Stuffy Nose Problem

It seems silly to post about "normal" stuff in light of yesterday's post, but I had already written this one.  And let's face it . . . as much as I would love to just fast forward and know what the outcome will be, life must go on.  Want to know the problem with having a stuffed up nose? You can't smell the poop. Why is that a problem you might ask? Well, my 13 month old poops a lot.  He does not mind sitting in his poop, so unless I can smell it, it stays. This can result in a very red bum. So, now you can see my problem. Just for kicks, here are some pictures of the cute guy in question, wearing a drum, nonetheless: 

 And no, he did not have poop in his pants when these pictures were taken.  At least I don't think he did:)

When God Stays The Same

Well, we have some news around here in the Bettelli house.  It isn't necessarily "good" news, but it is already teaching me some things.  Big things, in my opinion. George (the 4 yr. old) had an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat specialist yesterday.Our pediatrician found that his tonsils were enlarged when he had his four year old check-up. She didn't seem too concerned, but told me to make an appointment with the ENT just to hear what his expert opinion was. We got that expert opinion yesterday, and it totally threw me for a loop. Before we went I was contemplating how I was going to reason with the doctor that we did not want our son to have surgery.  I am not against surgery in all situations, but I do believe that doctors push surgery in some situations to make money.  C-sections and tonsilectomies seem to be at the top of that list from my experience.  So I was ready to give all sorts of reasons why this was not a good option for my boy.  Anyways, when the Physician's Assistant came in she checked his throat and said the dreaded "C" word.  As in cancer.  As in there is a possibility my son has cancer. I was not prepared for this.  At all. When the doctor came in he confirmed the chance that cancer could be there. George has one severely enlarged tonsil.  When both are enlarged then there is an infection, but when only one is enlarged it can be two scenarios.  The first (and worst) is cancer.  The second is an encapsulated bacteria.  According to this doc George has one of these two things. The cancer option is a lot less likely, but he went on to tell us about a family who was in the same situation and decided not to have the surgery.  Their child died within twelve months.  We could talk to that family if we want.  Um, no thanks. Obviously, while in the office I was in shock.  I had Ethan with me as well, so I was trying to keep him quiet and think about all the things I wanted to ask at the same time.  I also didn't want to freak George out because he is extremely perceptive and picks up on my emotions extremely quickly.   As we left I began thinking (wow, profound, I know).  I thought about all the worst case scenarios.  I thought about the fact that God is sovereign.  Which doesn't mean that the best case scenario in our mind always works out. This whole process has me meditating on the fact that God's ways are not our ways. We don't want George to have surgery, let alone the possibility of this horrible disease that takes lives. We don't want to have to put our four year old under anesthesia. We don't want to have to sit in a waiting room not knowing what the doctor will say when he walks out. We don't want to wait for biopsy reports. We don't want to do a lot of things. But God allows these things to happen to bring Him glory and to show us grace. I have learned in my short life that I can't put stock in what humans say they "know."  We know nothing. I know that this ENT may think it isn't cancer, but it very well could be. I know that the doctor could have told me he was 100 percent sure it was cancer, and then it might not be. I know that God controls this situation.  Not me.  Not George.  Not the ENT. God alone.

Menu Plan - 10/10 to 10/16

Menu Plan Monday again:

 

This week is super busy again.  I really think the Fall is the busiest season for us.  It just seems like we pack so much in after the lazy summer.

I will start tutoring this week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  George has an appointment with an ENT to discuss an enlarged tonsil on Monday.  I have class on Tuesday and Wednesday night.  I will be going to the Women of Faith conference in Tampa on Friday and Saturday.  Whew, I am tired just thinking about it:)

Here we go:
Monday:
Breakfast - Pancakes from the freezer, chocolate milk
Lunch - Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Dinner - Hot Dogs, Mac & Cheese, broccoli

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Bagels and juice
Lunch - Mickey D's - no more excuses
Dinner - Fried Chicken, Rice, salad (Daddy is on duty because I will be tutoring and then have class right after)

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Waffles with peanut butter, milk
Lunch - PB & J, cheez its and bananas
Dinner - @ church

Thursday:
Breakfast - Eggs and sausage, yogurt
Lunch - Snacky lunch (crackers, cheese, veggies & dip, lunch meat rolled up)
Dinner - Shrimp Quesadillas (recipe below), black beans and rice

