Let's just forget this notion of "pinning" fancy meals on the computer while we place mediocre meals on the table. Let's just embrace the idea that we don't like to cook. It is a repetitive pain-in-the-neck. Every day at 4, that awful feeling comes over us. We have to put food on the table. No one else is going to do it. If I dont, they will starve.
So now that we are all honest about this fact, let's move to a deeper level of honesty and admit that we have served up some pretty bad dinners over the years. And, fellow working moms, we are probably most guilty of this. After a long day of work, who has the creative thought processes available to whip up a culinary delight. Not me.
So, who would like to contribute to my cookbook?
I have a few recipes already lined up.
1. Brownies for dinner! You have heard of breakfast for dinner? Well, this is a new spin. Whip up a big pan of brownies. Serve with a large glass of milk and you will feel less guilty.
2. Ham steak with a side of corn. Heat that big round slab of meat up in a pan, add a little syrup for flavor. Pop open a can of corn. Heat it up. Bang! done.
3. No meat in the house? Hmmmmm.... A bag of bagel bites! Yum. Meat, cheese and diary.
4. Leftover meat. Search around in fridge for any leftover meat- chicken, pork, steak, etc.
Cut up, heat up in a pan, slather it with a generous portion of your husband's favorite barbeque sause to mask the oldness of the meat ( I did cook that this week, right? Not last) If you want to be daring, slice up an onion and add it to the mix.
5. Steak-ums. Wow! Forgot I had those in the freezer. Let me not look at the sodium or fat content of those. We will counteract that problem with a side of frozen broccoli nuked in its own steamer bag.
6. Pasta, sauce. No explanation needed.
7. Bread crumbs cover a multitude of sins. They cover so many things and make it seem like I put some effort in.
8. Diced tomatoes. They come in different flavors now. Add them to all sorts of dishes.
9. Bag of frozen cooked meat/fish from the local food warehouse. Heat. Serve with rice or potatoes.
10. Perogies. Mrs Paul does a great job. Saute with onions in a pan. If you are lucky enough to have sour cream that isnt expired, add a dollop.
11. Honey-can-you-pick-up-a-pizza night. This is one of the easiest ways to handle dinner!
Your turn. List 1 or 2 Quick, Horrible dinners you have served up. I will be sure to give you the credit and a small cut of my book profits!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
My Vacation, part 1
I'd love to tell you I went to a tropical island for Easter break, but my vacation has been somewhat ordinary. Anyway, since I am embracing simplicity, I will share a few of the simple things I did.
1. attended an Easter Cantata at the church where I grew up and connected with some old family friends
2. celebrated Easter dinner with my in-laws
3. went to Great Wolf Lodge for some indoor water park fun in the Poconos, PA
4. Did i mention my husband "persuaded" me to go on something called a "HydroPlane" which involved climbing 4 flights of stairs, getting in a tube, and careening through it at break neck speed, getting airborne at times. My daughter, who was my passenger, said I screamed, "I'm going to kill your father!" but I cant be accountable for what I say under extreme fear!
5. puttered in the garden
6. got tricked into thinking it was spring, then it got really cold
7. froze myself at my kids' soccer practice
8. almost read an entire novel- I still have 3 days left to finish it.
9. getting caught up on Downton Abbey- almost done with season 2
10. cleaned out some random things in my fridge
11. dusted my curio cabinet with its 65 items in it-- that was no small task. I sometimes go years without doing it!
12. went to Trader Joe's for the first time
13. visited with my dad and step-mom
14. watched the movie Matilda- rather creepy. The principal was horrid!
(to be continued)
1. attended an Easter Cantata at the church where I grew up and connected with some old family friends
2. celebrated Easter dinner with my in-laws
3. went to Great Wolf Lodge for some indoor water park fun in the Poconos, PA
4. Did i mention my husband "persuaded" me to go on something called a "HydroPlane" which involved climbing 4 flights of stairs, getting in a tube, and careening through it at break neck speed, getting airborne at times. My daughter, who was my passenger, said I screamed, "I'm going to kill your father!" but I cant be accountable for what I say under extreme fear!
