Rants, Raves & Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies.

Holy crap, I don't know how it happens but I swear every time someone posts an article from Huffington Post its always some asshole that talks about how they're not going to tell people what to do, but then there they go and tell you what to do. 

The last article I read, I also blogged about when I was a fledgling blogger, oh....about 4 months ago.  It was a woman ranting why marriage under the age of 25 is stupid, she got a divorce, we're all basically the same, blah blah blah.   So I already thought "Yippee!" [in my most sarcastic tone], when I see this article going around lately.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicola-kraus/detachment-parenting-sears_b_1852579.html

It's another woman talking about how AWESOME she is a parent and how easy it is for her daughter to go to sleep.  All the awesome sleeping & screwing she does and once again, why her way is the best.

I honestly don't know why I let these things get to me.  

First off, I am not an attachment parent.  I won't label myself in anyway cause if I do, I'll fall short.  I already know it.  I REALLY don't like being told what to do, whether by some random blogger on the internet or Dr. Sears, I'm sorry but each family works differently.  I personally don't feel like some random guidelines are going to work well for each child and unlike the writer of this article I have 3, soon to be 4, not 1 that magically did everything I wished. 

[I couldn't think of any clever things to put with this blog so I'll just entertain you with my awesome Instagram pictures.  Here's one of a double rainbow I took the other day!]

I guess in any article of this nature the thing that bothers me is her righteous attitude about what fools attachment parents are.  Like I said, I am not an attachment parent, but please, if I have the choice lump me in with the lovers cause detachment parenting just sounds cruel.  Being proud of how you teach your child to self-soothe from the day their born to poking fun at Mayim Byalik breastfeeding until the age of 4 doesn't make you seem better.  It makes you seem rude.  It makes me think your children will grow up with the same attitude of superiority complex that you have. 

Yes, I breastfeed my children until one of us is ready to stop.

At almost 39 weeks pregnant with a 20 month old that time might come sooner rather than later. 

But guess what?  My marriage doesn't suffer from that.

Yes, I wear my children.  But surprise!  I put them in strollers and other dangerous contraptions too.

To say you know my marriage because you might have some idea of how I raise my children is wrong.

My husband and I put each other first FOR our children. 

That doesn't mean we don't get kicked in the back when one of the kids decides to get into our bed at night, or that we're not sometimes sleep deprived, I've been sleep deprived since I was 17 so really that's just a joke.  I've just traded in Halo marathon playing sessions with trying to get toddlers with night terrors back to sleep.  Same, same right? 

[Me at my maternity photo shoot last weekend at 38 weeks pregnant. 

 See?  I do love my self more than my kids. ;)] 

I'm not saying she's wrong.  For her family she might be right. 

But I would love to see if her own advice works for her 5 years & 2 more children from now. 

Any who!  On to food!

My midwife told me to drink more water & eat more protein to get ready for this impending, 

seriously could be anyway [ahh!] birth.  I wasn't digging the meat and I made Andy some quinoa salad and had been wanting to try this recipe.  These came out pretty decently although I have gotten tips to use a little more Peanut Butter or Maple Syrup which I definitely recommend.  These could be vegan too if you get vegan chocolate chips and peanut butter?  Is peanut butter already vegan?  Hmm.

Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies

2 cups cooked Quinoa

1/2 cup Peanut Butter [I used smooth]

3 tbs. Pure Maple Syrup

3/4 cup rolled Oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips

[1] In a bowl mix together all ingredients until throughly combined.

[2] Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

[3] If you want chocolate-y looking cookies mix chocolate chips in while quinoa is warm,

mine are more studded with chocolate chips cause I used cold quinoa.  Either way is fine and tasty.

[4] Using a tablespoon pack the tablespoon tightly and drop cookies onto parchment paper. 

You can put these cookies as close as you want to each other, they won't spread at all. 

[5] Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy! We ate a whole pan of these in one day. Oops. 

Oh hot damn! [Grilled Jalapeno Poppers Recipe]

Wow!  Without even realizing it my blog has reached over 2,000 views!

I'm pretty pleased with myself, despite the fact that it's most definitely just the same 20 people reading every blog.  Including my Mom.  But oh well, I'll take what I can get.

I know most of my blogs have a theme, or I try to, in order to help myself stay focused and not ramble about nothing in particular.  But I feel like doing just that tonight, so I shall.  

