The Great Walls of Baltimore

Misogyny, Objectification and Empowering My Daughter

2012-01-26T17:41:00.006-05:00

Back in high school, the behavior of certain male teachers was a running joke amongst the female half of the class. As an adult, it amazes me how naive we were at the time, and as a parent it infuriates me that these grown men were allowed to say inappropriate things to teenage girls and do inappropriate things to teenage girls and look at teenage girls in that way and still keep their jobs.

The first time I remember a man actually making me feel threatened, I was 17 and had just gotten my first car. Being in the days before I had a credit card, I paid for my gas with cash. On this particular day when I went inside the station, a man inside looked me up, looked me down, stared at my chest a moment too long, then turned to his buddy and said, "A little too old." Fear shot down to my toes. Too old for what? And thank goodness I WAS too old because otherwise what did he have in mind? I've never felt more vulnerable in my life. I never told my mother. I don't know why.

The year after that, I graduated from high school, started college and got a job at a drugstore. After awhile, the married twice my age pharmacist started asking me out. Less than a year in, I quit and found another job. Partly because it was boring and partly because I wanted to find a job in my field of interest, but the defining reason was because a male superior told me he'd buy me lunch if I bent over.

The job change meant I worked with mostly women who kept their opinions about my body to themselves, but that didn't mean the male clients did the same. One asked, "What's a pretty girl like you doing working a job like this?" The reason I wear shirts under my scrubs to this day stems from one day when I caught a male client trying to look down my top. At another job, in the same field, a man brushed up against me in a darkened room as the doctor examined his pet's eyes. I assumed it was an accident until it happened again. And then again.

A couple of years later and yet another job change, I was standing in line at the post office when an old man behind me asked me what kind of underwear I was wearing, implying that he'd been staring at my behind the entire time we stood in line.

In all of these instances, I was so shell shocked by what had been said or done that I did nothing. I didn't know what to do or say.

For awhile the attention stopped. I think it had something to do with hauling babies around. It's harder to objectify an exhausted looking woman with a baby on one hip and a toddler hanging on the other leg, who has a saggy postpartum belly and spit up on her shoulder and a Little Einstein's sticker on her ass.

But the kids are older now and in school or activities. The baby weight is gone. In the absence of little grabby hands, I wear my hair down now, I wear skirts and heels and hoop earrings. I'm frequently out and about by myself and it wasn't long before the unwanted attention started anew. Once, I walked to the library and a strange man started to follow me. When I slowed down, he did too. I finally asked if he needed to get by and he responded that he was happy with the view from where he was. I finally crossed the street and he got the hint.

Another time, I was coming home late from work. As I stopped at a stop sign to let a pedestrian cross, suddenly I realized that the pedestrian was a man, that he wasn't wearing any pants, and that he had raised his jacket to expose himself. Having never been flashed before, it took a few seconds to realize what I was looking at and the shock set in. I managed to collect myself and drove around him and called the police when I got home. But for that short period of time, I felt my equilibrium tilt, I felt temporarily powerless.

These days I'm a little better at responding to unwanted attention, but I've got a bigger worry.

My daughter.

Earlier today, I read this post from ohjennymae, in which she talks about inappropriate behavior aimed at her 9-year-old daughters. Her post was inspired, in part, by this post at Finslippy, which talks about how women are objectified, the things that we go through simply because we are female. The Finslippy posts has nearly 200 comments, mostly from women who have had similar experiences.

These two posts stirred up a lot of emotion in me. Anger, mostly, that I never stood up for myself, that I never insisted that I be treated with respect. That I didn't tell that superior at work that if he commented on my butt again I'd kick him in the God Damn balls. That I didn't tell the walker loitering behind me to get the hell away from me or I'd call the cops. That I just didn't.

The thing of it is, few of us DO do anything. I think that says a lot that otherwise assertive, confident women feel so vulnerable, so victimized, so objectified as to be unable to speak.

And that's not what I want for my daughter, nor do I want my son to grow into the type of man who makes a woman feel afraid.

I showed my husband the Finslippy post. He was horrified. Horrified that women are treated this way, horrified that it is so widespread, horrified that most of the commenters were unable to make it stop. Being a man, he's never chosen his clothing to minimize his body, he's never chosen a longer route to get somewhere specifically to avoid being ogled, he's never walked down the street staring at his feet to keep from making eye contact. He has never had someone use such tactics as a method of exerting power, of creating shame and fear and thus establishing superiority.

I don't want my daughter to feel like she has to hide what makes her female. I don't want her to think that she needs to put up with misogynistic or threatening behavior, or that she should welcome it, or be thankful for the attention. Or that she, or any other girl, is in any way deserving of such attention or less worthy of respect simply because she is a girl. I want her to have the power to say NO. You may not talk to me like that or about me like that or imply that about me. Keep your hands and your prying eyes and your opinions to yourself.

Attention like this is not flattering. It is not welcomed. We do not seek the approval of men. I am not unhappy with or ashamed of my body. In fact, I feel better about my body, more confident, than I have in a long time. But that is not what defines me. And I will no longer let anyone use it as a way to exert power over me. If you want to compliment me, tell me I'm a good worker, or that my garden looks great, or that something I wrote inspired you.

But leave my ass out of it.

Feeling Heart-y

2012-01-24T06:00:00.003-05:00

It's only been a month since Christmas, but we're onto the next holiday. I guess the house looked sort of boring and empty once I hauled the tree out and put away all the Santas and mangers and stuff.

The kids are decorating and Maureen already made all her Valentines for her friends at school. She used glitter glue to decorate the hearts she cut out. I'm down with glitter glue. Actual glitter, not so much. Here she is, creating away.

We put up our window clings. You can see the remnants of the icky icy "snow" we got over the weekend. We put up the gel cling thingys on the front window too, but I couldn't get a decent photo of those.

And Johnny made this enormous heart for us, and in the process he got out every marker and piece of construction paper we own. I guess I should be thankful it doesn't say anything about butts.
And I also did some baking, which as you know is out of character for me. I usually only bake when it's someones birthday (cake and cupcakes) or when I have food getting ready to go bad in the kitchen (stale bread into croutons, brown bananas into banana bread, etc). And trust me, it should stay that way. Baking is not my forte.

But darn it, Food Network Magazine has such lovely photographs, sometimes I quite lose my head.

So on Monday I made Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies. And while not exactly a fail, it's another example of how I can follow a recipe and still not get what I intended.

The recipe did call for a stand mixer, which I don't have, so I used a hand mixer because I hate touching dough and didn't feel like getting out my bread machine and using the dough setting. So maybe that's why my cookies aren't bright red like the picture or why they don't have the crackly texture in the picture. They TASTE pretty good. But cutting frozen dough is difficult and I only got maybe half of what the recipe said I would get. They don't taste like red velvet to me. The filling is yummy and the cookies are yummy, but there is no strong red velvet flavor. Meh. Maybe I should leave the baking to the experts.

Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day super early. Just in case I don't make it back here in time.

Still Here...And Still Reading

2012-01-23T06:25:00.001-05:00

Whoops. It's a new year and I never got around to doing a new year's post. Happy 2012 anyway.

This was partly because the H and I were both nursing rotten colds. I made Sour Beef and Dumplings for dinner, then we languished on the couch until midnight.

I do have a list of things I'd like to accomplish this year, but nothing that I'd label as a resolution. More goals, I guess. I want to work on more advanced yoga poses, run further and faster, get the house painted, find a good way to display all those family photographs languishing in a drawer. And I'd love to make it to Charleston to finally see the Hunley.

I suppose you could say that goals and resolutions are pretty much the same thing. According to one site I found when I googled what the difference was, resolutions are things that we feel we should change or maybe something we feel guilty about, like eating too much or exercising too little or saying curse words a little too often. Goals come with a specific plan. That's where I get hung up, because my resolutions in the past have almost always come with a plan. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that I don't have anything this year that is really pressing on me. I'd like to run a longer race, but that all depends on the health of my knees, so we'll see.

One thing I did a lot of last year was read, and I'd like to share some of my reads with you this year. (And if anyone knows how to view what books you have checked out of the Enoch Pratt library over the course of a year, please leave me a comment!)

So far, in January, here's what I've plowed through.

**Unbroken: A World War II Story Of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand--I loved Hillenbrand's first book, about the famous racehorse Seabiscuit, so when I spotted her latest publication at Target, I immediately requested it from the library. The story of Louie Zamperini, a former Olympic runner, who survived a plane crash into the Pacific Ocean, 47 days adrift at sea, and years as a POW in Japan, it's a deep read. At points, her descriptions of war and what the POW's endured was so disturbing, I had to put the book down and pick up something lighter. The parts involving sharks terrified me.
**Oogy by Larry Levin--Short and easy to read, but pleasing for this animal lover. Oogy is a dog that was used as a bait dog for fighting pitbulls, saved from certain death by the Levins. Amazing story.
**The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey--I've always been a little afraid of the ocean, yet find myself drawn to stories about it's mysteries. In this book, Casey tackles the subject of climate change and the science behind huge waves, but a large portion of the book is about big-wave surfers, who purposely go out into the ocean to surf waves in the 70-90 foot range.
**The Cat Who Came To Breakfast by Lillian Jackson Braun--Braun's books have been some of my favorites since middle school, when I first picked up an entry in her Cat Who...series. She died last summer at the age of 98, so I started at the beginning and read all the books I don't own. This was the last for me to read, as I own nearly all the books following this one. Light hearted and fun, and I'll certainly miss Koko and Yum Yum.

Have you read anything good lately, or any of the above books? Leave me a comment!

Differences

2012-01-22T17:29:00.003-05:00

One of the many differences between my children:

Maureen, at school pick up: Mommy, would you like to hear about my day at school?
Me: Sure!
Maureen: Well, first you took me there.
Me: Yeah, I was there for that part.
Maureen: And then we walked up the steps.
Me: Again, I was there.
Maureen: And then I washed my hands and went to sit down. And then I ate a grape. And then I ate another grape. One of my friends had a banana. Another friend had apple slices. Someone else had carrots. But I had grapes. I ate all my grapes.

It goes on like this. She tells me what color the playdoh was and what color the paint was. She tells me not only what she did, but which friends she played with and pretty much every step she took.

Compared to this.

Me, at school pick up: Johnny, what did you do in school today?
Johnny: Um.....I don't really want to talk about it right now.

What happens in first grade stays in first grade.

Menu Plan: Next Christmas, Please Give Me Vegetables

2011-12-29T19:14:00.004-05:00

In the Little House On The Prairie books, Laura Ingalls and her sisters always got an orange in their stockings at Christmas. Of course, this was way before paved roads and Interstate highways and enormous trucks, when it took time to get things across the country and citrus was a novelty. Not like the oranges I bought today that were just flown in from Florida.

I didn't get an orange in my stocking this year. I got nice things to be sure. A fun pair of socks, a necklace from Johnny, candy. But no orange.

Following the holiday gorge, what with all the cupcakes and candy and stuff clients brought to work, and all the baking (and sampling) I did at home and all the desserts at Christmas dinner, my body is crying out for vegetables. Simple, healthy food that doesn't have sugar in it. And next year I would like some carrots or something in my stocking.

So here's what we'll be eating:

**Brown Butter Tortellini with Spinach and Ham--That's what is in the picture. The recipe is from a nifty little cookbook I got with my Pampered Chef order last month. And I have to say the manual food processor did a bang up job finely chopping the peppers! Anyway, this recipe is really easy and everyone liked it. But one caution. When making brown butter sauce, pay attention! I walked away from my pan for 30 seconds (to show the hubby how nicely the food processor chopped the pepper) and burned the first batch. Luckily, I have lots of butter left over from all that baking.
**Sour Beef and Dumplings--This is a Baltimore favorite and this version is done in the crockpot. I usually don't care for dumplings, the combination of gravy on floury dumplings is a little too slimy and gross for me, but this version is really good. The keys to successful dumplings: the potatoes need to be fairly dry (I use a potato ricer and then refrigerate them uncovered for a couple of hours) and you should mix them just enough to combine the flour and no further because overmixed dumplings are heavy. This will be our New Year's Eve meal.
**Turkey Burgers--My burger monster 7 year old requested these and we have some rolls left over. I'll serve steamed veggies and maybe some kind of fry with them.
**Crispy Coconut Chicken--My latest batch of goodies from ShopRite included a bag of coconut, so I'll make this yummy and easy dish. It uses mango chutney, which is a little spicy, nicely balanced by the sweetness of the coconut. Peas to go with it.
**Linguine with Sundried Tomatoes--Our meatless meal. Easy peasy and a pleaser all around.

Don't forget to pop over to Potluck, where I have several new posts up!

What are you eating these days? Have you overindulged in holiday goodies?

This Is Love: Part Two

2011-12-19T20:55:00.003-05:00

When my children have birthdays, I make them whichever cake they request. I hate to bake, but I do it anyway because I love them.

When my husband has a birthday, he requests a meal and I make it for him. Even if it's something that I detest. This is why, eight years ago, I hung my head out the window intermittently to keep from being sick while I cooked him liver and onions. As it turns out, I was newly pregnant. I can't remember what he requested last year, but the year before that, a blizzard hit on his birthday and we were stuck at home, leaving me free to take hours to make Sour Beef and Dumplings.

Anyway, his birthday is today and this year he requested General Tso's Chicken and egg rolls. Not chicken stirfry with some sort of shortcut sauce from the grocery store, but authentic General Tso's Chicken.

So here's the thing. For starters, I don't eat Chinese food unless I make it myself. I don't know what it is about takeout, maybe too much grease, but I can't eat it without later suffering from throat searing heartburn. It's not worth it. I stopped eating it years ago. Plus, I don't like spicy food, something to do with that heartburn thing but also because I'm a big baby and I think Old Bay is hot. (Dude. You KNOW you have eaten crabs with a paper cut before. That stuff hurts!) I don't really know what authentic G.T's chicken tastes like.

All hail the Internets, because he found a great recipe on Food.com and I made it. Same for the egg rolls.

I used practically every pot I own. In the process of seeding the dried peppers, I got pepper juice in a cut on my finger, and when I sucked on that finger, I got pepper juice on my lips, which was just painful. However, I did not stick any fingers in my eyes. Plus, I spent the past two days making fudge and things for Christmas, so every surface in my already crowded kitchen was cluttered with stuff, and all that stuff was covered in a fine haze of glitter because I stupidly bought glittery containers for all the food stuffs and that glitter showers off when you just look at it. And it took some practice to get the hang of rolling the egg rolls.

But both recipes were a hit, so I'm filing them away for another time, hopefully to be done with gloves. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. I couldn't ask for more.

The Fifth Annual Christmas Tree Cutting

2011-12-11T21:32:00.003-05:00

Last year, when we went to cut down our Christmas tree, it was pouring rain and freezing cold. We pretty much slopped through the mud to the closest field, picked the closest tree, chopped it down and got out of there.

The year before that it snowed.

The year before that, it was so cold everyone's fingers froze.

And the year before that, the very first year we did this, everything went okay until Johnny got tangled in some baling twine and did a face plant in the gravel.

I know I'm not making it sound very fun and it actually is. I've just learned over the years to keep my expectations low and to bring plenty of gloves.

This year was notable because Santa was at the tree farm and both kids consented to sit on his lap. We found a nice tree (and by nice, I mean it has a nice shape and it's not heavy) and chopped it down, then went on a wagon ride. It was chilly, but we were all bundled up well, including boots, and the sun was out so everything was great. There was some mud, but I didn't have to carry anyone this year and no one complained that it was cold or they had to pee or could we please go get some hot chocolate. Success!

Outtake

2011-11-30T14:07:00.003-05:00

I'm a little bit tempted to put this on our Christmas card because it's so funny.

Instead, it's my desktop theme, where I can giggle at it everytime I check my email.

Photo by the talented Jane Maccubbin

Fire Safety And Deeply Asleep Children

2011-11-27T21:34:00.004-05:00

One thing I've always said about raising kids in the city is that it makes for good sleepers. Our kids, from the time they came home from the hospital, have slept amongst appalling noise. Big trucks, noisy parties, emergency vehicles, you name it. They rarely wake up because of it. When they were babies, I could vacuum and it didn't bother them, and now that they are bigger, I can put away laundry in their room while they are sleeping and not disturb them.

Last week though, I started to wonder if this was always a good thing.

Here's why:

It's pretty much impossible to use our oven above a certain temperature without setting off the smoke alarm. Maybe the oven needs a cleaning, maybe it's my bakeware, who knows. Once the temperature goes high enough, that alarm always goes off. Frozen pizza, cooked at a high temp so it stays crispy, is a big offender.

It is incredibly loud, and if I remember, I take it off the wall first. I mean, it's a great way to test that it actually works, but it scares the kids and it hurts my ears and it makes Jameson run around in a panic with a tail like a bottle brush.

The night before Thanksgiving, my husband went to the store for celery and came home with a bunch of other stuff too. He was doing something in the kitchen with chicken wings, the kids were asleep, and the smoke alarm, as usual, went off. It didn't stop either, and when I went into the kitchen, there was the hubby, standing there with his fingers in his ears because it wouldn't stop. I flapped a towel at it, and eventually he took it off the wall, but it was beeping--loudly--for at least a couple of minutes.

And neither kid woke up.

Granted, their room is on the second floor at the opposite end of the house. And we have another smoke alarm in the hallway outside of their room.

But I'm a tiny bit alarmed that the noise didn't wake them up and I'm wondering if there was an actual fire what would happen. We've talked about what to do in the event of a fire, particularly after friends lost their home to a blaze last year. But all those steps involve waking up first.

What do you think? Should I worry? Stage a test by setting off the upstairs alarm? Put a smoke alarm inside their room?

This Is Love

2011-11-20T20:12:00.005-05:00

I love to cook. But I do not love to bake. I don't even like it.

Frankly, I detest it.

I'm not exactly sure why, it has something to do with not liking to measure things. It's pretty easy to make soup or whatever by estimating, but cake doesn't come out so well that way.

I'm not crazy about the preciseness involved in it either. My cakes tend to come out lopsided, and I've tried the freezing the cake/cupcake thing multiple times and it doesn't make a difference, I cannot frost something without crumbling the cake too.

Yet, for their birthdays, I let my children choose what cake they want, and then I make it for them.

Maureen turns five on Tuesday and her party was this weekend. She chose her cake two months ago, from a cookbook with all Princessy type stuff in it. And my mom spotted crown candy molds and bought them for cupcakes. I stayed up for hours on Friday night, melting chocolate wafers and piping them into the molds. I cursed a lot in my head, attempting to decorate the princess cake (which I still think is lopsided).

Because Maureen asked for it, and I love her, so I did it.

Happy fifth birthday angel, you're worth it.

Menu Plan: Same Old, Same Old

2011-11-14T17:39:00.004-05:00

Not much has changed since my last menu plan. We're as busy as ever. Soccer is over, but I'm thinking maybe we'll do swim lessons next since we never got around to it last summer. Maureen turns five (five!) next week and her party is this weekend. I've been working on something big at work and it's almost ready to roll out. I'm still running and going to yoga. (Here's something that I learned. If you run 3.4 miles on a Monday, then do squats and lunges on the Bosu, then go to work on Tuesday and run up and down steps and stand for eleven hours straight, you will need a wheelchair by Wednesday.) And hey, what's that about the holidays?

I'm making an effort to stay out of a certain grocery store that is a 1/2 mile from my house and trying to make do with what we have on hand.

Here's what we're eating this week:

**Sweet Italian Chicken--The simplicity of this meal is one of my favorite things about it, but it's also tasty. I'll serve it with tri-color couscous and green beans.
**Pork Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy--I love a good crockpot meal and even though it was 70 degrees today, I'm ready for some comfort food.
**Mac and Cheese Soup--This great meatless meal is an oldie from Parents magazine. The kids love it and I love how easy it is. Salad and bread to go with it.
**Turkey and Potato Hand Pies--I spotted this recipe in the latest issue of Woman's Day and it looks yummy. Plus food in pockets is always so cute!
**Pork Ragu--Also a Woman's Day recipe, this one calls for paparedelle, which I don't have and didn't see at the store, but I'm sure ShopRite will have it! And it uses my favorite appliance, the crockpot.

