What's Mommy Doing ?

Quick and Easy Crisp

2012-01-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is my go-to dessert for parties - a fruit crisp (which is a variation on a fruit cobbler) can be prepared without gluten, sugar, or dairy. It is super flexible, really easy to make, and yummy year round. (Though I prefer to eat hot desserts in wintertime, this is really good with summer fruits that are overly ripe). You can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruit.

Today this fruit crisp took me exactly 5 minutes to throw together, and 40 minutes in the oven. Measurements are approximate - I'm bad like that. Use enough fruit to fill your pan (I used a 9" square glass pan) about 2/3 of the way full. Make enough topping to cover the fruit.

Preheat oven to 350F. No need to grease the pan unless you want to.

Filling:
2 cups frozen rhubarb
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup applesauce
4 TB water

Topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature (can substitute as needed with non-dairy shortening of choice: margarine, coconut oil, etc.)
2 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup brown sugar (can use another granular sweetener like stevia if preferrred)
2 TB flour (optional)
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Dump fruit in pan. Spoon applesauce over the top. Sprinkle with water. You can also sprinkle with sweetener if you would like.

Put ingredients for topping in a bowl and using your hands or a pastry blender, crumble it up, distributing the shortening evenly throughout the oats and sugar.

Spread topping over fruit and bake for 1 hour (or if using canned fruit, until top is brown and insides are bubbling :)

Getting Green, Step One: The Laundry. I'm green because I'm nauseous.

2012-01-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

So I am just back from the farm and feed store, where I picked up a huge galvinized metal washtub, and an actual WASHBOARD! Who knew? Using this washing machine is all about the Man keeping me dependent on his foreign oil, and wasting our precious resources. I eschew this lifestyle, and I am going to be a better person for handwashing my family of five's laundry - including cloth diapers!

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You know I'm kidding, right? I think we all know I do not have enough motivation to even load the washing machine on a daily basis - never mind hand wash all of our clothes. If you do, that is awesome. Huzzah. I wave a white flag in your honor.

Me, I'm sticking with my energy star rated front loader.

But there are things I can do that are going to make me feel better about the massive amounts of laundry, and try to get a handle on our skyrocketing electric bill.

1. Timers and passive use of electricity
When you leave anything plugged in, it slowly takes small amounts of energy from the outlet. Not as much as it needs to function, just a slow leak of kilowatt hours. So we have taken a few steps to plug the holes. We have our dryer attached to a switch, and we only turn it on when we are actually using the dryer. And we have a small electric hot water heater for rainy days, that is on a timer - we can turn it on, let the water heat up, and know that it will turn itself off automatically in an hour or two.

2. Solar Hot Water
We have solar hot water. We are lucky enough to have our own roof, and live in an area with an abundance of sunlight, so having solar hot water is the very least we could do. I have my eye on a full rooftop solar power system, or perhaps a wind turbine - but not right now.

3. Biodegradable detergent, baking soda, Borax, and white vinegar. I use all of these every time I wash clothes, and I also use them for cleaning the bathroom. They are cheaper, and can I just tell you that Baking Soda kicks mildew's ass in my shower?

What more can I do? THE BIG SWITCH:
I am so late to this game that it is almost embarrassing - many of my friends already do this and I need to get on the bandwagon. My front loader has a very aggressive spin cycle, and really spinning the laundry before drying cuts down on drying time significantly, so from now on I will be doing a load of laundry every weekday morning, and hanging that laundry to dry on our covered porch (big items) or on a drying rack inside (small and/or delicate items). The dryer will only be used in case of last-minute needs, for softening crispy air-dried jeans, on rainy days, during a major vomit-fest, or if someone else offers to do the laundry. Because if someone else offers to do the laundry I want to make it as easy and agreeable as possible, so they offer to do it again.

This is my solemn vow (cue angels singing and light shining down from heaven).

'Tis a gift to be simple

2012-01-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

Mommy's got a whole new year in front of her.

She needs a project.

I have always been inspired by families who live "off the grid", or recycle everything save for a small ziplock bag of trash for an entire year, or grow almost all of their own food, or build amazing houses using salvaged building materials, or wood from their own land.

I'm not going to do any of those things. I'm just saying I find them fascinating. And inspiring. Which almost rises above the shock and awe factor and the good old fashioned guilt I have for being such a wasteful, lazy American.

So how do I combat the guilt and the waste? What can I do that will help me feel more comfortable with our choices, and not as freaked out by the electric bill? Baby Steps. I'm not moving into a yurt and farming and raising chickens and setting up a kick-ass apiary. Not yet, anyway. I need to find small, simple ways that I can make a difference. Reduce waste, expenses, and dependence on services and machines.

So stay tuned. Don't be scared - this is going to be easy, and I won't make you feel like crap for eating Twinkies and using the dryer to make your jeans soft and warm before putting them on. I am going to figure out how we can make a difference, without making ourselves miserable.

Suggestions welcome.

Parenting: Harder than it looks - Pet edition

2011-11-28T11:10:00.000-08:00

Dooce posted this, and once I was done laughing hysterically I realized that it is the perfect euphamism for parenting. You let the kids go free, and hope they will trust their instincts and make you proud.

And then they do. And it's AWFUL.

A perfectly stocked pantry - for the holidays and every day

2011-11-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

I have this great idea for a housewarming party - everyone brings an item to stock the pantry.
A staple, something unique, or a personal favorite.

But whether you have just moved in or not, the easiest way to save time and money on your grocery bills is to keep a good supply of shelf-stable dry goods in your house. It really makes everything a lot easier, and minimizes running out to the store for "just a few things" (and then buying a bunch of other stuff while you're there) or paying higher prices at a covenience store in your effort to avoid the grocery.

