Menu Plan Monday - Mom's Not cooking!

Yep. You read that correctly!  I am not cooking this week, wth the exception of today.
I am baking in preparation for my Sweets Party this upcoming Saturday. 

FG and I had dinner out together on Saturday while FIL took the kids out for a belated b-day celebration for DS.  Sunday we could have gone out since the kids were at my parents overnight but we stayed home, opened a nice bottle of wine and made some delicious rib eye's.  We only had 2 left from our 1/4 cow and that's not enough for all 4 of us to eat dinner.  It worked out well.  I ended up getting several different types of cookies done that day and we shopped for all the drinks (FG mixes up some fun martinis and mixed drinks for our party every year). 

Tonight I am cooking.  I didn't work today.  I went to pick up the kids from my parents and took them to get DS new shoes.  I baked a bit too.  I had wanted to try a new recipe from my Cook This, Not That! book - Dr. Pepper Ribs.  I'll let you know....  The rest of the week is all on FG.  Sunday while we were eating our yummy steaks that he grilled perfectly (I seasoned), I joked with him yet again how I want him to go on "Worst Cooks in America".  He said he would never make it onto the show because he can cook, I just never let him.  So it was ON!  I said fine, I have loads to do this week to prep for the party, you can make dinner!  He agreed and a short while ago we went over what we have in the house and what he wants to make.  He needs a few ingredients for what he wants to make and I told him he gets to do his own shopping too.  This is what he decided....

• Monday - (me) Dr. Pepper pork ribs, buttered bowtie noodles, salad.
• Tuesday - Chicken Fajitas/Quesadillas (kids like quesadillas with the chicken on the side), green salad
• Wednesday - Chicken/Apple sausages, pasta, veggies
• Thursday - French Dip Sandwiches, oven-baked fresh potato chips, broccoli.
• Friday - Out
• Saturday - Sweets Party

So this will be a challenge for both of us.  He will have to start early and have dinner done at a reasonable time.  He'll have to learn to juggle multiple things and when to start each dish so they are all done at close to the same time.  I'll have to bite my tongue and stay out of the kitchen!  The menu he chose does have it's advantages.  I've already prepped the chicken as I often do when I buy a big package - I will slice some up for fajitas before I freeze it, pound some flat for stuffed chicken breasts or chicken picatta, cube some for stir-fry etc.  I also grated the big block of cheese awhile back so that part is done for the fajitas/quesadillas.  The salad is all washed, spun dry and torn, the celery is cleaned and chopped.  Thursday is his toughest day.  He has some shopping to do but he is insistent on making French Dip sandwiches.  He'll have to scrub, slice, rinse, dry, season & bake the potato slices for the chips - again, his idea.  The broccoli is already cleaned and cut.    It will be good for him to start off with some advantages.  It's going to be toughest on me.  I've NEVER let go of the cooking duties. I've been cooking for him for nearly 20 years and now I'm going to have to step aside and watch him perform my duties.  Wish me luck!

Out with kids....

Parents never cease to amaze me.  I'm always baffled by parents who bring their children to a restaurant/friend's home who have no children/other places where they have to wait and be still next to you and bring NOTHING with them. 

Let's think like a child for a moment....
"This is kind of a big scary place but let me look around. Oh, that looks interesting I need to check it out, turn it over, explore it and see if it does anything fun. What?!  Why am I in trouble?  What did I do wrong?  I just want to see what that funny looking thing DOES.  WHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

Parent...
"Oh geezz, just SIT here and be still.  I know at our house you can pull all the stuff out of that bottom drawer while I make dinner but YOU CAN'T DO THAT HERE!   I know that when I put you in your chair at home for dinner, dinner is ready and you immediately get to eat but in a restaurant we have to wait so just SIT STILL.  Gosh, it's just such a pain to go out with little ones!"

So we have a miserable child who has no idea why the rules changed and a miserable parent because they HAVE to get their drivers license renewed/fill that prescription/would just like to have an adult conversation with a friend and not be embarrassed that their kid is a tornado/would just like to have a dinner out where they get waited on and don't have to do the dishes.  No wonder it's such pain to have little kids!

My advice.  I know, I know. The world is FILLED with unwanted parenting advice.  But I have to get it out because I, well, I just feel bad for everyone - parents and kids. 

What I did was keep a toddler size backpack in the car.  Not a diaper bag but their own little bag of goodies.  I kept it stocked with little toys that they only got to play with while we were out.  There were tiny board books, paper & crayons etc.  It changed as they got older and bored with some of the items but it was always just things that they got to see occasionally.  I also kept a few snack items, a small pack of wipes and a sample size bottle of baby Advil.  That bag saved us countless times at restaurants and friend's houses.  My kids looked forward to it in a place where they would otherwise generally be bored.  The snacks helped ease the wait at a restaurant.  The small toys helped make a new place more familiar.

Now that my kids are 11 & 7 they just want their ipods.  Quite frankly, a lot of times I just want my ipod while waiting too and in a lot of places, I let them play with them.  What I have started doing when we go out to dinner is take a small game with us.  My favorite is Spot It.  It's small, contained, fits easily in my purse without being heavy, fast, appropriate for all of our ages and it's fun!  We will usually order, get out drinks and I'll whip out Spot It and we play until our order arrives.  We don't go out often so that's a treat in itself.  My kids, like most, are used to dinner being ready when they are told to sit down.  Even if they are helping with dinner, they don't sit until it's ready so that's just how they are used to eating.  We certainly don't sit down and then fill our plates 15 minutes later! 

When they were little and had the "Elmo backpack"  I got several compliments on the idea.  Now, we get several interesting looks from people as we enjoy our game at a restaurant table.  I've had some smiles from moms at nearby tables as their kids are slouched down in their seats, noses to the ipod or DS screen, Dad with his nose to his phone.  Sometimes, that is us too but I realized that if I wanted it to change I had to start the change.  I'm so glad I did.  And I'm so glad I took that little backpack everywhere.  I still have it, can't quite let go of it yet.  It's travelled to a lot of places  It's still filled with some little things that bring a smile to my face and an eye-roll from the kids.

My sweethearts

Valentines day used to be a fairly big disappointment.  Not because I didn't have anyone but because they sucked.  My boyfriend in High School & early college was ok but he was a jerk most of the time.  Valentines day he would either do something good or forget completely.  Most of the time he forgot.

FG, now he tries to be creative.  It is something I've grown to love but it took awhile.  I do not have a good memory for most things like what I received for every birthday or where we've spent every anniversary.  He does.  Our first Valentines day together was nearly a year after we met & started dating.  We met in April of 1992 so we had a long time together before Valentines Day rolled around.
He got me shoes.  Not beautiful sexy shoes. Oh no.  He got me a white & red pair of Air Jordan's.  Uh huh.  I think I tried to be excited at the time. You know, fairly new relationship and all that crap.  Now I tease the heck out of him about it! 

He's done better since.  I've gotten lots of flowers, some jewelry, some sexy undies, some perfume.

