Alexa's Friday Five

Alexa posted a Friday Five and I thought I'd play along!


1: How many "icons" do you have on your desktop right now?

I just counted and there are 46!

This number varies quite a bit -- when I download a PDF, or modify pictures to post, they go on my desktop so I can find them quickly. Every few days, I will clean up my desktop and get rid of all the extra files.

2: Do you use a laptop or a regular computer to blog?

I have a MacBook.

3: What color is your computer?

It's white.

4: What size screen do you have?

13" (I think?) I also connect my laptop to a larger monitor (20" maybe?) pretty regularly.

5: How many computers are in your home now that you own - and are working?

Four -- in addition to my laptop, DH has a Mac desktop and a PC laptop. The boys have a PC desktop.

taking care of God's creatures

A few days ago, this cat showed up on our patio. In years past, cats wouldn't stay long in our yard because our dog would chase them out. This was the first one I've seen since Julianna died last year, though -- and she seemed rather comfortable!

I first noticed her one evening when I was walking through the kitchen. She rubbed up against our patio door and then flopped onto her back, exposing her stomach fully. The next time I walked through she started pawing at the door.

I assumed she had a family and didn't expect to see her the next morning. She was still there, however, and N went outside to pet her. I'm allergic to cats, so I told him that he had to wash very well after petting her, and that we couldn't keep her. I was sure she'd find her way home, or to another patio!

Another day, and she was still here. The boys were getting attached. DH was asking what were we going to do? When everyone (but L) was gone, I scooped her into a towel and let her out our front door -- thinking she'd go elsewhere. 10 minutes later she was back on the patio!

In the evening, the boys started discussing her. C said "We need to take care of God's creatures, don't we?" N said "She needs a forever family!" DH asked if I thought she was a "sign from God?" (Just what the sign was is still unclear -- but he's closing in on his 6th week without a sale -- so I guess anything starts looking like it might be a sign!)

This morning, I began sending out emails asking if anyone wanted a very friendly stray cat, or if they knew of any no-kill shelters with room for cats. I made a few phone calls and wasn't able to find any openings at the local non-kill shelters I could find.

Suddenly, I thought of my sister. I was expecting voicemail since she was at work, but suprisingly she answered. I jokingly asked if she wanted a cat. She asked me why, and then told me she had recently been thinking about it. She came over after work, was loved up by the cat, and headed out to buy some supplies.

Gemini just left with her new forever family! N had really bonded with the cat and was very upset that she was leaving, but was slightly comforted by the fact that his aunt will be taking care of her. The only glitch might be if the cat has a microchip and needs to be returned to another family -- but we'll find out when my sister takes her to the vet in the next week.

We couldn't keep the cat because of my allergies, so I know we did the next best thing for her. I managed to follow through on C and N's thoughts -- now if only we could figure out if she WAS a sign?!

yummy chocolate chip bars

I can tell that I'm feeling better these days, since I'm starting to bake again! One of our new favorites are these yummy chocolate chip cookie bars that I found in my King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion Cookbook.

They are delightfully thick, chewy and scrumptious!! As a bonus, the recipe calls for melted butter! That means DH can say "I would love some cookies" and I can have them in the oven in 15 minutes since I don't have to wait for the butter to soften.

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional. I don't like nuts in my chocolate chip cookies, so I leave them out.)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan
2. In a large bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour mixture, then the chocolate chips and nuts. Spread the batter in prepared pan.
5. Bake the bars for 30 - 35 minutes, until top is shiny and golden. Don't overbake, or the bars will be dry.
6. Remove bars from oven and cool to room temperature before cutting.

ENJOY!!

Lookybook

Oh, my!! You know I love books ;) Someone suggested this site to me today and I think it is terrific! Check out Lookybook right now!

It is a virtual bookshelf with tons of picture books. Not just the cover and a few pages -- but the ENTIRE book is available for viewing and reading. If you register with the site, you can create your own bookshelf to save books you like.

Online books will never replace books I can hold and linger over, but this is a great way to find even more books to add to our personal library. In just a few minutes, I found 2 books that I want to buy for Lydia in the next few months.

I sent the link to a friend who is currently pregnant with her 2nd child. She's in a rough first trimester, so this could be a great way to entertain her toddler while she's relaxing. I plan on using it with my boys right now -- especially Nate who is a beginning reader. I know Colin will enjoy reading books online, and I don't have to worry about the content.

And, it'll be a resource for homeschooling as well! There's a book about the new food pyramid that will fit in perfectly for a nutrition unit. I won't have to worry about a library trip to use it, but instead we'll be able to view it online.

I'm done sharing now! I'm off to look at more picture books!

still waiting for healthy days!

I thought I was doing so well . . . but in the last couple days I've fallen ill. The boys are still congested, C & L are still wheezing, and I'm so ready for us all to be healthy again!!

I just hope DH manages to stay healthy. He was awarded a cruise at work and he flies off to Miami on Sunday. Last year I couldn't go because I was about 3 weeks too pregnant (the cruise lines don't let you cruise past a certain point.) This year, I have a breastfeeding child that I wasn't willing to wean -- plus I wasn't willing to leave all 3 kids for a week anyway! The cruise is for 2, so DH is going with one of his friends again this year.

I'm proud of him for doing the work necessary to earn the cruise, but I'm a little disappointed that I can't enjoy it as well. I wish they did something for families, or even allowed families to attend if we paid the difference.

girl scout cookies

We walked by a table of girl scouts selling cookies this weekend. We usually buy a few boxes, since I know it is a fundraiser and the money helps the troops out.

