recipes, books, the blue wall, and my kids

Since I’ve been done at my fake job you would think I would have all this free time. No such thing. I actually feel busier than ever. I have had time to cook so in the last few weeks I have tried some new recipes. I’ve missed cooking like this. It’s not that I didn’t cook but I just immediately went to my comfortable recipes that required zero effort in a grocery list when quickly stopping on my way home from work. I guess that I means I have  SOME extra time. Here’s what I’ve tried:

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole. A hit!

Italian Chicken Casserole: Another hit! Anything Luke raves about is a hit.

And,

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

(I did not take any of these pictures)

I’m not some fantastic homemaker the way these recipes might make you believe I am. I will fully admit that tonight is Pizza Bagel Bites night. But there will be a veggie. And last night was leftover night so Rob ate the rest of the taco casserole, Luke had goulash with the neighbors, and Gavin had leftover homemade mac and cheese. I ate nothing.

I’ve been reading too.

Since reading Every Last One, I’ve read Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan,  and recently started I’d Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman. I wouldn’t recommend Maine. It ended abruptly and I am not a fan of that. I’m actually proud of myself for sticking through those 1067 pages because I would normally give up but there was that one thing keeping me hooked. Next up is Where’d You Go, Bernadette  by Maria Semple (patiently waiting in my kindle app) and then finally Carry The One by Carol Anshaw. I borrowed this book from a friend so I’m hoping to save it for some warm reading days on the deck. FINGERS CROSSED FOR WARM DAYS.

Almost three books this year already, that’s more than I read TOTAL last year. It’s not really the extra free time I might have to read,  I’ve just been watching less TV.

Rob finally got to paint my blue wall. I’ve dreamed of this blue wall for three years, at least. It used to be….red, but not super red, just not a color I loved.

And here with some new cream curtains.

I am in love with this new blue.

The kids. Oh my kids. Driving me crazy and melting my heart one day at a time.

There’s Luke who is full of the best conversations ever.

Most recently, these two:

When I was putting Luke to bed tonight he farted as he climbed into bed (we both cracked up of course) and I said, “Do you ever fart at school?” He said, “No, Emily in my class farted once though.” I said, “Oh, that’s terrible, was she embarrassed?” (As I remembered my own mortifying farting in school moment) Luke said, “She didn’t seem so.” I asked him if he said excuse me and he said, “Not at home!” So I asked him what if he wasn’t at home and he said, “You don’t fart in front of visitors!” I asked him how he knew that and he said, “My brain just tells me you don’t fart in front of visitors and my brain just always tells me the right thing to do.”

I’ve had a stressful day so I just spent the last 45 minutes laying by the back door where the sunshine was abundant. Luke was playing with his Lego’s right next to me so we continued to have a lengthy conversation while I absorbed some vitamin D. Sometimes I like to ask him random questions, “Luke, what’s your favorite color right now?” (It usually never changes from green) and he said, “Whatever color the sunshine is.” I said, “Really, yellow? Why yellow like the sunshine?” He said, “Because that’s the color of your cheeks right now.”

I totally put these on Face!book because he almost deserves his own page.

And Gavin who says yes like yessshh and runs to hug his brother everyday he walks in from school. The hug lasts about .1 second before Gavin then pushes Luke away. I’m thinking, “You ran and hugged him, kid.” But that’s Gavin. He’s going to hug you but only for as long he wants because he’s got stuff to do.

My interviewing spree is on hold for now. More on that later. I actually feel relieved it’s over. That was a lot of interviewing in those 2 weeks. I’ve had to turn down two jobs since. That sounds a lot fancier than it is, trust me.

I really want to be outside. I really want to wear flip flops. I really wish I could stop having these moments of sadness. Another post for another time.

 

 

 

 

Posted by Stacey on March 14, 2013

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