Thursday, July 31, 2008

A Baker is Born

Well, I'd write more if there was anything really to write about.

Last night, sweet Laney just wouldn't go to sleep. She kept trying to come and get in bed with husband and me, and one time we let her stay for a little while. Her daddy kept telling her to go back to her room, so eventually she went. I went in to check on her later, and she asked if she could get in bed with us. I, of course, blamed it on Daddy and said, "Daddy said no." Her response? "Well, we could get a new Daddy!"

Daddy went to fetch her as soon as I told him. Spoiled.

I tried a version of the sticky chicken recipe that's posted all over the internet, and it was yummy. I also made my second batch of homemade rolls...this one a knock off of Lambert's recipe (you know, "home of the throwed roll) and they were an ounce shy of yummy. Fine, but not outstanding. Today I made Caramel Apple Breakfast Pudding, but I don't know if it's yummy or not since it's supposed to sit in the fridge for night before cooking. I'll tell you about it later.

My rennovated kitchen has unleashed a baker in me! Who knew!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Monday Again...

Okay, so today was a better day. The kitchen is put back together and looks lovely. Of course I must gripe a little, and that gripe is that now, every single room in the house requires some trim and I forsee that task being put off a long time....but I can live with it for the time being.

The girls started a four-day gymnastics class today and had fun. I made my menu for the week...yay!....and went grocery shopping. I'm please with myself in that I went through the cabinets, freezer, and fridge and came up with menus that used a lot of stuff that we already had. Still spent $144 at the store, but oh well. The girls also went to Bible school at my cousin's church.

All in all, a successful day.

Teaching by Example

Okay, so I'm not sure it's a great thing, but at the same time I'm not that upset about it...

Husband, daughters, and I went out to eat Saturday night (see previous post as to why we are always going out to eat) and Clurie, my bright, amazing, frustrating, and funny 4 year old wanted to pretend that Mommy and Daddy weren't married yet and that we were on a date. Clurie was playing my daughter, and she insisted that Laney, my precious, amazing, perfect 3 year old play the part of Daddy's boy....yes, boy....the ultimate insult for them....while we were on our date. I started to say something at one point, and Clurie said, "No, Mommy, the boys are in charge." I was flabbergasted. I don't mind the "boy" taking charge (and wouldn't mind it if he did it more often) but I didn't know where she got that idea. Husband, Terry, was quite amused, of course, and I was just in the middle of explaining to him that he certainly doesn't want Clurie to think that when she's a teenage girl....when Clurie said, "Okay, now you're married, and now you're in charge, Mommy."

OH MY GOSH! It was hilarious, but I must admit I found myself strangely embarrassed by it. I know that I'm the one pretty much in charge although I believe sometimes by default. I mean, someone has to be the grown-up. However, that's not really the lesson I want her to learn about marriages. My mom and sister got a gigantic hoot and holler out of it. I do, too, but at the same time, it makes me think I've got some work to do. What do you think?

Sunday, July 27, 2008

The Beginning

I've started these before. I know I have. Several years ago, I got the bright idea to start a blog....and here I am, as usual, wishing I'd stuck with it, imagining what I'd have now. Typical. That's part of the reason my blog is titled the way it is, for I am full of ideas and never seem to find...or make...the time to actually act on all my ideas, and then I beat myself up for not doing them. I'm already not making sense.

So today, as I sit at my computer counter in my almost completed rennovated kitchen, I decided to get back to planning meals for the week. Another idea I've tried before but always stop. I typed in "menu planning" completely unaware that it would open the door to a million blogs and a million stories of wives and mothers who are doing the things I should be doing, thus creating some more self-loathing. I'm really not quite that bad. I mostly found it inspiring...but you see what I'm doing. Instead of actually making the menu for the week, I started a blog in which I can post my menu for the week, if I should actually get around to making it.

So back to the kitchen. My little family and I have a small and quite modest home...let's be honest...it's a double wide trailer...that I purchased several years ago as a young single teacher. My life has changed dramatically in the past 8 years, however, meeting my husband, marrying him, and having two girly-girl girls to fill up every ounce of living space available. My husband and I both teach, so of course we're far from financially wealthy, and so we stay here (partly because of money, partly because we can't agree on a new place, and partly because I'm next to my sister and don't want to move). Staying then requires some updates and fixins that my husband is quite capable of doing but not exactly thrilled about doing.

We had a shower problem that had to be fixed. Then I got fabulous cabinets in the laundry room so I won't have to just pile everything on the floor. That led to a new floor covering in the small laundry room off the kitchen. My husband decided to use wood laminate flooring....(he hasn't admitted it but I believe he just wanted to experiment with something he hadn't done)...and we liked the looks of it and decided to take it into the kitchen. That led to discovering a leak under the sink and new bottom cabinets. We liked that so we continued the flooring into the dining room area. Now you do all that, and can you leave the walls all drab and unappealing? No. Off to the paint store. Add a new stove and dishwasher, and my little kitchen/dining room area will be spectacular. Spectacular is a rather relative word since I'm sure many people wouldn't agree, but I'm a simple girl who is easily content, and so I will be satisfied.....WHEN IT FINALLY GETS DONE. Why is it a man just can't stick with a job until it's done?

We did have some setbacks, well, one setback called a stupid plain white countertop that for some reason was the hardest thing to come by. You'd think I'd ordered specialty marble from some obscure coast off Thailand, but no. Plain. White. It took three weeks and three separate orders/cancellations to finally get the darned thing.

I haven't been able to cook anything other than pre-packaged foods, and lately I've been boycotting that even and insisting we eat out. Not financially sound but gets the husband a little more motivated. I know. That's awful.

I guess I'd better get back to menu planning.