5. puttered in the garden
6. got tricked into thinking it was spring, then it got really cold
7. froze myself at my kids' soccer practice
8. almost read an entire novel- I still have 3 days left to finish it.
9. getting caught up on Downton Abbey- almost done with season 2
10. cleaned out some random things in my fridge
11. dusted my curio cabinet with its 65 items in it-- that was no small task. I sometimes go years without doing it!
12. went to Trader Joe's for the first time
13. visited with my dad and step-mom
14. watched the movie Matilda- rather creepy. The principal was horrid!
(to be continued)
Monday, March 11, 2013
God in the Garden: 100th post!
Wow! This is my 100th blog post. That is a big milestone for me. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about God, organized religion, and true spirituality and am coming to some new understandings.
Sometimes I am closer to God in the garden than I am in a church building. It is easy to grow disillusioned with organized religion, realizing that worldly models trickle into ministries, usually by those who are skilled at using them in the secular world. Marketing can become more important than ministry. Image over reality. Control over cooperation. Rumor over truth. Gossip disguised as prayer requests. We are all human and with our sin natures, things are bound to get messy.
Sometimes we just need to retreat and reflect-- as Jesus himself retreated to the garden to speak to God. People can often distract us, and the "noise" can drown out the very voice of God we are trying to hear.
In the garden today I remembered that the first job God gave Adam and Eve was to tend the garden. It is something He valued, and something that brings much fulfillment.
In the garden, you are close to God's creation, seeing the complexity of his mind, for he designed so many beautiful things, from trees, to birds, to seedlings, to worms.
In the garden, the music is simple. The birds sing praise in a wordless tune. No one argues about whether it is too traditional or too contemporary. It simply is.
A garden is work. Digging. Planting. Weeding. Sweating. It makes you tired. Our spiritual journey is also work. It requires dedication, daily tending, sweat and removing of obstacles. Yet we also feel the joy of victory when we see the fruits of our labors.
In the garden, miracles of life are everywhere. Buds on branches will soon open to leaves. Tiny seeds are beginning to change underground and will soon be vigorous plants. All this corresponds to the miracle of Christ's resurrection. He was put in a dark tomb, but three days later, rose to life! Praise God. The garden reminds us that God is the author of life. Not just for the plants and animals, but for us, as well.
God speaks to us in many places, and today, I heard His messages in my garden.
Sometimes I am closer to God in the garden than I am in a church building. It is easy to grow disillusioned with organized religion, realizing that worldly models trickle into ministries, usually by those who are skilled at using them in the secular world. Marketing can become more important than ministry. Image over reality. Control over cooperation. Rumor over truth. Gossip disguised as prayer requests. We are all human and with our sin natures, things are bound to get messy.
Sometimes we just need to retreat and reflect-- as Jesus himself retreated to the garden to speak to God. People can often distract us, and the "noise" can drown out the very voice of God we are trying to hear.
In the garden today I remembered that the first job God gave Adam and Eve was to tend the garden. It is something He valued, and something that brings much fulfillment.
In the garden, you are close to God's creation, seeing the complexity of his mind, for he designed so many beautiful things, from trees, to birds, to seedlings, to worms.
In the garden, the music is simple. The birds sing praise in a wordless tune. No one argues about whether it is too traditional or too contemporary. It simply is.
A garden is work. Digging. Planting. Weeding. Sweating. It makes you tired. Our spiritual journey is also work. It requires dedication, daily tending, sweat and removing of obstacles. Yet we also feel the joy of victory when we see the fruits of our labors.
In the garden, miracles of life are everywhere. Buds on branches will soon open to leaves. Tiny seeds are beginning to change underground and will soon be vigorous plants. All this corresponds to the miracle of Christ's resurrection. He was put in a dark tomb, but three days later, rose to life! Praise God. The garden reminds us that God is the author of life. Not just for the plants and animals, but for us, as well.