This list can also help you avoid an issue I have experienced time and again: a refrigerator that is jammed full of condiments, with little room left for, you know, food. "Sorry," you can apologize "I don't have much to eat, but I have three kinds of ranch dressing and two bottles of chocolate syrup!"

If you unexpectedly have a dinner/after dinner/overnight guest, or if your mom stops by to check on you, this will get you through - and might even impress them. Well, maybe not. But still. It's a start.

(By the way, if something you use regularly is not listed here, PLEASE comment so I can add it!)

First, I made a list of spices I use regularly here.

Today we are going to talk about the supplies and staples I keep in my house. It's a mix of baking supplies, condiments, and ingredient basics for many recipes. And I'm not talking about just baking - I'm talking snacks and entrees too. My goal is to be able to open my pantry at any time and come up with something interesting, not necessarily from scratch, but something I put a little more effort into than peeling off the cellophane and stirring after 3 minutes on high in the microwave. These are not all health foods, but I don't see anything wrong with a treat - or a shortcut - now and then.

Having these things on hand will help you eat well, and enjoy the process.

olive oil
oil blend (canola, vegetable, etc.)
flour
sugar (I use raw sugar for every day)
powdered sugar
dark brown sugar
baking soda I buy massive amounts of this because I use it for cleaning and laundry too)
baking powder
vanilla extract
honey
karo syrup (I've only used this twice in my entire life, but I was glad to have it when I randomly needed it)
jello mix
pudding mix
molasses
ketchup
mustard
worcestershire sauce
ginger (minced, in jar)
garlic (crushed, in jar)
horseradish (not cream of horseradish. Just extra hot grated prepared horseradish)
chicken broth (I use concentrate)
beef broth
cream soup (mushroom or celery)
dried onion soup mix
soy sauce
fish sauce
oyster sauce
hoisin sauce
crushed tomatoes
tomato paste
rice
spaghetti
pasta (spiral, rotini, shells, elbow....a bite-sized shape)
egg noodles
black beans
white beans
chick peas
dried lentils
canned chicken
canned tuna
balsamic vinegar
cornstarch
canned corn
canned fruit (mandarin oranges)
good olives
canned jalepenos
salsa
breadcrumbs
parmesan cheese
cooking spray
applesauce
hot sauce (Cholula, Tapatio, etc.)
tea
coffee
peanut butter (or soy nut or almond butter)
jam
shelf stable milk (dairy, soy or other)
coconut milk
chocolate chips
popcorn and/or pretzles
flour tortillas (these can be used for soft tacos and enchiladas, or fried quickly for home made tortilla chips. WORTH THE HASSLE.)
corn muffin mix
cake mix and frosting for emergency cake needs
cupcake cups
pancake mix
bisquick
potato flakes
tomato juice
cranberry juice
club soda
oatmeal (not instant)
cornflakes and/or rice crispies
dried fruit (raisins, craisins, blueberries, something small)
almonds - unsalted
curry paste
mango chutney
lemon juice
ginger snaps and/or graham crackers
honey

In fridge:
eggs
butter
frozen veggies - peas or green beans (for eating or injuries)
frozen berries
filtered water
plain yogurt (I buy Fage greek yogurt)
whipped cream (NOT WHIPPED TOPPING)
apples or pears
baby carrots
cucumber
a wedge of decent cheese
crumbled goat, feta or blue cheese
block of parmesan or romano - a hard italian cheese for grating
onion
loaf of decent bread (not just sliced sandwich bread...maybe a nice soudough or french or pumpernickle. Can be frozen)
favorite salad dressing (blue cheese, caesar, ranch, raspberry vinaigrette, goddess, etc. Something really high quality.)
chicken (can be frozen)
hamburger (can be frozen)
italian sausage (can be frozen)
bacon (can be frozen)
pint of good vanilla ice cream

The spice rack for people who actually use spices

2011-11-21T23:14:00.000-08:00

This is sort of an appendix to my pantry list. But here, we are focused only on the spice drawer. You can buy one of those pre-stocked spice racks if you want to, but over the years I have figured out what I really needed, and half of it wasn't on that damn spice rack (or, the spice rack did not have nearly enough of it). And sometimes they put weird, unecessary stuff on there. Meh. I usually go to the health food store that sells bulk spices, and just buy small plastic bags of what I need more of, to refill the jars I already have in my spice rack. I hate waste.

So here's my list. If I missed something, please comment, your input is invaluable to curating a really comprehensive document.

First, let me start by listing the only items you might possibly really need to buy IN BULK at costco for regular amounts of home cooking:
Peppercorns
Italian Seasonings
Cinnamon
Salt (I buy kosher salt for cooking, and red hawaiian salt for serving at the table, and then I have a small round bottle of regular salt for my salt shaker)

Step away from the half gallon of seasoning salt.

I keep a few blends - Emerils, Mrs Dash, Bells, Old Bay, Spike, herbs de provence, lemon pepper, steak seasoning, and garam masala
I have a small tube of saffron for very special occasions

I also keep on hand:

chili flakes
cayenne
paprika
thyme
sage
parsley
rosemary
oregano
basil
ginger
curry
tarragon
cumin
cilantro
lemongrass
ground mustard
garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
nutmeg
ground cloves
cinnamon sticks

And I keep a few emergency packs of dried seasoning/sauce mix:
beef stew
brown gravy
hollandaise
taco
chili
pesto

The only cleaning product you really need.

2011-11-20T13:09:00.000-08:00

Baking soda.

This miracle powder (not to be confused with baking POWDER) does it all. You can scrub with it, do laundry with it, brush your teeth with it, and then throw some in your baked goods. I buy it in a huge sack.

