I was scheduled to work at the fundraiser today and my shift at our homeschooling table began at 9:30 AM. I was off on my run as soon as it was light out because I didn’t have much time to spare.
I was back about 45 minutes later with what I believed would be enough time to shower and have a quick breakfast.
Except when I say “quick breakfast”, I apparently mean throw in my bag and eat there because I am fairly consistent at underestimating how long it takes me to do something.
Tonight as I scoured recipes in a couple of different cook books and those in my recipe box, I had no idea what I was looking for. All I knew was that I needed something I could make with with the remaining produce in my fridge or ingredients found in my cupboard. It’s slim pickings until I get to the grocery store tomorrow to restock my personal farmer’s market.
I flipped through pages and recipe cards but nothing jumped out at me or sounded even remotely appealing. I studied recipes and ingredient lists waiting for something with “butternut squash” or “celery” or “old, wrinkled jicama” to leap out at me and flip on the light bulb over my head.
Where’s the place to be on a cold, dreary day?
The beach of course!
We met up with our “Get These Kids Outside Or Bust” homeschooling group and today was a true test of our pledge to get outside even in the crummiest of weather.
It was cold. It was rainy. There was whining.
Ava happily played with her friends but Maxine clung to me like a marsupial and said “I want to go home” about 100x in my ear, throwing in the occassional “I’m hungry” despite having just eaten breakfast 30 minutes earlier.
I’d like to give special thanks tonight to my neighbors, who put up their Christmas tree the day after Halloween. This has been cause for being repeatedly peppered with the “When are we going to put our tree up?” screech question every time we come home in the dark.
Uncle! Uncle! I’m crying uncle! OK! Let’s put the tree up already!
This is the earliest I’ve EVER put up a Christmas tree. I know a lot of people put them up the day after Thanksgiving, I’ve just never been one of those people. I’m afraid I’ll turn into the Incredible Hulk and start ripping down lights and tinsel around December 23rd if I put decorations up too early.
After a roasted red pepper hummus sandwich and a side of carrot sticks with salsa for lunch this afternoon,
we were off with some friends to the local garden center for some holiday fun.
Lots of decorations to check out –
and painted plywood to stick our heads through.
We enjoyed a gigantic train display.
The adults appreciated the finer details of the model, like dirty old men and their posters.
Given it’s Thanksgiving week, almost all of our normal homeschool-away-from-home activities have been canceled for the holiday. I wanted something warm for breakfast this morning but the idea of hot oatmeal just wasn’t doing it for me. Since we didn’t have to be anywhere this morning, I decided to spend some time on a more time-intensive breakfast.
Who wants French Toast for breakfast today?
*crickets chirping*
Why am I the only one raising my hand? French Toast is good YO! Well you and I know that, but my pint sized gang has never been interested in French Toast. Insanity you say? That’s what I say!
Today we had plans to meet up with some new homeschooling friends for a nature hike. This informal group meets weekly – outside – all year round. The idea is that “kids need to be outside and surrounded by nature”. What a concept! A small group, a few of whom we know from other homeschooly places, this idea is right up our alley. The central theme is that we’ll get outside, exploring nature, no matter the weather. So even when it’s cold and snowy or wet and rainy, we still meet up and do something outside together.
Tonight, in the history of cooking in my own kitchen, I had an EPIC FAIL dinner. It was a disaster – completely to blame on a new ingredient that I’ve never cooked with before: Polenta.
I will attempt this meal again next week and will share more details on tonight’s disaster then. Until that time I’m going to be annoyingly cryptic.
Fortunately though, there’s always a silver lining.
Like a giant salad? Thank goodness there’s always a Plan B.
Packages from sweet friends named Whitney would be part of tonight’s silver lining as well.
On days when we stay home all day I try to get caught up on all tasks that are neglected when we’re away from home and running full speed ahead. You know… vacuuming, sweeping, feeding the cat.
Laundry is always on this list too, except when we’re home all day, Maxine changes her outfit six times over the course of about 12 hours. New socks, new underwear, the whole 9 yards. Usually she times her wardrobe change for when I’m elbow deep in rubber gloves and dishwater or I’m caught in a firestorm of pots and pans and herbs and spices trying to make sure nothing is going boil over or burn.
I swapped my early morning work out today for a little early morning de-cluttering/getting-ready-to-pack-up-this-entire-house-and-move-our-worldly-possessions-25-minutes-east-of-here instead.
La de da just taking stuff we don’t use any more to drop off and donate! Don’t mind me!
Wait a minute. Not so fast. Have you ever tried to donate or get rid of something with your children around? Be it their old toys or your own kitchen and household items? Trying to move stuff OUT when you have curious creatures wanting to know what they are missing out on or are being robbed of makes this a very delicate operation. This should only be attempted in the wee hours of the morning when no one is around to protest the donation of old toys. Old toys that are haphazardly thrown from toy bins directly to the floor while in search of the toys they actually play with.
More Mama’s Weeds
