Toddler Nuggets

Am I the only sicko out there who gets extreme pleasure from making "nugget" jokes? Probably...

I made these super delicious (seriously, I eat half of them!) nuggets for Gray. I use all organic ingredients, and they still come out cheaper than buying Tyson Yuck ("Chicken") Nuggets at the store.

(I never use recipes, so excuse how totally random this seems, I'll do better in the future to actually make real recipes!)

1 lb turkey - I used 1/2 dark and 1/2 white meat from Whole Foods

about 1/4 cup cooked shredded or diced carrots

about 1/4 cup raw spinach shredded into tiny pieces (I did this by hand but it would be a lot easier with an actual shredder thing)

about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese

1 egg

a few completely smushed club crackers (I just had some leftover, so I smashed them and threw them in!)

Mix that all together really really good

Then smash up about 1 cup of crackers (I used Kashi stone-ground whole wheat crackers which are super crunchy) - the more you mash them up, the better, though I had some big pieces and it worked out OK, the smallest crumbs were best.

Take a teaspoon and scoop out some meat mixture, drop into the crushed crackers and smush a bit, flip over and smush again, then transfer it to a baking sheet (covered in a sheet of parchment paper, so the nuggets won't stick). Repeat about 36 times. Smush all of the nuggets down on the pan so they are relatively close to the same thickness (mine were around 1/3 inch or so) and then bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Just keep an eye on them, you don't want it to burn. You could probably flip about halfway through and that would be helpful for even baking, but I got sidetracked and did not do that. Once cooked, let cool for a little bit and then throw in the freezer! I just thaw them for 30 seconds in the microwave and serve!

My Perfect Little Model eating his nuggets (and avoiding his sweet potatoes!)

Politics

I know, it's a bad idea to talk politics, but I'm kind of sick of the USA at this point, so yeah, I'm going to talk politics.

Here's the thing, I'm not a democrat. Often, people assume because of my job in a very environmental organization that I am a hippie Liberal, but that is not so. Here's the other thing, I'm not a republican. I live in Texas, I grew up in Tennessee, I was in church from the time I was born until my mid-20's, a very strict, bible-thumping, conservative church, but I'm not a Republican.

I dream of a 3rd choice. I usually vote 3rd party, though they very rarely win anything (tides seem to be changing there, maybe, with all the Tea Party stuff lately). I'm what is called a Libertarian. No, not a librarian... a libertarian! I believe the Federal Government should control very few things, mostly military, interstates and international trade/relations. I'm sure I could find a few more things for that list if I thought really hard, but I'm lazy. My point is, the Federal Government should not determine things like abortion, or same-sex marriage, or even welfare. The Feds shouldn't take 25% of my paycheck, none of my paycheck should go to the Government for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or any other social programs. I think potentially there could be a Federal program for Healthcare, but not this government's, not the way the US manages things. I should be responsible for myself. And States can individually be responsible for the stuff that needs management. You would have 50 choices for the way things are done. Don't like that one state doesn't allow you to X? Move to this other state where that is totally kosher!

I hate welfare. Why do we have this welfare program? It's not welfare - or the state of being happy. It is perpetual poverty. It is a program that encourages you to not work, or if you do work - hide your income from the government! I believe in the "teach a man to fish" way of life. Welfare should be a limited use, supplemental loan. It should help people, temporarily, and be repaid before the program can be reused.

Last - I don't really understand how anyone can be against things like gay marriage. Why do people care? I don't care who you want to marry and you don't need me to care! But more than that, less than 100 years ago, I wouldn't have had a right to vote in this country because I have a vagina. (Or because I don't have a penis). Our President has stated that he is not in support of gay marriage, yet HE wouldn't have had the right to vote (or even to be a free man) in the last 150 years, his right to vote really wouldn't have happened until 1964 - that is within his own lifetime. This is the EXACT same issue - denying people rights based on their race, sex, sexuality - it is all the same, and it's all wrong. At what point will we stop discriminating?

World Breastfeeding Week or sumthing

So in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, I have some stories to share! About... breastfeeding! Who would have thought?

We had Gray's 1 year birthday party a week ago and a friend who is breastfeeding came to the party. She was feeding her baby (who is 7 months or so) and my husband was talking to her (about beer or some such) without realizing she was breastfeeding. Then he suddenly realized that she was breastfeeding and got all awkward and walked away. This is totally strange to me - he watches me breastfeed Gray every single day. Usually when he gets up in the morning to go to work, Gray is breastfeeding. He's obviously fine (and still talks to me and everything!) when I'm nursing Gray, but he realizes that a friend (though he'd only just met her) is breastfeeding and he gets all awkward and teenager-y. Which was pretty much the deciding factor that I needed to breastfeed in public more often because my husband, who see's it all the time, is awkward about it, probably because I'm the only woman he's ever seen breastfeed! Gah! Time to put an end to this nonsense!

Not enough women breastfeed, which is sad. And those that do are often shamed about it (in the USA) and hide in back rooms. I refuse to hide anymore, if people don't want to see my baby feeders, don't look :) I was at the Farmer's Market this weekend, and afterwards me and Gray always play in the nice soft grass (which is a rarity in Texas) in front of the Courthouse until Gray gets tired and then we go home. So we're playing in the grass and he gets hungry for some milkies so I start BFing... and some guy is STARING at me and it got me to wondering if he was staring thinking that he knows me but couldn't place me (he did know me, though only casually) or if he was actually trying to make me feel uncomfortable (he did) or if he was just staring off into space and I just happened to be in that general direction? It was awkward.

Last, a note to new moms of boys, especially those that plan to breastfeed. Little boys like to play with their junk. They get boners. They like to play with their junk while breastfeeding, if they are able. They will give themselves a boner, while breastfeeding. That is awkward. Totally natural and all, and actually really funny to me... but you should know. Just FYI. Be prepared.