You should too.

Best part about it is that it doesn't have any odor and doesn't burn my skin. Yay for super inexpensive, non-toxic cleaning!

(I tried to feel this kind of love about cleaning with vinegar, but my entire bathroom smelled like salad when I was done, and I just couldn't handle it.)

Parenting: Harder Than It Looks - Halloween edition

2011-11-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

Every so often, I see something so alarming that I just don't even know how to deal with it.
I'm going to post these things here. You're welcome. I found them floating around facebook with no photo credits. If they're yours please give me a shout so I can give you the respect you deserve.

Lollipops - laced with chicken pox. I wish I was kidding.

But I think this guy would totally go for it:

And something for those of you who have chosen to keep your gene pool to yourself for maximum awesomeness:

The absolute minimum that you must do to get ready - for anything

2011-09-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

There are times in life when you are going to leave home - for a few hours or a few days or a few weeks - and come home unprepared to deal with the real world for a while.

You may be getting a tooth filled, or picking up your mother at the airport, or bringing home a new baby, or going on vacation, or having surgery or watching a weekend-long roller derby tournament, or having a real hot date that you hope leads to more, or....oh I don't know. Working 6 back-to-back doubles at work. Let's say you are doing that. Sounds awful.

You get the idea.

Whatever your personal situation, there are some things you have GOT to do so that when you do come home, you are not overwhelmed with all of the stuff you didn't take care of in advance. This is also known as "cleaning up in case I die and my parents have to come pack up my house".

Because that? Is NO BUENO.

So here is my "high and (up)tight list of shit to do" for your note-taking pleasure.

1. Change your sheets. Change your kids' sheets. Change all the sheets. Just do it. Change 'em. This is especially important for dudes who are a little fuzzy on how often sheets should be changed. Hint: they should be changed more often than you think. Remake your bed with your favorite sheets and plenty of pillows.

2. Do your laundry and your dishes. You will be so glad you did. So glad. You will have clean underwear and towels!

3. Clean your room. Personally, this could take me the better part of a day, so I suggest you plan ahead. And have a vacuum handy. Hide the porn/weed/sex toys/costumes. Shred papers you don't need that have personal info. Lock up extra credit cards and checks, passports, marriage/birth certificates and tax returns. (What? Did you just call me paranoid? I'M NOT PARANOID.)

4. Go grocery shopping. Buy food that is shelf-stable (including a carton of non-refrigerated milk) or frozen (fruits and veggies!) and yummy, for quick meals, easy snacks, and on-the-go eating when you get home. If you were ever going to write up a one week meal-plan (like the ones they are always printing in magazines to make me feel bad about myself) and shop from a specific grocery list, now is the time. Buy things you want to eat, so that you don't have to order pizza the minute you walk in the door.

5. Get ready to relax. Set aside a book or magazine or DVD or something to entertain you when you get home.

6. Stash some emergency cash. Because you may come home broke, or be too tired to deal with going to the ATM, or need to tip the cab driver or whatever. Just leave some money in an envelope in a drawer somewhere. Try to remember where - that's important.

7. Stock the essentials. Make sure you have toilet paper, soap, deodorant, shampoo, garbage bags and dish detergent in the house.

8. Clean your bathroom. INCLUDING THE SHOWER. No one likes a dirty bathroom. If you have been somewhere that has the bathroom cleaned regularly, and you DON'T do that, you are going to be in for a rude awakening. You are also going to be mortified that you have been living in such filth.

9. Clean the kitchen. Okay, this one is important for a few reasons. A. Bugs and rodents love a dirty kitchen. They especially love a dirty kitchen when no one is home for a long period of time. Wash your dishes, wipe down counters, put the food away, sweep and mop the floor, and clean out the fridge. Throw out anything that is going to expire, all containers of leftovers, and wipe down the shelves a bit. You'll be glad you did.

10. Fill your gas tank. If you own a car, gas up. If you have propane in your house or on your grill, gas up. If you run on solar power, well aren't you something. Your mother must be very proud. She hasn't seen your bathroom yet. Go wash behind the toilet and between the faucet handles.

The $5 challenge dinner party: Cooking for 40 on a budget. Step by step directions for people that don't know how to cook. YOU'RE WELCOME.

2011-09-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary with a group of friends. I had considered having the food catered - picking up trays of food from our local grocery store, and saving myself a lot of time and stress. But the prices were high, and I wanted the food to be hot and fresh. Besides - I love to cook.

The response from friends hearing that I was cooking for about 40 people on my anniversary ranged from "You ARE?" to "Are you sure?" to "Of course you are!" to "I am so glad you are - yummy!"

Inspired and wanting to rise to the challenge, I sat down with my cookbooks. (Yes Virginia, some people still use cookbooks. Real, printed on paper with notes in the margins cookbooks!) I wanted to find recipes that were simple - the more ingredients a recipe has, the more it will cost. A tip - if you need a spice or other ingredient that you don't use often, find a store that sells spice by weight - lots of health food stores do, and you can buy just what you need for the recipe, not a whole jar that will then sit in your pantry. Also, I have a limited diet these days SO I was hyper-aware of this, but it's a good thing to remember: You want to make something everyone will be able to eat. I decided on a big salad, daal, rice (all vegetarian and very filling, with plant-based protein) and chicken. I started cooking that afternoon and it took me about 2 hours. I had hoped to let the chicken marinate more but it just didn't work out that way, so I put them on the grill to start them off and add some smoky flavor, then stabbed them repeatedly with a fork (which also helped my stress about cooking for 40 people, since I was feeling kind of stabby by about 4pm) basted, and cooked it on a low heat in my convection oven to allow the flavors to develop slowly.

