NaBlo Fail

So, as I mentioned, November is always super busy. Oh wait, what? It's not November anymore? Huh, that's weird. Just a minute ago it was about to be my birthday, then I turned around and we're more than a week into December.

Part of the problem is that I have taken on even more obligations than usual. Brilliant, right? I maybe should have thought twice about that whole PTA co-chair thing, and the fact that Art Adventure landed smack in the middle of November should have been a huge red flag. It really was a lot of fun though, and I feel kind of obligated to help at the school now that all four of my darling offspring attend at least part-time.

I think the thing that really pushed me over the edge this year was being in charge of organizing the church Christmas party. Dinner for 120 people is not a usual event for me, and the anxiety I've been experiencing has been epic. If we're looking for a silver lining though, it is entirely possible that I will be able to get back into my black cords soon, due to the lack of eating on my part. Actually, as I enter the final days of preparation, I'm feeling a lot better. I have some fine helpers lined up, almost all of the food has been purchased and I am well within my budget. In just a few days I will be able to start looking forward to Bookworm's 12th birthday. Who knows? Maybe I'll even start my Christmas shopping.

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The Box

We go to see a movie in the theater maybe four times a year, and tonight we went to see The Box. It was not nearly as straightforward as the previews made it seem, but it certainly was thought provoking. And confusing. I won't say much more than that about it, except that in my own personal interpretation, I think pushing the button equals shopping at WalMart. Among other things. I don't know that I can recommend the movie, but if you do see it I will be interested to know what you think.

Unrelated to the movie itself, I have clear evidence that I am getting bolder in my old age. There were three teenage girls sitting behind me, chattering incessantly. In the past I would have sighed and seethed and said nothing, but now that I am entering the last year of my thirties I have a harder time putting up with such rudeness. I turned around, glared at them, and hissed, "Please Be Quiet!"

Whew! My heart sure was pounding, but I was happy with myself, and they were quieter after that. If I go out for the rare movie theater experience, I want to hear the darn movie! Also, people who want to talk through a movie should maybe consider watching at home. Or risk facing my wrath!

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

About a month ago the Home Makeover TV show was here in Saint Paul. We went on one of the last days of filming to take a look at the house, and maybe spot some famous people. No luck on the famous people, but the house looked very nice, while still fitting in well with the neighborhood. It was horribly cold for early October, so we didn't stick around too long. I don't know when the episode is set to air, but it will be fun to see it!

Halloween in Photos

L-R Spidey is, for once, NOT Spider-Man! This year he was a ninja. Bookworm was Darkness. I have no idea, she made it up. Also, the friend she trick-or-treats with dressed all in white, and she was Light. Together they would do some kind of move and claim they were an eclipse. Again, I have no idea. Art Boy was dressed as a girl. This is the kid who, as a kindergartner, liked to go to school in a suit. Whatever gets the most attention, I'm thinking. Obviously I don't need to tell you that peanut was a Kitty Fairy Princess. Her idea.

I think Art Boy looks frighteningly like me here. Bookworm later said that most people just thought he was a girl dressed as Hannah Montana. For the record, none of my girls has ever dressed as H.M., not that there's anything wrong with that.

Spidey was frequently mistaken for a mummy.

Some people just want to dive into the candy...

Others feel compelled to sort and categorize. I have no idea where she gets it. ;)

Self Checkout

I hate those self checkout lanes at the grocery store. I try to avoid them but sometimes if the regular lines are long, and I only have a few items, I will give in and use one. They frustrate me though, always telling me that I didn't bag something I scanned, when I really did, or not registering the coupon I shoved into the coupon slot. Then it freezes up and a real cashier has to come over and help me. I'd rather just deal with a human, who knows how to run the silly machine!

Today I saw an article that claimed to know the real reason people don't like self checkout. I was curious because I know why I don't like it, but I wondered if they know what I know. You know? So I read it, and they said it is because of stage fright. People are afraid to make a mistake in front of other people. Huh, that is not at all where I thought they were going. I mean sure, I hate when the machine freezes up, and the supervisor has to help me, because it is a waste of my time! The real reason I hate those unmanned cash registers is because it is just one more step toward the world being run by robots. Pretty soon they won't need people for anything, and then it's Battlestar Galactica all over again. Think about it.

