Menu...Thursday

So, I'm a little behind on my menu planning, but better late than never I always say...no really, I ALWAYS say that.  It seems I am perpetually running behind.  Oh well.  :)  Okay, enough chit-chat...here's the menu.  Drum roll please....

• Thursday: Rotisserie Chicken, Triple Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes, Peas
• Friday:  Apple Ring Pancakes, Sausage, Fruit
• Saturday: Mac and Cheese and Peas
• Sunday: Steak, Asparagus, Sweet Potatoes, Rolls
• Monday: From scratch Pigs In A Blanket, Spinach Salad, Fruit

I am also going to be BAKING tonight and tomorrow.  On Friday night is the Young Women's camp fundraiser and I am donating some baked goods.  I will be making the ever coveted Lemon Cupcakes filled with Lemon Curd and topped with Raspberry Frosting...truly a marvel!  My mouth is watering just thinking about them!  I will also be making Maple Rolls with Maple Glaze...Mmmmmmm!  Have I ever mentioned that I love to bake?  Yes?  Well, I'm saying it again...I LOVE TO BAKE!!!

Award Time

Riley has finished a week of soccer camp and he had a blast!  He came home today and told me about the awards he got.  He got a "Most Polite" award and a "Never Gets Upset" award.  He is pretty proud and so am I!

Avaisms

I think Ava has pulled a few pages from the book of Tanner.  When she doesn't want to do something she lets you know...BOY does she let you know!  There are two phrases that she has been sticking to whenever she isn't in the mood to do what we ask her to.  Here are two examples:

Mommy:  Ava babe, it's time for bed
Ava: Mommy, I no go to bed.  I so scared of my crib

She pulls out the "I so scared" tactic a lot.  There is also this little gem:

Daddy: Ava, sit down little chicks, it's time for dinner
Ava: No Daddy.  I can't eat dinner.  Dinner makes me SO sick!

Hmmmm.....

So, there you have it.  The two phrases we hear multiple times a day:  "I so scared" and "That makes me so sick".  Good thing I wasn't born yesterday!

Sweet Riley

Riley has been going to soccer camp every morning this week (It's Spring Break).  This morning just as we were out the door, he found his Book of Mormon that his Sunbeam teacher gave him.  He loves his Book of Mormon!  He brought it into the car and was reading about Abinadi.  Riley is very spiritually attune.  Even though I know this about him, it still surprises me.  His baby blessing was ALL about missionary work and how Riley would be a great light to the people he served.  The older he gets, the more I see this as a possibility.  Here is a conversation that happened in the car ride to soccer camp this morning:

Tanner: Mom, are we about to turn right?
Me: No, we're going to turn left
Riley: (looks up from reading his scriptures) Do you want to know how I know which way is which?
Me: How?
Riley: Because I remember which side I broke my collar bone.  Even though that was a bad thing, I still learned something good from it.
Me: Great!  You know, that is what Heavenly Father wants us to do.  He wants us to learn good things from the bad things that happen.
Riley: Yeah.  Sometimes Heavenly Father lets bad things happen so we can learn.  Kind of like Job.
Me: (what the?!?!)  You are right!  That's the whole point of coming to earth, so we can be tested, just like Job.  Heavenly Father wants to make sure that we learn to stay close to Him even though bad things can happen.
Riley: Yep. (then he started reading his scriptures again)

I think I need to start really studying the scriptures so I can be ready to have conversations with this child.  We have conversations like this quite often.  I need to remember to write them down.  Riley may have his issues, but he is a sweet, intelligent child right down to the marrow of his bones.  I sure love that kid!

Get Out Your Violins....

I just need to vent for a minute.  As you all probably know, I have MS.  So far things haven't been too bad.  Some dizziness, some numbness, some physical limitations, a whole lot of exhaustion...and what I hate the most...weight gain.  Let me tell you about it (this is where you get your violins out!)

Begin playing....

Ever since I got married I've been thin.  After Riley it was easy breezy getting back to my pre-Riley weight.  After Tanner, same thing.  Easy.  Heck, even after Ava the weight melted off.  Within 2-months of having Ava I had lost all but 6-lbs of my baby fat.  Then I started taking my MS medication and all my weight loss came to a screeching halt!  I couldn't understand why I couldn't get that last 6-lbs off.  I was seeing a personal trainer twice a week and going to work out on my own twice per week.  I started weight watchers and did that for 3-months.  Nothing.  Well, I shouldn't say nothing.  I gained weight.  I couldn't understand!  Then I did some research on this medication and found out that weight gain is a very UN-common side effect. Leave it to me to experience the uncommon side effect.

So, I bought myself some new clothes that actually fit.  Then I grew out of those.  So, I bought myself some more new clothes that fit.  In 2 1/2 years I have gained a total of 40 pounds!  FORTY!!!  I am at my full-blown, full-term pregnancy weight, but I have no baby to look forward to.

I saw my neurologist and told her my woes.  She replied by looking me straight in the eye and saying, "The Copaxone isn't making you gain weight..."  I couldn't believe it!  I wanted to kick her in the shins...hard!  But, thinking she may be right and I may be crazy (and lazy) I redoubled my efforts at the gym.

In January I started going to the gym 5-6 days a week for 2-hours each session.  I do 1 quick mile on the treadmill followed by 2 killer aerobics classes each week, 1 quick mile on the treadmill followed by 2 killer weight lifting classes each week, and I walk/run for 3-4 miles the other 2-days.  I am working my little tooshie off...but sadly, my tooshie is not cooperating.  I haven't even lost ONE pound.  Not one!  Not even an ounce!  It is one of the most frustrating experiences of my life!  I can tell that my body is stronger.  A lot stronger.  I know that counts for something, but it is so hard to look in the mirror and think, "at least I'm stronger" when all I want is to lose at least some of this weight!

I know that one day, when this medication stops working, I will move on to another medication and be able to lose this weight.  Part of me looks forward to that day, but most of me dreads it.  It will mean that something terrible has happened.  Maybe I'll wake up and won't be able to feel the left side of my body.  Maybe I'll wake up and one of my eyes won't work.  I just don't know.  I just have to keep reminding myself to count my blessings, not my curses.  Be grateful for what I've been given...and boy have I been "given" a lot (that's a joke people!)  But truly, I have been given a lot.

Thanks for lending your cyber-ear.  You can now put your violins away :)

We're Dropping Like Flies....

We are all sick over here at the Register household.  Ava has had an off and on again fever.  Tanner and Ava have the worst coughs I have ever heard.  Their noses run like faucets!  Riley woke up last night at 3am throwing up.  Todd and I both have sore throats and achy muscles.  It's not pretty folks...but before you can feel too sorry for us, we have spent a lovely day (near the restroom) playing Sorry, watching Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and making Lemon Rolls.

In a while Todd is going to make Dutch Babies for dinner.  And best of all, when the kids are asleep...and they are SURE to go to sleep early...Todd and I will watch the finale of Downton Abbey.

Yes, we like to make the best of sick days here at the Registers.  Now, don't you wish you could be sick at our house sometime?  

Tanner Playing A Little Ditty

Tanner sat down to the piano yesterday and started plunking out this tune...

Sound familiar?  I'm not sure how exactly he knows this particular song.  I don't ever play it in the car, but I'm sure I do hum it occasionally (or a lot) since this is what we are singing next in choir.  The notes aren't all there, but bless his little heart for having the patience and fortitude to sit at a piano and try to plunk out the tune.