I was shocked, however, when I learned that they were $4 a box!! There aren't very many cookies in those boxes -- and even though it is a good cause, we didn't buy any this weekend.

I know we bought a few boxes last year, but I am pretty sure we paid $3/box. A quick search online shows me that every council sets the price - and they are selling from $2.50 to $4.00 a box this year.

How much are girl scout cookies selling for by you this year? I'm just curious! Also, what is your favorite cookie? I like the peanut butter patties best!

recent reads

The library came through with a few books that I've been waiting for in the last couple weeks.

I first read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini from my batch of books. I read Kite Runner when it was released and while I thought it was a good book, I wasn't bowled over by it as some reviewers were. His second book, however, drew me in and I found it very compelling. The main characters were women repressed and abused by Afghan society. I think I may have liked this book better because I could empathize and understand the characters in this book more than those in his first book. The descriptions were vivid and I really felt the plight of the women portrayed. It wasn't an uplifting book, but it was interesting and a worthwhile read. The strength that motherhood gave the women in this book was inspirational, and definitely understandable.

I also read John Grisham's novel Playing for Pizza. My husband enjoyed this book more than I did, but it was a pleasant and quick read. The premise of the book is that a down and out pro football player goes to Italy to play in an amateur league. In my opinion, too much time was spent on detailed football plays, and the story lacked development in many areas. I didn't really like the main character much because he was selfish and arrogant. He supposedly falls in love by the end of the book, but I never understood the female character at all. I have enjoyed Grisham's legal thrillers in the past, and think he should probably stick to those.

Finally, I read Radical Hospitality: Benedict's Way of Love by Daniel Homan and Lonni Pratt. This book was written by a monk and a mother -- hospitality figures so strongly in both monasteries and family life. This is a book that I will purchase and add to our shelves -- which is a pretty high honor these days! (I try to read as much as possible through the library since dollars are so precious!) This book helps open readers to offering hospitality freely, without judgment, without worry. The goal is to make others feel welcome, wanted and comfortable. This isn't done by spending a lot of money, or creating elaborate meals -- but simply by having an open, caring and welcoming heart.

what is she eating?

Someone asked me what L is eating these days, and I thought I'd post it here so I can remember in the future.

She is nursing 5-10 times a day.

She lets me feed her yogurt and some jarred fruits and vegetables. She much prefers to feed herself however!

She likes brown rice, shredded cheese, pancakes, waffles, peas, cubed pears, cut up bananas, sweet potato spears, mashed potatoes, small pasta, toast, Gerber puffs, cheerios, cubed cooked carrots . . . and whatever else I can cut up small enough for her to eat!

She needs help still drinking from a cup, and does not like the cups that are not open. I don't think she understands the sucking part required from the leak-proof style.

As sick as she's felt lately, her appetite hasn't really suffered.

standing alone!

Development hasn't stopped with illness! L was on the bed with us last night while we were watching a show and was on her knees and then pulling up while holding on to the headboard.

And, then, she was standing independently! It lasted just a few seconds, but I'm sure that she'll start standing for longer periods and her first steps are close at hand!

I keep teasing DH that she'll take her first steps while he's gone (he leaves for his cruise next Sunday.) She just may . . . but somehow I think she'll wait for Daddy to come home.

C took his first steps right before he turned 11 months old. DH wanted him to take his first steps in our own home (we had been renting) and we moved into our house when he was 10 months and a couple weeks. A week later, he took his first steps!

N waited until he was 13 months old to walk.

babies and fever

I have had quite a few hits from google searches on babies & fevers since I've posted about L being sick.

L is 9 months old, and this was the first time she had a fever. I admit that I usually diagnose a fever by touching my kids -- but when I do follow up with a thermometer, I'm pretty accurate. At her highest, L's fever was never above 103. Granted, that's pretty high and I was concerned!

I had the best success in keeping her fever down by alternating Tylenol and Motrin. I would give her a dose of Tylenol, then 3 hours later I would give her a dose of Motrin, then 3 hours later another dose of Tylenol. I did this for probably 12 hours and her fever did finally break after 3 days of having a fever almost constantly. I also took lukewarm baths with her and nursed her often.

Our most recent visit to the pediatrician was not for a fever, but for congestion and wheezing. She had a very audible wheeze when she was attempting to breathe, and she also had a pretty hard cough. I put some eucalyptus oil in a diffuser to help her congestion, and used the bulb syringe to try and give her some relief. The wheezing continued and she started to have a blue-ish ring around her lips. This was my clue to immediately take her into our pediatrician's office. Thankfully, they could fit me in right away -- otherwise I would have taken her to the ER. She had been wheezing audibly for a few hours before I took her in.

2 days later, she's still wheezing, but just slightly. She had a breathing treatment (nebulizer) with albuterol in the ped's office and I've been doing them at home every 4-6 hours since then. She absolutely *hates* the mask, so I've been nursing her and holding the mask near her chin during treatment. I have also been given the advice to do the treatment while she sleeps, but our nebulizer is very noisy and she is a very light sleeper. I'll stick with nursing her during the treatment.

Between her treatments, and my oldest also needing the nebulizer the last couple days because of his asthma -- I feel like I'm on an albuterol high! It feels yucky to me (heart racing mostly), but my son tells me he doesn't mind because he can BREATHE when he's done.