Speaking of ShopRite, pop on over to Potluck to check out my latest post on the ShopRite Recipe Center!

What are you eating this week?

My Gadget Drawer Needs An Intervention

2011-11-13T19:05:00.004-05:00

I used to have one of those things on my counter that holds spatulas and spoon and stuff, on a base that rotated.

It broke a couple of months ago, and since then we've had a problem. Most of the larger items went into a Polish pottery canister that is also on the counter, but everything else had to get crammed into my gadget drawer.

Our kitchen is small and cabinet and drawer space is at a premium. A friend once told me that I'm a master at fitting things neatly into a space that's technically not large enough. But it's clearly not working now.

Most of the time, finding what I want means taking half the stuff out because it's always gravitated to the back or the bottom. The can opener fell on my barefoot the other day, and fairly frequently, one or more skewers is sufficiently askew that the drawer ends up jammed shut.

So I need some new storage options.

I try to follow Alton Brown's rule of not having items that can only do one thing. Of course, I do have some of those things, but most of what is in this drawer gets used often enough that I want to keep it. It would also be super inconvenient to relocate things to another room. I know I should get another counter top storage thing, but I'm bamboozled by all the options.

Should I get more Polish pottery so everything matches? Or should I go for something that rotates and has multiple sections for easy sorting (like the Pampered Chef stuff). Or should I just get vicious and jettison some of my gadgets?

Opinions?

When Did You Find Your Zen?

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Chances are if you've been a reader for awhile, you have noticed that I don't write nearly as often as I used to. In 2007, when I first started this blog, I wrote 504 posts. I started in February, so that's an average of 46 posts a month. In 2010, I wrote 116 posts, an average of 9 a month. So far this year, I've written 45 posts counting this one, which is less than 5 per month.

I'm going somewhere with this, I promise.

I also don't write about my kids in as much detail as I used to.

Really, I write more about food and yoga these days.

It's partly because blogging about older kids is more complicated than writing about babies. I'm trying to tread carefully and not invade their privacy. I really wanted to share how my son came home from kindergarten saying he was in love with one of his classmates because "she's pretty and has nice handwriting," but there wasn't much else I could say without getting too personal.

It's partly because life has gotten a lot busier. I'm not home with a toddler and a napping baby anymore. I work about 20 hours a week outside of the home. I'm treasurer for Maureen's preschool. I write for Potluck. I run, I do yoga. I have two kids with homework and activities. And yeah, I sleep a lot more than I used to. (Parents of babies, take note. You will sleep again someday.) My life is very full. I am content, but I don't have as much time for blogging.

Probably the biggest reason though is that I've found my "mom zen." I longer feel the need to write about every single thing that my kids did, or dissect every single parenting issue. Breastfeeding and co-sleeping and not spanking were important topics when my kids were younger. And if you want breastfeeding help, by all means, call me. But I've found that the further away we get from babyhood, the less I care about inflammatory feeding discussions or sleep arrangements. Looking at Johnny's class, you can't tell which kids were breastfed and which were formula fed. You can't tell which ones were in a forward facing carseat at age one and which ones didn't get turned until two. You can't tell who cried it out and who never did. These days, I'm more concerned about what chemicals are in our food and water. I'm more concerned about raising my kids to be good people who make good choices.

Not that I'm saying being a mom is easy. It's certainly easier than it was a few years ago. Or maybe I'm just more confident or better rested or whatever to deal with what they throw at me. Apparently, 7-year-old's are angsty and emotional. We're dealing with some of that now. There have been a lot of irrational tears and a lot of foot stomping and door slamming. Maybe it's because I knew it was coming. (However, no one told me how difficult age three is. Shock of my life. Thanks for the heads up, ya'll.) Who knows, but I don't feel the need to discuss every detail of it online.

When Tracy was diagnosed, her illness put a lot of things into a different perspective. It's hard to maintain body issues over a few extra pounds when your friend's body is being wracked by cancer. It's pretty much impossible to get angry over something so small as crayon on the couch. She's been gone 4 months now and it's a reminder everyday--you never know what life will throw at you, so don't sweat the small stuff. And I'm not. Plus, I've always been an optimist. Everyday is a new beginning.

Anyway, I'm still around. Pop in when you can, I always read comments, even if I'm not posting 2.6 times a day. And speaking of comments, tell me when you felt like you really hit your stride as a parent?

Halloween Recap

2011-11-01T06:00:00.005-04:00

Halloween is one of those holidays that I enjoy more now that I have kids. Pre-kids, if it fell on a weekend, it was an excuse to get together with our friends and drink beer, but if it was on a weekday, it was too hard to get into the spirit. Plus, I was in Target recently and they have Christmas stuff already. It's difficult to get into a holiday that only lasts for one day when the Christmas season is being crammed down your throat in October!

Anyway, this year it was fun. Maureen was super excited for weeks before the actual day, so by yesterday morning, she was practically levitating from the anticipation. We carved a couple of pumpkins that we got from her farm field trip. Johnny designed a traditional jack o' lantern, but Maureen wanted a cat. They turned out cute.

We also roasted the seeds, but the kids decided they didn't like them. I think I added too much cayenne.

Both kids did Halloween artwork at school.

I'm wondering though where all the Trick or Treaters have gone. When I was a kid, there were hundreds of us out collecting candy. Of course, we live in the city and people tend to move to the burbs when they have kids, but there are still a lot of families in our neighborhood, and I was sort of shocked by how few kids we saw out. I think most of the kids came by while we were out with our own, but we only did a few blocks, we weren't gone that long. I have SO MUCH candy left over!

Is everyone candied out from all the parties and other activities this weekend? Are there truly no kids in my neighborhood? Are people worried about predators and keeping their kids home?

Tell me: did you go Trick or Treating, and how many kids did you have knocking on your door?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yoga Keeps Me Healthy

2011-10-30T09:45:00.000-04:00

My love affair with yoga started a couple of years ago when I took a class at the gym on a whim. Some people come to yoga looking to manage stress or lose weight or fix their insomnia, but I kind of fell into it. My elliptical/weights/treadmill routine was getting boring, so I took a class.

And loved it.

When the class ended, I pursued other instruction. Podcasts and online classes are incredibly helpful for a busy mom who can't always commit to being somewhere at a specific time.

Eventually, I was practicing yoga pretty much everyday, even if it was just 20 minutes before bedtime.

I was sleeping better, I had more energy, my back pain and headaches had disappeared. I started using yoga to help my kids settle down at night.

Then we went skiing and I fell down the mountain and tore up my knee. Suddenly, balance poses were too painful and even seated forward folds made the torn cartilage in my knee get stuck in the joint. If it's never happened to you, take my word for it that it hurts.

I had surgery last winter, which fixed the flap problem, but I had a lot of swelling and it was at least 6 months before I could even kneel on that knee. Still no yoga.

I've been running regularly for months now, so when the gym scheduled a twice weekly yoga class that fit neatly into my schedule, I jumped for joy. Most days, I'm the youngest person in the class. There are a lot of beginners. Nearly everyone has some sort of chronic injury. The teacher has been great about showing different ways to modify poses. It's been easy for me to ease back into yoga after so long and that amazing feeling I get from it is back.

When Johnny brought home a flyer from school about a 5K being run through my neighborhood, I decided it was time to start racing again too and signed up.

Of course, pretty much right after I signed up, Maureen started complaining of a headache. By the next day she was feverish. She threw up a couple of times and was coughing everywhere. Johnny had some upper respiratory symptoms too.

I was determined to not catch her germs, so in addition to wiping down surfaces and frequent handwashing, I also popped astragalus capsules and stood on my head a lot.

The headstand is considered the king of all yoga asanas. In general, I love inversions, but this one may be my favorite. The health benefits of the headstand are numerous--it promotes healthy lungs, relieves colds and throat problems, increases your oxygen-to-blood exchange and gives your heart a temporary break. When I'm low on energy, standing on my head for a minute or two usually makes me feel better. Plus, I just love the challenge of getting into the pose without falling over and then maintaining it unsupported.

I ran the race on Saturday. It was freezing cold and pouring rain. The field was small and the puddles were plentiful. But I ran, I achieved my goal of running the whole race and I also finished with a personal best time. After the race, it took hours to fully warm up and my shoes are still drying out.

Both kids are better. I did not catch their germs. I suppose it's possible I could have already had the particular virus they had, but I like to think that yoga had something to do with it.

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: In Memory Of Tracy Santos

2011-10-19T19:26:00.005-04:00

I'm reading a magazine and there's a photo of a running tank that costs 45 dollars. It's pink. For each sale, the company will donate two dollars to a fund for breast cancer research.

It's October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so the pink campaign is everywhere. This year, it's harder for me to face.

This photo is of my friend Tracy. She was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer at age 26. She died last June. She was 30. It's hard for me to even write those words because the loss is still so fresh. Tracy was one of the most amazing people I have ever met and I feel privileged to have known her. Up until the end, she remained positive. When I lost my job last winter, Tracy was one of my biggest cheerleaders. Her support meant so much to me, especially in the face of her own problems. She was an animal lover and top fundraiser for the Maryland SPCA. She had a big heart and she left a big hole.

Before Tracy was diagnosed, I really didn't know how cancer patients really feel about October and the pink ribbon campaign. As Tracy wrote on her blog in 2010,

The awareness campaign began in 1985 and was started by AstraZeneca, a drug company which manufactures the breast cancer drugs Arimidex and Tamoxifen. It made sense back then. In 1985 we needed awareness. It’s now 2010 and unless you live in a hobbit hole I’m pretty sure you’re well aware of breast cancer. What we need today is a real, non-toxic, tangible treatment and cure. And possibly my biggest reason for being against the pink ribbon is the sheer exploitation of my illness. Companies slap the pink ribbon on their product as a way to boost sales by playing on people’s emotions and fears. The percentage of the sale that actually goes to cancer organizations is tiny at best.

I see what she meant. The next time I need a new running tank, I'll buy the cheap one at Target and then I'll send a donation straight to a those who can really use it.

Rather than buying pink yogurt or overpriced so-called breast cancer merchandise, consider donating to one of the following organizations instead.

The Pink Daisy Project was started by breast cancer survivor Debbie Cantwell. Donated funds help breast cancer patients with everyday costs, such as groceries and housecleaning and prescription costs, things healthy people often take for granted.

The Young Survival Coalition is dedicated to women under 40 fighting breast cancer. The YSC has a forum to help patients find resources and get support.

The YSC was the very first resource I found as a newly diagnosed patient and it has been an invaluable tool in guiding me through this journey. I have conversed with countless women through the YSC forum, all of whom I consider to be friends, though we’ve never met. We share something that only women with breast cancer can understand and I wouldn’t be the informed and well adjusted person that I am today without their support.
Finally, Moveable Feast provides free meals to people in Maryland living with AIDS, cancer and other life challenging conditions.

Tracy had a profound impact on everyone who ever met her. I'll never forget her. This October, take a moment to think about breast cancer and the people it impacts and consider donating to one of the organizations above.

Just The Essentials

2011-10-19T10:30:00.002-04:00

I have lots of purses and bags. I'm a sucker for a cute and/or fashionable purse. (I took two purses to NYC earlier this month. Along with 4 pairs of shoes. My husband does not understand.) My ideal bag would be large enough to carry my laptop and related gadgets, along with my wallet and lipstick and phone and stuff without killing my shoulder. I'm been looking for a long time.

Maureen has apparently inherited the purse gene (which I suspect I got from my mom). Lately, we can't leave the house without her bringing a bag along.

Her current fave is this pink backpack, which she got from my mom, embellished with a blue cat.

But what, you may ask, does a 4-year-old need to carry a purse for? She doesn't have keys. Or a wallet. Or cosmetics beyond cherry chapstick.

So let's take a look.

In this bag, I find:

2 decorate-your-own Princess mirrors
Bella the stuffed cat
2 journals (spiral bound notebooks from AC Moore with princesses on the cover)
3 markers
2 pens
a pink My Little Pony
2 brushes for the pony's hair
1 ghost bear beanie baby
1 Elmo phone
2 playing cards from a "Squiggly Worms" game
a plastic book that came with the pony
1 plastic yellow hat for Bella the stuffed cat to wear in the rain
an index card with the names of her classmates written on it
1 hat from a Zhu Zhu pet
1 doll bottle
1 superhero figure (and it says 1984 on the back, so I think it was mine)
1 plastic parrot
1 smushed looking bear/monkey/cat Happy Meal toy

There you have it, people.

Just the essentials.

Snap Judgement

2011-10-17T07:58:00.000-04:00

Soccer is kind of a big deal in my husband's family. A couple of his uncles even played at the professional level.

So when we found out the man responsible for the softball league Johnny plays in was looking to pull together some teams for soccer this fall, I signed up both kids.

Being community soccer, the benefits are many. One, the coaches are all parents volunteering their time. Two, the time commitment is short. They had two practices a week for about a month, and are now playing two games a week. Three, the field is right around the corner from our house. And four, it costs just ten dollars per kid, so if they decide they hate it, it's not a huge loss.

Both kids love it, by the way. John is coaching Maureen's team and Johnny is on a team with kids his own age. I'm loving the closeness of the field, as well as having both kids in the same activity. Not so thrilled about the sweaty shinguards and muddy shoes, but if it means tired kids at bedtime, I'll take it.

Anyway, one of my husband's aunts mentioned to some of her coworkers that she was going to see her great-niece and great-nephew play soccer one evening, and they immediately reacted negatively. Not to the idea of soccer, but to the idea of a 5 year old and a 7 year old playing team sports. I guess the idea of "organized sports" means something different.

I was insulted for about five seconds and then I just had to laugh because if they has actually SEEN the kids playing soccer, they would realize how silly it sounded.

For starters, the league is the same everybody-wins-and-nobody-loses-we're-just-here-to-have-fun-and-maybe-learn-a-little-about-soccer kind of thing that softball was. Plus, have you ever seen little kids play soccer? Maureen, at nearly five, is one of the older kids in her age group. Some of the children are as young as three. At any given point in the game, one or both of the goalies may have abandoned their post in search of water or butterflies or the bathroom. At least one kid is rolling around in the grass and/or tackling a kid on his own team. Last week, one child scored at least three goals in the wrong net. Another had a meltdown because she wanted to score a goal and the opposing goalie kept blocking her shots. You get the point.

On Johnny's team, the skills are a little better, but the kids are not as open to instruction. They think they know everything already. They all want to be the star. The ball handling is not as awkward, but passing the ball with control and working together is still a work in progress. And although plenty of kids signed up, most of the time not enough kids show up to field a whole team. Must be that ten dollar thing I mentioned.

It's very clearly a no pressure sort of situation, and that makes me wonder what kind of organized sports these people have experienced to make them think it's a bad thing to have a 4 year old and a 7 year old playing soccer. At the very least, geez, get a few more details before making such a snap judgement. What's so bad about kids running around in the fresh air and learning to work as a team?

Tell me: has anyone ever made a snap judgement about you or your family and been completely offbase?

Menu Plan: Get It Done

2011-10-16T21:00:00.005-04:00

So this past weekend, I was stressing out a little because my list of things to do is getting really long. My husband suggested that I maybe cut back on my commitments.

He's a funny guy, my hubby.

He's also a little bit right, but that's not do-able right now, so it's easy dinners to the rescue. In translation, that means using shortcut ingredients, few ingredients or my crockpot.

Here's what we're eating this week.

**Lemon Feta Chicken--This recipe qualifies as few ingredients, because everything in it is in the title. Chicken. Lemon juice. Feta. Bam. Plus, I have feta in the fridge that I need to use up and I think the fam is getting tired of spanakopita. (Seriously, what's wrong with them?) Steamed veggies with it and maybe some kind of grain. Couscous?
**Pot Roast with Root Veggies--Maureen went on a field trip to a pick-your-own farm last week. It was a rough summer for farmers, so we came home with a lighter load that usual, but plenty of herbs. I'm pickling the beets for the H, but the carrots and white turnips and string beans will go into the crockpot with the meat and potatoes. I'll also use up some of the dill and parsley.
**Pork Stirfry with Veggies--Over the summer, one of my shipments of goodies from ShopRite had a ton of marinades and sauces, and we still have several partial bottles in the fridge. I'll use microwave steam vegetables and one of the Asian sauces to make this stirfry fast and easy. We also have black rice in the pantry, which I love, but I don't know if the kids will go for it.
**Chicken Potpie with Puff Pastry Crust--Crockpot again. This recipe is from the most recent issue of Woman's Day magazine. It also looks pretty easy to change according to what I have in the freezer, but I'm betting the kids will love the puff pastry crust.
**Sloppy Joes--In an effort to not serve chicken everyday, I'll use ground beef to make homemade sloppy joes, also using up some of those sauces. Or maybe I'll make it a sauce buffet and everyone can decide which one they want.
**Burgers on the Grill--My kids are burger monsters, especially Johnny, hence the photo above. That was his birthday cake this year. After seeing a photo in Food Network Magazine, he wanted it for his party. Anyway, pretty much every time we eat out, they want to get burgers and fries. Although, last time Maureen did get crazy and order spaghetti and meatballs instead! Plus, the H likes to grill, so this gives him a chance to cook like a man over an open fire.

What are you eating these days?

ShopRite Represents In The Big Apple

2011-09-29T13:27:00.004-04:00

I'm a city girl, so when I found out the Potluck bloggers would be attending the Food Network Wine and Food Festival in New York City, I was thrilled to the moon and back. This will be my first visit to NYC and I'm so excited I can barely stand it. People, I am FREAKING OUT...but mostly about what to wear. I don't think all the fabulously inappropriate shoes I had planned on taking will fit in my suitcase. What's a girl to do? Because, seriously, I have a couple of different events to go to, the hotel has a fitness center, and I'm hoping to get some sightseeing in too. All of which require different footwear.

Shoe packing issues aside, it'll be a great time. I'll be working at the ShopRite booth at the Grand Tasting on Saturday, so if you're in the area, please stop by and say hi! You'll have a chance to sample all sorts of great food and drink, as well as learn more about ShopRite, Potluck, and all us bloggers.

In the evening, we're attending Patron Tequila's The Art Of The Taco presented by Creekstone Farms and hosted by Bobby Flay. Ohmigod, Bobby Flay!

Stay tuned for photos and maybe even some video next week and please say a quick prayer for my camera, which has decided to pick THIS week to behave badly.

The Talk

2011-09-15T21:07:00.000-04:00

My sister-in-law recently gave birth to her second child in July, and since then, my kids have been asking a lot of detailed questions about where babies come from.

Johnny was just over two when his sister was born and we used the vague statement, "There is a baby in Mommy's tummy," with him and he was happy with that.

We've always tried to follow the recommendation of giving kids just enough information. So when my sister-in-law had her first baby in 2008 and Johnny asked how the baby would come out, I said, "When the baby is ready to be born, your aunt will go to the hospital."

He was happy with that for awhile, but pretty soon he wanted to know WHERE the baby comes out. So I said the birth canal and when he wanted to know what that was, I said, "It's sort of like a tunnel," and he was happy with that.

But now he wants to know where exactly the birth canal is. If you know me in real life, you know I'm not shy, I don't get embarrassed easily and I have a thing about using the correct words and phrases for body parts and functions. But for some reason, when he asks questions these days, I find myself changing the subject. I'm just not sure how to give him the information he needs. And since his sister is 4 and also wants to know, how to keep it age appropriate for both of them. And--probably the biggest thing--how to impart to them that they don't need to educate every kid they know about the process of childbirth. Not that there is anything wrong with them talking about it, but I think that's something parents should decide when they want to discuss it.

So tell me what you think. How did you handle it with your kids? Did you use videos or books or what? Would it be better to maybe start with how animals are born? And how did they respond to their new found knowledge?

