it will be my birthday in a few days. i love my birthday, it is a day that is all about me. i really don't mind getting older. i must say it is better than being ashes in an urn or buried in a fancy box that no one really gets to see. i could do without the slow progression of wrinkles, sagging, and grays but whatever. i think i am aging pretty well. i don't get carded at the movies or when purchasing alcohol so i don't look super young anymore, but there are some ladies who are my age that look twice my age. drugs and alcohol really wreak havoc on your appearance, just another reason to say no.
anyway, this time last year i was dating matt. we were still in our honeymoon phase, boy did that fizzle out fast. anyway, i was scrolling through "drafts" (blog posts that i never finished) and there was one about my birthday:
i had a heck of a time sleeping last night. i was hot then cold, my legs were unsettled, my feet kept cramping, i had a kiddo in my bed (i don't sleep well with my kids in my bed), i kept looking at the clock watching every minute creep by. at exactly midnight i got a text from matt wishing me a happy birthday. he is so sweet. then i must've drifted off for a while because i was startled awake by another text at 5:30...happy birthday!!!
this was as far as i got, because by the end of the day i was pissed. i was madder than a rooster in a cock fight. i should've paid attention to the signs, and looking back it was a pretty obvious sign, but you have to remember that i was in the honeymoon phase. that phase where you give tons of allowances, grace periods, or excuse behavior you wouldn't normally tolerate. first i should give you a little history.
matt was, i guess he will always be, younger than me. not by much, two years. when i had met matt, he causally said that when i turned 35 i would be too old for him. during the weeks leading up to my birthday he kept saying it's too bad this all has to end. i always blew him off, chalking it up to a somewhat skewed sense of humor.
so my birthday came, i got the text at midnight and that was it. i didn't hear from him the rest of the day. at first i thought it was kind of funny, and to be honest i was expecting some sort of shenanigans, but that faded quickly. by the end of the day i was fuming. it wasn't until midday the following day that i heard from him, but the message took me completely by surprise. he broke up with me, via text, stating that we lived too far apart and didn't want to ruin my birthday with this disappointing news. funny that even though he said he didn't want to ruin my birthday he did just that.
here we are a year later. an unsuccessful dating experience under my belt, a few more wrinkles, a little squishier and turning another year older. i have definitely learned a lot about trying to incorporate a man into my already complicated life, but it hasn't deterred me from trying. adding a new member, and maybe extra kiddos, is a delicate dance that requires immense patience and stellar communication.
hopefully this birthday will come and go without any major disappointments. i do not see anything earth shattering on the horizon so i should be safe.
cheers!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
please don't wring me out...
i was unloading the dishwasher. frustrated that i am the only one who thinks to do this, but also keeping myself busy so they wouldn't see my glossy eyes. glossy from tears. i didn't want them to go. not today. not any day really, but especially not today. i peeked over my shoulder and saw my two beautiful children both engrossed in their kindle fires. i wish they were actually reading, but both were playing some weird zombie game.
then there was the knock. that familiar knock on my door. i can count on that knock every thursday evening. my heart stopped for just a moment. i took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in my throat. blinked my eyes several times holding off tears that i was sure were going to crest at any moment. i didn't want them to go. not today.
my buddy came and wrapped his scrawny arms around my waist and gave me a giant squeeze. i love you mom. he says those words because he loves me, i am his mom, but sometimes they are said out of habit. he is leaving and that is expected. he looked at me and said have a good night. you too, was all i could say without him seeing me struggling to keep my composure. he turned and left to give his blankie a hug goodbye.
i'm not sure if he sensed that i was going to have a hard night, but he stopped at the door, turned around, looked me in my glossy eyes and said, i love you mom. this time it wasn't habit, this time he wanted me to hear him. he said it different, he looked at me different. his message was full of love. i love you too buddy.
i think we have all heard that little boys love their mammas. that they will always love their mammas. i definitely feel the love from my son. he is thoughtful, protective, sweet and silly. he opens my car door in the mornings, is the last one to say i love you at night, and always wants one more hug and kiss when i drop him off at school.
i soak up his love like a sponge. please don't wring me out. i would rather be so saturated that i am dripping his love on those around me than wrung out dry.
then there was the knock. that familiar knock on my door. i can count on that knock every thursday evening. my heart stopped for just a moment. i took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in my throat. blinked my eyes several times holding off tears that i was sure were going to crest at any moment. i didn't want them to go. not today.
my buddy came and wrapped his scrawny arms around my waist and gave me a giant squeeze. i love you mom. he says those words because he loves me, i am his mom, but sometimes they are said out of habit. he is leaving and that is expected. he looked at me and said have a good night. you too, was all i could say without him seeing me struggling to keep my composure. he turned and left to give his blankie a hug goodbye.
i'm not sure if he sensed that i was going to have a hard night, but he stopped at the door, turned around, looked me in my glossy eyes and said, i love you mom. this time it wasn't habit, this time he wanted me to hear him. he said it different, he looked at me different. his message was full of love. i love you too buddy.
i think we have all heard that little boys love their mammas. that they will always love their mammas. i definitely feel the love from my son. he is thoughtful, protective, sweet and silly. he opens my car door in the mornings, is the last one to say i love you at night, and always wants one more hug and kiss when i drop him off at school.
i soak up his love like a sponge. please don't wring me out. i would rather be so saturated that i am dripping his love on those around me than wrung out dry.
blip...
i am not an app junkie. i am a game junkie, and download game apps, but other types of apps i don't really get excited about. correction, i do love my starbucks app. the simple fact that i don't need to haul in my carry on bag, otherwise known as my purse, into the store to purchase a cup of coffee makes me want to jump up and down. it's the little things.
even though i am not an app junkie, i peruse the app store checking out all the new amazing and wonderful apps that are available. my phone could do some really cool things besides play music, text and suck me into silly games, i just haven't taken the time to learn how things work. so in an effort to be more spontaneous, remember this is my word for 2012, i decided to try a new social media app called blip.me
it is pretty cool. you record your voice and publish it. you only have a limited amount of air time per message. people can follow you, respond to you, and you can respond back. it is a lot like any other social media forum, except you can hear the persons voice. you can also link your voice message to your facebook page or twitter account. kinda cool.
now you all know how much i love the written word. words speak to me, they definitely bring me some sort of satisfaction. you all remember J, right? well J is amazing with words. he is poetic, romantic, and fierce with his words. i don't know another person who can move me so much through written word. i definitely miss reading his thoughts, his poems, and his perspective on this world. J, i hope you are doing well.
here is something you may not know about me. i love voices, especially men's voices. deep, kind of raspy voices are soothing and sexy to me. have you ever been in contact with an amazingly handsome specimen of the male gender? you know the type that you could sit and stare at for hours? perfect jaw, hair, eyes, physique, teeth and lips...it captivates you. what if he opened his mouth and a high pitched eight year old girl voice escaped from those perfect lips? for me...total turn off. it wouldn't matter how perfect he was to ogle, if i didn't like his voice i wouldn't want to sit and carry on a conversation with him. shallow? maybe, but we all have our preferences.
this brings me back to the app. with written word you get to put your own inflection, tone, and cadence to the words. and as good as some people are with their words, you don't always get the point they are trying to make. so with blip, the author so to speak, gets to recite exactly what they are wanting to say to the world.
kinda cool, right? i think so. with all social media, it is a time sucker. between draw something, pinterest, twitter, facebook, words with friends, scramble, wordfeud, and hanging with friends..i simply don't have the time to voice all my thoughts. ha! just think of all the trouble i could get into if i didn't require 8+ hours of sleep?
even though i am not an app junkie, i peruse the app store checking out all the new amazing and wonderful apps that are available. my phone could do some really cool things besides play music, text and suck me into silly games, i just haven't taken the time to learn how things work. so in an effort to be more spontaneous, remember this is my word for 2012, i decided to try a new social media app called blip.me
it is pretty cool. you record your voice and publish it. you only have a limited amount of air time per message. people can follow you, respond to you, and you can respond back. it is a lot like any other social media forum, except you can hear the persons voice. you can also link your voice message to your facebook page or twitter account. kinda cool.