A caveat about cooking for a large group: YOU NEED BIG PANS. Big ones. And big serving dishes. And a lot of silverware and dishes. We discovered that we needed forks about an hour before the guests started to arrive.

Awesome. Added to the stabby vibe.

The following is a detailed description of the menu, with some overly-simple directions. Sorry about that.

Dinner for 40, for less than $3 per person.

SALAD

The salad was set up salad bar-style. This meant that leftover greens could be bagged and refrigerated, along with with the individual garnishes. People could choose what they wanted to put in their salad, and how much. No dressing? NO PROBLEM. Hate carrots? HEY ME TOO.

The salad bar had dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, sunflower seeds, sliced cucumbers, sprouts, some goat cheese, shredded fresh and crusty french bread (better than croutons!) and balsamic strawberry vinaigrette.

Balsamic Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ripe Strawberries
Balsamic Vinegar
Salad oil blend or olive oil

I am embarrassed to even call this a recipe, actually. I chopped up a bunch of overly ripe slightly wrinkly strawberries into small pieces, put them in a bowl with their juices, poured in enough balsamic vinaigrette to cover them, stirred enthusiastically while gently giving the strawberries a little smooshing, and then let them set. Just before serving, I added salad oil (about the same amount of oil as balsamic) and gave it a good shaking. That's it! Also great with blueberries. The trick is to use a very sweet, juicy, extra ripe fruit.

RICE

For dinner I made a huge pot of rice. There is a trick to making rice of you don't have a rice cooker. If you live in Hawaii, you know what a rice cooker is. If you live in rural America, you might have no idea what I am talking about. I learned about rice cookers when I moved to Maui. They are like crockpots - but for rice. They cook rice quickly and efficiently and have an automatic shutoff when the rice is done. I don't know how they work exacty, but we'll just call it a miracle and move on. I don't have a rice cooker. I make my rice in a big pot.

Public Service Announcement: Instant rice is not rice.

Confession: this technique for cooking rice was taught to me by Kevin Flaherty during the middle of a very memorable weekend at his parents beach house off-season. He also taught me some fun things to do with climbing ropes and caribeaners. Thanks for the memories, man.

Melt a small pat of butter or heat a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a pan. Makes sure the bottom of the pan is fully coated. Wash your rice. Just do it. Pour however much rice you need in the bottom of the pan. DO NOT STIR. Pour cold water over the rice - 2 cups of water for one cup of rice. Turn the heat to high - and when the water comes to a boil turn it down and simmer until the water is gone. You cannot put the lid on tightly - if you want to use a lid it has to be slightly off-center so steam can escape, and you have to keep an eye on the pan - once the water is gone you must turn off the heat or your rice will burn! It's easy to tell when the water is completely gone - look for bubbles on top of and between the grains of rice. Bubbles = water still cooking off. I used one cup of uncooked rice for every 5 people - so 8 cups of rice and 16 cups of water.

DAAL/DHAL/DAL/LENTILS

I used a huge, heavy ceramic-coated cast iron pot with a lid which prevents sticking, minimizes the chance of burning, and is good for slow cooking.

3 tbs butter or ghee
1 onion, chopped
1 tbs fresh ginger (I buy the prepared ginger root puree in a jar)
3 tbs garlic puree (also purchased in a jar)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried chilis (Confession: I once used a package of crushed chili peppers I got from Pizza Hut that I found in my junk drawer to season my daal - Now I have a bottle of them.)

Sautee all in pan until onion is clear, then add:

1 cup lentils (I used french green lentils) stir around well to coat, then add:
3 cups water
1 cup veggie broth
1 can chopped tomatos with chilis

Bring the whole thing to a boil, turn down the heat and put a lid on it. Stir *very* occasionally, cook for 1 hour and see how the lentils are doing. They probably need another hour to get really soft. Once lentils are pretty soft, smooosh them with a potato masher to break them up a bit. Then add a little lemon juice, some pepper, and a lot of salt. You have to do it to taste - but lentils in my experience need a lot of salt. However, salt will keep them from getting as soft as they should - so don't add it until the lentils are soft.

This made enough for 10 people - so I quadrupled it. Like I said: you need big pans to cook for a crowd.

SPICY MASALA CHICKEN

First, to clarify: This is NOT CHICKEN MARSALA. No, no it isn't.

Sauce/Marinade (enough for 10 chicken thighs)

6 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ginger puree (same stuff I used for the daal)
1 tsp garlic puree (same stuff I used for the daal)
1 tsp crushed dried chilies
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp honey

Confession: This recipe calls for marinating the chicken, but I don't have the time or the space to marinate chicken for 40 people, so I basted with the marinade and it was really yummy. If you have time and space, go ahead and marinate the chicken for a few hours or even overnight. Another problem with marinating - I used frozen chicken thighs. Bone-in, with skin, that you can cook from frozen without having to defrost. They are cheap and flavorful. The fat cooks out of them, and the skin comes off during cooking.......so go for it. I counted on 1/2 pound of chicken per person, and so I bought 20 pounds of chicken. Turn your oven on to 300 degrees and let it preheat while you grill the chicken a bit for flavor. If you have a convection oven, use it. We put the thighs - still frozen - on the grill skin side up. Put the heat on Medium, closed the lid, and grilled for 10 minutes watching for flare-ups due to the fat cooking off. Don't want to burn down your house while preparing for your dinner party. That's called irony.

After 10 minutes, transfer the chicken into a large pan (I needed three large pans - 9x12 with high sides) and peel off the skin and excess fat. Spread the chicken out single layer with slight overlap, which prevents the edges from getting overcooked and dried out during slow cooking.

STAB THAT CHICKEN WITH A FORK.
Go on, STAB IT ALL OVER.

