Top Chef

I have been working on cutting fabric for three little dresses I'm sewing for my three nieces. So my stuff has been spread out on the living room floor for the past several hours - I've been pinning patterns and cutting fabric. While I was doing this, I watched a reality show on Bravo called "Top Chef". I was amazed at the dishes these people were able to come up with in a matter of minutes. I didn't know what 90% of the stuff they cooked was, but it looked and sounded impressive. So when I pulled out my leftover couscous and chicken to heat up for the kids tonight, I was feeling a little sad. Then I went on to make myself some peanut butter toast and food storage hot chocolate. It is clear that food is not my passion. Of all of my 'mom' jobs, cleaning the bathroom and making dinner are my two least favorite. I much rather be doing something else - anything if fact. My husband makes the comment that we never have to worry about getting fat in our family. I have to agree - I hate leftovers and try to only make enough to get us through that particular meal.

I love to watch Food Network and other cooking shows, but in the end, watching them is as far as my passion goes. Sorry kids, no seared salmon borchuto with Japanese cucumber in a balsamic truffle vinegar for you (I made one of those words up, like I said - I don't have a clue what it is these people are cooking). Instead you get a warmed up can of chicken soup with some Bisquick biscuits. Dig in!

My First Garden

I remember my parents attempting to start a garden several times over the years. I grew up in Texas and it can get very hot there. The soil in our yard was fairly horrible and we never got anything to grow - at least not from seeds. For years our little raised bed in the side of the yard sat abandoned until my dad dismantled it due to bugs eating the wood frame. We bought some annuals from the nursery some years and attempted to keep them alive throughout the hot summer. Some years we were successful; some years it was just too hot. The only thing we ever got to grow in our yard was grass (and never in certain places of the yard - ever) and trees.

So when it came to planting my own garden, I didn't have a clue of how to do it. Thankfully, my husband had had some experience from watching and helping his parents. My mother-in-law always has some beautiful plants in her yard and knows a lot about growing things. She sent us some seeds to plant and we have been very successful with them. Now we have tomato bell-pepper, various herbs, squash, and pumpkin plants - no fruit though. Oh wait, we do have one little green tomato. I don't know if we'll ever get any vegetables (other than the one), but the foliage is beautiful. We did plant a lot of flower seeds maybe two months ago and we're just getting our first blooms. My sunflowers are getting very large and we've had to tie them to the fence so that they don't fall over. My little gardens make me very happy and I'm glad that I finally live in a place that isn't too hot for a garden. Maybe one day we'll actually get a vegetable!

Car Toubles

Before my sophomore year in college, my mom and dad bought me a little, used car. I needed to be able to drive to my student teaching assignments, etc. My car is a 1995 Chevy. It's been a good little car for the most part. I've had to pay for my fair share of repairs over the years. It's been broken into twice and the stereo was ripped off a few years ago. But it just keeps on living.

I want to drive to Texas next week and it's about a 10 hour drive from my house in Illinois. I'm going to spend some time with my family there. However, my car has been overheating when the AC is on and the car is idling. So, begrudgingly I took my car into the shop this morning. It's always scary to have your car repaired. Will it cost $100 or $1,000? What, am I kidding? When have I ever had a car repair for as little as $100? So I am sitting around the house today, waiting for "the call" from the repair shop with the results. I know having a car is a blessing and I couldn't live in my little suburban house without it, but owning a car is a big pain and a big expense. Wish me and my pocketbook good luck!

Neighbor Kids

We are fairly new to our neighborhood. We moved into our house in April. This is the first time my kids have lived in a house and the first time to have other kids live nearby. Before this house, we were in a downtown loft with not another kid to be seen for miles. Now we have a little girl living across the street, and several other children down the street. My 5-year-old loves to have friends over and play outside with them. She gets so desperate to go out and play if she sees them outside or if they come knocking on our door. My husband is very paranoid about our daughter's safety to the point where having neighbor kids come over severely stresses him out. She knows the rules about strangers, staying in our yard, and other things. These are nice kids and I'm not too worried about her. There is a little 8-year-old boy who thinks our family is tons of fun and always wants to play with my 5-year-old. She loves it, I don't mind too much, but my husband gets very annoyed, very easily. I just wonder what it will be like when she starts dating! Yikes!

