WKD 2011

with buddy Jenna

It's World Kidney Day!  An important day at work for yours truly.  Months of planning and prep went into this day and it was a success!  All of the signage looked great in our building.  The group of volunteers seemed to enjoy the kidney screening we attended in the afternoon.  Better yet, more of our country counterparts participated than ever before!

Time to relax now.  I took tomorrow off to enjoy my bday with my little girl!

Turn Around Time

Our baby - 15 months old today - is too tall for her carseat to remain rear-facing.  So Tony turned it around this afternoon before we made our way to the Fox & Hound with my Mom for dinner.  She smiled and kicked her feet on the way to the restaurant.  It was very exciting!!  What a disappointment it will be to realize she's still rear-facing in my car!

Warmer Temps Still

The warmer temps continued on Sunday and we headed over to Pope John Paul II Park to walk along the hills and water.  The snow is almost melted now.  Rain forecasted for later in the week should take care of the last of it.  You could smell the dirt on our walk, a sure sign that buds will soon be blooming and the grass will soon be green again!  Some pics from our day above taken with Tony's phone. 

The Snow is Melting!

The weather warmed up for the weekend and we took full advantage this afternoon with a walk to Edgewater Beach.  Everyone was happy to get some fresh air, especially Rachael!

Our Goofball

mmmm yogurt

Jill would rather run around with her snowsuit than get dressed for school

In the Kitchen

I'm shocked if you're not already laughing from the title.  Meg?  Cooking?  Yes, I'm trying.  Today was my second week participating in Weight Watchers at Work (on the new Points Plus system) and this requires healthy food.  You know, meals other than pasta drenched in butter and oil and salami and pepperoni sandwiches, which is what Tony eats.  Last week I dropped 3 lbs. only to gain one back this week.  I've been following the plan and working out more so I'm hoping for better numbers next Thursday!

In the last few weeks, I've developed a liking to diet ginger ale, egg whites, Laughing Cow light Swiss cheese, salad and lots of it, butternut and spaghetti squash and did I mention Laughing Cow cheese?  Yes, I live off that stuff.  I read the email newsletters from Hungry Girl and Weight Watchers and try to experiment with recipes that don't include too many ingredients and/or steps and/or time.  That's when I decided to try:

Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Oatmeal (5 pts./serving, from Weight Watchers)
Ingredients
6 cup(s) water
3 cup(s) pumpkin (raw 1-inch cubes), preferably from pie or sugar pumpkins
1 1/2 cup(s) Hodgson Mill Steel cut oats, or other brand
1/2 cup(s) honey (I ran short on honey)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, or grated nutmeg (didn't have any nutmeg so went for ginger....? still learning!)

Instructions
Put everything in a 3- to 6-quart slow cooker; stir well.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours; stir well before serving. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

This recipe yields a whole lot of oatmeal!  I ate it twice, transported it to work for three friends and stuck some in the freezer.  Next time culinary creativity strikes and I'm in the mood for some pumpkin-flavored oats, I'll use a crock pot liner for easier cleanup.  The steel cut oats and pumpkin cooked at a low temp overnight and in the morning we woke to the sweet smell of .... dog vomit? That's what Tony said it smelt like. Thanks, hunny. That's my breakfast!

Confession:  This is the first time I've ever used a crock pot and it's only because I borrowed by Mom's.  Second confession: I still screw up tsp and tbsp.  Martha, please help!  Maybe opting for video production in high school instead of home economics wasn't the most practical idea.

I'm no chef.  I don't have all the spices and ingredients on hand in the pantry.  And this can be a roadblock from time to time, recipe to recipe.  A new ingredient and the recipe only calls for a couple teaspoons.  So sometimes I may substitute a little ginger for nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon for allspice, a tablespoon for a teaspoon!

Silly Jilly

Jill theft:  It's a common occurrence at day care.  Jill's been part of the expectant parent tour routine from the beginning.  Appropriate because she's a happy kid.  Even more appropriate because she attends "Jack n Jill" day care.  Darlene, the director, carries Jill around to the different rooms where she now waves and smiles at everyone.  Yesterday at pick-up, I looked in the infant/toddler play area (Jill's new "big girl" home) and didn't see her anywhere.  "Mary stole her," Paige told me.  Just then I saw Mary through the glass in the adjacent room with Jill in her lap.  She was clapping, smiling and bouncing in Mary's lap while she led a group song.  I tried to sneak a picture with my phone but Jill was too curious and quick to jump up.  She caught me!  She came barreling toward me with a huge smile and arms in the air.  What a way to end the day!  Jill continued her movie star ways in the hallway on our way to the car.  The big kids walked out in a line and some started waving and yelling, "Bye Jill, Bye Jilly, Bye Silly Jilly!!"  Jill turned around, smiled, waved back and started running down the hall toward her buddies.  My little social butterfly!