ShopRite Imported Specialty Pasta Makes Me Happy

2011-09-15T20:47:00.003-04:00

Frequently, when people find out I am a food blogger for ShopRite, they are not familiar with the store. That's because while ShopRite has long been a fixture in states such as New Jersey, the store has only expanded into Maryland within the past couple of years. There are currently ten stores, the stores in White Oak and Timonium being brand new.

As the main grocery shopper for my family of four, my ideal grocery store offers great prices, superior quality and a wide selection. If I can get all three at the same store, my heart is yours. In the two years that I've been buying groceries at ShopRite and in the year I've been a Potluck blogger, I've been more than pleased with the store. Who has time to go running all over the place to multiple stores?

Speaking of prices and quality, it's also important that a store have great store brand items (or private label, if you prefer). These items are usually cheaper than the corresponding name brands, but let's face it, at some places they just don't measure up. I learned the hard way not to buy canned tuna at one particular chain.

As a Potluck blogger, I receive private label products to try out. Sometimes it's cooking oil or canned goods. My last box was filled with pasta.

I love pasta. Pasta is easy. Pasta is filling. Pasta is versatile. Pasta lasts forever in my pantry.

This particular pasta is premium imported specialty pasta from Italy. We've eaten three bags of it so far. I made cold pasta salad with the pennoni. We had crockpot macaroni and cheese with the trotolle. The meal pictured here, Beef Stroganoff with Peas and Dill, was made with radiatore. We have four bags left. The possibilities are endless.

If you've never been in a ShopRite store before, it's time you head straight over and check out the private label products. You'll save money and make delicious food!

The stores in Timonium and White Oak also offer something I've never heard of before: an on-site registered dietitian, who is available for free consults, who can help you learn to shop and cook healthy! Visit the ShopRite website to find a location near you.

Beef Stroganoff with Peas and Dill

1 package ShopRite Speciality Imported radiatore
1 to 1 1/2 pounds top round, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 cups frozen peas
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. (I usually use my crockpot to cook the meat in a little bit of reduced sodium broth. It makes the meat nice and tender and also saves me time. In place of the 3/4 cup water, I use the cooking liquid from the crockpot.)

Add mushrooms; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the water, ketchup, dill, bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the peas. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes, or until peas are cooked through.

Stir in sour cream; heat through (do not boil). Drain pasta; serve with beef mixture.

Earthquakes, Hurricanes and The Beach

2011-09-04T20:41:00.002-04:00

Every summer, we go to the beach and on the last night there, we eat at a family restaurant in Bethany Beach. Every year, I plan on taking a family picture on the beach on that night. Mostly because we're all dressed in something nicer than sun hats and bathing suits. My intention is to use the family photo for the Christmas card.

One of these days I'll quit trying because it hasn't worked out yet. The past couple of years, it was raining. And this year, although the weather was gorgeous, it didn't happen because we got kicked out of Ocean City a night early. But I did get the above photo, and another one that Maureen doesn't look as squinty in. There's a guy in the background, but a friend said she can edit him out. I wonder if she can edit the picture of me so it looks like I have Lacey Schwimmer's abs?

So anyway, there was an earthquake. The kids were in the water and didn't notice it, but I was sitting in the sand. Bizarre. When we returned home, a bunch of drawers were hanging open and there was brick dust everywhere.

And then there was the hurricane. A few days before it hit, I went running on the beach in the evening. The wind ended up whipping around so fiercely, I felt like the skin on the back of my legs had been exfoliated beyond all recognition. Luckily, we only had to leave one day early. I felt bad for the people who had just arrived.

At home, the hurricane damaged the butterfly bush and dumped water into the basement. I shoved everything from the wet area to a dry area and it's still a mess. Who wants to come over and help me clean it up?

Johnny started first grade last week and told me on the second day, "Mom, there is no playtime in the morning at first grade. You go in and get right to work." And when I tried to kiss him goodbye in front of his friends one day, he pushed me away and told me it was disgusting. Apparently a high five or fist bump is okay, or even a hug, but I'm to keep my yucky kisses to myself. He also turned seven on Friday. Where did the time go? He's missing four teeth. Bobbing for apples at a recent birthday party was unsuccessful.

Maureen has been very angry that Johnny got to start school before she did. She has another week to wait. She's also very anxious to start REAL school and has been telling everyone she's going to kindergarten, neglecting to mention that she means in a year. My mom bought her a Princess costume for Halloween, which is a huge relief to me because she's stopped asking to be Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer and I don't have to find reindeer antlers in October. Although, now that I think about it, Walmart seems to put Christmas stuff out in June, so maybe it wouldn't be that hard.

Speaking of Christmas, any overachievers out there finished shopping yet?

Now that we're getting back into the swing of school and homework and sports, I'm hoping I'll have more to blog about. And as always, pop over to Potluck, where I'm talking about stirfry sauces, marinades and pasta!

The Big Reveal

2011-08-15T06:36:00.000-04:00

When I decided to redecorate my kids' room this past winter, a friend immediately started emailing me links to matched sets from places like Pottery Barn Kids. The stuff was all really cute, but it was also really expensive. My goals for the room were simple. One, to find a color scheme and/or theme that worked for both my 6 year old boy and 4 year old girl. Two, to make use of as much existing furniture as possible. And three, not spend too much money doing it.

In the end, I ditched the idea of a formal theme and went with a vague red-white-and-blue color scheme. This is partly because red is my favorite color and also partly because when I went into the room and looked at what was already there, there were splashes of red throughout that would be easy to incorporate.

First, I decided to paint the walls blue. I went to Home Depot, not realizing exactly how many shades of blue there are in the world and came home with a pile of paint chips. Sticking them up on the wall so I could see them in natural light helped a lot. I eliminated a lot of them right away. Just because I liked it in the store didn't mean it would be right in the room. When I narrowed it down to two colors, I bought a sample of each color. I would highly recommend doing this if you're painting a bright, bold color. I was leaning towards the darker color, but once I saw it up on the wall, especially at night, I realized I needed to use the lighter version.

I also installed roman shades. We had a party in April and one of the kids managed to break the miniblinds on one window. This was not a huge deal though, because I wanted to replace the blinds with something that would make the room darker at night. At first, I planned to make my own custom roman shades, but then I spotted these on super halfprice sale at JC Penney. I couldn't make them for cheaper than this, and I also bought a blue one for another room. They were easy to mount, and I like that they darken the room without blocking out every tiny bit of light.

In between the windows is a custom made quilt rack shelf from Robinson's Wood Crafts. I chose the double rack because eventually Maureen will have a quilt to display too. The one in this photo was made by my mom for Johnny and I wanted to have it front and center. The shelf holds a canvas print from EasyCanvasPrints.com and Johnny's softball trophies.

I also incorporated a lot of red as an accent color. This collapsible bin is from Ikea and holds stuffed animals. We've had it for several years and have a blue one in another part of the house for sports gear.

Maureen chose a red and white themed bedding set (ladybugs on one side and polka dots on the other). I used the leftover darker paint sample to paint picture frames and hung some of their artwork. The frames were scored for free off Freecycle.

Each kid has a small bin on their dresser to hold smaller toys or books.

We also bought this red bookshelf from Ikea to help corral the Lego collection. Before, all of Johnny's Lego creations were jammed together on his dresser top. It was impossible to dust and pieces kept getting knocked into the drawers or behind the dresser. This bookshelf is the single most important thing in getting the room organized and under control.

I mounted these cork tiles (super cheap, from AC Moore) for current artwork and photos. They came with adhesive, but it refused to stick, so I used small nails.

And finally, an underbed storage box (also Ikea) holds remaining larger toys.

We had planned on putting up hooks for the kids to hang their jammies and Johnny's uniform, but at this point I might look into the more decorative 3M hooks. I've been using them on pictures in the kitchen, on brick, and so far so good.

The woodwork needs some sanding and restaining, but the majority of the work is done and I'm thrilled with the way it turned out!

Menu Plan: Cleaning Out The Fridge

2011-08-07T22:16:00.002-04:00

The problem with buying frozen corn and edamame every time you go to the grocery store is that pretty soon all you have in your freezer is corn and edamame. I discovered this earlier today, when I went into the kitchen to see what we already have before I planned this week's menu.

In addition to too much corn and edamame, we also have lots of weird odds and ends. So this menu plan is aimed at using up some of it.

**Tuna and Chickpea Salad Wraps--We have a lot of canned tuna hanging around too. And I recently saw a recipe for a tuna salad with white beans in some mag. But we don't have white beans, so I'll use chickpeas, which I like better anyway. The salad will get wrapped in multi-grain tortillas, which I bought for some distant plan that I've long forgotten. My organizing and menu planning skills have pretty much gone out the window this summer. I blame the humidity. Anyway, we'll have it with fruit and maybe some nice bread with a spreadable cheese.
**Chicken Thighs with Artichoke-Tomato Sauce--I bought the artichokes (weeks ago...) to be mixed with spinach and goat cheese as a topping for broiled chicken. And then, fate intervened (this is code for I was too tired and/or hot to cook, so we ate pizza instead) and I never made it. And now I have a partial jar of tomato sauce in the fridge that needs to get used up, as well as a batch of homemade tomato sauce that I made last week because the tomatoes my inlaws gave me from their garden were not going to make it another day. So all that leftover sauce is going with the artichokes instead, and we'll have it all over one of those partial boxes of pasta in the pantry. And I'll use the crockpot to we can avoid that hot/tired thing I mentioned before.
**Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy--Yes, I know that this type of meal is more suited for hot weather. But the roast has been in there for awhile and I don't want it to get freezer burnt. And I'll use my crockpot again, which is really the most marvelous invention. Plus, there are always leftovers for sandwiches when it's too hot to turn on the oven.
**Broiled Dilly Pork Chops--The original version of this recipe called for drumsticks. Which I don't like. I do like pork chops though, and so do the kids. As an added plus, this is the first summer in years in which the sun has not cooked my dill to a crisp. So we'll have fresh homegrown dill to add to this. And salads or something (corn? edamame?) on the side.
**Cucumber Chicken Salad Sandwiches--Since I'm harvesting dill, I'll use some of it to make this yummy cold chicken salad too. In my latest box of garden bounty from the H's parents are two cukes, which are always highly preferable to those waxy things the grocery store calls cucumbers. I'll serve it with cantaloupe.

Have you checked out Potluck yet? My latest posts are up. I'm talking about 30-minute marinades and an easy way to boost your protein intake. Come visit!

What are you eating these days?

Summer Update

2011-08-01T11:46:00.002-04:00

Summer keeps trucking along. Here we are, August already, and school starts in less than a month! Ack!

Between work and going to the pool and just the day to day stuff, we've been busy. Gone are the days when summer seemed to stretch on forever.

Anyway, here are the kids at their first Orioles game.

And we went to the beach for 4 days last month. It was such a pleasure packing this time, since we didn't need a whole pile of baby stuff.

Johnny learned the art of the stiff armed self photo. Since this was taken, he's lost another top tooth.

We hope everyone's summer is going well!

New Cousin

2011-07-31T11:22:00.005-04:00

When my first nephew, now three, was born, Johnny was about 3 1/2 and Maureen was 18 months old. Neither one really paid too much attention to the new baby in the family.

But when my second nephew was born, 12 days ago, they were immediately intrigued. They clamored to see photos. They loved his name. (Johnny quickly got over his disappointment that my brother and SIL did not name the baby Ironman.) They asked if they could hold him.

Due to sickness, we didn't get to see him until yesterday. And as promised, they both got to hold him.

We came straight from a pool party, so Johnny's cheeks are a little red and Maureen's hair is out of control. But I got a glimpse of what it might be like if we added our own baby to the family. Chances are slim to none, but it was nice to see how they reacted the baby. And also a little funny to see how quickly Johnny wanted to dump him on the couch. Clearly he didn't realize how wiggly real babies are! Maureen looks a little nervous. I don't think she knew what she was getting into. Those are my hands in the photo.

Congrats to my brother, SIL and big-brother nephew and welcome!

Where Does TV Fit In Your House?

2011-07-28T10:21:00.003-04:00

When my children were babies, I knew that the AAP recommends no TV at all for babies and a limited amount for children over 2. What's more, all the magazines say that if you do use TV, you should watch it with your child and use it as a chance to interact.

Here's my confession: I don't watch TV with my kids.

We don't have cable, so our choices are limited to PBS and the occasional Saturday morning cartoon. But even so, I don't watch TV with kids.

Here's why: kid's TV is annoying. Caillou makes me want to bang my head on the wall. Baby Bear on Sesame Street? Too angsty. The scarecrow in Bob the Builder? What a d-bag.

We limit TV, but most of the time when my kids are watching it, I'm elsewhere. Cleaning or doing laundry or even (gasp!) checking my email. Despite what the experts say, I'm not at all worried about it. I interact with my children all day long. What's so bad about a little bit of space?

So I read this article on MSN last week with interest, because it appears I'm not the only one driven over the edge by cartoons.

As I mentioned, we don't have cable. We never wanted to pay the always increasing fees, but neither my husband or I have ever been big TV watchers. There's always something to do, or sometimes we're tired and we just want to go to bed. At our yearly beach vacation, we usually have a place with cable, and I do enjoy the Food Network and the history channel and Animal Planet, but after a week, I'm ready to get back to my cable free house. It's so possible to have 100+ channels of nothing on.

Back in March, when I got a new job, my hours were incompatible with the two shows I still watched. I taped them for awhile, but then I lacked the time to watch the tapes. And I lost interest. I have no idea what happened this past season on Law and Order: SVU. What's more...I don't really care either. It's been really freeing to not watch TV. I read books. I go for walks. Or I go to bed at a decent hour.

The article I mentioned seems to imply that parents might be missing out on valuable lessons by avoiding those kids shows (particularly the tween ones). I'm not sure I agree. Obviously, if your child already watches those shows, it's a good springboard for certain conversations. But I don't think they are required. How on earth did people parent before the Disney Channel existed? And sorry, but I'm not going to pay however much cable costs these days just so we can use iCarly as a parenting tool.

I dusted the TV the other day and found myself wondering what I would do if it suddenly blew up. I'd love to replace the TV stand with bookshelves instead. Or art. Or something.

Tell me--do you watch TV with your kids? Which cartoons annoy you the most? And how much TV gets watched in your house?

Time To Get A Dog?

2011-07-12T06:18:00.002-04:00

Last weekend, my parents took a short vacation to the beach and their dog, a sweet Belgian shepherd mix named Rudy, came to stay with us. Rudy has stayed with us before, and he settled in pretty quickly.

A few months ago, I gave away some stuff on Freecycle, and the woman who took it thought it was funny/weird that the doormat outside my house reads "Wipe Your Paws," yet we don't have a dog. We have a cat, but he stays inside. She thought it was even funnier when she found out I work for a vet. I hear that question a lot. When will I, the animal lover who has spent most of the past 14 years working at a veterinary hospital, get a dog?

The answer has always been 'maybe someday." Or if I'm in the mood to be blunt, "maybe never." I like dogs, obviously, since I work with them, but I'm definitely a cat person. And recently, with two kids and a semi-crazy schedule, cats just fit into our life a little better. Jameson is small, he's definitely less work, and he doesn't have to be walked when it's 20 degrees outside.

There's the added factor of Maureen's dog-fear. When she was 18 months old, we were on a walk along the water when she was knocked flat by an exuberant boxer pup. She was an extremely small 18-month-old, just really starting to get the hang of walking. That puppy, although friendly, probably looked like a monster to her. She's been afraid of dogs ever since. The fear has gradually been getting better, but it's definitely still there.

She was completely at ease with Rudy in the house though and it wasn't long before Johnny started asking if we could keep him. Or, if we could visit the animal shelter and pick out our own dog.

Rudy went home on Sunday and I've been enjoying my dog hair free floor, but Johnny asked several times when we can get our own dog.

For now the answer remains, "maybe someday." Maybe someday when we have a larger house. Or the time to commit to a new animal. But I definitely don't believe him when he says, "I PROMISE I'll take care of it! All by myself!"

I'm not ready yet, and if we do take the plunge, I'm thinking an older rescue dog, something calmer than a pup, and preferably not a big shedder. Since we already have the Wipe Your Paws doormat.

Leave me a comment: when did you take the plunge to get a dog and who honestly provides most of the care?

Some Days Nothing Goes Right

2011-07-11T20:53:00.003-04:00

Some days, you just have to look back and laugh. Otherwise the alternative is being locked up in a crazy home.

Overnight, Maureen wet her bed. And when I say that, I mean WET her bed. Luckily, she's still in a toddler bed with a toddler mattress that is waterproof, but the bedding and even her pillow were soaked. In the morning, I crammed it all into the washing machine.

Somehow, the pillow got all wrapped around the center pole, so when the machine started to fill for the rinse cycle, the water went all over the floor instead. It turns out a jillion gallons of water shooting all over your laundry room doesn't sound all that different from laundry being run normally. That is, until it starts to drip through the floor and come out the ceiling fan on the lower level. Then it sounds just like a waterfall.

It took literally every towel in the house, including beach towels, to sop up the mess. I had to pull out the machines to get the puddles underneath them. On the plus side, the floor of my laundry room has never been cleaner, and I retrieved all the lost socks that were back there too. On the minus side, all those soaking wet towels also had to be washed. And I speared myself in the right butt cheek on something sticking out of the back of the washer.

The carpet in the hall is still pretty wet. One of the bifold doors sucked up a lot of the water and warped and now it won't shut.

Did I mention BGE is on my block this week with a jackhammer, destroying the street in order to install new gas lines and there is dust everywhere, so I couldn't hang my towels outside to dry and the dryer makes the house unbelievably unbearable? And did I mention it was 103 today?

After the Flood, I decided we had to get out of the house, so we went to the gym. I was ten minutes into my workout when a man smelling of dirty basement got on the machine next to me. Whew. I had to get off my machine and find another. It was THAT BAD. After the gym, we went to the bookstore because I wanted to get reading material for an upcoming vacation (successful) and the math review book Johnny needs for first grade (unsuccessful. Who knew there were so many options? I should have written it down). While waiting in line, my husband called with sad news. His grandfather, who had been ill, passed away Sunday night.

The kids took the news okay. I don't think they really get it.

Did I mention I've been fighting a nasty summer cold? Today is day ten. I finally feel like I'm getting better, but the sniffling from the above news made my sinuses hurt. Did I mention how hot it is? Or the jackhammer outside?

After the kids went to bed, I watered my flowers. Ten minutes afterwards, the skies turned black and it poured. Typical.

Let's hope tomorrow is better. And maybe the laundry thing will be funny then too.

Menu Plan: Hot

2011-07-03T22:14:00.002-04:00

Blah. It's hot. Which is better than cold, but still...it's hot. I don't know about you, but I don't have much of an appetite when it's hot. Sadly, the rest of the family does, so I can't get away with serving cereal for dinner.

So, when I do rouse myself to cook, here's what we'll be having.

**Hamburger Soup--I know soup is more of a cold weather thing, but this version can be thrown into the crockpot and left to cook all day without making the kitchen unbearably warm. It makes for nice leftovers. And I'm pretty sure I can hide zucchini in it, since it's the season of garden bounty and I hate zucchini.
**Steak and Potatoes--My June/July box from ShopRite came, and it's loaded with lots of sauces and marinades. The grill is John's domain, and I think we'll be grilling a lot to try out all these goodies. So that means I'm off the hook! But seriously, parking is such a problem on the 4th that we never go anywhere. So a leisurely meal of steak and corn on the cob and watermelon sounds just great to me.
**Sweet Italian Chicken--Three ingredients. Simple. I'll serve it with veggies and salad.
**Chicken with Quinoa--A family fave. Also tastes even better the next day. Melon and peas and salad to go with it.
**Roast Beef Wraps with Dill Slaw--I'm all about meals that don't actually require cooking. This is a Food Network magazine recipe. I'll serve it with fruit and maybe chips.
**Corn and Ham Chowder--Another seemingly cold weather food, but it'll make good use of leftover corn. And the kids both love ham. Salad and bread on the side.