This year I got a safe.  We have a safe so I was really confused.  I was hoping there was something exciting inside.  I prepared myself for it to be empty though.  He had it locked and it is one of those like a hotel safe with a digital code to get in.  I had to guess the code which was a significant number from our past.  Oh Brother.... really?!  He knows that tortures me.  He had a cute little note with a  selection of numbers in flaps that I could open every 15 min. to reveal and try a new code.  Those were the rules he set up.  I could try all the codes I wanted and see if I could guess on my own too.  So I tried our anniversary, the garage door code, the house number of our first house, the years our children were born, the last digits of our phone number.... on & on.  Finally I got it open.  The address of our first official apartment together. 

I wasn't disappointed when I opened it.  No it wasn't plane tickets or diamonds.  It was a laptop case, a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of one of our favorite wines. 

I say I have grown to love his creativity on these things because while he may not spend loads of cash, he puts effort into it.  He does everything he can to make it special.  He doesn't buy my love or affection.  He truly thinks about it, us, me.

I put out for him.  yeah yeah.  We agree that the day isn't for guys anyway and isn't that all they really want in the long run? 

I also made heart shaped pizza and heart shaped garlic knots.  I served the kids their milk in wine glasses, lit candles and had a little box of candy at each person's plate.  Everyone felt special on Valentines Day, including me.

This a test. This is only a test.

This has been a challenging week.  My attempt at a regular schedule with my menu planning was thwarted by a last minute work trip for FG.  DS ended up staying home from school after getting his Herbst Appliance installed.  He probably didn't need to. He was ok and could have gone to school but I it was nice to have him hang out with me.  I took him to In & Out Burger for lunch - his first meal with the metal in his mouth..  He did surprisingly well! He's talking well now too. 

That was challenging because he is my baby and it was tough to watch him get the stuff installed in his mouth.  The girl installing it wasn't very warm & fuzzy either.  She was a bit harsh with him and I really wanted to tell her off.  But she had sharp instruments in his mouth.  I figured it was better to not say anything at all.

While he & I were driving to lunch it was complete chaos.  The wind was blowing sand & dust everywhere.  Vice President Biden was here giving a speech at the High School by my house.  There was a big rig turned over on one direction of the freeway.  The other direction was closed because of the VP.  We had to go a crazy back route.  We finally got on the right path and we see crazy clouds.  As we keep heading in the direction, we smell smoke.  Living here, we know what a wildfire smells like.  I looked it up while eating lunch. Sure enough, there was a wildfire.  And the wind was blowing like crazy toward our house.  The fire was heading toward out house.

I didn't worry too much - it was a ways away.  Then we get home and I sense something is missing.  Yep. The metal structure with the vinyl cover that goes over our boat was GONE.  I go around the house to the backyard and it is a destruction zone.  The metal is mangled and leaning in a tree.  The tarp is still partially tied to it and the straps are scattered around the yard.  My two 4x4 post clothesline poles snapped and are laying like dead soldiers on my lawn.  I snap a pic with my phone and send it to FG.  Just so he knows what I'm dealing with.  I call a bunch of neighbors and the ones I'm able to get a hold of come rescue me.

Meanwhile, the smoke is getting thicker and thicker.  We are coughing and the wind is blowing dirt into our eyes. 

After we got that all settled, we were glued to the TV.  The fire was moving closer.  I started to wonder if I should pack anything up.  I grabbed some bags and grabbed the photo albums and the cases with all the discs in them - all of our pictures on disc.  I grabbed the computer hard drive.  I sent FG a text and asked him what he wanted me to pack of his. I didn't really worry too much.   THEN I saw flames on a nearby ridge.  THEN I went into protective mom mode.  I stayed calm.  Amazingly calm really.  I packed clothes.  I packed important papers.  I took pictures of every room in the house.  I gave the kids bags and told them to pack up a few things they wanted in case we had to leave.  We got the Reverse-911 call telling us we were under a Voluntary Evacuation Order.  I loaded the car.  The kids kept trying to take their shoes off and I kept making them put them back on.  I watched the ridge with an obsession.  But outwardly, I remained calm.  I reassured the kids things were most likely fine but I'd rather be loaded and ready to go if they told us to leave. 

Finally the flamed died down.  The wind started to subside.  I fed the kids dinner and showered them and read DD a bedtime story.  I tucked them in and kissed them goodnight and told them all would be ok.  I was 90% sure of it.  They snuggled in and went to sleep.  I dozed sporadically.  Even with the fire subsiding and the news reporting that it was no longer growing I was still uneasy.  I got up several times.  I felt exhausted.

I just kept thinking that I feel like I'm always being tested on how strong of a woman I am.  The chaos in my life.  The constant changes.  The crazy things that happen when FG is out of town and I get to take care of.  I went into labor in the middle of the night with my daughter.  FG was 2 hours away and I had a 3 year old sleeping soundly in his own big boy bed.   I couldn't wait 2 hours for him to get home - she was coming. I could go on & on. Things always seem to happen when FG is out of town and I have to stay strong because, really?  What other choice do I have?  I don't know if it's a reminder, a confidence builder or a test.    Just one small request though.... can it please stop?  I'm strong. I get it.  I can handle issues and scary situations alone.  I am a strong mama for my children and remain calm in intense situations.  I GET IT.  I can live without a reminder for awhile, ok universe?

Family Logistics are never ending

So um, yeah, that menu plan?  Um, uh, forget it.  As per the norm in this house things changed.

FG now has to go out of town to, get this, a hunting/firearms/law enforcement trade show.  Yeah, you can stop laughing now.  Along with learning all about fishing this year, he's now learning about waterfowl hunting.  Thank God the only thing he shoots with is his camera.

I also forgot that poor DS is getting his Herbst Appliance (also known as Mars Bars) on Thursday morning.  He's had spacers in the past 2 weeks and he's off the gum and anything sticky.  Today was like a junkie getting his last fix before heading off to rehab.  The tech told him last week that he could have a "gum & soda party" the day before his installation.  So after school he ate gummy bears and had some soda (a rare treat as it is) and can chew all the gum he wants.  Literally, the junkie getting his last fix.  For a kid with SPD, gum chewing will calm him down a lot of times.  The oral sensation feeds the sensory craving he often needs to calm down and get his homework done.  He also has a family trait that I'm hoping will now go away. He chews on his tongue.  Just like his father and his paternal grandmother.  They all sit there and look like damn cows chewing and it's ugly and annoying.  Well after getting those wonderful hinges in his mouth, he won't be able to move his jaw sideways so he won't be able to chew his tongue!  That's a habit I hope to see broken in the 18 months he'll have his Mars Bars on. 

As you can imagine, he won't feel so hot after getting those on.  So he's not going to be eating much.  Since FG will be gone, I'm not cooking a full on meal for only DD and I to eat!  Especially when it's something that she's not that wild about.  So we'll have some soup and a milkshake for dinner. The skinny boy will hopefully adjust quickly so he doesn't lose weight! I'm going to stuff him with mashed potatoes, oatmeal, applesauce and ice cream. It's reminiscent of the tonsillectomy.

