I GREW A SALAD!! YAY!!!!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
New Obsession
Oh hello readers! (and I use the plural of reader loosely) I am sure you have been waiting with bated breath for a weekly post. Perhaps my recipe of the week or more Adventures in Gardening?
Unfortunately I have become OBSESSED (and all capitals are definitively necessary) with...
PBS's Colonial House
You guys it is reality television for nerds!!! History! Crafts! Gardening! Community Building! Parallels to and Conflicts with Contemporary Society's Moral Compass! All packaged in sparkly, sugary traditional reality television wrapper.
You are lucky I am using my precious free time to even update you this much. All free time will continue to be dedicated to Colonial House until I have finished it or I have to return it to the library. Oh, did I forget to mention this was on in 2004 and I am just watching the DVDs from the library. Look man, that's how I roll. Don't try to reign me in. I cannot be contained by 2012. I look to the past even when learning about the past.
Unfortunately I have become OBSESSED (and all capitals are definitively necessary) with...
PBS's Colonial House
You guys it is reality television for nerds!!! History! Crafts! Gardening! Community Building! Parallels to and Conflicts with Contemporary Society's Moral Compass! All packaged in sparkly, sugary traditional reality television wrapper.
You are lucky I am using my precious free time to even update you this much. All free time will continue to be dedicated to Colonial House until I have finished it or I have to return it to the library. Oh, did I forget to mention this was on in 2004 and I am just watching the DVDs from the library. Look man, that's how I roll. Don't try to reign me in. I cannot be contained by 2012. I look to the past even when learning about the past.
Monday, August 20, 2012
First Day of School
Here is my obligatory picture of my kitchen table. Because stay at home moms seem to post pictures of their kitchen tables on their blogs every once and a while. At least according to the homemaking/simple living blogs I have been reading.
I post this because today I acknowledge that I am indeed a stay at home mom. It's the first day of school at the university I used to teach at and I'm not teaching there. I am not currently teaching anywhere. I am not traditionally employed. I am however taking care of our kid, our dogs and our house and that was stuff we used to pay people to help us with so that is currently my job. I am my own personal assistant. Or, in our society, a stay at home mom.
I moved to Suburbia without a plan. I have been bringing home a paycheck since I was 15. I have always had a plan. I learned in my twenties to keep that plan open and fluid, but still I had one, a path to follow and possibly diverge from. And when I diverged, it was a clear zig or zag. This is the scariest thing I have ever done.
I am putting my money where my mouth is- I talk about listening, about being open to what the universe brings you. And now I am doing it. Do I want to teach? Or act? Or direct? Or write? Or start coaching again? Or be a stay at home mom? Yes. Yes to all of it.
There is no plan for "all of the above". So I sit at the above kitchen table and listen. I will watch. I will read. I will learn about "all of the above". I will live each moment. I will see family and old friends. I will make a home. I will be proactive. I will be ready. I will sit at the front of this strange new class. And I will wait.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Recipe of the Week #3
A Stay at Home Mom who Blogs must share recipes, yes? Who am I to buck the stereotype!?! Society dictates and I obey.
Banana Bread for Dummies
Banana Bread- the ultimate comfort food. Dessert for breakfast. Add chocolate frosting and it becomes simply dessert. (Or maybe it is still breakfast? Such a rock star you are.) It's also deceptively easy to make. Bring some to friends and watch them oooh and aah over your baking prowess. I'll never tell that even a monkey could make this recipe.
Secret Family Recipe for SPJ's Banana Bread
1 Loaf Pan- I don't know how big. You know, just the normal size.
2-4 Bananas
1/3 cup of Butter (with a little extra butter to grease the pan)
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cups Flour
Go shopping and see bananas. Decide your family will now eat a banana for breakfast every day. They are full of potassium! They are so healthy! You need them! Yum. Bananas.
A week later notice that your family has not been eating Bananas for breakfast every day. They have been drinking coffee (adults) or eating cereal bars (child) like they always do. You now have browning, soft bananas.
Preheat oven to 350.
In a glass bowl melt 1/3 cup of Butter in microwave until melted
Add however many Bananas you have that are brown and soft- usually 2-4 (peel them first)
Mash melted Butter and Bananas.
