livin' on love

The guys came on Monday to start installing my new siding, my house was to look amazing (or almost) here shortly. Instead, we have extensive damage that needs to be replaced, so not only does my house look in shambles (we had the front deck removed for the siding install and now there is no access to my front door) but will not be fixed for quite some time. We need to get dry and wet rot fixed and we also have quite an enormous colony of carpenter ants living here with us. We are currently having numbers worked up to the price of all of the repairs and also, the cost to remove this house and built a new one from scratch. So, you say, is Janina a bit stressed-the answer to that my friend is a resounding YES! However, besides doubling our mortgage payment, and living in our garage for about 6 months or so, there is an upside. (I know--always the optimist) I will get new carpet and counters, which I have always wanted-so yay me.
Also, Alan has taken this opportunity to show me once again how amazing he is and how blessed we are to have him, so truly it could be worse. Just think, someone could be sick--worse, I could be pregnant--WAY WORSE!! (sorry if you've already heard me talk about this, I need to keep it on play on an inner loop, as my pep rally, so I don't completely crumble) So to fund new and big life changing project we need to sell everything we have of value-fun. As if I don't have enough projects going on right this second! If we have anything you want-let me know, I might could get you a 2 year old--cheap! Just kidding (kind of)

just a minute

phew!! I have just a minute or 2 before things get crazy again around here......so I thought I'd throw out a blog. These past couple of weeks have been crazy! We had a wonderful trip down to California to see my family. The weather was pretty warm, but we managed ok, and even (mostly) kept the blood sugars under control. We even took a road trip down south a bit and met Alan's grandma. I've met her once before at Alan's sister's wedding, but it's been like 15 years or something, so that was an adventure. The 95th birthday party for my Great grandma was a huge success, as was the trip over all. Even the airport was a breeze, it makes me think we can do it again sometime--good thing since we just bought tickets back down for my cousin's wedding in October.

Shortly after we got back, my cousin Belinda and her family came for a visit, and it was great to have them, they haven't made it up in about 4 years I think.

We are in the middle of finishing our garage/loft project, which is currently in the painting phase, so we've had workers here for that running all around, and a new fence put in, so there were workers running around for that, and also we've been getting estimates for the siding and deck projects, so we've had workers running around for that.....If you are beginning to see a pattern here, it's a little nuts--just like me!

Add to that, that it is time to get our JDRF walk team put together and start fundraising, and Blochtoberfest is tomorrow, you start to get a pretty good picture of what has been keeping me so busy lately. Oh wait, the cat that adopted us had kittens, and we need to have a few of the structural supporting beams of our house replaced (that will leave a gaping hole in the side of our house until it is fixed)........oh, and I'm in charge of stuff this year at the walk--namely putting together a big to-do next weekend at Oaks Park and I have pretty much no idea what's going on. Ok-now you're up to speed. Wait, Maggie has a horrible diaper rash that won't go away, and Layla's staph infection is back with renewed force--oh, and I can't button my shorts anymore. I'm sure I'll think of something else, but for now-that's enough.

The good news is that Alan arrived home tonight with 2 kegs of beer in his trunk, and he doesn't have to go to work tomorrow so we can stay up late. I love the fest, maybe even more than Christmas, so I'm really excited to get to have all of my friends and family here with me for the weekend. And-there will be smores--enough said. Hope to see you all here, if not, see you later. I'm busy again for a while, but I'll try to get a blog in every now and again to keep you up to speed about the goings on around here, as always, no promises.

