Archives for January 2010

Christmas, I miss you!

January 14, 2010 by Maren 3 Comments

The day after Christmas, I always awaken as if Debbie Downer has slept beside me and whispered sweet nothings in my ear throughout the night. I hate it. The thought of having to wait 364 days until I can revert once again to insta-kid is downright depressing.

Here are a few reasons I’m missing Christmas.

#1: I love being with family.

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#2 Our family’s Christmas gifts aren’t always conventional.

#3 You can eat as much as you want, and people don’t judge. (Case in point: Here, Michael had just eaten an entire flock of chickens. No one judged.)

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#4 Christmas=puzzles & games!

#5 Napping is expected.

#5 There’s just something special about seeing life through a baby’s eyes.

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Christmas, Hurry Back! You are missed!

My Jack Sprat Story

January 12, 2010 by Maren 4 Comments

Warning: The following story is gross but caused me to laugh until I cried. So I’m sharing…but if you get grossed out easily, it’s gross. ESPECIALLY if you don’t have pets. Please read with caution and be advised.

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Last week, on a week day I made Macaroni and Cheese for Lunch, Michael’s favorite. We usually can split a box between us. I resort to the mac-n-cheese if the refrigerator is bare. It’s my clue that if I don’t get to the grocery store within a couple of days, we’ll starve. So, we ate our mac-n-cheese until our bellies were full. As usually is the case, our dog sat pathetically at our feet, waiting for handouts. Okay, he begs. Generally, he doesn’t get much in the way of food. Occasionally, we’ll put the dish down and let him lick it clean. And, OF COURSE, we make sure it gets cleaned really well afterward. But often, he’ll get nothing at all.

Now, a Mac-n-cheese lunch will cause me to scramble and scrounge in the recesses of the freezer to answer the question: what on earth can be for dinner? On this particular day, I found a couple salmon fillets to make salmon my favorite way. I was trying to scurry in the kitchen, and prepare the salmon. As a new mom, I was battling with keeping a baby happy as I tried to cook dinner–impossible. Once again, the reality of having no dishwasher hit hard & I found myself with a mountainous stack of dishes to be done and little time to accomplish the cleaning. So, to cut corners, I decided I’d make rice using the pan in which I had made the mac-n-cheese. After all, I’d only used it to cook pasta–it’d just had contained noodles, milk, and butter–nothing that reusing a pan could hurt.

At dinner, I proudly shared with Michael my dish washing saving ways.

Nonchalantly and void of any emotion, Michael asked, “Did you remember that Zippy licked the pan?”

Oops and Ewww, but what could I do? At that very moment, the only thing I could do was to laugh.

The Daddy Watcher (and my boring RESOLUTIONS)

January 8, 2010 by Maren 5 Comments

Pierson is his dad’s biggest fan. In the picture below, little guy is watching his dad shovel the driveway. Love them!

New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Set monthly goals (and reach them).
2. Be a more organized person (by making lots and lots of lists).
3. Love on my family (through words and demonstration).
4. Be grateful for the blessings I’ve been given (write notes & express gratitude).
5. Be creative.

This month I will:
1. Exercise every day (only 3 skips allowed).
2. Journal/blog at least twice each week.
3. Keep a cleaner cubicle (at work).
4. PURGE more clutter!
5. Make smarter food choices.
6. Make one craft-y/decorative item.

Setting goals wears ya’ out!

Potluck Schmotluck

January 5, 2010 by Maren 8 Comments

For some strange reason, I imagine (and expect) a world where getting ready for church on Sunday mornings should be peaceful and serene. It should be similar to a scene in a Disney musical where all sing merrily and whistle while they work. In my life, however, there is an abrupt collision of reality and expectations. 8:30 Sunday morning can be likened more to a freight train passing through the elephant’s quarters at the zoo. Imagine your most graceful, prim & proper friend. Hello, you’ve just met the antithesis.

Here’s my Sunday morning in a nutshell:

Below is a picture of my potluck brunch dish that I prepared (monkey bread).
Word of warning: Pyrex accidentally placed on a hot burner will EXPLODE.

A catastrophe of curlers–Curlers EVERYWHERE, including but not limited to the dog’s dish and toilet.
The What-Should-I-Wear-Snydrome
Female issues of epidemic proportions
And this…

Thankfully, from this point forward, my day could ONLY get better…even if my dog DID gift me with three landmines upon my return from church.

I am fairly confident that I won’t be singing “Peaceful Easy Feeling” as I get ready on Sunday mornings anytime soon. However, I am thankful for the JOY I can have even in the midst of…well, crap.

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