Push mash to one side of bowl
On other side of bowl add Egg and scramble it
Stir Egg and Banana Butter mush together.
Add Sugar.
Add Baking Soda
Add Vanilla
Mash and mix until it looks good
Add Flour 1/2 cup at at time and stir in between.
Grease Pan with extra butter (or oil or cooking spray or whatever you use)
Add batter to Pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes (stick a knife in at 50 minutes, if it doesn't come out clean, put back in for 5 minute intervals until knife comes out clean.)
Let cool for 30 minutes.
Try not to eat entire Banana Bread Loaf in one sitting.
Can substitute Pumpkin for Banana! Especially after carving pumpkins and you have all that pumpkin intestines left over so you freeze it because you just know you are going to make all kind of pumpkin goodies and then 1-2 weeks later realize you will never make pumpkin goodies.
Enjoy!
 |
| Why yes, this IS a photo from an earlier post. Do not judge me. |
Banana Bread for Dummies
Banana Bread- the ultimate comfort food. Dessert for breakfast. Add chocolate frosting and it becomes simply dessert. (Or maybe it is still breakfast? Such a rock star you are.) It's also deceptively easy to make. Bring some to friends and watch them oooh and aah over your baking prowess. I'll never tell that even a monkey could make this recipe.
Secret Family Recipe for SPJ's Banana Bread
1 Loaf Pan- I don't know how big. You know, just the normal size.
2-4 Bananas
1/3 cup of Butter (with a little extra butter to grease the pan)
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cups Flour
Go shopping and see bananas. Decide your family will now eat a banana for breakfast every day. They are full of potassium! They are so healthy! You need them! Yum. Bananas.
A week later notice that your family has not been eating Bananas for breakfast every day. They have been drinking coffee (adults) or eating cereal bars (child) like they always do. You now have browning, soft bananas.
Preheat oven to 350.
In a glass bowl melt 1/3 cup of Butter in microwave until melted
Add however many Bananas you have that are brown and soft- usually 2-4 (peel them first)
Mash melted Butter and Bananas.
Push mash to one side of bowl
On other side of bowl add Egg and scramble it
Stir Egg and Banana Butter mush together.
Add Sugar.
Add Baking Soda
Add Vanilla
Mash and mix until it looks good
Add Flour 1/2 cup at at time and stir in between.
Grease Pan with extra butter (or oil or cooking spray or whatever you use)
Add batter to Pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes (stick a knife in at 50 minutes, if it doesn't come out clean, put back in for 5 minute intervals until knife comes out clean.)
Let cool for 30 minutes.
Try not to eat entire Banana Bread Loaf in one sitting.
Can substitute Pumpkin for Banana! Especially after carving pumpkins and you have all that pumpkin intestines left over so you freeze it because you just know you are going to make all kind of pumpkin goodies and then 1-2 weeks later realize you will never make pumpkin goodies.
Enjoy!
Friday, August 10, 2012
August 10- Adventures in Gardening
 |
| Radishes, Lettuce & Spinach (theoretically) |
Weeds: 1, SPJ: 1
Truce. Attempting to live together in harmony.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Recipe of the Week #2
A Stay at Home Mom who Blogs must share recipes, yes? Who am I to buck the stereotype!?! Society dictates and I obey.
A Cup of Coffee
I have been drinking coffee since I was 11. It started out with me sneaking the cold remains of my grandmother's coffee after breakfast and blossomed into a full blow obsession (or addiction). Black, cream, skim milk, sugar, artificial sweeteners, flavored syrup- I am a coffee slut. I will try anything once. And frankly, it's all good. Just depends on my mood.
Secret Family Recipe for SPJ's Morning Cup of Coffee:
serves 2 adults who have a 1.5 year old child
1 Tea Cup
8 heaping tablespoons of mid-priced Coffee (currently in love with Trader Joe's Medium Roast Joe Coffee)
8 cups of Water
Whole Milk
2 teaspoons Sugar
Cheap Ass No Frills Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker
Coffee Filter
Put Filter in Cheap Ass Coffee Maker
Add Water and Coffee to appropriate vessels in Cheap Ass Coffee Maker
Hit Start
In fill Tea Cup 1/8 full with Milk and stir in 2 tsp of Sugar
When Coffee is finished brewing, pour into Tea Cup and stir again.
