Rhymes with....

Last week I turned 32. I like these thirty something birthdays but last year I made the mistake of getting a rhyme stuck in my head about 31. It was a cute little rhyme. 31 and having fun. Sounds innocent enough right? This year in the week leading up to my birthday a new rhyme popped into my head that I had to get rid of; 32 and feeling blue. As I said, I actually like these birthdays lately so to have an icky rhyme like that settle itself into my brain was not pleasant. I tortured myself a bit about why I might think I'd be blue in the coming year, no luck with that. I decided to just chalk it up to overdosing on the Dr.Seuss with my kids. But what to do? I went to my husband with my dillema and with a wicked grin I got an even more charming rhyme to replace it, 32 with out a clue. My son was even more helpful, 32 you lost your glue. I feel kind of Rodney Dangerfield after all that so help me out here. Send me your best rhyme for 32.

Chop and smile

I know, I've been slacking off on the blog. Apologies all around. Something had to give last week and this was it.

I've done alot of method acting lately. For a mommy like me, that means completely getting into the moment and acting as if you adore things you hate. Grinning like a maniac while you run the loudest food processor on earth just to avoid my toddler freaking out.

Sometimes the freak out can't be avoided. My third youngest daughter became completely unhinged at the mere sight of Santa at my my husband's office. Hopefully she will make some money off of her scream as an expert horror movie screamer. Is that actually a job?

Well, I've got another doctor appointment to drag a child off to. With any luck it won't be scream part 2; my youngest is getting her stitches out.

a meeting of one

It is lunchtime. I've decided today's the day for my stockholder meeting. Time to sit down and hammer out the goals and strategic plan for the new year. But first, soup in a bread bowl. I know they must eat at these functions so I might as well too. Hard to think on an empty tummy. Okay then, enough procrastinating, time to name the goals. If I say them out loud it seems there is more substance to them. In addition to continuing on in my role as wife, mommy, chauffer, maid, chef, etc. and freelance writer, I'd like to remove some of the free from freelance. Yes, to get paid would be good. Step one would be to write more, how to achieve that in an already jam packed day? Wake up earlier. My alarm is already set for 5 am as my husband can attest. Now I just need to pay attention to it. Hmmm, suddenly I am sleepy after lunch. Must've been the chowder in the bread bowl, I think I'll just sleep on it. G'night.

Waiting

December's theme seems to be waiting. We wait in traffic, in checkout lines, and what seems like hours at the doctor's office. It's the season of Advent in which we wait for the birth of Christ. In desperation I told my kids last weekend that we were cleaning for Jesus. It wasn't so far from the truth, but normally my religious instruction for the kids is less hands on. Usually they are more conversational or inquisitorial ( is that even a word) depending on how you want to look at two grade school children grilling you on the details of Bible stories you haven't read since you were their age. There might be something to this hands on method.

Some of my best thinking occurs while washing dishes or folding clothes. The rythmic nature of those activities frees something up - the hands are busy but the mind is still or at least freed from the to do list that seems to run in my head 24/7. That could be a big appeal of the Rosary. Not being a so called cradle Catholic the Rosary has not been something that I've focused on a great deal.

This waiting goes beyond Christmas and the holiday season, we wait for our kids to grow up, our spouses to come home, the water to boil, the phone to ring, for the right time,- for so many things. We wait but while we are waiting maybe we should recognize the gift sitting in our laps. Now. Right now is the time that we have, this very moment will not be given again. Although we can't possibly squeeze everything into one single moment while we are there we should do what matters, kiss our babies, cuddle our children, smile at a stranger, watch the sunset and hug our husbands.

Try to do all of that at the same time and you might forget why you are trying to do any of it. Sometimes the moment just requires one thing, to breathe.

would ya like some cake with that frosting?

Sitting on my plate is a slice of pumpkin cake with a huge mound of cream cheese frosting. This dessert of mine has to be proof that there is a female fat gene. My husband looks at how I serve this cake to myself and really doesn't get it, in fact he says the cake is great with out the frosting. Clearly he doesn't get it, there is something divine about fat and sugar mixed together. Not so great when I go to try on clothes after a week or so of this high calorie consumption. Moderation isn't my strong suit when faced with these treats so generally they stay out of the house. Below is the recipe. It came from a cookbook created by the families in my son's kindergarden class.

Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting

15 oz can of pumpkin ( or if you have the time peel and microwave your own fresh pumpkin using a small decorative one or just an approximate 15 oz portion of a larger one)

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, (I use a kitchen aid stand mixer)beat pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add eggs and mix well. Add salt, cinnamon, and baking soda and mix well. Add flour and mix well scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Pour into a greased pan 9 by 13 or a bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 - 40 minutes. Cool cake completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting

3 oz of cream cheese (full fat or reduced fat is fine)softened
5 tablespoons butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
1 -3 teaspoons of milk

Beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar. If too thick at this point add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the frosting is the consistency you want)


Next time a recipe for white bean turkey chili.