who for 2 years donated her time. It was the developmental doctor that we were able to see for under US$3. One of the best doctors on the island. I can't share all the ways that God has provided as it would take a book and she is only 2 years old.

The most recent blessing was a speech therapist. Living overseas we don't have the same resources as in the US. Finding an English speech therapist has been impossible. We moved to our new city and I went to a moms group in my town. The leader asked about K's speech and I responded with my pat answer, "that is her biggest delay but it is improving". L, the leader then said, "if you need help, let me know I am a speech therapist". I found one, finally but that isn't all. She speaks English, with a slight southern accent. L lives in the same village (like an apartment complex) as we do. So every Friday afternoon we walk to the back of the village and have an hour of speech therapy usually involving one of two of her children.

Here are some pictures from Friday's speech therapy. Making peanut butter crackers.

My New Favorite Store

Yesterday we went to the doctor. On the way home I decided to go to the Salvation Army store. It was a walk down the hill from the bus stop but it seems that I am not in that area often so this was my chance to go. It was my first time to go there.

Miss K loves her baby and I saw this one and could not resist. My roots come out and I had to buy it. It is in the package. Just $40. It usally doesn't take anyone a long time in my house to know that I know blue and white dishes and to add a bit of colour I add some yellow. I found this plate. It is a sample. It wasn't chipped when I bought it but I brought it home and put it on the highchair while I was getting lunch ready and a little girl wanted "baby" and pulled the bag down. My tile floor is hard on everything and it chipped but it is not really noticable.
Last summer I bought a Xyron 510. I used my 50% coupon and thought I got a good deal. I found one yesterday in the box. They retail for $59.99 and I paid $50 for it. Wonder who I will give it to?

Just remember the prices listed are not US$ except for the $59.99 retail for the Xyron 510.

I made sausage

My local grocery store is good with lots of western and imported food but sometimes they don't have everything you want or need. There is a nice expensive import grocery store but it is an hour away so I don't go there often. Of course, that is the only place to buy Tostitos. We like sausage with scrambled eggs rolled up in a tortilla. Finding bulk sausage means a trip all the way to the expensive grocery store to buy imported breakfast sausage at a price that buy us a meal at McDonald's. Now at my local grocery store every day of the week they sell ground pork at a price that I can afford. Probably the cheapest meat there. So I searched the internet and found a recipe. I decided to make a bit more today. I put five little bags in the freezer for a breakfast treat.

I love it when I figure out how to make something that I didn't think I could do. I enjoy being able to make things that take like "home" even when home is in another country.

I know it is just ground pork with spices but here it is ready to be divided up and put in the freezer.

My New Organized Kitchen

Remember the 30 day organizational challenge hosted by Laura. Well, the 30 days are up and here are the results. Laura asked some questions as we reflect on what we did.

1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it? One of the biggest challenges is my limited space and abundance of things both equipment and food. I thought about getting rid of some things but considering that some things are difficult to find here I opted to keep them.

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order? Put things away and wash dishes throughout the day. One thing I realized is I buy some food item and we use half of it in a recipe and then it sits on the shelf until the next time so now if we have something one week and use half of it then the next week or two we will use up the rest of that item.

3. What did you do with the "stuff" you were able to purge out of your newly organized space? Some of it went in a box on the balcony where I have stored some kitchen things that I don't have space for in the kitchen. I found some food that we won't use most of which was free give aways and so I just got rid of that.

4. What was the biggest lesson you learned from this experience? Do a little bit each day. I did pause a bit in the middle of this project and didn't do a little bit each day so I had to scramble and finish the project in the 30 days. When I started 30 days seemed like a long time but it did go quickly.

5. Now that you have completed the PROCESS, do you think having and keeping your space organized will make a difference in your life? Yes, I love my new kitchen. It makes it easier to cook. I can find things, I know what I have, I have things labeled.

Here is the old and new kitchen.

Before - this is a general view of the kitchen.
Here is the after picture: A bit more organized and a little more space. Here is the cabinet that you used to have to be careful when you opened.
Now it is at least a bit more organized.
Before - this is the cabinet that would be above the Chinese stove. It has the vent which gets in the way and is just a high cabinet. I need my stepstool to reach things.
Here it is a bit more organized.
Another before cabinet.
After - I still have lots of almonds but they they are good and good for you.
Under the sink before
After - More organized
Here is the before of this drawer. Everything was just somewhat thrown in.
Now look. More organized. A place for measuring spoons, baby spoons and knives.
Before - This is a bookshelf that works as a pantry and cabinet space.Here is the organized. I finally made time and labeled all my containers. Yes, I love Tupperware.
Finally, the refrigerator which technically is not in the kitchen but in the dining room. My stove/oven is where the refrigerator would be.

I decided that the alphabet didn't need to stay on the refrigerator. I did sort through things on top.

Hmm, maybe in 30 days I should post pictures of the kitchen again.