What do you eat when it's hot?

Product Review: Easy Canvas Prints!

2011-07-01T09:41:00.005-04:00

I've mentioned multiple times in the past few months that I'm redecorating my kids' bedroom. It's been a long slow process and it's almost finished. I'm just waiting on one final item that is custom made and it's taking awhile. So look for the reveal soon!

One of the things I wanted to do with the room was to show the strong sibling relationship my kids have. Room sharing has significant challenges, but I also think it has helped my kids become closer.

So when I was contacted by EasyCanvasPrints.com, I was tickled because this was exactly what I was looking for!

Photos to Canvas

The process of creating my canvas was, as the website says, easy. In fact, the hardest part was getting my kids to both look at the camera at the same time. Then I uploaded my photo and chose my canvas size. I went with the 1.5 wrap size because I eventually intend for this canvas to sit on a shelf. I chose to have the image wrapped around the border, instead of the mirror image wrap. I tried it both ways and the photo didn't look too different, so I decided on the first option.

And that was it! It was incredibly user friendly and when my canvas came in about a week, I was thrilled with how it looks. For now, it is hung on the wall, but once my custom shelf comes, it will have a place of honor there.

Thanks to EasyCanvasPrints.com for this opportunity and look for the end result soon!

Menu Plan: Wait, This Is Vacation?

2011-06-05T19:08:00.003-04:00

So I was all excited thinking that there are only 2 days left of school and not only do I not need to iron uniforms anymore, but we'll have a little extra downtime.

Ha! Ha Ha Ha!

And then I looked at my schedule for this week and realized that we have something to go to almost everyday this week and some days there are two things we need to go to. So much for that.

So here's what we'll be eating this week:

**Ham and Chickpea Soup--I know soup isn't really a summer sort of food. But it's fast and easy to make, or I can just throw it all in the crockpot and leave it. And it makes for good leftovers. And my tomato-hating 6 year old will eat it because he hasn't figured out yet that red broth means it has tomatoes in it. Mwahaahahahahahaha! Bread and salad to go with it.
**Chicken and Artichoke Veggie Packets--The most recent issue of Self magazine has recipes for all these packet meals that are cooked on the grill. I'll do mine in the oven instead, but I'm stealing the mess free idea. Ooh, which reminds me, I need to buy foil.
**Key West Chicken Avocado Sandwiches--I love to make sandwiches when it's hot. This one uses roti chicken, so I'll try to buy a big enough one that we can get two meals out of it. And then use the bones and such to make stock. Maybe I'll even manage to time it so the stock goes into the ham soup.
**Crockpot Chicken Cassoulet--Ages ago, I bought a bag of frozen blackeyed peas and they are still languishing in the freezer. So this is a great way to get rid of them.
**Meatless Quesadillas--My last package of goodies from ShopRite was loaded down with different kinds of salsas, so I'll make meatless quesadillas with beans and cheese. Yum! And maybe pears or something to go with it.

What are you eating these days?

This and That

2011-06-02T20:31:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I've had anything to blog about. Or, rather, I've been too busy to sit down to write. Or too ants-in-my-pants to be able to sit down and write anything that actually made sense.

So let's see, what have we been up to?

There's the new job. It's going well, I'm very happy. It's funny how things work out. I have plenty to say about the new job, but I'm also not sure how aware my new boss is about my presence on the Internet. So I won't say anything about the new job. Other than I'm happy.

The kids had a good time at Easter. It was the first time in ages that it wasn't so cold the girls needed sweaters over their spring dresses. It was actually quite hot. I won a dress from Shabby Apple on A Simpler Life. Which is awesome, because it gave me the excuse to go buy a super sexy pair of 3 inch heels to go with it. But also bad because now I go to the Shabby Apple site all the time and look at all the dresses that I want.

The garden is coming along too. I did a preemptive tea tree oil treatment of my kitchen and so far it seems to be working to keep the ants away. Wahoo! The weeds, however, are still coming. And I discovered, the hard way, that spraying weeds growing amongst moss with vinegar kills the weeds but it also kills the moss. Boo. So I'm still working on that. The moss that I transplanted last year is spreading well though. And the butterfly bush is enormous, but we haven't had many butterflies yet. My parents gave me some violets last year and I can't believe how much they have grown and seeded (everywhere!) this year.

I'll post more garden pics eventually, but here's what my irises looked like this year. I'm also proud to report that after last week's dreadful humidity, Johnny came inside one morning to report the appearance of a "penis mushroom" in one of the flower beds. Hi-lar-ious.

Most of the tree pollen is gone too, so I've been hanging my laundry out to dry.
It's so much nicer not having the dryer heating up the house. The H hasn't complained at all about the crunchy towels. And I've been experimenting with solutions for that.

Hmmm...it's hot. School is out next week. Maureen's done already. Weird to think that in one year she'll be in kindergarten. I'm looking forward to summer vacation, but already freaking out about sibling rivalry. So looking for things to do to keep busy. And cool. Here they are at the snowball stand.

Kindergarten was a really great experience for all of us. Johnny has come so far this year. He's reading, doing math, has lots of friends. But most importantly, he loves school. I hope it lasts.

Softball season is almost over too. It was fun for me to see the difference in Johnny this year compared to last. He's much more competitive. And this year, a bunch of his teammates are also kids from his class. So it was a highly social time. Although due to rain and/or tornado warnings and/or oppressive heat, they didn't get a lot of practice time and a bunch of games were cancelled.

I decided I want to learn to surf this summer. So I bought a one-piece bathing suit that won't fall off. But I realized today that I could still fall OUT of it, so maybe I need something a little more athletic? And part of me is a little worried about trying a new sport, since the last time I did that, I fell down a mountain and ended up with knee surgery.

Speaking of summer fashion, I'm curious what people think about rompers. I think they only look good on a small percentage of the population. But I was considering getting a simple one, probably in my customary black, to wear as a cover up at the beach. Maybe. Unless I try one on and it looks ridiculous. Opinions?

I'd love to know what everyone has been up to. How was the school year? Any plans for the summer?

For Mother's Day, The Gift Of Time

2011-05-16T08:15:00.001-04:00

When my husband first asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day, I couldn't decide. A bottle of that perfume I've been wanting to try? A dinner out? A mani/pedi? A new plant for the garden?

Then I decided what I really wanted was the gift of time. Not a watch, nor the still impossible act of freezing time, but the opportunity to cross a major project off my never ending list.

Way back in January, I decided the time had come to redecorate the kids bedroom. I asked for theme ideas on Facebook. I got Maureen new bedding. I decided on a color scheme and accessories and such, but that's about as far as I got. We had a party in April, and one of the kids broke one of the blinds on the windows, so that forced me to make a decision, and I bought and installed new shades. But nothing else was done.

Between January and now, we've been busy. I was looking for a new job, then I found a new job and needed to settle into the new job. I ended up in charge of the effort to repaint Maureen's classroom, I volunteered in Johnny's classroom and softball started. Valentines Day and Easter and St Patrick's Day.

Sitting on the floor in there a few days before Mother's Day while braiding Maureen's hair, I decided it was time to do it NOW, before it got to hot to paint with the windows open.

So for Mother's Day, my hubby took the kids to camp in his brother's yard and I stayed home and painted.

The room is far from done. I need to touch up a couple of spots where I got blue paint on the ceiling. The dark wood baseboards need to be sanded in places and then restained. I have storage solutions planned for Johnny's immense Lego collection and picked out a quilt rack to show off the quilt my mom made for him, but neither of those has been ordered. I scored some frames from Freecycle and painted them and framed some of the kids' artwork, but haven't decided where to hang them yet. I bought cork squares, but haven't decided where to stick those either.

But the bulk of the painting is done and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm very pleased with how the painting turned out and I think the kids will love the room when it's finally finished. Of course, I'll share photos when it's done too.

Impulse Shopper

2011-05-09T08:11:00.003-04:00

I went into the grocery store the other day for 5 things and came out with half a cart of stuff. Funny how that happens.

Anyway, in the produce section, I spotted rhubarb, which I rarely see, so I bought it.

I don't even really care for rhubarb. But look, isn't it pretty?

A voice in the back of my head reminded me that rhubarb is sour, so I also bought strawberries. And I then, because of my aversion to baking and measuring flour and rolling pins, I bought a prepared pie crust.

Then I did some research, found a whole bunch of recipes and mashed them all together to come up with this pie, which I promptly sent to my dad, who loves rhubarb.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
1-2 pounds rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar plus extra for dusting
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
1 egg white, beaten
2 prepared pie crusts (for double crust pie)

Mix the strawberries and rhubarb with the flour, vanilla and sugar. Stir to coat, then let sit.

Leave one pie crust frozen. Invert the other onto a baking sheet. When thawed, about 20 minutes, roll out on a floured surface and cut into one inch strips with a pizza cutter.

Pour fruit mixture into frozen pie crust. Dot with the cold butter. Use crust strips to make a lattice top (find a tutorial here).

Using a pastry brush, brush the lattice strips with egg white (but not the outer edge of the crust) and dust with remaining sugar.

Bake at 425 for ten minutes, then turn temperature down to 350 and bake for one hour. When crust is golden brown and filling seems thickened, pie is done. Let cool before serving.

I was impatient and didn't wait for my top crust to thaw completely, nor am I much of a weaver, so my pie looks not as neat as it could be. And as a side note, I've never been able to make a fruit filled anything without the juice boiling over. So I'd highly recommend lining a baking sheet in foil and baking the pie on top of that.

Breaking News! Tooth Fairy Breaks Leg!

2011-05-02T06:49:00.001-04:00

Johnny was a super late teether as a baby. He was ten months old before he had any teeth at all, and was closer to three before he got his two year molars. In his last year of preschool, some of his classmates who were almost a year younger were already losing their baby teeth. Our dentist said it didn't matter at what age the teeth started to come out, rather the order in which they fall out is more important. But still, at 6 1/2 with nothing happening, I was wondering when his teeth would start to loosen.

About a month ago, his first tooth started to loosen. And it finally fell out yesterday.

He's been wiggling it and wiggling it, and in the morning it was basically hanging by a thread. "Johnny, pluck that thing out of there!" I told him, but he wanted to show his grandparents how loose it was. A little while later, I sent him to brush his teeth and it came right out.

Truth be told, I wasn't sure when he was younger if I wanted to do the Tooth Fairy thing. But of course he heard about it from somewhere, maybe school, I'm not sure, and I decided it wasn't that big of a deal. And yesterday, when he was talking about the Tooth Fairy and magic and stuff, and he looked just so stinking cute, I was glad. Why force them to grow up early? (He also asked a good question, what does the tooth fairy do with all the teeth? And I'm not sure. Make necklaces out of them and sell them on Etsy?)

Anyway, I didn't really break my leg, but I did trip over a stuffed animal that was on the floor. Thank goodness for city noise, because both kids could sleep through a tornado and neither one woke up.

The Tooth Fairy left him a dollar. I figured with inflation and the state of the economy, that's pretty good.

Do you do the Tooth Fairy? And how much money do you leave?

Cheddar Cheesy Easter Goodness

2011-04-23T21:53:00.003-04:00

When my mom asked me to bring dinner rolls to the Easter meal at her house, I figured I'd pop over to the grocery store and pick something up at the bakery. But then I went to the bakery and they had plenty of sandwich type rolls, but nothing you could smear butter on and eat alongside ham and deviled eggs. And the freezer kind of rolls seemed...not good enough.

So finally I decided to make some from scratch and had the fantastic idea to make the Red Lobster cheddar biscuits knock off from Food Network magazine. But then I actually looked at the recipe and thought, "Vegetable shortening? As in, trans fat? Solid at room temperature? Ugh!" But if you've ever had those biscuits....mmmmmmmm.....

So I did some research (and by that, I mean I cheated and used Google) and decided to sub canola oil instead. The original recipe is here, and below is my version.

Cheddar-Garlic Biscuits That Won't Give You A Heart Attack
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons cold butter or spread (I used Smart Balance)
6 ounces grated cheddar cheese (about 1 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp dried parsley

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the oil and stir until combined. Add the butter and mix with a fork until well combined and crumbly. Add the cheese and milk; stir until just combined.

Turn dough onto a clean surface and knead by hand until smooth. Do not overknead!

Break into pieces and form into 1 1/2 inch balls, place on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes.

Melt butter in a bowl in the microwave, add garlic and parsley. Brush over warm biscuits and serve.

Happy Easter!!

Menu Plan: Spring Break

2011-04-18T07:50:00.004-04:00

I'm considering renaming this blog "The Great Menu Plans of Baltimore," because it seems that's about all I can post these days. We've been plenty busy, but not doing anything worth blogging about.

It's Spring Break, otherwise known as the week in which I try to keep us as busy as possible so the children don't bicker so much that I go completely crazy. (Yeah, yeah, too late, har har har.)

And somewhere in there I still have to go to work and go to the dentist and go to the eye doctor because there is tree pollen all over everything and pretty soon I'm going to be tearing my eyes out of my head from the itching if I don't get my drops. So this week's menu is brought to you via Food Network Magazine, which my mom gave me for Christmas, because I'm feeling too lazy to come up with meal ideas on my own.

Here's what we'll be eating.

**Chicken with Pickle Sauce--It sounds weird, right? But according to the mag, pickle juice can be used in sauces like vinegar. And I love pickles, so I'm going to give it a try. Veggies and salads to go with it.
**Ricotta Dumplings with Marinara Sauce--These Italian dumplings are made with ricotta instead of potatoes. And they are called gnudi, which I think is funny. Garlic bread and some kind of veg on the side. Maybe salad?
**Tilapia Marsala with Basmati Rice--One of the week's meatless meals. It looks pretty easy and the kids will like the rice. Bread to go with it and some kind of fruit?
**Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce--I keep seeing recipes for "smashed" potatoes instead of mashed. Will someone tell me if there is a difference? Or is that what all the cool kids are calling mashed potatoes these days? Anyway, pork is always a hit and the sauce looks easy.

What are you eating these days?

Don't forget to pop over to Potluck! This week I'm talking about basting oil!

Menu Plan: Momma's Got A Brand New Job

2011-04-08T10:00:00.003-04:00

Given the state of the economy, I wasn't sure how things were going to go when I lost my job in January. But luckily, I found a new job and started a couple of weeks ago! It's going great, I'm very happy, but the change in schedule means we all have a little adjusting to do. My mom babysits one day a week, so I have been prepping dinner the night before so she doesn't have to cook. Plus, softball practice starts next week, and I'm up to my ears in organizing the effort to paint Maureen's preschool classroom. So, as usual, I'm looking for meals that are fast, easy and tasty. What else is new?

Here's what I have planned for the coming week:

**Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups---These easy roll ups can be prepped the night before and refrigerated. If there are leftovers, I like to freeze individual portions for easy lunches. Veggies and maybe bread on the side.
**Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy--I prefer to make roasts in the crockpot, partly because I can walk away from it and go about my day, and partly because it makes the meat so tender. Mashed potatoes and gravy to go with it, of course, and maybe green beans.
**Tortellini--I love me some tortellini. Besides the fact that they are so stinking cute, they cook in 6 minutes. Garlic bread and salads to go with it.
**Dilled Beef Stroganoff--We have some steak in the freezer from a past meal, so I'll chop it up and make a variation of this stroganoff recipe. The dill gives it a nice flavor. Salad and veg on the side.
**Spaghetti and Meatballs--A request from the H. Guess who makes the meatballs ahead of time (clue: not me. I hate making meatballs.) All I have to do is cook them and boil the pasta. Easy peasy!

What are you eating these days?

In case you missed it, I'm talking about almonds and salads at Potluck this week. Check it out!

When Strangers Attack

2011-03-31T15:50:00.002-04:00

Last week, in desperate need of a haircut, I bit the bullet and took both kids with me to the hair salon. I've been following the same girl around for ten years, at least, because she does such a good job, but she inconveniently doesn't get to work until 230. So the kids came along and I ~~threatened~~ ~~bribed~~ encouraged them to be mature and courteous so I could get my haircut. (This is mom code for not eating all the Dum Dums in the jar on the counter, not running through piles of hair and not using the words "butt," "poop" or "booger." My standards are not high. Anyway.)

She had a person ahead of me, so we sat and waited. When Johnny announced he needed to use the bathroom, I told him to go ahead and off he went. The bathroom is a single toilet in the back of the salon. As he walked off, the woman sitting next to me looked aghast and said in her best disapproving voice, "Children should always be supervised in the bathroom. Don't you know pedophiles lurk in bathrooms?"

Seriously?

There was a time when I would have felt obligated to explain the details of my decision. Those days are over. She got me on the wrong day. Not only was I tired, but also grouchy because the kids had bickered the whole way in the car.

My first inclination was to snap, "Mind you own effing business," but I bit my tongue. I'm thoughtful like that. My second inclination was to tell her, "Lady, you watch too much Dateline." Instead, I rolled my eyes and said, "He's six. He doesn't need me to wipe his butt." At which point she expressed surprise that he's six and not four.

Again, seriously?

I wouldn't let Maureen go into a crowded bathroom without supervision, but she actually is four. And this bathroom is one room with a single toilet and a door with a lock. While I do take both kids into the ladies room with me at the mall or other similar places, I can't do that forever. At some point, he needs to be independent enough to use the bathroom on his own. And he's my kid and I don't need the approval of strangers.

I think commenting on parenting issues in public is a sticky subject. Even if a person has the best interests of the child at heart, most often the comment just pisses the parent off.

I'm curious--has someone ever commented on your parenting in public and how did you handle it?

Menu Plan: Crazy Busy

2011-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am crazy busy. I mean that. This coming week is so jam packed with stuff to do, there's not a lot of time left for cooking. Which means, as usual, I need stuff that is easy and fast and if I can do some prep work the night before, even better.

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

**Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwiches--I love the ease of a hearty sandwich with either soup or salad to go with it. I had a fantastic Baked Potato Soup at Houlihan's last week, and I found a recipe creation online, so if I have time, we'll have that with the sandwiches. Otherwise salad.
**Fully Loaded Chili--With four kinds of beans in it, this hearty chili is very filling. And I can do it in the crockpot. Bread and salad with it.
**Wells Street Chicken--My husband chose some seasoning mixes from a recent school fundraiser, and he wants to make this chicken dish that coats the chicken with, among other things, crushed potato chips. Not my cup of tea, but if he's offering to cook, I'm not going to complain. I'll get some fruit and veggies to go with it.
**Grilled Tilapia Po' Boys with Homemade Tartar Sauce--This is a Paula Deen recipe that amazingly doesn't look like it will make us all drop dead from heart attacks. And it's s perfect meatless meal to use up that giant bag of frozen fish I bought for use of Fridays.
**Sweet Italian Chicken--I love the ease of this recipe, plus I can prep it ahead of time and stick the pan in the fridge until it's time to cook it. Rice, veggies and maybe salad to go with it.

What are you eating these days?

Introducing The New Glasses

2011-03-20T06:29:00.002-04:00

Reaching My Biggest Goal

2011-03-19T18:18:00.001-04:00

In my last menu plan, I said something about willpower. I was mostly referring to that fact that I've given up Cadbury Cream Eggs for Lent. This is partly for my waistline, because one egg has 170 calories. And you know you never eat just one. But it's also because I figured it's about time that I actually gave up something that I really like for Lent. It just doesn't mean as much if you give up, say, bananas, when you actually hate bananas. It's going fine, although today I was thinking about how good one would taste.

Anyway, back to the willpower thing.

If you're a long time reader, or you know me in real life, you know that I've had a hard core Diet Dr Pepper habit that I've been trying to kick for years. It's amazing how hard it has been and sort of embarrassing that I can't even count how many failed attempts there have been in the past. But I also knew that at some point, it would just be time, like when I suddenly stopped biting my fingernails.

And folks, I'm happy to report that I'm doing it.

I'm doing it.

