Rollin' with my Homie

This weekend, Dustin and I split up with the kids and had dates with them. This isn't unusual but definitely special! Dustin and Jesse were going to spend the night at Dustin's parents' house and then play golf Saturday morning. Jesse was getting to drive the golf cart. This meant that I needed to bring my A-game to my date with Brea. We were competing with a GOLF CART, people!

I think we do some fun dates but I try to keep them low key. Case in point:

This was our last date. Coffee lovers will recognize this drink. It would be the hot chocolate from Seattle's Best. They put a chocolate stick in the perfect cloud of whipped cream! My kids think this is just short of heaven.

But what I mean is, this is the sort of thing we do. We go out, talk to each other, eat foods or go to places the kids like. Usually they like awesome things like Seattle's Best or ice cream. But my Brea had been recently talking about going to a restaurant (Chuy's but I think only because that is the restaurant in our family) and being dressed up.

She was particularly looking forward to people seeing how pretty she looked and commenting on it. Not to her, mind you. She hates to be told she is cute. But she wanted to hear the people talk about how pretty she looks TO EACH OTHER.

I will give you a moment to allow this all to sink in. Took me about 2 days.

I'm no dummy. I took the massive hints and started my planning.

We went to a "fancy restaurant" called Crumpets. The reviews all glowed with the fanciness of the place. They serve pate, y'all! (not that we ate it, cuz liver is so not my thing)

Part of the date was the getting ready process, done Girl Style. We bathed, painted our nails, curled our hair, put on make-up and fancy dresses, all while listening to music that made us dance and not hold still even when our mother had a hot curling iron uncomfortably close to our skull. IT WAS FUN!!!

The restaurant met our expectations, in that: 1) Everyone thought Brea was pretty but were far too fancy to tell her so to her face, 2) The food was served all fancy like, 3) We had a very good time.

We ate artichoke hearts stuffed with goat cheese and topped with toasted almonds. We shared a lovely green salad, but the server also was ridiculously kind to Brea and brought her a huge fruit cup. It was beautiful and she was openly delighted. We shared trout almondine, veggies and garlic toasts. And for dessert, a lemon chiffon cake with loads of strawberries.

The best part was the talking. I know each family is unique and one of the things I have found very different about my kids is that they talk to me. ALL. THE. TIME. But very often, it is real conversation. Okay, sure, it can be a conversation about nail polish or why people don't ride horses anymore but I have definitely had more difficult conversations before. With adults.

We also drew pictures on a small, fancy pad of paper with glittery pens. And read poetry. So what if the poetry was Shel Silverstein, IT STILL RHYMES.

I think it must have been a roaring success because when she woke me up Saturday morning, she said, "Can we go to the fancy restaurant for breakfast?!"

To which I replied, "Sorry kid. Mommy only has one fancy dress and now they've seen it. We're going to have to find ourselves a new restaurant!"

Winter Wonderland...?

I had a realization while in the shower this morning. Am I the only one who gets her best ideas and thoughts in the bathroom? I often say, 'Let me go to the bathroom and think about it." And I return after a time, with an answer.

ANYWAY. So I was thinking about how I am all flumpy lately. That would be a family term to describe the way I drag myself around the house without any true direction. I am uninterested in cooking. Even food itself doesn't hold the allure it usually does. Getting house work done is more than a chore and all I want to do is read, game and drink copious amounts of coffee that my husband says is too much and I should stop drinking so much therefore I am on coffee consumption restriction regime. Yeah, that is not the coffee talking BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD ANY TODAY!!

Okay, I'm really not unhappy with Dustin about the coffee thing. Truly, we were spending too much money on coffee and my espresso machine just isn't creating the kind of espresso I want to drink. So, here I am.

But the coffee isn't the point, since it was just a very wonderful and fulfilling distraction that brought me simple joy with its scent and flavor. What? Who are we talking about? AGAIN, not coffee. I am trying to talk about my winter blues. Because I think that is what they are.