now you all know how much i love the written word. words speak to me, they definitely bring me some sort of satisfaction. you all remember J, right? well J is amazing with words. he is poetic, romantic, and fierce with his words. i don't know another person who can move me so much through written word. i definitely miss reading his thoughts, his poems, and his perspective on this world. J, i hope you are doing well.
here is something you may not know about me. i love voices, especially men's voices. deep, kind of raspy voices are soothing and sexy to me. have you ever been in contact with an amazingly handsome specimen of the male gender? you know the type that you could sit and stare at for hours? perfect jaw, hair, eyes, physique, teeth and lips...it captivates you. what if he opened his mouth and a high pitched eight year old girl voice escaped from those perfect lips? for me...total turn off. it wouldn't matter how perfect he was to ogle, if i didn't like his voice i wouldn't want to sit and carry on a conversation with him. shallow? maybe, but we all have our preferences.
this brings me back to the app. with written word you get to put your own inflection, tone, and cadence to the words. and as good as some people are with their words, you don't always get the point they are trying to make. so with blip, the author so to speak, gets to recite exactly what they are wanting to say to the world.
kinda cool, right? i think so. with all social media, it is a time sucker. between draw something, pinterest, twitter, facebook, words with friends, scramble, wordfeud, and hanging with friends..i simply don't have the time to voice all my thoughts. ha! just think of all the trouble i could get into if i didn't require 8+ hours of sleep?
Monday, March 26, 2012
cooking for one stinks...
cooking for one stinks. there really aren't too many recipes that are directed for one person. it is near impossible to purchase provisions for just one person. it's no wonder that so many single people eat unbalanced crummy food. it is far easier to pick something up than purchase all the ingredients and watch them spoil because you didn't need that much.
so i thought i would share one of my favorite things to eat, that is easily adapted for more people if need be. i love pasta, but i can't stand paying a restaurant for noodles. noodles are so stinking cheap to make and purchase it drives me bananas to pay $15.00 for a plate of noodles. with that said, there is a restaurant in lake stevens, contos, they have the best spaghetti en greco ever, however i don't like how oily it is so i make my own version at home.
tools you are going to need:
a small pot to boil noodles
a skillet to make the sauce
colander to drain the noodles
cutting board
sharp knife
ingredients:
olive oil
noodles any long solid noodle, not a tubular noodle
a handful of cherry tomatoes
2-3 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
fresh basil
feta
i like to get everything out before i start. the "sauce" is super fast, so i put my pot of water on then get to chopping. i also get my oil hot. i don't measure the oil, one to two turns of the pan is all you need. i don't like my dish too oily, so i only go one turn of the pan, but if you like a saucier sauce then go two turns of the pan. cut your cherry tomatoes in half and throw them in the pan. i salt my tomatoes, this isn't necessary but i like to layer my flavor and season as i go. you want your tomatoes to get squishy and kind of break down but not so broken down that they don't look like tomatoes anymore.
while my tomatoes are getting squishy, the noodles should be going in your boiling water. i salt my noodles. some people add olive oil to their noodles so they don't stick together, sometimes i do sometimes i don't, most of the time i just salt and stir. adding olive oil does flavor your noodles a little bit so you make the call. follow the package directions for cooking noodles. i like my noodles with still a little bite, not mushy, so about 7-8 minutes.
so we have tomatoes breaking down and noodles boiling, time to smash up the garlic. there are many ways to peel garlic; put in the microwave for 10 seconds, use a handy gadget that rolls the skin right off, or you can do it my way...i cut off the end that was attached to bulb, lay my knife with the blade horizontal to the clove and garlic and hit my knife with the heel of my hand. just be careful to not cut yourself with the blade. with your garlic smushed the peel just comes right off. i chop my garlic roughly, i like the big chunks. add your garlic to the tomatoes and let the garlic soften. i don't like my garlic browned just softened, saute for a few minutes.
at this time your noodles should be draining in the colander, the tomatoes and garlic are happy in the pan, it's time to cut up some fresh basil. i buy the live basil, keep it in my window sill and grab when needed you really can't top fresh herbs. if you don't have fresh basil, just omit it will still be yummy. so stack the basil leaves, roll them up like a cigarette and run your knife through them...a chiffonade. your basil should come out in strips or you could just tear it up, whichever. i like a chiffonade i think it looks pretty.
everything is done now. time to assemble. put your drained noodles in the skillet with the tomatoes and garlic, toss and plate (or bowl). dress your noodles with feta (as much as you like), the basil and some salt and pepper if you want. it is now time to pack your face. this is definitely better hot than cold, the olive oil solidifies when it is cold and i don't know about you, but i think that is a weird feeling in my mouth.
i love this and would probably eat it daily. hope you love it too.
hey sandman....
another sleepless night. grrr... i seem to go through spurts of these. there are times when i sleep like a baby and then there are times when i just can't seem to find sleep. hey sandman hook me up!
my morning started off really, really nice. i went to a friend's house for coffee, sat out on the porch, enjoyed some thought provoking conversation all while basking in the sun. seriously it was dreamy. being at this house brought up memories of my old house. i really did love my old house and i must admit that i am missing it tonight. not only am i missing my house but i am missing the fantasy that i wanted to come with it. you know the happily ever after fantasy?
instead i am sitting in my bed in my freezing cold room with my fleece pants and hoodie. i have my cat laying next to me in the most inconvenient place, but i can feel his heartbeat and his presence reminds me that i am not alone. my mind is racing. i am getting sucked into that vortex that i think a lot of single folks get sucked into how long am i going to be doing the single gig? i really don't like that my mind takes over, but i can't seem to distract it.
when my kids can't sleep i tell them to think of happy things and just keep trying. what a bunch of horse crap that doesn't really work. i should really rethink my advice to the kids. my happy things entail my fantasy life where everything is peaches and cream. spending time in fantasy land makes my reality seem much worse than it really is. just keep trying...well i have been for the last several hours, it just isn't working.
eventually my overactive brain will take a break, my eyelids will not be able to stay open and i will not remember falling asleep. i will wake in the morning, start my daily routine and continue on with life. for some reason the lyrics
my morning started off really, really nice. i went to a friend's house for coffee, sat out on the porch, enjoyed some thought provoking conversation all while basking in the sun. seriously it was dreamy. being at this house brought up memories of my old house. i really did love my old house and i must admit that i am missing it tonight. not only am i missing my house but i am missing the fantasy that i wanted to come with it. you know the happily ever after fantasy?
instead i am sitting in my bed in my freezing cold room with my fleece pants and hoodie. i have my cat laying next to me in the most inconvenient place, but i can feel his heartbeat and his presence reminds me that i am not alone. my mind is racing. i am getting sucked into that vortex that i think a lot of single folks get sucked into how long am i going to be doing the single gig? i really don't like that my mind takes over, but i can't seem to distract it.
when my kids can't sleep i tell them to think of happy things and just keep trying. what a bunch of horse crap that doesn't really work. i should really rethink my advice to the kids. my happy things entail my fantasy life where everything is peaches and cream. spending time in fantasy land makes my reality seem much worse than it really is. just keep trying...well i have been for the last several hours, it just isn't working.
eventually my overactive brain will take a break, my eyelids will not be able to stay open and i will not remember falling asleep. i will wake in the morning, start my daily routine and continue on with life. for some reason the lyrics
put one foot in front of the other
and soon you'll be walking cross the floor
put one foot in front of the other
and soon you'll be walking out the door
are playing in my head. maybe this is what i will fall asleep repeating in my brain? i suppose this is better than some other options.
good night. hope you are sleeping well.
