Friday, July 15, 2016

7 Quick Takes about Superhero Confusion, Food That Could've Been Worse, and Bargain Prices for Top-Notch Mental Health Care

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?

1


Before my 4-year-old randomly grabbed this easy reader at the library, I have to admit that I didn't know Wonder Woman's backstory. It's... interesting.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

You know, she's just your regular old Amazonian warrior princess turned top-secret government worker who fights crime with her magical lasso of truth. And talks to animals. And flies.

So many questions were raised by the reading of this book. Why does she need an invisible jet if she can fly by herself? How does spinning turn her into Wonder Woman? And does it get annoying constantly hitching up her costume so it doesn't fall down when she's saving the world?

I was procrastinating doing any real work researching for this post and found out that there's a Wonder Woman movie coming out next year. I also found the intro theme for the '70s TV show, and there's pretty much no way it can be better than that.

(Spoiler: I just about spit my drink out of my nose at "In your satin tights/Fighting for your rights." Plan your beverage intake accordingly.)


2


Since we're like quasi-vegetarians now (I still don't know how that happened, it's probably a phase,) I decided to just go off the deep end entirely and make veggie burgers.

I've never eaten one in my life but there's a first time for everything. And the recipe was called "Best-Ever Veggie Burgers." So. Can't argue with that.

I started prepping things a day early, because they were so much work. I was in my kitchen roasting beets and running them over a box grater, you guys. But by then I was in too deep to listen to reason and quit.

I convinced Phillip to help me finish the prep work after the kids went to bed, and here are some things you would've heard in our kitchen if you'd been there:

  • "This is SO gross." (roasted grated beets look like bloody entrails, FYI)
  • "It says 'salt to taste' but I don't want to put this in my mouth."
  • "There is no way this is going to taste good."
  • *gagging noises*

Despite our lack of faith in the process, the finished product was... okay.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}


It didn't really taste like anything, actually. It was the texture we didn't like. They just sort of fell apart when you bit into them.

When you take into account how long they took to make, I'd say they were the least worth it thing I've ever done.

3


But that's not all the weird stuff I've been doing in the kitchen. I just made a batch of lactation cookies.

I've never made enough milk for my babies, even though I've tried drinking boatloads of water and even taking fenugreek supplements that came in giant horse pills that tasted like hay and made me smell like maple syrup. (It was delightful.)

But I've never tried lactation cookies, so I figured what could the harm be? Even if they don't work, I've still got cookies.

Besides, they're medicinal cookies so that means I don't have to share them with anyone.

4


We were looking over our health insurance statements and noticed that my 6-week postpartum checkup with my OB-GYN included a charge for "psychiatric."

I had to think hard about what that could mean until I remembered that in the lobby before my appointment I filled out a 10-question true/false survey to screen me for postpartum depression. It took maybe 20 seconds to fill out.

And that's what $7.50 of psychiatric services looks like.

5



With it being summer vacation and everyone home all day long, the kids are getting a little too familiar with each other and using not-so-nice voices to speak with each other.

So, problem-solvers that we are, we decided that we were going to put out a bar of soap in the entryway. Every time someone speaks unkindly, they have to go lick the soap.

(And yes, I am the mean mom who slips it in a Ziploc bag in her purse before we go to the park because hey, mean words can happen there, too.)

Our kids run the gamut in their reactions, from one who is so sure she never wants the soap that she turned into a saccharine-tongued princess overnight, to one who actually likes licking the soap and couldn't care less. I think overall, it's working though.

6


Phillip's new cell phone through work is legit fancy. It's even got high-tech fingerprint recognition to unlock it, which we thought was so cool until Phillip got a cut on his thumb and couldn't get in.

Eventually he racked his brain and was able to remember his backup password, but until he did I took great pleasure in using my phone in front of him unnecessarily just because I could. (He's always crowing about how his phone is better than mine.)

7


Here's a handy chart from our can of black olives that you might want to screenshot and keep handy for your reference:

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Chips, you're a loser snack for loser-y losers.

What I want to know is, why are they comparing olives and chips? I get that they're both snack foods... kiiiind of. But a direct comparison is a little bit of a stretch.

But that reminds me, I need to go check the bag of baby carrots in the fridge to see whether they're healthier than Oreos; be right back.

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15 comments:

Unknown said...

I tried making veggie burgers once...they didn't turn out as nice as yours. In fact...they looked down right disgusting haha

Jenny said...

If they are going to charge for phyciatric, they better have a therapist there to listen to me complain for a while.

Unknown said...

I give my kids vinegar. I have had friends say their kids like it, but mine hate it, like think they are going to die type of hate it. I was concerned the quantity of soap my oldest was consuming could be bad for him so I switched to vinegar with much better results! He once ran to the bathroom and started pumping a bunch of foaming hand soap into his own mouth in an attempt to get out of the vinegar.

AnneMarie said...

HAHA! That olive can is hilarious. Okay, medical expenses can get ridiculous. I have a friend who is studying to be a doctor, and he said that the paper gown things that they are required to wear while in the room with a patient are $7 each! And sometimes they'll gown up and then the patient won't be there, so it's $7 in the trash. It's insane.

Those veggie burgers sound like way too much work! On occasion I make black bean burgers, which I think are pretty tasty (they fall apart a little bit, though) but they are so much easier. Literally throw beans, bread, onions, egg and whatever else into the blender, form into patties and cook. I make these when we get into quasi-vegetarian phases, too :) (meat is just so darn expensive, I typically only make it a couple times a week, if that)

Jenny Evans said...

That is ridiculous and it doesn't surprise me at all. I cringe when I get statements for a doctor's appointment where the doctor was literally in the room for 30 seconds, and I'm charged $400 for a "physician consult."

These burgers had black beans in them, but lots of other stuff too. Yours sounds way easier!

Jenny Evans said...

Well, that IS a shining endorsement for vinegar! I think the soap pretty well did it for my kids, we've only used it a few times and then stopped needing it for the most part (just the threat of it sitting on the table staring at them is enough.) But if it ever loses its power and we need something stronger... vinegar it is.

Katy said...

I thought you were leaving the blogging world to go find yourself?! Anyway, glad that was quick.

No one can compare olives and chips. The olive people are desperate. About as desperate as your family after trying those veggie burgers, it looks like! We tried about 6 weeks of eating healthier and I was pretty much burned at the stake in our house. I can still picture the disgust on my 13yo's face when I fed him whole-wheat tortillas. The horror!

AiringMyLaundry said...

Ick, I once had soap put in my mouth for cursing. I never did it again. Around my parents, at least ;)

Budget Splurge Beauty said...

I like how "fit on your fingers" is a valid comparison that olives felt the need to bring up. Compared to the health facts listed before, it made me giggle.

PurpleSlob said...

Lol, so glad I have you for comic relief!! You make life sound so much fun!!

Jenny Evans said...

Very important! To my children, anyway.

Jenny Evans said...

I remember getting soap in my mouth and then having to stand in the corner. I don't remember what I said, but I do remember using the curtains to clean off my tongue while I was standing there!

Jenny Evans said...

Eh, I was. I did find myself, and I found I was a workaholic. So here I am.

Michelle said...

My favorite veggie burger recipe involves sweet potatoes, bbq sauce, and peanuts. Sounds atrocious but they're surprisingly delicious.

Jenny Evans said...

That does sound a little gross. But perhaps not grosser than grated beets so it's worth a shot.