I'M DOING IT!!!!!!

It's gone something like this. A couple of weeks ago, tired of feeling like crap all the time, swigging down soda that was eating my teeth and giving me raging heartburn, tired of constantly going to the store to pay money that I didn't really want to spend for more teeth-eating-heartburn-inducing bottled crap, I decided I'd had enough. I thought about giving it up for Lent, but picked something I knew I could stick to. The soda would be secondary.

On a Friday, I drank the last of it. On Saturday, I woke up with a horrible headache. I lay in bed all morning, popping pills and rubbing pain cream on my head, but nothing helped. So my husband went to the store. He came home with ONE bottle of Diet DP and a 6-pack of a diet soda by another company. My headache went away. And that was the beginning.

It's been a week. Yesterday was harder because we went out to eat, I ordered a soda and the waitress refilled my giant glass with more without asking me if I actually wanted it. But I'm feeling pretty confident that I can continue to limit my intake and eventually cut it down to none. The benefits have been obvious right off the bat.

For example:

There's more room in the recycle can.

I've spent less time (and by extension, less money) at the grocery store.

By the third day, my usual afternoon slump had disappeared.

It's easier to push myself through workouts. Perhaps because I'm drinking more water and am better hydrated?

I'm sleeping better, and have more energy during the day.

I've lost a couple of pounds already and my tastebuds are already starting to come around to regular food. That is, I'm not constantly craving something sweet.

This has been a long time coming and by putting it out there, I'm counting on you guys to keep me accountable!!

I'd also love to hear about how you beat a nasty habit and what the kicker was to make you do it. Leave me a comment!

Super Siblings

2011-03-14T19:51:00.003-04:00

Super Brother and Super Sister, at a recent superhero birthday party.

Menu Plan: Lent, The Season of Willpower

2011-03-14T07:57:00.002-04:00

It's Lent, and that means it's my annual 6 weeks of trying to find meatless meals that everyone in the family will eat. It also means I gave up something big this year that is testing my willpower. But more about that later.

Despite being unemployed, I've been really busy lately, so this menu plan is based on food that I can fix with one eye closed. Here's what we'll be eating:

**Ranch Chicken Tacos--My husband really loves this meal, and both kids have been more adventurous lately, so I'm going for it. Plus, really, who doesn't like ranch dressing?
**Pizza--I asked for requests this week and my 6-year-old pizza freak asked for this. I'm really leaning towards the frozen kind, but I'll add salad and breadsticks with it.
**Garlic Shrimp and Chickpeas--From the latest issue of Food Network magazine, I'll make this for my seafood loving hubby on Friday. Not being a shrimp eater myself, I'll throw some of the chickpeas into a big salad.
**Hamburger Soup--I came up with this easy and versatile dish when blogging about canned foods for Potluck. You can read my post here. Bread and salad on the side.
**Lemon Chicken--The recipe for the marinade for this yummy meal came from a package of True Lemon. It also falls into my super easy category, so what's not to like?

While you're at it, pop over to Potluck and read about how I used the website to plan my shopping trip.

What are you eating these days?

The Wind Blew

2011-02-26T14:42:00.004-05:00

Friday morning started with a roaring rainstorm, and when that left, it was replaced with insane wind. It blew the lid off my recycle can, it blew the other trashcan flat over on its side. It picked up my birdbath and flung it into the neighbor’s yard like a Frisbee. It blew the door on the cabinet on the back patio open and then it banged it over and over until I went out and wedged the snow shovel against the door to keep it shut. It tumbled two heavy planters down my neighbor’s porch. It tore flashing off a roof by my son’s school. When Maureen and I walked down the street, it blew so hard at our backs that I stumbled and Maureen was literally lifted off her feet. It took her hat off her head and flung it 20 feet in the air and ripped the mittens off her hands. And then somewhere it blew hard enough that our power went out.

We ran errands to kill time, but when we got home, the power wasn’t restored. We opened all the blinds and stayed by the front windows to make the most of the waning light. I called BGE to report the outage. I never realized how many times an afternoon my kids open the fridge or freezer until we had to worry about keeping the cold in so the food wouldn’t spoil.

The kids decided it was an adventure and ran around looking for toys with lights to use as flashlights; I fretted over the lack of bars on my cell phone’s battery. I discovered the one flashlight we own had dead batteries and the only candles we had were tea lights. The toy-as-flashlight thing worked pretty well. So did my laptop, which was mercifully charged.

While the wind continued to howl outside, I called BGE again, just in case they didn’t register my first call. Then I turned the phone off.

Luckily, we have a gas stove. The oven has an electric ignitor, so that was useless, but I lit the burners with matches and made dinner without using the microwave. I felt sort of like Ma Ingalls, cooking and doing the dishes by candlelight, although I’m positive Ma Ingalls wouldn’t have made chicken nuggets and edamame.

The brown and black cat lurked in the shadows, invisible, until I found him by tripping over him and nearly breaking my ankle. The kids ran around in the dark, somehow not falling down, while I peered out the window and wondered why the streetlights were on while all the houses were dark. We all put on extra sweaters.

The wind blew. It blew the sale sign off a house until it crashed down on someone’s car. I debated calling BGE again and decided they probably knew. I debated the chances of them sending a guy up a pole while insane wind whipped around him and decided it was going to be a dark, cold night. I thought about Ma Ingalls again and thought that while she didn’t rely on Tyson for dinner, she probably had to help a screaming preschooler put her underwear on in the pitch black. The kids jumped on their beds while I went through Facebook withdrawal. I finally figured out why people on the prairie went to bed as soon as the sun went down. With no DVR and no Internet and no heat, what else was there to do except get a headache trying to read by candlelight and worry about nodding off and burning down the cabin?

The hubby came home with batteries and better candles, so we had more light. The kids went to bed as usual and I finally gave up reading and went to bed too. The power came back on at 5AM, when the heat kicked on and the hubby had to get up and turn all the lights off. Other than the cold, I decided it wasn't too awful. After all, it did get me in bed at a reasonable hour and I feel more rested than I have in ages.

This morning I went out and picked up all the crap that blew around in the yard and did all the chores from yesterday that didn't get done because they require power. We're all pretty much sick of winter around here, but at least the storm and insane wind was rain and not snow, because then I'd really be crazy.

Menu Plan: Canned Goods Keep Falling On My Toes

2011-02-14T06:06:00.000-05:00

Last month, as part of the Can Can Sale at ShopRite, all us awesome Potluck bloggers received boxes and boxes of canned goods. Coffee, beans, veggies, fruit, soup, you name it. I have used a lot of it, but the rest is crammed into a very narrow cabinet next to my dishwasher, and as luck would have it, whichever canned item I need is always at the way back. Which means sitting on the floor and taking everything in front of it out. It's February. My floor is cold. I do not like to sit on it. Plus, every time I restack, it becomes more precarious and when I open that cabinet, things fall on my toes. So my menu plan for this week aims to make that cabinet a tad less crowded.

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

**Caribbean Pot Roast with mashed potatoes--I've yet to figure out what makes this roast Caribbean. The cocoa? Not sure, but it has sweet potatoes in it, and I conveniently have a can of those! Veggies and salad on the side.
**Tangy Pork Chops--Bone-in chops are on sale this week, so I'm going to make this yummy dish, the sauce is just fantastic. More potatoes to go with it, and maybe some kind of green veg.
**Fresh Pasta with Garlic Bread and Caprese Salad--Valentine's Day is shaping up to be a pretty crazed day, schedule wise. But I still want to feed the fam something tasty and special. So we'll be having fresh ravioli from ShopRite's deli section, along with garlic bread and tomato and mozz salad. Valentine's Day might not be Italian, but this meal is. Yum!
**Beef Stirfry Over Rice--I have a yummy and easy recipe for stirfry that uses steam-in-microwave veggies and canned pineapple for a sweet and sour meal that comes together in literally 15 minutes. Salad on the side.
**Chicken Breasts with Spinach-Artichoke Stuffing--The H and I ate at Bonefish Grill last summer and I had this delicious chicken dish topped with goat cheese, spinach, etc. This is my version of it, and I have to say it's pretty darn good. Goat cheese is my new favorite ingredient.
**Tilapia Milanese--The latest issue of Food Network magazine is all Italian. This crispy fish meal looks like something my kids might try, or I could try to pass it off as chicken. Couscous and veggies to go with it.

What are you eating these days?

If you missed it, I have three more posts up at Potluck. How to Make A Menu Plan, Dinner In A Pinch: Tuna Noodle Casserole and Build A Better School Lunch. Go check them out!

The Amazing Power Of Friendship

2011-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Step into any bookstore or check out any online parenting forum and you'll likely find plenty to read about the "Mommy Wars." The so-called Mommy Wars pit working mothers against stay-home moms, breastfeeders against bottle feeders, spankers against non-spankers, you name it. But personally, I've never really felt like the Mommy Wars existed in my own life. Oh sure, we've all had a run in or two with the nasty judgemental playground mom, and I do think the "war" is fought more over the Internet. It's a lot easier to be mean to someone when you don't have to worry about running into them at the grocery store or softball practice.

But most of the strongest rocks in my life are other women, other moms, and that's never been more apparent than in the past few months.

In November, I had knee surgery. In the week it took me to literally get back on my feet, I was overwhelmed with phone calls and messages, wanting to know if I needed anything. One friend familiar with my diet soda problem figured I might be stuck in the house and unable to get out, so she stopped by with a 6 pack. Her timing was impeccable and that small gesture meant so much. Another mom brought Maureen home from school when I just couldn't handle the 5 blocks and back on crutches.

Another time, a Facebook friend made a careless comment that unintentionally hurt my feelings. Again, my inbox was filled with messages saying, "She's wrong."

And just a couple of weeks ago, I lost my job. I was aware the economy was rotten, but after nearly 8 years at the same job, I didn't see it coming. It felt like being punched in the gut. (There's also a lesson in there about not letting yourself become too complacent. Keep your resume updated, even if you think you don't need to.) For awhile, I was very distraught. Who came to the rescue? That's right, those other women, those other moms. Phone calls checking on me. Offers to pass around my resume to people they knew. Offers to babysit my kids so I can go on interviews. One hysterical and slightly juvenile Facebook chat on an evening when I was really down that left me feeling loads better.

We all have our coping mechanisms for getting through tough times. In my world, that means leaning on others when I need it, and offering my shoulder when others need it. Because lacing up the combat boots and going to war over who feeds their kids hot dogs and who feeds organic vegan meals is ridiculous. Underneath the differences, we're all pretty much the same. And combat boots are ugly. Having friends that you can count on makes it pretty awesome to be a mom. A big heartfelt thanks from me to you. You know who you are.

JoJo Designs Polka Dot Ladybug Toddler Bedding Review

2011-02-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

Last month, I mentioned that I'm redecorating the kids room. We never thought we'd be in the city this long. So we didn't really bother doing much with the room. But with the economy, and the rotten real estate market, it doesn't look like we're going anywhere anytime soon. So the time has come to redo the room.

There are some challenges involved, since the room is shared by opposite gender siblings with very different interests and likes. How do you decorate a room for a 6 year old boy with a vast Lego collection that loves trucks and sports AND a 4 year old girl who loves pink and cats and dolls?

The first step was coming up with a color scheme. I'll eventually be sharing photos when the whole room is finished, but the first step was thanks to CSNStores.com.

Maureen likes pink, but she also likes ladybugs, so we ended up with this adorable ladybug bedding set from JoJo Designs. She's very pleased with her super cute and girly bedding and I'm very pleased that we're well on our way to a new room!

The set comes with a fitted sheet to fit a standard crib/toddler bed mattress, a flat sheet, standard pillow case and a standard sham, and a comforter that fits the standard crib mattress. There are also matching options available, from curtains to a cute throw rug.

It came through the wash great and dried quickly. She is comfortable at night. The fitted sheet has deep pockets, which I love. (I hate fitted sheets that pop off!) I also love that the comforter is reversible. It's just as cute on the other side.

Thanks to CSNStores.com for this opportunity, and stay tuned for the finished product coming soon.

disclaimer: I received the above bedding set at no charge in exchange for my review. Rest assured that all opinions are my own and I am not being paid for a positive review.

Future Nurse

2011-02-11T12:50:00.002-05:00

Big brother is home sick from school today with a fever. Little sister is very concerned about him. And as much as sibling rivalry drives me nuts, moments like these make me melt.

Disney On Ice: Princess Wishes Ticket Giveaway

2011-02-02T20:09:00.006-05:00

My four year old daughter is firmly entrenched in the Princess stage. So I know she'll be so excited to see all her favorites on the ice next week at Disney On Ice's Princess Wishes show!

Starting next week, you can catch Tinkerbell, Mulan, Ariel, Snow White and all the others at the First Mariner Arena! Below are show times and ticket information. You can score 4 tickets for 44 dollars for the weekday show, or 4 dollars off weekend shows too, just use the code MOM when ordering.

1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore MD, February 9th -13th

Show Times:
Weds. Feb. 9th at 7:30 p.m.
Thurs. Feb. 10th at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 11th at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 12th at 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 13th at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Venue/Ticket Information:

Visit www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-551-SEAT. Tickets may also be purchased at Ticketmaster Retail Locations, or by purchasing them at the arena’s box office. For Group Sales, call (410) 347-2006.

THE GIVEAWAY
I have four tickets to give away for opening night! These tickets are ONLY good for opening night, so please check your availability before entering. This giveaway will be open until Feburary 6th and I'll choose and notify the winner on Monday, February 7th. Please make sure I have a valid email address so I can notify you if you win! To enter, leave me a comment below and tell me who your favorite Disney princess is and why. Good luck!

Congrats to Rachel! She wins the 4 pack of tickets to opening night.

Noodles and Company Giveaway

2011-01-30T19:02:00.004-05:00

Many of us make New Years resolutions that have to do with food. One of my goals for this year is to actually buy less food. That is, I'm focusing on slashing our grocery bills. Whether your goal is to eat better or lose weight or stay out of the store, having the right tools will help you get there.

Eating out can sometimes be a minefield if you're counting calories or fat grams, but Noodles and Company wants to help you reach your diet goals. Check out these new online tools: the 400 calorie cheat sheet, nutrition and allergy guide, and the nutrition sorter.

The Giveaway
I have a coupon for a free bowl of noodles, soup or salad at Noodles and Company to give away. To enter, leave me a comment telling me what makes it hardest to stick to a healthy eating plan. For example, maybe you're busy and finding the time to prepare a meal is difficult, or perhaps you're faced with temptation at the office. This giveaway will end on Friday, February 4th at midnight and I'll choose and notify the winner on Saturday. Please make sure I have a valid email address. Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US residents. Good luck!

disclaimer: I received a coupon for a free bowl of soup, salad or noodles. Rest assured that all opinions are my own and I am not being paid for a positive review.

How Far Should Parents Go To Protect Their Kids From Teasing?

2011-01-28T16:47:00.004-05:00

When my daughter, now four, was two years old, she was diagnosed with strabimus, which is a muscular issue in which the one or both eyes turn inward, outward or upward. She had an MRI and eventually surgery to move two muscles per eye. For about a week after that, the whites of her eyes were red and she looked like one of those creepy devil rabbits, but recovery was otherwise uneventful and until recently she's been doing great.

Over the summer, several family members all independently noticed that her eyes were turning inward again, although not as severely as before. She wasn't due to see the specialist again for another couple of months, but I took her in early and he concluded that her eyes are indeed crossing. He said to give it three months and watch her, and after three months she was pretty much the same.

At our last visit, he said that while her vision is okay and the crossing is cosmetic, he could "fix" her. She would have to wear glasses, bifocals with a line to be exact, and they would need to be very specifically made, which is doctor code for expensive. He also said that the choice is ours and he wouldn't be upset of we decided to skip the glasses.

We opted to give her a few more months, which would also give us the opportunity to put money into our FSA and pay for glasses with that. We're coming up on her next appointment soon, so we'll see what the doctor has to say, but in the meantime I'm no closer to deciding how I feel about fixing what is primarily a cosmetic issue.

Part of the reason I'm waffling is because I once read an article that said strabismus is one of the top reasons kids get teased in school. Preserving a healthy esteem is a tricky thing, and I have pretty strong feelings about parents who knowingly provide kids with a reason to be cruel. For example, I went to school (a very long time ago) with a girl who had terrible acne and her parents refused to take her to the dermatologist because "acne is normal." The extent of her skin problems was actually not normal and it really affected her in so many ways. Kids are cruel and in the absence of a reason to tease someone, they invent reasons, but why make it easy for them?

On the other hand, Maureen is probably going to be short and I'm certainly not going to inject her with growth hormone to make her taller. She has very curly hair and I wouldn't chemically straighten it. She will have to learn, as so many of us do, to love herself the way she is. If we get her glasses to fix her eyes, she could be teased for being a "four eyes," as I was.

Being teased can certainly help kids learn to deal with difficult people, as well as teach them to be kind, but incessant and unrelenting teasing can have a lasting impact too. How many people do you know who still have not forgotten how horrible it was to be the victim of bullying?

No easy answers here and for now, we're just treading water and waiting for the next doctor appointment.

What do you think? To what extent do you think parents should go to in order to protect their kids from being teased? And if this was you, what would you do?

Wherein I Talk About Food, Cooking and Grocery Shopping Incessantly

2011-01-23T10:58:00.000-05:00

If you're a regular reader, you know I like to talk about food. I post my menu plans, I talk about ways to get kids to eat real food. I like to try my hand at recreating restaurant dishes. And I make a lot of references to the grocery store.

I'm also happy to announce that this year I'll be blogging about all those things and more over at Potluck, the blog for ShopRite grocery stores! As the Maryland representative, I'm joining 11 other great food bloggers from PA, New York, New Jersey, CT, and Delaware. I'll be blogging for ShopRite for the whole year, so be sure to check it out as I share recipes, money saving strategies, tips on using the website and more.

My first two posts are live too, so click over for Quick and Easy Chicken with Blackberry Preserve Sauce and Easy Meals From Your Canned Goods Stock.

Room Sharing And Decorating

2011-01-20T21:52:00.004-05:00

I've written in the past about some of the challenges of living in a rowhome, specifically storage. We've pretty much got the tricks down for that, but this winter we're faced with a new issue. We have opposite gender children with very different likes and interests, and they share a room. How does one decorate a room in a case like this so that both kids are happy with it?

I've been kicking around ideas, and as usual, it's CSNstores.com to the rescue! I've worked with this great company in the past and am so pleased to have yet another opportunity.

Very soon, I'll be reviewing a product from one of over 200 online stores that makes this difficult task ahead of me a little easier. And if you haven't checked them out yet, do it! The convenience of shopping from your living room, and a great source to find unusual items, like TV stands for flat screens, baby gear, outdoor furniture, pretty much anything you want.

Stay tuned for pictures of the transformation of the room and my review. And I'd love to know what you do to make your child's room functional yet cozy.

What To Do When You Hate Breastfeeding

2011-01-05T20:48:00.003-05:00

Way back when I first started writing for API Speaks, I wanted to write a piece about what to do when you don’t like breastfeeding. That is, you’re physically capable of it and the mechanics of it are going okay, but you don’t enjoy it, and for whatever reason, want to continue anyway. For example, one woman I talked to had a baby that was slightly premature and born right before flu season; she felt breastfeeding reduced his chances of getting sick. Another mother breastfed, despite not enjoying it, because of a family history of serious food allergies. Or you could be like me and just be cheap. I didn’t want to pay for formula.

Briefly, when I was pregnant with my first child, I always knew I would breastfeed. I never even considered doing otherwise. If I’d had any misgivings in the first place, hearing stories from other mothers would have convinced me. They all talked about how much they loved nursing, and how they cried when they had to wean. Many who couldn’t nurse felt guilty or like they’d missed out on a crucial part of being a new mom. I also seem to be acquainted with a lot of mothers who continue to breastfeed until their child is 2, 3 or even 4 years old.