Anyway, because of all of these changes DD is spending the night at her friend's house Wednesday. Her wonderful best friend's family offered to take her for the night. I asked if I could drop her off early Thursday morning and they suggested she just spend the night so I didn't have to get her up super early on top of all the other running around I have to do.
I forgot I'm playing Bunco on Friday night and we always have dinner there.  So um, yeah, another night the plan changes.  I also forgot while I was making my plan that DS has Debate Club on Tuesday nights. He got out really late and it pushed dinner really late.  I wasn't going to start cooking at 6:45.  The plan of a beef roast in the crockpot just fell through completely and I planned to switch the pork chops around but not at 6:45. 

Tonight is on track.  We ARE eating the pork chops and some rosemary & garlic roasted potatoes.  We'll be eating LOTS of potatoes.  I order organic fruit & veggies weekly to bi-weekly and they are delivered on Wednesdays.  In my last order, my red potatoes went rotten really fast so they replaced them for me this week.  I also had some russets and some golden potatoes in my order.  PLUS I had some yams left from my previous order too.  I'll be searching for good potato recipes.  DS's favorite is always potato pancakes and I like that because I do about 1/2 shredded zucchini and 1/2 potatoes. 

So at least I made an attempt to make a good menu plan for the week.  Maybe I'll have better luck next week.

It's about time for a menu plan!

It's been TOO long since I've written down a menu and stuck to it!  I'll make an attempt here today....


Sunday - Baked ziti, french bread, salad.
Monday - Ham and Scalloped potatoes, veggies (different ones for everyone - why can't we all like the same veggies?!), fruit.
Tuesday - beef roast in the crock pot, garlic mashed potatoes, veggies, fresh bread.
Wednesday - I think I'll try pork chops with caramelized onions and apples, pasta, salad
Thursday - Chinese Take Out Lemon Chicken, rice, fruit
Friday - Tacos, salad, fruit

Now yesterday I tried this Fabulous French Bread recipe.  As you know, I use my bread machine a lot to do all the work. This one didn't sound too difficult and I really wanted to try it.  The flavor was great.  HOWEVER, if you try it, do NOT make the same dumb mistake I made and put the yeast into the boiling water instead of the warm water.  I guess I read the recipe too fast and completely missed the whole warm water line.  Despite my instincts of knowing that the yeast will die a quick death in boiling water, I did it anyway.  So I had dense little loaves.  Like I said, the flavor of the bread was great but they were flat and dense.  You can bet your sweet petunia I am making it again today!  Flour is cheap in the grand scheme of things.  I buy my yeast at Costco (just opened a fresh brick and I've used some from it prior to yesterday so I know it's not my yeast) and that's pennies.  So I'm trying it again and I will not make the same mistake twice.  Dammit. I know better!  I know how to "finger test" the water for the yeast like my grandma taught me.  Stupid, stupid mistake!  If it works, I may change out a recipe this week to french bread pizzas.  I haven't made those in a long time.  I've also been hungry for Lemon Chicken.  Haven't made that in forever either.  I guess maybe I should go back through all my old menu plans and revisit some recipes! 

I'll let you know how the bread turns out this time.  I'm hoping to find a winner.  It wasn't difficult to mix up since I let my mixer do the work.  Believe it or not, it was the first time in 11 years I've used the dough hook!  With my bread machine, I just never have had the need.

My Wonder Woman glass

Have I ever talked about my Wonder Woman drinking glass?  I may have, I've had it for several years.  Whenever I feel like I'm rocking this whole mom/wife thing I will usually drink out of it.  It's my own little trophy and reminder.

I should be drinking out of it right now but it's a big large for wine.  I'm working again.  A LOT.  I'm working for a wonderful woman who is a professional organizer.  She doesn't have payroll set up so I've been quiet about it.  She and I have started a consignment business.  Well, she started it and hired me to help and I've been doing 75% of it because she is on her organizing jobs at least 30 hours per week if not closer to 50.  She is a really busy Wonder Woman herself!  But she's been very good to me.  She is concerned with getting me paid on time and trusts me to make decisions and always asks my opinion.  I like her and trust her more than my last boss.  My last boss was appreciative but she didn't have it together like this one does. She is very professional and business oriented. 

I started out at 10 hours a week.  Then she got a big organizing job and asked just how much I can work.  She wanted me a lot.  I told her 20 and she said great and if I can work more, go for it.  So this week is about 20 hours.  I also took on another freelance job that I finalized yesterday.

That leads me to my days this week....  yesterday in particular.  Wow.  I could have filled up that Wonder Woman glass several times.  I worked on FOUR different businesses yesterday.  Yes, I count the PTA as business because I am in charge of a committee. Started my day at 6:30 am and worked steadily until 10:30 pm. I worked on the consignment business, I  finalized and submitted to the client the freelance project, I helped FG tape our TV show and then I worked until 10:30 pm on the PTA project.  In between I worked on the consignment business a bit more, helped with homework, made dinner, cleaned up dinner and got my kids into bed.    FG thought he might get lucky too.  I think he was joking - he knew better.

Today is no better.  DS had an 8 am, somewhat traumatic orthodontist appt, 9:45 - dropped him off at school and realized I forgot the dang PTA project I worked on the night before,  ran home & packed my lunch & ran back out the door to head to work, on the way to work I called the client to see if he received my project, worked at the consignment business until it was time to go home & meet the kids (Oh in between I had to go "rescue" FG when he was at the gas station with no money and no gas in his car), get the kids a snack, read the gazillion papers from school, discuss some business stuff with FG, work on consignment stuff a bit more, start some homemade bread and take the shrimp out of the fridge to finish thawing.  Dinner tonight is salad, shrimp scampi over pasta, fresh bread and fresh fruit. 

FG thought he was really funny the other day when I made chicken stir-fry and hot & sour soup - all with freshly chopped vegetables and from scratch sauces.  He joked that dinner was really good for something I just thawed from a bag & put in the wok.  HA!  Thank goodness he knew better and I knew he was joking.  I blame it mostly on being super frugal and the fact that the from-scratch dinner was a lot cheaper than the pre-made bag at the grocery store. I'll have to share the hot & sour soup recipe soon.  It's easy and really good and you get to control the heat!

I think today is another day deserving of the Wonder Woman Glass.  I know I'm only one of many many women who do this crap daily.  I want a nap.  I want a vacation.  I want a date with my husband but 1) can't afford to pay a sitter 2) feel like we ask the grandparents  A LOT to take the kids - mostly so we can work!  I raise my Wonder Woman Glass to all of you!

Let go of the Eggo!

As crazy busy as I have been lately, I am trying to get back into the things that I enjoy.  I miss cooking exciting meals and trying new things and taking care of my family the way I like to.  I just have to force myself to stay on track and be diligent.  The kids and I went to the grocery store yesterday.  I am now armed with the items I need to cook (mostly) what I want to feed this family.  The organic fruit & veggie delivery will arrive today too. 
Last night as I was cleaning up before heading to bed I noticed ripe bananas.  I also knew that I bought and extra container of buttermilk to make a giant batch of waffles.  Instead of just stumbling up to bed, I took out two sticks of butter so they would be warmed by the time I hit the kitchen in the morning.  As soon as I finally got my butt out of bed & ready (another thing I need to be diligent about - I looooove laying in bed in the mornings!) I started right in on baking some banana bread and prepping for the waffles.  Now we have waffles for the rest of the month for busy school mornings!

