Occupational Therapy - The Tasty Kind

I baked in the hospital as part of OT. There is a full kitchen in the therapy gym room. I had to be able to utilize the kitchen, read and follow a recipe, and bake some brownies and cookies before I was discharged from OT. I absolutely loved those days in therapy. I felt "normal" doing something like baking. I felt like my mama instincts were still there. I felt like I was doing something for others again, because I would always share the cookies with my friends (fellow patients).

Because I was still unable to read, I would cover my left eye with my hand and follow the recipe instructions as best as I could. I would turn the oven off, and write a reminder to myself to turn it back off. I would crack the eggs, dig the shells out of the bowl because my left side was not on point yet... I would measure the sugars and the flour with a little help from my therapist. Then, I would eat the dough because that's what I do! While the goodies were baking, I would ask if I could re-organize the cupboards. It felt so much more like home than anything else I did... and how I longed to be home with my boys, being a mama... a good, worthwhile mama.

I have continued baking since I came home. I love this therapy because the reward is immediate. I can see that what I did worked and that I did well right away. There is so much baking in my house because of this. Last night, I made sugar cookies and dipped them in chocolate. We had strawberries in the fridge with left over chocolate, so I dipped a carton full of strawberries, too. My boys love it! My guys at work love it! Whenever I come in with treats (which is often), my guys say, "Sis has been doing therapy again!!!"

Hello, I'm Mom

On Friday, I took the day off from both jobs. I needed to reintroduce my children to their mom. We slept in. I got up and ate my favorite frosted shredded wheat, which I never get to eat anymore. Delicious! Then, Kaydon asked if I'd make cookies with him. Why, yes!! They were delicious. I made the family lunch, followed by warm homemade cookies. Yummo!

In the afternoon, we went to see Goosebumps. It scared the tarnation right out of me, but let's face it - EVERYTHING scares me! They children loved it. Josh said he could hear Kaydon laughing through the entire movie. We ate our extra buttered popcorn and laid back in the sweet recliners. Afterwards, we had Nielsen's Frozen Custard. Heaven!

It was SO nice to be able to spend time with my family for the day. I feel like I miss out on everything there is to miss out on. I loved having a day with all of us together to catch up, laugh, play, and just be together.

Warm Apple Crisp

Wednesday night, I didn't have to work. So, on my way home from my full-time job I stopped and purchased some vanilla ice cream. After I made dinner, did the dishes, helped with homework, made lunches, did laundry, and pooped - I made some amazing apple crisp. As soon as it came out of the oven, I called the boys to the table and served hot apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream. It was perfect.

A Frozen Party

Brooklyn's birthday is this coming Saturday. She will be six years old on the sixth. Kind of cool! She wanted a Frozen-themed birthday. So, after Thanksgiving was all cleaned up, I began to prepare her dessert bar. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I prepared. I baked like a crazy person! I made everything myself, except the powdered donuts and wrapped candy. I served: white cupcakes, dyed blue, with white frosting and homemade white chocolate candy pieces; three-layer rice krispy treats; marshmallow pops, dipped in white chocolate and blue sixlets; sugar cookies iced with blue icing and topped with white sixlets; homemade caramel corn, drizzled with white chocolate, powdered donuts, and chocolate candies. I think it's safe to say everyone was sugared up for a while! Josh helped me ice the cookies and frost the cupcakes. Kaydon helped me dip the marshmallows. Everyone else helped to eat everything. Papa & Grandma, Papa & Steph, Nichole, Matt & Jen, Kara & Jess, Brandon & Carrie all came. Brooklyn was spoiled, which is the story of our lives. I am exhausted, but so thankful that I was able to pull this off for her.

Christensen Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving was at our house this year, with our little family of seven. And, I made it all myself. This was both terrifying and exciting for me. I roasted a turkey, which I stuffed with homemade stuffing. I made a ham. I made real mashed potatoes. I made cranberries. I made homemade rolls. We also had pumpkin pie, banana cream pie, and homemade cherry cream pie. Josh added in the canned cheese and chips... whatever! And, we had some raw vegetables. I pulled it off. I was so exhausted at the end of the day after cooking, baking, cleaning, and cleaning some more. This morning, as I type this, I am so grateful that I did this. I have had many years of watching my mother, my maternal grandmother, and my paternal grandmother cook, bake, clean, and serve. I am grateful for the lessons they have passed on to me. I am so thankful for the food that I had to feed my family. I am so thankful for the appliances I had to cook with. I am most thankful for my family of seven. Gosh, I love my family. My kids are amazing. Every single day. They are amazing.