East Indian Spinach and Lentils

In a large saucepan, brown in 3T oil over medium-low heat:
1 large onion, chopped

Add and brown lightly:
4 cloves garlic, minced
2T ginger root, finely chopped

Stir in, being careful not to burn:
2t whole cumin seed
2t curry powder
2t salt
1 fresh hot chili pepper, seeded, chopped (I skip that)

Stir in, coating with spice mixture:
2c red lentils, rinsed (have used brown lentils)
Add
5 1/2-6c water
5 large potatoes, peeled and slice (optional)
1 bunch spinach, chopped (may use frozen)
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until lentils and potatoes are tender. Place in serving dish and sprinkle over top:
2T cilantro, chopped

Serve with hot rice, tomato and cucumber slices.

This recipe is from Extending the Table . . .A World Community Cookbook

Edited to add amount of water.

I thought I had a little more time

I remember soon after Miss K was born writing to a friend and telling her that I am sure it will be my daughter that will be walking around with her dress up. I thought that would start maybe when she is 6 or if she is advanced 4. Well, spring came and it seems now that her shirts are being pulled up showing her belly. We are working on learning to put your shirt down and keep your shirt down.

Oh the joys of being a special needs momma. It is full of laughs as you watch and listen to the the funny things. She can beg for pretzels with the babble words that she has and repeat and repeat until we all end up laughing. There are also times of tears but thankfully now there are fewer tears. She is one great kid.

Menu 4/30

Another week, another menu. One of the things that I did this week was do a quick inventory and look at what we have and see what I can use up. I tried to plan each meal to include at least one item that we already have.

Monday -Noodle Stir-fry

Tuesday - Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Wednesday - Pork Chops

Thursday - East Indian Lentils with Spinach

Friday - Greek night

Saturday - baked ziti

Money to Burn

My love of paper almost got me in trouble the other day. Miss K and I were walking home from the store and I walked past a store that had such cute paper items. I saw the paper food and thought that would be so cute for scrapbooking. Then I paused and remember, "wait a second, people here don't do scrapbooking." I looked at the store and it was not a scrapbook store rather a store selling money, incense sticks, and paper food, paper cars and other things for worship. I decided that I did not want to buy those paper items. Maybe it is like eating meat offered to idols but I didn't want to do it.

I have lived here in an region where money is burned for some time. There is a special money that they buy to burn so that ancestors have money to spend in the after life. Here in addition to burning money they burn food and cars so you can eat and drive.

I thought about it and was reminded that our God is preparing a feast for us. We are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb. We don't need to take our own food, it isn't a potluck but a feast. He is preparing for us, his children.

My heart is saddened for those around me living in fear and darkness. My heart rejoices to know that there is still time to go and tell them of the feast.

Menu 4/23

I was so proud of myself. I sat down last week and planned a great week of meals. You know there is a "but" in that statement. It happened Monday as I was cooking dinner. I ran out of gas. We ended up at the Indian restaurant in our town.

Monday
Indian Restaurant

Tuesday
Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Wednesday
Carrot soup with tomato cheese pie

Thursday
Lentils & Rice taco style

Friday
leftovers

Saturday
hmm either Greek night which was moved from Thursday or maybe a hike so we will skip that.

Rethinking my dream

I had a dream of someday having land and being able to raise some chickens. I thought it would be nice to have my own eggs and have hormone free chickens. I worked up the courage and told my husband my dream. I wasn't sure how he would react. His reaction in a way shocked me. He didn't laugh but said that sounds good. So for the past months we have been talking about raising chickens.

Today I bought a chicken and now I am rethinking that dream. Did you know that chickens have heads and their feet have nice nails? Somehow seeing the head on the chicken made her look a bit too real. This was a yellow chicken and not a black chicken. I just grabbed it and ran out of the store wanting to get home.

Menu 4/16

What are we eating this week?
That is a good question. One that I do hope to answer prior to the end of the week and hopefully before 5:30 each day. I need a plan.

Monday
Indian restaurant - we just got home from traveling and had no food in the house
Tuesday
Big huge salad using Island China's copycat dressing
Miss K had a hard boiled egg, veggie and cheese
Wednesday
Out with friends - these are friends that live in town but we rarely see
Thursday
Out with friends - these are our new friends who are moving here and so this is our chance to get together
Friday
leftovers or whatever Miss K and I can find around the house as Bo has his Friday night fellowship
Saturday
I can't think that far ahead. I don't know what we will be doing. I might go to the Scrapbook Day or we might go hiking. We might see our new friends again. I might cook or we might go out.

Now I do have a plan for the week and we will be eating.

A Beautiful God

Last week a friend and I were wandering an Asia antique market. There amid the dishes, teapots, paintings were various idols. One thing that struck me as I looked at these were how scary they were. Their facial expression was what would be described as scary. Maybe it is done that way to cause people to fear them.

Additionally as I looked at them, none of the idols looked beautiful. As we wander the market, I thought of how beautiful my God, the living creator God is. I was reminded of David's words in Psalm 27:4 "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Oh, to gaze upon the LORD and to see his beauty. To me gaze has the idea of looking, pondering, looking again, seeing new details and just looking. That is not what I did in the market that day. I glimpsed and looked the other way.

I am so thankful to know the living God who is a beautiful God.

