June Cleaver

Have you ever wanted to be June Cleaver, with the tiny waist, pearls and immaculate house?  Did you ever notice she always wore heels too?   I was pondering this as I wrestled with my curly wisps of wire I call hair.  I was in my (rather Curt's and mine) bathroom and happen to notice that there were little soldiers, firemen and dinosaurs left in the tub, dried toothpaste in a dribble pattern in the sink and someone thought leaving little squares of toilet paper scattered on the floor was a good idea.  On the vanity there were 3 different brushes, ( one which is Curt's which is funny in itself if you knew him, or rather his "hairline") 2 different hair products promising the same results, (liars!) and a used tissue.

Sighing deeply, I picked up the tissue and toilet paper, washing my hands I did a quick rinse of the sink, flushed the toilet "just in case", (didn't want to raise the lid to look) put away the hair products and looked in the bathtub and thought, "Oh what's the use? They'd be back tonight."   I wondered if the Beaver ever left toys in the tub?

Then I thought about how June had a hot breakfast waiting with coffee cups with saucers, eggs and oatmeal and toast. She's perky, obviously the  1st one up in the morning and has lipstick on. My kids get up and fend for themselves with cereal and bagels and juice.  I stumble out of bed a 1/2 hour after them, kicking out whichever one of them happens to be in my bathroom at the time.  I always want to remind them they have a double sink bathroom downstairs, that is UNOCCUPIED!  I'm never coherent enough to get that thought out into actual words at that time, though.  I make coffee, make what ever lunches need to be made, referee what ever arguement is going on, inspect the clothes selected for the day and  have them ready to go out the door by the time the bus arrives, hopefully with lunch money, homework, hair combed and a quick prayer.

Then I enjoy my first cup of coffee, as I apply my makeup and detangle my hair which is where this comparison to June Cleaver began in the first place.   I may not be a morning person, I have dust bunnies and fingerprints on the windows, and the beds gets left unmade more often than not, my waist is not tiny, my pearls are in the jewelry box and wearing heels kill my toes.

SIGH.... I am no June Cleaver, but I am the MOM of this domain, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  It does make me think perhaps, maybe I should hire a housekeeper to come in once a week...

Hang On Tight, Entering the Teenage Era!

My oldest turned 13 the other day.  13, t-h-i-r-t-e-e-n, 10 +3 = 13. one three. Ok, you get the point.  For him, he's been marking off the days since the beginning of the month, and  I suspect he looks for hair under his armpits and on his chest.  Just a suspicion when he sticks out his chest and says, "See, a hair!"    He's been shaving the dark shadow over his lip for awhile now and when I don't notice, I get that scowl and deep sigh I've come to hate so much.

He's hungry all the time! Skinny as a rail, but as empty as a 30 gallon barrel, oh my word he can eat! He's begun to lift weights, taking extra care with his appearance since starting Jr. High.  He's gotten so sassy and not in the fun sense but in the sense of I'm ready to knock him back into next week.   

He fights with his siblings, only to stop mid-sentence to measure his height against his sister with the exclamation, " I grew! I have to look down at her now!" (instead of eye to eye) .  Then he's so happy with that, they actually get along for awhile.

He can exasperate me beyond what I thought possible with his thought process and "logic".  Then at that point where I feel like I have been handed too much, even though God promised He wouldn't, I see glimpses of his heart.   The gentleness in hugging a daycare babe,  the sadness in his eyes when he hears of kids hurt or disabled, and the best, when he comes to me and says, "Mom, can you tuck me in?" and "I love you mom!"

With all his bravado and angst of puberty and teenagerdom ( I think I just made up a word) he still needs me. The woman who almost died giving birth to him, the woman who he dared rolls his eyes at when she reminded him to take out the trash , clean his room, and get his homework done.  He needs me.

Now, we (Curt and I) know we are just entering this era, and we do so with a bit of fear and trepidation, but I think we will do alright, and we've seen other parents come out the other side of this just slightly scathed, we hope for the best, and will work hard to see our son emerge a Godly man on the other side.  

True Love

Valentines' Day has come and gone, and every year, I hope that Curt comes through with an awesome surprise.  Its the girly girl in me, the part that still loves happily ever after and glass slippers... and early on in our marriage, he did.  As the years go by, and kids get older and needs are mounting from everyone, surprises are few and no longer expected.   So when there are surprises, they mean alot more, because with our schedules, it really requires planning.   That's why when Curt filled my van with gas, wow, that meant alot.  Not only did that mean I didn't have to stand in the cold filling the tank, I just received a blessing of some extra cash in my  budget.  Doesn't sound really romantic I know, but to me, it meant he was thinking about me, and what I would appreciate.   So yes, romantic dinners, flowers, lovey dovey cards are awesome, and I like them, don't misunderstand me.  But for now, a full tank from my man is like getting that card that says, "I love you."

