Not Just Watching TV

(NOTE: Original post started in June)

Just wanted to give a little follow-up on my Brain Rot post.  Its been three months since I made the commitment to cut the "fat" out of my life and fill my time with more productive activities.  My form of "fat" was any TV program that promotes inappropriate values.  Well, guess what?  I've done it, and I haven't missed a single thing!

I must admit that I was channel surfing late one night while up with the babe and was stunned by the following horrifying sight and almost got sucked right back into it all.  It was very tempting, but I stayed strong and moved right along.

Poor Mrs. Jenner!  It's been dubbed the trout pout!  hahaha

Anyhow...It feels like a great achievement, but I haven't really been the best at tackling my list of replacement activities.

Here are a couple of the personal goals I set and have done/started, and maybe a few I didn't set, but did accomplish:

1.  I got the two chairs started with help from Mr. Medic and Twodles.  Just in case I had any malfunctions I started with the fabric for Twodles chair.  That way I could learn what not to do and then perfect it for my nieces birthday present, which is late btw!  But, in my defense both my and my mothers sewing machines have broken down on me.  Not sure if that would be a user error or a mechanical problem...lets just assume the latter.

Cutting PVC pipe (JUNE)

Chairs all assembled, waiting all lonely like on the porch to be finished (JULY)

(AUGUST)

And...tu-duh!!!
Only two months later and its finished!  As much as the photo shows, Twodles really does like it.  It's the perfect solution to him standing too close to the TV and ruining his eyes (that's why we don't want them to stand so close right???)  I wasn't able to get a picture of the one I made for my nieces birthday (again only 2 months late!)

2.  I started on the blessing/christening outfit for the babe.  It was a touch nerve-wracking to cut on fabric that essentially cost over $400, but alas I was able to make that first cut.

Going "green" -wedding dress for fabric (JUNE)

The first cut is the deepest (JUNE)

Just a little proof that practice makes....uh....better!

First attempt...a little sloppy joe

 

Second attempt, much better

This goal has been in the making since before Twodles was born (July 2010)  The day before I was scheduled to be induced I hurried to purchase this pattern, and then obviously never got to it...UNTIL NOW!

These pictures are from the babes blessing day on August 5, 2012.  I finished the outfit with 2 days to spare.  It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, and honestly I am pretty impressed that I made something so good looking.

Isn't he so handsome?

Our little family on the babes blessing day

3.  One of the goals was to read one spiritually uplifting talk a week.  Well, I did read ONE.  hahahaha   It was a talk given by Jeffrey R. Holland titled "The Laborers in the Vineyard" For some reason this talk stuck with me when I first watched the General Broadcast on TV.  At the time I wasn't able to give my full attention thanks to an active toddler that doesn't quite understand "church" at home yet.  I made a mental note to check it out.

Here is a quote from the talk that I really liked:

"We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those."

This quote has been on my mind a lot and will eventually be given its very own post, so stay tuned!

4.  I finally started reading along with my Book Club again.  Currently we are reading "Ender's Game"  so check back in September sometime for a post on what we did for the get together.  It should be fun.

5.  I re-organized most of the kitchen cupboards and I tackled the linen closet in the bathroom.  It may be a prime example of my slight self-diagnosed OCD (aren't we all a little?)

Labeled bins anyone??

6.  Here are some of the recipes I have tried.  Ironically only two are actual food recipes and the rest are desserts.  Just goes to show that I'm not back on the diet healthy lifestyle change bandwagon yet. 

For Mothers Day I ended up making two different desserts, one for my mom and one for Mr Medics mom.  

My mom requested Strawberry Shortcake.  I prefer the store bought Hostess angel food cakes with the fun built in crater on top for the strawberries and whipped cream, but our shrinky dink of a grocery store didn't have any so I set out to make my very own angel food.  It wasn't until I had this recipe in the oven that I realized I could have bought a boxed angel food cake mix.  OH WELL...they turned out nicely and were quite delicious!  