Friday, March 23, 2012
cut the cord...
i am quickly approaching a time in my daughter's life that is making me super uncomfortable. i am not a helicopter parent, you know those parents who hover over their children day in and day out to make sure they ward off any dangers or unsavory temptations and steer them down the path of virtue and honor. yeah that is not me. i am more of the trial by error parent, learn from your mistakes while i am loudly explaining why that doesn't work. i am also not the parent that wants my children to stay little forever, but maybe just a little bit longer would be nice.
with every passing day the time my daughter wants to spend with me wanes. she has started this thing when we get home from school where she goes directly to her room, does her homework and does not emerge until i call her down for dinner. i have told her several times how much i dislike this, but she replies mom, i need some me time after school. we discussed this again yesterday and i am beginning to think that this is my issue. she needs her time without her mom, some independence to do her stuff without me asking her one hundred million questions. i hate it. have i mentioned how much i hate it? well i hate it.
i liked when she came home, gave me a hug, sat at the table with her homework, asked me for help and then told me i had no idea what i was talking about only to get upset and leave the room in a huff. oh my gosh i can't believe i just admitted how much i miss that, but i do. well i don't miss the eye roll and exasperation that exudes from her, but i miss her presence.
i do have to say she is being productive during her me time. getting her homework done, cleaning her room, making her bed, painting her nails for the twentieth time that week, or reading. i have no complaints on how she is using her me time, i simply want to be a part of it.
is it really time to cut the cord and let her spread her wings? can't i force her to sit at the table with me and do homework? i will let her have her space after dinner, i promise. this is for sure a hard transition, for me, but as with everything else i am sure i will adjust with some time and we will learn a new routine that allows for me time and us time.
200...
this marks my 200th post. published post that is. i've composed a lot more but seem to lack the courage to publish them. i am kind of surprised i've had this much to say and share publicly. granted not all of what i've said or shared has been interesting, profound or even funny, but i've said it anyway.
so how does one mark their 200th post? i am guessing there won't be any confetti that magically sprinkles down from the sky, or balloons, or flowers, or a man in a suit handing me an over sized check with an insane amount of money scrawled on it for my accomplishments. bummer, that would've been totally cool. instead i will just keep writing.
well this is going to be short and sweet because i have nothing great to tell you. ho hum. all i really have to say is thank you for being on this journey with me.
so how does one mark their 200th post? i am guessing there won't be any confetti that magically sprinkles down from the sky, or balloons, or flowers, or a man in a suit handing me an over sized check with an insane amount of money scrawled on it for my accomplishments. bummer, that would've been totally cool. instead i will just keep writing.
well this is going to be short and sweet because i have nothing great to tell you. ho hum. all i really have to say is thank you for being on this journey with me.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
ocword...
there are few things in life that really grate me the wrong way. spelling is one of them. misspelled words jump out at me. i don't go seeking them out, but it is as if they are highlighted, spotlighted, and underlined beckoning me to hone in on them. and i do. my eyes go straight to the misspelled word. sometimes i physically fix them, cross out and rewrite. other times i mentally fix them. in some shape or form i always correct the misspelled word.
this brings me to auto correct and texting. in theory auto correct should make us all better spellers. i know when i am typing in a word my super smart phone is anticipating my words and filling in the blanks. sometimes i love that my phone knows what i am trying to say because for some reason my clumsy fingers are hitting all the wrong keys and i am typing in gibberish. other times my phone is being super dumb and anticipating someone elses words. i wish it would stop that.
so why on earth are horrible spellers overriding their auto correct and purposely misspelling words? i honestly don't understand. not only do i not understand it drives me absolutely crazy. i don't even want to read the text, it drives me that crazy. i have a friend who is an atrocious speller. i am very tempted to change their contact name to worst speller ever. two problems with this; 1. it's too long and doesn't fit at the top of my screen, which just takes away all the fun of the nickname 2. if this person ever saw it i would feel horrible.
worst speller ever is always complaining that it takes so long to send a text because they have to correct the auto correct. what?? i would love to share a sample text, but that just isn't fair, although the word above is pulled from a text from worst speller ever. i so badly want to tell worst speller ever that they should just let it go. my guess is that auto correct is spelling the words correctly and they are going back and changing the words.
i have one other small issue with spelling and texting...omitting letters, which usually means you are leaving out vowels. vowels are really important especially for a spelling nazi like me, i don't get it. i was told once that leaving out certain letters is faster, but explain to me how spelling have without the e saves you time? to me this is a super silly omission, you've saved less than a nanosecond spelling it incorrectly.
now i do understand that spelling isn't everyones forte. math is not my forte, but i use a calculator because it is a tool to help me look like i can add. i suppose what bugs the most about poor spelling is when you are using an electronic device there are so many tools to make sure your words are spelled correctly, so why not use them?
i'm sure there are plenty of things about the way i choose to write; no caps, very little punctuation, made up words, slang words, and a whole host of other grammatical errors that drive readers bananas so i'm stepping off my soap box...
this brings me to auto correct and texting. in theory auto correct should make us all better spellers. i know when i am typing in a word my super smart phone is anticipating my words and filling in the blanks. sometimes i love that my phone knows what i am trying to say because for some reason my clumsy fingers are hitting all the wrong keys and i am typing in gibberish. other times my phone is being super dumb and anticipating someone elses words. i wish it would stop that.
so why on earth are horrible spellers overriding their auto correct and purposely misspelling words? i honestly don't understand. not only do i not understand it drives me absolutely crazy. i don't even want to read the text, it drives me that crazy. i have a friend who is an atrocious speller. i am very tempted to change their contact name to worst speller ever. two problems with this; 1. it's too long and doesn't fit at the top of my screen, which just takes away all the fun of the nickname 2. if this person ever saw it i would feel horrible.
worst speller ever is always complaining that it takes so long to send a text because they have to correct the auto correct. what?? i would love to share a sample text, but that just isn't fair, although the word above is pulled from a text from worst speller ever. i so badly want to tell worst speller ever that they should just let it go. my guess is that auto correct is spelling the words correctly and they are going back and changing the words.
i have one other small issue with spelling and texting...omitting letters, which usually means you are leaving out vowels. vowels are really important especially for a spelling nazi like me, i don't get it. i was told once that leaving out certain letters is faster, but explain to me how spelling have without the e saves you time? to me this is a super silly omission, you've saved less than a nanosecond spelling it incorrectly.
now i do understand that spelling isn't everyones forte. math is not my forte, but i use a calculator because it is a tool to help me look like i can add. i suppose what bugs the most about poor spelling is when you are using an electronic device there are so many tools to make sure your words are spelled correctly, so why not use them?
i'm sure there are plenty of things about the way i choose to write; no caps, very little punctuation, made up words, slang words, and a whole host of other grammatical errors that drive readers bananas so i'm stepping off my soap box...
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
a big to do...
i make a big deal out of holidays for my kids. i am one of those parents that keeps all their goofy but priceless art projects from school. if they are specific to a holiday, those art project come out and grace my walls, windows, ledges basically any place i can put them. here's the problem with starting something, especially when it comes to kids, you have to continue to do it. my cherubs expect something on the holidays. this doesn't necessarily mean a gift, but something different from our regular day to celebrate.
in preparation for a holiday, i spend too many of the hours i don't have finding that special thing. as my kids get older the ante is increasing. they are no longer impressed with the things that made them ooh and aah at 4 and 6. at the ripe old ages of 8 and 10 they are expecting grandeur. see this is the problem with starting something. oy!
i didn't have my kiddos for st. patrick's day this year, but that didn't mean we got to skip the holiday, that would never fly with my kids. i had found a recipe years ago in a family fun magazine for rainbow cupcakes. surprisingly i still had the magazine, push the words hoarder and packrat right out of your head. they were just as i had remembered them, happy. i thought sure, this is our special thing. something new, we've never done anything like this. the kids can help, they are really enjoying all the creations we are making in the kitchen. and even if they taste yucky they sure look pretty. what i didn't factor in was the time it was going to take and when we were going to squeeze it into our already busy schedule. i don't always think things through, but we found a couple of hours to make these cupcakes...i promised.
follow the directions for a basic white cake mix. i bought our cake mix at grocery outlet for $1.99. plain old duncan hines white cake mix. ash helped with the making of the batter; cracking the eggs, measuring the water and oil and mixing. i divided the batter into 6 bowls and followed the directions for how to make the colors. ash stirred the colors into the white batter. he loved how they seemed to magically change color. i love that he is so easily amazed.
bake according to the cake mix directions. since your muffin tins are filled to the top, your cupcakes will puff up and have a big mushroom top, totally not an issue for me. for some reason the top of my cupcakes are sticky, maybe they weren't done all the way, but they taste fabulous! now the directions say to add a white frosting cloud, but i didn't think they needed it, sweet enough for me. the best part of this cupcake is biting into it. the colors are extremely vibrant and you look like a genius. it can be our secret. *wink*
i will for sure be making these again. the kids loved eating and making them. really, who doesn't love a rainbow cupcake?