Now drizzle the sauce/marinade all over the chicken using a spoon to conserve so that you have enough for all of the pieces. Put it in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 45 minutes.

So that's it. The bulk of the food cost was baby greens ($8), the chicken ($25), the lentils ($5 or so), and the rice was less than that, and everything was delicious!

Holiday Drink Recipe #2 The Outlaw

2009-11-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

The Outlaw - also known as the "two-fer". An eggnog latte - with a kick

2 shots of espresso
2 shots eggnog
2 shots liquor of choice (or whatever you can find in the cabinet....holidays are like that.)

(Bonus - When you get to the mall on Black Friday, you can get an eggnog latte at any coffee bar, and then whip out your flask and doctor it up into the Outlaw [and thus the drink title's origin] before starting your holiday shopping. You didn't hear this from me.)

You're welcome.

Holiday Drink recipe #1 - The In-law

2009-11-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

The In-law

equal parts chai tea and eggnog, with a floater of dark rum

Chai because you can bring a carton of it with you for every holiday event. Eggnog because it's the holidays, goddammit. Rum, because obviously.

Things mommy should have been doing, but didn't

2009-11-07T02:45:00.000-08:00

THIS would be a much more interesting topic to explore, then what I actually did today.

Today mommy did not do any of the things on her to do list. Mommy worked, then watched a movie, then went to a wine tasting.

Chateau Ste. Michele has some lovely offerings. I particularly enjoyed their Syrah.

Tonight for dinner:
Shortribs, tomato and mozzarella salad, and golden potatos.

I marinated the shortribs in a blend of leftover coffee, teriyaki sauce, garlic, and a can of Coconut Porter for a few hours. The potatos were yukon golds, cut up and fried with lots of sea salt and ground pepper. The tomatos and mozzarella and basil were all fresh and fragrant and full of yumminess.

What is mommy doing on Thursday ?

2009-11-05T14:58:00.000-08:00

Mommy is cleaning out the car today. Removing the bits of crayons, shreds of paper, unidentifiable sticky things, and bits and pieces of toys we probably already threw out.

For dinner? Tonight mommy is making chicken katsu and edamame. We're going ethnic, baby !

What HAS been mommy doing?

2009-11-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

Mommy went to visit Grandmommy. Didn't we have fun ? That time difference sure made for some challenging nights of jetlag. And some very late starts in the morning. It was exciting to sleep until almost noon, wasn't it ?! We should do that more often.

OK, so now that mommy is back home, back on track, and back to work, mommy is going to change things up here at What's Mommy Doing.

Mommy is going to tell you what's on her to do list, and she is going to tell you what's for dinner.
Maybe that way, you'll stop asking, hmmmm?

So, today mommy washed all of our dirty clothes, and sticky halloween costumes.
Tonight mommy is making meatloaf for dinner. Mmmmmmm.

Mommy's Mexican Meatloaf

ground turkey
ground beef
sausage meat (chorizo)
corn
egg
breadcrumbs
special spices, sauces and other secret ingredients

Mix well, shape into a "loaf" and bake in the over at 375.

you say it best when you say nothing at all.

2009-09-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

This morning mommy is going to go sit with a girlfriend, a girlfriend who needs to talk.

I am going to sit, and listen, and HEAR what she has to say.

Because it is always important to really hear your friends, when they have something they need to talk about.

Part of being a good friend is knowing when to shut up and let the other person say their piece. It is a lot easier to do that when their piece involves a third party, but no matter what they need to get off their chest, everyone needs a friend's willing ear from time to time.

Sometimes, he best way to show you care about someone is to just be there for them, without saying anything at all.

Puppy love

2009-09-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today, mommy is taking the dogs to the vet for checkups.

No, it's not going to be fun. No fun at all. No, you can't come. Trying to take two dogs with minimal leash training ANYWHERE is hilarious to everyone watching, and life-threatening for me. Leashes will be wrapped around my ankles, puppies will be leaping and licking and gnawing on each other's heads, and mommy will be quietly berating herself for adopting two dogs who are just as sweet as can be, but complete and total spastic idiots in every sense.

Obsession - and not in the hot Calvin Klein kind of way. In the way that requires medication.

2009-09-24T02:16:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going to spend the entire day obsessing over car reviews, trying to make the right decision for our family.

Mommy knows that the most important thing is that the car be ~~affordable and safe~~ blue. Don't worry, mommy won't forget and bring home a *gasp* red car. But today mommy will be very busy online, probably harassing the nice people at the Costco Auto program, and repeatedly calling the car dealership.

Aren't you glad you go to school on Thursdays now ?

Old Mother Hubbard

2009-09-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today, mommy is going to clean out the cupboards. Because yesterday she found a can of condensed milk that pre-dates the move to this house. Four years ago. God knows how many times she has packed and moved that can. She probably shipped it from Massachusetts in the 90's.

She threw that can way with DISGUST. But any other outdated food stuffs will have their containers recycled. Promise. You can count on mommy to reduce reuse and recycle just like Jack Johnson tells you to.

It's all in the details

2009-09-22T00:59:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going to sit down with her calendar and blackberry and notepad and get organized.

This year, mommy has vowed that you will not arrive for school photo day in a ratty black t-shirt with a skull on the front that your uncle sent and that you refused to take off for 3 weeks straight.

Mommy is also taking note of field trips, and days when you will not eat what the cafeteria's got cookin'.

In addition, mommy will set up reminders for birthdays, special occasions, and fun community events - because when you cried over missing the waterslide on Sunday, she did feel bad....for a minute. But only for a minute because technically, daddy was home with you and mommy was at work, so it wasn't something mommy was really thinking about. BUT if it had been set up with a reminder in her phone, she could have called your daddy and given HIM a guilt trip en route to work, just like you laid on mommy today. Good work baby, mommy taught you everything you know. You done mommy proud.