So you can imagine my shock when my baby was born and I didn’t fall in love with nursing. Sure, there were some bumps in the road, but eventually I figured it out and while I would never have called it easy, it was definitely do-able. Both my babies were good eaters and latched with no problems. Neither was a colic-y baby or a reflux-y baby. While I do take medication for a thyroid disorder, regular pumping kept my supply up.

But…I didn’t like it. I enjoyed the time I spent with my babies, but I never felt like breastfeeding was a critical part of that time. I would have been just as happy feeding with a bottle.

I still can’t quite put into words exactly what it was that I didn’t like. Maybe it was something to do with being exhausted all the time because I was always sitting in a chair with a feeding baby. Maybe it was having to, by default, get out of bed at 3AM, even if I was sick as a dog, because my choices were either feed the baby or use the pump while my husband bottle fed the baby. Maybe it was resentment that the magical experience that everyone had promised never materialized. Maybe I felt stuck. Who knows. I stuck with it because I figured I never intended to nurse much past a year anyway, and it was just one year of my life. Since my body was capable of producing enough milk, I felt sort of obligated to continue instead of paying money for formula. And what sort of lactivist would I be if I gave it up because it wasn’t warm and cozy, when so many moms desperately want to breastfeed and can’t?

In the end, my body took care of making the choice to wean for me. Once my cycle returned, my supply dipped and then disappeared altogether. The first time around, I stuck it out for a couple of months, popping herbal supplements and cranking up the pump more frequently, but eventually I had to admit defeat and buy the formula. When the same thing happened with the second baby, a little earlier this time, I didn’t try too hard with the fenugreek and the machine. I was ready to be done, ready to have my body back, ready to do the bottle thing and be happy about it.

Fast forward a couple of years, when I intended to write about this topic for API Speaks and wanted a professional to give me a good meaty quote or two. I put out feelers here and there and while I heard from dozens of women who knew exactly what I was talking about, not one lactation consultant, nurse or doula would speak to me. One LC suggested that maybe I was a victim of abuse and that’s why I had such negative feelings. Not true. She thought maybe a lack of support contributed, but that wasn’t true either. My husband, my mom, my friends were all incredibly supportive and knowledgeable. She put forward more guesses, but none of them panned out. Finally, confronted and bamboozled by the idea of a woman who just did not like breastfeeding, for no apparent reason, she retreated and declined to comment on my article.

The thing is, I KNOW I’m not unusual and that my experience wasn’t all that weird. Over and over again, I hear from mothers who did not enjoy breastfeeding. Some quit. Others, like me, stayed with it. Looking back, I’m glad I made the choice that I did. But I’m still a little put out that the whole thing was so sugarcoated from the very beginning. If it’s not that uncommon for nursing moms to not be crazy about it, why didn’t anyone ever mention it? And why did so many so-called breastfeeding supporters act like I was a liar, a weirdo, a leper, a traitor to womankind? Like the cover-or-don’t-cover controversy, why was I left feeling like I was “doing it wrong?”

What helped, besides comparing notes with other moms, was keeping it in perspective. My life with babies was otherwise happy, my children were healthy and thriving and feedings were just one aspect of our days. It didn’t have to be forever. I set goals. I would breastfeed for 3 months and then reevaluate. 6 months and reevaluate, etc. It made it easier knowing I could stop at any time. Introducing solids helped too, because that eventually did reduce nursing time. And while I hated pumping, it was comforting knowing I had a supply in the freezer so I could get out on my own from time to time. When the time came to stop for good, I felt satisfied, knowing I’d given it my best effort.

I’d like to hear from you. Did you have a similar experience? If so, how did you deal with it, and how did others react if and when you discussed it?

Menu Plan: New Year

2011-01-03T20:48:00.002-05:00

It's a new year and I celebrated by going off to the gym on the first day of the year. On my way there, I passed a guy walking down the road with what looked like a bundle of clothes under his arm. He looked like he was suffering from the worst hangover of his life, making me thankful that my New Year's Eve was considerably less exciting (work until 9, Outback Carryout for dinner, watching the ball drop and immediately going to bed).

Anyway, my knee is feeling pretty good and I've been running slowly and steadily. I can't put into words how good it feels to be back on the road. So I don't want to ruin all my hard work with poor eating. New year, great time to really pay attention to what goes onto the plate. Here's what we'll be eating.

**Zesty Hamburger Soup--I like to make soup when it's cold out. Not only is it easy and filling, but it's a great way to load up on veggies. And it makes great leftovers. Salad and bread to go with it.
**Ravioli--On Christmas Day, John's aunt hosted the fam and she made ravioli, which Johnny loved, prompting him to declare her a better cook than me. Hurt feelings aside, I was happy that he ate it, because I've made ravioli in the past and he declined to eat it. So we'll have it again, with garlic bread and steamed veggies.
**Sweet and Sour Chicken--A Healthy Cooking Magazine recipe, I have all the ingredients and it falls under the category of "so easy I could do it asleep." Salad and veg on the side.
**Individual Tuna Casseroles--My mom gave me ramekins for Christmas, so I'm going to try this recipe to break them in. Ramekins are so cute! Maybe broccoli with it.
**Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms--Another easy crowd pleaser. Also much tastier than the school cafeteria version with mystery meat and gloppy gravy. Egg noodles, steamed veg and maybe salad.
**Easy Cheesy Ranch Chicken--This recipe came from the label on a bottle of ranch dressing many years ago. I haven't made it in ages. It's fast. As the name implies, it's easy. And it's yummy. Score.

What are you eating these days?

2011 Resolution: It's Not What You Might Expect

2010-12-30T20:59:00.003-05:00

The New Year starts on Saturday and that means for the next couple of months, the gym is going to be pretty crowded. Most gyms, including ours, run membership specials at the beginning of the year, hoping to entice people who overate and overdrank and pretty much overindulged in all areas over the holidays, and then made "lose weight" a resolution for the coming year.

Which is great, I like to see people take charge of their health, but it also makes it pretty darn hard to grab a machine when I've only got a limited amount of time before I need to get back home for school pick up.

Anyway, I'm a fan of resolutions, particularly small, reasonable attainable goals, but I'm not making a big list of things to do this year. Believe me, there are things I have planned, like easing back into running now that I'm 8 weeks out from knee surgery, and actually going to bed when I'm tired instead of staying up way too late on some not-that-important project or chore. But I'm really only making one actual resolution and it has nothing to do with being healthy or fit or environmentally friendly.

My resolution is...wait for it...to take better care of my vacuum cleaner.

I read in some magazine recently that vacuum cleaners are one of the most neglected appliances. (Also on the list, dishwashers.) And I believe it. I bought my new vacuum recently, when the one we got as a wedding present died. In the past, I could really care less what sort of shape my vacuum was in, as long as it worked. But this new one was expensive. When I went to use it the other day, it wasn't sucking well, and I realized I really needed to empty the receptacle. Doing that helped, but the fact remains that my vacuum is gross. Gross. Ga-Ross.

So for 2011, I resolve to pay more attention to the state of my vacuum cleaner. Not just emptying the dirt cup when it gets full, but washing it out from time to time. Attempting to remove all that hair (my hair) that's wound around the brush. Actually changing the filters when they get dirty instead of banging them off on the deck railing. Maybe it'll last longer, maybe it will work better. I'm pretty sure that's a nice and easy and attainable resolution.

How about you? Do you take care of your vacuum? And are you making resolutions this year?

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-24T06:00:00.002-05:00

First Snow

2010-12-23T11:18:00.002-05:00

Giveaway Week: Fashion To Figure

2010-12-22T23:00:00.005-05:00

Perhaps you have a fancy New Year's Eve party to attend, or perhaps you just haven't had anything new to wear in awhile. The kind folks at Fashion To Figure have offered me a giveaway, just in time to start the new year. Fashion To Figure is a store catering to plus size ladies, featuring fashionable and trendy items in sizes 12 to 26. Not being plus size, I have not been able to sample the clothing, but I do know how hard it can be to find fashionable clothing to fit a post baby body, so I hope you'll enter!

The Giveaway
One lucky reader will win an item from Fashion To Figure. To enter, take a look at the links below, then leave me a comment letting me know which item you would like. This contest will be open until December 27th and you'll have 24 hours to get back to me if you win. I'm sorry, but this contest is open only to US residents. I must have a valid email address to contact you. Good luck!

Cheetah Ponte Dress

Striped Cardigan with Cami

Animal Scoop Top

Ponte Military Bolero

Fold Stretch Pencil Skirt

Lightwash Bootcut Jeans with Silver Studs

Zebra Square Pendant Ring

Knot Weave Ring

Silver Charm Necklace with Animal Beads

disclaimer: I received no compensation or product in exchange for this giveaway. Rest assured that all opinions are my own.

Giveaway Week: Anything Card from Noodles & Company

2010-12-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

As Christmas quickly approaches, you may have someone on your gift list that you haven't been able to cross off yet. Every family has them, those people that are hard to shop for. The person who has everything. The person with no hobbies. Or the person who hates everything. What on earth do you get them?

I tend to give food, because everyone likes to eat. Gifting a picky eater? Give a gift card and let them choose something on their own.

This week, I'm planning several giveaways for items either for you to give as a gift or to keep for yourself. If you choose the latter, I won't tell!

Up first, I have a 10$ Anything Card from Noodles & Company.

To enter, leave a comment telling me who is hardest for you to shop for, and why. I must have a valid email address, so please make sure you include it. This contest will end on 12/21/2010 and if you win, you'll have 24 hours to get back to me with your address. I'm sorry, but this contest is only open to US Residents. Good luck!

disclaimer: As part of my giveaway, I received a gift card from Noodles and Company. Rest assured all opinions are my own.

The Fourth Annual Christmas Tree Cutting

2010-12-12T23:24:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again, and that means my family set off today on our annual trek through the woods in search of the perfect Christmas tree. And by perfect, I mean one that isn't too heavy or too tall, that gets chopped down without anyone losing fingers or getting crushed by the falling tree. What it actually looks like is secondary. I'm not too hard to please.

For the past three years, our tree cutting weekend has fallen on the coldest weekend of the winter. This winter was different, but as it rained, I think I prefer the cold. Although, even in years when it's dry, the farms are still muddy, and I haven't quite figured that one out yet.

The day started out actually fairly warm, in the mid-50's, so my husband left his jacket at home. And it was only misting. By the time we got to the tree farm, the temp had dropped ten degrees and it was pouring down rain. The advantage of this is that the parking lot was mostly empty. The disadvantage is copious quantities of the aforementioned mud. But we found a suitable tree fairly quickly, cut it down, and hauled it down the slippery, muddy hill. We tried for a family picture, but the employee taking it couldn't figure out how to not breathe for the three seconds it took to flash, hence the smoky look. Unfortunate, because otherwise it's a great photo. I got a great one of the kids too, but you'll have to wait to see that one.

Despite the rain (and the mud) it is starting to feel like Christmas around here, but I'm wondering how long the tree will take to dry out before we can bring it inside!

Related Posts:
Year Three
Year Two
Year One

Settled

2010-12-10T06:14:00.000-05:00

A coworker of mine recently got engaged and I was reflecting on how different my life is now compared to when John and I were engaged and then newly married.

Specifically, you know you've been married for awhile when you complain about the weather and being cold at night and your husband buys you the most unsexy set of long underwear. They are warm and cozy and I love them. He loves me too, or maybe he just got tired of the moaning and complaining.

And you know you're a parent when you get out of bed at 830AM and that counts as sleeping in.

Can you add any?

Product Review: Lisbon Wall Cabinet from CSNStores.com

2010-12-09T09:46:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I was getting a new bathroom cabinet to replace one that had fallen apart. CSNStores.com was nice enough to provide me with an opportunity to review one.

I chose the Elite Home Fashions Lisbon Wall Cabinet. My order was quickly processed and shipped. One of the things about it that appealed to me were the doors; I'm a fan of having things hidden away. There's no need for my houseguests to know exactly what toothpaste or hair products I use. In addition, I wanted something decorative, and that glass doors, trim work and curtains make it look nicer than a piece with flat surfaces and no details.

The assembly and mounting job fell to my husband, and he said both were fairly easy.

The cabinet is sturdy, with a quality finish. It is small, but it's perfect for the small space we intended it for. I wish the curtain material were a tad thicker, because any objects with dark coloring do show through. But otherwise, I'm thrilled with my new cabinet and very glad to have my bathroom back in order.

Don't forget to check out CSNStores.com, where you can buy anything from baby cribs to bar stools to bedding and furniture!

Thanks to CSNStores.com for this opportunity!

**CSNStores.com provided me with a 75 dollar promotional code to use towards this item. Rest assured that all opinions are my own and I am not being paid for a positive review.

Help, Please

2010-12-07T19:26:00.003-05:00

Last March, a family skiing trip went horribly wrong when I fell down the mountain and hurt my knee. The second I hit the ground, I knew I had torn something, either cartilage or my ACL, but chose to treat the injury with rest and a healthy dose of denial. I spent the summer training for a half marathon, but in September the old injury flared and this time it was bad. I ended up having surgery in early November to remove the torn cartilage. Having had the other knee done in 1998 following a basketball injury, I thought I knew what to expect. But as it turned out, my recovery was a great deal more difficult than I had foreseen.

For starters, this was my right knee and I was completely unable to drive for a full week. For several days, I was in quite a bit of pain and getting around with crutches was difficult. I'm not a take it easy kind of girl, so it was really hard for me to let the house slide. I did not attempt to get the vacuum cleaner down the steps, but I did vacuum the upstairs while hopping along behind it on one leg.

I'm also not an ask for help kind of girl, so even though my husband and family and friends were more than willing to pitch in, it was hard for me to swallow anyway. Us perfectionists are like that. My husband and some family members were able to bring Johnny home from school for that first week, but on one morning, I decided I was perfectly capable of walking Maureen the 5 blocks to her preschool on crutches. Halfway there, I was exhausted, when a friendly busdriver took me pity on me, pulled over and let us hop aboard so we could ride the remaining blocks. Another mom took me home, and she brought Maureen home when school let out too.

I had to get creative. I temporarily suspended my rule on throwing, at least for me, because it was impossible to get down the steps on crutches while also carrying my shoes and jacket. So I tossed them down. I started carrying a tote bag everywhere with me in the house, because it's impossible to use crutches while also carrying small bottles of pain pills or my cell phone or whatever else. I put the kids to work and had them help me with dishes and such, because it's pretty much impossible to carry a dirty plate or a half full glass of water in any manner at all while on crutches. I learned that it IS possible to clean the bathroom while balancing on one leg. And for the first time since recovering from childbirth, I asked for carryout assistance at the grocery store.

One month post surgery, things are going okay, I can clean my house and do the shopping and pick the kids up from school just fine. No running yet, but hopefully soon. But this experience has taught me something about myself and it also makes me wonder why women have such a hard time asking for help. It's not just post surgery. How many of us insist we can do it all, when we're actually exhausted or stressed out or overscheduled or overburdened? Pride? The expectations of others? That pesky perfectionism again? Even if you don't care about how the house looks, or don't mind eating pizza night after night, so many of us are unable to say, "Yes, I'm having a hard time. I need some help."

How about you? Can you ask for help?

Always Fashionable (Even In The Rain)

2010-11-30T13:02:00.002-05:00

Someone Turned Four

2010-11-29T01:02:00.002-05:00

Last week, Maureen celebrated her 4th birthday. Her annual birthday letter will be coming eventually, but my laptop is in the throes of death, so my online time is limited to when The H is home, so I can use his.

Most of the photos have other people's kids in them, and I prefer to not post those here, but I did want to share this cute little frog.

For her party, we had a Princess Party and all the girls came dressed in fancy Princess dresses. They played Pass The Slipper (a princess version of musical chairs or the hot potato game) and Pin The Kiss On The Frog. Since these were mostly 3 and 4 year olds and I didn't want any of them walking into the wall, I used a sort of sheer scarf for the blindfold, and they figured out right away that they could sort of see. So all the kisses actually made it onto the frog.

After the games, they decorated foam crowns and had cake and ice cream and then the party was over. Since she likes cats, the cake was decorated to look like a cat face. Not my best effort, but it tasted good.

Happy Birthday, Maureen!

Menu Plan: The Cookbook Version

2010-11-29T00:11:00.003-05:00

Next to the steps in our house is a floor to ceiling built in bookshelf, and those shelves are mostly crammed with cookbooks. I don't tend to follow recipes to the letter, but I like cookbooks to get ideas or for general guidelines.

Lately though, I've been getting recipes and ideas from cooking magazines and the Internet, so I decided this week to actually crack some of those dusty cookbooks and plan my meals from those pages.

Here's what we'll be eating.

**Chicken with Apple Cream Sauce--This comes from the Taste of Home Cookbook that my mom gave me for Christmas one year. The list of ingredients is short. In fact, the only thing I don't already have is the cream. I'll serve it with rice and veggies.
**Fully Loaded Chili--Another Taste of Home recipe, this chili features 4 different kinds of beans. I've made it before, so I guess that's sort of cheating, but it's also in the book and I have most of the beans. Bread on the side.
**Cheese and Tomato Pizza--This one is from Cheese, 40 Sumptuous Cheese Recipes For All Occasions. It was another gift from my mom. Pizza doesn't sound very ambitious, but this one has homemade crust and is made with fresh mozz, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. Yum!
**Lamb Pie with Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes--It's definitely that time of year for stick to your ribs, warm you from inside food. This recipe is from Pot Pies, Comfort Food Under Cover, and I had a terrible time deciding which of the many delicious pot pies to make. The decision finally came down to the fact that we have lamb chops in the freezer. Plus, the various components to this recipe can be made in advance and assembled later.
**Pasta and Chicken Gratin--From Thursday Is Potluck, this dish not only sounds easy, but delicious as well. And who doesn't like melted cheese? Salad and veg to go with it.

Do you have a lot of cookbooks? What are you eating these days?

CSN Stores Product Review

2010-11-16T18:52:00.005-05:00

My husband and I have been married for 8 1/2 years. Our house has changed a lot over the years, as we transitioned from newlyweds to parents. Nearly 9 years in, a lot of the things we received as wedding gifts are starting to wear out. I've broken a bunch of dishes in the past few months, and our towels are starting to look a little ratty. So we're slowly going room by room and replacing things. It's time consuming and also a little mind boggling because there are so many choices and so many retailers.

So I was thrilled to hear from CSN Stores again. You may remember that in the past, I've reviewed a sand table, a boy's bedding set and a kid's bike. I've always been very pleased both with the company and the products!

What's even better is that CSN has over 200 online stores with tons of choices, everything from bar tables and stools to baby cribs to home decor and more.

I have chosen a storage item for my bathroom to replace something that broke awhile ago, and hopefully it will help me organize things, as well as look great.

Stay tuned for my review!

Menu Plan: Fall Favorites

2010-11-15T08:09:00.002-05:00

Fall finally found us and winter is near. Say it ain't so! Alas, the mornings are chilly and it's freaking dark by 5PM. Bye bye, warmth and sunlight, see you next Spring.

However, if there's one good thing about cold and dark, it's the opportunity to cook food that really sticks to your ribs. Here's what we'll be eating.

**Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole--An old favorite from my childhood. Plus both kids just love ham. I'll serve it with salads and some kind of veggie.
**Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup--A few weeks ago, I made Bean Soup and Johnny not only ate an entire bowl, but proclaimed that he loves onions when they are cooked with other things. And he also asked me to make chicken soup. So here it is. Salad and bread to go with it.
**Mexican Chicken Fingers-My mom gave me a subscription to The Food Network magazine, and these chicken fingers look like a good opportunity to use up all those partial boxes of taco shells in my pantry. Some kind of veg with it and maybe fries?
**Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara--Over the summer at the beach, I caught an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay that focused on Mac and Cheese. Turns out the episode is a couple of years old AND when my first issue of my new mag came, there was the recipe right there! So it's a sign. I need to make it. Yum.
**Buffalo Sliders--The H and I both independently purchased large packages of ground beef that now need to be used. And the last time he was on a business trip, I made these burgers for his parents and he was sad to miss it. So I'm making them for him next week. Fries, salad and maybe corn with it.