in preparation for a holiday, i spend too many of the hours i don't have finding that special thing. as my kids get older the ante is increasing. they are no longer impressed with the things that made them ooh and aah at 4 and 6. at the ripe old ages of 8 and 10 they are expecting grandeur. see this is the problem with starting something. oy!
i didn't have my kiddos for st. patrick's day this year, but that didn't mean we got to skip the holiday, that would never fly with my kids. i had found a recipe years ago in a family fun magazine for rainbow cupcakes. surprisingly i still had the magazine, push the words hoarder and packrat right out of your head. they were just as i had remembered them, happy. i thought sure, this is our special thing. something new, we've never done anything like this. the kids can help, they are really enjoying all the creations we are making in the kitchen. and even if they taste yucky they sure look pretty. what i didn't factor in was the time it was going to take and when we were going to squeeze it into our already busy schedule. i don't always think things through, but we found a couple of hours to make these cupcakes...i promised.
follow the directions for a basic white cake mix. i bought our cake mix at grocery outlet for $1.99. plain old duncan hines white cake mix. ash helped with the making of the batter; cracking the eggs, measuring the water and oil and mixing. i divided the batter into 6 bowls and followed the directions for how to make the colors. ash stirred the colors into the white batter. he loved how they seemed to magically change color. i love that he is so easily amazed.
spray your muffin tin really good or use liners. the thought of having to peel the liner off just to see the pretty colors bothered me. it seemed like an unnecessary step when there is the invention of nonstick cooking spray. now you are ready to start layering. the recipe i found said this makes 16 cupcakes. i am really not sure how. i used about one and a half teaspoons for each color and i was scraping my bowls with a spatula getting every last bit just to make 12. this part is very labor intensive and time consuming. P helped spread each color out trying to reach the edge of the pan, cover the color underneath and not mix the colors. easier said than done for sure. be patient and remember it doesn't have to look perfect.
 |
| Purple: 9 red and 6 blue drops |
 |
| 12 drops of blue |
 |
| 12 drops of green |
 |
| 12 drops of yellow |
 |
| orange: 12 drops of yellow and 4 drops of red |
 |
| 18 drops of red |
bake according to the cake mix directions. since your muffin tins are filled to the top, your cupcakes will puff up and have a big mushroom top, totally not an issue for me. for some reason the top of my cupcakes are sticky, maybe they weren't done all the way, but they taste fabulous! now the directions say to add a white frosting cloud, but i didn't think they needed it, sweet enough for me. the best part of this cupcake is biting into it. the colors are extremely vibrant and you look like a genius. it can be our secret. *wink*
i will for sure be making these again. the kids loved eating and making them. really, who doesn't love a rainbow cupcake?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
hot and bothered...
steamy
hot
bubbles
booze
slippery
nudity
sounds pretty provocative
i ran the st. patty's day dash in seattle this weekend. i went unwillingly. i actually cheated. i hadn't registered, i threw on last years tshirt and number. i really didn't want to do it, but my girlfriends dragged my reluctant ass to the race. i loved it. i was completely unprepared, hell i didn't even register, but for me running a race with my girlfriends has absolutely nothing to do with my time. it is an opportunity to create a memory with my friends.
here i am post race and i am a hurting unit. every part of my body from the waist down is sore. underneath my protective layer, from the frigid cold weather we are having, of fat there are small undefined muscles that are protesting being used for anything besides an occasional walk. the more time that goes by the more my muscles are punishing me. at this point in time i think my muscles could out tighten any boa constrictor. it's like having a continual muscle cramp. lord almighty. to soothe my aching angry muscles i decided to take a bath.
aah, there is the connection to all those adjectives listed above. you thought i was watching porn again didn't you? porn really isn't my thing. i am a single gal who has to get the job done by myself. why in the world would i want to watch other people enjoying someone else? talk about a slap in the face.
anyway, back to the bath. i like my bath super hot, you know the kind of hot where your skin turns lobster red? i also like lots of bubbles. besides the fact that bubbles are fun and smell nice, i hate being naked so not being able to see myself works. i also like an ice cold beer. having an ice cold beer in a super hot bath reminds of summer. there really isn't too many things better than ice cold beer on a super hot sunny day, so i try to recreate that in the dead of winter in my tub. i also read in my tub. this can be kind of tricky, wet pages are lame and uncooperative, but over the years i have learned how to sit just right so my pages don't get wet and i am cozy.
here's the problem i have with the bath, it is the most unglamorous and kind of gross relaxing activity i can think of. just bare with me i will explain. you've seen pretty woman right? well julia roberts is sitting in this amazing bath tub with more bubbles than i have ever been able to create. her hair is piled loosely on her head in soft curls and frames her face in a super sexy way. her skin is flawless. it is the epitome of a bathtub scene. perfection to the max. isn't this how all of us ladies imagine we look like in the tub?
well, shit i don't look anything like that. my hair is piled up on my head, but what everyday gal spends time fixing their hair to take a bath? instead of super sexy quaffed hair i have a lumpy bumpy weird pony that is pulled back so tight i look like i've just had a face lift. my water is so freaking hot i am sweating like a pig on a hundred degree day. since i am sweating like a crazy person, my make up is running down my face and i have that just got dumped mascara running half way down my cheeks look. yeah this is a hot look. sigh
besides the way i look, i always feel the need to shower after taking a bath. if you think about it, you are soaking in your own filthy water. eww!! now i shower everyday, so i am not really that dirty but still. you have all the soap, from the bubbles, on your skin and any residual soap and dirt that may have already been in the tub. my relaxing soak in the tub has turned into a two step process, soak and then shower. oy, it shouldn't be this complicated.
well, the bath was really relaxing and hot. my beer was ice cold and refreshing. my shower after was cold because i used my hot water to soak. my muscles are continuing their boa constrictor impersonation, but overall my world is perfect.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
skeeter & scooter....
alright, i know the kissy face is just dumb, but aren't we cute? who wouldn't want to kiss us? oh i know one person it would be cheating. no names, but this dear friend knows who they are.
anyway, this is heather. i met her in sixth grade. we instantly bonded, maybe it is because we have the same name? maybe its because we both have dark hair? maybe its because we both have very kissable lips? or maybe it's just because we are both awesome? i'm going with all of the above with a slight emphasis on the awesome.
heather and i had some much needed girl time last night. just two long time, life time friends chilling on my freezing cold leather couch with a bottle of 14 hands merlot (good call heath), laughing our fannies off. yes, much needed girl time. a bottle of wine downed, the beginning of a new day quickly approaching and our conversation got pretty silly.
...it's not like you ask yourself "how does it feel" and then answer "feels good", because you are doing it yourself, you already know. i am so glad i had just gone to bathroom and emptied the tank, because i would've peed myself. heath and i were laughing so hard tears were streaming down our faces and we were gasping for breathe. i'm not even sure how this subject came about, but it's the kind of conversation you can only have with a tried and true friend.
so here's the thing about friends you have known for your whole life. you can talk about anything. you have inside jokes. you get each other's humor. it's comfortable. there is no pretending, or holding back, or sugar coating. you just say what you need to say because it is safe. you can also fall easily into the giggles without a ladder to escape. the type of friend where if you did pee yourself from excessive laughter you would simply laugh more.
my friendship with heather is solid, deep and meaningful. i love her for all the memories we have shared, for her continued friendship and support, and for everything we will face in the future. i know that when we are 80, she will get there first because she is older, we will still be laughing our fannies off reminiscing. however by the time we are 80 our false teeth will probably fall out from gaped mouth laughing, and if my teeth fall out i will for sure laugh hard enough to pee myself, but it will be okay because i will have on my adult diapers. oh what a sight we will be.
fueled by mommy juice....
my mornings, fueled by several cups of mommy juice, aka coffee for all the non-mommies, are a whirlwind. from seven until nine it is a fast paced circus; juggling (cooking, dressing and dishes), taming of the lions (the constant bickering and bantering coming from adoring siblings), and of course a death defying tightrope walk (me tottering in heels carrying my lunch, a cup of coffee no lid, purse, and anything my kids have decided not to carry on their own). a circus indeed. thank heavens for the mommy juice.