One of the things I do is undercook them slightly.  They are thick!  When I take them out of the freezer on a school morning, I pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds then into the toaster.  If they are fully cooked, they get too done in the toaster.  I've heard of people using the waffle maker to heat theirs up but that's too much hassle for me in the morning!

I ended up with 27 waffles.  There are now 22 wrapped waffles (we ate 5 for breakfast as I made them) in Ziploc bags in my freezer, ready to be taken out as needed and warmed up.  They are sooo good too. Not only are they cheaper and homemade but they taste SO much better than the frozen grocery store waffles. Mine are definitely bigger than Eggo's too so if you have a smaller waffle maker, you may end up with more from this recipe.  I figured it out and these cost me a grand total of about $3.80.  I say about because I didn't figure exactly how much the dry ingredients other than the flour cost.  I added $.25 because how much can 1/2 tsp of salt or 4 tsp. of baking powder really cost?   So under $4 for 27 waffles!

Buttermilk Waffles

8 T butter (1 stick), melted & cooled

4 Cups Buttermilk

4 eggs, separated

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. sugar (I've substituted with agave syrup)

Melt butter & let cool.  Pour 4 cups buttermilk into large mixing bowl.  Separate eggs, putting whites into smaller mixing bowl and add yolks to buttermilk.  Add melted butter to buttermilk & egg yolks - mix.  Add dry ingredients and mix just until blended.  Beat egg whites until fluffy or stiff and add to batter, folding in just until blended.  (This step is worth it for a really light, fluffy tender waffle).  Do not overbeat batter.  Cook until almost done and let cool on wire rack.  Once cooled, wrap each waffle in plastic wrap and put in large ziploc bag.  Freeze.

Now I'm hoping to get a menu plan done for at least the rest of the week.  Look at me go!

2012

My kids told me how the world is going to end this year.  I told them we had better just enjoy ourselves then, shouldn't we?  Too funny.  They just crack me up.

This is what they wrote at our front door yesterday.  Gosh I love them.

We had a very nice end to the new year.  We had friends over to dinner on Friday.  FG and I got paid for a big production we recently did.  Saturday we just hung out at home.  We played the new Wii game, we ate a late dinner of fondue & lobster tails.  The kids tried to stay up until midnight but they made it to about 11:40.  I told them they could stay awake but they had to be in their beds.  DD shared her cold with me so I was not feeling 100%. 

As the new year began, I felt content.  I told FG that if 2012 is as much better as 2011 was over 2010 and 2010 over 2009 then I'm looking forward to it!  I was happy that he & I were snuggled in our warm bed, together with the fur-child between us (our kids have never slept with us but the cat thinks she belongs right between us every night).  My happy children were snuggled in their warm beds.  We had full bellies and, well, FG and I had bit of a satisfied glow going on too ;).  I thought to myself that THIS was the best way for me to ring in the new year - happy, content and with my wonderful family. 

I hope 2012 brings you contentment and happiness!!  

Need to clean this place up!

The aftermath of Christmas....
The house in general....
This blog!

Maybe now that I have my new laptop I can be better about keeping this thing up.  I looked at my sidebar and it's pathetic!  Most of what is on there is outdated and needs to go.  The picture at the top is years old.  I haven't posted a recipe or a menu in AGES.  I'm going to start trying to find time to get my act together and take care of some of these things.  I miss it.  I definitely need some menu inspiration.  I need some downtime and an outlet such as this little virtual place.

The house, well, it's in need too.  I'm done with the Christmas tree.  I want it and all of it's falling needles out of the house now.  I like to look at it but it's time has passed.  The rest of the decorations can stay up for just a bit - we're having friends over to dinner on Friday so I'll leave the house all decorated at least until our guests leave.  That would so be FG and I - our guests walk out the door and we start un-decorating the house!

I'm off to a job interview in a few minutes.  For freelance work of the same nature of my former career.  I'm just not sure what I would do if  I ended up with anything "regular" that had benefits and a 401K plan.  *sigh*

Our holiday was very merry.  Mostly great gifts all around! DD got a karaoke machine from my parents.  It should have come with ear plugs.  She isn't a bad singer but she certainly likes it LOUD.  DS is thrilled with everything he received.  Yesterday, the day after all the crazy present opening, we cleaned out old toys.  I'll have to remember that timing!  They were very willing to part with so many old things.  Clearly they had outgrown them but my kids always have trouble parting with things.  DD hesitated about a few items and I made her a deal, we put the doll stroller and accessories away and if she doesn't touch them in the next few months, they are getting donated.  She was ok with that. 

My parents gave us a GoPro.  FG is all excited.  I wonder if I'll ever get to use it?!  He already uses two of them on his outdoor show shoots but now he's excited to have his own.  I think we'll use it more for the family next summer when we are on the boat & take it on the tube.  If I manage to get up to the mountain this winter, maybe we'll take it skiing.  First we need some serious snow.  No snow here - ugh!

Alrighty, wish me luck on this little interview.  I don't know how it will work out but it will be a nice change. I'll try to get back to menu planning.  I have been REALLY bad about it.  I need to take some time and get back to researching recipes.  I think that will come with updating my blogroll too - get some new blood going into this lifeless thing!

Not a full time job but still working like a mad-woman!

As usual, a lot has changed.  Really? What is consistent? I didn't get the full time job.  Oh well.  I did take the part time job and it has become more interesting than I expected.  The pay is still low but the woman I am working for is wonderful!  She is so flexible with my work.  It's just her & I and I am helping her start this new business of hers.  She already has a sucessful business and this is an off-shoot of it.  I do a lot from home, which makes up for the low pay.  Hey, I can get paid to get stuff done AND do my laundry! 
FG moved his office home for awhile until he finds a place to land.  His office situation became less than ideal and he figured why pay rent when he could move home for awhile and have the same set up.  Plus he can be here when I need him!  So far I'm liking it.  I just can't get his last dang Christmas present wrapped!!!

My kids are more excited for Christmas than I ever remember.  They are funny, they didn't ask for hardly anything.  DD got DS the Hot Wheels camera car that he wants so badly. She is the most excited about giving him his present than anything.  It is hilarious.  I thinks he gave it away too.  I'm pretty sure he knows what is in the package yet he's being a good sport and not telling.  They are both completely questioning the Santa thing too.  I'm pretty sure DS knows the truth but he's too afraid to say anything - like he won't get presents.  Really though the things they asked for were inexpensive and fairly easy.  There aren't many presents under the tree yet they are completely thrilled.  I'm praying it doesn't change on Christmas morning.  I'm praying they don't say, "where's the rest?" 

Merry Christmas!!!

Lot o' time on my hands....