I hate the cold. And I get cold really easily. Ask my sister-in-law who insists on pointing out EVERY TIME I AM COLD WHEN SHE IS NOT. The number of times this has happed is best described as often.

Okay, again off topic, sorry.

Yeah, I think Winter and I just don't get along. That happens sometimes, right? I mean, when Spring comes around I will be filled with the desire to make fantastic foods with the produce available. Summer brings water adventures and sweet tea. Fall is the best time for tromping around in the great outdoors. But Winter? All I get is holidays. And, for the record, the other seasons ALSO give holidays. Just sayin'.

So, I have this knowledge that I am one of THOSE people. The kind that pretty much just shuts down when it gets cold and the sun's rays weaken. How do I fix it? I mean, for now I will just wait the very few weeks until Spring comes dancing in. But for the future?

Blah. This is starting to feel like work. Forget it! I'm off to find some coffee and read my book.

The Place I Am

This picture seems to capture the basics of what is going on in our neck of the, um, subdivision.

Since kids grow like weeds, they get a new wardrobe every season (lucky!). While shopping, we came across Jesse's hat. He was smitten at first glance and I was feeling impracticable (as later evidenced in my buying sparkly silver shoes for Brea). We also found some super cheap doggie sweaters for our pup, Trillian. Who is small enough to dress in sweaters, cuddle and move anywhere you want without her being able to exert an opinion. Yay! Fun AND easy!

And Brea? Well, she recently outgrew her car seat and now travels in a booster seat. The first thing she did for her inaugural drive was to watch the traffic out the back windows. She had never been able to see that far back while moving and found it fascinating.

I am amazed every day how grown up my kids are becoming. Jesse is mature, responsible, brilliant and dang funny. While Brea is ever the happy, non-stop ball of curiosity who cries during the sad parts of movies.

And I have lots of grey hairs. I don't know if they are related...

Perspective

A few weeks ago Dustin and the kids were desperate for a trip to the river. I was feeling not-so-hot, so I went but just rested in the shade of a nearby tree. However, from my vintage point I could see most of the people coming, going and playing.

I was humbled. Greatly. San Antonio has very strong family values (influenced by a 60% Hispanic population). Plus, they take full advantage of their cultural and natural destinations. This means that a society who appreciates the fuller figure is consistently flooding the water destinations. Of which there are many.

I was raised like a true white girl. I am ashamed of my cellulite, to the point of being willing to forgo amazing adventures with my family. I will cover my hips and thighs with shorts, skirts and towels all in the name of vanity. But these ladies? These ladies who are (by white girl definition) fat, they just have fun. Sure, they choose swimwear that is suitable for their stature but otherwise, THEY DON'T CARE.

Wow.

I sat there watching them enjoy their families, food and nature and I was humbled. How much have I been missing in life because I thought everyone was looking at me? How often will my husband and children have to tell me I am beautiful and perfect to them, before I believe them? How long do I have to wait to have fun, too?

So, today we went to the same river. I wore just my tankini. I played with my family and had some pretty awesome adventures. And I stopped worrying about my butt. Finally.

The Ants Go Marching One by One

Every time I walk into the bathroom it is a little surprising. You see, there are hundreds of dead bodies in my bathtub. The clean up alone is killer! (ba-dump)

Seriously, a few weeks ago we had our house diagnosed with acrobat ants. And the bug person came out to take care of them. Now, I don't know why they are called "Acrobat Ants" but I am unimpressed. They seem to be a one trick pony and their trick consists of a pilgrimage to my bathroom to die. Oh sure, I find the occasional living one on the wall, sink or my arm but mostly they are dead. Tiny corpses in the bathtub, shower or on the floor. I can't even figure out WHERE a lot of them are coming from! Maybe that is the real trick?

Regardless, CARCASSES EVERYWHERE.

The Happy Place I Live

I am going to pretend that the lapse of writing these past (many) months didn't happen. Instead, I am going push through and continue. Especially since I still think in blog posts. It is a lot more rewarding to get those thoughts down than allow them to meander through the brain while you are supposed to be sleeping.

So, yes, I am saying I hope my sleep improves. But I digress.