i have been doing this working gig for a few years now, you would think that i would have this system down pat, but i don't. i have never forgotten a meal for my kids, but i often forget my own nourishment. i try to keep things on hand at work that i can keep at my desk that one won't attract critters and two that will keep. oatmeal is one of those things. a random tidbit i like hot food. i am not a huge fan of cold food. maybe this has to do with the fact that i am almost always shivering. whatever the case, i like hot food, and oatmeal fits the bill.
i buy the giant case of quaker instant oatmeal from costco, but my kids only eat two of the four flavors. they refuse to eat the apple & cinnamon because of the apples. i'm beginning to question if they are my children, that is my favorite part. they also refuse to eat the plain, it just isn't sweet enough for them. so what in the world is one to do with all those packets of plain oatmeal? the answer is simple, add stuff to it.
as much as i would like to say this is my own creation, i cannot. i saw it on pinterest. no surprise there, it is my new go-to place for all things recipes. and fashion. and humor. and well everything. this recipe is brought to you by: http://www.familyfeedbag.com/2011/03/banana-coconut-oatmeal.html. i haven't perused the rest of the blog, but there seems to be other oatmeal add-ins that look just as delicious.
maybe i will be become a breakfast eater after all? there are bound to be fall off the breakfast wagon days, but that's to be expected, right? i know my circus isn't going away anytime soon, so i guess we will just see what other kind of late morning, make-at-work-easily breakfast concoctions i (or pinterest) comes up with.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
my two hairs...
in a few weeks i will be turning 36. wow! that number is starting to sound old. i still feel like i am 25 or maybe 26. for clarification i don't think i am old, because 35 almost 36 is definitely NOT old, the number is just starting to sound old. thankfully i don't get too wrapped up in the number, unless you are talking about my scale and then it's all about the number.
quick funny story about my scale. first it isn't actually mine. i am housing it for the redmon family while they are abroad. it is a nice scale that you can program by entering your age, sex, height and it calculates your weight and bmi. well i have never been able to figure out how to reprogram it so for the past two years "my" scale thinks i am a 37 year old man. needless to say i don't pay too much attention to the bmi info, but i am guessing that the weight is pretty accurate.
anyway, as i am continually aging i am noticing more and more changes. some are not so bad. in fact i personally think i am aging quite well. thanks mom and dad.
 |
| high school, probably senior year, at holden village |
 |
| february 2011 |
through the face it isn't so bad, from the chin down is another story. there is something horrifying when you combine gravity and a loss of elasticity. i'm not really sure what is happening except that i feel like i need a spanx bodysuit. a giant compression garment that will hold everything up, and tight and maybe it might even improve my circulation and i won't be so cold. or maybe i need to just even out my right side up and upside down time? walking on my hands isn't a skill i have ever mastered so this might be challenging, but if i could coax my skin to find my chin a little more often instead of sagging to my toes it might just stay put.
however, even the sagging skin, butt, boobs, knees and elbows are okay. it is a part of aging and i could do more if i wanted. not plastic surgery just good old fashioned exercise. so what spurned this wednesday revelation about getting older and changes? two hairs. two hairs that i have never noticed before. two hairs that i quickly yanked out. they weren't gray, or weird curlies in a new place, or even very long, but they were definitely not going to stay.
these two hairs i found on my chin! yes my chin! oh my word! as i get older i find i don't get super close to the mirror anymore and i never use that magnified mirror, some things are just better left from afar. my mind was racing...how long have those hairs been there? since they weren't too long, not long enough to blow in the wind, i'm thinking these are relatively new. has anyone else noticed them and just not said anything? do i have other weird facial hair that shouldn't be there? is there hair in my ears? this is usually a male thing, but i am paranoid now.
as you can imagine i pulled out that magnifying mirror and examined my entire jaw line. my lineage is italian and german and i have my fair share of body hair. my kids have never had lice, but i was wishing i had a lice comb so i could fluff up my peach fuzz and see if there were any long strays trying to hide. today, i only found the two. a campfire song popped in my head
she had two hairs upon her head (chin came to mind)
one was alive and the other was dead
callame a mallame ookistan a waa waa okimoka mo was her name
i guess i am going to have to start looking for rogue hairs. i am guessing that they are going to start popping up in strange places; back of my arm, shoulder, maybe the bikini area will start creeping down my legs. i have no idea what to expect, but just a warning all you rogue hairs, i am on to you.
Monday, March 12, 2012
catch my breath...
still makes me catch my breath...
there are people who enter my life, whether it be brief or eternal, that are so special i can't put into words what they mean to me. a person that i just feel connected to. for some strange reason, one that i cannot even begin to explain, we are connected by something that is bigger than us.
still makes me catch my breath...
sometimes there are sights that are so awesome and amazing they leave me gobsmacked. i have been looking at the moon for as long as i can remember, but the other night the moon was so incredible i had a moment of breathlessness. i love that even everyday normal occurrences still impact me and remind me that i am small in this incredibly large world.
still makes me catch my breath...
hate. hate is everywhere. you can't escape it. i think to some degree we as humans expect there to be hatred and awful crimes committed against other humans. when the media brings to our attention hatred it saddens my heart. there is comfort knowing that we aren't immune to it. if there is ever a day when we as humans are immune to hate i do not want to exist in this world anymore.
still makes me catch my breath...
when either of my children slip their hand into mine or wrap their arms around me unexpectedly, i pause for a moment, close my eyes and drink in the moment. these moments are happening less frequently as they get older, but i still love them.
there are many things in this world that still make me catch my breath. some of those things are good and some are not so good, but it is a reminder that i am alive, digesting the world as it comes.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
just sinead it...
one of my guilty pleasures is getting my haircut. guilty pleasure? i suppose it doesn't really seem like a guilty pleasure but it is one of the only things that i do just for me. my kids don't get to come, i leave my phone in the car, someone else washes my hair and for one blissful hour i get pampered. guilty pleasure indeed.
i adore my stylist, charlotte. a dear friend of mine, stephanie, introduced me to charlotte, ten years ago when i was pregnant with P. i have been seeing her ever since. i have never cheated on her nor have i ever considered finding a new stylist. charlotte is perfect.
i religiously get my haircut every 8-10 weeks, depending on what i am doing with my hair. currently i am growing it, which charlotte has not let me forget, even when i beg just cut it i can't stand it. somehow being a single mom, with very limited time, and an even more limited disposable income i have not made it into the salon since june. yes june of 2011! i have made several appointments but something always seems to come up; sick kids, snow days, earthquakes not really but it seemed more dramatic. anyway, i finally made it in.
for those of you who have a regular stylist you will understand that they are very similar to a therapist or best friend. you tell them all your dirty secrets, you share your current events, you celebrate, you cry, and you share advice on anything and everything. seeing your stylist is an hour long therapy session with one awesome benefit, you walk out looking fabulous. i say this every time make me look fabulous.
however this time i started with i am ready for my lashing. here's the deal folks i have committed atrocious crimes against my hair. i don't spend money on quality shampoos and conditioners or styling products, i used to but i don't have that kind of money anymore. i blow dry it everyday, this is really hard on your hair. then i take an iron to it and scare the curls away, even harder on your hair. i do use an iron designed to be used on your hair. i haven't gone totally ghetto and use my clothes. one i am not flexible or talented, i am likely to remove my ear or a huge section of hair. besides i think this is a two person job and my kids are probably more inept than i would be. yeah, that idea has disaster written all over it.
with all these crimes i have committed i was ready for charlotte to say we are just going to have to sinead it. i told my boss before i left that i may come back bald. he told me that wouldn't be good my head isn't shaped right. huh? i never thought about my head shape. so i sat in the chair almost nervous. thankfully she couldn't see that my hands were clamped together in a grasp that would've taken tools to undo. instead of the sinead look she said you are still growing it right? let's just trim it up. phew! although i was prepared for a dramatic bald look, i'm not sure it is the best look for me. *wink*
well, as always i walked away looking fabulous. being the master stylist charlotte is, i left with a cute curled hairdo that she accomplished with the flat iron. i am still in awe of how to do this, i won't be trying that skill at home. i thoroughly enjoyed my hour of guilty pleasure, i definitely needed the pampering. i can't wait for my next appointment at the end of may. maybe i will make a countdown paper chain?