Drink Coffee
When you have 1/2 tea cup of coffee left, add more brewed coffee. DO NOT ADD MORE MILK OR SUGAR!
Repeat until coffee is black and both coffee pot and cup are empty.
A great way to wade into your coffee addiction for the day. Smaller Tea Cup size allows for the best of all worlds- Cream & Sugar to ease you gently from cozy sleep into the hard core "get to WORK" Black coffee that fuels you...
Enjoy!
A Cup of Coffee
I have been drinking coffee since I was 11. It started out with me sneaking the cold remains of my grandmother's coffee after breakfast and blossomed into a full blow obsession (or addiction). Black, cream, skim milk, sugar, artificial sweeteners, flavored syrup- I am a coffee slut. I will try anything once. And frankly, it's all good. Just depends on my mood.
Secret Family Recipe for SPJ's Morning Cup of Coffee:
serves 2 adults who have a 1.5 year old child
1 Tea Cup
8 heaping tablespoons of mid-priced Coffee (currently in love with Trader Joe's Medium Roast Joe Coffee)
8 cups of Water
Whole Milk
2 teaspoons Sugar
Cheap Ass No Frills Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker
Coffee Filter
Put Filter in Cheap Ass Coffee Maker
Add Water and Coffee to appropriate vessels in Cheap Ass Coffee Maker
Hit Start
In fill Tea Cup 1/8 full with Milk and stir in 2 tsp of Sugar
When Coffee is finished brewing, pour into Tea Cup and stir again.
Drink Coffee
When you have 1/2 tea cup of coffee left, add more brewed coffee. DO NOT ADD MORE MILK OR SUGAR!
Repeat until coffee is black and both coffee pot and cup are empty.
A great way to wade into your coffee addiction for the day. Smaller Tea Cup size allows for the best of all worlds- Cream & Sugar to ease you gently from cozy sleep into the hard core "get to WORK" Black coffee that fuels you...
Enjoy!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Public Service Announcement- Physical Fitness
Exercise is good for you blah blah blah 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week blah blah blah strength training blah blah blah UGH.
Here's the truth- I. HATE. WORKING. OUT.
Seriously hate it. Yes. Hate IS a strong word and it accurately defines my relationship with working out.
What is "working out"? In my world, it's moving your body for the express purpose of improving physical and mental health vs. accomplishing a tangible immediate task.
Running? Working out. Running away from a mugger? Tangible immediate task.
Walking? Working out. Walking around the farmer's market? Tangible immediate task
Pilates? Working out. Reaching that mixing bowl I inexplicably put on the top shelf? Tangible immediate task.
Yoga? Working out. Standing in line and ultimately not punching anyone at the DMV? Tangible immediate task.
In my 20+ years of trying to come to terms with my hatred of working out, I have discovered that people seem to fall into 1 of 3 categories when it comes to exercise-
1. There are people who LOVE exercise and working out. It may be challenging to find the time and it may push their limits, but they are blessed with "the runner's high" the endorphins. Or maybe there is something about the action itself that gives them comfort or peace. Whatever. They genuinely find joy in working out. I hate these people. Okay, in this case hate is too strong a word. I am very, very jealous of these people.
2. There are people who dislike the actual "working out" of working out- they find it unpleasant or boring. There are a million other things they would rather be doing. However once they do it, they feel good. They feel better after they work out. It ends up burning off stress or making them feel proud of the accomplishment. There is some tangible immediate reward for doing it and the fact that it makes them healthier is an added bonus. They may moan or groan, they may fall off the wagon sometimes, but ultimately working out proves to be a positive experience. I have strived to be this person.
3. Finally there are the people who just hate it. It does NOT feel good in the moment. It does NOT feel good during or immediately following. There are no endorphins. There is no stress burn. In fact, stress is manifested. Body aches during and after no matter how many different personal trainers are consulted or different exercise/work out activities are attempted. It doesn't get better even if they commit to it for months. It's hard to breathe. It hurts. It's boring. It sucks. These are my people. I am one of them.
