This Deserves Its Own Post

BENNETT IS POTTY TRAINED!!

Menu Planning Monday

This week’s menu is going to look remarkably like last week’s because, funny, it pretty much IS. I was too sick to cook any of the good stuff last week, so it’s just going to happen this weekend. I hope.

M: Spaghetti and meatballs
T: Eggs, toast and fruit
W: Chicken fajitas
R: Hot Dogs, mac’n’cheese, carrots
F: Take Out
S: Elyse Ford’s Chicken and Stuffing, green beans
S: Thai Seared Shrimp and Rice

Bennett has joined me in the coughing and resting fest, so at least I’m not home alone with it.

A Peep from the Land of the Sick

So I’m on Day #4. I laid in bed this morning and prayed that I could get SOMETHING, ANYTHING done today. Yesterday I managed to fill, wash and empty the dishwasher. Then I laid on the couch the rest of the day. Seriously. I’m that drained.

Bennett’s coughing up a storm, but doesn’t seem to have the woozies, for which I am very grateful.

Today I’d like to fill, wash and empty the dishwasher again (the sink is two mountains) and try to get some dark laundry up from the basement where it has lain, clean, for more than a few days now.

I tell ya, Mommies should really not be allowed to get sick. It just disrupts everything!

We’re Sorry, But…

7 Quick Takes Friday has been preempted by yet another round of the coughing & feeling weak virus. I’m three days into it, and after last time, expect another full week.

Coughing so far are: Me, Bennett and Laura. Laura was already on Amoxicillin and seems to be handling it the best. Bennett was up until 10:30 last night before the cough medicine finally kicked in. I’m definitely giving it to him earlier tonight!

Apple Coleslaw

Thank you, Kraft Foods, for improving Catie’s birthday party on Saturday and my future entertainment times with this recipe. It’s easy, cheap, good for you and EVERYONE LOVED IT.

That’s a total winner in my book!

Apple Coleslaw (with my changes in parenthesis because you knew I would make them)

1 16 oz (or so–mine was 14.5 oz) package Cole Slaw
2 apples cubed–one red and one green is best (I used one gala and one granny smith)
3/4 cup Miracle Whip Lite
1 Tbsp Honey (based on advice by someone else, I used 1 tbsp milk and about 3 silverware teaspoons of Splenda) (because I didn’t have honey)

Mix everything together and let it sit on fridge for an hour to get the flavors to mix. I recommend doubling because seriously, this is delicious and went very fast.

You can find the official recipe here (I got it out of their Food and Family Magazine that they will send to you FREE four times each year!

Menu Planning Monday

I haven’t moved the cookbooks yet, because my desk still needs to be a little more organized. It will happen sometime soon, though!

I’m excited about Friday and Sunday’s items–Friday is something we were delivered years ago when the kids were babies, and Sunday is NEW and sounds so yummy. It sounds so good that I’m going to break my own rule and post the recipe before we try it, even.

M: Spaghetti and Meatballs (I think the world would stop spinning on its axis if we didn’t have spaghetti on Monday. I’ve done it most of my married life!)
T: Honey Garlic Pork Chops, noodles, peas (oh, the tears I expect over the peas!)
W: Ham, stuffing, carrots
R: Hot dogs, mac’n’cheese, carrots (I have a pampering meeting to go to!)
F: Elyse Ford’s Chicken, green beans
S: Hang with Millar’s
S: Thai Seared Shrimp with Tomato, Basic and Coconut over rice

For My Ways are Not Your Ways

Stream of thought here, so bear with me. I’m dealing with a lot of emotions and not quite sure what to do with them.

I babysat Alex yesterday. Her single mom works 3-11 at a factory. She has no car. She walks to work (it’s down the road). Alex’s dad is in and out of the picture as he feels like it and doesn’t do much to contribute either emotionally or financially. I don’t know how much she makes at this job, but it’s not enough. The dad decided to go away for awhile and mom is left with no one to care for Alex. I offered to help out yesterday because I could sleep in a little after being out so late (got home at 11:45ish). She played over our house with the kids until they went to bed and then I took her home. She was awake until her mom got home at 11:15 pm. Tired, but awake. She still takes a “baba” at bedtime. At one point I put it back in the refrigerator. I opened the door and was shocked at how little I saw.