**Special note to the Cali. family (& Retta)--I love you guys more than anything, we had a super time, and I can't wait to see you all again in a couple of months.

oh-I have to run--looks like it's beer-thirty

time flies

I have had two separate requests today for new blog postings, so here I go again..... I'm not sure what I've been busy doing exactly, but it seems like I haven't even sat down for days. I have about 7 quiet minutes coming, as the girls just got tiny "snack packs" of little cookies, so I thought I'd indulge my public with a quick word. Hmmmm..where to start. Friday was a bit hectic, we had some blood sugar issues. Layla's blood sugar was so high, it wouldn't register on her meter, so I had a tiny nervous breakdown, but we got it back under control (finally) and were able to keep a pretty good control of it through the weekend. The weekend was great, we did lots of errands. Translation: we got a few things done, but spent most of our time getting the girls in and out of their car seats at various, random stops, (mostly home improvement type stores) by which time they were cranky and/or bored and decided to cry/kick/scream the entire time we were inside trying to accomplish said "errand". We did get through the day though with a little help from a few of our favorite modern conveniences, namely lots of snacks, and the car DVD player. (however if I get hit in the back of the head with one more cheerio, or hear the "I love you" Barney theme song one more time, I might just actually run out into traffic) *now, a paragraph break for my mom.*

We did however somehow manage to pick out our exterior paint for the garage, and Alan also got an overflow drain system put in behind the garage, so we can hopefully avoid any nasty flooding issues like we experienced last rainy season. So, all in all, I'd say a successful couple of days. Of course, since we spent our weekend focused on getting our painting done, it had to rain on Sunday, but Monday the sun came out again, and we got some primer up-yay!!!

Today, we had some people over to quote us new siding on the house, and they mentioned that we don't need to prime our new garage siding. (as we say around here...that would have been good information to have had YESTERDAY!!!) But, lucky for us, we happen to be rolling in both time and money, so it's really no big deal.

Yesterday I made a mighty tasty dinner, which I got from the back of the Quaker quick barley box, and modified it, it is now known as "South West Barley Beans" and I will include the recipe right here:




South West Barley Beans

Any/all of the following veggies
(or add your own favorites)
Carrots, celery, onion, sweet pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (about 14-16 oz) jar salsa (the green Trader Joe’s salsa is good)
2 cups veggie broth, or water and bullion cubes
1 cup Quaker quick barley
3 cups water
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Cumin
2 cans of beans drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
Chopped cilantro
(optional) Toppings: olives, avocado, corn chips, salsa etc..
In large pot combine veggies and first 7 ingredients. Over high heat bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and corn, increase heat to high and bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low, simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender. Top with topping if you’d like. Enjoy!
This makes a ton and it is delish!! (it was even better the next day)
About 15 carbs in ½ cup





We are scrambling this week, I have 2 days left before we leave on a jet airliner to sunny Sacramento California, and I am getting pretty nervous. We have to leave the house at about 5am on Friday, we are travelling with 2 kiddos, and will be carrying numerous "banned" items, so will be cavity searched by the 17 year old TSA agent after he confiscates my shiny new lip gloss; did I mention this is all before 6 o'clock?!? (at least I might get cavity searched, I was beginning to think there was nothing good about flying anymore!) Then, we are gone for 9 days (WOW!!) so no new blogs until then at least, (but probably longer, our summer schedule is CRAZY). When we get back we are hosting my cousin Belinda and family (you're practically famous if you get a blog mention-awesome) and Blochtoberfest is the very next weekend. PHEW! In between the scheduled events, I hope to drink my weight in (light) beer and possibly hunt down a high school friend I haven't seen in a good dozen years, and talk him into tattooing me. (I will let you know how it goes) So, I'm off, wish me luck in surviving the 100+ degree weather of Cali. and keeping the kids afloat in the pool all week (not to mention, covered with SPF 50 sunscreen). We will also be attending my great grandmothers 95th birthday party, we are all really looking forward to it. My advice to you would be, if you ever get invited to a 95th birthday party, be sure not to miss it, the honoree is bound to be full of wisdom and insight, and has seen and done things that would put most Hollywood dramas to shame.

