Snow and Lights

We were blessed with both this week. A light dusting of the white powder fell on our driveway and a smattering is still left on the lawn. We've got perfectly strung colored Christmas lights adorning our eaves. I prefer the opposite juxtaposition of color, as anyone who knows me will tell you. I like fresh green grass, brilliant blue skies and the shining hot yellow sun. I like my house lights white. I am old-fashioned? Do I lack creativity? I don't know. I just always thought white lights on the home were classic and beautiful. I never went for colored lights. This year marked a difference because Lily is vocal and has an opinion on almost every topic. As we were speed-shopping through Target before Finn had his obligatory meltdown caused by cart confinement, we slowed to toss in the two gigantic light reels that would perfectly string around the house. As Mark and I were discussing warm versus cool white, Lily chimed in that she loved the beautiful colors. I told her that they were nice, but we were getting white. The look on her face was not one of disappointment but of defiance and incredulity. She had literally not one moment where that even registered as a possibility.

"No, mom. Christmas lights have to be beautiful colors." she stated.

Mark's mom was with us and she said she wasn't going to say anything but since Lily had mentioned it, she liked colored lights best as well. As the turquoise light-up leopard print backpack fiasco of 2012 should have taught me, when you get Grandma and Granddarling Lily Kidwell voting on the same side, there is no countermeasure that is strong enough to sway the decision.

Mark painstakingly put up those beautiful lights with minimal assistance from me. He brought us all out and we lit them up just for the inaugural first evening. I instantly had tears spring to my eyes. They looked perfect. The twinkle and the glow was so festive and cheerful. Lily looked up at me and said, "I picked the perfect lights didn't I, Mama?"

So my preference has changed toward a more colorful glow around our happy home.

I got my mind changed as well toward a more colorful and kitschy Christmas card by my husband. My initial choice was just our professional photos on a nice slate gray stationery. Mark gave that the old thumbs down and convinced me that the classic red/green motif with pictures both professional and amateur mixed together was a much better choice and more suitable to our ramshackle little clan.

Maybe they all have it right. Those Kidwells are something else.

The mess of nonsense below should give you a preview of said Christmas card.



<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8GatG7dy3YYA&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=118"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/8GatG7dy38/8GatG7dy39zQ/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1352735353000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none;  box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Photo Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>

Mark Approved Healthy Recipes

Mark and I have been incorporating some healthy food choices into our daily lives. He has admired a few more than he ever thought he would. They are loaded with fresh veggies, lean meats and make your body feel sooo good! I hope you like them and feel free to comment or respond with any questions or suggestions you may have. Eating well has changed our whole outlook on fitness and healthy living. Enjoy!

Egg Cups

What You'll Need:

• eggs (as many as you'll eat in a few days we do 12)
• muffin tin
• spinach
• bacon
• red pepper flakes/cayenne 
• PAM or some other way to grease your muffin tin

What You Should Do:

• grease muffin tin
• set oven at 350
• crack all eggs in a bowl and add a splash of almond milk
• add spices and whip until light yellow and smooth
• place spinach leaves and bacon pieces in each muffin cavity
• pour mixture on top until 2/3 full
• bake for 12 mins or until firm

*you can add or subtract any additions to the egg mixture, what you like in an omelette works perfect in this

**you can line each muffin cavity with a piece of deli meat to help it stay together and add another layer of yummy protein

Homemade Chicken Broth

What You'll Need:

• whole chicken (preferably organic)
• 1/2 onion (Walla-Walla for me)
• jalapeno
• carrots (2 cups sliced)

What You Should Do:

• Roast whole chicken 
• break down and take meat off the bones
• put bones in crock pot with 6 cups of cold water
• add half an onion roughly chopped, handful of carrots and a jalapeno sliced lengthwise
• let simmer on low for 8-12 hours ( I left mine overnight)
• strain into large bowl, keep veggies/any meat left and discard bones

Paleo Friendly Zuppa Toscana

What You'll Need:

• homemade chicken stock (6 cups-ish)
• 2-3 cups kale leaves
• 1 lb spicy sausage (browned)
• 1 cup carrots (sliced)