My life is just never the same, never really "boring" or normal.  FG spent nearly 3 weeks in S. America completely out of communication.  He lived on a boat in Brazil on a tributary of the Amazon for 7 days.  Then he was able to email me a bit after he had been gone for 10 days and they were en route to Uruguay.  There he lived in a remote fishing resort, if you can call it that, for another 7 days.  Then due to volcanic ash in the air from a volcano errupting in Chile, he was delayed getting home and had to fly to Argentina to get a flight back.  A little crazy?  Yeah. A little nerve-wracking for me?  Yeah!
The day he was supposed to come home but was delayed, I lost my job.  The Bitch fired me!  Well, actually, she made some really stupid business decisions and couldn't afford to pay me any more.  She cried. She hugged me a little too long. She had the balls to ask me to take care of a project after she let me go.  I did it because I cared about where the project was going and who else it would affect.  I'm not the type to take my toys and go home.  So I followed through but I charged her mileage for driving down there & back to take care of it.  So there! 
Now I'm looking for work.  I've found something very part time and low paying.  I'm thinking of getting my substitute teacher license to supplement.  Then I also interviewed for a very promising FULL TIME job.  Ey yi yi.  Am I crazy?  I'm going to have heavy shoulders of guilt.  I won't be here when my kids get on the bus in the morning - FG will.  I won't be here when my kids get off the bus in the afternoon - Grandma (hopefully) or FG will or they will have to go to the after-school program a few days a week.  I don't know why I'm stressing so much about it, I haven't been offered the job!  But the positives will have to outweigh the negatives.  The job will be interesting and it sure would be nice to have things like a good paycheck and benefits.  FG promised me that with that good paycheck we would start having fun again instead of stressing about every cent going to a bill.  So just tell me that my kids will be ok if I end up getting the job, alright?  The part time gig that I am supposed to start next week just doesn't really interest me.  Yeah, it's super flexible and it's easy but it's not interesting to me.  I have a project I'm supposed to start working on this week and I don't have an ounce of motivation to do it.  I think I'm too focused on the full time thing and if it happens all the changes it will bring to our lives.  I can't wrap my head around anything else except how I will have to do certain things differently - silly things like packing lunches and laundry. 

Wish me luck.  I'll be sure to post the outcome.  It's going to be awhile, unfortunately.  The job is corporate so there's all that corporate bullshit to deal with to get hired.  I am definitely qualifed and I know the manager I would report to.  I know a few of the co-workers I would have too.  That's how I got in there in the first place - it came to me.  After I met with them last week, they pulled the job posting off their website.  That's a good sign for somebody and honestly, I'm hoping it's me.

Side notes:  Both kids are doing excellent in school.  DS is having a 1000x better year than last and his teacher is great.  His report card was an amazing 2 A's & 3 B's.  For him, that's awesome.  He saved up enough $ so we went and bought him his ipod touch as his reward.  He paid for it but we decided he earned it.  DD is too freaking smart.  She's also boy crazy.  And boys are crazy for her.  Oh help me.  She's a very tall, blond boy-crazy girl.  She's reading and writing well above her grade level.  Math, poor girl. She is so like me.  She is doing fine in math but it's work.   And the best news, FG doesn't have any crazy trips planned for awhile.  Hopefully not until next spring.  Next up are Nepal, Vietnam and Ireland again.  They talked about Columbia but I don't want him going there.  Or Russia to some crazy remote place where they have to fly them in on military helicopters.  For 2 hours.  Nope.  I'm going to protest those two as much as I can!  They just aren't going to tourist spots!

Bullets for a glimpse...

That's all I have time for!  I miss blathering on about what is happening with me, around me, to me et al. 

• I'm a bit more disenchanted with my job.  6 mo. and I've realized it's a HUGE uphill climb. Pushing a giant boulder.  I see potential but I cannot do it on my own. It is not my business.  If it was, it would be run very differently.  The F-bomb would not be dropped at every available moment either.  I finally told my boss yesterday that I am having a hard time because if I'm going to be the only one who cares, I can't handle it.  I'm not just a "paycheck collector". I CARE.  I strive.  I attempt. I feel like the only one too many days.  All I can say is Thank God it's uber-flexible.  It's certainly not the pay that is keeping me around!  It's the fact I can come & go as I need to and that I do still see potential and I am given a very long lead to do my job the way I know it should be done.
• FG had a grand adventure in Alaska.  A bit too close to too many bears for my taste!

Yeahhhhhh.  That's too close to a mama and her cub!

He had a quick trip to Oregon and next month he's off to S. America for nearly 3 weeks.  Good times, good times.  ARGH!

• During his little trip to OR, he forgot a crucial piece of equipment.  Given that he was IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERESVILLE he called me very panicked.  What's a good wife to do?  Arrange for the kids to be watched all day and hop in the car.  uh huh. I did.  I drove 500 miles to save his sorry butt.  It didn't even need to be said that he owes me big time.  And the massage he gave me two days later doesn't count because we all know what "massage" translates to for a guy. 
• School is going well for my kiddos.  They are enjoying 2nd & 5th grades.  DS has a MUCH better teacher this year and DD has the same teacher DS had for 2nd grade.
• Today was my first day helping in either classroom.  I went to DD's 2nd grade class and did the same thing I did when DS was in there.  So it was easy and she was happy to not have to walk me through the whole process. She is very particular about how things are done. 
• My stuff for PTA is going along.  I'm just trying to not feel guilty about not devoting a gazillion hours to it.  I should be working on some stuff right now but I don't want to. I wanted to read some blogs and write on mine. :)  I have been giving of myself so much that I have learned to take care of ME a bit more sometimes.  The knot in my neck and the headache are usually good indicators that I need to take some time for myself or I am no good to anyone.
• Our cow is almost ready!  Hopefully next week!  We're starting with 1/4 because a whole cow is around $2,000.  I'm excited!!  The kids love red meat but we don't eat it often.  This is going to be so much better for us!  And it's much cheaper per pound to buy a 1/4 cow.
• I'm still happy with our organic fruit & veggie delivery!  I think they should give me a discount with all the people I've referred.  It's not a CSA so I can "shop" from my computer and then it gets delivered.  This week I was supposed to get some chard.  Uh, I would be the only one to eat it.  So I had that taken out and will exchange it for something else - probably some grapes that I know the kids will eat.  So glad I've started it and it's going well for us. 
• I need to get back into menu planning.  I have been kind of doing it but not regularly.  It's tougher when FG is gone.  I found a new recipe for Orange Chicken that DS loves.  I haven't really been baking too much but a few of the "regulars" here & there.  I have been eating a boatload of salads. 
• I should take a picture of the kids clothes organizers.  I broke down and bought the hanging closet shelf things.  I have never seen two kids so excited about organizing!  I think it had more to do with going back to school and the fact that I started those and got new backpack hooks right before school started.  I tell ya, it has been wonderful though!  Especially  now that I have to get myself ready & out the door shortly after they leave.  We pick out the clothes for the week on the weekend and they know what to wear every morning.  There's no looking for socks, mismatched clothes or wrong "temperature" clothes.  We look at the weather and decide together what to wear for every day of the week.  DD knows she can't wear a dress on PE day and that she must have tennis shoes.  So yay! There's no more fighting over the clothes every morning or the night before.  It's once a week and done!

Truth is, you can go home again

Either that or time travel really does exist. 