i adore my stylist, charlotte. a dear friend of mine, stephanie, introduced me to charlotte, ten years ago when i was pregnant with P. i have been seeing her ever since. i have never cheated on her nor have i ever considered finding a new stylist. charlotte is perfect.
i religiously get my haircut every 8-10 weeks, depending on what i am doing with my hair. currently i am growing it, which charlotte has not let me forget, even when i beg just cut it i can't stand it. somehow being a single mom, with very limited time, and an even more limited disposable income i have not made it into the salon since june. yes june of 2011! i have made several appointments but something always seems to come up; sick kids, snow days, earthquakes not really but it seemed more dramatic. anyway, i finally made it in.
for those of you who have a regular stylist you will understand that they are very similar to a therapist or best friend. you tell them all your dirty secrets, you share your current events, you celebrate, you cry, and you share advice on anything and everything. seeing your stylist is an hour long therapy session with one awesome benefit, you walk out looking fabulous. i say this every time make me look fabulous.
however this time i started with i am ready for my lashing. here's the deal folks i have committed atrocious crimes against my hair. i don't spend money on quality shampoos and conditioners or styling products, i used to but i don't have that kind of money anymore. i blow dry it everyday, this is really hard on your hair. then i take an iron to it and scare the curls away, even harder on your hair. i do use an iron designed to be used on your hair. i haven't gone totally ghetto and use my clothes. one i am not flexible or talented, i am likely to remove my ear or a huge section of hair. besides i think this is a two person job and my kids are probably more inept than i would be. yeah, that idea has disaster written all over it.
with all these crimes i have committed i was ready for charlotte to say we are just going to have to sinead it. i told my boss before i left that i may come back bald. he told me that wouldn't be good my head isn't shaped right. huh? i never thought about my head shape. so i sat in the chair almost nervous. thankfully she couldn't see that my hands were clamped together in a grasp that would've taken tools to undo. instead of the sinead look she said you are still growing it right? let's just trim it up. phew! although i was prepared for a dramatic bald look, i'm not sure it is the best look for me. *wink*
well, as always i walked away looking fabulous. being the master stylist charlotte is, i left with a cute curled hairdo that she accomplished with the flat iron. i am still in awe of how to do this, i won't be trying that skill at home. i thoroughly enjoyed my hour of guilty pleasure, i definitely needed the pampering. i can't wait for my next appointment at the end of may. maybe i will make a countdown paper chain?
thank you charlotte! you are the best!!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
my mary poppins bag...
 |
| michelle, myself (looking like the center for the basketball team), hope, heather, katie and angie |
i recently spent an evening with my favorite lake town girls, sans keri. we got together to celebrate heather's thirty something birthday. during our super fun night, i was given an idea on a blog post. i carry a really big purse and it is full of really random things. most of them i don't use, but sometimes they come in handy. michelle requested that i list everything that i carry in my purse. so here we go...
1. a yellow make up bag. i received it from my sis for christmas and it has a plethora of lip products. chapsticks to lip glosses and a mirror.
2. two pens and a pencil
3. two packs of gum. one is empty the other is brand new. i chew gum a lot. my favorite kind is 5, flavor solstice. guess i can take the empty package out.
4. a grocery list. i make list after list but rarely refer to them. i must've been making something good because this particular list has some yummy things on it.
5. a receipt. i'm actually surprised there aren't more, just one.
6. movie ticket stubs. the vow and the lorax
7. future of flight tour ticket... this was a field trip with my daughter's class. very cool field trip
8. jet city pizza coupon...my mom likes this pizza
9. my parking ticket stub...P4 in the Hyatt. this was the most confusing thing ever, but i was able to find my car.
10. gift cards; target, fred meyer and starbucks i have no idea if any of them work, guess i should figure that out.
11. an old health insurance card for my kids.
12. a box top. i collect them everywhere, put them in my purse and sometimes remember to turn them in before they expire.
13. a head lamp. this i use quite a bit, sometimes just to find my keys in my purse when it is dark
14. darts, i always carry my darts just in case there is a dart board around
15. a pad of paper, you never know when you will need to write something down.
16. a packet of kleenex, thank you mom.
17. a bottle opener
18. a tampon...i am woman of child birthing age
then i have another purse. yes another purse, this one has it's own contents.
1. a clown nose. i used to have two, but i've lost one somewhere
2. a pink ping pong ball
3. a rubber severed finger
4. a lag bolt
5. a plastic baggie with sunblock, hand sanitizer, and hair stuff
6. another plastic baggie with more lip stuff
7. tums
8. dental floss
9. a lady bug lip gloss
10. a mini stapler
11. a shower cap-unused
12. lotion
13. part of a button to my jeans
14. two green ribbons from a memorial service i attended last year.
as you can probably guess my bag weighs a lot. sometimes i do notice how much it weighs, but i haven't been able to condense this stuff down. the weird stuff i keep because it makes me giggle when i remember i have it or run across it searching for my keys. the essentials i keep because they are essentials. i still have room for more things, like my sweater that i bring but don't wear or a bottle of water. my mary poppins bag of tricks will need to be replaced soon. i have a couple of back ups, but they don't hold all my random trinkets as well as this one does. sigh
intense hostility...
there are two things in this world that i absolutely hate. i know hate is a really strong word, but hate is exactly what i mean. webster defines hate as intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger or sense of injury. yes, i think hate is exactly the word i am looking for.
so what could they be? what are the two things that i absolutely hate? well i will tell you. deviled eggs and scouring the bathtub. i hate both of these things more than i can explain, but i am going to try and explain my disdain so that maybe you can understand.
let's start with deviled eggs. being the good midwestern girl that i am, i should really like deviled eggs. deviled eggs grace every celebration table in the midwest. you will always find them at a potluck, buffet, or any other large gathering. there is even a special serving dish for this favorite of many.
i will admit that the presentation is delightful. the egg is split in half, the hotdog way or lengthwise if you are over the age of 8. the white part is pristine white, with a glisteny or dewy look to it with a perfect scoop taken from the middle. that perfect scoop is filled with a fluffy cloud like dollop of the brightest cheeriest yellow. the yolk has always reminded me of pudding and to be honest a savory pudding would be 100 times better than the yolk. a lot of times a sprinkling of terra cotta red is sprinkled on top of the yellow. yes the presentation is delightful.
here's my issue with deviled eggs. one, i don't like the yolks once they turn into a solid. it doesn't matter if you mash it up and mix it with other things, once it turns into a solid i hate it. two, you mix it with mayonnaise. i can't think of a grosser thing than mayonnaise. it's an ixnay on miracle whip too. so with those two things combined the hard yolk and the mayonnaise, when i bring this delicacy to my mouth my gag reflex kicks in and my hand stops midair. i cannot physically put that darn thing in my mouth. may sound silly but it's true.
i suppose if i was stranded on an island and by some horrible twist of fate the only food was deviled eggs and my choice was to eat the egg or die, i would most likely find a way to eat the egg. i would most likely wait it out for as long as i could and then choke one or two down, but i'm not sure if i could ever find a way to enjoy it. however, i am not in danger of dying by starvation so i will let my reflex kick in and pass on the deviled eggs.
now we are on to scouring the tub. i honestly can't think of anything worse than cleaning the bathtub. i admittedly put it off, which means when i finally get to it, it is a chore from h-e-double hockey sticks. when i sit back and look at this task logically it isn't much different than scouring the sink and that task i don't mind so much. however, the tub is at least ten times bigger, but feels one hundred times bigger than the sink.
there are many reasons why i hate scouring the tub. first i can't figure out the best way to clean it. i know a lot of people who clean the tub while they are showering...this seems like a good idea, but i can't seem to figure this out. when i shower, i want to shower, stand in that hot stream of water until the water gets cold, not clean. this means i am sitting on the edge of the tub dressed and sweating because it is so much work to clean the tub. second, it never seems to be really clean. i scrub and scrub and scrub and there is some weird shadow of scum that doesn't seem to want to leave the tub.