Day Two

I'm all thrown off today. Idea Man had to go in and have one of his impacted wisdom teeth removed due to a massive infection. He's fine, but I completely forgot to take the two younger kids to their Music and Movement class at the YMCA this evening. I guess the two hours in the waiting room of the oral surgeon wiped out my memory bank for the day. I found some nice sunglasses at the pharmacy while we were waiting for the prescription though, so I'm happy about that. The ones I ordered online broke after less than six months--hopefully Snyder's sunglasses will hold up at least as well.

Woo! That was some fascinating stuff, huh? I guess I'm a little rusty at this blogging thing. In other news, the duplex behind our house is boarded up, and "KEEP OUT" is spray painted on all the doors, including the garage. There was a tow truck and a flat bed hauling things out of the garage. I'm terribly curious to know what is going on. With any luck I will run into the guy across the alley, he always seems to know the latest.

I will try to come up with better material for tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some photos I took on a recent outing to Franconia Sculpture Park (except the last one, which I made Art Boy take). If you are a Facebook friend you may have already seen a whole bunch of pictures from this little day trip. (I'm afraid one of the reasons my blogging has gotten so sparse is because of Facebook.) Also, if you live in the area you must go to Franconia and see it for yourself--it's a lot of fun!

Happy November!

Okay, I know it has been a LONG time! I'm amazed I even remembered how to log into my Blogger account. The thing is, it's NaBloPoMo again (National Blog Posting Month, where you post every day for the entire month of November), and I fully participated the last two years. I would hate to wake up tomorrow and wish I had started, only to realize it was too late! I don't know if I'll really truly keep it up this year, but I wanted to give myself the option.

With any luck I will:

Update on the results of The Love Dare.
Obsess about whether or not to move some time in the next year. Or two. Or ever.
Complain about how busy November is, even though I choose to blog of my own free will and thus complicate everything further.
Freak about about entering the last year of my thirties. Eek!

Love Dare Day...14?

I've lost track of exactly what day I'm supposed to be on, but I think it's 14. It is a bit tricky to really stay focused and pay attention to this whole self awareness, non-negative, unconditional love thing. Realizing this is, in and of itself, a great lesson. It is hard work maintaining a healthy marriage. It takes diligence and perseverance to keep oneself on a positive path.

In my last post it appears that I inadvertently gave the impression that I am feeling down on myself for the things I have been discovering. I can see how it might seem that way, delving into the not-always-pleasant ideas of selfishness and negative habits. I probably just need to do a better job of conveying my feelings as well as my thoughts, because I truly find it interesting and even liberating to face the truth about myself, even if it is hard sometimes.

Trust me, if I had been going through a clutter book instead, I would have been just as fascinated and eager to divulge the ugly truth. I would go into gory detail about all the cupboards and closets full of odd belongings, the overabundance of stuff accumulated over the past eleven years in this house. I'm sure I would find just as many thought provoking ideas about why I tend to pile things on my surfaces, and would be just as delighted to tell you all about how that clutter book hit the nail on the head.

I think I like seeing myself in these things because rather than feeling like a failure, or some awful human being, I tend to feel more normal. I mean hey, if it's in a book I must not be the only one. Maybe there is hope for me after all! You mean to tell me I'm not the only one who wakes up next to the same person every morning and occasionally thinks, "Oh great, you again"?? Fantastic!!

I love seeing myself in this book because I find it validating. Deep down I think I really believed I was the only person in the world not living a fairy tale, romantic comedy, perfect happily ever after complete with minty fresh breath and impeccably groomed hair. Sometimes I feel disgruntled and unruly. So to read page after page that speaks to me so clearly and honestly, makes me feel like I'm going to be okay. I can choose to do better and be better, because it's normal to have ups and downs. I'm just as normal and messy as the next person, and I like that.

Love Dare Days 4-7 or, Sometimes I'm a Lemon

This book has my number, let me tell you. Day 6 (yesterday) says, "Love is not irritable." Well, I already admitted that I tend to be irritable, so of course I got the chance to reflect on that unpleasant quality some more. For me, this usually presents itself as me sounding annoyed with my family a lot of the time. The tone of my voice implies that the question, request, or comment is exasperating.

Naturally I save this attitude for my husband and children. Do I want them to think their every word is an irritation to me? Of course not. I want them to feel cherished and appreciated, but I know this is not the message I am sending a lot of the time. For this reason, I think it is especially important to pay attention to this topic. Actually, I felt the same way on day 5--Love is not rude. I think being irritable looks rude a lot of the time.