Long long ago in a place, well right here, I worked in the advertising business.  I spent a shit-load of money and got spoiled like crazy.  I literally was wined and dined and I put out - the ad budgets of my clients. I worked a super small agency, a long standing large agency and a long standing even larger agency before I left it all for the glamor of being a SAHM.

Now with my "new" job (I've passed the 6 mo. mark, it doesn't feel so new anymore as I get frustrated and really enjoy my days off and some of the excitement has definitely worn off), I'm back in the game.  It really is all a game.  Now I'm not in the large fancy-schmancy agency with the staff and memos and lunch brought in for meetings regularly, but I don't have quite as much pressure as I used to.  I really like the fact I can come & go and my boss trusts that I will get it done.  She keeps giving me more & more to do and I keep getting it done so obviously I can handle it. 

Last night was a local TV station event to showcase their new fall lineup of programming.  Because one of the businesses I market is a chocolate store where we make everything possible out of chocolate, I called up my old sales rep and offered to do a little trade.  I was thinking holiday client gifts but they wanted give-aways for their premier party.  So I went to the party to network and be proud of the fact we re-created their logo in chocolate for each guest to take home.  They looked great, if I do say so myself.  And yes, I helped design them and made our kitchen staff re-do several of them because they were not perfect enough for me.

I wasn't nervous to go to the party.  I had been to plenty of them in the past.  Sure it had been over 10 years and the last one I attended I had a big round belly to show off and I couldn't drink wine (lots of drinks flow at these things).  My boss planned to go with me but as I figured, when it came down to it, she forgot and couldn't make it.  Bummer for me because I figured she could learn a thing or two about who she's not paying enough to do all that I do and have the knowledge I have.  Not trying to toot my own horn but yeah, she's got it good with me sitting in the next office.  (I have it good with my loose schedule and the fact I do something from home, keep track of the hours and she never questions it).

I walked through the doors of the museum and stepped into a time machine.  My old reps were there, my former boss was there, various colleagues I had attended what felt like a gazilion similar events were there.  I got a lot of "Oh my gosh!  It's great to see you!  What are you doing now?"  and I got several quizical looks with the "I'm so sorry, I KNOW that I know you but I can't place..."  until I said my name and they went "Oh my God! " after I barely got out my first name.  Then there was always a memory or story brought out, "Do you remember....".  EVERY SINGLE PERSON there was around when I was in the business 10 1/2 years ago.  It was freaky.

When I left advertising I said I would never be back.  Sort of like a teenager leaving home but they always come back around, don't they?

Life is good

It is. I feel like we have emerged from this dark cave into the bright sunshine.
I'm sitting next to my parents pool watching my kids play. They are getting along and laughing. Last night we had the clients over from the new fishing show. One guy lives in a town near us, the other lives in Ireland. They are such nice people and they like FG a lot. In their honor, we opened a 48 year old bottle of Canadian Whiskey. FG figures his parents have had it since they got married in 1963 and when they got divorced in 1996 we ended up with their liquor cabinet & bar glasses. So we pulled out the 1960's highball glasses & cracked the paper seal on the whiskey & toasted to a great partnership. FG and I felt it was worthy. I agree. It's all part of what is making 2011 so much better than well 2009 AND 2010.
My son has been pretty darn good lately too. Yeah he still gets nuts from his SPD and he's still a space cadet at times but he has been helpful, responsive, cooperative and responsible. I have praised him a lot for his behavior. His sister, well, she's still tough, doesn't give a darn if she gets in trouble even when I take away her precious TV (no, she does not have one in her room, she just loses the privilege to watch theirs in the playroom). But he was like that at 7 too and I expect that by the time she's 10, she'll behave a bit better.
What I am not liking is FG being gone so much. The guys broke it to me last night that they got ANOTHER TRIP planned & paid for in August. At this rate it's a trip once a month! But he enjoys the work & he's getting paid so it's better than the alternative!

I'm still alive

Very very much alive.  Very very much busy.  Yeah yeah, I know that's terrible grammar.  Get off my back. I'm going crazy here!

Summer is half over - wahhhhhh!
Since I've been good with bullets, here's some more if you care to get caught up.

• FG got a new gig.  It sort of fell in his lap with 2 weeks notice to be out of the country on a project for 2 weeks.  He is now producing a new show that involves fishing and travel.  So he went to Ireland for 2 weeks to work.  Right now he's in the Northwest on some lake following the guys around.  In October he's going to the Amazon. As in the RIVER for 2 weeks.  Next spring, back to Ireland and then a month or so later he's going to Nepal.  They will be bunking with some buddist monks.  And he GETS PAID to do this.  Frickin' amazing.
• My job is going along swimmingly.  My boss loves me.  I do the job well and I work hard for the 4 businesses I'm doing marketing for.  It's amazing what I can get done in 15 hours a week and just how much 15 hours a week pulls me away from other things.  I do not miss the toystore one tiny bit!  I heard the manager was badmouthing me.  Yeah, probably because I busted her for being a grouch and was sick of her shit so I left.  I heard business is really slow and it doesn't surprise me at all.  They have the wrong person in there as manager.
• I pulled the kids out of school a week early and we flew to the midwest.  My cousin got married.  I'm the oldest cousin by 15 years so they have always been little kids in my mind.  Now they are in their early 20's and getting married.  Freaked me out when one of them got me a beer.  Then we spent a week in N. WI where I grew up vacationing.  My kids LOVED it.  They keep asking to go back. I thought for sure DD would hate every second of it but she decided to prove me wrong and adore fishing!
• DD and I flew home to finally see FG (our trips overlapped so we went 4 weeks without seeing each other).  DS stayed behind.  He couldn't get us on the plane fast enough and have his aunts all to himself.  I can't blame him, I did the same thing as a kid. I spent all summer with my grandmas and my aunts.  DS stayed 99.9% of the time with my aunt who is his favorite person on earth. 
• DD went to Girl Scout camp in the middle of the woods.  FG and I kept driving and looking at each other like, "Are we seriously leaving our 6 year old here?!"  She couldn't wait to kick us out of the camp.  (What is it with my kids?!  Do they hate me?  Lie to me and tell me they are just well adjusted and secure knowing they can be away from mom and survive.)
• With both kids gone for a week, FG and I reverted back to being DINK's.  We enjoyed ourselves.  Actually I think we kept ourselves busy so we didn't think about the fact our kids were all over the place.  One day we worked from 9-5, had a client event at 5:30 which was Family Night to see Cars 2 (we snuck out since we didn't have kids and saw Green Lantern), then we went out to dinner together at a swanky bar downtown and didn't get home until after 10 pm.  I don't think we've done that since we have had kids!  Then we spent a few days in San Francisco before picking up DD on the way home.
• DS came home 2 days before DD's 7th birthday.  He was not happy to come home.  He had a blast but I was more than ready for my kids to be back under my roof!
• DD turned 7. She had a nice party. She got her ears pierced. 
• Now I'm doing the kid-juggle every day for work.  Thankfully one grandma will take them on Mondays.  A friend who's kids play with mine takes them some Tuesdays.  Wednesdays I work with FG so they just come to the studio with us and then Thursday they have been spending the day with my dad.  I'm off Fridays. 
• Last Friday since they had been shuffled around so much all week without much fun - lots of errand running with the grandparents etc - I decided we would have a super fun day.  We went pottery painting, had a picnic lunch, watched a play, made pizza at home then went mini golfing when FG got home from work.  They had the "best day ever!"  I explained to them that is why Mom works and they have to go do not-such-fun things sometimes.  I think they are old enough that they got it.  They seemed to  understand that the things we did took money and mom has to work for money.   Of course the next day they were at each other's throats all day and I punished them by making them pull weeds.
• I'm trying my damndest to get us to eat better and having a bit more income is helping that.  Tomorrow I get my first delivery of organic fruits & veggies - as local as possible.  We are going to get 1/2 a cow this fall.  I'm starting to get local fresh eggs.  For the past year I've been giving us local raw honey for allergies (works ah-maaaaay-zing!).  I'm anxious to try the fruits & veggies.  It was pretty inexpensive actually!  Almost as cheap as what I pay for non-orgainc stuff at the grocery store.  The cow I'm excited about too.  It won't be ready till fall but they are fed the grains from a local brewery and alfalfa.  No steriods, no hormones, no pesticides.  Happy drunk cows! 
• We may be the only people in the country paying off our debt.  As sucky as it is at times, when we look at where our bills started to where they are now, we are proud of ourselves.  Business is improving, FG's new project doesn't hurt either!  We are still fairly broke and still watching every penny but we could have easily said screw it, and walked away from all the bills.  I know it's taught our kids a good lesson and FG and I have survived through I think the worst of it. 
• I'm getting the house cleaned every other week and FG is no longer speaking to his dad's wife.  If you've read any of my posts over the past few years this will all make sense to you.  FIL finally saw first hand that she is a selfish, money-grubbing bitch.  I don't know that I've ever met anyone as selfish.  But now we are done paying for them to get their house cleaned every week and me working essentially 3 jobs (PTA/School stuff can take up as much time as my paying job!) and scrubbing my own house.  I told FG that if the whole thing went away, fine, he could sell that space and we would at least get income for it.  I only want it because it's there and it's dumb that we are giving it away to his dad's bitchy wife every week.  So yay me! 
• 2011 so far is 1000x better than 2010!

