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!

February 6, 2009

Bloggone It!

I’m surprised y’all still read my blog, considering I haven’t gotten my act together to actually, you know, write a post in five days.

I could give you the stock excuses, busy, tired, working, cleaning, busy, blah, blah blah.  But, the truth is I haven’t got much to say.

Well, that’s not entirely true.

I have tons of blog posts in the works, but never enough time to actually finish writing them.

It’s not just the fact that I’m busy, it’s the lack of motivation.  I almost feel like I’m over blogging.  Now, before you get worried, I’m not going to stop blogging.  I love to write.  I just don’t feel empowered to put my thoughts down.

Maybe it’s because of the surge of local readers that have been visiting.  I have this urgent need for privacy lately, and rather than vomit words on a page, I’d rather write in my journal where my thoughts are safe from nosy people who simply visit this site to keep tabs on me.  Y’all know who you are.

If I didn’t have a stat counter things might be different.  But every time I check that counter, I see all the people reading from my home town and I freak out.  These people rarely comment and I just don’t feel comfortable sharing my innermost thoughts with them.

I know that’s insane.  I’m a blogger.  It’s my job to write about my life and the things that are most important to me.  But lately I feel like there’s no dialogue going on here.  It’s just me using words, weaving sentences and sharing my thoughts.

I’m sure I’ll snap out of this funk sooner or later.  I’ll return to regular blogging soon.  Right now I just need to re-evaluate this blog’s direction.  My priorities need to be realigned.

So that’s where I am right now…

There’s just not much else to say.

January 15, 2009

Finally Updating the Blob

I know.  It’s been four whole days since my last post.  I know. My sweet BFF e-mailed me to say, “Hey, DJ!  You gonna update that blob thing soon?”  And I laughed.  Oh how I laughed.  Blob.  That about sums it up.

I wish I had something exciting to report, but I don’t.  It’s been very cold in my part of the earth.  Negative 8 degrees, and worse if you take windchill into account.  It’s so cold that school was canceled last night for today. On my way home from errands last night, I stopped at the grocery store for milk and cereal.  I wanted to get everything I needed so that I didn’t have to go out into the frozen tundra today.  I knew everyone else had the same idea, because there were six cars running in the parking lot and very few spaces to park my car.

As luck would have it, both Doug and I are home today and we’ve sealed our cars in the garage, put blankets over the doors (because we want to keep as much heat as possible in the house) and are bundled up in our long underwear.  No sense in running up the heating bill if we don’t have to.  Dawson, on the other hand, refuses to wear clothes.  He’s running around the house in his pull-up because he says he’s “too hot” and I’m getting cold just watching him.  Nutty little boy.

I’ve got some posts planned for the rest of this week that will be scheduled.  Doug and I are going to Milwaukee this weekend for a little winter getaway.  I got tickets to see Frank Caliendo at The Riverside Theater in downtown Milwaukee.  We are so excited because my tickets are in the first row.  Doug told me the other day, “I hope he doesn’t make fun of the geeks in the front!”  I couldn’t stop laughing.  I’ll try to sneak the video camera in for some Frank footage.

So, that’s what’s up for now.  More exciting posts to follow.

Oh!  I almost forgot!  I’m over at the Imperfect Parent today, talking about motherhood and work and this illusion that women can “have it all”.  Head over there to check it out!

January 8, 2009

The Sneeze Factory

It’s Sickness Central here at the DF house.  I think it all began Monday afternoon when I was feeling sort of yucky.  It was like I could feel an impending illness coming on, but it never turned into a full blown thing.  Until yesterday.  Dawson has it, too.

I think it’s a stomach bug because we’ve spent most of our time in the bathroom.  Immodium has helped me, but the little guy doesn’t really understand what’s happening.  Yesterday he clinged to me and cried a lot when he wasn’t awake.  And let me just tell you he didn’t get a lot of sleep.

Dawson insisted on laying next to me on the couch while we watched an Unsolved Mysteries marathon on Spike TV (and we’re watching it again today).  I hadn’t watched that show in so long and the marathon was awesome.  I love seeing all the updates and solved cases.  Dennis Farina is pretty good as host, but I do miss Robert Stack.

In addition to the virus thing, I’ve been sneezing like crazy, but I think it’s allergies (other symptoms include scratchy throat and dry eyes).  I can’t imagine having a cold on top of it all.

I haven’t eaten much the past two days.  What’s the point of eating when my stomach is in protest?  Saltines and 7-Up are doing the trick for both me and Dawson.

Since we’re mostly watching television today, I’ve been surfing the channels and came across an Elvis Presley movie marathon on TCM. I’m waiting for the ones that I don’t already have on VHS to come on TV.  Roustabout starts at 3:30.  Woot!

It’s Elvis’ birthday today.  He’d have been seventy-four years old had he stopped using drugs lived.  I’m a huge Elvis fan and have been since I was little.  My mother and my aunt were mega fans and introduced me to his movies and music at a very young age.

I think I was five years old when Aunt Judy told me he was dead.  I cried for days. Seriously.  He died two years before I was born, and my grandmother thought it was hilarious that I was crying over the man she called “the glorified lounge singer.”  She liked Elvis, but she wasn’t crazy about him like her daughters.  Doug will be totally annoyed when he comes home to find me watching Elvis movies, but I say, I’m not feeling good, so he can buzz off.

In between movies, tv and mothering a sick little boy I’ve tried to read blogs and news stories today.  I haven’t gotten very far, but I’ve got some good links to share:

Dear Brett Favre – Because you know I’m a Packer fan and can’t get enough Favre talk.

Gearing Up For Valentine’s Day - I love the marshmallow pops!  Such a clever idea!

Are You Freakin’ Kidding Me? -  If this happens I will protest.  I don’t think it will, but anything is possible in our country…  and if it does I will march from my home to Washington D.C. and I will do something drastic.  I don’t know what yet…but I sound threatening, yes?

Christina Has a New Look! – And both of her girls are beautiful, dammit!

This sweet bloggy pal o’ mine has big news. – If anyone understands my conception woes, it’s Lisa, and I’m so freaking excited for her.

Enjoy the links!  I’ll be back when I’m feeling much better.