In my continuing exploration of who I think I should be vs. who I am, I keep hoping to discover I am #2. Part of my frustration with exercise is that I think I SHOULD like it. I want to be The Girl who does Pilates. Or the Girl who runs 5Ks. And while there is no part of the act, during or immediately following, that I enjoy, I do have to acknowledge that when I am working-out in some fashion on a regular basis I look healthier and I like the way my clothes fit. I am able to do more physically for work and play. I get sick less and I sleep better.
So recently I have been thinking I need to just embrace #3. There are a lot of things in life I don't like that I do anyway because it's just what needs to happen. I hate cleaning the floors. I hate paying taxes. I hate dealing with the DMV. But these things that must be done because I don't want to live in filth, I don't want to go to jail, and I don't want to get a ticket.
I am going to start the whole Couch to 5K program on Monday. But this time instead pinning my optimistic hopes on a belief that this could be the magic elixir I have been searching for, I am going to try being a cranky bitch about it. I am going to hate it. And I am going to be okay with that. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
Here's the truth- I. HATE. WORKING. OUT.
Seriously hate it. Yes. Hate IS a strong word and it accurately defines my relationship with working out.
What is "working out"? In my world, it's moving your body for the express purpose of improving physical and mental health vs. accomplishing a tangible immediate task.
Running? Working out. Running away from a mugger? Tangible immediate task.
Walking? Working out. Walking around the farmer's market? Tangible immediate task
Pilates? Working out. Reaching that mixing bowl I inexplicably put on the top shelf? Tangible immediate task.
Yoga? Working out. Standing in line and ultimately not punching anyone at the DMV? Tangible immediate task.
In my 20+ years of trying to come to terms with my hatred of working out, I have discovered that people seem to fall into 1 of 3 categories when it comes to exercise-
 |
| Vivian Zink/Bravo Photo |
1. There are people who LOVE exercise and working out. It may be challenging to find the time and it may push their limits, but they are blessed with "the runner's high" the endorphins. Or maybe there is something about the action itself that gives them comfort or peace. Whatever. They genuinely find joy in working out. I hate these people. Okay, in this case hate is too strong a word. I am very, very jealous of these people.
2. There are people who dislike the actual "working out" of working out- they find it unpleasant or boring. There are a million other things they would rather be doing. However once they do it, they feel good. They feel better after they work out. It ends up burning off stress or making them feel proud of the accomplishment. There is some tangible immediate reward for doing it and the fact that it makes them healthier is an added bonus. They may moan or groan, they may fall off the wagon sometimes, but ultimately working out proves to be a positive experience. I have strived to be this person.
 |
| Millie shuns exercise. She is also not supposed to be on the couch. |
3. Finally there are the people who just hate it. It does NOT feel good in the moment. It does NOT feel good during or immediately following. There are no endorphins. There is no stress burn. In fact, stress is manifested. Body aches during and after no matter how many different personal trainers are consulted or different exercise/work out activities are attempted. It doesn't get better even if they commit to it for months. It's hard to breathe. It hurts. It's boring. It sucks. These are my people. I am one of them.
In my continuing exploration of who I think I should be vs. who I am, I keep hoping to discover I am #2. Part of my frustration with exercise is that I think I SHOULD like it. I want to be The Girl who does Pilates. Or the Girl who runs 5Ks. And while there is no part of the act, during or immediately following, that I enjoy, I do have to acknowledge that when I am working-out in some fashion on a regular basis I look healthier and I like the way my clothes fit. I am able to do more physically for work and play. I get sick less and I sleep better.
So recently I have been thinking I need to just embrace #3. There are a lot of things in life I don't like that I do anyway because it's just what needs to happen. I hate cleaning the floors. I hate paying taxes. I hate dealing with the DMV. But these things that must be done because I don't want to live in filth, I don't want to go to jail, and I don't want to get a ticket.
I am going to start the whole Couch to 5K program on Monday. But this time instead pinning my optimistic hopes on a belief that this could be the magic elixir I have been searching for, I am going to try being a cranky bitch about it. I am going to hate it. And I am going to be okay with that. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
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