Scattered Sundays
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The next time I’m checking in with you, I’ll be (runs off to google “how much does a uterus weigh”)…60 grams lighter! So slim!
Hot girl summer is about to become no ute Fall.
My surgery is on Wednesday and I’ll get the check-in time on Tuesday. No matter what time I go in, I’m assuming I’ll be home by dinner(ish) time.
Given my excessive puking reaction post-opp last time, I’m going to tell them to just start loading me up with Phenegen before I even come to. Don’t even question if I will puke. Cause I will. Just start the shots in my buttcheek asap.
Two weeks ago, I gave away 95% of my period-related products, and suddenly, half of our tiny under-the-sink storage has opened up. So much more room for activities!
I’m making some Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup on Tuesday so that I’ll have something light to eat on Wednesday if I am feeling up to it. Of all the soups I have, this one seems like it will be best to not upset my stomach/isn’t heavy.
What I really wanted to make is Chicken Pot Pie Soup or Zuppa Toscana, but I’m a bit worried that the creamy base and meat might be fighting with my post-surgery nausea.
I’m taking my doctor’s recovery orders very seriously because I want to get back to my normal level of activity as soon as it is physically possible. And that won’t happen if I overdo it or ignore her commands/advice.
Troy is able to take two weeks off to stay home post-opp. I don’t actually need him around that long but I can’t drive for two weeks and that just won’t work for our family schedule.
Knowing I’ll be laid up for a bit is really weird. I think the longest I have ever had to rely on anyone to take care of me was maybe like 24 hours after having the boys. I’m not one who likes to sit and I’m definitely not someone who likes to rely on anyone for help. <— just typing that makes my hands itch.
I’ve been thinking ahead about anything that might come up while I’m down for the count. If you’re the default parent, you know how much of what you do just can’t be quantified. Trying to make a list of the little things I do day in and day out would turn into something the size of a phonebook.
Even though they could have gone another week or two, I gave all three dudes haircuts this week. That way, I’m not rushing to get back up on my feet and fighting Bennett to just freaking sit still before I toss him off the deck.
I’ve also premade a bunch of cold brew and froze it in my Souper Cubes so that Troy doesn’t have to deal with making it and my bonkers rotation of which blueberry bushes get the used grounds after I have double-filtered the coffee. He’ll have enough on his hands.
I’m also making multiple freezer-packs of soup veggies. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see me whipping these up in my stories. I use my food processor to slice and dice enough veggies for four huge batches of soup, and it only takes about 10 minutes.
I portion everything out and then freeze them in half-gallon Stasher bags. I dump the veggies (still frozen!) into the Instant Pot and can make a batch of Chicken Gnocchi Soup or Lentil Soup in mere minutes. Winning at soup life.
All my posts for next week are written and scheduled. All thanks to the power of technology. If you see something new on the blog at 4 am PT next Thursday, never fear, I’m probably asleep thanks to the meds.
Jack’s team played last Sunday and oh my, what a game! Our team has struggled so far this fall season and the boys really needed an ego boost. Jack is ALL in on soccer and gives 100% and it absolutely destroys him when they lose.
On the way to the game, I reinforced to Jack that we don’t care if they win or lose. But I did mention that if they lost, he was walking home because I absolutely was NOT dealing with his crappy attitude on the drive back.
We ended up winning 5-1. It should have been 6-1 because Jack scored an absolutely gorgeous header goal. Seriously, it was one for the highlights reel. A header goal has been on his bucket list of goals (the other being a bicycle kick goal)…but the dang line judge called him offsides.
If you’re not a soccer fan, offsides is hands down the most confusing (and stupidest) rule in soccer. But the play was down in front of the other team’s goal and both teams were down there. I have no idea how in the world anyone could have been called offsides. The goal counted in my heart.
If we’re counting that header goal (and I am), Jack scored three goals during that game. I was chatting during one of them and only caught the celebration, but thankfully the dad behind me was recording it.
Y’all, it was a real beaut. The play had been down in front of the other team’s goal and one of their defenders cleared it to almost midfield. Jack was playing back (he’s a left forward), grabbed the ball, and went to pass it to another forward but overshot it and ended up scoring from the 25-yard line. It was stunning.
Our bananas late summer heat and wildfire smoke continue. The air is getting really uncomfortable, though not nearly as bad as the fires last summer. Small victories there.
We’re going to a pumpkin patch with some friends this afternoon. It’s going to be 80 degrees. This is not the pumpkin patch weather I am used to. Instead of cute boots and jackets, it’s a skort and a side of boob sweat.
In the Garden This Week
This is somewhat garden-related, but Troy and I spent three hours this week trimming the bushes that are on our neighbor’s property. They are growing up and over their fence and are impacting our roof and gutters.
When I say “bushes”, picture canes like bamboo but annoying leaves like a traditional hedge. It’s been 11 years since they were trimmed, and they were really out of control.
