Mary Bernard

Last week, our 2-slot pop-up toaster stopped working. I suppose this was expected. It was a wedding gift almost 14 years ago. Ironically, the couple who gave it to us is now divorced.

Yesterday, just hours after I posted my smoothie recipe, I fried my new blender—how? I have NO IDEA—when I tried to make Chris and me a peach daiquiri at dinnertime. As I blended, the appliance started smoking, and a nasty electrical burnt odor filled the house. I’ve only had the blender for 2 months.

Tonight, I melted the front panel of my Crockpot. I think it got a bit too close to the stove eye as I was making mac ‘n cheese. Thankfully, the melting didn’t affect the functioning of the power and timer buttons. Of course, I broke the lid handle months ago, so the melted front panel fits right in with its weathered look.

I love my appliances and grieve their passing.

I’m perfecting my smoothie recipe now. I got a fabulous new blender for Christmas, and I’m loving it.

Here’s the smoothie we had for breakfast this morning:

Breakfast Smoothie
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup frozen peaches
3 heaping T. fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 cup vanilla-flavored almond milk
1 scoop of Melaleuca citrus-flavored FiberWise powder
1 packet Truvia (stevia herbal sweetener)

Blend on high until desired consistency. Adjust ingredients according to taste and texture.

Susanna loves my smoothies. Chris just raved and raved. He said, “This is delicious! And I normally don’t like these types of drinks at all.” The boys still won’t really drink them. But, oh well, 50% ain’t bad, I guess.

Lots of fiber, protein. Nothing gross, fake, or highly processed. Yay! Baby steps to good health.

Tonight, I made salmon, baked potatoes, and a veggie medley. All yummy and healthy. I went for the first time today to Trader Joe’s. I was THRILLED to buy things that didn’t contain high fructose corn syrup and trans fats, all at reasonable prices.

OK–so I cooked the meal and called everyone to the table. Here’s what transpired:

Susanna: Yuck, rotting fish.
Seth: I forgot my crown! (hops down to look for this red paper crown that he made on Tuesday at Bible study; he has worn it practically every moment since then and has even slept with it)
Spencer: Can I put this on it? (points to salt shaker and potato)
Mom: yes
Spencer dumps salt all over his potato.

Ah, yes. Bon appetit!

This evening, Susanna lost her bottom front left tooth. We knew it was coming. Her first tooth to lose! She even pulled it herself.

We were all so excited. I had mixed feelings since I remember when she cut that tooth.

So bedtime came, and we had a lot of hoopla over finding the right spot for placing her tooth under the pillow for the tooth fairy’s retrieval.

The tooth is practically microscopic, so I got her a little plastic container with a lid. I suggested that she just put the entire box under the pillow. I thought this would be the safest course of action and help the tooth fairy quickly locate the tooth. 🙂

Susanna wasn’t so sure about my idea. She said, “Ummm. I don’t know, Mom. Let’s ask somebody if that will work. Let’s look it up on Wikipedia.”

I’ve been having migraines off and on lately. I also have an editing deadline approaching.

Today I was sitting at the computer, trying to work on the manuscript even though I was tired and had a dull migraine hangover.

I told Spencer, “Mommy has a headache.”

Spencer: Awww, Mommy. I kiss your head. (smooch!) Feel better? Is your headache better?

Mom: Thanks, honey. Yes. My head feels better. But now I have a lot of work to do on the computer and it’s hard for Mommy.

Spencer: Well, I’ll kiss the computer, too. (smooch!) Will that make it better?

Oh, I wish it were really that easy. 🙂

I knew it would happen sooner rather than later.

My boys do look so much alike that often, even I, their mother, have relied on a quick quiz to differentiate between the two.

“Come here… uh, Seth… you are Seth, right? Who are you?”

Up until this past week, I was fairly certain I’d get a truthful answer. I think each boy took a special pride in being able to assert his identity and independence. “No! I’m Seth.” “He’s not Spencer. I’m Spencer.”

Well, just a few months shy of his fourth birthday, my—shall we say—more creative twin, Spencer, has discovered the art of the switcheroo.

That’s right. He’s tried to pass himself off as his brother in an effort to evade punishment.

Spilled drink on floor. Guilty boy (Spencer) sitting beside spilled drink.

Mom: Spencer, did you do that? Did you spill that drink?
Spencer: No. I not Spencer. I’m Seth.
Mom: No, you are Spencer, and you spilled the drink.

(Sigh.) He is a smart little booger, though, isn’t he? 🙂

Coming Soon…

A few days ago I was helping Susanna brush her teeth and noticed this:

She has two bottom teeth coming in behind her baby teeth. Her baby teeth are a little wiggly but not much.

I found this discovery really exciting. Weird, though, because I remember when she cut those little teeth.

A visit from the Tooth Fairy is imminent.

Spencer approaches Mom with a deck of cards.

“Pick a card.”

Mom takes card and looks at it: the ten of hearts.

“Now turn the card around.”

Mom turns the face of the card towards Spencer.

“That’s hearts!”

“Yes, it is,” Mom says.

“Now, kiss the card.”

Spencer demonstrates by smooching on his hand.

Mom kisses the card.

“Yep.”

Spencer continues with his day.

How’s that for a little 3-year-old abracadabra?

For Christmas we received the most wonderful children’s story Bible.

It’s called The Jesus Storybook Bible.

We’ve begun using it for family worship time. We decided to begin in the New Testament following Jesus’ birth.

So the other night, we were discussing John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism. Chris read the part about God’s voice speaking after the baptism and the dove coming to rest on Jesus.

Susanna gave a thoughtful expression, then a puzzled look.

“Wait a second! But Jesus is God. So if he’s right there, how can he be speaking from heaven?”

And then we attempted to explain the Trinity (we took the opportunity to talk about the dove/Holy Spirit) to a five-year-old.

Starting to put it all together. So much fun to see.