THE ADVENTURES OF THE JAC ATTACK!

A Blog about a clever boy and a mom determined to out-smart him.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Cold Weather Food

Last year we received mountains of snow.  As everyone was housebound enjoying the snow day they updated their facebook statuses and I noticed a trend.  Everyone was posting information on what they were cooking or eating and who they were eating it with.  Something about frigid weather leaves most of us inspired to enjoy some warm treats.

This year we have not received record amounts of snow but it has been an unusually cold winter. Tonight, like most of the nation, we are preparing for an ice storm. My friends in the midwest have snapped pictures of impressively long lines at the grocery store as people hoard provisions. Perhaps you are lucky enough to live in a tropical climate or simply not worried about the impending weather. If you are unfortunate enough to get stuck inside without groceries here are a couple of ideas on how to put those unappealing leftovers to good use. What are your favorite leftover tips? What is your favorite cold weather food?

Leftover:
Corn tortillas: Spray with cooking oil, sprinkle salt and bake at 400 degrees until crispy- instant corn chips
slightly wilted spinach: combine with cream, butter and salt in a sauce pan to create delicous creamed spinach. Place on a homemade pizza and bake.
Butter Milk: Perfect for coating meat before pan frying. Also great in baked goods including biscuits and Texas Sheet Cake.
Too Soft Tomatoes: Combine in you food chopper with 1/2 an onion and a can Rotel tomatoes. Pulse for one minute for instant salsa.
Too Soft Fruit: Throw in Blender with yogurt and a bit of sugar and ice for a great smoothie
Mashed Potatoes: Old mashed potatoes become great bread starter or potato pancakes
Disgusting Beer: Someone left weird icky flavored beer at your house - don't throw it out. Combine one can of beer, 3 cups self-rising flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees for warm delicious bread.
Old green onions: Remove wilting portions, chop down green stems, place in water in a sunny location. You will have new onions in 3 days.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

The Every Day Cook

Sometimes I hate the "Foody" movement.  I'm talking about those people who love to cook and love special ingredients.  I'm talking about the constant din of "organic and local."  Occasionally I wish someone would herald the "Every day cook."  I'm talking about those parents who cook simple, wholesome, cheap dinners nightly.  I'm talking about cooks who don't need a recipe and don't purchase special ingredients at the store.  Everyday cooks make delicious meals from underrated shelf stable.

I consider myself and "Every Day Cook." I cook every day. I can cook about 45 different meals without effort but the sames ones seem to stay on the menu. I'm a bit bored of my own cooking. I went grocery shopping today and spent 160 dollars for a menu of 15 meals and some needed basics (milk, cereal, bread etc.). I have listed the menu below. Take a look. I would love your ideas for everyday meals. This list could use some additions.

1. Homemade pizza ( I make the dough, put it in the freezer and wing it.)
2. Beef stir fry
3. Soft Tacos
4. Roasted whole chicken ( I use the leftover for other meals)
5. Chicken Alfredo
6. Chicken Pot Pie
7. Orange Marmalade glazed pork chops
8. Potato soup
9. Spaghetti
10. Green chili pork stew
11. Ham and cheese quiche
12. BBQ Meatballs
13. Beef and vegetable stew
14. Beans and Cornbread

Other Things I typically cook:
Beef Strogonauf
Chicken Tangine
Pot Roast - leftovers turned into BBQ
Pan Fired pork chops
Chicken Soup
Kabobs
Meatloaf
Chicken Spaghetti
Taco Salad
Posole
Sausage and Fried Rice Stir Fry
Hobo Dinners (when I'm feeling lazy)

Friday, January 28, 2011

Most Days

Most days I'm an ordinary house mom.  I'm obsessively frugal.  I play with play dough and trains.  I frequently find my two year old perched three feet off the ground on our window ledge.  I like to run and I consider it a good day if I have showered, brushed my teeth and put makeup on before five.  Some days, every once in a while, I am cool and spontaneous.  I'm even a little bit fun.

Wednesday I woke up in a complete fog. I had over medicated myself on Benedryl and felt lousy. I curled up on the corner of the couch and put on PBS Kids programming. I really wanted to go back to bed. My daze was interrupted by a very early morning phone call.

