I'm just going to throw this out there. I hate cooking. I wish I didn't. Don't get me wrong. I love food! Maybe a little too much. In fact I tell everyone, if you don't know what to get me, cook for me. It's the best gift in the world. My kids are a trip. When I cook they complain about what I make. When I don't cook, they complain about that. There is no appeasing the masses. EVER!
Since I met my man, I have always tried to do a little something for his family at the holidays. I thought, everyone loves to get food, give them that. It's a cheap and easy gift. That was three years ago. I have created monsters! My sitter used to make this amazing sausage bread for us at Christmas. It's a pain to make, but it's sooooo yummy, it's worth the work. Every year his family has fought over the bread and gobbled it up in a matter of minutes. Guess what? I'm not making it this year! I thought they all liked me. It may be questionable after this weekend. Regardless, they are all getting something equally as yummy. I'm making them all this amazing egg dish and phenomenal cupcakes.
Here's where the story goes awry. Cupcakes. My children have noticed that I am making them. Try explaining to five young children that they aren't for them. DOES NOT GO OVER WELL AT ALL! Honestly, who doesn't love a cupcake? We like them so much that every Tuesday night we are glued to the TV watching Cupcake Wars on The Food Network. I don't know if it's the challenges on the show that have my kids hooked, or the cupcakes themselves. And who knew there were so many cupcake stores out there?! After watching this show, it's evident that not everyone can actually make a yummy cupcake. My kids cheer for the winners of the challenges, poo poo some of the types of cupcakes, and argue about who is actually going to win the whole thing! It's nuts! Last night however, they were arguing so much, that I shut it off and sent them to bed. There seems to be more competition in my house over the show, than on the show itself.
No I'm not that big of a scrooge. I am a scrooge and I can't stand the holidays, but I'm not heartless either. Yes, my kids will get a cupcake. A CUPCAKE mind you. These are the fancy kind you make from scratch. I've only ever made ones out of a box. I've got to have guinea pigs to try them before I go handing them out to others. I made that mistake years ago with cookies. I gave them to a bunch of my guy friends. They were so awful, they used them as hockey pucks in the parking lot. Kids are brutally honest, so you have to use them for tasters.
Thank goodness I don't have to make them in 45 minutes like the show! I'm just going to take my time and pray they turn out. I suppose if they don't I can give them anyway and just tell them they're snowballs. But don't throw them, they could take out a window! Wish me luck! I'm off to cooking....
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Unexpected Surprises
I am not a gal who handles surprises gracefully. In fact, I don't like them at all. It's a control issue with me. I like to know exactly what's going to happen. Granted there are obviously some times in life that are out of our control, and truly a surprise. But for the stuff that I have some say in, I want to have a say!
In this instance I was met with a pleasant surprise. One that I am always grateful for. As we know from my previous post, I have been the mommy from hell. Evil doesn't even come close to the wrath I unleashed last week on my chitlings. Yes, I did feel bad and yes, I did apologize. I think sometimes I just get so overwhelmed with trying to get things perfect, that I lose sight of the simple things that matter most. A sad but true fact.
My mood also compounded with a nagging guilt I had about leaving my kids for the weekend. Mind you, it was no different from any other weekend that I spend away from them. After all, they do have a father who is entitled to see them. It was the fact that a lot of stuff was going on that I wanted to be a part of, but committed myself to something else. I have always said that as mom's we have to make time for ourselves. Otherwise EVERYONE around us suffers. The guilt that comes with that decision is often insurmountable. And most of the time we think of it as unforgivable. When in fact it's neither. It's a personal pressure we place upon us that no one, but another mom, understands.
Here's where my surprise lay. And actually there were several over the course of a few days. My son, who mind you hates my very being most days, called me because he was bored. That made me feel good. And, when I got home no one was worse for the wear. They all had to tell me their stories, no one was upset. Everyone was extremely tired, brushed their teeth and went to bed without an argument!!!! Honestly?! Does life get any better than that???? Not in my book it doesn't. I always say it's the little things in my life that matter. And clearly that was the case. I'm in a better mood today and actually looking forward to spending the holidays with my kids, my family, my man, and his family. All that pressure and guilt I placed on myself melted immediately when we all fell happily asleep last night. Ahhhh, maybe an occasional surprise is good...MAYBE! Let's not get crazy now!
In this instance I was met with a pleasant surprise. One that I am always grateful for. As we know from my previous post, I have been the mommy from hell. Evil doesn't even come close to the wrath I unleashed last week on my chitlings. Yes, I did feel bad and yes, I did apologize. I think sometimes I just get so overwhelmed with trying to get things perfect, that I lose sight of the simple things that matter most. A sad but true fact.
My mood also compounded with a nagging guilt I had about leaving my kids for the weekend. Mind you, it was no different from any other weekend that I spend away from them. After all, they do have a father who is entitled to see them. It was the fact that a lot of stuff was going on that I wanted to be a part of, but committed myself to something else. I have always said that as mom's we have to make time for ourselves. Otherwise EVERYONE around us suffers. The guilt that comes with that decision is often insurmountable. And most of the time we think of it as unforgivable. When in fact it's neither. It's a personal pressure we place upon us that no one, but another mom, understands.
Here's where my surprise lay. And actually there were several over the course of a few days. My son, who mind you hates my very being most days, called me because he was bored. That made me feel good. And, when I got home no one was worse for the wear. They all had to tell me their stories, no one was upset. Everyone was extremely tired, brushed their teeth and went to bed without an argument!!!! Honestly?! Does life get any better than that???? Not in my book it doesn't. I always say it's the little things in my life that matter. And clearly that was the case. I'm in a better mood today and actually looking forward to spending the holidays with my kids, my family, my man, and his family. All that pressure and guilt I placed on myself melted immediately when we all fell happily asleep last night. Ahhhh, maybe an occasional surprise is good...MAYBE! Let's not get crazy now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)