What are you eating these days? And have you entered my latest giveaway yet?

Cradle Rock Review and Giveaway

2010-11-12T20:09:00.003-05:00

One look at my iPod will tell you I'm a girl who likes a wide variety of music. I'm also influenced by the music I grew up listening to, especially those artists favored by my parents. That's why I love ABBA, Bob Seger, CCR, John Denver and Patsy Cline.

One thing I'm not a fan of is most music composed for kids. I know I'm not alone, most parents find it boring, annoying or just too cutesy. But now that my kids are older, I find myself increasingly disinclined to let them listen to current music because the lyrics are inappropriate or offensive.

So when I was offered the chance to preview three CDs for kids based on music by iconic artists, I accepted with a bit of trepidation.

And I was very happy to be pleased with what I heard.

Cradle Rock Cds are instrumental lullabies adapted from the music of Kenny Chesney, Michael Jackson and Johnny Cash. Rather than using them at bedtime, I played them on a day when I needed some quiet, hoping the soothing music would encourage my kids to find a less frantic method of play. Not only did it work, but both expressed interest in the music. My favorite was the Johnny Cash version, "Crawl the Line." The Michael Jackson CD was just as good. Not being familiar with Kenny Chesney's music, I can't speak to how true the instrumental lullaby versions remain to the originals, but the music was pleasing to listen to and blended well into our day.

To check out more about Cradle Rock and to listen to what it's all about, visit Cradlerockstore.com.

THE GIVEAWAY
One lucky reader will win a copy of the Cradle Rock CD of your choice. To enter, leave me a comment telling me which one you would like and why. This giveaway is only open to US and Canadian residents and will close on Thursday, November 18, 2010. I'll choose and notify a winner on Friday, and you'll have 24 hours to get back to me. Please make sure I have a valid email address! Good luck!

disclaimer: I received all three copies of the Cradle Rock CDs at no charge to review. All opinions are my own and I am not being paid for a positive review.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-03T20:32:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T23:14:00.002-04:00

Bits and Pieces

2010-10-28T21:04:00.003-04:00

I apologize for my lack of posting, but these days I haven't had much to say. I do have Halloween photos coming soon though, so stay tuned!

Things have been mostly good here. In September, Johnny and I both had a terrible case of gastroenteritis, and on that same weekend, the shower water handle came off in my hand. The shower has no cut off valve, so that meant we had to turn off the main water, turn it back on to frantically shower and fill buckets and flush toilets, then turn it back off. Plus, it rained for several days straight, something on the roof was leaking, so we had a slight water problem in the basement. And did I mention that the big kid was barfing and my dryer was broken? After a few days and damp laundry draped over every surface, John finally pulled the dryer out and fixed it. And by "fixed it" I mean he rigged the broken piece with duct tape, because the replacement part, this tiny piece of plastic, costs one hundred dollars. After market parts are a rip off. A rip off, I'm telling you!

But other than that crappy weekend, we've been chugging along quite nicely. I still hate getting up early for school, but I'm used to it. It's nice having Maureen all to myself while Johnny is at school, and it's a lot easier running errands with only one kid in tow. It turns out Maureen is pretty agreeable when her brother isn't around to stir the pot.

Kindergarten is going great. He's happy and likes his teacher, although he says she's always telling him what to do. I'm astounded by the vast quantity of work his class does. So far, there are no homework battles. I'm happy so far.

Remember the knee injury? In September, the pain got a lot worse, so I had an MRI in October, which showed a cartilage tear and some cystic activity. So in roughly ten days, I'm having it fixed. Having been through this 12 years ago with the other knee, I'm pretty calm about the whole anesthesia/recovery process, but it's the aftermath that has me nervous. Hobbling after two active kids on crutches? Not possible. So please think good thoughts in my direction that I'm be ambulatory right away.

I'm also involved in Operation Clear Out, because I was down in my basement the other day and realized we had NINE bins of outgrown baby clothes. And stuff can only sit for so long. I was horrified to see that a lot of the newborn clothes that were clean when I put them away now had spit up stains on them! Gross! How does that happen? Anyway, that's been taking up some of my time.

I'd love to know what everyone has been up to and how school is going. Look for Halloween photos soon!

Menu Plan: Too Tired To Cook

2010-10-17T21:02:00.003-04:00

Now that school is in full swing, I no longer have an excuse to get Outback Carryout for dinner, or eat a bowl of cereal while the kids have oatmeal. Not that there's anything wrong with those options, but it's been happening far too often around here. I think it's got something to do with me not sleeping well lately (which mostly has to do with ignorant people who shoot off fireworks at 2AM, and also a cat that won't ever be quiet), and also with not exercising as much as usual. Which has to do with a cartilage tear in my right knee (thanks, skiing) that hurts on and off and has put a stop to running for now. I'm having surgery in a few weeks and hopefully that will fix the pain. But the gist of all that is that I'm tired and unmotivated and sometimes (a lot of times) it's easier to slack on dinner.

Anyway, last week Maureen went on a field trip to a farm with her preschool class and we came home with a big pile of fresh picked produce. A lot of it is turnips and sweet potatoes, so this latest menu plan is aimed at using up the stuff we picked.

**Caribbean Pot Roast--Having made this delicious dish several times, I'm still not sure what makes it Caribbean. But it will use up a bunch of the sweet potatoes and also some parsnips that have been languishing in my fridge. Bread and some kind of extra veggie on the side.
**Lemon Chicken and Root Veggie Mash--The marinade for this chicken is only a few ingredients, but it's also moist and tasty. The root veggie mash is a recipe from Prevention, and I'm looking forward to tasting how the turnips balance with the sweet potatoes. And also if the kids will eat it. Salad on the side.
**Greek Style Sliders--Johnny is a big burger fan, so I'm curious to find out how he feels about this version with yummy Greek cucumber sauce. The smaller size is better suited to small tummies too. Sweet potato fries on the side if there are any left, and maybe steamed yellow wax beans from the farm too.
**Bean Soup with Ham--Last week I thawed two ham steaks for Ham with Mustard Cream Sauce and then we only needed one. Since I can't refreeze the ham, and we're not in the mood for the mustard dish again so soon, I thought I'd make a nice pot of soup to help usher in fall. Bread and salad to go with it.
**Beef Stroganoff--Part of the haul from the farm included a small amount of dill. In the past, it's ended up as mush in a bag in the fridge, so I'm hoping to use it in an altered version of this recipe, using steak strips instead of ground beef. I might experiment with using partly plain yogurt in place of sour cream to save some calories.
**Breakfast For Dinner--I'm not a breakfast person. Both kids like to have food in their faces the instant they wake up, but my digestion takes longer to warm up to the idea of eating early in the morning. Breakfast for me is usually something small like a glass of milk and string cheese. We have a lot of eggs right now, so one night will be a variety of breakfast foods--omelets, waffles, and Maureen's favorite, soft boiled eggs.

What are you eating lately?

Noodles and Company Sandwich Coupon Giveaway

2010-10-14T12:18:00.005-04:00

My family loves pasta, but we're also big on sandwiches. Easy, portable, and requiring no utensils, a sandwich can make any meal a satisfying one.

Noodles and Company is known for their yummy pasta dishes, but now they have 4 sandwich duo options as well. I'm looking forward to trying the Spicy Chicken Caesar.

GIVEAWAY
Noodles and Company has given me items to give away. One lucky reader will win two coupons to try any sandwich and a fun bottle opener. To enter, click here to look at the sandwich options, then leave me a comment and tell me which sandwich you would like to try. This giveaway will be open for three days. I'll choose a winner on Sunday, October 17th. I must have a valid email address to contact you! Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US residents. Good luck!

disclaimer: I received coupons to try sandwiches from Noodles and Company. I have not been paid for a positive review and all opinions are my own.

If You Have A Moment Today

2010-10-14T11:59:00.003-04:00

School has been back in session for over a month now, and maybe your child's backpack is already looking worn. Or maybe half the pencils are lost already. Or maybe you just like to win stuff.

Pop over to Charm City Moms today and enter to win this fun backpack filled with pens and pencils and make Hanah's Cho's first giveaway a success!

Click here to enter Hanah's giveaway. And if you're mom to a tween girl in the Baltimore/DC area, have you entered my Girl World Tour Ticket giveaway yet?

Her New Favorite Hobby

2010-10-09T17:54:00.002-04:00

Girl World Tour Ticket Giveaway

2010-10-06T12:00:00.001-04:00

If you saw the movie Mean Girls, you probably thought it was pretty funny. But you also might have found yourself nodding along with parts of it and thinking, "That's so true!"

I read the book the movie was based on, Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, when my daughter was just a tiny baby. And even though she is still years away from full time school and potentially sticky social situations, I think about how to empower her to make good decisions and gracefully face challenges, while maintaining a great relationship with her. A girl's most important ally as she navigates those difficult years is her mother, but it can be hard for both mom and daughter to keep the lines of communication open. The world is a very different place for my daughter than it was when I was a girl.

On Monday, October 18th, as part of the Girl World Tour, author Rosalind Wiseman will host a mother-daughter workshop geared for moms and tween daughters ages 8 to 12. As she aims to help moms and daughters more effectively communicate with each other, Rosalind will offer practical advice and tools to help set the foundation for open communication, which is especially important as the daughters move from their tween to teen years and begin face even more challenges and issues that could put a child’s confidence at risk.

THE GIVEAWAY

Girl World Tour with Rosalind Wiseman
Presented by Dove deodorant and DontFretTheSweat.com

Date: Monday, October 18
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Event Location: Gordon Center for the Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Avenue, Owings Mills
Local Host: Greetings & Readings

I have TWO sets of tickets to giveaway to readers, normally a 40 dollar value. Attendees will also receive Wiseman's book, Queenbees and Wannabes and her new tween novel, Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials. To enter, leave me a comment telling me what your biggest concern is with raising a girl. If you win, your tickets will be held at Will Call, but I'll need to get in touch with you with the details, so please make sure your email address is in your Google Profile, or leave it in the body of your comment. If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I'm sorry but I will need to choose a new winner. Good luck!

Gifts From Busia

2010-10-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago for Christmas, one of Johnny's gifts was a bag full of pieces for a quilt. My mom was making each grandchild a quilt for their room, but busyness being what it is, none of the quilts were close to completion. So we took a peek to see the colors, then handed the bag back.

Johnny's quilt is now finished, and he is so lucky to have such a talented Busia. This isn't quite the whole thing, because I hung it on the line for better light, and didn't want it to drag on the ground. Johnny loves it!

Since Maureen's quilt is still in pieces, my mom made her this cute no-sew fleece in the meantime. It's two layers, so it has a nice weight to it and it's incredibly cozy. She loves it too!

Olive Garden Gift Card Giveaway

2010-10-04T00:00:00.002-04:00

When kids come along, it's funny how simple things like going out to eat get more complicated. Between finding a place that has highchairs and boosters, packing enough distractions in case there is a wait, and finding a family friendly venue, sometimes it's exhausting to treat yourself to a night out.

In this economy, sometimes it's just too pricey if you have a large family, so I always appreciate a place that delivers more bang for the buck.

Until October 10th, Olive Garden is offering the Never Ending Pasta Bowl, during which you can get endless servings of pasta and over 40 different sauce-pasta combinations. Each costs $8.95 per person. As always, you also get the restaurant's unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks.

THE GIVEAWAY
I have a 15 dollar Olive Garden Gift Card to give away to one lucky reader. Time is running out on the Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion, so this will be a 2 day giveaway. To enter, leave me a comment with the answer to this question: "You have to eat one kind of pasta sauce for the rest of your life. Do you choose marinara, meat sauce or Alfredo sauce?"

Please Note: I MUST have a valid email address to contact you if you win! Comments without contact information will not be included in the drawing. This giveaway ends at midnight EST on Tuesday October 4th and I'll choose and notify a winner the following day. If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I'll have to choose a new winner.

Good luck!

Congrats to our winner, Lora!!

First Fish

2010-10-03T19:46:00.003-04:00

The Plague House

2010-10-01T06:00:00.003-04:00

Moms with older children already know about the statistics involved with kids and stomach viruses. If you have a baby, or no kids yet, here's the deal. At some point, it's likely that one of your children will Upchuck In Public.

On Sunday, I took the kids to a birthday party for a friend of Maureen's who is turning 4. The party was at one of those jump places with the room full of giant inflatables, where the kids run around and scream and sweat buckets and then eat pizza and go home. We had a jumping party for Johnny when he turned 5.

Maureen was quiet in the van on the way there, and once inside, she said her stomach hurt. So I picked her up to comfort her. She put her head on my shoulder. And then she gagged. And then she threw up, mostly over my shoulder on the floor, but also partly on me.

Gross.

Luckily, we were early, so only a few kids were there waiting for the party to start. They instinctively ran to the farthest spot away from the barfer. I asked the employee behind the counter if she had any paper towels. She tore two off a roll and offered them to me.

Amateur. I leaned over and took the roll from her other hand.

And as I did that, Maureen heaved again, and this time she puked down my v-neck shirt. She drank a lot of water that morning, I was soaked. She was soaked. We both smelled disgusting.

Friends sprang into action. Within minutes, I had a complete change of clothes for Maureen and a clean t-shirt for myself. We headed off to the bathroom to clean up and change. Johnny didn't want to leave. When someone suggested that maybe Maureen was suffering from car sicknesses, he jumped right on that. "Yeah, she's just carsick! How about we stay at the party and Maureen can sit in the corner."

That's brotherly love for you. But, even if it was car sickness, there was no way we would subject the other party guests to two vomit-soaked and smelly people for two hours. Just the idea makes me want to hurl.

Luckily, friends stepped in again and volunteered to watch Johnny and then bring him home after the party so I could take the Cookie Tosser home.

Once home, Maureen took a bath and I showered and all the barfy clothes went into the wash. She laid on the couch and watched a movie and seemed to be feeling better (as one tends to do post-puking), but then she drank some water and threw up again. She ran a fever for about 12 hours and was tired and cranky for about 24, but is back to normal right now.

I spent a good portion of the rest of the day performing Operation Disinfect. I cleaned doorknobs, banisters, remotes, phones, light switches and all those other places that tend to get germy. After bedtime, I threw all the blankets from the couch into the wash, along with the hand towel Maureen wiped her mouth on. I considered spraying the couch with Lysol, but decided against it. I quarantined her toothbrush and threw all the toothbrushes away and replaced them with new ones once she was healthy again. The idea of stomach virus spreading to my other kid or to myself or husband was not something I wanted to do.

I'm not sure if it was successful or not. No one else barfed, but I spent two days feeling queasy and crampy and Johnny and I both had sinus and chest congestion and coughing. On Tuesday, I talked to another mom in the grocery store who said she disinfected her whole house after her toddler got sick, and still managed to catch it. We concluded we could have saved ourselves the effort.

Looking back, maybe it's a sign of adulthood or something to do with being the mom, but I was not the slightest bit embarrassed by my daughter's public retching. Barf happens. And, since I am the Queen of Optimism, there are several things that made a bad situation better.

1. No one worked up a sympathy puke.
2. She threw up in a lobby with tile floor that was easily mopped and disinfected. She did not throw up on carpet, in my car, or even worse, inside one of the moonbounce things. (OMG, can you imagine??!)
3. Since the party was also a pizza party, we didn't eat lunch before leaving the house, which minimized the chunk factor.
4. And the best thing, the friends I already mentioned, who are much better prepared than I am, and whose Girl Scout tendencies saved me from having to drive 30 minutes home soaked in barf.

Share with me--when someone in your household is sick, do you make any special effort to keep the other family members from getting sick? (And as an extra challenge, see if you can count how many synonyms for vomit I used in this post!)

Edited to add: 6 hours after this post went up, Johnny and I were both sick as dogs. He threw up at school and I had to get my husband to come home early from work because I was too sick to pick him up. 24 hours later the worst seems to be over, but now I'm washing everything washable and disinfecting the house to keep my husband from getting it.

City Garden

2010-09-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

Frequently, when I talked about my garden over the summer, people would ask what kind of garden I could possibly have when we live in the city.

As far as gardens go, it's small, but as far as CITY gardens go, I think it's pretty substantial. We've tried to make the most of the space we have, and, as garden's usually are, it's a work in progress. But I was very pleased with how everything looked this year.

Our yard is long and narrow, with no alley. Years ago, I discovered that there was a brick pathway buried underneath the dirt and weeds, so we unearthed that. We added a couple of raised beds. A few years ago, we put in the butterfly bush, and three small evergreens. I usually plant colorful annuals in pots that hang on the fence, but those were largely a failure this year because of the intense heat. Our deck usually has more larger containers of flowers, but this year we tried our hand at container veggie growing instead.

Our garden is small, but it's a tranquil place where I can sit and read a book and where my kids can learn about various kinds of butterflies and other beneficial insects.

This is what a city garden looks like.

Party Animals

2010-09-28T11:59:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, my 6 year old came home from school with an invitation to a birthday party.

Another one.

Which is great because he likes to party and it's always nice to be included. But if you count Johnny's party a few weeks ago, this will be the fourth kid party in about a month.

I thought about it and tried to figure out exactly how many birthday parties my children have been invited to this year. I lost count at nine. One was for my nephew, and there were at least 2 others that we couldn't attend because of previous commitments.

All of the parties so far were for children that both mine are friends with, so we didn't have to make arrangements for the other kid. But this latest one, Maureen is not invited because it's for one of Johnny's classmates.

The going rate for a birthday gift for a friend around here seems to be 10-15 dollars. There are 20 kids in Johnny's kindergarten class. Of course, not all of them will have birthday parties and some of them have summer birthdays. But theoretically, that's a big investment because all those ten and fifteen dollar gifts add up.

Since Johnny and Maureen are still at the ages where people tend to invite the whole class, we may have to come up with a plan to manage all the parties and gifts so they don't take over our weekends.

How about you? Do you have any guidelines for birthday parties?

Menu Plan: Crockpot To The Rescue

2010-09-24T09:38:00.003-04:00

My crockpot is one of my most favorite kitchen appliances. Especially in the fall when we have lots going on, but I still want to put a good meal on the table.

Here's what we'll be eating, thanks to my trusty Rival.

**Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage--Both kids love corned beef, and we haven't had it in a while. Leftovers are always great for reubens. And if you wait to add the cabbage until the end, you can use the crockpot for that too.
**Family Nacho Night--Earlier this week, my planned dinner never got off the ground, so my husband dug around in the fridge and made very basic nachos, which Maureen loved. (She calls them "nachios.") Restaurant nachos are usually a fatty, greasy calorie bomb, but I think with lots of veggies and beans, avocado and either cooked beef or chicken, everyone can make a plate of nachos that are a lot healthier. And I plan to use the crockpot to cook the meat.
**Tortellini with Homemade Tomato Sauce and garlic bread--I spent a few days last month canning tomato sauce and pickles and my husband is anxious to try the sauce. These tortellini cook up so fast, and I'll make garlic bread and some kind of veg on the side.
**Turkey, Sweet Potato and Cranberry Stew--A recipe from Prevention. I'm hoping it will encourage the kids to try sweet potatoes. Salad to go with it. Crockpot, of course.
**Baked Potato Soup--This is an old Rachael Ray recipe that I just love, and it's also really easy. This is the first time I'll be making it in the crockpot, but I think it will work out just fine.

Do you have a crockpot? How often do you use it?

Menu Plan: Back To School

2010-09-11T15:07:00.003-04:00

This week was Johnny's first week of full days at school. (His first day was a half day.) On Monday, Maureen goes back to preschool. Since I am treasurer for the program, and also co-room mom for Johnny's class, and there are only 104 shopping days until Christmas, that means we are busy! Busy is fine, I like busy, but it also means that our mornings and evenings are a little crazier than I am used to. So dinner needs to be something I can prep during the day when I'm home, or if I'm not home during the day, something I can throw together quickly.