Today mommy is going to take a walk

2009-09-21T12:49:00.001-07:00

Mommy remembers the days before babies, when taking a walk was just.....walking. No stroller, sling, diaper bag, burp cloth, sippy cup, change of clothes, bottle of water or pharmaceuticals required.

Happy Days are here again.

Except for the pharmaceuticals - I think those will be a permanent part of my repertoire. Happy days indeed.

It's all about the Benjamins

2009-09-18T00:36:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going to work.

Mommy only works a few days a week - on the days when daddy ISN'T at work. Which is why today, daddy is going on your class field trip HAHAHAHA and mommy is going to spend the morning serving up breakfast and sunshine, sipping coffee and chatting with other grownups. And getting paid for the privelege.

So you have fun on that bus ride with daddy, along those wind-y country roads. Boy, I sure hope no one throws up this time.

Mommy is going out with the girls. To clarify, girls over the age of 21.

2009-09-17T00:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight mommy is going out with the girls.

Mommy knows that indeed, you ARE a girl.

You are not invited.

We are going to have lots of ~~fun~~ grownup talk about ~~men and sex~~ grocery shopping and exercise.

Mommy will not be up early tomorrow. Cereal is on the counter.

It takes two to make a thing go right

2009-09-16T01:39:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going to do something that you will think is AWESOME but that in reality, could very well be an enormous mistake.

Mommy is going to go find a friend for Boston at the pound.

Because Boston is lonely with everyone at school all day, and mommy can't sit in the front yard comforting him for 6 hours. The whimpering is making her crazy. Since you are happier when you have someone to play with, mommy is hoping Boston feels the same.

When mommy went to the pound a few days ago with Boston looking for a buddy, Boston got his head humped frantically by a potential playmate, and mommy went home to think about it some more. Mommy thinks Boston needs a friend that won't hump his head all the time, so we're going to get a puppy.

Mommy is clearly losing her mind.

Mommy may I hab a tissue

2009-09-15T01:37:00.001-07:00

Today mommy is going to cuddle you up and make chicken soup and read you stories and help you wipe your nose and let you soak in nice warm baths all day long.

Why ?

Because you don't feel good, and when you don't feel good, you want your mommy.

I know, because I'm a grownup and when I didn't feel good this weekend, I sure wanted my mommy.

Listen Up

2009-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going to try to listen to our president's speech - the one that he made last night.

Mommy tried to listen to the speech when President Obama was actually *giving* the speech, but it was very hard to hear it over the epic Star Wars battle that was being waged at that time.

During the recap on NPR, mommy was solving a bitter dispute over the crayons.

Mommy would just like to know what's going on, that's all.

Extra butter

2009-09-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today, mommy is going to the movies all alone.

The movie may or may not be rated R. It's okay, she's old enough.

She is going to get a small popcorn even though the large is just a dollar more, because if she eats more then the small size she'll throw up.

Extra "butter" please. And salt.

And a box of candy that she will not have to share. Even if it's your favorite kind.

And a soda. Which may or may not rot her teeth.

You scream I scream

2009-09-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going to the ice cream store.
She is going to have an ice cream cone.

A waffle cone.
With chocolate dip and sprinkles.
Maybe even a sundae cone.

Mommies don't have to sit down and get ice cream in a cup because they can eat cones neatly and not drip them everywhere while they walk around.

Mommy loves ice cream.

Scrub a dub dub

2009-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Mommy is cleaning the bathroom.

Because no one else is going to do it. And even on a national holiday, the bathroom still needs cleaning.

Sweetie, please don't touch that. It's a chemical. You know, Mommy would appreciate it if you paid a little closer attention to your aim. And to flushing. Flushing is important.

Also, if you could just put the toothpaste on the toothbrush, and not smear it all over the sink ? Mommy would love that.

Slip sliding away

2009-09-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today mommy is going roller skating.

Oh yes she is. Of course mommy knows how to skate.

Mommy used to go roller skating all the time, but she can't shoot the duck anymore because her hip sometimes pops out.

A little cheese with my whine

2009-09-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today, mommy is having lunch.

Grilled cheese with the expensive cheddar cheese from the fancy cheese store.
On wheat bread
With crusts
And tomato inside

And, a glass of cabernet (or two)

Enjoy that PBJ, kids !

I gotta come up with something - UPDATED

2009-09-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, WHEW. Being at home unsupervised is *dangerously dangerous*.

I have just spent an hour cruising the web, and my goodness that is a bad idea.

There's not just the beloved Craigslist.
There is also petfinder.com
And eBay

And then outside in the great big wide world there are all of the things I could go and do, and spend money on.

Holy Moley.

So I need to FOCUS. Focus on the whole point of HAVING this blog.
That point being: What am I going to do with the rest of my life.

I got nothing.

Last week I was all-consumed with the yard sale.
Then earlier this week I was all "yard sale leftovers must begone"
And now ? (sigh)

Now it is time for me to maybe indulge in all of the things I have wanted to do for years, and haven't been able to do. For instance, yesterday I went to the beach with a girlfriend and lay in the sun with my eyes closed because No One Was Going To Drown, then we went and did a little browsing at Ross and the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

It was pretty fulfilling, I have to say. But I can't spend the rest of my days trying to fill the empty hours between 8 and 2.

I need a project. And I need that project to not involve cleaning the bathrooms.
Today is brainstorm day. Any and all ideas are welcome, but please, stop with your suggestions of amateur porn. I am nothing if not professional.