Worldwide Down Syndrome Day

I missed it. I guess that is a result of living in my own little world here in what often seems to be the middle of nowhere. Now that I know about it I will remember it next year. It is rather easy to remember 3-21 is Worldwide Down Syndrome Day. Why that date? Down Syndrome is 3 copies of the 21st chromosome.

We have lived with DS for 2 1/2 years. It is full of ups and downs. Now seems to be more ups than downs. I do remember the downs, the days of wondering, tears, fears, and not knowing.

Things I am thankful for about Down Syndrome:
1. There is quite a bit of research and books available. I have a collection on my shelf -- Teaching Math to Down Syndrome Children, Teaching Reading, Gross Motor Skills, Fine Motor skills, Language and Communication, Babies with Down Syndrome, and a few more.

2. This might sound a bit strange but in a way I am thankful for the distinct features. That clues people in a bit. I am also thankful for her small size because people don't often realize she is as old as she is so their expectations are not as high.

3. I am thankful for the community I have met through DS. I have met so many wonderful moms and dads and extra blessings. I remember soon after Miss K was born and we learned she had DS I asked a missionary if she knew anyone anywhere who has a DS child and was living overseas. No, she didn't but then a week later she called and said they just remembered a couple living 2 hours south of us with a 10 year old son. That was the first parent I talked to and I was so encouraged. I also joined an online homeschool group after we learned Miss K had DS and even before she came home from the hospital. That also has been a source of encouragement and help.

4. I am thankful to God for all he has done in the past 2 1/2 years and know that he will continue in the years to come. He actually began working before she was born in moving us to deliver in a hospital that had a NICU. He provided doctors who were willing to take risks and perform her heart surgery. We had a wonderful PT who pushed Miss K and donated her time to help us. This list goes on including the Speech therapist that lives here in my village in the middle of nowhere and is working with Miss K.

Today most days she is just Miss K who keeps us laughing and some days she is Miss K with that extra chromosome that gets in the way.

So today I am celebrating a bit late Worldwide Down Syndrome Day but really I celebrate it every day.

30 days to an organized kitchen

Organizing Junkie is hosting a 30 day organizational Challenge. I decided to tackle the kitchen. My reason for picking that area is because that is my biggest challenges in this apartment. I love to cook but things are not organized they are stacked and often I am rearranging piles to get to things I need. The room is small but has quite a bit of stuff both food and things I use.

As I go through this room, I really do want to look for things that I can get rid of or maybe move to another place in the apartment. I think we might eat quite a bit of the food that we have around that we have not yet eaten.

My goal is to have an organized useful kitchen at the end of 30 days. I might have to get rid of some things to reduce the clutter and also buy a few containers to help keep things organized but I also want to see what I have around here that I can use.

Here is the current state of the kitchen.

This is actually a drawer. It looks like a junk drawer but that is just because it is not organized.
Technically the refrigerator is not in the kitchen but in the dining room but I decided to include that in the organizational challenge not necessarily the inside but the top and the outside.

This is under the sink. I have cleaning supplies, soft drinks, onions potatoes, and trash bags aka grocery bags.
This is the cabinet with the baking pans and my stash of almonds.

This is above where the stove would be so it is high up and you can see the vent. It needs some organizational help. I couldn't even turn the spice shelf last night as I think something was caught in the back.

It is almost impossible to get a picture of the whole kitchen. You can see the stove/oven, the place where a 2 burner stove would go and then the sink.

This is a bookshelf that fits along the wall that holds food and containers and my cookbooks. You can see how things are piled on there.

One more cabinet. You can to be careful when you open this one that things don't fall out.

A few of the challenges that I face in the room are the available space and the amount of things that need to go in that space. I do have to keep stocked up on things as you can't always find it at the grocery store.

There now the whole world can see my kitchen but I am planning that in 30 days you will see a new organized and clutter free kitchen.

March's Results

It is hard to believe that it is April already. Time to reflect on how I did on my goals for the year.

Read one book - I did it. The exciting this is I found a place where I can give my books away and know they are being used. I have a bag here to give to my friend.

Reduce - I used some more fabric making bags. I didn't buy any more fabric. I did buy some ribbon but that is so small. Paper - I scrapbooked 27 pages so that used some paper. I also gave some paper away to a friend who is beginning to scrapbook. I will confess I bought some new paper but it was just what I need for my Asian pages.

Exercise - I am walking with my walking partner when it is not raining. I will admit that I am not where I should be in that.

Quiet time - I am continuing in my Romans study and currently am in the middle of Psalms.

That was March. Now we move into April.

Menu 4/2 to 4/7

I sat down and planned my menu on paper and then drew arrows all around the paper as I moved things around because of various changes in our week.

Monday
Asian style beef stew which I made for lunch as Bo was not going to be home for dinner and we didn't have leftovers. I don't like cooking my big meal at lunchtime.

Tuesday
Thai meal out with friends

Wednesday
We have a lunch appointment and so for dinner we are going to have something easy
Lemon Asparagus with bow-tie pasta

Thurday
Chicken with potato casserole Need to make some sides and dessert as we are having company

Friday
Chicken stir-fry - I want to make a stir-fry once a week. My gas canister is the biggest one which tells me that cooking western uses more gas so I am going to try something new more Asian cooking