Friday:
Breakfast - Pancakes with butter and syrup, chocolate milk
Lunch - Leftover quesadillas and rice
Dinner - Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina (I will include this recipe below too - another easy, healthy one)

Saturday:
Breakfast - Bagels, bananas and juice
Lunch - mommy @ conference, so boys eat whatever Daddy feed them
Dinner - leftovers from the week

Sunday:
Breakfast - Eggs and cinnamon rolls
Lunch - out after church
Dinner - Pasta with the special Bettelli sauce

Quesadillas de Camarones (Shrimp Quesadillas):

Ingredients:
Flour tortillas
8-12 Large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces Mexican red sauce or Enchilada sauce
1 large onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cups cheese, grated (Monterey Jack is best)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

What to do?
Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside.
Chop vegetables into large pieces.
Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil.
Cook vegetables over high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Return skillet to high heat, then dump in the shrimp with the sauce.
Cook, stirring only occasionally, until shrimp is opaque. Add in a little water if the sauce gets dry.
Remove from skillet and chop into bite-size pieces.
In a separate skillet, heat butter.
Place a tortilla in the skillet, then layer on ingredients: cheese, vegetables, and shrimp.
Top with a little more cheese and a second tortilla.
Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side so the tortilla isn’t overly dry.
Remove from skillet and slice into wedges. Serve with rice, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole—whatever you’d like!

Now on to the Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina:

from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta - I used cellantani)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

What to do?
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta.
Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture.
Dot the top with small bits of butter.
Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Sorry about the recipe overload, but they are both really good. 
Enjoy!

Salting Roses - Week 4 (Chapters 7, 8 & 9)

So . . . we are almost half way through our book, Salting Roses. 

I have decided to give up on this book getting "deep."  It is just a predictable, light read to take your mind somewhere simple.  I enjoy just using it as a distraction.  It really doesn't get me thinking or anything, but it is fun all the same.

Cons from these three chapters:

1.  Still struggling with the character and story development.  It just confuses me or makes me wonder what I missed on a regular basis.

2.  I enjoy the back and forth between Gracie and Sam, but I also with they would just get on with it and kiss or something.  I am frustrated with their lack of honesty about the way they feel.  I guess this is more realistic than I thought:)

3.  I totally want to know what is up with Artie?  What is going on with his health?  The love story mystery is understandable, the sickness mystery has gone on too long.  I need to know.  Now.

4.  I feel like the description of Gracie in the beginning of the book was as if she was not so attractive.  The way Sam Fontana describes her is a different story.  Is this a lesson of "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder?" or what?

5. 

Pros:

1.  Love, love, love the twist that Conrad put in his letter to Gracie.  She can give all her money to Sam in six months if she doesn't want it.  What a sly way for a dad to match-make for his daughter.  Brilliant, Conrad, brilliant.

2.  Kate Hammond still intrigues me.  I liked seeing a more human side of her when Sam gives her the news about Conrad's letter.  She is disheveled and sad about losing her son.  This is a little character development that is contrary to the norm of this novel.

3.  Hardly any Alice in these chapters - enough said.

4.  I know it is because I am a mom, but I love the connections between Kate and Conrad and then Conrad and Gracie.  I really want to know how she got kidnapped and what the story was there.  It is sweet that Conrad did so much for her behind the scenes, but felt like she was so happy where she was that he didn't want to disrupt her life.  It reminds me of people who know their babies will have a better life if they give them up for adoption.  It is so hard to give up your baby, but real love has to make tough decisions and always picks what is best for the other person.  Sweet lesson. 

5.  I really enjoyed Artie's conversation with Sam at the ball game.  He totally knows about Sam what Sam doesn't even know about himself.  It is really cute the way he watches out for Gracie.  I enjoy watching their relationship in action.

What were your thoughts this week?  Next week we will chat about chapters 10, 11 & 12.  Happy reading!

The Little Things . . .

Hi Friends,Today I am linking up at "From the Aisle to Aloha."  Is that a cute blog title or what?Anyways, she hosts a little link-up party on Fridays about the little things that got us through our week.

Think of it as a new spin on "Friday Favorites."  These are favorites that actually mean something.  How about them apples?

So . . . this is my first installment of my little things that help me cope in the midst of this crazy life.

1.  CBS Bible study:

On Wednesday mornings I go to a Community Bible Study. 

We are studying First Peter right now, and WOW . . . I. am. learning. a. lot. 

