santa gave me THE BEST idea this year

Elsie asked for "a car" and Ivar asked for "a race track." And then santa joked that they really wanted underwear and socks. Santa is so silly!

Ivar had mentioned "the race track" one other time. But it had been weeks and I hadn't heard him mention it again. I assumed that he had moved on to other things. So when I mentioned that I was surprised he asked for a race track he told me, "that's because you don't need to worry about it. That's the thing Santa is bringing me."

Hmmm.

But worry I must. So I got on facebook and asked if anyone had a race track that they were ready to hand-me-down or sell in a garage sale. And in the end, Santa and I have found a sweet racetrack for a fraction of the price.

So guess what I want to do next year?!! I want to set up a Toy Set Swap. Where each mom comes with three sets of toys that their kids have outgrown. I'm thinking little people sets, duplos, puzzles, thomas the train sets, k'nex, melissa and dough stuff, dress up costumes, book series, play food, barbie clothes etc... Stuff that their kids have outgrown, but other kids are just growing into. And then set everything on a long table, and draw numbers for who goes first, and have each mom go through the line and pick one thing, then go to the back of the line to go through two more times.

Wouldn't this be amazing?!! Because we don't all need to be buying this stuff brand new. And I would get more gifts at garage sales, but I never am quiet sure what my kids are going to be into by December. But I love this idea. Because I know that every mom come January 2 is purging all of her kids' toys anyway to make room for the new toys. So why not do that purge one month earlier and save some serious dough.

Anyway, I love the idea and can't wait for next year to organize this event.

Santa, you are so smart. Thank you for this awesome idea to find a race track through friends on facebook. The way you get these gifts and wrap them up under the tree is quite amazing. You really should get a whole lot more credit than you do.  It's a good thing we compensate your work with cookies.

the salad that's going to get us through winter

I was going to write about this salad in the new year, but I was just thinking that in the midst of holiday eating this is a great one to have on hand. To compensate for all the cookies...

The day of Halloween Ivar was throwing a fit because he wanted to open "just one present before my birthday!" He was getting in trouble for throwing such a tantrum. That day at lunch I fed every person in my family and by the time I got to eat myself it was 1:45. And then I had a fit. I had been surviving on my mom's pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting for two days, and was exhausted and sugar crashing. I was so frustrated and after I told my family my woes of not ever getting to feed myself good food Ivar told me, "Mom, you're just like me. You're going to get in trouble with Grandpa Paul if you don't shape up."

Such a bright kid, that Ivar.

It was later that week that Rory's cousin Kerah brought us this salad as a ready-to-assemble baby meal. We ate it that night and I was in love. I told Rory while I ate it, "I actually feel nutrients flooding my body right now."

So now I eat it every day for lunch. Every. Single. Day. And it still rocks my world. I try to have it prepped and ready to eat at the beginning of the week. I call it Prepper Salad, not because it's going to feed us when the world falls apart but because I actually have to Prep at the beginning of the week if I'm going to have it ready for lunch each day. Also, a hearty salad, that is pretty much prepped each day, feels like good self care. Otherwise I am prone to eat all the handy carbs within reach.

The recipe comes from Iowa Girl Eats (this is exactly her recipe but I'm going to rewrite it here, because I have a few prep tips. But for more straight forward instructions, go to her site!)

Ingredients:
1 cup wild rice blend
2 cups chicken broth
1 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt, pepper and garlic powder
4 cups chopped kale
1 apple, chopped
2oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, microplaned or finely minced
salt and pepper

So here's what I do. On Sunday night (or whenever I'm going to prep this thing) I cook up a package of chicken breasts in a skillet with some oil. Then I cube it into bite size pieces and put it in a tupperware. I also cook my wild rice blend in the rice cooker with the chicken broth. And I put that in a tupperware. (I have heard you can get wild rice in a can now, already cooked! Have to try that. And sometimes I omit the wild rice, because it's a fine salad without it.) Then I make 3 times the dressing and put it in a mason jar. Do not skimp on the salt! Salt is key and makes it taste so good. Make sure the dressing is sort of strong...there is a lot of kale and chicken and rice to cover. Make it zippy.

Then, for each lunch, I put 3-4 cups of kale (it cooks down a bit) in a big bowl (I buy the pre-chopped bag at Cub...I go through and take out any big stem parts I see...they are bitter.) And then I put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds. I think this really helps the kale. I feel less like a rabbit eating it because it wilts just a teeny bit.