Hate to run--I really enjoy our time together, but alas, my 7 (ok 30) minutes are now up, and I have to get back to something or other I'm sure.

we passed the test

just wanted to give you an update:
we went to Layla's endocrinologist the other day, and we are keeping pretty good control of her blood sugars. We get a blood test once a year to check for other auto immune diseases, (since she is predisposed to auto immune disorders) and our latest tests came back negative-yay!! So for now, just diabetes, and a strict no meat/ no dairy diet. I tried not to get to worked up while we were waiting for the test results (which they send you in the mail) thinking what on earth we would I do if she had celiac and we couldn't have wheat or any form of wheat gluten any more. Thankfully I can put off that thought until next year at least. Now it is time to start fundraising for the JDRF walk, it is the hardest time of year for me. I can do holidays, birthday parties, almost any other stressor is doable, but this, almost 3 months of thinking about the disease and it's complications all day, every day, is quite overwhelming. So, I will be close to (if not in) tears most days now, and put in the awkward position of asking friends and family to donate money to our cause. This year I am a walk committee chair person, I am in charge of the family teams (which are all teams not corporate) so there are a few extra items on my plate. I really think we can make a difference, which is why we volunteer and try so hard. I have to believe that, some days hope is all I have. If you can join us for the walk, that would be amazing, we really need the support; physically, emotionally, and financially, otherwise, I'm sure you'll hear from me soon asking for a donation. so, until then.........

soft as silk

So Alan's cousin Walter came to visit us lately and was entertaining us with stories of his international travels. One story was about in Thailand (or something) there were street vendors that sold cups of boiled silkworms, and people would eat them like popcorn while walking around down town and hanging out and things. Maybe it's the people I consort with, but I never know if someone is telling me the truth, or trying to get me to buy a big load of the stinky stuff. (or maybe it's because I, myself, so often wind a yarn of untruth in the name of entertainment)--anyway, I thought it was gross and moved on.
I do happen to love silk and especially the raw silk, it feels great and smells like tea. Lately I have been wondering how silk is made. When I was in kindergarten, our class had "pet" silkworms, and they wove cute little silken cocoons, but surely, this can't be the way silk is commercially produced--can it?!? Well, after some diligent research (I use the term loosely--more like 10 minutes on google) I have found out, that is indeed the way silk is made. Now, don't think you're getting away without hearing all fo the gory details.... These are called worms, but look like one of those giant green horned (nasty) caterpillars that hang out all over our tomato vines in California, except they are whitish. They only live for a brief time, when they molt a bunch and eventually spin their glorious silk cocoon. Now the good stuff: if the worm finishes this process, they turn into a worthless moth (no-really completely worthless, they can't fly or anything) and eat their way out of the cocoon. When this happens, it breaks the valuable thread that the cocoon was. SO---before this can happen, they boil the whole damn thing, thus killing the worm and making the silk thread easier to unravel. Then they eat said worm, or possibly sell them to folks on the street, great sorce of protein it is said. You can also grow your own silk worms--if their plight saddens you deeply enough that you are moved to activism...and then let them hatch and use the holey cocoon to spin yarn or whatever. That being said, I do think it's a little sad, but I still like silk, so there you have it.
Here's the funny part, here we are, well into out second month of a near vegan diet, and I thought everything was going well. I mean, sure, we have eaten a few "new" things (read as wierd, but tasty). Tonight, as I was "researching" silkworms on the internet, Alan walk in and turns a bit green. "What are you doing?" he asks slowly. "I'm learning about silkworms", I cheerfully reply. "Why" he wants to know. "I was wondering about the origin of silk" says me. "ok" he says, and then drops the bomb....."I was afraid we were going to have to eat them". As if I'm actaully that crazy.. (well, today I'm not) Just one last thing I would like to leave you with before I go. It is a website I came across in my studies, you HAVE to check it out. I will want to talk to you about it later, so do it. (and be glad we live in America, where a quarter pounder is about the grossest thing going) https://www.thailandunique.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_13&products_id=29
I'm out-j
ps--leave some comments already, I know you're stalking me and trying to hide it--loser