Day 6 talks about two reasons people are irritable--stress and selfishness. True, I am not at my best when I am under stress, and who is? I have to admit, though, that I'm pretty sure my main problem is selfishness. I like to have things my way, and I like to think that my way is the right way. "Some people are like lemons: when life squeezes them, they pour out a sour response."(p.27) This is me exactly. I'm not happy to admit it, but I could stand to be more positive, more patient, and just all around more pleasant.

Like I said, this book is onto me in a big way. (Pretty soon I'm going to start looking for the hidden cameras. How did they know?!) Day 7 (today) says, "Love believes the best." It talks about how, in our own hearts, we each have an Appreciation Room and a Depreciation Room. Basically, in the Appreciation Room you store all the positive thoughts you have about your spouse, and it is where you keep a list all of the great qualities you have noticed about him. The Depreciation Room is where you store all the negative thoughts you have about your spouse. The more time you spend there, the easier it is to add to the list of critical thoughts, and the more negative you feel toward that person.

Unfortunately, I've been known to spend a little too much time in the Depreciation Room. At times it has been difficult to remember where the Appreciation Room was! I'm so glad to be back on track now. It's awful to feel stuck in a negative place, and I can see how people convince themselves that the other person is the problem, when they really need to look at themselves. Clearly, dwelling in the Depreciation Room is a bad habit which should be avoided, and it is extremely important to make the choice to leave it.

Part of today's exercise was to make a list of my husband's positive attributes, and thank him for one of the items on the list. I think I will thank him for being so patient with me. I don't know how well I would handle being married to me, but he always makes me feel like I'm doing just fine.

Love Dare--Day 3

Okay, I counted out the 40 days on the calendar today, and if I continue with what I have started, day 40 will fall right smack on my anniversary. I think that is a pretty good solid goal, and I am more excited than ever to stick with the book.

I re-read the introduction today (you can read the intro and the first five chapters here--scroll down to the bottom of the page), and I really liked how it says love is a decision, and not just a feeling. Most married couples are simply not going to get butterflies and goosebumps over one another after several years of daily life together. It would be easy to think that if your spouse doesn't make you swoon when he walks in the door, you must have lost that loving feeling. Heck, maybe it was never there in the first place. In fact, that guy doesn't look like Tom Cruise at all! What was I even thinking??

The truth is, marriage can be boring, and sometimes downright disappointing. Sometimes the person you love the most is the one who gets the least consideration, and it's easy to think he deserves it because he leaves his dishes in the sink or he uses all the hot water when he showers or he never surprises you with flowers from the farmer's market even though he walks past it every Tuesday in the summer on his way to work. (Don't worry, I made those up. I'm not about to declare the real things that annoy me to the internet. I am not that eager to expose just how petty I can be.)

Before you know it you can lose the focus of what marriage is really about and start to wonder, what is in it for me? Me me me! The point of "The Love Dare" is to take the emphasis off yourself, and focus on your spouse. Some of the terminology is a bit foreign to me, but the heart of the book rings true. So far it has been fun to do the daily dares, and I do find myself thinking about myself less.

Once again, I was to avoid speaking negatively today. In addition, I was to buy something for my husband, to let him know I was thinking of him. Generally I do not make any purchases on Sundays, but I just happened to have read ahead, so I bought something yesterday. Knowing how he longed for my Diet Dr. Pepper, I got him a Mountain Dew and a Snickers bar. He was pleased and surprised, and it was so much fun to give something "just because."

Speaking of gift giving occasions, tomorrow (Monday) is Peanut's 4th birthday. I can't believe I will never be the mother of a three-year-old again!

Love Dare--Day 2

So, today I continued to work on avoiding being negative. It takes a lot more work on a Saturday, and it's interesting to see how vigilant I have to be. I'm noticing that even if I manage to not be negative, I still make an awful lot of comments. They are not negative comments, just observations, but they are unnecessary observations. I was trying to figure out why I feel the need to make comments on silly little things that don't matter, and realized it is due in part to my irritable tendencies, and also my preference for control. So if I notice something that annoys me, I can't seem to stop myself from saying something pretend neutral. Yikes, right?

The second part of the assignment was to do an unexpected act of kindness. As I mentioned, Idea Man is also reading the book, and this morning he presented me with the last Diet Dr. Pepper. This was a surprise, because I was truly hoping he would not find it and drink it. Since he did find it, and then gave it to me, I thought it was very sweet. Of course, I didn't want it right at that moment, and it is still sitting in the fridge right now. He thinks that since I didn't want it, I should let him have it, but I said no.