What You Should Do:

• dump homemade chicken stock in crockpot
• turn on low and add carrots and browned spicy sausage
• add 2 cups/handfuls of kale and a pinch of salt
• add 1/3 cup almond milk (heavy cream if you ain't no Paleo Person)
• let all simmer for 3 hours or until carrots are al dente and kale is soft

Cauliflower Crust

What You'll Need:

• 1 head cauliflower
• assorted spices of choice
• 1 egg

What You Should Do:

• break down 1 head cauliflower and put in microwave safe bowl with 2 tbsp water
• cover tightly with saran wrap and microwave on high for 4 mins or until fork tender
• place steamed cauliflower in food processor with spices of choice (red pepper flakes, cayenne, italian seasoning blend, garlic, parsley, basil)
• pulse for a few seconds at a time so there is still a chunky ricey consistency
• remove from processor and back to bowl
• mix with one egg until well incorporated
• press mixture onto oiled pizza pan so it holds together
• pat dry with paper towels for added crispness

Tomato/Pizza Sauce

What You'll Need:

• 2 roma tomatoes sliced
• 1 can low sodium tomato paste
• garlic (4-5 cloves)
• 1 red pepper sliced 
• red pepper flakes and cayenne (if ya like it spice-ay)

What You Should Do:

• place all above ingredients in food processor 
• pulse until thick and as chunky as you like

Something to Say

Today I woke up before the sun. I had a pleasant morning with my husband shuffling around whispering over hot coffee with each other. I sent him off to work laden with Paleo approved breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses and lunch. We had a busy weekend with two birthday parties, a dual baptism and grandparent parade (extend out the syllables of that last one to make it sound like Prince's Raspberry Beret like I do). Not often do we Kidwell folk like to fill our entire weekend with out of the house things because we are homebodies at our finest. 

Finn and I made a Friday night appearance at a friend's soiree at her home. He had been feverish and clingy all week so I thought it would be better to take him with me rather than foisting him on to daddy, thereby ruining both of their evenings. When my babies are sick it is mommy or nobody. So, Finn came to party with the adults for a bit and ran rampant through their unchildproofed lovely home. He attacked the flat screen with every chance he got and ran circles around the stone fireplace. He stopped a few times to give hearty high fives to the birthday girl and only once to give a single finger touch to her husband's awaiting high five hand. We left early when Finn started chanting "nah, naht" to bid everyone goodnight as he was ready for bed.

Saturday brought the delivery of the Ariel cake and my cousin's daughter's 4th birthday party. I made the cake for her that was under the sea themed. It seemed to go over quite well. Lily and Finn both played nicely at the party and Mark got to keep an eye on the Penn State game.

By Sunday, we were all starting to feel the effects of being out of our little comfort zone home. We composed ourselves anyway and drove to a lovely church service with a dual baptism of my cousin's two children. Both kids were so well-behaved and though we left early, it was very nice to attend.

Grandparent parade took us to Woodbury just after the baptism where we visited with Mark's family for his dad's birthday. The highlight was the all-girl shopping trip that Lily, Grandma and I took. We loaded up at  Carter's. We sniffed and smelled at Bath and Body Works. Lily proclaimed some scents to have taken her by surprise and some she deemed heavenly.

Monday morning came with a quickness and several other factors led me to this realization and subsequent blog post. I was born to be a great mom. I know this may seem odd or inconsequential to some of you career minded humans browsing here now. But hear me out. Some moms I know have a difficult time staying home. They are better suited among other adults. Facts and figures, deadlines and working lunches suit them better than quelling tantrums and nursing sickies. I have literally no problem with that. I do, however, feel strongly that you should reciprocate the support and respect to those of us who stay home with our kids. 

My and my husband's decision for me to stay at home is not up for mockery, eye-rolling, debate or question. It isn't yours to deem one way or the other. I know I am a wonderful mom because of the way my children behave and the way they interact. I know deep down that this was what I was meant to do. I never succeeded so well at anything like I do at parenting. There are amazing working parents as well. That is not even remotely my point. Mark is a working dad and he is the greatest father I could ever ask for my children to have. 