Well Hot Damn! It's been awhile!

Let's see... I'll give you a little run down in case you care.....

• I turned 40. gulp.  FG had a great party for me. It was 80's themed and everyone got into the spirit. It was fabulous and over too fast and I didn't drink enough because I was up at 7:30 the next morning cleaning the kitchen.  Now I'm 40.  whoa.
• DS turned 10 (before I turned 40, thank you!).  I got to experience having a bunch of little boys around for 2 days straight.  I gave him a great party - complete with the chocolate fountain, no cake.  I am C-R-A-Z-Y.
• We've had some bumps and bruises at school. Not the literal sort.  Thank God we have an amazing principal and counselor at our school.  The teacher is not worth a whole hell of a lot.  Fourth grade is tough tough tough anyway.  But this teacher has one foot out the door of the school since she's been there 25 years. I was about ready to kick her butt the rest of the way.  We had a big meeting. FG got to play Bad Cop, I got to play Good Cop.  The principal got to play even Badder Cop and the counselor got to play mediator.  We got what we wanted, DS seems happier and all is going much better. 
• I've been kidnapped by the school PTA.  It all started when I volunteered to help out with the first book fair of the year.  Our party-loving librarian decided to have a Girls Night Out as a thank you to everyone who volunteered.  That included teachers, parents and the principal (thus getting to know her better).  Yeah, so that was great and all but becoming friends with a 50 year old librarian with no kids who likes to have parties and do-do-do and go-go-go has not been good for the relaxation part of my life.  Now I'm do-do-doing and go-go-going because she ropes me into stuff.  It's fun though so the social part of my life has been busy. And really, how many people can say they hang out with the school principal and drink wine and gossip?  I've learned SO much from being around these other parents and the more out-going, social teachers who aren't afraid to hang with the parents from the school.  It's helped (see above about the Big Meeting). 
• This has also caused me to volunteer to take on the membership chair for the PTA next year.  Miss Librarian and I did the nominating committee for next year's board.  Now suddenly we are signed up to do all sorts of (fun) stuff and going to the PTA convention.  I told FG they have a PTA store there and maybe I'll come home with a cool fanny pack or tote bag to show the world I'm a PTA member! He called me a Goober.  But really, for membership I have a ploy to fill people's bellies with wine and yummies so they'll volunteer for more stuff. I'm sneaky that way!
• I quit my job at the toystore.  My last day is tomorrow.  I decided that I was done with it all.  I do not like the manager. She is negative.  I mean, we work with toys! It's supposed to be FUN.  She was such a downer every day.  She "hates" everything that comes in and thinks it's all "stupid". She's just not pleasant and honestly, sales are showing!  My boss, the store owner, dragged it out of me yesterday so I finally gave her the full scoop.  I told her that is what prompted me to start looking for another job.  It took a few weeks but I found one that will be challenging and fun at the same time. 
• Now I have to find stuff for my kids to do over Spring Break and in the summer.  My new job, a Marketing position for three businesses under one umbrella, is flexible and it's still part time but I do need to go to the office. I don't want to start and say, "Oh by the way, care if I work from home all summer?"  yeah. not a great way to start off.  She's cool, she's flexible but she's still running a business.
• Today I am sorting and tagging a gazillion things for a large consignment sale coming up.  It's all kids stuff and it seems like DD suddenly got too old for so many of the toys & games we have.  So shortly after Christmas I ruthlessly cleaned things out.  Now I'm going to consign as much as I can and what doesn't sell will get donated to charity.  I drop it all off on the 24th and will never see it again! Then I just have to sit and wait for my check.  I'm really hoping I get a decent amount so I can go buy the little girl some new clothes.  She is a weed, I tell ya!  She's sooooo tall!!! 6 years old and needs a size 8, at least.  Some of her shirts I have been getting in a 10! 
• DS has been playing basketball. He's a little guy. Doesn't play very well but dang he loves it and gives it his all!  For a kid who doesn't like people too close to him, he is right in the middle of the game.  It's awesome to watch!  He's totally bummed that the season is ending. :(
• One amazing thing the principal did for my little sensory kid is she got him a sensory cushion!  This boy has not sat down in a chair in class in 4 years.  Now, he sits.  He says he likes the bumps on it.  AHHHH-MAZING!
• Other than all of that, I am still plugging away with my coupons and bargain shopping.  I've done really well lately and it's been necessary.  I've even dragged FG with me and he gets into it too. :)  We are still no where close to the "extreme couponers" but I have saved our family a decent amount of money!

Extreme couponing?