i swear like a sailor while i am scrubbing the tub. profanities flow from my mouth like water from a faucet. obviously this means i have to clean my tub when the kids are not home. i curse at my tub like i'm trying to scare it into submission and just be clean f*@# you stupid tub. okay so i need a little work in scaring the tub through my curse words, but you get the idea.
i think i hate scouring the tub more than deviled eggs because i have to scour the tub on a somewhat regular basis. i can choose not to eat deviled eggs, but if i chose not to scour i would have a science project of epic proportion on my hands. so if you ever plan on visiting my house, please give me a heads up so i can properly clean the m&*(^%r f%$#ing shower.
so what could they be? what are the two things that i absolutely hate? well i will tell you. deviled eggs and scouring the bathtub. i hate both of these things more than i can explain, but i am going to try and explain my disdain so that maybe you can understand.
let's start with deviled eggs. being the good midwestern girl that i am, i should really like deviled eggs. deviled eggs grace every celebration table in the midwest. you will always find them at a potluck, buffet, or any other large gathering. there is even a special serving dish for this favorite of many.
i will admit that the presentation is delightful. the egg is split in half, the hotdog way or lengthwise if you are over the age of 8. the white part is pristine white, with a glisteny or dewy look to it with a perfect scoop taken from the middle. that perfect scoop is filled with a fluffy cloud like dollop of the brightest cheeriest yellow. the yolk has always reminded me of pudding and to be honest a savory pudding would be 100 times better than the yolk. a lot of times a sprinkling of terra cotta red is sprinkled on top of the yellow. yes the presentation is delightful.
here's my issue with deviled eggs. one, i don't like the yolks once they turn into a solid. it doesn't matter if you mash it up and mix it with other things, once it turns into a solid i hate it. two, you mix it with mayonnaise. i can't think of a grosser thing than mayonnaise. it's an ixnay on miracle whip too. so with those two things combined the hard yolk and the mayonnaise, when i bring this delicacy to my mouth my gag reflex kicks in and my hand stops midair. i cannot physically put that darn thing in my mouth. may sound silly but it's true.
i suppose if i was stranded on an island and by some horrible twist of fate the only food was deviled eggs and my choice was to eat the egg or die, i would most likely find a way to eat the egg. i would most likely wait it out for as long as i could and then choke one or two down, but i'm not sure if i could ever find a way to enjoy it. however, i am not in danger of dying by starvation so i will let my reflex kick in and pass on the deviled eggs.
now we are on to scouring the tub. i honestly can't think of anything worse than cleaning the bathtub. i admittedly put it off, which means when i finally get to it, it is a chore from h-e-double hockey sticks. when i sit back and look at this task logically it isn't much different than scouring the sink and that task i don't mind so much. however, the tub is at least ten times bigger, but feels one hundred times bigger than the sink.
there are many reasons why i hate scouring the tub. first i can't figure out the best way to clean it. i know a lot of people who clean the tub while they are showering...this seems like a good idea, but i can't seem to figure this out. when i shower, i want to shower, stand in that hot stream of water until the water gets cold, not clean. this means i am sitting on the edge of the tub dressed and sweating because it is so much work to clean the tub. second, it never seems to be really clean. i scrub and scrub and scrub and there is some weird shadow of scum that doesn't seem to want to leave the tub.
i swear like a sailor while i am scrubbing the tub. profanities flow from my mouth like water from a faucet. obviously this means i have to clean my tub when the kids are not home. i curse at my tub like i'm trying to scare it into submission and just be clean f*@# you stupid tub. okay so i need a little work in scaring the tub through my curse words, but you get the idea.
i think i hate scouring the tub more than deviled eggs because i have to scour the tub on a somewhat regular basis. i can choose not to eat deviled eggs, but if i chose not to scour i would have a science project of epic proportion on my hands. so if you ever plan on visiting my house, please give me a heads up so i can properly clean the m&*(^%r f%$#ing shower.
somedays to todays....
someday.
this is a word i find myself saying a lot, i mean a lot.
someday i will move to a different place.
someday i will be able to take my kids to disneyland.
someday i will get a new car.
someday i will be in shape.
someday i will have long hair.
someday...
someday i will have long hair.
someday...
the list is endless. my dream land is full of "somedays"
so how do you make somedays into todays?
for some this is really easy. there is a group of people that are "go-getters". when a go-getter wants something they do everything they can to make that dream come to fruition. the go-getter sets goals, puts together a plan of action, and then proceeds to accomplish what they set out. i truly admire this type of person, mostly because i am not this person.
i don't know if there is anything that i have ever really wanted badly enough to do everything in my power to get it. i seriously lack that inner drive that pushes me to excel. i tend to take a backseat in the push the forward. i do have an opinion, aspirations and desires, no shocker there, but there seems to be a disconnect on how to achieve them.
sometimes i wonder why i don't have that? birth order should have instilled this drive in me...aren't most first borns type a's? well nature made a mistake because my younger sister got this trait. i suppose i have some of the traits of a type a; competitiveness, that's probably the only one. i am competitive to a point, but it isn't the end of the world if i don't win. don't get me wrong i don't particularly care to lose, but i am not a in the business of killing myself to win.
although i can be rather complacent in achieving things, there is a plus side. i tend to work well with the go-getter. i am a fabulous support person, behind the scenes gal, pick up the loose ends type of girl. however this doesn't help me get to the things that i want, this helps the go-getter get to what they want.
hmmm....
so i am still left with how to make somedays into todays. there are things that will just naturally happen. for instance having long hair. if i continually miss my hair appointments, my hair will naturally grow longer. i will get a new car when my current car craps out, they really only last for so long. i talk about getting in shape and someday i will make it a priority, for now i have eight million excuses to keep that goal on the back burner.
here's to someday. someday my somedays will be todays.
sometimes i wonder why i don't have that? birth order should have instilled this drive in me...aren't most first borns type a's? well nature made a mistake because my younger sister got this trait. i suppose i have some of the traits of a type a; competitiveness, that's probably the only one. i am competitive to a point, but it isn't the end of the world if i don't win. don't get me wrong i don't particularly care to lose, but i am not a in the business of killing myself to win.
although i can be rather complacent in achieving things, there is a plus side. i tend to work well with the go-getter. i am a fabulous support person, behind the scenes gal, pick up the loose ends type of girl. however this doesn't help me get to the things that i want, this helps the go-getter get to what they want.
hmmm....
so i am still left with how to make somedays into todays. there are things that will just naturally happen. for instance having long hair. if i continually miss my hair appointments, my hair will naturally grow longer. i will get a new car when my current car craps out, they really only last for so long. i talk about getting in shape and someday i will make it a priority, for now i have eight million excuses to keep that goal on the back burner.
here's to someday. someday my somedays will be todays.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
meatballs...
my precocious, i mean precious, daughter is getting more and more interested in cooking. this makes me so incredibly happy. i love cooking and the opportunity to share this passion with her. as most of you know i am most comfortable in the kitchen, although i am learning that my comfort level is specific to my own kitchen. other people's kitchens (except for my mom's and bethy's) are not as familiar and cooking in them is uncomfortable for me. anyway, i adore cooking.
one night as we were eating a dinner that my precocious, i mean precious, daughter didn't like, she says i want to make dinner tomorrow. in my mind i am thinking she is going to torture me with some horrible dinner just to get back at me, but i decided to to let this play out. what do you want to make? spaghetti and meatballs. phew...not as bad as i had envisioned.
p's idea of making dinner is purchasing already made items (sauce and meatballs) heating them up and serving. voila, dinner! for this mamma that cooks as many things from scratch as i possibly can, that is not cooking. so we sat down looked through recipes and found a meatball recipe that seemed easy and tasty. a time issue stopped us from making our own sauce, but next time we will get that going too.
trying to cook with a 10 year old that has a limited attention span has it's challenges. first is the hand washing. as she goes to dive into the bowl of meat i screech like a wild banshee have you washed your hands? with a grin from ear to ear she proudly says yep. knowing full well that she didn't wash her hands in my presence i naturally ask when? a wrinkle spreads across her forehead as she tries to remember when, that day, she actually washed her hands this morning at school. hmmm...well dear you need to wash them again before you touch the food that we are going to be eating.
