All Things Supercinski

This may not be as authentic as the couscous you would get where people are really Mediterranean, but this is a quick and delicious meal that I wanted to share. I originally got this recipe from my friend, Jessica, and it’s in our regular rotation as long as we have fresh basil growing somewhere.

Mediterranean Couscous
1 box couscous (I use the Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat-Garlic with Flax Seed)
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
about 3 cups chopped cooked chicken (like 2 breasts, or use some leftovers)
about 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 (4 oz.) pkg. crumbled feta cheese
about 2/3-3/4 of a pint of grape tomatoes, halved
juice of half a lemon
some grated lemon rind from that half a lemon
about 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Prepare couscous on stove with broth according to package directions. Stir prepared couscous with remaining ingredients in large bowl. That’s it!

Our MOPS group went on a field trip to one of the local fire stations, and of course, we had to go. Josiah loves all things fire engine and firefighter, and there were a lot of other kids in our MOPS group that do also, as you can see.

First, they demonstrated the firefighters’ uniform. This really freaked Josiah out, and he clung to me and he kept asking to go home. Then, they taught a bunch of 1-4 year olds about smoke detectors.

During this time, the station received two emergency calls and all but one firefighter and the teaching lady left, leaving a lot of kids in a small room for a good while. Thankfully, one of the teams got back to the station and we were able to tour the rest of the station and, of course, get in the truck. Josiah patiently waited in line.

As we were attempting to put all the kids on the front of the truck to take a group picture, they got another call. Kids were promptly removed by hurried firefighters and they drove off. It was a little nuts, but Josiah had a great time.

I had been itching to see Ricki Lake’s documentary, The Business of Being Born, ever since I heard about it months ago, and I finally had a chance to watch it last week. The Women’s Studies department at TAMU was holding a screening, and thankfully, my midwife was telling everyone she knew to come. I highly recommend the film to anyone who is pregnant or thinking about having children anytime soon.

The documentary makes an excellent case for natural childbirth, and a very strong case for giving birth outside of the hospital. With the United States spending more money delivering babies than any other country, but with an infant mortality rate the second worst in the developed world (and a maternal mortality rate that is one of the worst in the developed world), something needs to change. The documentary sites several reasons–the absence of midwives from hospitals, the rising cesarean rate, artificial time limits put on the natural process of birth, insurance/money and more. The film offers a lot of statistics, history, and political explanations for current birth practices that leave little confidence in the current system (especially the historical parts).

Several home births are documented in the film, including Ricki Lake’s own birth. There is quite a bit of nudity, but less than the average birthing video, and much less than the films I show in my classes! These births show the pain, excitement and freedom of birth without hospital restrictions and policies. The film takes an unexpected turn with director Abby Epstein’s pregnancy and birth offering balance as to the role of hospitals and doctors when serious complications arise.

While unmedicated childbirth is a truly miraculous event, and one that I highly recommend experiencing, I tend to disagree with the film’s underlying message that natural birth is the culmination of your existence as a woman. I do believe that, in the majority of cases, God made our bodies fully capable of giving birth without modern technology assisting, though it definitely has a place, as the film shows through Epstein’s birth. Our blind trust and dependence upon surgeons to “treat” the normal has led us to forsake education, preparation, and determination in the natural process. I fully recommend The Business of Being Born. You will be challenged to (re)consider your views on birth. The film is currently available through private screenings and Netflix.

Thomas decided last week that he wanted to run in the annual TAMU Roadrunners race, “Run Through the Vines” at Messina Hof this weekend. There is a 5K and a 10K, and it’s a beautiful course through and around the vineyard and along the country roads surrounding it. I had an interesting experience with the 10K a few years ago, but the place holds fond memories for both of us.

Anyway, Thomas hasn’t been running really regularly lately, nor has he run five kilometers at one time since last summer back when we were running together. However, he ran amazingly this morning and beat his goal by twenty seconds! And he was fourth in his age-division. Way to go, Sweetie!

Sorry for the gushing, but I’m so proud of him and amazed at his cardiovascular health.

I made Josiah a sign to hold so he would have a job to do. He enjoyed it, and so did all the runners who ran by him. He liked digging in the dirt better, so he did that more than anything.

Aren’t they the cutest?

This is at least four months of compostable kitchen scraps that I’d been saving in our deep freezer for when Thomas was ready to work the compost this spring. That’s a lot of trash that will be converted into treasure for our garden. (And a much less smelly kitchen trash can!)

Did you know that my husband is not only a computer genius (in my book), but also a certified Master Composter? I’m so proud. Are you interested in learning more about how you can turn your kitchen scraps into valuable soil amendments? We wrote the article below for a small, online magazine (which has since ceased publication), and you might find the information helpful. Read more »

We got everything in the ground this week–better late than never. I’m not quite sure what we were thinking by expanding everything by almost double when we’ll have a newborn joining us during harvest-time.

This is our garden last year:

And this year:

This year we planted: 12 Roma tomato plants, 4 bigger variety tomatoes, 8 bell peppers, 6 cantaloupe, 6 small watermelons, zucchini, squash, spaghetti squash, green beans, potatoes (in the trash cans), and there is a lot of lettuce and spinach that was planted some time ago. We also have rosemary, basil and oregano in the herb garden.

for bluebonnets! And, of course, we just had to get out and take some pictures. Thanks to a very talented friend, whose family joined us for the fun (and help kid-corralling), we got some really great pictures.