Now I'm off to give an unexpected back rub.

The Love Dare

Wow, I managed to go for all of February and March without blogging. I have to admit I was beginning to wonder if it was time to shut the whole thing down. I don't think I'm quite ready to give it up, so I've decided to try blogging with more of a purpose.

So far this blog has been mostly about whatever happens to be on my mind, and I'm fine with that, but I really like following a blog that has a central theme. In the last few days, a friend and I have been talking about how important it is to continually work on a marriage, or it can run off the tracks before you even know it. She got me to buy this book called "The Love Dare," which is a book that gives a forty day challenge for couples to practice unconditional love. This sounds like a daunting task, and I've decided I will journal my thoughts on the process.

I'm sure going through the daily exercises will bring me a great deal of insight, and I don't plan to record every personal detail for public consumption. I do hope that blogging about it will make me somewhat more accountable, and give me a place to share my thoughts with others who might be in a similar place in life, specifically my own friends.

It occurred to me tonight that my wedding anniversary is approaching, and I tend to get a bit angst ridden about marriage at this time of year. I did a little mental math and, without consulting an actual calendar, I think I might be able to complete the 40 days just about in time for anniversary number fourteen. I can't think of a better gift to give to myself and my spouse, than to spend the next several weeks examining how I can be less selfish and less conditional. It doesn't hurt that my husband has agreed to read the book too.

Today's "dare" was to say nothing negative to my spouse. It wasn't too hard, since we didn't even see each other until nearly 5 PM. I did catch myself being a tiny bit negative at one point, and immediately announced that I was going to say five positive things to counter the negative. This seemed to amuse Idea Man, but I think he appreciated it. He is much better in this area, so he did just fine without even reading the chapter until bed time.

So, will I have the guts to stick with this thing for the entire 40 days? Only time will tell. Tomorrow's dare is to again not say anything negative, and do an unexpected act of kindness.

More About the Cat

I started to tell you about the kitten that Santa brought for our family, and then I got sidetracked by Facebook. I think I'm recovering. I'm sure you are wondering just how this Christmas miracle occurred. It was all made possible because of the kindness of a stranger. There was a guy who had some kittens to give away, and he agreed to bring one to our house late on Christmas Eve, so it could be under the tree on Christmas morning. Can you imagine? He showed up at 11:30 PM, just so we could surprise our children.

I stashed the kitty in the laundry room overnight. I'm sure the little guy was pretty lonely down there, but really it was only for a few hours (we kept him with us while we finished getting the stockings and such ready). When the children woke up in the morning and came to our room. They know they cannot go downstairs to the living room without us. I always run down first to get ready with the camera, etc. (the perfect excuse to not be photographed in my PJ's--I'm always the one taking the pictures).

So I headed down to the laundry room, and I couldn't find the kitten! I called to him, and suddenly I heard a rustling sound from the laundry sorter. He had burrowed down into the laundry to sleep. I quickly packed him into the little cat carrier we had ready, with a big red bow on top, and headed upstairs. I set the carrier next to the tree, where I had already placed a bag of kitten food and some cat toys, and called for everyone to come down.

I wish I could have loaded the video clip, it was pretty funny. Art Boy came running down and exclaimed, "Mine, all mine!" at the sight of gifts under the tree. The others came along behind him, and Bookworm said, "Hey, look, a kitty!" They all crowded around the carrier to see, and immediately started calling out names. First "Garfield" was suggested. Pretty imaginative, right? Then the older kids wanted "Ron," which is from Harry Potter. Then they thought of "Goldy" and "Popcorn." We decided to revisit the naming of the kitten.

Presents were opened, and the children calmly took turns playing with the kitty. After breakfast I suggested that we think about Christmas-related names. "How about Chris?" No, that didn't sound right. "What about Nick, no, Nicky. Like St. Nick?" The children decided they liked "Mickey" better. You know, like Mickey Mouse. Fine, we agreed to Mickey, and our new little family member had a name. Coincidentally, we have not seen or heard any mice since the exterminator came.

Fleet Foxes

My new favorite song:
(It takes a few minutes to load after you push the play button.)


Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

Jenny Likes to Talk About Herself in the Third Person

Sorry I have been so quiet, but I have discovered Facebook, and it's been a wee bit distracting. Who can I find to be my friends? Who is asking to be my friend? Who has new photos to amuse me? Who will comment on my oh-so-clever status update? I think I've settled in now, and there's not too much going on over there. I'd love to have a new friend or two though, if you're out there.