1st thought.  Oliver's potty training is going well!  At 20 months he has become a master at knowing when he is going to pee and/or poop.  This is great, he will even take off his diaper to do it, even tho those who follow me on Instagram know that we pretty much let him be a pantless terror to make things easier on everyone.  Instagram: nicolehopefully in case you were wondering. 

Downsides so far.....he WILL NOT use his potty if there is already something in it.  If he has already peed/pooped and you haven't cleaned it out fast enough and he comes back to find it dirty he'll just pee or poop right next to his toilet.  Smart guy.  Only other obstacle we have had is he did happen to have one accident that unfortunately involved our iPad and it's Smart Cover.  Still trying to figure out how to clean that one.   Also if you happened to think we are awesome potty training geniuses cause Oliver is only 20 months you'd be wrong.  Jonas didn't get potty trained until almost 3 and had an incident involving his Nintendo DS and poop.  Ahh memories. 

In other news, school has started full swing!

I completed my first week back at college and feeling pretty happy about it.  I'm taking Human Development and little did I know it's something I'm actually interested in.  Hooray!  We did some Psych 100 review this week and next week we start on the Pre-Natal stuff.  I definitely feel outdated with my pen & notebook when all of the 18 year olds whip out their Mac books looking like Tumblr pictures or something but whatever.....my teacher looks like Liam Neeson so for some reason to me, it balances out. 

So, yep.  I am officially back in school & loving it!  It's much easier to appreciate an hour of calm 3x a week than it was when I was a teenager.  I know it won't always be this easy or exciting but I'm looking forward to this new-ish journey of becoming a student again.  And just to think, in 10 short years I may actually be a midwife?!  Ahh, to dream. 

And while I've been continuing my higher education the kids finally made it to their first co-op!  This is our first homeschooling co-op and I'm really looking forward to the year and everything that's to come. We meet every other Thursday and rotate teaching/snacks so we each end up doing it about twice a year.  At co-op they do music [the Mother dreaded recorder, or as I call it "screech of death"] along with art & science.  It helps the kids to learn how to listen to someone else and also let's them "socialize."  Eh, that was sarcasm but whatever. 

[All ready for their first day at Chestnut Grove co-op!]

I think I just realized my blogs do have to have a theme, there's no getting around that.  If there is a theme to this entry it's just that our lives are busy!  Even when we're trying not to do much there's still way too much to do, but I love, I crave it, and I wouldn't know how to live any other way.

In just the past few weeks of my Mom & sister leaving we've been to High Tea parties, learned about Essential Oils, cleaned, laughed, watched Hunger Games for the 3rd time.  I've had great talks with new friends, more Starbucks than I should have, and gotten the best mani/pedi ever.

I've started new books 7:An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess [which I'll blog about later] and Taking Charge of Your Fertility [which I should probably start reading now!]  I've had great talks with friends,  started working on American Heritage Girls badges with Lily [Sign Language is our First!]

Cleaned our van, contemplated changes, actually started getting ready for this little girl that is due in just 5 short weeks.  Gone to the library.  Gone to the park.  Gone to Whole Foods and spent way more money than we should have.  

So yeah, life is good.  I won't deny it.  Potty training.  Poop.  And all. :)

And tomorrow is my friend Dawn's baby shower!  

Almost everyone I know is expecting a little girl, and Dawn even with 2 beautiful girls before this is not an exception.  Looking forward to celebrating Alaula with her tomorrow and she requested my 

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers so here they are!  

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers!

You will need:

10 Jalapeños

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese, packed

1 bar of Cream Cheese, however many ounces that is.  8?

Salt & Pepper to Taste

I package of Bacon, slices cut in half. 

Toothpicks

[1] Cut your jalapenos in half and using a spoon scoop out the seeds.

[2] In a mixing bowl or food processor combine your cheese, salt & pepper until well blended.

[3] Using a spatula, the easiest, fill the hollowed out jalapenos with the cheese mixture. 

[4] Take one half slice of bacon for each jalapeno and wrap it around, using a toothpick to secure it as well as you can.  BE CAREFUL.  If you poke the toothpick too hard and it goes through the jalapeno and under your fingernail you will be screaming bloody murder.  Trust me. 

Just try to get the bacon as secured to the jalapeno as possible.  As it cooks it will shrink and stay on better.

[5] Grill these on medium heat, turning as needed until the bacon is nice & crispy

 and the cheese is melted!  It's a party in your tummy!