My friend Jana called.  A snow storm was moving in fast.  Did I want to beat the storm, load up the kids and head for the ski slopes?  I hesitated for a mere moment and then I felt an adventure brewing.  I knew I had to go.

We were on the road by lunch.  We split the hotel costs and brought snacks for the kids and a bottle of wine for the adults.  Her two kids love JAC.  Sometimes when I watch the three of them together I laugh because they treat JAC like a well prized puppy.  It was almost a parenting vacation because the two older kids kept JAC constantly entertained.

We crashed in the hotel, ate bar food and let the kids watch Disney movies.  The next morning JAC went to "playcare" and everyone else headed for the slopes.  We had a blast!  The slopes were nearly empty and six inches of fresh snow fell the night before.  We skied all morning and then I picked up JAC and we played in the snow.  JAC embraced the snow with great enthusiasm rolling around like a little polar bear.  He didn't even flinch when the older kids started a snow ball fight.  He just joined right in.  When we left later that afternoon everyone was tired and happy.  A few minutes later we looked back and the two younger kids were fast asleep.

Most days I'm just a mom but some days I get to take spontaneous ski trips and I don't feel like a mom at all.  I feel awesome.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Boys

My camera is still broken.  I wish I had new pictures to post.  We had a very cold, very normal weekend.  We did our normal late night winter activity.  We played basketball in the house.  We play almost every night and it is remarkably fun.

This weekend JAC finally learned how to catch. I am so proud! He mostly catches with his eyes closed. This is not an added degree of skill. He is simply a bit scared of the ball.

Mid-basketball game we found a bucket and started using it for a goal. JAC was thrilled and snatched the bucket. He put it on his head and started spinning around. We instantly saw a new game in the making and started trying to land the ball in the bucket while JAC was spinning. JAC got whacked in the face with the ball a couple of times but he thought it was hilarious. He laughed and laughed. This is why I love having a little boy in the house. He'll spin around in a circle with a bucket on his head and let you chunk balls at him. Of course, this also might explain why he is scared of the ball.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Rock On

I'm have a rockin' day for three reasons.  First the temperatures peaked at over forty.  I never knew I would celebrate a high of 45.  Also, I believe I'm starting to root for global warming.  I prefer a hot planet.  I just got back from a great run with JAC.  I swear the whole world seems happier, brighter and just plain wonderful when it doesn't resemble/feel like an ice cube.

In a mere half hour I'm going to "Stroller Happy Hour" at our neighborhood wine bar.  This is a new phenomenon in urban parenting.  Local bars host early happy hours for neighborhood moms.  Who needs a cheap drink more than a stay at home mom?  Perhaps I should not write that.  We're meeting another neighborhood mom and her infant and strolling down to the main drag.  I might have two glasses of wine because I don't have to drive.

Finally, I just found out chicken enchiladas are on the menu for tonight.  Every Wednesday a family from church hosts a large dinner.  The food is better than Thanksgiving and this week they're making my favorite.  Awesome.  I hope your day is rocking too!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The MLK Day Adventure

Yesterday the whole family went on an adventure.  You'll have to trust me and use your imagination because our camera ate a piece of sand an won't work. (I did steal some pictures from a random website.)

Once a week we drive down the George Washington Parkway, look across the mighty Potomac River and see a fort.  Jess and I have been wondering about this massive fort for almost four years but the fort is in Maryland.  Have I mentioned that Virginia people don't often venture into Maryland?  That's just the way it is. 

Yesterday I knew bad weather was looming and was determined to make the best of our ice-free holiday.  We declared it "Fort Day," and loaded up the car on a quest to visit Fort Washington.  Fort Washington was built in 1807 to defend against the British.  It was overrun by the British and burned to the ground but later rebuilt bigger and better.  Bigger and better is the American way.

Fort Washington is massive and remarkably open to the public.  You can climb almost ever wall, turret, staircase and bastion.   It was a blast.  The view was great and JAC ran and climbed over ever inch of the fort.  He was thrilled by the cannon and I loved the architecture and history.  Jess and I agreed that this little know historic park was awesome and well worth a trip to Maryland.  We both can't wait to check it out again - perhaps when its a bit warmer.



Monday, January 17, 2011

On a Snow Day

On a snow day we play with play dough all afternoon.  I've learned that play dough is the savior of sanity shoved into a plastic yellow cup.  I break out our play dough gear and we have hours of instant entertainment. 