Coffee, the cold and kittens ~

As I sit here totally enjoying my 3rd cup of coffee, I'm.... oh wait, yes, coffee, that wonderfully, fragrant,  mood uplifting hot beverage.... ahhhh.   People, its wonderful.  I know there are tea drinkers, and I'm sure you must have the same feelings toward your tea as I do my coffee, I'm just not feeling it with the tea.. but I do like to think you enjoy it with the same gusto I enjoy my Folgers. 

As I was saying,  I'm sitting here enjoying my coffee,  reading disheartened FB posts on the cold weather all over, hearing it on the news, feeling it as it swoops in with every new arrival of my daycare babes, (who are all napping btw) and once again I wonder WHY we chose to live in one of the coldest states!

  I was wondering that with a 1/2 frozen body last night as I was trying desperately to get Mittens, the kitten, to come out from the bushes and back in the garage.  I was slipping in the snow in my flats, as I wasn't expecting to be "running around in the frozen tundra" a.k.a. -  our yard!   Armed with a flashlight and catnip I pleaded with him to come back in.   Nothing.   At one point it came to my survival or his and I stumbled in the snow and ice toward the garage hoping he'd follow....

He was!!  I was so glad to see him when MEOW! A big ol' tomcat came sprinting behind him! Immediately Mittens turned and confronted the tomcat (whom I instantly dubbed "Whiskers", cuz wow, he had alot of them! ) and back under the bushes they went!  I realized Mittens was under there "defending" the home turf.  It made me appreciate him a little bit more.   I got my husband involved in the "rescue" of Mittens, and an hour later, he was finally safe in the garage.

As I went to hug my hero hubby for helping, He looked down (literally, not figuratively) at me and said, "I thought you had kittens on a farm growing up."  I said, "Yes, we had kittens in the summer and in the fall they went to the farm and disappeared never to be seen again."   He groaned and said, "So this is another episode of "closure?"  They have FUR coats!

So from all that I take away this: Mittens is a very loyal kitten and I hope we have him a long time, and even though I have episodes of "closure" as Curt put it, he is willing to go with me to find it.  LOVE  and ADORE  him for that!

What's For Dinner??

I've been subscribing to Taste of Home for years.  I have so many recipes, it'd take me a few years I think to go through them all.  Yet, here I am, standing in front of the fridge thinking, "What in the world to make for dinner?" 
Now understand, I have children, finicky children who's eyes grow as big as saucers if the dish is not immediately recognizable.  The other day my youngest explained it all to me.  He pointed to the proxcimity of I'm guessing his left kidney, and said, " See, this tummy, doesn't like green 'hings. and this one, pointing to his other side, doesn't like new food that doesn't taste yummy."  ie. veggies.

"Well, I say, pointing to his belly button, what does this tummy like?"  He's good, as his IMMEDIATE response was, " Chocolate milk,. with a straw. "  Hmmm.  I push a little further.  " Exactly how many tummies do you have?"  "Oh lots, this one (hand over heart) is for cereal, but I fed it a cookie instead and it was fine"" Why didn't you just feed your cookie tummy?" "Because, I filled it with water."

Anyhooo... So I do try to expand their little taste buds, some work, some fail miserably.  I also tend to use my friends as guinea pigs.  In a good way, because I make good food - usually. ( I will never, ever live down that onion omelet...)

 A few years ago I was throwing a Thank You dinner party for the volunteers of the church nursery,( I was the director of the nursery at the time).  I went through recipes, websites, cookbook after cookbook to find that perfect meal.   I was excited to make it, I felt it had to be extra special to convey my level of gratitude to them.   I decided on stuffed pork loin with loaded baked  potatoes, homemade dinner rolls and dessert - panna cotta with various toppings.  I also made 3 different appetizers, a lovely artichoke dip, shrimp wonton bites and a warm onion dip with garlic.  I LOVE to cook, bake and FEED people!

So I worked all day, preparing, stuffing, baking, packing up to take it all to the church where I served the dinner.  As my guests were enjoying the appetizers, and I was getting ready to serve, one of the volunteers asked, "So is this another recipe you haven't made before??"  I felt absolutely horrified, because it was a recipe I put togather by bits and pieces of other recipes I found interesting and thought, "Hmm, why not do this instead?"   And I had not tasted it, or made it ahead of time, I'd just gone and done it.  For the first time I thought," Oh dear God, what if its horrible????"  I instantly felt panicky, and it must've showed because he laughed and said, "I'm sure its great!"  I said, "Well if its not, pretend it is!" 

It did turn out wonderfully.  It was juicy, flavorful and seasoned just right. WHEW!  Since then, I admit, I've done the same thing, made new dishes for guests without testing it.  One of these times, it's gonna backfire, but to be honest, it doesn't dawn on me to test it out first, til the guests are there, and then that "oh maybe I shoulda' " thought appears!

I'm getting long winded so I will close with this:  I bake, cook, prepare out of love for the people I  am cooking for.  Its more than just food, its my way of expressing myself, letting people know they are important to me, and my way of letting you know, I care for you!  

Now I must go and make a meal for the most important people in my life, my family....