Then I put some of the chicken cubes and rice in the microwave and add those to the kale. It wilts it a little more. Then I toss in the craisins and whatever chopped nuts I have, chop up half an apple to mix in and pour on the dressing. After it's tossed together, I crumble the goat cheese on top. DO NOT FORGET THE GOAT CHEESE! It is so good!

This salad has it all. It's a sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy...and as a mom, I feel like I took good care of myself by feeding myself such a hearty meal for lunch.  I've fed it to three other girl friends and they love it too! Kiss that pbj goodbye. Stop eating the left over macaroni and cheese. You'll love yourself for prepping this one!

christmastime is here

My friend Allyson recently mentioned that she wished we could always have a tree in our houses. That it adds so much and the lighting is so pretty at night. I totally agree. So we discussed large, large plants/trees that could be up all year. It's true, my house is never quite as pretty as it is at Christmas. And in this picture it actually looks put together. Don't be fooled though...this was just because I had friends coming over for brunch and the house was picked up. Usually all of those Christmas books, ornaments, nativity people and pillows are strewn everywhere. As they are right this minute. But company is always so great because it ensures that at least for one half of a day, everything is put in its place. Obviously I took a picture.

In the last ten days I have been to two cookie swapping parties, attended a favorite things party, hosted a favorite things party, attended a white elephant swap, had a date with Rory to our town's winter block party, gone on a christmas light drive with the kids (ending with Elsie saying, "mom, can we please go home now?" Ha!), and celebrated Advent each night by singing carols by candle light.

And the number of cookies I have consumed would blow your mind. Cookies are my favorite of all the sweets, and this is the season when cookies get top billing. I'm fine with it.

All that's missing from this stunning picture is the snow out those windows! It has been such a crazy year of weather, but I cannot complain. I love it. I have three kids to buckle into the backseat of our jeep, and it takes some patience. Every day of the warmer weather I have thought, "this is fine by me."

In other news, I got a dust buster to suck up all of the random Asian Beetles that STILL are crawling around the house. I feel like I had a good attitude about them in the fall. Even though we were positively plagued with them seven different times. But now that they are out of season, I have had enough and nothing feels better than sucking them up and then plugging the dust buster with a napkin so they can't crawl out again. Anyway, Ivar has discovered A PASSION for dust busting. He cannot get enough. And it made me think, if you still have a 4, 5 or 6 year old on your list to buy for, you really should consider a dust buster. It might seem odd when they open it, but once put to use everyone will realize your present was the best one of all.

our first lucia morning

I knew I couldn't wake Elsie up to be Santa Lucia. Waking Elsie never, ever goes well. So I was waiting in the hall when I heard Ivar say to her in a grumpy voice, "Elsie! You have to get out of here so you can give me cookies for breakfast!"

I made Rory get back into our bed, even though he had already fed the chickens, made his coffee and was reading downstairs. Elsie did finally come out of her room, but did not want to put the candles on her head or put the gown on. I thought this year was possibly going to be a wash until I heard Rory's gruff morning voice, "Elsie. You don't get to eat a cookie if you don't put the candles on your head."

Cookies won.

It wasn't quite the hallmark moment I had imagined, but it still turned out okay. Ivar pretended that he was sleeping and in the end Elsie rose to the occasion.

I told Rory, "I'd give our first Lucia Day four out of five candles."

And then we went to church and they had Lucia Buns from the really yummy bakery in town that is only open on Saturday and Sundays! They were so good and I was pleased to have my first Lucia Bun.

be kind to yourself

Last night when I was up to feed Hattie, I was rehashing a gathering and started to regret how much I had talked wishing I had shut my mouth more often. This happens to me...sort of a later regret for telling too many stories, talking more than listening.

So I put Hattie back down and got out my laptop to write an apology email, ready to write and say I was sorry for...talking so much.

But when I opened my gmail, I found an email from another friend who had been to my house recently. She wasn't at the gathering I was going to apologize for, she had just been over for a play date. And in her email she apologized for talking so much.

Oh women. We are so hard on ourselves. I read her email and was so shocked she would write it. Never once had I thought she was talking too much. In fact, she left and I felt so grateful for the time with her to actually get to hear what was happening in her life.

I sat looking at the new message I had pulled up to write my apology email and decided against it. Because after really thinking about it, I think I was just beating myself up. It's okay that I talk. It's great that I listen. It's fun to be with other people. It's fun to share stories. It's okay to be kind to myself.

The song above is on Andrew Peterson's new album, The Burning Edge of Dawn. If I could buy you all this CD and send it to you for Christmas, I would. It's so good. But since I can't do that, enjoy the song above. And be kind to yourself.