Lately there has been a trend toward sneering at people who are proud parents. We are a nuisance. Our children bother you and our bags and strollers are cumbersome. Our photos and updates are too many and too invasive on your social media news feeds. Our minivans and playdates elicit sighs and snide looks.

It is my opinion that not everyone is cut out to do everything well. We all have a niche. My life is being a mom. And while you may not share the passion or the title, you should look deep within and consider what bothers you so much about that.

I will continue to be a stained clothes wearing, pony tailed, coffee guzzling, photo littering, status bombing, home cooking, goofy voiced, song singing, bag laden, stroller pushing, hand holding, laundry folding, cake baking, silly dancing, lunch packing, walk taking, park playing, full to the brim with love mommy. 

If you don't like it *click click* unfriend me, buddy. 

homebodies

Kidwell World

Hello to all of you!

Again, I must apologize for my inconsistent blogging habits. I get going on little tangents and forget to write about them. Now, to what all of you care about, the kids.

Lily is about a month into kindergarten and is thriving. She has behavior monitoring everyday because her classroom is run in a very strict organized manner. She starts her day on green and if she receives one warning about anything in particular that is not abiding by the rules she has to flip to yellow. If she has to be warned again, about anything, it is a red card and a mandatory 10 minute time out and sitting out for 10 minutes of recess. While the mama bear in me gets very annoyed that my daughter asking if her letter "t" is written correctly without waiting to be called on warrants a warning, the realist in me knows that she had better learn to follow rules regardless of how her mommy feels about them.

She is learning sight words and is sounding things out very well for someone so impatient with non-comprehension. Numbers come to her so easily that she never even has to take a moment before she has the exact answer. She is still ever so patient and kind to her younger brother even though he pushes every last good grace of hers to the very limit.

Finn is a monster. He is a darling. But, he is a monster. He is reckless, destructive, inquisitive, mischievous and stubborn as hell. He is also a fast learner, excitable, loving and so very happy. He smiles and waves while saying a very clear "hi!" to strangers. He waves and very sweetly sings "byeee!" when we leave their presence. His list of words is expanding daily and we are all so stunned when he picks up a new one. 

So far there is:
Puppy
Daddy 
Mommy
Papa
No
Nah-nah (night-night)
Issy (sissy)
Woo-woo (train)
Beep-beep (car)
Boh (boats)
Ishies (fishies)
Mowah (more)
Foo (food)
Bah-boh (bottle)
Bah-oh (ball)

He is obsessed with big trucks and tractors. He loves his daddy and his papa. And he gets incredibly excited when Lily comes home from school. He can climb anything, eat anything and will stay outdoors until you drag him kicking and screaming inside.

Mark and I are doing fine. :)
Thanks for reading.

Elevate!

I'm starting to go public with my addiction. I have heard this is the only way to cope with the madness. I am Kate. And I am addicted to party planning. I love every inch of it. I like baking cakes. I can whip up my magical buttercream in under 4 minutes now. Cupcake bites are like second nature to me and can be done in a zen trance. I am a wicked fast pom maker. I can scour the aisle of craft stores and come up with fresh and whimsical designs for pennies on the dollar. I can itemize, dictate, counsel and assist with primping all at once.


It all started when I would help put together weddings at Naz Chapel during college. I loved the grateful expressions from the bride or her family when you told them everything was under control. I loved lighting the candles and placing each bow and ribbon just so. I found myself in cahoots with florists, caterers, maintenance staff and well-dressed bridal parties all in one day. 


On the other end of the spectrum, working as CEO of Lily and Finn Industries, it became more of a need to create magic for my children. I want their birthdays to be so concrete in their memory banks that they're never forgotten. It is so special to experience the happiness that a gathering of loved one seems to organically generate. It is a calling for me that some might deem frivolous. But, for me, it is the memorable moments we create in celebrations that mark our best days.