Look What Santa Brought Us!

Details to follow at some point in the future. Suffice it to say that Santa came through, and there was an adorable kitten under the tree this morning. Well, next to the tree anyway.

Christmas Daisy Chain

Hopefully it is clear why this play-list is called a daisy chain. I would not consider this a list of all my favorites, though I tried to avoid using songs or artists I don't like. It was not nearly as easy to assemble as I thought it would be, and I had to leave out several songs I really wanted because there was no way to link them through. For instance, I would have loved to include "Marshmallow World" by Darlene Love, but I couldn't find another song by her that was also done by someone else.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the results, but maybe I can perfect it by next year. Let me know what you think. (Please note that I have no control over the spelling, so sometimes you get things like "Santa Clause is Comin' to Town." Like in the movie. Sigh.)

***For some reason it only seems to work if you click on pop-out player. I'll see what I can do.***

A Baby Story

Once upon a time, there was a mom with a new baby girl. The baby was sweet and adorable, and the mom was very happy. The mom did everything for the baby. She bathed her and washed her hair, clipped her fingernails and toenails, and dressed the baby in anything she (the mom) wanted. The baby loved to have her mom sing to her and read her stories.


The baby learned many things, like how to walk and talk, and how to feed herself. Still, the baby needed a lot of help with the bathing and the washing, the clipping and the dressing. She still loved to be sung to and read to.


Then one day the mom woke up and the baby was eleven years old! The big girl who used to be a baby did not need help bathing or washing her hair. She did not want her mother anywhere near her fingernails or toenails with a nail clipper. The girl chose her own clothes, and only occasionally asked for input from her mom. The girl still loved reading with her mom, but now the girl did almost all of the reading herself. Singing by the mom was generally discouraged.

Happy Birthday, my big girl!

Rodent Report

The exterminator just left. He put out bait boxes and left some superior snap traps that I will fill with peanut butter. Take that, mice!

What Ever Happened to "Quiet As a Mouse"?

I'd like to say that the mouse problem is getting better, but that would be untrue. Soon after my previous post, Idea Man and the kids saw a couple of mice running around in the kitchen. We put out mouse traps, and suddenly the mousies disappeared. The traps are sitting empty, so we figured maybe we scared them away. Until this morning.

6:30 AM, I woke up to a rustling sound coming from the corner of the bedroom. I elbowed Idea Man until he woke up, because if I was going to be awake with a critter in the room, he should be awake too, right? He turned on the light, and I went over to the corner to see what was going on. I didn't see anything, so I nudged the wastebasket in the corner with my foot. A little gray streak ran past me and across the room. Great! We had mouse sightings on every level of the house!

We are going to have to get serious about this problem. I will pay an expert if I have to. We are still hoping Santa will bring us a kitty or two, but if we have to put out poison or more traps, we need to get this taken care of before we bring a pet into our home. It would be nice if we could say, "Not a creature was stirring..." by Christmas Eve.

eekamouse

We used to have a cat. For years we had a cat, but then about two and a half years ago Misty kitty died. A few months ago we told the kids that as soon as Peanut is all done with diapers (and really I thought it would have happened by now) we could talk about getting a kitty. Using this as an incentive for potty training doesn't seem to be working at all. Recently Peanut told my mom that she doesn't use the potty because we don't have a kitten yet. Huh. I don't think she gets it.

So last night Idea Man went down to the basement, and discovered that we have a furry little houseguest. I can't believe I'm even broadcasting this to the world, because I think it is horrible and disgusting to have mice in the house. But there it is. He's really kind of cute, isn't he? Or she?


We are cruel, cruel innkeepers though, and decided that the visitor should go back outside to fend for himself. Or herself. I tried to catch him with a butterfly net, but as soon as I swooped in he ran past me and into the laundry room. I cornered him in the laundry room and he ran back out. I chased after him, and he went back into the laundry room, and disappeared behind the dryer. UGH!