busy doing nothing

At her job recently, a friend had to write down what she did in 30 minute intervals, to see where she could be more productive throughout the day. The other day, my cousin's (lovely) husband came home after work and asked her what she did all day (she's a work at home mom). This prompted me to look at my own day, as I always feel exhausted around 4 o'clock, but can't for the life of me think of anything productive I have done.
This morning, here's how it went: Praise Him-the girls let me sleep until 9am. (ok, not sleep actually, Maggie was licking me and pinching me all over for almost an hour, but I was still in bed) Then I hopped up, jumped in the shower, and got dressed. I changed a diaper and got Maggie dressed--Layla has decided that she prefers not to get dressed usually, so I fight it or not, depending on the day--today-not. Then I wrangle them into the kitchen, sounds easy, but actually takes 10 minutes. It is now about 9:40--not bad. I get them started with small bowls of soy yogurt while I cook (on the stove-yay me) multi grain cereal. I flavor it up with some brown sugar and raspberries, and we get to eat. (10:15) After multiple wipe ups, a new diaper and yet another change of clothes, Maggie is done. Layla finishes up, injection time, load the syringes, tackle the young one and poke her a few times--it is now 10:33. I need some coffee. The girls head off to play make believe which today includes being Mommy and baby and drinking "flower petal" water. (??? I don't ask) I then start on dinner, as it has to refrigerate a while before baking tonight at dinner. Tonight we are having broccoli/ veggie sausage and "ricotta" calzones, with home made dough (am I nuts?) Step one, sprinkle the yeast into the bowl of warm water and set it aside for about 5 minutes for it to bloom. (yes, definitely nuts) These look great, but it took a while, it is now 1:00. If you are familiar with our schedule, you know that I need to start lunch now, because we need to eat and have our next injection about 1:30. I'm getting tired already. So, today so far, I have cooked 3 hours and 15 minutes, and I need to get going on lunch---then later I have to bake dinner for an hour and we still have 2 snacks and cleanup.........Hmmmm....this keeping track thing is really getting it in to focus for me. "What do you do all day?" honestly on a good day, I would say "as little as possible", when the sun is shining, we eat cold cereal, have a pb&j and a quick dinner outside. But in reality, when I look at the facts, I cook, clean and deal with poop, it's not glamorous, but it's all mine. I am done recording for now, hopefully later I can sit down and read my book for a bit. Probably I should fold laundry, but it can wait, and I'm tired. As far as being more productive, I'm not sure, there's no doubt countless things I could improve on, but I'm happy just getting through the day with a smile on my face. (or not crying at least)

I scream for ice cream

We had a great weekend, it was hot, we had friends over, and got to spend lots of good time as a family. We went to the Hockinson fun days parade and the girls played a few "carnival" games. They liked the one where you throw your fishing line (a string tied onto a stick with a clip at the end) over a plywood wall and when you reel it in, there is a prize on the end......That's about my speed of fishing too, super quick with a guaranteed reward. It was over all a really good couple of days, I kept lots of popscicles and beer available, and we only had a couple of scary low lows. (did I mention that while I love the warm weather, I'm not actually a huge fan of summer becasue it is nearly impossible to keep blood sugars stable) This weekend I learned a few of things which I will share with you now (free of charge)--1) while a touch cranky, Layla is lucid and functional when her blood sugar gets down to 32 (our lowest ever!!-YIKES!!) 2)never challange a fighter pilot to a beer chugging competition, and finally, a new yummy recipe for coconut ice cream....(not cream really, but creamy for sure!) recipe follows (I got it out of a paper, details are sketchy, take it or leave it)


Easy Coconut Ice Creamy
4 cans coconut milk (I use the light)
2 Cups sugar
1 tsp. salt

Bring to a gentle bubble on med. high heat, stir until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Let cool, then refrigerate until chilled. Put it in your ice cream maker and process per machine directions. Serve or freeze airtight up to 2 weeks.

ohmygod! this is so awesome, and you would actually have a hard time convincing anyone that it is dairy free. It is amazing as is, or you can add cocoa powder to make it chocolate, chocolate chips, whatever stir in you desire. I cut this recipe in half the first time we made it, and it worked great; next time however, will be making a full batch, so I don't have to hide it and can share with the kids. (fyi, I didn't even boil it, when I thought the sugar was dissolved, I poured it hot right into the ice cream maker--it was super quick and I was drunk and it still worked, so there you go)

That's all I have for now--have to go make some phone calls to a guy about a fence. Until next time-j