God speaks to us in many places, and today, I heard His messages in my garden.
Friday, March 1, 2013
10 Reasons Not to Buy a Yorkie
Don't be deceived. Just because they are cute and trendy, doesn't mean they are perfect pets. Here are a few flaws I have noticed in Yorkshire Terriers:
1. Costly grooming every 8 weeks; you must brush them daily, or when you notice they resemble a dirty mop. HIGH MAINTENANCE.
2.They stick to you like glue; as in, you sit in a chair, there is a 3 inch space between your hip and the arm of the chair,the dog will squeeze into it.
3. Nasty eye discharge; who do you think gets stuck cleaning it? who cleans up all messes emanating from little bodies in a house? yes, that would be MOM.
4. random throwing up; as in at 7 am the dog hops out of bed and hurls an arc of half digested dog biscuits across my white bedroom rug
5. speaking of beds, get out of mine.
6. they need coats or sweaters in the winter. Now you don't just need to make sure your kids have coats, but your dog needs one too.
7. Dog bone delivery; they feel the need to deposit a bone at your feet. As you are moving around the kitchen trying to cook dinner--Ouch! you step on a half-gnawed bone, or twist your ankle on it.
8. Underfoot all the time. Their brownish fur blends with the hardwood floor and the rug and they have a habit of getting right behind you or between your feet and you almost trip over them!
9. blatant ignoring of the master's command to "GET back here!!!" as the dog runs through the next yard after a cat, deer or another dog.
10. chewing up random items, like a headband, tissues, toys and... underwear!? Should I take her to a therapist?
10b. Oh, did I mention her ability to jump up on tables if someone forgets to push in a chair? We caught her in the act of swiping a hamburger right off the table while we were washing dishes! Don't even leave something on a snack table, because when you return, it will be gone. She is stealthy!
DISCLAIMER: Of course we love our pet! This is just meant to be a humorous look at some of the challenges of dog ownership, especially a dog requiring a little extra TLC. But as they say, dogs are man's best friend!
1. Costly grooming every 8 weeks; you must brush them daily, or when you notice they resemble a dirty mop. HIGH MAINTENANCE.
2.They stick to you like glue; as in, you sit in a chair, there is a 3 inch space between your hip and the arm of the chair,the dog will squeeze into it.
3. Nasty eye discharge; who do you think gets stuck cleaning it? who cleans up all messes emanating from little bodies in a house? yes, that would be MOM.
4. random throwing up; as in at 7 am the dog hops out of bed and hurls an arc of half digested dog biscuits across my white bedroom rug
5. speaking of beds, get out of mine.
she is awful cute, isn't she?
6. they need coats or sweaters in the winter. Now you don't just need to make sure your kids have coats, but your dog needs one too.
7. Dog bone delivery; they feel the need to deposit a bone at your feet. As you are moving around the kitchen trying to cook dinner--Ouch! you step on a half-gnawed bone, or twist your ankle on it.
8. Underfoot all the time. Their brownish fur blends with the hardwood floor and the rug and they have a habit of getting right behind you or between your feet and you almost trip over them!
9. blatant ignoring of the master's command to "GET back here!!!" as the dog runs through the next yard after a cat, deer or another dog.
10. chewing up random items, like a headband, tissues, toys and... underwear!? Should I take her to a therapist?
10b. Oh, did I mention her ability to jump up on tables if someone forgets to push in a chair? We caught her in the act of swiping a hamburger right off the table while we were washing dishes! Don't even leave something on a snack table, because when you return, it will be gone. She is stealthy!
DISCLAIMER: Of course we love our pet! This is just meant to be a humorous look at some of the challenges of dog ownership, especially a dog requiring a little extra TLC. But as they say, dogs are man's best friend!