I can only imagine little Mousie and his family, living off the fat of our basement pantry, nice and cozy for the winter. I think getting a cat has just gone up on the list of priorities.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sounds like an odd combination, but these are really good! You can probably replace the shortening with butter, but then they might come out crispy instead of soft. I like to replace part of the flour with ground flax seed and whole wheat flour.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Combine:
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 t. vanilla

Mix together and add to pumpkin mixture:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

Optional:
1/2 c. nuts
1 c. chocolate chips

Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Last Day

Today is the last day of the month, and therefore the last day of NaBloPoMo and daily posting. I think this year was a little easier than last year, I'm not sure why. Maybe because I hadn't posted regularly in quite a while.

It has been interesting making myself post no matter what. I tend to be a perfectionist in many areas, and it is easy to put off writing a post until I think I can make it just right, or have a picture to go with it, or whatever reasons I come up with.

Sometimes I feel discouraged by the other blogs I read, because it seems like they are so much better able to express ideas. I'm getting better at just appreciating the writing of others, while being content to work on my own ideas in my own way.

I like feeling "caught up" with my blogging. I probably won't be able to keep up the daily pace, but I hope to be more consistent. Happy December!

Holiday Birthdays

Today's party went off without a hitch. We had lunch, opened presents, had cake, and that was about it. Idea Man asked the kids if they wished they could have their birthdays and Christmas farther apart, to spread out the gift giving throughout the year. They both said no, they like having their birthdays close to the holidays. I suppose it makes this whole time of year feel extra festive or something.

They also don't seem to mind sharing their extended family party. For Art Boy it makes his birthday last longer, and for Bookworm, she gets to start her birthday early. I really was worried when she was born so close to Christmas, that she would feel overshadowed. We used to not put up the tree or any Christmas decorations until after her birthday. She didn't like waiting so long for Christmas though, so now we usually just go ahead and decorate.



They each get to celebrate on their individual birthday too, so really they seem happy with the whole arrangement. Coincidentally, the two younger children also have birthdays exactly one month apart, to they also have a joint extended family party in the spring.

Late-Night Cleaning

Tomorrow we are having a joint birthday party for Art Boy and Bookworm. With one birthday close to Thanksgiving, and the other a week before Christmas, it seems simpler to have the family birthday party halfway in-between.

Having guests means we clean the whole house, especially when the in-laws are coming over. When we're all done, and everything is as clean as it's going to get, I look around and think, "Wow, we should have these people over more often!"

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cake

1 pkg. white cake mix, divided
1/2 cup melted butter
5 eggs, divided
4 tsp cinnamon, divided
2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, divided
1 14-16 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cold margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure out 1 cup of cake mix and set aside. Combine remaining mix with melted butter, 1 egg and 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well and pour into 10-inch spring-form pan that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable coating. (I only have a 9-inch pan, so I made two little mini cakes in custard cups, just to make sure the main cake didn't overflow.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin with remaining eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, salt, ginger, cloves and cream. Mix well with a whisk and pour over unbaked crust.

Combine reserved cup of cake mix with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, and cold butter. Mix until crumbly and sprinkle over pumpkin filling. Bake 1 1/2 -2 hours or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 16 servings


I first had this cake at The Shoreline Restaurant in Door County, WI. I thought it was amazing, and they were kind enough to share the recipe with me. We will be having this instead of pumpkin pie tonight. I'm pretty sure no one will complain.

Some Days Are Like That

This morning was the worst morning in the history of Bad Mom Mornings. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but I did do the worst thing a mother can do to a nine-year-old boy. Yep, I cried.

I discovered that Art Boy had lost his brand new gloves, less than a week after he had gotten them. This is the boy who has lost countless gloves, hats, even jackets, and I was brimming over with frustration and not a little bit of crazy lady hormones. I just burst into tears.

At first he looked like he was going to laugh, because it would be funny if I was pretending to cry. When he realized I was not pretending, a look of horror spread across his face. I don't think he had seen me cry in years, if ever. Then, to prove how sane and sensible I was being, I said, "If you go to school with no gloves your hands will get cold and everyone will think you have a terrible mother!"

Peanut came running up and, wrapping her arms around my legs, said, "Oh, Mommy, I love you so much!" Clearly, the children all thought I had lost it.

I got a drink of water and composed myself, so I could get the kids to school. They usually take the bus, but we were running late this morning. I can't imagine this had anything to do with my flustered state, can you? When we got outside I remembered that my dearest beloved husband had taken out the third seat in the minivan, so he could deliver some Boy Scout fund raiser wreaths on his way home from work.

Luckily (!?) Bookworm was staying home for the fourth consecutive school day, so I managed to squeeze three children into two seats. Very safe, I'm sure, as I am such a careful driver. Then it dawned on me that if I was driving around with a van full of wreaths, someone had forgotten to swap cars for the day!

