The weather and mean people and a menu

Spring is a big fat tease! It lures us, seduces us, makes promises and then, leaves us hanging and teetering on the edge. Damn you Spring! Probably why it's my least favorite season. I know, it's many people's favorite season but to me, it's just a tease until the blessed Summer comes in and eases the tension, satisfies that desire. Thus, our wonderful weather here lately. 70 one day and I'm hanging clothes on the clothesline, the kids are playing outside for hours and wearing themselves out; 38 and snowing the next. Damn.

Onto mean people. Spring must have made some people mean because I worked yesterday and geez, there was something up many people's butts! A little message to parents: If you are in a really crappy mood and all you are going to do is yell at your kids, don't take them to a great toystore and yell at them there. Then don't snip at the person working there trying to help you. Really, they would much rather be home with their OWN kids than listening to you yell at yours. Honestly, they DO just want to help and they are just doing their job when asking you a question or two at checkout. If you dont' want to answer the questions, then don't take it out on the employee.
Yesterday I had more nasty people in than I have encountered working there the past few months. I guess I try to look at it from a kid's perspective... they don't fully understand the economy and money and whatnot yet. They shouldn't either. They are kids! It is natural for them to see things and want them. We all do it's just that little kids don't have that filter on them to not proclaim outloud that they want something every 10 seconds. Sure it's annoying because I've gotten annoyed at my kids for it too but I try to understand that they are little and don't "get" it yet. So when parents come in with their kids to "look around" I don't really understand why they spend the whole time getting mad at their kids for asking for things. We have lots of things open for the kids and parents to explore and play with. It's much more fun to see and feel and experience a game or toy before you shell out the money for it. Yet some parents get annoyed. I really don't get it at all! Then there were lots of people who snapped at me. Add to it that I did not feel great and my head was pounding. I worked 10 - 3 without any food after my english muffin at 9:45. It was not a good day. I came home and managed to throw dinner in the oven, closed my blinds, took some drugs, curled up with a blanket on my bed. My kids didn't even realize I was home for another 2 hours (don't worry, FG was there the whole time). I've been working too much. I'm tired. I need a day off! I think next weekend I may see if one of the grandparents can take the kiddos on Friday so I can have a teeny bit of downtime. I work again on Saturday and then Sunday we have a birthday party to take the kids to at Chuck E. Cheese. No downtime there!

So hey, this week's menu is kinda pathetic....

• Sunday - Baked whole chicken, baked potatoes, roasted asparagus, honey french bread.
• Monday - Roast beef, mashed potatoes, veggies.
• Tuesday - I work, FG is on his own.
• Wednesday - Chicken & Broccoli wreath, fruit
• Thursday - FG works, Chicken nuggets & tater tots for the kiddos
• Friday - I still haven't made those darn salmon burgers! I'll add them here for yet another attempt.
• Saturday - Lemon Chicken over rice w/ veggies.

Menu Plan Monday

We are still getting used to our crazy schedule here. I'm happy to be working and happy that I told my boss I need some extra hours (meaning, I need extra cash! desperately at the moment ugh) and happy that I still like my job. But it's hell on a family who is very scheduled. Poor FG is not used to this either. He needs to figure out some fun stuff to do with the kids. Right now he's muddling his way through. He's not doing a bad job, he's just not really into a good groove of what to do with the kids all day. What's funny is after 8 years of me being home with them and being at his mercy of coming and going alone, the roles have been reversed for short time periods. He is where I was 8 years ago - trying to figure it all out. It's good for him.

So anyway, I've been using the crock pot and making myself prep things ahead of time. I was sick as anything on Friday afternoon and literally lay on the couch all afternoon blowing my nose. For dinner I had some frozen pulled pork BBQ that I had thawed the day before. FG could totally handle that one and he prepared dinner for me. Even changed the grease in the deep fryer so we could have fries that didn't taste like old onion rings :).

Here's this upcoming week:

• Sunday - Maui Chicken* over rice, Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake** (which DD and I whipped up after I got home from work and we played a few games - had to spend some quality time with the kids after working all weekend!)
• Monday - Meatloaf w/ bacon, veggies, apple slices, bread
• Tuesday - I work so FG gets to figure that one out.
• Wednesday - DS's starts up acting class again, FG has his pool league so I'm going to attempt some stir fry shrimp over pasta. FG may or may not get to eat before he has to leave.
• Thursday - FG works. I may make breakfast for dinner with the kids.
• Friday - Burgers on the grill, noodles w/ butter, garlic & parmesean cheese, corn
• Saturday - I work but hopefully I can get some salmon burger patties made and we'll eat those.

