Becoming the CHEF!

When I was a much younger housewife......long long ago, I cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner. We didn't eat at McDonalds too often. And come to think of it, I was much thinner back then. Over the years, I tried to keep up with that habit. But, then I met my husband and that all fell apart. He's a very picky eater. I felt the meals I was cooking were not satisfying everyone. He wanted more meat and none of the rabbit food and the kids wanted more Mexican! I just want to be able to afford to feed us all! I don't want to have to resort to stealing a cow and butchering it myself! So to make everyone happy we ate out more! If we went to a restaurant at least I knew they were all getting what they wanted. But, as you know  a Big mac costs way more than it use to!

And that means I am not cooking at all! Breakfast is a bowl of cereal or a frozen waffle instead of a couple scrambled eggs and toast! Lunch is ramen noodles or a little frozen pizza instead of a PBJ or grilled cheese and macaroni. I'm sure those aren't the ideal health nut lunch of choice but it's my healthy version.

I use to love to cook! I loved to follow a recipe or make up my own. I liked to plan out meals and grocery shop. But lately I just feel like it's a wasted effort since nobody is ever on the same page and money is tight. It's hard to make a buck stretch now adays! So, I'm on a mission to find budget friendly meals that please the population. No more fast food! Only on special occasions! And even though managing to clean the entire house in one day is reason to celebrate, unfortunately it is NOT a special occasion! Oh! Neon Grill, I will miss you dearly!

So, as I was out wandering around the world wide web yesterday, looking for recipes,  I ran across The Pioneer Woman's blog! Let me first say this........I am in love with her! She cooks with BEER for crying out loud!  I'm brewing a serious crush on her as we speak! Anyhoo, if you check out her blog you will immediately understand why I am in love! Or maybe you already know of her and these words that I spew are nothing new to you! If you haven't heard of her....look her up! 

Last night I followed one of her simple, speedy recipes for fried round steak! It was simply superb and sooooo easy to make!  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/fried-round-steak/
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Do you smell what I'm saying? I have to admit....mine looked just like the picture above! Cooking that meal made me feel like a chef again! I felt good about myself! So happy I got back to that and I look forward to cooking another meal!

This blog

I don't know if it's a curse of a creative person that I carry with me or if it's just a severe case of Attention Deficit disorder mixed with an overwhelming amount of things crowding up my Mommy do list! But, I am struggling with this blog thing.

This makes me sad. And I'll tell you why. This blog is something I am doing for me.

ME!

......and the tears start to flow. .......sorry.

I wish I could say that this is unlike me and that I don't cry at the first sign of frustration. But, that's me! I'm a cryer. I get frustrated with myself more often than I should.

I feel like lately I have let myself down by not making time to sit and do the things I like to do. I am a firm believer in "If Mommy ain't happy...." Well, you know how it goes!

So, I made a promise to myself a while back that I would work harder to make myself happy. And one of the things I wanted to do was blog. I make sure everyone has clean clothes and clean dishes to eat off of. I wash them by hand by the way. The dishes! Not the clothes! So, I figured I would do something for myself that makes me smile.

Not that my abilities to wash dishes or clothes makes others happy but I can guarantee that when they open that cupboard door and find that there are NO plates to eat off of....they're not happy that they have to wash one!

Maybe I set myself up. I told myself that I would post once a day. Every single day! Is that really an achievable goal?

Sure! Even if it's a Quote or a photo I think is lovely or funny or inspiring or.....

This sob story is turning into a PEP Talk! Hang on, let me get my Pom Poms!

And my pig tails!! Gotta have those!

We're GO! So, ok. revised plan. Post once a day even if it's a one line witty comment I've made up in the Jeep while driving or a quote passed on by a friend to inspire. I am always taking pictures of things that make me laugh or realize that love is all around us and that God loves us. I mean, if he didn't he wouldn't have given us the internet. Right?

Well, thanks a bunch for listening! I feel so much better! Now, I'm going to attempt to leave the house with the toddler. We're potty training and this is trip number one without a diaper or pull up! GOD watch over me and her bladder!

Helo Wanted

I've been working from home for a while now and I use the term "Work" lightly. They say if you spend your time doing something you love it isn't considered work. Well, I say if you're not getting paid to do it then it isn't work and you need to get a job because the bills won't pay themselves! So, I have been looking for a job. I've filled out applications at several places over the last 5 months with no luck at all. I've followed up and used my nicest most educated sounding voice. I was polite and witty and remembered to NOT say "UMMM!" as much as possible. I realize that working around my day job (driving the kids to and from school) might be a turn off for some employers but if I'm correct there are people out their that go to school and require time off for classes. The most positive thing that came from any of the calls is being told that I might be over qualified to work at the Dollar Store. I am taking that as a compliment. I gave up on calling a few of the places that I applied to and actually made an appearance. I made sure that all of my tattoos weren't readily visible and went light on the eyeliner. I don't think you can see the pink streaks in my hair anymore....regardless I felt like a monster with 3 heads when I asked to speak with the manager about an application I turned in. Lately, the service I've received at fast food restaurants and chain stores tells me that you don't have to be a rocket scientist or have the best people skills in the world to be a part of their team! So, I figured I would have a shot at a job! Alas, nobody has returned my calls or appeared to be interested in inviting me to join their merry band of customer pleasers. So, I'm planning an alternate route of attack.

