Things the Littles Say...

Happy Monday!

I haven't done one of these posts in a while because of the business of life, but the kids are still hilarious... Here are some of the recent highlights of my sweet, unfiltered children. 

Nathan: 

N: Take a look Mom, I did my Christmas list.

M: Ok, thanks Nate
N: The background is red and I used red marker so look carefully...

THIS is what he handed me, ya'll...Thank you Target.

Note how he crossed out the title and wrote "Chrismas list"

N: My project is on the life cycle of the praying mantis...
I: Is that the SCIENTIST?! (Isabelle's interpretation of praying mantis)

N: That is fascinating!

I: Look at my bump! (points to birthmark)
N: (nonchalantly) Mom is a hospital worker. She can look at it. That's even better.

His love for football is unwavering despite my best efforts...

In reference to our Thanksgiving gathering...
D: We are having some people over for dinner, Nate,  so you have to clean up
N: Who is coming? Are we getting an inflatable? (this child asked if we were having a BOUNCE HOUSE on Thanksgiving...I can't)

(Isabelle starts crying and Nate picks her up)
N: I can lift up my sister because I have been doing Focus T25...

(At EVERY. SINGLE. football game we went to for his uncle)
N: Can we go on the field?

(Saturday when Michigan was losing)
N: I wish I was able to play for Michigan and we would be able to win...

(Isabelle crying at the top of her lungs)
M: Nate, what happened?
N: I was walking and she was hanging on to me and just fell... (I'm sure thats exactly how it went down)

Oh and Nate still calls a  "blanket" a "blanquet" I think its so cute I refuse to correct him.

  Isabelle:

I: (crying then sees tablet on the headboard and instantly stops crying) I want tablet.
Nate: No, Isabelle, you can't have any more table today
I: (very matter of factly) If you're not crying you can...

I: Mom, come sit beside me!

I: Mommy! You're the best. I love you so much... :swoon:

M: Did you have a good sleep?
I: Yes!
M: Did you have a good dream?
I: :Nods with a smile:
M: What did you dream about?
I: Jesus!

I: I'm boring! (meaning: I'm bored)

I: It's hot "wava" Nate! :jumps from the ottoman to the couch:

I: Mom! I thought you were at work! Come sit next to me!

I: These pajamas are too small
M: How do you know?
I: Let me look at the tag
M: What size are you?
I: I'm a tree! (three)

I: (After she puts on my sunglasses and pool pass) Look Mom! I'm smart and pretty like you!

And can we talk about how sweet my kids are on skates?! They didn't get this from me LOL




Hope this brings a smile to your Monday!

xo

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Friends!

I hope you and your families are recovering from a wonderful holiday. We spent our Thanksgiving in North Carolina and it was wonderful. Nate's mom is here visiting and the kids have been in Grandma heaven all week...

On Wednesday, I had my last day on the GYN Consult service :praise Him: and I have been blessed to have the rest of my weekend off. You don't understand all of the JOY in my soul at this moment...

Wednesday night Nate and I started our cooking because we wanted to make sure dinner was ready at a reasonable hour...

Belle and I making the cornbread for the dressing

I made my "signature sides" - macaroni & cheese and dressing - both recipes are my Grammy's and were my absolute favorite foods to eat during the holidays growing up. Nate made the greens, green beans, and started the beef. 

Thursday morning, we were back in the kitchen, and finished up dinner into the afternoon. The only things left to cook were the sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, ham, and frying the turkey. It all turned out great!

We even got our T25 work out in when we got up! Never, ever in life have I worked out on Thanksgiving. Felt great, but I'm pretty sure I've cancelled it out by the amount of food consumed yesterday - minor details, though, right? haha

Shaun T would be so proud...

Since moving to NC, we have spent every Thanksgiving in NC. Nate's mom has been able to make it down for the last two years which is something we really look forward to :-) 

Now that we have spent quite a few holidays out here in NC with everyone else celebrating back home, I've come to realize that filling our home with friends helps to ease the homesickness. My heart goes out to all the peeps who can't go home for the holidays, and I am so thankful for the tribe we have here that have become family. We had some friends over from my job for Thanksgiving dinner too, and it turned out great! Our table, tummies, and hearts were full. It was also 75 degrees outside which is all kinds of amazing... 

Backyard hangout after dinner in the amazing weather!

Today we are heading to get our Christmas tree! I love this time of year... Hope you all have a great day!!