Big changes in brief:
- Husband got an opportunity to be the digital guru/assistant director for a movie. A REAL MOVIE.
- We moved to San Antonio, TX.
- My parents moved into our "old" house.
- I gave my cat to my best friend.
- I drink more Starbucks coffee.

Currently, Dustin is out of town scouting locations (HE'S MAKING A MOVIE!!!!!!) in Michigan. He will return tomorrow but in the mean time, I had the opportunity to watch a "girly" movie I have been wanting to see for some time: Julie and Julia.

Since moving, I have been less than enthusiastic about cooking. My new kitchen is.......smaller. By like, half, at least. I have done a lot of complaining but that kitchen is still smaller. It seems it doesn't want to change it's selfish ways. Regardless, I watched this movie tonight and thought about how lovely it would be to know how to make a truly good beurre blanc (white butter sauce). I had one once, in New York, that would make you weep with wonder. I must make this. Also, a life goal is to make amazing chicken. AMAZING. The kind people sigh over. And bread. I am terrified of bread but I yearn to create crusty bits of heaven.

So, okay it is a movie, but it is supposed to depict this woman's life. She lived with a tiny kitchen and she boned a duck in her living room. So, surely I can figure out a simple butter sauce, chicken and bread, right? I mean, I have SO MUCH TIME and access to amazing ingredients, now that we have moved.

No, I don't want to go through Julia Child's French cook book. Though, I would like to have it for reference and to make some of the items. But I also love Indian food. Mexican food. Greek food. And the ever popular Food food.

I just wonder if I give myself the opportunity, could I be a truly gifted cook? I am not so much a baker (though, I love baked goods!) but cooking comes naturally and I crave the hand crafted meal. Even better if I made it myself.

Anyway, these are just late night thoughts. Wanted to get them out so I could, you know, sleep.

Bacon and Felines

For anyone who follows my Twitter or Facebook updates, you are well aware of my recent obsession with bacon. If you didn't, well, um, now you know! So, about a year ago I realized I actually LIKE bacon! Before I really couldn't stand it. Often it is limp and chewy or over cooked and crunchy. I discovered baking the bacon (400 degrees, 9-10 minutes) and the joy that is crisp bacon. Neither limp nor crunchy. Also, I love the crispy, fatty bacon. Do not judge.

The bacon is perfectly paired with a lovely almond latte. Something I can make for myself at home with my handy "Barista" machine I got while still working at Starbucks. (sorry for the bad pic) I have been getting into the groove of using my machine more lately but only for myself. Because, to be honest, making more than one hot latte is kind of a pain in the butt!


Also, remember that mouse update I gave a few weeks ago? Uh, yeah......


Hopefully we got THAT problem taken care of! This is Jones. She came to us a few weeks ago. My Uncle Steve was running on the dirt roads by my grandma's house and passed a shoe box with her inside. Now I know I have mentioned we live in the boon-docks (about 5 minutes from Gram's house) and I should be used to animal dumping. But I never am. She was so tiny, maybe 4 weeks old, dehydrated and famished. So after some discussion with Dustin (including pleading, begging and bargaining) I got a kitten.

She is pretty amazing. She only had a few small accidents within the first week but now is fully litter box trained. The first night she was here, she began forging relationships with each of us, including Jesse and Brea. And, undoubtedly, I am "Mommy". She tests my limits, respects my authority most and comes to me when she needs a good cuddle or nap. Also, I am the main feeder/waterer/litter scooper. So, you know, I do all the mommy things.

However, 9:30 at night seems to be her bewitching hour and man-oh-man is that cat CRAZY. Biting, clawing, racing around, growling and generally being wild. Dustin thinks it is great fun, when we aren't watching a movie!

And to answer to unspoken question: Her name is Jones because we have an Alien theme. Ripley is our dog (the heroine of the movie) and Jones is her cat. Ripley and Jones are the only ones that survive at the end of the movie. For those who think I am crazy to name my female cat something sort of masculine, take heart. We normally call her Jonesie.