with washed hands, she goes to dive into the bowl of meat. another screech escapes my mouth wait! first you need to read your directions and add the rest of the ingredients that get mixed with the meat. just like watching a cooking program, i have all the ingredients out on my ultra small counter just waiting to be used. she adds the bread crumbs, cracks the egg into the bowl, scoops out some ricotta cheese, and adds the spices. now she is looking in the bowl, looks up at me and says i have to use my hands?
she was so eager to play with just the raw hamburger, but now that there are slimy eggs, cold cheese, poky spices and crunchy breadcrumbs her eagerness has waned. after i chuckle just a little bit (she is at that age where you can't poke fun at her or her attitude goes from superb to grouchy in less than a second and she disengages) i tell her your hands are your best tool in cooking. get in there. she reluctantly dug in, mixed all the ingredients and then we rolled them into meatballs.
when we sat down to dinner she was more excited to eat than usual. there is a theory that kids are more excited and willing to eat if they are involved in the process of preparing it. this held true this time. they weren't the best meatballs i have ever had, i would definitely alter the recipe just a little bit, but p gobbled up her plate of meatballs and spaghetti like it was the best she had ever eaten. ash is a different story he doesn't like anything healthy for him and chokes every meal down.
my precocious, i mean precious, daughter has expressed interest in making dinner again. i will continue to encourage her to dabble in the kitchen. hopefully, as an adult, her skills in the kitchen will mask the overall grouchiness that is peyton. *wink*
in case you wanted to try these meatballs yourself, here is the link to the blog i got the recipe from. hopefully the link works, i am not very tech savvy. Plain Chicken: Beef Meatballs - The Meatball Shop:
one night as we were eating a dinner that my precocious, i mean precious, daughter didn't like, she says i want to make dinner tomorrow. in my mind i am thinking she is going to torture me with some horrible dinner just to get back at me, but i decided to to let this play out. what do you want to make? spaghetti and meatballs. phew...not as bad as i had envisioned.
p's idea of making dinner is purchasing already made items (sauce and meatballs) heating them up and serving. voila, dinner! for this mamma that cooks as many things from scratch as i possibly can, that is not cooking. so we sat down looked through recipes and found a meatball recipe that seemed easy and tasty. a time issue stopped us from making our own sauce, but next time we will get that going too.
trying to cook with a 10 year old that has a limited attention span has it's challenges. first is the hand washing. as she goes to dive into the bowl of meat i screech like a wild banshee have you washed your hands? with a grin from ear to ear she proudly says yep. knowing full well that she didn't wash her hands in my presence i naturally ask when? a wrinkle spreads across her forehead as she tries to remember when, that day, she actually washed her hands this morning at school. hmmm...well dear you need to wash them again before you touch the food that we are going to be eating.
with washed hands, she goes to dive into the bowl of meat. another screech escapes my mouth wait! first you need to read your directions and add the rest of the ingredients that get mixed with the meat. just like watching a cooking program, i have all the ingredients out on my ultra small counter just waiting to be used. she adds the bread crumbs, cracks the egg into the bowl, scoops out some ricotta cheese, and adds the spices. now she is looking in the bowl, looks up at me and says i have to use my hands?
she was so eager to play with just the raw hamburger, but now that there are slimy eggs, cold cheese, poky spices and crunchy breadcrumbs her eagerness has waned. after i chuckle just a little bit (she is at that age where you can't poke fun at her or her attitude goes from superb to grouchy in less than a second and she disengages) i tell her your hands are your best tool in cooking. get in there. she reluctantly dug in, mixed all the ingredients and then we rolled them into meatballs.
when we sat down to dinner she was more excited to eat than usual. there is a theory that kids are more excited and willing to eat if they are involved in the process of preparing it. this held true this time. they weren't the best meatballs i have ever had, i would definitely alter the recipe just a little bit, but p gobbled up her plate of meatballs and spaghetti like it was the best she had ever eaten. ash is a different story he doesn't like anything healthy for him and chokes every meal down.
my precocious, i mean precious, daughter has expressed interest in making dinner again. i will continue to encourage her to dabble in the kitchen. hopefully, as an adult, her skills in the kitchen will mask the overall grouchiness that is peyton. *wink*
in case you wanted to try these meatballs yourself, here is the link to the blog i got the recipe from. hopefully the link works, i am not very tech savvy. Plain Chicken: Beef Meatballs - The Meatball Shop:
Saturday, March 3, 2012
serving hard time...
our children grow up in a world where they are bombarded with information that they cannot process. not because they are dumb or incapable of it, but for the simple fact that their brains haven't developed enough to process adult material. even though we as adults know this, we tend to take a blase attitude about what our children are exposed to. the it's just a video game or it's make believe attitude.
i am guilty of this. i have let my kids watch movies that are inappropriate for their age telling myself it's above their heads, they won't comprehend what is happening. this in itself is exactly what i am talking about. the reasoning that they can't comprehend isn't good enough. they are still watching and taking it in, coming up with their own idea of the meaning.
i draw the line at certain things. i do not allow violent video games in my house. i played video games when i was a kid, but there is a big difference between duck hunt and call of duty. in duck hunt you actually hold a gun, aim and fire at a duck that falls to its death on the screen. however, you aren't watching a soldier or yourself be blown into tiny pieces with blood squirting all over the screen. i'm sorry gamers, but in my opinion this is too much for our youth.
recently he brought a "tool" to school. he had a multitool, like a leatherman or swiss army knife, in his backpack. for most a multitool would not seem to be a weapon. people my age grew up watching MacGyver. i know several men my age that carry this type of tool on their person at all times. at one point getting a swiss army knife was seen as a right of passage, so to speak, to manhood. however, times have changed. you simply can't have anything that resembles a weapon at school. it doesn't matter if you never take it from you bag, they are prohibited.
i am not one of those parents that is disillusioned about my kiddos. they make mistakes, they are far from perfect and i feel if i protect them from all those learning opportunities i am doing them a disservice. when i got the call to check his backpack for a weapon i could have very easily said nope he doesn't have anything, but i am a rule follower and i am a horrible liar. he received his consequence, which i felt was fair considering all the information i was told.
at the end of the day this has been a good lesson for my buddy to learn. it has also been eye opening for me. my job of guiding and teaching is far from over and there are some areas that i haven't paid enough attention to.
Friday, March 2, 2012
typical night...
i had an unexpected night off.
i did not want to be home alone, but i was also too tired to go anywhere. i had thought about going to my favorite dive bar, sidling up to the counter and taking long draws of my favorite beer. being able to sit in a dark, smoky (from the food), loud environment and contemplate my latest dilemma was super inviting. except i had visions of falling asleep mid sip, falling off my bar stool and landing in a heap amongst the peanut shells and spilled beer. this vision pretty much nixed that idea, besides i have never been a fan of going to a bar alone.
instead i went home. i threw on my uber ugly fleece pants, ripped seams long sleeve tee, oversized hooded sweatshirt, fleece socks and my older than the hills down slippers, climbed under two blankets, hunkered down on the couch and watched my show from netflix. i took a short nap, which rarely happens for me and ultimately went to bed.
while i was laying on the couch my fantasy land came to the forefront of my thinking. my fantasy land where i am NOT a single gal. that fantasy where i share a physical space with another adult, a male adult. in real life i am attracted to highly driven men who always have a gazillion things that have to be done, this isn't any different in my fantasy land. so, last nights fantasy was how i imagine a typical, kid free or after kid's have gone to bed evening, would be.
since i am always thinking about clothes, what i will wear tomorrow, the clothes i wish i had in my closet, etc. it should be no surprise that my attire makes the fantasy. for this typical night i am in a pair of cozy pj's, nothing overtly sexy, but definitely a step up from ugly fleece pants and hoodie. more along the lines of a fluid pair of lounge pants and a tank, or short sleep shorts and a long sleeve tee...i am always cold i have to have part of me covered up. hair would probably be pulled back in a pony or bun and if i wore glasses i would have those on too, because i hear that by the end of the day you really just want to pop those contacts out and let your eyes rest.
i am positive this scenario is in my future. i will never have out of this world defined legs like carrie. my room will probably never be that neat (i dump everything in my room). i'm kind of hoping my partner does not sit all suave with his nightshirt unbuttoned, but sharing a physical space is definitely in my plans.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)