Image source 

Mr Medics mom loves Coconut Cream Pie, and again I imagined buying coconut pudding mix, putting it in a crust and presto...Coconut Cream Pie!  But Mr Medic assured me that homemade was much different.  So I embarked on yet another recipe I had never attempted (mind you these were both made in the same day at the same time.  My brain was completely confused following two recipes simultaneously)  

Low and behold this recipe taught me how to make my very own PUDDING from scratch!  hahahaha  Shoulda gone for Mr. Cosby's fav J-E-L-L-O...next time I guess.  

Here she is in all her homemade glory!

I pre baked my own pie crust from scratch, which is THE BEST crust ever so I will share the recipe.  I also added some coconut extract in the pudding.

FLAKEY PIE CRUST RECIPE:

Combine

2 C Flour

1 tsp Salt

Then add 1 C Crisco ( I like the butter flavor kind) using a pastry cutter ONLY UNTIL SLIGHTLY BLENDED.

Combine

1/3 C Milk 

1tsp Vinager

This is a way to make your own buttermilk.  The vinager will start to curdle the milk, wait till it thickens some.  Pour into flour mixture and mix, but don't overdo it.  

Form two balls (one for top and one for bottom)  I find it easiest to refrigerate them for 30 min to 1 hr.

Roll out and use for any pie.  For pre-baked crust bake at 450 for 10-12 mins.

The next couple I made for a few different gals in my church congregation that recently had babies.  When trying to figure out what to make for one I settled on something in the crock-pot so I didn't have to heat the house by using the oven.  I found a recipe for Hawaiian Chicken on Pinterest that sounded yummy and decided to give it a try.  

Image source AND recipe

The others I went with some cool summer food.  Cucumber sounded good to me so I got my Pinterest on and found this salad to go along with Chicken Salad Pita Pockets.

Image Source AND recipe

Mr Medic warned against making things we had never tried before, but as you can see from the previous recipes I guess I thrive on making things without testing them out first.  I thought they were all really tasty, and Mr Medic had no complaints either.

Last, when contemplating what kind of cake I wanted to eat to make for Twodles' family birthday party, I remembered how much I loved this Tres Leche cake a friend of ours made for a Cinco De Mayo celebration a few years back.  I used this recipe which was given me by a Latina friend of mine.  If you're gonna cook "authentic" you gotta go straight to the source!  Personally I would have doubled the milk concoction that is poured over the baked cake.  I like it really wet and soggy!

Twodles enjoying some left-over Tres Leche cake for breakfast on his birthday!

7.  And because I set some goals to keep Twodles entertained, and not just by the TV, here are a few pictures of things we have done the past few months:

Story time at the Library.

Swimming at the school with daddy

Swinging at a park in Jackson Hole

Dress up at the Jackson Hole Museum

First movie experience..."The Lorax" and he now has a major crush on Audrey!

Getting his first big boo-boo at the park

Spray park fun...free-ninety-free!

Learning about emotions and practicing an angry face (please excuse my puffy pregnant face)

Witnessing the release of 15,000 lady bugs, to then witness their violent slaughter by tons of toddler feet.

Soapy fun at Daddy's company party

Helping Mommy clean and fix up Daddy's bike for Fathers Day

Learning to draw

More splash park fun

Keeping cool in the pool that Gramma got for his birthday

Now if your thinking to yourself that you just read THE LONGEST list of things that have been checked off my to do list...well, you have!  Not only did I need to be accountable for working on my goals, but a mom has got to SEE her accomplishments.  Life gets dumpy sometimes when it seems like you're stuck in the house all day doing nothing.  I have done some things, and I am so glad I can see the wonderful fun we have had as a family instead of staring at the tube more than we have in the past.  

What goals have you set recently?  What do you do to stay on track so you can accomplish what you set out to do?  

What fun activities and outings have you done?

 What are some good summer meals you make?