****UPDATED TO ADD*****

Oh Boy. I came up with something. It is a win-win.
It will force me to keep myself busy.
And maybe, just maybe, it will inspire you to do the same. It will at least give you something to read every day.

*mwah* You're welcome.

Craigslist killed the radio star

2009-09-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

I am almost done listing things on Craigslist. Oh, how I love that website, and yet like everything that grows exponentially in a short amount of time, it is suffering from over-exposure, over use, and lack of oversite. It is the wild west of the internet with it's basic HTML and lack of graphics. If you list something for sale these days, you will get multiple junk emails asking if you need funds, and offering to wire you money. (OH ! How I wish it were so, but I think there may be strings attached.) So I am getting a little annoyed, and I am looking forward to wrapping up our fall purge. It's exhausting, fielding all of these emails and phone calls. So, in the interest of maintaining my sense of humor, and my sanity, I am using the opportunity to practice fake accents and sexy, lilting, come-hither tones. Not that I need a lot of practice. I'll bet you didn't know this bit of trivia:

In the winter of 1998 Nic Carter of WBCN in Boston (and his listeners) named me the "Sexiest Voice in Boston". I still have the slip of paper where I jotted down the phrase that was my entry into the world of radio history.

"Lift up the skirt, so I can get to it."

It was Christmas time, and I was supposedly referring to the Christmas Tree skirt. I have a feeling that there was perhaps another meaning to that sentence. Perhaps something....sexier. As the callers went on the air to cast their votes, there was a voice I recognized from somewhere. "I vote for the one with the skirt. I gotta yule log over here with her name on it."

I stuck my head down the stairwell. "Honey, hang up the phone."

Yes indeedy, 11 years ago I had the sexiest voice in Boston.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

2009-09-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was not exactly what I anticipated. It started out just fine - I got everyone to school, I cleaned up, I sold a crib mattress and sheet, I listed some clothes on eBay, and I got the car inspected and stickered, and renewed the registration.

Fun Times.

I also took my friend Willow to get her driver's license.
That did not go as planned, vis a vis the GETTING of the license. Which was not gotten. As she put it, "I failed before I even pulled out of the parking lot".

So instead of celebratory bloody marys, we had consolation bloody marys. And a reuben with fresh corned beef that sounded delightful on the menu but was a bit of a disappointment. Another bloody mary was ordered, to ease the pain of disappointment.

And you know how the rest of this story goes.....I had a bloody mary, and then I needed a nap. And dinner was leftovers. No photos, please.

The fact that I used to be able to drink a bloody mary and not end up falling aleep 30 minutes later is a testament to the younger generation. I am officially middle-aged, which means I can sip (SIP!) a glass of wine and get a nice, warm glow, but if I drink an actual cocktail I am all slurred, with lipstick smeared across my face and bedhead.

An embarrassment. I was raised to drink better then that.

So, with no plans for any sort of alcoholic refreshment in the foreseeable future because I am so worthless afterwards, I am getting together my "To Do" list.

First, listing items on Craigslist.
I need to sell the screened gazebo, and I have a box full of party supplies that I will be selling (I HOPE!) either in one fell swoop, or individually based on theme. So I need to photograph these various and sundry items, and list them, and then get on with my LIFE - which needs a vacation from Craigslist.

Tomorrow is CLEANING DAY. I have decided that the best way to attack the houssekeeping is to just do it one day a week. One single day. So tomorrow, I will gather my cleaning supplies, and just get to work. Together we will solve the mystery of why and how people who have been using toilets all of their lives still cannot manage to use them without polluting the surrounding area. Because I am sure that topic will be on my mind.

Monday and the cars

2009-08-31T12:08:00.001-07:00

Today is a day I have been preparing for.

I have had a long standing offer to take a friend to get her driver's license.
She HAD it, but lost it, and it's a long story that I still don't totally understand but ANYWAY in order to get a replacement, she has to take a driving test.

SO she is going to use my car fo rthe test, and as the owner, I have to be there and SO I am voluntarily going to the DMV with a friend, on the last day of the month. Because no one will be there renewing licenses and registration on the last day of the month that said documents are due to expire. No one. (hahahahahaha)

I am The Best Friend Ever.

So after we take care of that little chore (and I am sure she will pass the test handily) we have to deal with MY car issues. Like getting my safety inspection and renewing my registration.

Because like I said, no one EVER waits till the last day of the month to take care of those things. That would be silly.

The "I'm Not Bringing it Back Inside so Make an Offfer" sale wrap up

2009-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I said, over and over again, that I would not bring anything back in the house after the sale.

I lied.

Okay ? Are you happy ? I lied. I brought stuff back inside because no one was even vaguely interested, and I am going to try to sell these items on Craigslist this week before I give up. I only brought in stuff that I know is worth something more then $.25 which is remarkably the price many people seem to think you should sell things at during a yard sale.

"How much is this brand new video camera"
"Well, we never used it. Make me an offer."
"I'll give you $.25"
Which is when I picked up the camera and took it inside.

I brought it out later, and someone DID buy it. And not for $.25 I actually held out for $.75. I am such a ball-buster.

No, seriously, we sold a ton of stuff. We still have some big ticket items left, which I listed on Craigslist immediately after the sale, and now it is all back on the porch, ready to be tucked away for just a few more days.

And I have a party tonight, and work tomorrow, and then Monday - MONDAY - I have all sorts of fun things planned with my friend Willow. I'll also have pictures.

See you then !

Today mommy is going out in the great big scary world

2009-08-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Two days a week I wait tables at a cafe in Paia. So, no big plans for the house on Friday.

Thursday was an OK day - I got a lot accomplished, but not as much as I had hoped vis a vis The SALE.

