Thanksgiving has left the building

Back at work already after a week off for Thanksgiving.

When did kids start getting the entire week off? I remember being at school until Wednesday ... I am telling you they get more days off than one could hope for!

We spent most of the week dealing with the norovirus ... or a more common term, the stomach flu. I had it at the beginning of the week, Big J had it for Thanksgiving, and E got it this past weekend.

So, most of my vacation was spent doing laundry along with cooking.

But, all in all, it was a nice holiday. Good food at least! ;)

Now ... onto preparing for Christmas!!!!

Our trip around the world

I used to belong to a Supper Club. I loved this activity. Every six weeks some girlfriends and I would rotate houses and host a dinner, cooked by us, from various regions or cuisines. It was always great company, and it got my cooking "bug" out of my system. (Cooking for 3 boys, each of whom, including the big one, can have various degrees of pickiness every night at dinner). About a year ago, due to many reasons, our Supper Club ended.
After a while I started to miss being adventurous in the kitchen. When I tried, I always had looks at the table as if to say, "really Mom, you want us to eat this?"
We also deal with dine a ditch syndrome at our house. I spend one hour cooking and preparing, the boys spend 10 minutes picking at food, shoving the forced stuff in their faces and then quickly leaving the table. It was really getting annoying.
So, I came up with a plan.
I made a bunch of slips of paper with names of countries, states, regions, etc on them. I placed these all in a pretty vase and every Sunday I have the two boys select a card each.
That week we cook from the cards, and Big J has to learn three things about the place, which we discuss at that dinner.
This has been a blast so far. We have all loved certain things ... and hated certain things. But, we have been learning and trying ... and I have been cooking!!!!
Give it a try in your home ... it is bound to start some conversations and challenge everyone to expand their culinary horizons!!!

Here are some of the evenings and menus we have had thus far:

New York: Turkey pastrami sandwiches and Manhattan Clam Chowder
New England: Corn Chowder and crab cakes and Fluffernutters for dessert
California: California Chicken burgers with guacamole and chips
Texas: Brisket, Texas Roadhouse green beans and french fries
Hawaii: Kalua Pulled Pork, Hawaiian coleslaw and pineapple pie
Soul Food: Baked "fried" chicken, greens, sweet potato fries
Thailand: Shrimp Curry, lemongrass soup
Japan: Chicken Stir Fry, California sushi rolls
Poland: European Chicken Noodle Soup, Cheese pierogis
American Indian: Cherokee Pepper Pot; Navajo Bread
Brazil: Fejoda
Chile: Picadillo and beef empandadas
Mexico: Chicken enchiladas
Jamaica: Jerk Chicken sandwiches with black beans

Checking in

I am not dead ... just busy.

Very. Very. Busy.

Cross that off

When do you actually finish a to-do list?



I mean, are we ever actually done? Is it sad that I actually put things like "sleep-in" or "paint nails" as tasks that I have to accomplish?



Is it even more sad that I have had "complete photo album" on my rotating list since 2003????



Am I a really bad mom since, also on the rotating list, is "finish baby books"? And when I mean finish, I mean, actually enter in when Big J started walking and little j was born???



Will I ever become a person who can sit down at the end of a long day and watch TV with the knowledge that the only stuff left on my to-do list is frivolous stuff?



Is it weird that I actually enjoy putting items on my list just so I can cross them off and feel like I did something that day?!??!?!



I think I will add "drink" on my list today .... I know that since it is the weekend, I will accomplish at least one task. And that is sssoooo much more fun than "clean the grout." Isn't it????

National Walk to School Day

Big J walked the entire mile and a half to school .. and was so excited when his principal and teachers met him on the way!!

I think it's a pretty cool day to "celebrate" ... beats National Doughnut Day!!!!

This isn't life?

During my junior year of high school the subject focused around social justice issues; death penalty, abortion, etc.



We were all required to watch the movie "The Silent Scream."



This movie changed my life and is the reason why I am pro-life.



You be the judge:



www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkD0PcIsM3U

The things they say ...

So, I took Big J to 5:00 Mass this week. It was the start of Respect Life month.

During the homily they had a speaker from the Respect Life office and she was talking about examples of pro-choice decisions society makes on a daily basis.

Big J asked what she was talking about and the conversation went something like this:

J: Why do you look like you are going to cry Mommy?"

Me: "Because people make dumb decisions and hurt poor babies and sick people."

J: "Isn't that why you don't like Obama ... cuz he hurts babies."

Me: "Yep."

J: "What is that called again?"

Me: "Abortion."

J: "What's an abortion?'

Oh dear ......

Me: "Well, it is when a lady decides she doesn't want to be pregnant any more, so she decides to kill the baby."

J: "How do they do that?"

Oh God ...

Me: "They stick something inside the Mommy to kill the baby."

J: "Does it hurt the Mom?"

Me: "Yes, it does."

J: "Does it hurt the baby?"

Me: "Yes, very much."

... seconds go by ...

Big J looks at me, puts his head on my arm and says: "I am sure glad you were happy to be pregnant."

Me: "Me too bud."

Of course I won't cheat!

I am getting excited ... Sunday is Halloween. I am not that into Halloween - we don't decorate our house like Christmas, I don't wear orange and black all month long, and I certainly don't go broke buying costumes and stuff for the boys.

So, what am I so giddy about? I get to go pillaging through the boys trick or treat bags for

C-A-N-D-Y

Of course, it won't be for a lot ... I will only waste my calories on stuff that I truly enjoy. So, for your reading pleasure, my favorites are as follows:

1. Butterfinger
2. Baby Ruth
3. Mounds (no one ever gives these out!)
4. Milk Duds
5. Snickers
6. Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
7. Twizzlers

And the stuff I won't waste one calorie on? The ones that should have never been made are:
1. Peanut Butter Kisses (gag)
2. Mary Janes
3. Raisins (why? really ... why?)

4. Bit-O-Honey

5. Circus peanuts

6. single wrapped peppermints (do people just take handfuls from their neighborhood Italian place?)

7. Three Musketeers ... I just never liked them!

So ... what do you want to find in your kiddos' bags this year?!

Amen sister!

OK, this is exactly how I feel.

http://consumerist.com/2010/09/why-i-cant-make-mom-friends.html

I detest those Moms who think that everything they do or say to/with/for their children is the absolute. I have been around some of them ad it is excruciating.

You know the ones:
"Wow, I never give my children pop." (Never say never missy .... one day your child will be at a party and BAM! he is addicted to the shit).

"My children never watch TV, excerpt educational shows." (Well la-ti-freakin-da ... TV let me take showers, listen to conference calls, make dinner. I love TV. God bless the inventor. May your child never know the joy of laughing their ass off while watching You Gabba Gabba or The Backyardigans... mine do!)

"We teach our son how to speak Chinese." (That is great for you, you stinkin Commie ... GOD BLESS AMERICA! My kids learn the English language first and foremost!)

Seriously ladies ... get your heads out of your asses and realize that there is more than one way of being a good mom.

Have you ever ...

wanted to wring your husband's neck ???

Yeah ... thought so.