I've learned that boys and girls play differently with play dough.  While I carefully attempt to mold pots JAC and Jess take turns smashing the dough with their bare feet.  They also relish combining play dough colors to create new colors.  Most of our play dough is now a homogeneous gray glob.  I've also learned that play dough should be replaced often.  Every bit of lent and fuzz sticks to the stuff.  It becomes pretty disgusting pretty fast. 

After we play with play dough for 2 hours I let JAC take a long bath.  The bath is almost like a babysitter.  He plays happily, splashing the water and I sit just outside the splash zone in the hall.  Sometimes I stare at the wall and sometimes I attempt to read a book.  Either way, it means I don't have to think.  What are your snow day plans?







Sunday, January 16, 2011

Become a Runner in 2011

I love to run.  I love to talk about running and read about running.  I also love to encourage other people to give my favorite hobby a try.  Here are my top five reasons to become a runner in 2011:

1. Its cheap.  All you really need is shoes. You don't need any special gear and you can buy a pair of shoes at ROSS for twenty five bucks.
2.  It is easy to set personal goals.  Conquering goals helps you feel successful and running provides great opportunities for creating goals.  You can run a road race, set a pace goal or just try to beat the runner in front of you on the trail.
3. Running provides great bang for your buck.  It burns a lot of calories really fast.  For every ten minutes of steady running you burn approximately 100 calories.  If you hate exercising why not get the absolute most out of your 30 minute workout?
4. Support is everywhere.  Running clubs have sprung up around the country and they vary greatly.  There are clubs for charity groups, clubs for beginners, clubs for moms pushing strollers and clubs for racers.
5.  You don't need a coach or trainer.  If you hate to be told what to do running is the sport for you.  There is lots of information on the web to assist in your training but the basic idea is one foot in front of the other.

Happy Running Friends.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Tonight

Tonight as I write JAC and Jess are snuggled into our couch watching old Tom and Jerry cartoons.  It is moments like these that I am overwhelmingly thankful that I was not chosen to walk through life alone.  I was gifted a great friend to belong with.

One of my favorite things about Jess is how he marks time.  I think every person highlights the progress of their life with small emotional landmarks.  For instance, I once heard a woman with six kids say she could remember important life events by recalling which child she was pregnant with at the time.

Jess has this wonderful innate ability to mark time using the positive side of the spectrum.  Instead of remembering the month he left for Iraq he remembers the month we took that great vacation.  He is constantly encouraging me to evaluate time using this method.  This week as I grew ultimately exhausted of potty training I  hammered out and irritable email to Jess.  I listed all of our weekly failures and then slammed the computer shut.  A few minutes later I received a calm reply.  It was just two short lines but it said something like this, "Remember how well JAC did yesterday?  Instead of counting the accidents let's measure the successes."

All week I tried to remember Jess' words. Now as I recall our week it seems like it was an awesome week - not an exhausting one. 

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Truth Is

The Truth is I have something very exciting to report but I'm going to make you wait a couple of months.  Look for exciting news from the Connellys' around April.  Trust me, you'll never guess what it is.

The truth is Jess and I seem to have been on different pages after the holidays. I don't know how to describe it. We weren't fighting. It just felt like we weren't our usual fun selves. Perhaps we were just exhausted. Perhaps I was unreasonably cranky due to the cold weather.

On Saturday we solved our problem by accident. We dressed in twelve layers, loaded up the car and headed for the running trail. In route JAC fell asleep and we just kept driving and we kept talking. We drove and talked for over two hours and when we arrived home we liked each other a lot more. We felt fun again.

I love my handsome goofy husband. I love taking road trips. I think the only thing better might be taking my handsome, goofy husband on a road trip to a sunny, sandy location.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Status of Things




I finally took JAC for his Two-year checkup. JAC is a near Christmas baby. The doctor only sees sick children near Christmas so JAC always gets his yearly checkup in the middle of January.

I am proud to report JAC was absolutely charming at the doctor. She even noted in his chart that "JAC has lots of personality." I could not be more proud. JAC remained tough through his shots and blood work. I rewarded his good behavior with some candy and of course JAC was thrilled.

JAC weighed in at almost 30 pounds and was a little over 36 inches tall. This means that JAC was in the 90th percentile for height. It will be interesting to see if he remains taller than average since both his parents are average in almost every way.

