February 13, 2009

Share Your Recipes for Special Moments

My most vivid memory from my childhood is of my mother “teaching” me how to make French toast.  It was my favorite thing for breakfast, and my job was to dip the bread into the egg mixture before Mom put each slice delicately in the pan.  My mouth still waters as I think about French toast, melted pats of butter and Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup.

Now that I’m a mother I recognize the importance of creating happy memories with my son.  Dawson is a foodie just like his father (who loves to cook and does most of the meal making in our house), and not a day goes by that he isn’t asking me what’s to eat.

The Motherhood is working in collaboration with Rice Krispies® in asking moms to share some special moments that revolve around the kitchen or meal time. (Full Disclosure:  I do not work for Rice Krispies or The Motherhood, but was thrilled to participate since my family spends a lot of time in the kitchen.  We do love our mealtimes.)

I was asked a few questions about my family’s special moments and here are my answers:

1) What is the most insane creation to come out of your kitchen when you and the kids were trying something new?

Peanut Butter Cupcakes.  It was quite by accident.  Dawson saw a cake mix I had in the pantry and asked if he could make cupcakes.  I let him crack the eggs into the bowl and we took turns mixing the batter.  Dawson lined the cupcake pan with paper liners and together we poured the batter into the liners.  It wasn’t until the cupcakes were done baking that I discovered we didn’t have cake frosting.  “I have a good idea, Mumma!”  Dawson said.  “We could use peanut butter for the ‘fwosting’!”  So, we frosted our cupcakes with peanut butter.  They weren’t half-bad, but each cupcake required a full glass of milk to eat!

2) Do you have any favorite traditions that the kids look forward to doing in the kitchen with you?

Dawson loves to help me get the ingredients out of the cupboards or refrigerator when we make a recipe.  It’s so cute to see him leaning into the fridge for the carton of eggs as he carries it carefully to the counter.

3) What was the first “meal” you taught your kids to fix?

Since my son is only 4 years old, he really doesn’t understand how to make a meal, but he likes to make crackers and cheese and insists on pouring his own bowl of cereal.  He’s not ready to pour milk by himself just yet.

4) Any kitchen disasters with your kids?

No real disasters yet, thank goodness, but we have had a few egg casualties.  But that’s the fun part!  Dawson loves wiping up cracked egg off the floor, and laughs the entire time!  Who knew eggs could be so funny?

5) Do you have a nightly ritual with your family when it comes to meal time? If so, will you share it?

Our nightly ritual is to have dinner at the table.  I find that Dawson is more inclined to finish his plate because he sees his parents eating, too.  The family togetherness is a bonus.  If there’s ever a night we can’t eat together we definitely know it because it feels like something is missing.

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I’d love to know how you and your kids spend time in the kitchen.  Feel free to answer the question below via the comments section.

What do you do in the kitchen or around meals with your kids that you’d like to share?

You can answer the above question OR the following “fast five” in the comments to be one of two randomly selected prize winners and your idea could become part of a new Rice Krispies campaign!

1) What is the most insane creation to come out of your kitchen when you and the kids were trying something new?
2) Do you have any favorite traditions that the kids look forward to doing in the kitchen with you?
3) What was the first “meal” you taught your kids to fix?
4) Any kitchen disasters with your kids?
5) Do you have a nightly ritual with your family when it comes to meal time? If so, will you share it?

Links to photos of you and your kids in the kitchen are welcome, too.  I can’t wait to read the ideas you’ve shared!

Viral and Whiney, That’s Me

We’re sick.  Dawson got some viral, croupy thing from school last week and he’s been sick since Sunday.  The coughing sounds like a barking seal and I’ve been doing my best to take care of him without becoming infected myself.

No such luck.  I have the worst immune system ever… I started feeling groggy on Wednesday, yesterday I woke up with a sore throat and coughy, sneezy, lung buttery, yuckiness.

Can I sue my child for giving me a cold TWO DAYS before I’m supposed to go to the Motley Crue concert in Madison?

I’ve tried Ziacam.  I’ve tired Hall’s, Vick’s and Robitussen.  I’ve got cough drops, cough syrup and throat lozenges.  I’ve eaten four oranges in three days, two tomatoes, a baked onion with garlic, toast with minced garlic (for the anti-viral agents in these foods, of course.  Thank goodness my friend is an herbalist.) and I’m drinking so much water that I live in my bathroom.  And I’ve even downed a few Emergen-C’s.

All I’ve got to show for it is the fact that I smell like a walking head of garlic.  TMI.  I know.

I feel like shit.  Absolutely run down and miserable.

Send me your cold remedies.  I’ll try anything.

February 9, 2009

Tales from the Dressing Room II

So, remember when I told you about the trip to Milwaukee my husband and I went on in January?  The one where we had a fantastic dinner and saw Frank Caliendo?  Oh, I didn’t finish that story?  I’ll mark that on my to-do list. First, I must tell you a funny story.