From now on, I'm going to lie on my application. I'm no longer white! I think I can pass for Hispanic on a good day. I have no formal education what so ever! I've been fired from every job I've had for some sort of physical altercation! The only job I've held for longer than a year was running drugs! I'm blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. I have a suspended licence....I thought the middle finger was the universal sign for "RAM ME WITH YOUR CAR". My bad! I can't work the weekends because of my religion. I'm allergic to peanuts and bullsh!t! I feel that I would make a great addition to any team because well......I have to be better than the idiots you have working for you now! And I think to add that special little flair I should spell half the words wrong....Including my name! What do you think?

Dear Mr. Grissom

Dear Mr. Grissom,

I am very disappointed in your absence from my favorite show in the universe. (Please don't tell Jacks Teller I said that) I am hoping I can somehow change your mind and help you see that although you are a phenomenal producer/director, you are an awesome actor. And there are many of us in the viewing population that would like you to return to television, preferably not as a corpse! We don't want Sarah to become a widow. If you can't come back full time maybe a Guest Appearance would be sufficient? Please come back! I'm begging! I love Nick and all but you're really the best thing that's ever happened to that show! And would it be possible to have Russell Brand as a guest also? I think that would be a marvelous mesh!

Sincerely, Mad Maven

Don't you dare

I don't think you can judge a persons cooking ability based on their grilled cheese. Or at least I hope you can't! Because between you and me, my teenage son makes a far better grilled cheese! I was married with children when I taught myself how to cook. There are still meals that I can't say I've had success with! But recently I think I have mastered GRILLED CHEESE! I am proud of that! You don't know how many times I have burnt through a loaf of bread in order to get one grilled cheese which is edible!

So.....here are my tips on making a grilled cheese sandwich!

1. Make sure you don't put too much butter on your bread! I like to use room temperature butter! Just a light smear all over the bread, just a touch!

2. I also find that if you preheat your skillet or griddle you won't get a soggy middle.

3. This is the most important thing I will ever tell you regarding a grilled cheese sandwich......Do not walk away from your sandwich while it's cooking! If Publishers Clearinghouse is knocking at your door with a check the size of a Walmart Super Center, do not, I repeat, Do Not walk away from that sandwich! This is where I go wrong every time! I get tired of waiting and then my mind wanders to another task and the next thing you know I'm vacuuming up flea powder while my sandwich burns to an ugly little crisp! DO NOT WALK AWAY from your sandwich! I don't care what you have to do to keep your mind focused on that morsal of cheesy goodness. Read it a story, tell it 20 times how much you're going to enjoy eating it or handcuff yourself to the stove. I like to pop the earbuds in my ear and pretend the rest of the house doesn't exist and just focus on that lovely grilled cheese!

Speaking of lunch......Gotta GO!

Apple pie and a good book.

Today is one of those days where I want to make an apple pie and cuddle up on the couch with a good book and my strawberry Shortcake blankey. I want a cup of hot cocoa and my fuzzy socks. The sun is hiding behind the clouds and there's a nice breeze blowing in through the open windows. Turning the A/C off was a welcome act! The constant humm of the unit made my brain feel fuzzy. It's so nice to hear the trees blowing in the wind instead. This time of year is the calm before the storm at my house. In a couple of weeks the kids will be back to school and I will be back to driving them back and forth. My days seem so fractured when school is in session. This year I hope to make better use of my time in between runs. We will see how that goes. I have lots of hopes for this fall. More walks with the toddler and definitely more Halloween decorations.

Giving my Ex-husband Rat poison....

After years of loathing it has come to this. It was a spur of the moment decision. And once I realized I made the decision to do it I couldn't help but feel proud of myself. Don't judge me!

It just felt like the right thing to do. For years I carried around a little resentment (OK! Ok! A LOT). I was scorned! I was bitter! I was secretly plotting! But, this? This is not like me at all! [Exhale] I still can't believe I did it! The oppurtunity arose and I took it without a second thought because that's the kind of person I am! I'm like that!

WOWOWOWO! Hang on a minute! You don't think I poisoned him do you? Nooooooo! He brought over a few pieces of furniture I left at our old house, he mentioned that mice moved in and I said "Hey! I have some DECON if you need it!" Silly! I wouldn't try to hurt the man!....Seriously! I wouldn't do that to the kids! This isn't a story about knocking off the ex! It's a story about forgiveness!

It's no secret to our family that my ex and I had a rocky run! We ended our marriage in a way that leaves a woman bitter. But I moved on. What else do you do? I got lucky, I found a great guy, we expanded the family and recently got married. But I don't think I actually ever forgave the ex for the things he did. He pulled some pretty stupid things when we were at odds. But, I won't lie. I ran my mouth! {Shocker} Anyway, I hadn't seen him in a while and when he stopped by with our boys yesterday I looked at him and thought "It just isn't worth it! Holding onto this hate is not healthy and it's a waste of time because I got mine!". Then I wanted to Thank him, shake his hand and say "Thank you for the journey! Thank you for the 2 wonderful boys and thank you for teaching me that you live and you learn!". But, instead I offered to give him Rat Poison! Because I'm over it! I won't forget. [pointing at my eyes, then at him] But I can forgive! So, Mr Ex.......I forgive you! And I'll leave it there!