HOWEVER - I feel pretty good about the preparations I have made, and I have managed to make a dent in the attic crap, which I had really been dreading. The kids rooms and the kitchen are done, and all that is left to do is sort out my clothes, go through a few random baskets and boxes we had in our room and the attic, and I think we are going to pull a few more items out of the attic. It will depend on how much I have time for.

We are going to hang a closet bar across the porch eaves for clothing, and Sam is setting up a screened tent thing-y in the yard tomorrow to prep for the big day.

In closing, tonight I am going to work my buns off before bed, and tomorrow afternoon I am going to do the same, and then Saturday morning I am getting up at the crack of dawn and dragging everything out to the front yard and hoping for the best.

In the meantime - is anyone on Maui in the market for a space heater? Or three ?

2009-08-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Good Morning my lovelies !

It is a gorgeous morning here in Hawaii, and I am just settling down at the computer after a busy start - it's just 8am and I have already dressed and showered (listen, that's big news around here) and gotten the kids dressed and fed, and made a lunch for Lucy and walked them both to school.

Well.....technically I walked Max halfway to school. I got him across the busy road and down the street to the crossing guard and took a big deep Grown Up breath, and let him walk the rest of the way by himself - about 4 blocks. I would just like it noted that I only shouted "Bye Honey I looooove Yooouuuuuu" twice. Okay, maybe three times. And I didn't stand there on the corner and stare at him walk away. I lifted my chin, sucked in the tears, and turned around and headed back the way I had come. *sob*

I did walk Lucy right into her classroom - pausing only to watch this poor, heartbroken little boy sobbing and shouting goodbye at his mom. Oh, he was fierce in his love for mommy, and so MAD that she was leaving. Thank god Lucy is totally down with me dropping her off and leaving - I don't htink i could bear to leave her sobbing and shrieking in a classroom. No matter how big my big girl panties might be.

And so now I am home again......alone. And I am pleased to report that yesterday I accomplished my task of cleaning both kids' rooms. Not only did I sort out, throw out, and bag for the yard sale - but I also CLEANED. Like, moved beds and other furniture around to vacuum under them kind of cleaned. Serious cleaned.

A few before and afters for your reference:

Max's room before

and after

Lucy's room before

and after

But really, the best way to tell is to look in here - our bathroom/yard sale storage area
Before:

And this morning - not even close to done gathering items, but it's a start !

Today I have a list of things to do, and much less time in which to accomplish the items on it.

First, the mortgage. We have been stuck in the quagmire that is the Mortgage Affordability Act. So today, I have printed out a brand new application, and we are starting over. Again.

This. Sucks.

So after thoroughly dissecting our finances, which is ALWAYS a good time, I am going to attempt to tackle our bedroom - it's a mess (seriously - way worse then the kids' rooms if I am being honest with myself).

I can hear you cheering for me, but frankly, your level of enthusiasm disappoints me. Perhaps you could attempt to work up a little more SPIRIT and really get my heart racing. Jeez. Have an espresso or something.

Thanks in advance.

And away we go

2009-08-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

OK, so to recap:

Yesterday wasn't the first day of the rest of my life because it was only a half day, which I wasted by having a bloody mary right at the very beginning, leaving me completely useless for the rest of the day - and ornery to boot.

But TODAY. Oh, today. Today Is It.

I am on track to have an epic day in terms of clearing out this house. 6 hours of unencumbered, uinterrupted quiet, all the better to purge and reflect and decide and purge again.

Here is my rule of thumb:
If I wouldn't pack it and pay to ship it back to the mainland, it's going in the yard on Saturday.

Harsh, I know. But I think that's the only way to have an effective yard sale. You have to be ruthless. Cold hearted. Completely without emotion. And money hungry. That doesn't hurt. In the past, I have pussy-footed around selling things. "I might need that", I would think. And then
I'd end up not getting rid of all of the stuff I really NEED to get rid of.

And yes, Trippy, we did just have a yard sale last year. And I was a big, fat pussy and didn't even go in the attic for that one. That was a fraud of a yard sale. I mean, I didn't even rent tables ! That sale totally didn't even count. This one is going to be EPIC.

So, here's to you, mommies at home. Let's throw everything in the front yard, and start fresh !

Day One. It was only a half day, so...

2009-08-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

Listen. I can't count 8-11am as "the first day of the rest of my life" because that is just PATHETIC.

Plus, it was drizzling and gray.

So I got a few things accomplished, but it certainly wasn't a benchmark for the days to come. I hope. Otherwise, seriously, this blog is going to be profoundly boring.

I started with a bloody mary. Which led to a swift change in plans - from "clean out kitchen drawers" to "take a nap". And then it was 11am and my first day was over and gee whiz - this empty nest thing is going to be a BREEZE ! I can't *believe* I was worried about how I was going to fill my days !

Tomorrow I have more lofty goals. Beginning with "Don't drink a bloody mary at 8am because it really slows you down."

(sigh)

The first day of the rest of my life...........

2009-08-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the beginning of a life. This is quite an event. After years (and years) of trying to have first one child, and then a second, both children are off to school 5 days a week and I find myself at loose ends.

So.

We're going to figure this out together.

Since someone else has already deconstructed Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I gotta find something else. Something better. Something at once cooler and WAY LESS STRESSFUL.

But in order to think, I have to clear the clutter. Literally and figuratively.
I have a few little projects bumping around in my head, and some huge tasks at hand.

We shall start with The Purge.

I am having a yard sale in 5 days.
FIVE. DAYS.

In the next three days, I am going to tackle this entire house while the kids are at school. This is not about cleaning - in fact, I have a feeling that the house will be a complete disaster by the time I am done......but once I get everything sorted, and the items I am getting rid of out of the house, I can start dealing with what is left.

Sort of like my life.