Monday, February 18, 2013
three bags and baggage
Letting Go
I dumped 3 bags of unused clothes into the drop off bin today, and it felt really good to rid my home of clutter. Letting go of unwanted things opens up the space for what you really want.
Of course, I had to go all metaphorical with that idea and decide to dump 3 metaphorical garbage bags:
Bag 1: Gossip-- I'm so tired of gossip. It is so destructive and almost every woman I know (myself not excluded) can fall prey to this. Juicy tidbits that just have to be passed along. Judgemental statements about others. If others are gossiping to you about someone else, you can bet that when they are in other company, they are gossiping about you. I am making a conscious decision to avoid this. As hard as it is, I'm going to pray on this and work on minimizing this bag of garbage.
Bag 2: Revenge-- Let go of getting even. Someone does something hurtful, and we are plotting how we can get them back. Subtle little digs or snubs. Ridiculous. I'm turning the revenge idea over to God and letting him deal out any judgements He feels are appropriate. Not my job.
Bag 3: Broken things not worth fixing-- some things are so "broken" that the energy to fix them is too much. I'm looking at how I spend my time and wondering how much of it is wasted trying to change things that just won't change. I'd rather just chuck these things and start over. Old cars are traded in. People change jobs. People move to new places. Change is good, sometimes. It brings a new perspective.
What bags of garbage would you like to discard?
I dumped 3 bags of unused clothes into the drop off bin today, and it felt really good to rid my home of clutter. Letting go of unwanted things opens up the space for what you really want.
Of course, I had to go all metaphorical with that idea and decide to dump 3 metaphorical garbage bags:
Bag 1: Gossip-- I'm so tired of gossip. It is so destructive and almost every woman I know (myself not excluded) can fall prey to this. Juicy tidbits that just have to be passed along. Judgemental statements about others. If others are gossiping to you about someone else, you can bet that when they are in other company, they are gossiping about you. I am making a conscious decision to avoid this. As hard as it is, I'm going to pray on this and work on minimizing this bag of garbage.
Bag 2: Revenge-- Let go of getting even. Someone does something hurtful, and we are plotting how we can get them back. Subtle little digs or snubs. Ridiculous. I'm turning the revenge idea over to God and letting him deal out any judgements He feels are appropriate. Not my job.
Bag 3: Broken things not worth fixing-- some things are so "broken" that the energy to fix them is too much. I'm looking at how I spend my time and wondering how much of it is wasted trying to change things that just won't change. I'd rather just chuck these things and start over. Old cars are traded in. People change jobs. People move to new places. Change is good, sometimes. It brings a new perspective.
What bags of garbage would you like to discard?
Friday, February 8, 2013
Simple Life, part 4: Mental Clutter
This issue is so much more complicated than cleaning out a cabinet or drawer. It is about looking at your mind and what fills it and what kinds of thoughts dominate it-- meta cognition, if you will.
For example, in the morning I am up by 6 am, packing lunches, getting breakfast together etc., but my mind is running through my day: What am I teaching? Do I need to make copies? Do I have the DVD or flash drive for the smart board? any meetings today? Did I send the signed notices back to school? My mind is so far removed from the kitchen that sometimes I will forget what I just did and have to go back and re-check.
I have the same problem after work. It takes a good hour or so before I purge out all work-related thinking and zone back in to mom/cook/homework helper/dishwasher etc. I try to keep the switch flipped until later on. Honestly, I find work invading my thought life more than I would like.
I envy people who can just leave it behind and not think of it until the next day when they are sitting at their desk.
So work isn't just about the 8 hours at the job, it also affects the quality of one's life. The carry over into your private life affects your ability to be "in-the-moment" with your family and friends.
Add to this mental clutter the other issues that plague our minds- unresolved conflicts, misunderstandings, unpleasant emails,conflicts or arguments with children, spouses, bills to pay, family issues, medical problems, etc. Our poor minds are a real stew of chaos!