I am very middle class. I was born into it, married into it and will most likely (barring something major) live the rest of my life in it.

Mom very clearly is poor. Milk, eggs, water, a few tomatoes, some drinkable yogurt. The freezer had some chicken nuggets, two frozen pizzas, a ham, some ice cream.

My refrigerator looks, well, well stocked. Too much stuff to list. Same with my freezer. Same with my pantry and cupboards.

I felt guilt for our plenty and her need. It’s humbling to admit, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in someone’s kitchen who wasn’t on my socio-economic level. Not consciously or deliberately, but true nevertheless.

Two or three years ago I would have been overwhelmed with my own life. My kids needed me a lot. I had not yet read Lisa Samson’s Quaker Summer or Irresistible Revolution. Now my life is different. I’m at a place where I CAN give instead of just receive–both in terms of time and financial resources. And I have the feeling that God is pushing me ever so pointedly in this mom’s direction. I thought it was it was to CYWA, but other than doing some data entry for them I have had no interaction with them.

So as of right now I’m going to start praying. For God’s clear leading. For an open heart. For a WILLING heart, because this is both scary and slightly overwhelming. Definitely not in my comfort zone.

7 Quick Takes Friday

1. I love my carpet, but man this thing is shedding! There are little (and no so little) fuzzies all over the living room and playroom. Any idea when that stops?

2. We rescheduled Catie’s party for tomorrow. Therefore, today I must mop. I’d rather clean toilets than mop. Not kidding.

3. I had a lot of fun playing with google calendars yesterday for our church’s new calendar. I love playing with new computer stuff.

4. Speaking of new computer stuff, we just found a new game. We downloaded it for a free 1 hour trial and ended up buying it. By shopping around I paid 9.99 instead of 19.99. Gotta love the internet! It’s called The Scruffs and is a LOT of fun for everyone.

5. I’m babysitting today starting in 20 minutes. I haven’t babysat in years and years. It’s not something I enjoy much. I love my own children, but hanging with someone else’s kids is, well, not my specialty. I’m “on duty” from 3-11. That’s a LONG day!

6. Gotta love Pres. Obama’s statement about the special olympics. On the one hand, I don’t want to blow it out of proportion. On the other hand, making fun of himself is equated with the special olympics. Charming.

7. Wish I had more to share, but I really am drawing a blank today. So it’s 6 quick takes!

Where Things Belong

My cookbooks, like most everyone else, live in the kitchen. There are five regular ones and then a binder of all the cards and internet and magazine recipes that I make. But you know what?

I meal plan in the office. At the computer. I take two cookbooks with me, sit at the PC and figure out the week’s menu. And then take the cookbooks back to the kitchen. What if….WHAT IF…

I put the cookbooks into the OFFICE???

Anarchy! The end of the world as we know it!

Or just less dragging back and forth.

Next Step?

I went to college to be a teacher. It started out as a secondary school (high school and up) history, but switched over to elementary education. Cuz those kids, you know, they’re so cute!

I got to student teach my last semester of 4 1/2 years of college. I did first grade and fifth grade. Guess what? It wasn’t for me. After graduation I babysat for the summer, which only cemented for me that I wasn’t supposed to be around children that much. I tried data entry–BORRRRINGGGG. I tried Customer Service–too much getting blamed for stuff that wasn’t my fault. I tried being a secretary–Hello! It was a good match! So I was a secretary for seven years before I got pregnant and quit. I still function as our family’s secretary, as I’m sure many moms do.

This week our pastor asked if I would be interested in being his sort of volunteer secretary. Which I eagerly jumped at because I would love to use my skills that way.

Don’t get me wrong, I love organizing and being an organizer. But the jobs aren’t lining up and I don’t really have money for advertising. So it seems that this is going to be the next step for me. I’m looking forward to it. No money is involved, just giving of myself. Which, quite frankly, I want.