So for the first time since I was a kid, we have neighbor kids running in and out, playing on the swing set, eating Popsicles, and watching cartoons at our house. I listen to their childish conversations when they think I'm busy and it reminds me of the little things my neighbor friends and I used to talk about: who's owie hurts more, funny saying from cartoons and commercials, pretending to fly on the swings, etc. It takes me back to my care-free summer days at my home in Texas. I can just hear my dad yelling "Quit slamming the door! Either come in or out; you're letting all of the cold air out!" "No, she can not come out and play - we're having dinner. She'll see you later." "Turn off the hose when you're done with it. You're wasting water!" Etc. Ah, those good summer days with all of the neighbor kids.

Will's Clues

My one-year-old sometimes likes to watch what my 5-year-old watches on TV. The 5-year-old likes Blue's Clues and the one-year-old can now spot the blue paw print on the TV screen and knows to yell out "clue!". So tonight I gave my two kids a bath after playing outside all evening. I bathed both kids and got the little one out first. I know to get him dressed right away so that he doesn't pee on the floor. Well tonight, I got distracted with something else and forgot to get him dressed right away. I was standing in my bathroom when he runs up to me and points to his room saying "clue, clue!". I follow him to his room and there on the carpet is a small, round, wet circle: Will's clue. I laughed, quickly put a diaper on the baby and cleaned up the "clue".

Scrapbooking, crafts, etc.

So last night I attended a four hour crop at my church building. It was fun, though the conversation stagnated a little due to various reasons. But overall, I got three layouts done and have some ideas for future layouts. I started scrapbooking when I was a new mom with my daughter - five years ago. I wanted to display my photos of her and for the first time, I actually had time to sit down and do something other than homework. I look back at those pages and cringe. They look horrible. I just used various colors of card stock, a few random stickers and maybe a die cut or two someone had given me. I hand wrote everything and put every picture I took in the book, whether or not it was any good. I regret my creative decisions, but I have no plans to redo it. I only have one page I'm going to redo, due to some mistakes and just plain ugliness. I think I would have been better off if I had just left those pictures in the photo box.

So now that I know what I'm doing (yeah, right), my pages are looking better. My digital camera is now very outdated and takes spotted pictures, but it's all I have right now and it will have to do. I have plans to buy a new one for Christmas for my husband and me. So, I have been enjoying scrapbooking once again, after having sworn it off a few years ago. I was tired of the pressure and perfection that comes with any craft. I've learned that you just have to enjoy it, someone will always do it better, and it will never be perfect. It's the experience of being creative and trying new things.

There are only three problems with my enjoyment of scrapbooking, sewing and other various crafts. They all require money, time, and space. I have a some time, a little money and no space. Every few months, I treat myself to a new item - a paper cutter, a few pieces of paper, new thread, etc. I'm home with my two kids all day and when they're down for a nap or in bed, I have some time to pull out the cross-stitch or a few photos. The problem is the space. The only good working surface is my kitchen table, but then I have to clear it off three times a day to eat. So, then I try a small table in the living room, but that quickly looks messy and the kids keep getting into my things. I don't have any other space other than my bedroom. I have no other living, eating or sleeping area with which to work. I'm not complaining; I don't believe in houses bigger than you absolutely need, and I don't absolutely need a craft room. It would just be nice to find an area set aside for my many projects. I'm working on carving out an area in my bedroom. I know it's not ideal, but it may have to do. I'll make it tasteful and hide as much of it as I can. Any thoughts or ideas?? Anyone?

My first blog

So this is my first time to have a blog. I gave into peer pressure and finally got a blog. I'm hoping that I will like it and keep it up. I also hope to find some blog friends. I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but so far it's been fun. I always have lots to say and now I have a place to say it!

Yesterday was the 4th of July. I like to have fun on the 4th, but I'm not all that into decorating my house, making center pieces, or special food. For instance, we had tacos for dinner - not the most "American" dish, but it was fast and good. We're on a tight food budget and I didn't budget for hot dogs or hamburgers into the weekly menu - so tacos was the next best thing that we already had the stuff for. Then, we didn't buy any fireworks. Who needs to when you have several neighbors with stacks of fireworks willing to share? I just don't understand the need to have new patriotic dishes, an expensive or time consuming centerpiece, lots of food we don't normally eat, special t-shirts for the kids, and lots of illegal fireworks. Holidays have gotten way out of control!

So to rebel, we had tacos, played outside, did a little housework, took naps, made cheap chocolate pudding, and put the kids to bed at a decent hour so that they wouldn't be zombies today. Call me a party pooper - I don't care! I didn't got over my monthly food budget, my kids are happy and well-rested, I don't have a bunch of patriotic crap to store for next year, and nothing or no one caught on fire due to rouge fireworks. We just enjoyed our day together and took a little break from the usual daily chores. Happy 4th!