With those criteria in mind, here's what we'll be eating this week:

**Pork Roast with mashed potatoes and gravy--I picked up a small pork roast last week on sale and stuck it in the freezer. I'll make it in the crockpot and also steam some veggies in the microwave.
**Pepper Jack Chicken with Succotash--This is a recipe I spotted in a food network magazine, and it looks yummy and easy. I'm actually still undecided on the succotash, because I prefer my veggies one at a time. And it's really easy to toss a steam-in-bag package of corn or whatever into the microwave. Salads to go with it.
**Pierogies--I've made my own pierogies in the past, but in the interest of time, I'd plan to buy the frozen kind, the new variety with feta cheese in them. The Mrs. T's brand pierogies are very good. One of these days, I'll get around to making a huge batch of my own and freeze them for future use, but for this week I'll be using the boxed kind. Artichoke and Tomato salad to go with it, and maybe bread.
**Peanut Chicken Stirfry--What I like best about stirfry, besides the ease of cooking, is how the recipes are so open to interpretation. I'll use the basic sauce from this recipe, but toss in whatever else kind of veggies we happen to have at the time. It always turns out great. Rice and salad on the side.
**One Pot Chicken Dinner--A friend gave me an enormous basil plant this week, so I set the kids to plucking it and they presented me with an entire colander full of basil. So I made pesto. Which will be perfect in this dish, which also works well in the crockpot.
**Lime Marinated Fish--When I'm stumped for dinner ideas, I like to go into my kitchen and start looking at the packages of food for ideas. Lasagna noodles always have a recipe for lasagna right on the box, bread crumbs usually have directions for chicken fingers, etc. This recipe comes from a box of True Lime, which I got as part of a giveaway I did last spring. I'll buy whichever fish looks best, probably tilapia, and broil it. My usual sides for fish to go with it: green beans and couscous.

What are you eating now that school is back in session?

How To Construct A Construction Zone Cake

2010-09-07T12:55:00.005-04:00

Johnny turned six last week, and on Sunday, we had a birthday party for him. We held the party at a local bowling alley, which was awesome because we got the whole top floor of the place to ourselves, we could bring in any food we wanted, and management let the kids bowl in their regular shoes. In lieu of attempting to keep score, we just let the kids bowl, which worked out great too (except the noise level was deafening).

This year, Johnny asked for a construction cake and I originally thought I'd make a cake that looked like a backhoe or something. But some poking around online quickly nixed that idea, because I'd have to get a special pan or do complicated things with frosting, and it's usually all I can manage to slop the frosting on the cake without getting crumbs in it.

Instead, I decided on a construction zone cake.

I made a box mix in an aluminum 13 x 9 cake pan, then put that on a cookie sheet because the aluminum pans tend to be flimsy. I didn't realize at the time that my cookie sheet was warped, so when the cake came out of the oven, there was a hump in one corner! But for this cake, it actually worked out fine. I removed the cooled cake from the pan and put it on a larger, sturdier cookie sheet. I also dug a small hole for the pond and used that cake to build another hill.

Then I frosted the cake in buttercream frosting. Please note, it took TWO containers of frosting to make this cake. I used my Pampered Chef decorator gun to pipe frosting around the edges for neatness (and also because of that crumb thing I mentioned earlier) and I used a smaller tip to fill the pond with frosting tinted blue.

To make the dirt, I crushed Golden Oreos in a bag with a rolling pin. These Oreos have yellow cookies with chocolate cream filling and they were perfect for the dirt. The construction equipment came from a set from Walmart, and I used extra icing to anchor them to the cake. The boulders are from a Lego set, and the cones and barriers are also Matchbox accessories.

This cake was very easy and super fun to make, and Johnny loved it.

Happy 6th Birthday to my big boy!

Motherhood Has Changed Me

2010-09-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

Motherhood changes us all in some way. It makes some of us more compassionate, more patient or more forgiving. It makes some of us more demanding, more judgemental or more controlling. It might make us more confident, or it might make us timid. It makes us learn new things, accept new truths, and let go of things we thought we knew.

Personally, having children has changed my life in a thousand ways. Some tiny, some large. In many ways, I'm the same person I was before kids, and in other ways I am forever different.

I have always been a planner, a list maker, an organized, time oriented, Type A overachiever. Much of this remains, but it's oriented around running a household and raising kids. That's where my menu plans come from and why my kids get their sense of structure from me. It also means I've had to let go of certain behaviors, letting them fingerpaint and cut paper into shreds and make tents and dawdle and all the other things that kids need to do to learn.

It also means I don't want to automatically pass on my neuroses, my irrationalities, my preferences to them. They can develop their own.

I've always had a great dislike of bugs, even a fear, if you will. A mostly irrational and baseless fear, but a fear just the same. I still don't do cockroaches or things that bite or suck blood, but having children has meant I've had to set aside my bug issues and let them explore and learn on their own.

Several weeks ago, an incredibly loud clicking noise in the house led me to discover an enormous Greater Angle Wing Katydid in my bedroom. I did not scream or rush from the room, I calmly flicked him out the window.

On Wednesday, Johnny discovered a tiny version of the same bug, smaller than my pinky fingernail. I coaxed it into a jar, added some leaves and twigs and punched an air hole in the top. Johnny named it Bug Hopper and it spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with us in the house. In the photo above, Maureen and Johnny say goodbye to Bug Hopper before we let him go.

Mosquitoes will still get slapped and ants will still get sprayed to death with tea tree oil and flies will get smashed, but I think it's safe to say my "bug thing" has gone away. It has been replaced with amazement that a mere bug could make a noise THAT loud, and a grudging admiration for how well a little green bug blends in with a geranium leaf.

How has motherhood changed you?

Six

2010-09-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Johnny,

In April, the pants your wore for Easter were a gift from Busia and they fit perfectly. A couple of months later, you wore them again, but this time they were tight in the waist and you really had to suck it in to get them fastened. I see you every day and you look pretty much the same to me today as you did back in April, but it's obvious that you are growing and changing each day, even if it doesn't always show.

When I think back to a year ago, when you were five, it amazes me how much you have grown. Not so much physically, although those pants really are too tight. It's your maturity, your empathy, your compassion and your incredible ability to make friends with everyone that have shined this past year.

I've changed in the past year too, and for the better. I think I realized how fleeting your childhood is and that it's more important to savor it than it is to sweat the small stuff. Several of my high school friends started families recently, and while I love to look at pictures of their newborns, it all seems a million miles away. While they are in the trenches of night feeding and first teeth and milestones and all those pediatrician visits, my baby, my first baby, is now tall enough to ride some of the rollercoasters at Hershey Park and is approaching the age of first lost tooth. At your very rare doctor visits, if you get a shot, you don't cry, you tell the nurse, "Ow! That hurts my arm!"

Today is special, not just because it's your sixth birthday, but because it's also your first day of kindergarten. Today marks a big transition for our whole family, not just in how early we have to leave the house, but in leaving carefree and unscheduled days behind in exchange for homework and fundraisers and grades and uniforms. I have no doubt you will be fine in school, you'll approach it with the gusto you approach everything else. But if you find me hugging you extra or looking occasionally teary, it's not because I'm sad or because there is anything wrong. It's just because you're growing so fast and I love you so much and I'm trying to savor it all as much as I can.

Happy 6th Birthday, Best Boy In The World,

All My Love,

Mommy

Menu Plan: End of Summer

2010-08-29T14:17:00.003-04:00

Where did summer go? Does anyone else feel like it went by quicker than usual? Preschool graduation feels like it was yesterday. What do you mean school starts this week? I'm trying to get back into the groove of crockpot meals and once a week grocery shopping (as opposed to over the summer, when I felt like I was at Safeway constantly). I'm also trying to use up all the fresh produce before the supply dries up. (As a side note, if you have tomatoes you are trying to rehome, the answer is always yes.)

Here's what I have planned for this week:

**Tangy Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes--This is one of my fave pork recipes. Don't be turned off by the long list of ingredients, it's quite easy to make, and the sauce is so worth it. Steamed veggies and salad to go with it.
**Beef Roulade--This is a make and freeze recipe, but I'm skipping the freezing step. This will get rid of some sun-dried tomatoes and spinach that have been languishing. Salad and some kind of veggie to go with it.
**Key West Avocado Sandwiches--Mangoes are on sale this week, so I'm going to pick one up and make these yummy and easy sandwiches. Sun Chips and maybe something else on the side.
**Hearty Vegetable Soup--This soup is not only healthy and filling, but crockpot worthy. Bread and salad as side dishes.
**Creamy Spaghetti with Pancetta--Pasta is always a hit with the kids. I usually leave the pancetta out of this recipe and enjoy it with garlic bread.

What are you cooking now that fall approaches and school is starting again?

Maintaining The Friend Connection

2010-08-22T05:36:00.002-04:00

Earlier this year, when my city was faced with a budget crisis, the mayor started making noises about eliminating bulk trash pick up. I knew the time had come to tackle a major chore I had been putting off for years--cleaning out the basement.

I'm not normally a procrastinator, but the enormity of this project was keeping me from forming a plan and getting to it. Our basement is accessible only by a very heavy trapdoor in the floor, and has low ceilings. Over the years, my husband and I had gotten into the bad habit of shoving things anywhere down there and it had become messy and crowded. I truly had no idea exactly what we had stored down there.

As I said, I did it. A big part of creating order down there involved giving away or selling baby and toddler gear and clothing that we no longer needed. Out went the double stroller, the baby toys, the infant pool float and the baby pool. I gave the pack n play and the baby gate to a friend having her first child, and the changing table and boppy pillow to another friend.

The basement looks great, but I realized the other day that my house is no longer a baby and toddler friendly place. We don't have gates anymore. Outlet plugs don't always get replaced when they are removed. Legos and other chokables are on low shelves. When friends with little ones come over, I try to remove the obvious hazards, but the parents need to be on their toes for everything else.

Earlier this year, we went out to dinner with family, including my brother and SIL and their then-20-month-old son. My nephew was seated next to me, and when I accidentally put my large steak knife down next to my plate, within reach of him, my brother leaned over, rolled his eyes at me and relocated the knife. He figured I would know better, but it's funny how quickly your forget. My kids don't grab knives, put non-food items in their mouths, or need help getting off the couch or up the stairs.

I've forgotten what it's like to scarf down your food while your partner walks with the baby outside. I've forgotten what it's like to plan things around naptime. Stroller accessibility doesn't play into my choices of where to go. I no longer have diapers or baby wipes on me at all times. In fact, I carry a regular purse.

I'm enjoying all the stages as my kids, now 6 and going on 4, grow up, but I've also found that it makes me feel a little disconnected from friends with babies. I love it when my Facebook friends post photos of their newborns, but find I have little to contribute when it comes to baby questions because so much has changed in just a few short years. When mine were small, it was okay to let your baby sleep in his infant carseat, crib bumpers were thick and padded, and pediatricians still recommended waiting to introduce peanuts until age 3. Many of my friends are just starting their families and my family is in a completely different place. How do you connect with a friend that wants/needs to talk about teething and breastfeeding when you want/need to talk about sending your child to school and peer pressure?

It reminds me a little of after high school, when the people who went to college drifted away from people who went directly to jobs, or the time after college when people who got married drifted away from their single friends.

What do you think? Have you been able to remain friends with people at a different life stage? Have your children changed your friendships with childless couples? Has the age of your kids made it difficult to stay friends with other parents? **Crossposted at API Speaks.

All Natural Home Pest Control Giveaway from EcoSMART

2010-08-20T06:00:00.003-04:00

In April, I had the opportunity to try all natural home pest control products from EcoSMART and also gave away product to a reader.

It's now August, and those products really came in handy during our hot, humid and buggy summer.

My favorite of the bundle was the insect repellent, pictured at left. It worked great to keep bugs away, and I felt fine putting it on my kids skin, knowing the ingredients were all natural.

In addition, the natural ant killer worked great to keep the nasty little buggers out of my home.

THE GIVEAWAY
EcoSMART has offered one lucky reader the opportunity to win one product of your choice from the EcoSMART line. To enter, visit the EcoSMART website, take a look around, and leave me a comment telling me what product you would like to try. This giveaway will be open for one week, closing at midnight on Friday, August 27. I'll choose and notify a winner on Saturday. If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I'll have to choose a new winner. I'm sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US residents excluding Alaska and Hawaii. I MUST have your email address for your comment to count as valid! If I can't contact you, I can't get you your prize. Good luck!

Kindergarten Means...

2010-08-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

The years my son was 3 and 4 were hard years. He was an easy baby and a reasonable 2 year old and I had gotten lulled into the idea that the Terrible Two's were a myth and that I had a pretty low maintenance kid.

The defiance, limit testing and stubbornness of 3 threw me for a loop, and even when I found out it was normal, I often felt like shouting, "Terrible Two's my ass! How come no one told me 3 was so much harder!!??"

4 was better, but coupled with my son's intense energy meant I was constantly exhausted, constantly trying to keep up.

It made me feel guilty, but I spent two years looking forward to kindergarten.

But then something funny happened--he turned 5. 4 took some time to wear off, but 5 turned out to be a pretty great age. We decided to wait a year, due to his one-day-past-the-cutoff birthday.

At 5, he still had plenty of energy, but was mature enough to funnel it into creative activities, and physically more capable as well (2-wheel bike riding burns a TON of energy). He's willing and helpful, funny and friendly, and a lot more reasonable with his demands and expectations.

Suddenly, with kindergarten looming, I'm sad.

I've been thinking lately that it's the fear of the unexpected that makes things harder. A Type A person like myself likes to be prepared. Giving birth to my second baby was easier because I knew what to expect, and breastfeeding was easier the second time around. But I've never sent a child off to kindergarten before, I don't know exactly what to expect, and the enormity of how big this transition will be for the whole family has me feeling a little anxious.

Kindergarten starts in a few weeks, on my son's 6th birthday.

Kindergarten means...

1--An earlier schedule. School starts at 8. We've spent the better part of 6 years not having to regularly be anywhere any earlier than 930. That means we need to implement an earlier bedtime and a strict morning routine, something we've never really had, to make sure he gets there on time.

Maureen, however, does not need to be at preschool until 915, so I'm wondering if it's possible to not wake her up in the morning since they share a bedroom.

2--More germs. We've been pretty healthy so far. In his almost 6 years, Johnny has had ONE vomit virus, a couple of colds every year, and one diarrhea virus. Last school year, he didn't miss any preschool. His 3 year old sister has had colds and one diarrhea virus and missed one day of preschool. We have not had strep, head lice, chicken pox, pink eye or the flu, but I'm dreading those types of illnesses coming home from kindergarten. Especially as I've heard they spread like wildfire through families.

3--Fundraising. Look, I know fundraising is a necessary evil, and I put in my time as a band member pestering the neighbors to buy subs or pizza or sponsor me for this or that. But ugh. Just UGH. I have mixed feelings about having kids sell overpriced crappo wrapping paper anyway, so hopefully the fundraisers will be something else.

4--One child at home with me. People keep mentioning how much extra time I'll have, but I still have a kid at home. She needs to be entertained. And she's also losing her main playmate and I'm sure she'll miss him. However, I AM looking forward to not listening to sibling bickering and fart jokes all day long.

5--Exposure to celebrities and pop culture--We don't have cable and I'm not a gossip mag fan, so the kids' exposure to all things Hollywood has been minimal. And since we have a cat that is part goat, I'm glad Silly Bandz have not made it into our house yet. But all that is coming. Goody.

School starts in just over 2 weeks. The uniforms are bought, the backpack filled with shiny new supplies (although I have not labeled them yet). He's ready. I'm not so sure I am though.

Tips?

Blowing In The Wind

2010-08-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

In June, a horrendous heatwave overtook the East Coast and would not let up. The worst part about it was that our clothes dryer heats up the house terribly, causing the AC to run continuously. Our unit is on the old side and we're hoping to not replace it before we move. So our choices were either to run the AC to keep the house comfortable and risk overworking the unit, or not run it and fill the house with hot damp air and not be able to sleep, breathe or function. Both choices sucked.

Plus, energy is expensive.

Instead, I decided to try a third option, so the day after the 4th of July, I went to the store and bought a clothesline and a package of pins.

Previously, I had considered line drying clothes in the city to not be an option because of city dirt and birds. But when a friend who lives nearby said she does it, I thought I'd give it a try.

I hate doing laundry. There are other chores I hate even more (dishes, dusting, ironing), but laundry is at the top of the list, probably because it's just so never ending. Our laundry room is small, so to keep the dirty clothes from piling up, I find myself doing wash constantly. It gets old. Fast.

I started line drying our clothes simply to avoid a hot house and hopefully save a little money. I never expected to enjoy it! I'm not sure what it is, maybe it's the being "green." Maybe it's a revolt against the endless tide of technology, maybe the comforting rhythm of hanging and clipping, or the challenge of reading the weather.

Quite possible, it's the imaginary middle finger raised to BGE and their ridiculous rates.

But line drying has taken a tedious and never ending chore and turned it into something that I sort of enjoy.

No one is more surprised than myself.

On the pro side, it definitely reduces energy costs. Not just in the energy it takes to run the dryer, but in our case, the energy it also takes to run the AC. The heat of the sun is free.

On the con side, it does take some planning ahead and a peek at weather conditions, and it does take more time to put the laundry up and take it down. I also don't leave my clothesline up all the time, so it takes a few minutes to put it up when I want to use it. I was fine with leaving laundry to hang all day if the weather was nice. On more than one occasion, when I had plans to leave, a little voice in my head said, "Take down the clothes before you leave." And I'm glad I listened because despite sunny skies at the time, it later downpoured.

In the beginning, I also found that my towels and denim were uncomfortably stiff. I experimented with hanging towels differently, having read that allowing the wind to billow towels into a "bag" helps soften them. I didn't see much difference.

Ultimately, I ended up using liquid fabric softener in the rinse cycle. And when the clothes were dry, I tossed them in the dryer on air fluff for a few minutes with an old rag with about a tablespoon or so of fabric softener poured directly on it. This seemed to fix the crunchy towel problem, and the air fluff also removed lint or any random gnats that made it into the house.

I've been pleased enough with my experiment to continue, and plan to keep hanging my clothes until winter.

Do you line dry your laundry? If so, do you have any tips to add?

Downy Oshun 2010

2010-08-16T01:16:00.004-04:00

Milly The Pinkest Kitten Review and Giveaway

2010-08-09T06:00:00.003-04:00

My three year old daughter is all about the color pink. And cats. Especially pink cats. So I was pretty sure she would love the newest stuffed animal line from Aurora, Milly the Pinkest Kitten.

We received two samples from the kind folks at Aurora, the company that makes Milly. The Milly Wanna Be Fairy is dressed much like my daughter dresses, in a pink and green fairy dress with wings and a rose headband. The other Milly comes in a carrier that looks like a chocolate cupcake.

At around 8 inches each, the cats are small enough to be carried, put into my daughter's many sparkly bags, or cuddled while riding in a car. As a cat lover myself, I like the pink stripes she has, and the pink color is muted enough to not offend my eyes. The Cupcake Carrier is supposed to be scented, but it's very faint.

My daughter is pleased with her two additions to her stuffed cat collections. Thanks to Aurora for this opportunity.

THE GIVEAWAY
One lucky reader will win a random selection from the Milly line, most likely the Milly Wanna Be Fairy or the Cupcake Carrier. To enter, leave me a comment below telling me what you think of Milly the Pinkest Kitten. This contest will be open for one week, ending on Sunday, August 15, 2010. I will choose and notify a winner on Monday. Sorry, but this contest is only open to US residents. I MUST have a valid email address to contact you, so please either adjust your Google profile so that information is visible to me, or leave the address in your comment. If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I will choose a new winner. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was provided the two Milly stuffed animals at no charge. I am not being paid for a positive review and all opinions are my own.

edited to add: Congrats to GinaChick, she wins a selection from the Milly the Pinkest Kitten line. Enjoy!