I watched the show last night.  ugh.  It disgusted me.  I guess what bothered me is that these people who do this clean out the shelves so there is nothing left for those of us who are just trying to save their family a little money.  I have a "stockpile" which is a small cabinet/pantry in my garage.  Pitiful in their eyes.  But it sure was nice last night when I was making stir-fry and ran out of soy sauce that I just went to the garage & grabbed a new bottle.  My supply is really low though.  Christmas put a damper on my stocking up.  But really?  These people need 1000 boxes of pasta?  When they already have 1000 at home?!  So that I can't go get 5 for my family?!  That and the fact that they spend so many hours in the store, taking up so much of the employees' time then they pay nothing for any of that.  Talk about selfish. Those costs - the cost of the product they aren't paying for, the cost of paying the employees, the cost of the gazilliions of plastic bags - will simply be passed on to the rest of us in higher prices. 
I'm all for a deal.  I love to use coupons, combine them with sales, get a good price on food.  BUT, this is ridiculous.  I won't buy something I won't use.  Occasionally if I do get something for free that I know we won't use, I will donate it.  But for the most part, we only purchase what we need and consume. 
I also noticed no fruit or veggies and protein in those carts.  Lots and lots of soda, bottled drinks, pastas, cereal.  I saw lots of chemicals, HFCS & artificial dyes.
FG agreed with me that I do pretty darn good for what I do.  I don't spend ALL of my free time looking for sales and spending money building a stockpile of crap.  I found it nuts when I had 18 boxes of cereal.  But they are gone now - a few months later.  I'm scanning the ads for more cereal deals.  I promise to leave some on the shelves for you though.

Macaroni Grill's Rosemary bread copycat & Spaghetti Carbonara recipes

I did it!!!  I copied the yummy bread at Macaroni Grill.  My whole family ate it up and then took the rest in their lunches the next day.  The kids couldn't get enough.  FG ate his at his office and wouldn't share because he had such a small piece.  But his office-mates were drooling and telling him it smelled exactly like it.  MMMMMMMMM!  I'll share the recipe...

I started with my basic french bread recipe and tweaked it.

Into bread machine place (in whatever order your machine asks you to place the ingredients, mine wants liquid first)

Rosemary Bread

3/4 cup warm water

2 tsp. honey

2 tsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. pressed garlic

3/4 tsp. dried oregano

3/4 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

2/3 tsp. salt

2/3 tsp. sugar

2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp. yeast

Run the machine on the dough cycle and remove.

On floured surface, separate dough into two balls. Knead slightly and pull to form two nice dough balls.

Place dough balls onto greased cookie sheet, a few inches apart and let rise.

Once dough has risen (I always place mine in my oven that I put on "warm" and it takes about 10-15 min. to rise) brush tops with a little olive oil, just enough to moisten but not soak.  Sprinkle with kosher or flake salt and more dried rosemary. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 min. until tops are golden and dough is baked through.

Since I just winged it on this, my measurements and time may not be exact.  So you'll have to experiment with it on your own. If you don't have a bread machine, I would imagine you could easily do this by hand or with a mixer/dough attachment.  I'm making it again tomorrow for a Girl's Night Out at a friend's house.  It was so easy and so worth it I can see myself making this regularly!

Here's what I served it with....

Spaghetti Carbonara

(adapted from Classico Alfredo sauce's recipe)

16 oz. spaghetti pasta

15 oz jar prepared Alfredo sauce (I like Newman's)

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 lb. pancetta or bacon (I had bacon on hand)

2 large shallots, chopped (the store was, gasp! out of shallots so I used a mild onion)

2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta according to package. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta liquid to thin sauce later.

Mix eggs and Alfredo sauce in separate bowl.  Set aside.

Saute pancetta or bacon until crisp.  Reserve drippings (I skimmed off 90% of the grease and kept just enough to saute the onions in. I didn't want it too greasy or fatty).

Saute shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in wine and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.

Return pasta to pasta pot over low heat.  Add shallot mixture to warm pasta and lightly toss.  Increase heat slightly and slowly add sauce mixture, stirring constantly so the eggs don't scramble. Cook for about 6-7 minutes until sauce is cooked and thickened slightly.  Add pasta water to thin if necessary.

Add cheese and pancetta. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently.  Add salt & pepper if needed (I added pepper - it was salty enough from the bacon).

Place on plate and sprinkle with a touch more cheese and parsley.

All in all, it was a fabulous meal.  Not too difficult and FG and I ate the leftovers in our lunch the next day!  This is a meal I could see serving company because it's all in one and fairly easy.  I could see getting the bulk of it done prior to guests arriving and just keeping it warm.  I'll have to try it with the pancetta and shallots next time!   I'll also have to try it with my own Alfredo sauce.  The jar is easy enough in a pinch though!

All geared up for the food holiday!

I'm excited. I'm in a good mood.  It's snowing like crazy and I made my kids ride the bus.  No wimps in this house!
2 days until the big food day!  I think I have experience on my side and thankfully this year, time.  The fact that I have roasted many chickens and done now quite a few Thanksgiving dinners is putting my mind at ease.  I know what I'm doing.  I know what it takes. I know what to expect.  I know that I will get up early and work on the bird.  I know I will chop the fresh herbs and mix them with other seasonings into the butter and slather that sucker inside & out with it.  (I do the under the skin on top of the meat with the herbed butter thing and it makes for a yummy bird!).  I will mix the stuffing up to the right consistency without really paying too close of attention to measurements. 

Having time on my side this year is so helpful too.  I worked at the toystore yesterday but am off for the next week.  Holy Moly how did that happen?  The paycheck will hate it. I am going to try to enjoy it and not think about the lack of funds coming in a couple of weeks.  So I already started on some of my T-Day prep.  I made the red cabbage on Sunday.  As I stood over the pot, stirring and watching the color change to such a beautiful purple, I closed my eyes and was back in my great-grandmother's house.  I don't have a fabulous memory except of many things when I was small.  I can picture her house - details of her house - at any time I want.  The red cabbage smell just intensified the memories.  We had many Thanksgivings there when she was still spry enough to cook for a huge family. 
Today I'm going to work on the dining room and if I can get FG to put the leaf in the table, by the end of today, my table will be set for Thursday.  I cover it with an extra table cloth and then that's that.  I can take my time cleaning out the crystal glasses and making sure the silver isn't tarnished. 
Tomorrow I will clean the house and make the mashed potatoes.  I started doing this a few years ago - I make them a day ahead of time, adding cream cheese to them when I mash them.  Then into a large casserole dish they go, only needing to be baked after the turkey comes out of the oven to rest.  The result is fluffy, yummy, creamy potatoes that have gotten rave reviews.  Really?  Mashed potatoes?  They are such a staple in this house anyway and have been all my life - we ate them (and do now) regularly with weeknight meals.  But honestly when I make them like that people can't seem to get enough of them.  I'm just happy it's such a huge time saver!  I'll make the pies tomorrow too.  Pumpkin.  My mom is bringing lemon at DD's request (the girl loves lemon flavored anything except chicken picatta - weird).  MIL is bringing pecan at FG's request.  Everyone is bringing wine!  Yay!!!  But me, I could eat an entire pumpkin pie by myself.  I have.  Not all at once.  When it's here, I eat it for breakfast and dessert.  MMMMMM! So I'm making two. One for me and one for everyone else. 

Now, I'm even excited about leftovers!