We have only been studying for five weeks, but topics like - how to be a servant, how to submit to leadership, how to truly love your brother, why we suffer, how to deal with suffering . . . have been a part of the discussion. 

Are you kidding me?  Talk about hitting you right between the eyes.  God is speaking.  And I am listening.

It definitely helps me get through my week.

2.  The Husband.

I don't talk a whole lot about my husband on the blog, and I don't really know why.

Maybe because my kids take up so much of my brain space that it is difficult to think about much else on a daily basis.

I know that is so backward, and I need to work harder at giving my husband more of my time and brain power.

But back to him . . . He is wonderful.

I caught a cold this week, and with my lifestyle colds just don't fit.  I am too busy to take a day off, so I have to push through. 

Last night before I fell asleep Tim was so sweet to ask me how I was feeling and to let him know if I had a fever or felt terrible.  I am not really sure what he was going to do about it, but he knew that I would feel love just from the asking. 

He is super sweet, even when I am not. What a guy.

3.  Pumpkin cookies.

I don't really have to explain a whole lot with this one.

These are the best cookies ever. period.

I got the recipe from one of Peter (my brother)'s old girlfriend's mom.  They are simply the best piece of a pumpkin baked good to ever grace these lips . . . or anyone else's for that matter.

So . . . what little things have helped you get through your week?  This little exercise was F. U. N.

Inspiration Workshop - FALL

Linking up with Gussy for her "Inspiration Workshop" this week - All About Fall.

Fall is kind of an oxymoron here in Largo, Florida.

Our weather does change - It goes from 95 degrees to 85 degrees during the day.
 Not exactly what I call "boot" weather.

Anyhow, I do love the idea of fall, so here are some of my favorite things that I do to make it feel like fall without the weather.

1.  Pumpkin Spice Coffee.
I know everyone loves the Starbucks version, but I am loving me some Dunkin' Donut kind this year.

2.  Pumpkin Cookies. 

My all-time favorite cookie.  I got the recipe from one of my brother's ex-girlfriend's mom.

When I tasted them I had to have the recipe.  If you tasted them you would have to have it too.

Here it is:
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening (I use half butter)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6 ounce package of chocolate chips

What to do?
Cream together shortening, sugar and pumkin.
Add egg and mix well.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add to mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop on lightly greased cookie sheet & bake at 375 for ten minutes (no more, no less)

Frosting ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons of milk
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla

What to do about this frosting?
Cook butter, milk, and brown sugar unil the sugar is dissolved.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla and stir with a whisk until blended.
Drizzle onto the cookies while the frosting is still warm.

Tips -
I always double or triple the recipe.  You will be making them everyday if you don't.  Just sayin'
They freeze really well, so you can make as many as you want and keep them frozen until you need 'em.

And . . . that about sums up Fall to me.  Pumpkin this and pumpkin that.  I don't get much fall weather around here, but I sure do make sure I get me some pumpkin.

Does this ever happen to you?

I hope I am not the only one this happens to.  I need help with the psychology of this problem, so if you have any insight please send it my way. I have this problem with making a long to-do list.  I try to keep it within the confines of time in one day, but it is usually overly ambitious if I am being honest.  That is not the problem, though. I make this to-do list, but instead of doing the things on it that are of the most importance or highest priority I do other things.  Not things like watch tv or take a nap (which I do my fair share of), but things that aren't even fun.   Yesterday I had a list with things like sending cards, doing Bible study, starting my 20 (yes, TWENTY or more) page paper for grad school,  putting away laundry that has been washed but unfolded for two weeks or more (I lost count), and so on on it.  You get the idea. But what did I spend the majority of my day doing? I switched my boys' wardrobes from summer/spring to fall/winter.  Yep, that is right.  I went through each and every item they had in their closet and drawers and picked out the things that didn't fit or weren't season appropriate.  Then I went through the bins and bins of clothes we have stored away and picked out things that fit and were season appropriate.  Then I had to hang all of that up.  Took quite some time.   

 Was that even on the to-do list?  Nope. Have I done this to my closet, you might ask?  Nope.  And I probably won't. Is it getting cold where we live?  Nope.  High of like 85 today. Do I enjoy doing this?  Nope.  Getting my kids to try on clothes is like torture. So please, someone tell me why I would sway away from a perfectly appropriate and un-fun to-do list to do something less appropriate and even more un-fun? I have no answers today, only questions.