Yes, I normally post recipes that are healthy, but today is Fat Tuesday and my kids have been asking for corn dogs for a few weeks now, so I decided to  make them.
For starters, I did not use fresh ground anything for this recipe. I mean, they have hot dogs as a main component, so I saw no purpose in trying to make them healthy, so all purpose flour and bagged cornmeal was what I used.
I am not a fan of frying and normally delegate this chore to my husband, but tonight is Scouts night, so I did the frying, that way we could eat shortly after he arrived home. These were pretty easy to fry as well (read I did not get burned).
I wish I had a picture, but they were gobbled up fore I could take one. I served them with homemade french fries and cole slaw.
In addition to preparing our hearts for the Resurrection in 45 days, we are preparing for the arrival of the new baby. I met with my midwives last night and am doing very well, as is the baby. They will consider me “term” next week! That means if I go into labor, ain’t nuthin’ they would do to stop it. So, that means I need to start getting prepared around here.
A few things we’ve already done:
1. Pulled out the bins with boy clothes and girl clothes. Those will get a quick wash once the baby comes, when we know what the new little one is.
2. Located and set out the newborn diapers, those will need to be washed as well, in a week or two.
3. Ordered supplies for the birth kit, mainly one time use things that we need to fill out the kits that we have from the other kids.
4. Patched and blew up the birth pool. It is in the office, so we just need to roll it out and fill it up when the time comes.
5. Today I ordered the Lact-Aid I Supplemental Nurser will be using this time around. I am pretty excited about the change but worried about nursing in public. I know I will manage.
Things we still need to do:
1. Plan the baptism. Well, pretty much make sure Father is aware that the baby is due soon.
2. Arrange the post baby doctor appointment, for the heel poke test (I forget the real name for it).
3. Move the changing table to the hallway and set up the cradle in our bedroom. Then organize the changing table with diapers, so that small helpers can grab them for me when needed.
4. Organize my clothes so they fit in the dresser. I have no idea why they don’t all fit in my dresser any more. This will need to be done before the baby arrives as I am using a laundry basket to store my maternity clothes and that takes up extra space in our bedroom.
5. Get a pre-birth blessing from Father and go to confession. This shouldn’t be too hard to do, as we tend to go to Confession monthly and Father has added extra times for confession during Lent this year.
“If we err by thinking we are the center of the liturgy, the Mass will lead to a loss of faith. Unfortunately, too many priests and bishops treat violations of liturgical norms as something that is unimportant, when, in fact, they are serious abuses.” – Cardinal Burke
This morning, I woke up and rolled over to check the time. I am also in the habit of reading emails and news before I get out of bed in the morning as well. This morning’s news of the resignation of our Holy Father, Benedict, came as a surprise. At first, when I went to tell Joshua, I was very sad and confused. Joshua and I talked for a few moments and the fear rather quickly moved to excitement for the Conclave that will be coming and the election of a new pope!
Yes, I am sad at the resignation of Pope Benedict, as he has been a wonderful shepherd these nearly 8 years, but I understand why he will be stepping down. Let us all pray for our Holy Father and for the upcoming Conclave, and for our next Holy Father, whoever he may be.
“Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church,” he said in a statement addressed to cardinals. “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”
“I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering,” he continued in his statement, which was dated February 10 and released by Vatican Radio on February 11. “However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.”
“For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is,” he added.
“Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.”
It is not often that I get to watch hockey. Today the Red Wings are on national television and Joshua made an antenna so we can watch it. He is my hero.
Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you also are in the body. Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled,
for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2. I am now 34 weeks along (we think) and am preparing for the arrival of this little one. For me it means pulling out the bin of newborn boy and newborn girl clothes and keeping them close at hand, making sure the homebirth supplies are here and accounted for, and trying not to freak out over the idea of labor. I will also be needing to wash the newborn diapers and reorganize the changing table. We are going to move that to the hallway upstairs then put the cradle in our room. I have also realized that we will need a naptime place for NewBaby, so I will set the pack n play up in the office, so I can be close at hand, but the baby can be safe from loving siblings.
3. Speaking of new baby, as I’ve discussed in previous posts, I do not produce enough milk to feed my babies. I’ve been reviewing my options this this baby and have decided to go with a different supplementing system this time around. I am also blessed with a milk donor as well. This will make our dependence on formula less, which is good, both because of the benefits of breastmilk as well as the cost benefit of not having to buy formula.
4. This Sunday we are (finally) having our Fish Taco cook off with Joshua’s boss. We’ve only had this idea for nearly two years now and planned a few times, only to have something come up. Â I plan on winning, but I will tell you that my attention will be elsewhere as the Wings are on national television this Sunday and I have priorities people*. Hockey will almost always win out. 😉 No, I have a plan, I won’t cook the fish until we get to their house, I will make the tortillas during one intermission and roll them out and cook them during the next intermission. The sauce can be made ahead of time, so I am good there. I’ll let you know how it all turns out.
*Joshua is building an antenna for me, so I can watch the game, as we don’t actually get any channels on our computer/television.
5. This morning Joshua asked me if I was finally able to get to sleep. I went to bed at a decent hour (1030) but tossed and turned for a good part of the night. If it wasn’t just needing to roll over (which now requires being somewhat awake to do), it was itchy feet and legs, or the need to visit the bathroom. Any suggestions on itchy feet and legs in pregnancy?
6. When we were sick in January, I did all sorts of research on supplements and how to make our diet healthier without breaking the bank. Since I do almost all the cooking at home and we use the best ingredients for our budget, I was thinking vitamins. We started with adding vitamin D3, and I started taking a pro-biotic as well. We seem to be doing well, but mostly I am happy to say I’ve not missed a single day of popping my vitamins. I have also added red raspberry leaf and a calcium-magnesium supplement as well. The kids have done a great job of adapting to taking their vitamin and take it with no problems. I’ve actually had to tell Benedict no a few times when he asks for seconds!
7. Our co-op order is due on Monday. I love the co-op we use to get our wheat and grains. $40 for a 50 pound bag of organic hard white wheat? Yes, ma’am! That will last me about four months and that $40 is what I would probably spend on flour at the store in the same time period. Each quarter we add something else to our order, aside from the wheat. Last quarter it was oats, corn (for cornmeal), and beans. This time, we will order brown rice, yogurt starter, and probably kefir grains.
For more 7 Quick Takes, check out Jennifer’s blog.
I saw that my parish website had been updated and clicked over to see what was new. To my joy I saw this announcement:
This Lenten Season we will have our communal recitation of the Stations of the Cross every Friday in English immediately following our Friday 5:30 p.m. Mass. Then we will have Eucharistic Adoration from 6:30-7:30 p.m. during which Fr. Justin will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the Confessional. Following adoration, we will have the praying of the Stations of the Cross in Spanish.
Every Friday in Lent: Mass, Stations, Adoration, Confession! We already go to Mass every Friday as it is, so adding Stations and Adoration won’t be too hard for us. The hardest part will be for me to make sure the kids and I eat before we leave.
What a blessing though, this will be for our parish community and our family. Deo Gratias for faithful priests and the availability of the sacrament!