They’re over by the chicken coop and do create a nice natural barrier for the chickens, and lots of shade in the summer. But…they were starting to shade some of our solar panels and were rubbing up against the roof and filling our gutters with junk.
We didn’t take them all down but definitely thinned them out enough to fill up Troy’s truck three times. Thankfully, the next county over has a free brush/yard waste recycling site. I’m assuming we’re never going to see that gas money from our neighbors, for cutting down their bushes. Alas.
There’s so much more natural light in the chicken yard (and room for activities!), but there is still plenty of shade for the girls during the warmer parts of the day. The calendar says we’re heading into Fall and colder temps, but our weather is laughing at that assumption.
What I’m reading this week
I finished Funny Farm and really enjoyed it. It was less about the actual animals, and more a really compelling memoir about a rough childhood, interwoven with stories about farm life. Trigger warning: discusses childhood emotional abuse in-depth.
Then I started Solito and just couldn’t get into it. I’m sure it’s wonderful and I will go back and finish it, but knowing it was a story about a young boy who very likely went through unspeakable terror immigrating to the US…well, I just wasn’t in the headspace for that.
The library gods shined on me and The Midcoast was available to download at the exact moment that I declared I was officially backing away from Solito.
READER SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK
Erin (hands down the reviewing superstar around these parts) left this five-star review on our Gluten-Free Scalloped Potatoes {Pin this recipe}:
We made this today with potatoes from our family garden. It was delicious! Thanks for another great recipe, Sarah!
ON SUSTAINABLE COOKS THIS WEEK
Pumpkin Spice Cookies – Troy’s grandma’s famous cookie recipe got a glow-up this week with new photos!
Nothing welcomes fall like baking a batch of soft Pumpkin Spice Cookies! These easy pumpkin cookies are topped with an incredible homemade cream cheese frosting. {Pin this recipe}
How to Soften Cookies – Learn all the tips and tricks for how to soften cookies. Make crunchy hard cookies soft again with these easy kitchen hacks. {Pin this recipe}
How to Dehydrate Potatoes – Dehydrating potatoes is a simple way to preserve this delicious pantry staple! Learn how to dry potatoes four different ways in a food dehydrator for a shelf-stable stash. {Pin this tutorial}
THE FIVE MOST POPULAR POSTS THIS WEEK
- Canning Pears – and now it’s officially Fall. {Pin this tutorial}
- Canning Apple Butter – I cannot explain to you how amazing your house will smell with this apple butter simmering away in the crockpot. Recipe includes canning and freezing instructions. {Pin this tutorial}
- Canning Applesauce – the third part of the fall canning trifectra. {Pin this tutorial}
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls – vegan and vegetarian as written but super customizable! Oh, and did you know you can FREEZE these? {Pin this recipe}
- Garlic Butter Rice – I can’t think of a week that goes by in this house without at least one batch of this comfort food being made. {Pin this recipe}
Millennials Googling “size of a phone book”….LOL
Dearest Mildred, please rest and I pray for a speedy recovery!
Haha, good point.
Yay Jack! Header goals are so freaking cool! I played soccer a million years ago and loved it. Offsides is so much a matter of perspective- if the refs are not in the right spot, it can look like someone is offsides even if they aren’t.
I’ll be sending non-pukey vibes your way on Wednesday! Good luck with the rest/recovery. I know that will be tough for you. Can’t wait to see all the book recommendations!
I’m working on getting my food prep/cooking game back on point. I just got myself a slow cooker as I tend to have more motivation in the morning for food prep/cooking, so tossing everything into the slow cooker works better for me. I’ve tried my IP’s slow cooker function but it’s either busted or I am not smart enough to get it to work- two ruined meals and I’m done trying. I also got some Souper Cubes.
At the level he plays at we have two line judges for the whole game. The one who called him offsides is also the same man who once refed a game and called Jack offsides 5x in one game. Including on our side of the field. I just shake my head at that dude!
Such a bummer on needing a slow cooker but the good news is you know you’ll love and use it.
My friend had a hysterectomy in September. I was sure I was going to have great news for her on how much weight she’d loose. We laughed so hard at the 60 grams news. The only issue she had was not being able to wear pants for about 3 weeks. The waistbands hit one of her incisions making it painful. I hope your surgery goes well. I’ll be praying for you Wednesday.Â
Thank you! And thankfully all my joggers and “cozy pants” aren’t causing me any problems. I have a freakishly high belly button (like so high it always threw off the measurement of the babies when I was pg with boys) and I think it is benefiting me in the waistband department.
Good luck with your surgery. Hope your recovery is swift.
Thinking of you and your surgery this week-may everything go smoothly for you and for the rest of the family as you take a well-deserved (if not necessarily wanted) break!
Good luck with your surgery. I am sure it will go well.
Best wishes for a quick recovery!
Good luck with the surgery, hope it goes well and that recovery is swift!