Adventures in Single Motherhood - Orthodox Style!

Welcome to 2013. While I don't make "resolutions," per se (because I just don't need any more guilt in my life, and breaking my resolutions will cause guilt!!), I have decided that I am going to try to blog more this year.

Several people have asked me if I was planning on blogging, and here's my answer: YES! It's just a struggle to find the time to write the sort of blog posts I would like to write when I am having to try to find time to earn money, educate little AJ, do my own school work, clean my house, train three dogs, and entertain a bunch of neighbor kids who come to my house to play soccer, t-ball, kickball, and dodgeball in my yard (I LOVE BEING THAT MOM!!!!)

So, what I mean here is: please bear with me. I fully intend to try harder to get the blog done. Especially right now. There is so much excitement going on. We've been hosting a Flat Stanley from my dear friend other-Katie's second grade class in Louisiana during the Christmas season. Flat Stanley, while he didn't have many big adventures, had fun. He is returning back to Louisiana with his very own construction paper stocking, New Year's hat, and water bottle from Theophany!

We found a new parish over Christmas, and I think we'll be staying there. It is very child-centered, and I have not once had to take AJ out of the Liturgy! He was in a play last Sunday for Theophany, a decision made by the directors at the last minute just to include him! He was a lamb visiting the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was such a good lamb that I told him I was going to boil him with cabbages and barley and make enough soup for a couple of years.

Here are my big non-resolutions:

I WILL NOT GO ON A DIET
However, I am trying to find some really HEALTHY kid-friendly recipes and some great kid-friendly fasting recipes.

 I WILL NOT START SOME CRAZY EXERCISE PLAN
I have three dogs. I need to walk them. They need the exercise and the change of scenery. But I WILL NOT WALK THEM FOR MORE THAN 20 MINUTES AT A TIME to start.

See, I know me REALLY WELL. And I go overboard. If I decide to go on a diet, start a workout plan, or even genuinely set out to lose weight, well, the weight will come off AND FAST. But I won't be any healthier, and I will get sick and injured and discouraged. So here I go trying to do this right this time.

I told my mother that I am going to tell myself at least once a day that I AM NOT TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT. I am focusing on the health of ALL the members of the family, including the dogs. If we make only healthy choices and I don't lose a single pound, then fine. That's pretty unlikely though.

So here was our fun recipe from last night. Super easy.

Tilapia Tacos 
 three tilapia filets - "oven fried" and cut into chunks 
four whole wheat tortillas 
mexican blend cheese 
baby spinach 
shoestring carrots 
mild salsa 

I suppose you know how to put tacos together, right? They were good. Light and crisp and filling, and AJ ate two HUGE tacos, which NEVER happens!!