Two days before our trip, I decided I needed a new outfit.  It had been several months since I went shopping for new clothes and I was tired of wearing the same old stuff from my closet.

I decided to check JC Penney’s since I’m a gold card holder and they send all these awesome coupons for 20% off any purchase, in the mail.  Well, the only chance I had to get to the store was while Doug was working, and I had to bring Dawson with me.

We get to the store and I began perusing the shopping racks.  I found some jeans and a few sweaters to try on and I dragged the clothes and my son to the dressing rooms.

“Dawson, sit down and hang tight while I try this stuff on, okay?” I told him.

“Mumma, are you gonna get naked?” he asked.

“No, I’m just going to try on these clothes.  Turn around if you don’t want to see my underpants.”

So I take off my clothes and put on the first outfit.  As I’m checking myself out in the mirror (in horrible dressing room lighting), I hear Dawson yell, “I HAVE TO GO POTTY!”

Crap! I think.  Here I am in store clothes, my coat and purse and street clothes strewn across the dressing room, and now my son tells me he needs to use the bathroom.

“Dawson, can you hold it until I get my clothes back on?” I ask.

“NO!  I HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW!” he shreiks.

I made the split second decision to leave my clothes and coat in the dressing room, and to grab my purse and the kid and head across the store to the bathrooms.  When I say across the store, I mean all the way to the other side of the building.

Dawson and I are halfway out of the dressing room when the attendant calls out, “Ma’am!  You cannot leave the dressing room with those clothes on.”

I don’t stop, but I turn towards her and yell, “My son has to pee!  It’s an emergency!”

The store clerk follows me as she tells me it’s against store policy to allow merchandise to enter the bathrooms, it’s an anti-theft policy and she’ll have to get the manager.

I ignore her, and go into the bathroom so that Dawson can do his business.

Next thing I know the store manager walks in, as well as a security guard.

“Ma’am, you need to return to the dressing room.” the manager says.

I’m holding the stall door closed, Dawson is peeing and this woman (the manager) and male security guard are in the bathroom with us.

“Look,” I say. “I know you’re worried I’m going to walk out of the store, WITHOUT MY CLOTHES OR COAT, with the INK THINGIE still on the freakin’ pants, and through the BEEPING THINGS by the door,  but seriously…my child has to pee and if you have ever raised a boy you’d know this cannot wait.”

“We understand that things happen but we need you to return to the dressing room immediately.” she said.

I smiled politely and helped my son to the sink to wash his hands.

“Mumma, how come all those people wanna hear me pee?” Dawson asked.

I started laughing and said, “Oh honey, they think your Mom is going to steal their clothes.”

“Oh, no Mumma.  You can’t do that or you’ll go to jail.” Dawson said.

We head back to the dressing rooms and I said to Dawson, “Why didn’t you tell me you had to go potty before we went in here?”

“Because you didn’t ask me!” Dawson said.

Good point.  The kid is no dummy.  Next time I’ll make sure to ask if he had to pee before I decide to try anything on in the store.

The good news is I did find a new pair of jeans.  The ones that Penney’s thought I was going to steal.  And I also found these:

I tried them on and fell in love.  They are delicious.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to wear them in Milwaukee because of the cold and snowy weather, but I fully intend to wear them on Valentine’s Day.

Oh, speaking of the big V-day.  Doug and I are celebrating the night before with dinner and a movie…because the next day my BFF AJ and I are going to see MOTLEY CRUE in Madison!  AJ lives in Chicago and we rarely get to see each other so we’re both totally excited.

Don’t you just love the shoes?  I want to lick them.  That’s how awesome they are.

(Also, why do the funniest things always happen to me in a dressing room?  Remember this?)

February 7, 2009

I’m Just a Bloggin’ Fool

No sooner than I published yesterday’s post did I realize I’m being foolish.  All this worrying I’ve been doing is so not worth the effort.  Instead of worrying about who’s reading and who’s not, who’s commenting and who’s not, it’s time to focus on the big picture.  What is The Dana Files all about?  That is the question.  If only I had the answer.

Well, maybe I do have the answer.

When I first started blogging my objective was to practice writing.  I didn’t care about content or comments.  I didn’t worry about blog layouts and widgets.  I wrote what I was feeling whenever I felt it. But somwhere down the line, I’ve lost my spark.  I don’t really know how or understand why this happened, but I need my spark back.

After doing some thinking I’ve decided to do a little experiment.  I’m going to try to post daily, but I’ll be alternating between diary-style posts (that express my thoughts and feelings) and creative posts that flex my writing muscles.

In order to start this project, I’ll need to take a couple days off to get my bearings straight and tie up some loose ends.

While I’m doing this, I encourage you to check out the review blog in the meantime.  I’ve got some product reviews that I’m finishing, and once those are out of the way I’m free to blog away.  Check out this post about the Preserve kitchen line which features eco-friendly products that are stylish and fun!