Squash Pasta

It's hard to convince my family members that meat is not required in a meal. I really haven't persuaded them except with one dish. But I can only pull this meal out of my hat once every 45 to 60 days. Else....well, you know. The MEAT thing.

Give this a try if you want a filling, healthy meal that is super simple. Using spaghetti squash in place of pasta helps save carbs and calories and provides plenty of fiber.

Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

Cut squash in half (This is the hardest part of the entire recipe. Use a sharp knife!)
Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and place the two halves cut-side down in a roasting pan in about a 1/2 inch of water.

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

The squash should be tender when you take it out of the oven. Carefully (it is extremely hot!!), use a potholder to pick up each half, draining out any accumulated water. Shred the insides of the squash into a bowl by scraping a fork through it, pulling it into strands.

All you need to do from here is top with your favorite marinara sauce. It's great to make your own, but on swim team nights, I grab a jar of Paul Newman's marinara sauce (lowest sugar count around) and go to town.

Happy healthy eating!
Love,
TCB

Time to Grow Up

I know I'm not alone when I say I want to protect my son for as long as possible. Every mother reading this is thinking the same thing, too. We just stick together on things like that.


But at some point point our children have to work more than is comfortable for them, and they'll be in a place where they will feel a little bit of pain. Otherwise, they'll never grow up.


I was watching my son swim laps for an hour Monday night at swim team practice. The coach assigned him to swim lap after lap of the stroke he dislikes the most - the butterfly. Why does he dislike it? It is HARD for him, he runs out of energy, goes too slow, and it's his worst stroke. The others seem to come easy for him.

I watched him struggle lap after lap and could visibly see his energy lagging (imagine that in a 9-year-old boy). I knew if I was down in that lane, I would not have made it (fyi, I'm nowhere close to 9). It made me so tired just to watch, that I wanted to scoop him out of the water and say - "Nice effort! Now take a break." I knew he couldn't stop - it's the coach's rule that if you stop and interrupt the lane flow, you gotta get out and do push-ups. So I felt his pain from my spectator's seat, and I realized: this is just a small hurdle. There will be much larger ones for him. I faced them. He will, too. And there's no way I can make some of them easier. And there's really no reason I should.

Our job is to take these little munchkins and grow them into responsible, independent, contributing citizens. It takes a little adversity - and a lot of work - to accomplish the goal. Sometimes as parents we need to move out of the way.

My thoughts for the day! Do you agree?

Happy hump day,
TCB

Weekend in the Country

If the title of this post has you thinking of leisurely walks down woodsy lanes, I feel sorry to bust your bubble. Weekends in the country are usually about work. At least on Saturdays.

And especially when one tree loosens its roots from the soil on the bank of the river, falling and taking down two other trees with it.

We have been looking at the mess for eight months. But let's face it - the job couldn't be tackled until winter weather arrived. Who wants to wade into the grassy, weedy mess that surrounds fallen trees when it's snake season on the banks of the river? In case this one stumps you - ABSOLUTELY NO ONE.

A particular boy believes it is better to play "king of the hill" on the bonfire pile than to actually haul limbs to it.

See how precious-wecious my little one is on his four-wheeler pulling a trailer-full of limbs? Don't tell him I said precious-wecious. No self-respecting 9-year-old boy wants to be called precious-wecious by his mama.

Meanwhile, back at the homestead....

Miss Pitty Pat was working, too. (No animals were hurt in the production of this post. Well, that's not absolutely true. But if you want a truckload of field mice, I can deliver them to you.)

Thanks for all the hard work, everyone.

Love,
TCB

2012 Goals

Forget the resolution(s) this year. I'm all about the goals. Looking through some of my old journals, I recognized the goals I had written down actually came true. I know I've read over and over to write down your goals, but I guess I never really realized how powerful that one step can be.

So....moving into the current age (I won't tell you how old those journals actually are). I just downloaded a cool new app on my iPad called "Index Card." It allows you to write notes on virtual index cards that you can organize into multiple projects. For someone like me who's a visual person, this works as a great way to take notes in a clutter-free manner.

The first project I set up was "2012 Goals." Here they are. I thought if I listed them, you could hold me to them.

1. Get my new web site live
2. Start a business blog
3. Lose five pounds
4. Begin writing my book
5. Make five new business contacts per week
6. Declutter the house (this one crops up about every other year).

What are your goals this year? I'd be interested to know what everyone is focused on.

Happy New Year!
TCB

Runaway Horse

If you don't have an adventure out in the country, you can always make one. We're good for that.

On Friday, my son and I traveled to "the  barn" so he could take a horseback riding lesson. Usually the time passes without incident, and everyone has a good time. But I suppose fate decided we needed one more good story to close out 2011.

After about 15 minutes on Penny the horse, she decided the lesson was over and almost bucked my son off onto the dirt below. So the teacher said it was time to give King, a larger, male horse, a whirl.

My son was riding in the open pasture, as the ring had not been dragged by the tractor post-rain. King took this as a sign that it was time to all out run. And he did. Across the entire pasture, through the pasture gate, across the barnyard, behind the barn, and clear to the other pasture. All I saw was a blur, and all I heard was "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

Two females - humans, not horses, ran after the runaway horse carrying my son. I'm not sure why we did it; we had absolutely no hope of catching King unless he decided to stop running.


Eventually, either King stopped or my son persuaded him to do so. I was shaky, but my son was happy for the adrenaline rush. Typical adrenaline junky. He did not get that from me.

I'm just happy his rumpus remained in contact with the horse's back.

Hope your 2011 ended with a bang and that you accomplish all your 2012 goals.

Love,
TCB

A Year of Firsts

One of the best things about having a young child at home is experiencing the "firsts" with them. 2011 was a year of "firsts" for my son.

First kill.

First sleepover. (I was being brave with all the boys in the house).

First time to build a chicken coop.

First lunch preparation.

First fish caught in the big, deep sea.

First time staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom lodge.

First time eating a Zesto's chocolate-dipped ice cream cone.

First horseback riding lesson.

I wanted to share our year of firsts, hopefully to get you thinking about the "firsts" in your life this past year.

I am taking a "bloggie break" for the next 11 days to rest and catch up with family and friends. See you at the first of 2012!

Merry Christmas,
TCB

Scared or Sleepy at Disney?

We traveled to Florida to go to Disney World last week. I psyched myself up to ride the rides with my son and husband - well, most of them. If it twirled me 'round and 'round or had a huge hill to free fall down, it was promptly marked off the list. "Everyone knows...." (do I sound like Phaedra on the Real Housewives of Atlanta??) Anyway, everyone knows motion sickness stalks The Country Belle like Miss Pitty Pat the kitty cat stalks a lizard in our backyard. But not everyone knows I am afraid of hills on roller coasters. I will turn and twist upside down and sideways, but please do not put me on a Thunder Road of a roller coaster.

Here I was on a coaster. Multiple choice: Am I about to... (A) hurl (B) sleep (C) pray.

C is the correct answer.

I think my son may be about to doze off. Show-off.

Have a happy day.
Love,
TCB