So, I named my endeavor Elevated Events and brought it forth unto the mighty internet. Check it out if you want to see some of my stuff. Hoping all is well with everyone. I promise the next blog will be about the kiddos. ;)


katekidwell.wix.com/elevate

Five

She is five. My firstborn darling daughter is five years old today. She told Mark and I this morning that she felt smarter, faster and stronger now that she is a whole year older. She has opened her gifts. She had her party. She has received numerous well-wishes from loved ones. I will write to you now what I told her this morning as she snuggled with me in my bed. 


By this time five years ago, I had you in my arms. I waited for you for my whole life. I waited two extra weeks while you comfortably resided in my tummy. You came into this earth on your own terms. I held you in my arms for the first time and my first thought was, 'Oh! She's so pretty!" I truly had never seen something so breathtaking in my twenty-two years of life. You were the answer to our prayers and at the same time more than we ever could have dared to want. You were so loved the day you were born. There was a welcome committee in the waiting room gathered to greet you even though it was 2:56am by the time you graced us with your presence. Our room in the hospital was filled with giant stuffed animals, colorful flowers, smiling faces and happy tears. You being born made so many people so very happy. So, remember that today as you are now five years old. You were born to bring such light to the world. And I love you more now than I did then.


A note to my daughter:
Lily Margaret Kidwell, you bring your daddy and I so much joy and so many memories that we can't even retell each and every little thing you've done to make us smile. We write down funny anecdotes. We take videos and pictures. You remember so many things yourself that you're like our own little memory bank. So, today on your birthday, we want you to know that you've brought us more happiness with each year of  your life that we simply rejoice in the day you were born. It was the start of our life as a little family when you came into this world. I can honestly say your existence has made mine more meaningful than anything else I have accomplished. You made me a mommy. You gave me that title and I humbly thank you for that. Happiest of birthdays, my little princess. 

Family Vacation

We spent the first week in May soaking up the abundant sun in Orlando, FL. It was a whirlwind of Disney, dining, and splashing in the pool. I was truly nervous this was not going to be the case.


Three days before we were set to leave, Lily got a really bad flu bug. She was throwing up and essentially motionless and expressionless for 72 hours. She looked so frail and small that my heart broke every time I looked at her. She had a Disney countdown on her door for the entire month before we left and it was left unchanged beginning Tuesday (the first day she was sick). No stickers were added and no happy dances were danced. It was a tug of war inside me because the over-protective mama bear in me wanted to keep her safe and warm with me here at home. The sliver of realist in me knew that I couldn't sacrifice a whole trip because she hadn't fully recovered by "drive day". So, I loaded her up in the car with dad (Mark, his mom and Lily drove down to FL) and told her I loved her. I waited for a response and upon not receiving one I repeated the sentiment. She slowly focused in on my face and said, "Mom, can you please stop talking to me?" Then slipped back into the large eyed vacant expression that had come to replace her normal vibrant smiling face. I had never felt so guilty as a mom. Mark called from the road about 10 minutes later saying she was sleeping peacefully. I didn't breathe easily until we reunited in Florida two days later. 


The child I found in our room in Orlando was a thinner but almost fully revived little girl. Being that I hadn't seen her slow recovery I was overjoyed to hug her tiny little body and kiss her cheerful face. I was all the more enchanted seeing Lily's eyes light up at the sight of the beautiful princesses. I relished watching her while her eyes were on the parades and sights of the Magic Kingdom. I dragged Finn in his floaty boat in the pool to mirror Lily's deft lap swimming in the pools. All in all, this was Lily's vacation. It was a magical experience to witness her completely enveloped in whimsy, wonder and fun. 


It made me realize that she is growing up faster than I can even rationally understand. She will be five in July, and just this past week had a friend knock on the door asking for her to come out and play. Mark and I were flabbergasted. He answered the door and sort of puzzled looking, turned and said, "Lily, it's for you." 

We have been blessed with two living breathing miracles. And sometimes it takes a juxtaposition of highs and lows to illuminate just how fleeting all of these experiences are and how lucky we are to have them at all.