I took JAC to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) today. JAC stayed and played with 10 other toddlers while I got to know some other Christian Moms. JAC's teacher reported that JAC seemed a bit overwhelmed by so many other children. I expected this. The more time I spend with JAC the more I suspect that he might be an introvert. Both Jess and I are classified as introverts. I don't mind if JAC is a little shy but my heart feels for him because life can be tough on introverts. Truthfully, life is likely tough for everyone and hopefully JAC will always feel like he has a safe place to fall.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Potty Training - The Ultimate Test of Endurance

I am potty training a two year old.  We purchased the training pants and the frog-shaped potty.  We have read the potty book multiple times and I thought we were ready.  What I didn't realize is that potty training take a lot of time and patience. In our house it also requires Skittles.  The entire endeavor leaves me feeling a bit exhausted.

After a week of potty training we are at about a 60% success rate and I'm determined to soldier on.  I'm trying to look on the bright side.  Here is a very short list of Potty Training Pluses.

1. A 60% success rate means 40% less diapers purchased.
2. My bathroom is really clean.  I spend so much time sitting in there waiting on JAC that I notice ever speck of dirt and scrub my bathroom daily.
3. I read to JAC twelve times a day.  I was frankly already a little tired of our books.   Now I read to JAC while he sits on his potty and can practically recite the words with my eyes closed.  We buying new books on payday.
4. Skittles.  Sometimes I eat a few too.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Friday Adventure!

This morning I checked our 10 day forecast and the average high was 32 degrees.  I was so depressed I made an excuse to call Jess at work.  I needed reassurance that Spring would eventually come to Northern Virginia.  I finally made it out the door to run at mid-morning and was pleasantly surprised to find other runners on the trail.  I especially relished passing a group of Army guys while pushing the stroller.  It was good for my ego and we all know my ego needs help.

On Friday Rebbecca came over for our usual Friday Adventure.  Unfortunately, I was completely exhausted from my attempts to potty train JAC and had failed to plan our adventure.  Neither Rebbecca nor I wanted to spent money so we opted to go on a low key adventure and took JAC to a new park.  The park was awesome.  JAC loved climbing and chasing Rebbecca around the park.  I love it when Rebbecca comes on our adventures because she takes the camera and catches fun shots of JAC and I together.  Without Rebbecca there might not be photographic evidence of my existence.  Plus, she brought us homemade chocolate chip cookies.  She's such a good friend.





Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Mundane

This blog has gotten really boring lately.  The truth is our lives have settled into a mundane post holiday routine and there isn't much to report.  Here are just a few thoughts about our normal every day life.

We reviewed our family's New Year's Resolutions.  Every year we all get on a conference call, list our resolutions and review our progress on the previous year's resolutions.  I accomplished exactly 0 of my resolutions from last year but just to spite my older brother I outdid him on a few of his.  To be fair, I don't think anyone informed him it was a competition.  JAC was the most successful at achieving his goals but I feel he set the bar a little low.  JAC's resolutions included "master walking," and "learn four new words."

JAC and I have had an awesome day.  First we had a play date at our local gym.  There were about 100 screaming kids racing around the gym playing with toys.  JAC was a little overwhelmed.  I felt bad for my little guy.  He is such a typical only child and didn't realize that if you set a toy down it is free game for other children to take.  He panicked and started bringing me a collection of toys in hopes I would hide them from the other children.

I think the real reason today was awesome was because we spent three hours in the frigid outdoors.  I hate being cold and I hate wearing ten layers.  When I make the effort to get us both out in the cold I am reminded that it is good for me to do things I hate.  I ran for about an hour and JAC fell asleep in the stroller.  I wanted him to sleep and walked another mile to our local bread shop.  JAC slept happily in the stroller while I enjoyed a salad and a hot cup of coffee.  I was relishing a quiet adult meal.  Out of nowhere, JAC awoke from a dead sleep, sat straight up and shouted, "BOO!"  It caught me off guard but I laughed.  It is just like my exuberant, happy kid to awake with such enthusiasm.  He then demanded a bite of my salad.  He always wants a bite of my food.

We walked a mile back to our car and counted squirrels and dogs along the trail.  We watched soccer players practice and grew completely chilled but we were both completely happy.  I hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday too!