Sometimes this "mental clutter" can even cause lack of sleep, leading to a tired, cranky person the next day. Ever wake up at 4 am rehashing some issue that went on during your day and trying to find a solution to it?
I often do what most do-- find a distraction, such as TV or Internet. That does work for a little while, but still doesn't bring ultimate peace.
I have found a few things that help to get me re-focused, de-stress and clear my mind: meditating on a few Bible verses, prayer,singing uplifting praise songs, time outdoors (even walking outside at night and looking at the stars), exercise, playing with your kids (let your inner child come out!) or a good conversation with a friend.
What are some things you do to minimize the clutter in your mind?
For example, in the morning I am up by 6 am, packing lunches, getting breakfast together etc., but my mind is running through my day: What am I teaching? Do I need to make copies? Do I have the DVD or flash drive for the smart board? any meetings today? Did I send the signed notices back to school? My mind is so far removed from the kitchen that sometimes I will forget what I just did and have to go back and re-check.
I have the same problem after work. It takes a good hour or so before I purge out all work-related thinking and zone back in to mom/cook/homework helper/dishwasher etc. I try to keep the switch flipped until later on. Honestly, I find work invading my thought life more than I would like.
I envy people who can just leave it behind and not think of it until the next day when they are sitting at their desk.
So work isn't just about the 8 hours at the job, it also affects the quality of one's life. The carry over into your private life affects your ability to be "in-the-moment" with your family and friends.
Add to this mental clutter the other issues that plague our minds- unresolved conflicts, misunderstandings, unpleasant emails,conflicts or arguments with children, spouses, bills to pay, family issues, medical problems, etc. Our poor minds are a real stew of chaos!
Sometimes this "mental clutter" can even cause lack of sleep, leading to a tired, cranky person the next day. Ever wake up at 4 am rehashing some issue that went on during your day and trying to find a solution to it?
I often do what most do-- find a distraction, such as TV or Internet. That does work for a little while, but still doesn't bring ultimate peace.
I have found a few things that help to get me re-focused, de-stress and clear my mind: meditating on a few Bible verses, prayer,singing uplifting praise songs, time outdoors (even walking outside at night and looking at the stars), exercise, playing with your kids (let your inner child come out!) or a good conversation with a friend.
What are some things you do to minimize the clutter in your mind?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Simple Life: part 3, Socked by Socks
How many socks do we really need? Why do we hold on to unmatched socks for months at a time, hoping the mate will show up?
This past weekend, I took a good look at the sock drawer (yea, exciting life, right?) I tossed the hopelessly single ones, the stretched out and hole-y ones ( I am never going to darn a sock) and the odd colored ones I never wear. Keep it basic- black, blue, grey and brown, and white for exercise.
I attacked the kids' sock drawers too, getting rid of ones that were too small or white ones that were less than white, despite bleach. I bought some new ones to add in.
One rule I have is that when something new comes into the house, I throw out an equal amount of something old. So If I buy a pack of 6 socks, then 6 old ones go in the trash, rag bag or donated clothes bag, depending on quality.
Have you been socked by the socks in your house? Get control. Stop spending hours hunting for lost mates of socks. Toss 'em out.
Liberate yourself on drawer at a time.
This past weekend, I took a good look at the sock drawer (yea, exciting life, right?) I tossed the hopelessly single ones, the stretched out and hole-y ones ( I am never going to darn a sock) and the odd colored ones I never wear. Keep it basic- black, blue, grey and brown, and white for exercise.
I attacked the kids' sock drawers too, getting rid of ones that were too small or white ones that were less than white, despite bleach. I bought some new ones to add in.
One rule I have is that when something new comes into the house, I throw out an equal amount of something old. So If I buy a pack of 6 socks, then 6 old ones go in the trash, rag bag or donated clothes bag, depending on quality.
Have you been socked by the socks in your house? Get control. Stop spending hours hunting for lost mates of socks. Toss 'em out.
Liberate yourself on drawer at a time.
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