P.S. I got a few inquiries about my Mac & Cheese recipe so here it is: 

-------

Grammy's Homemade Macaroni & Cheese (makes one 1 large pan)

Ingredients: 
2 boxes of elbow macaroni 
2 medium-sized bags of mild cheddar
2 medium-sized bags of mozzarella cheddar
1 medium-sized bag of sharp cheddar
Milk (about 1.5 cups; will add to desired consistency)
3 sticks of butter 
2 eggs 
White pepper
Salt 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Boil your macaroni noodles - no more than 10 minutes so the noodles don't get too soft
3. When the noodles are done, pour them into your aluminum pan and mix with a half of a stick of butter
4. Season the noodles to taste with salt and white pepper
5. In a large pot add a half a stick of butter and pour in milk to cover the bottom of the pan. Add your first bag of cheese and place on low heat to SLOWLY melt the cheese while constantly stirring
6. Add your two eggs to the cheese and stir into the sauce
7. Continue adding in your cheese, butter, and pouring in small amounts of milk to keep the consistency thick but easily foldable with the spoon until all the bags of cheese are used (I know this is super imprecise. I have never measure the amount of milk all these years. You probably will use no more than 1.5 cups of milk and one stick of butter for the cheese sauce)

8. Pour the cheese over your noodles and stir in until the cheese is equally distributed throughout the noodles in the pan
9. Cut four slices of butter and place on top of the noodles with cheese
10. Bake in the oven until the top is starting to turn a light golden

Enjoy!

Fall Musings and Such...

It seems like Fall rushed in and from the looks of it, there is no slowing down until winter.

Work has been steady. I'm on the Consult service this month, stomping out gynecologic emergencies left and right.

After the election we have all been in kind of a funk; so much that is like palpable. This all means so many things to me as a Black woman, as a wife, mother, sister to Black men and a daughter, and as an OBGYN. I have been thinking of the words to express the uncertainty of it all. I feel them coming in the weeks to follow...my heart hurts too much to speak on it right now.

My babies will know how special they are, no matter what the world tells them...

This holiday season is coming fast and I am not mad. I have one week, a Saturday call, and three more days of work standing between me and Thanksgiving weekend, but who's counting ;-) We are halfway done with interviewing candidates for next year - so crazy! The interview day is fun, but definitely takes up the entire weekend.

Last weekend we hit the road late Friday night to make it to my brother's Senior Day football game. I kind of alluded to this in my last post, but my baby bro had a terrible injury last month during a game. Thank God it is recoverable, but for him as a senior who was killing it, it was heartbreaking to see his dreams on hold for something out of his control. He worked so hard the last four years. And that is why despite his injury, it was so important for us all to be there to celebrate him. I'm so proud of his resilience.

Detroit cousins!!!

Last week Natey had his first "Culmination" of the year. It is when his class hosts the parents one morning to see all of the wonderful work they have been doing with their unit. This first unit was about critters and nature. Nate's personal project was a look at the life cycle of the praying mantis. His class caught one in their garden and had been taking care of it in the classroom. For part of his "research" Nate got to bring it home for a weekend. That thing is cool, but to say it gave me the heeby jeebies (medical term) is an understatement. And then the thing had the audacity to lay an "egg sac" one night in her terrarium. As an OB, that's cute and all, but I had dreams of little mantises all over our house. Luckily, it was right around the time she was due to go back to school....

Anyway, he did great! It's always a bummer that they have these things from 8-10am during the work week. Maybe when I am not a resident my schedule will allow for scheduling in mid-morning programs, but in our two years at his school, I have only been able to make one, when I was on nights :sigh: Thankfully, Nate is always there to stand in the gap, and takes awesome pictures.

My little scholar...

I decided that since 2017 is going to be a milestone year for me professionally and personally, I want to level up in my life. I need more Jesus, more intention in my day to day life, more long term goal planning, and more wellness.

Recent initiatives include:

• Stocking up on on sermon and self-improvement podcasts for daily listening
• Making a list of audio books to finish
• Printing calendars on calendars to visually coordinate our family schedules 
• Fine tuning my lists 
• Kicking off my #30by30 campaign - I want to lose 30 pounds by age 30....totally do-able right? I have like 9 months... 

Last week Nate and I took our before pictures and started T25. I also have committed to actually eating better and signed up for a "No Excuses November" Beachbody challenge organized by an ER doc who is killing it while working full time... 

Stay tuned for progress pics in a month or two! Eeek!

Well obviously...

OK, that's enough for now. Hope you all are well and staying warm!

xoxo