Curiouser and Curiouser

Why is it that on nights my husband has school, I can get dinner made, bottles washed, kitchen cleaned, laundry going, baby fed and bathed and in the bed.

But on a night I decide to go have a girl's night or run errands, I still have to come home and wash bottles, fix dinner, etc.

Just one of those curious differences between being a mom and being a dad I suppose. At least the baby is fed, bathed and asleep. Priority is taken care of...multitasking, not so much.

Thank you honey for all you do. I appreciate it. I really do...but you have to admit...there is a vast difference!

Midnight Anger Management

Sometimes, I'm not a good parent. I recognize my flaws and am trying to move away from them.

My angry toned curse words for example. In the middle of sleep deprived night number 2, as I spill formula all over me trying to fill a bottle and hold a squirmy crying baby all by the glow of a twilight turtle...and a loud angry "damn it" spews from my lips waking the house.

I'm not mad at my son, I'm mad at myself for adding more work to my exhausted night, but I have to stop the knee jerk reactions because he is starting to understand words and already feels the tones.

I don't want him growing up on pins and needles waiting to be startled by one of mommy's outburts or thinking he did it.

I'm wound tight, highstrung but I have to relax and take mishaps of motherhood in stride, stress and exhaustion be darned. There's more at stake here than me and my bad habits.

But in the darkness, through bloodshot eyes, crying because I let myself go, it's hard to think clearly.

My poor baby is teething, tired and I wasn't fixing it. Instead, I got frustrated and had to hand him off to his dad to get out of wet pants and clean up the floor.

Not one of my best parenting moments, to say the least...and it shows as evidence by this picture taken today...after a long day at work/daycare. We are both exhausted and pale.

:fingers crossed for a good night of sleep tonight and a happy baby and momma tomorrow:

Weekends...

They come every week. Like clockwork. Much anticipated. Gone too quickly. Distant memories that last for three days until the anticipation starts anew. Counting down to those illusive long holiday weekends.

They are the true marks of the passage of time. We live weekend by weekend. Evening by Evening. Those precious moments where we are together. As a family. Enjoying the quiet. Enjoying the sunshine. Enjoying the holiday season.

There aren't enough moments. There aren't enough Weekends.

There is always enough love, but not enough time together.

The Help-Review

Since this movie will be coming out on DVD soon, I wanted to do a review for you. I had the privledge of screening this dvd. It's a good movie but I haven't read the book so I can not compare for those of you who have.

I unfortunately, was not expecting to relate to a side character by the name of Celia Foote. A flight girl who marries into the social set, she isn't quite polished, always on the outside of her peer group, she blunders and misteps without knowing why when she has the best of intentions. (I cna totally relate-my potty mouth and Irish temper totally belies my genteel southern lady training).

But more, they touch on her struggle (mentally and physically) with multiple miscarriages. Completely sucker punched me as I sat on the sofa with my sleeping boy in my arms.

To all my girls who are experiencing fertility issues, miscarriages, etc. Please be fully warned about this movie. I bawled my eyes out a few times during this movie. The ending will rip your heart out as a mother/childcare provider etc. as well but I'll refrain from spoiling it.

Overally, great mvoie. Steller performances, a little slow to start but gripping story.

Image Credit: Aceshowbiz.com

Hearty Cabbage Soup

Sometimes you just wake up happy. Despite the fatigue, the sore phlegmy (pnemonia riddled) chest, you know there is something inherently bright about this day.

I made it to work early today (with starbucks in tow.)

I have my yummy, healthy weight watchers friendly soup for lunch and my tennis shoes so that I can walk. it's amazing how good you feel when you can get things done and stay on task (including diets...cough..err.. lifestyle changes).

Hearty (stick to your ribs) Cabbage Soup

(3ww pts per serving -just over a cup)

1 head cabbage-chopped or large shred

2 medium onions-course chopped

2 tbs olive oil

1 box low sodium chicken broth

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 cups frozen green beans

salt, pepper, garlic powder, seasoned salt

-Boil chicken on medium-high heat until done

-In large stockpot, combine olive oil and onions. Cook on medium-high for two minutes until onions start turning translucent. Add cabbage and toss to mix. Pour Chicken broth in and fill with water to cover cabbage. Simmer on medium heat until cabbage is tender.

-Shred or coursely chop chicken. Add chicken, rice and greenbeans. Stir. Cook an additional 30 minutes and season to taste.

Makes approximately 5 quarts depending on size of cabbage and how much water you add.

I'm BACK from OUTERSPACE

okay, wordpress isn't quite outerspace but I did visit for three months. It never felt like home and as much as I was ticked off with Blogger, I finally came home. With the help of my awesome friend Beth, we changed up my old blog here, gave it a new name, fresh new address, and combined my cooking blog with this one.

It's fresh and new and encompasses truly all that I have been and all that I have become. There are more tweaks to come. I have to recategorize some things so they fit into the nice new pages we have created. I need to move some posts from wordpress over but it was being a jerk tonight and not cooperating so here I am, fresh, new and excited to be back home on Blogger.

I have survived for four years in the blogging world and through the changes, I may have taken breaks but I haven't given up!

Hello my friends. I'm so glad to be home! I hope you like the NEW blog, the new look and more importantly my new ideas and direction. Please feel free to contact me or comment. I love to hear from you!

Picture: Courtesy of Sears Portrait Studio; copyright owned by me.

Moooooving

I'm biting the bullet. I'm moving my blog. I've been fiddling with wordpress for months now and was hoping to have a beautiful new blog but I haven't had the time to really dive in so I'm just going to move everything over and be done with it.

Blogger was a wonderful starter but I like some of the options with wordpress. Plus google put a nail in the coffin when they screwed up and I could no longer post comments on blogger blogs including my own. That still isn't fixed. So in protest I'm going to wordpress. LOL

I hope to see you all on the new blog and continue to share my journey and life with you as well as get feedback, advice and the occasional kick in the butt.

Love to you all,
Krista

www.spawnofsmith.wordpress.com