Did I mention that Spidey was up several times during the night, crying that his ear hurt? He already missed school on Friday and Monday, so naturally I sent him to school yesterday and today. I still needed to figure out how to get his ears looked at by a doctor though.

Fast forward to this evening. We had a good dinner that everyone ate, and no one complained. Idea Man is out delivering wreaths. I took Spidey to the closest Minute Clinic, and they were quick and efficient. (Yes, it's an ear infection.)

Now we are going to read some stories, and once the children are all in bed I'm going to start baking. Somehow, after everything, they still like to tell me I'm the best mom in the whole world, which gives me the encouragement I need to keep on trying to do better.

Who needs television anyway?

So the government has decided that we all have to switch over to a digital television signal in February 2009. I thought my TV was working just fine the way it was, but apparently the feds know better. We got the widely touted coupon to ease the cost of purchasing the converter box, and I haven't been pleased with the results. At all.

Our main TV is in the basement, so the signal can be a bit iffy. Sometimes we have to put up with a slightly fuzzy picture, but we can deal with it. With the converter box, either you have a great picture, or you don't. If the signal isn't strong enough the screen gets all blocky and there is no audio at all. This is not a good thing.

I suppose I could say, "Oh well, I guess we'll have to get cable!" But I don't want cable. I already watch far more TV than I should, and if we had cable I fear I might never leave the house again. Plus, why should we have to pay for cable just because the analog signal is arbitrarily being shut off in a few months?

The good news is that there are tons of great shows out on DVD. In fact, I've been able to catch some cable shows I otherwise wouldn't be able to see. When these run out, I'm confident I will be able to find plenty of other shows to keep me occupied while I fold laundry. I may be singing a different tune come February, but this is my plan for now. I've made up a few short lists to get you started too.

Three TV series you should put on your Netflix queue ASAP:

1. Battlestar Galactica
Yes, it screams "I'm a geek!" but don't worry about that. For one thing no on has to know, and for another this is a hugely entertaining show that will suck you in immediately. Not only are there spaceships and robots, but also made up swear words, which I adore. Start with the Miniseries, and then the regular seasons. After Season 3, make sure you get Battlestar Galactica: Razor. By the time you get all caught up, Season 4 should be out. Lucky you!

2. Extras
Hilarious. What more can I say? Oh, except that you should avoid if you are averse to real swear words, which I actually am. Only I thought it would be safe because it's TV, and who knew the British could be so foul-mouthed on TV?

3. Firefly
This is the best show you never heard of. Or at least I had never heard of it before my brother brought it to our family reunion/cabin vacation this past June and made us all watch it. If the words "Space Western" don't capture your imagination, there are more made up swear words. Or they're speaking Chinese when they get mad. I forget. Oh, and be sure to get the follow-up movie "Serenity" which will tie up all the loose ends. Sadly, this series didn't even last one season.

Reality shows you don't want to miss:

1. Project Runway
Fashion, catty designers, crazy challenges. Trust me, this show has something for everyone.

2. Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht
They have EIGHT kids under 8, and the mom is way more of a control freak than I am. Love it.

3. Little People, Big World
It's hard to describe the appeal of this show. You get to see an insider's perspective of life as a little person, but you also just get a glimpse into the life of a family with four kids. Who wouldn't find that fascinating?

Call Me Scrooge

I'm a little afraid to admit this publicly, but I am not looking forward to decorating the Christmas tree. The pressure is on as soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers are put away in the fridge. "When are we putting up the tree?" Hmm, how about never? I suppose I should be grateful that my family members don't follow the retail trend and insist that we haul out the Christmas decorations the minute the trick-or-treaters get home.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a beautifully decorated tree as much as the next person, I just don't want to be involved. Bringing out the boxes, sorting through years and years worth of accumulated...stuff. Deciding where to put everything, knowing that January will be here before we know it, and everything will go right back in those boxes. (Actually, I like to have everything put away before January, otherwise the task just weighs on me. In my mind Boxing Day on December 26th means box up the decorations and get back to normal life.)

Of course, bring out the ornaments, and I will suddenly have an opinion about where they should go. This one needs to be higher so it's out of reach. That one stays in its box, we don't actually use it. It could break/it's too ugly/too heavy, etc. Clearly I have control issues, and I prefer to leave them in the closet where they belong.