* Exported from MasterCook *
Maui Chicken
6 boneless skinless chicken breast or one whole cut up chicken

2 tablespoons oil

14 1/2 ounces chicken broth

20 ounces pineapple chunks in juice

1/4 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic -- minced

1 medium green bell pepper -- chopped

1 small onion -- chopped

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water
Brown chicken in oil. Transfer to slow cooker.
Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.
Cover, cook on high 4-6 hours or low 8 hours
Serve over rice.
Source: "Fix It & Forget it Cookbook"
NOTES : I add a bit of powdered ginger and ketchup to the sauce before cooking.

* Exported from MasterCook *
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake
Recipe By: The Cake MixDoctor

1 package chocolate cake mix -- devils food, plain

1 can cherry pie filling -- 21 ounces

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. LIghtly mist a 13 x 9" pan with vegetable oil spray.
Place the cake mix, cherry pie filing, eggs and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again as needed. The batter should look thick and well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smothing the top with a spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just startes to pull away from the sides of the pan, 30- 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack while you prepare the glaze.
For the glaze, place the sugar, butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. When the chips have melted and the glaze is smooth, pour it over the warm cake so that it covers the entire surface. The glaze will be thin but witll firm up. Cool the cake for 20 minutes more before cutting it into squares and serving.

NOTES : Store this cake, covered in aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze the cake, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight on the counter before serving.

On a side note, and this really deserves it's own post... we had to put down our sweet old dog this past Tuesday. It's been a really rough week for all of us. I still cry and miss him. Our other dog, who has been with our other one since she was 5 weeks old is really really lost. So she's getting lots of extra attention. She's in the house if anyone is home during the day. We also realized she's been eating double for who knows how long. She's FAT! So she will be getting diet food now and lots of walks. I miss my big baby though. It's been hard to sleep at night because he's been sleeping in our room for 12 1/2 years. I miss the smell of him and hearing him breathe and grumble at night. He was our first "baby" when FG and I had only been married a couple of years and bought our first house. This is also the kids first experience with a family member dying. They keep saying how much they miss him too. It's sooo hard to look in the backyard and not see him laying in the sun or hear him barking at someone walking along the fence. My heart is a little broken right now and it's going to take awhile to heal.

I made it through yesterday

The wedding in one word. Trashy. I know, I know. I'm AWFUL I just put it out there in blogland that I thought it was trashy. The couple is not trashy. The wedding was on a budget. I could have helped. Really I could have but I was never asked and I wasn't going to volunteer. It's just not a position I wanted to put myself in to be seen as "taking over". But I could have helped.

I got a jug-o-wine poured for me from a box. Uh huh. I did. In a big plastic cup. Not a plastic cocktail glass or wine cup, nope. A big clear plastic cup that most would use for a soda at a BBQ. It was damn near full. I guess the tap on the box wouldn't close or something.

I'll spare you pictures.

My Bullet-ey life!

• Working a lot. Liking it a lot. I'm getting more comfortable and I think they are seeing that I can handle plenty too.
• I'm a blond again as of this morning.
• 2 hour "snow" delay for school today. That means preschool was cancelled. The streets were dry when the bus would have normally picked DS up and 2 hours later they were bone dry. Lame.
• When there's any delay for the county schools, preschool is closed. "Snow DAY" for DD.
• FG is Mr. Mom a lot lately. He's been home a ton when I work. He stayed home today during my hair appt. and packed DS's lunch and got him off to school, kept DD entertained with pretend play, cleaned up breakfast. Thankfully his schedule allows it. A laptop can go anywhere so work can be done right here when he doesn't have to be doing off-site stuff.
• FG's brother is getting married this weekend.
• FG's brother is NOTHING like FG.
• He had to be convinced not to wear jeans to his own wedding. His bride is wearing a full on wedding dress. 2nd marriage for both of them and they are both in their 40's.
• After the wedding we're feeding about 15 or so family members here.
• It caused quite the stir because FIL's wife originally was going to host the dinner. FG and I realized that wasn't such a grand idea since MIL should be included as well. MIL probably wouldn't like to go to FIL's house with his new (10 years vs. the 33 FIL & MIL were married) wifey. And if FG's cousin is there with his kid(s) there is ZERO to do at FIL's house besides break wifey's glass sculptures. FIL agreed it would just be better to have everyone at our house. That didn't sit well with wifey because she didn't like that FIL is siding with MIL. Oh good times, good times.
• It's all worked out now and I'm making baked ziti and bread and cookies. I asked FIL & wifey to bring salad and drinks.
• FG informed me this morning that he thinks we should clean the carpets on Friday. EXACTLY what I wanted to do on the day I normally would be working while the kids are in school and I have to prepare food for 15 people. How did he read my mind?! ARGH.

Over and out. Hopefully I'll find some time to breathe soon and catch up on all the blogs I haven't read!