The Hardest Job In The World?

I hear this expression from moms often, bemoaning the difficulty of parenting. I’ve received those trite little e-mails that quantify a mother’s efforts and declare that since she applies band-aids, drives to the grocery store, and arbitrates sibling arguments, her value is equal to the combined salaries of a nurse, a chauffeur, and an attorney. The hours! The challenges! The frustrations! It is just so grueling and difficult!

Really? I mean, seriously? I have about 5 and a half years of experience as a mom now, and while some days are tough, it just doesn’t seem like it’s that hard of a job to warrant all of this complaining and begging for praise. Yes, I believe it is vitally important and one of the most crucial jobs. But the hardest? Come on! Mothering is something that billions of women have been doing since, well, Eve. (Now I’ll admit, she probably had it pretty rough. Charged with the duty of procreating enough to fill the planet, no grandma to help out, and I bet she and Adam bickered constantly those first few years after the fall. “You just had to go and ruin everything!” “Well, I didn’t see you stepping up to help matters, buster!”)

I’m sure moms everywhere will hate me for saying this, but I just think that a job that allows you to maintain a blog and daily update your facebook status isn’t really that hard. There are lots of really hard jobs out there, and these folks aren’t posting status updates.

But, if they were:

Coal Miner: Phew! Luckily we avoided a roof collapse and a gas explosion today. Hopefully that black lung doesn’t catch up with me later.

Missionary: I sure do miss my family and friends, and I’d give anything for a flushing toilet right now, but I have faith that one person will believe the Gospel before I leave.

Doctor: I just hate having to give people bad news.

Sewer Maintenance Worker: I hooked my harness up to a tripod and lowered myself into a 30’-deep manhole to clean sewage today! Woot! (Sidenote: I was at a jobsite recently observing a pipe cleaning crew. These guys were super nice. They noticed some inmates working at the transfer station, and I explained that the City paid them $0.50/hour for manual labor. They good-naturedly exclaimed “That’s more than we make!”)

Police Officer: I feel like I spend all of my working hours risking my life and dealing with the dregs of society. You wouldn't believe some of the scum in this city!

Soldier: I lost a friend today.

I just think it’s sad to hear moms emphasizing their difficulties so much. What kind of message does that send to their kids? Or their poor husbands? I can only imagine how discouraging it must be to work all day to solely shoulder a family’s financial needs, and then to come home and listen to a wife go on and on about how difficult her job is.

Is being a mom hard? Sure, I guess it can be difficult. But the truth is, there is always somebody who has it better and worse than you do. So whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Mothering is the greatest joy in the world…not the hardest job.

Are You Using Culture Pass Yet?

I can not emphasize enough what a remarkable resource our City of Phoenix libraries are. With a few clicks, I can browse thousands of books, request a hold, and have a notification e-mailed to me when my reserved copy is ready to be picked up. I can take home a dozen children’s books and then cycle them out for new ones when my kids are ready for something fresh and challenging. I can point, click, and instantly download audio books to listen to on my iPod. I can check out the latest DVDs, or enjoy old classic movies. I can check out CDs from unexplored artists and genres. And all of this costs me about $4/month in late charges. A more responsible person could have it all for free!

I recently took advantage of a somewhat new library feature called Culture Pass. This allows me to “check out” a family pack of admission to all sorts of venues around town, from the Phoenix Art Museum, The Heard Museum, The Desert Botanical Gardens, The Phoenix Zoo, and lots more. Last weekend we took the kids to The Children’s Museum of Phoenix. They had a blast! Admission typically runs $9/person. That means our family saved close to $40 and enjoyed a free afternoon of fun.

(Popular passes are often snatched up pretty quickly, but you can check the status at various branches here)

My kids most enjoyed The Noodle Forest

The Tricycle Carwash
The Ball Room
And the race car track.

Get to the library today!!

Powers

Ethan has somehow concluded that a vehicle's relative horsepower is determined by their exhaust pipes, which he has dubbed "powers". He even knelt down in the garage to point out the power on my car, and explain why it was so slow in comparison to Daddy's motorcycle.

"See, mommy. Your car only has one power."

"Daddy's motorcycle has two powers. That's why it is faster than your car."

Driving home last night we were next to a semi truck on the freeway. Ethan was pretty excited and pointed out the huge 'powers'.

Finally, Elliot replied in her sassiest and most exasperated voice: "Ethan! They are not powers! They are called exhausted pipes!"

An "Uplifting" Thanksgiving Memory

Several years ago our dog, Beagle Bailey, was suffering from some stomach issues. Her disgusting (but thankfully short-lived) tummy troubles caused her to vomit several times in the house. One such episode occurred just before our annual Thanksgiving feast. In an attempt to clean the mess up quickly, my husband grabbed a sponge, scrubbed it away, and then tossed the old sponge into the cupboard under our sink, to be dealt with later.

Later that evening, after our families had all stuffed themselves with dinner, my mother-in-law jumped up and graciously volunteered to wash all of the dishes. This was no small task! The sink was loaded with serving dishes, roasting pans, and of course, all of my china. I told her I could take care of it, but she absolutely insisted. I was glad for the help, so acquiesced to her kindness. I visited with our company while she was in the kitchen scrubbing away, and came back in just as she was finishing up. Every pot, pan, casserole dish, fork, knife, and plate was clean and neatly stacked on the counter. And I happened to notice, as she was washing the last piece, that she had done the whole job with the nasty dog throw up sponge. Nearly every dish in my kitchen had been smeared with my dog’s vomit, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her. I put each and every piece away, only to take it out and rewash it the next day. Now I’m always careful to have a brand new clean sponge on hand, in case I get any more offers of help.

Wine-In-a-Box!

I have a certain image...let's say, a reputation. My friends know me to be a bit of a wine enthusiast. When I told people about donating a kidney, more than a few of them asked whether I would still be able to drink wine. (I'm not going to lie... that was one of the first questions I asked the transplant doctor too.) When I go out to eat with friends, they often assume that I have some special oenophilic skills that allow me to order a superb bottle, and insist that I choose.

Well, the truth is, I just like wine a lot. I know what I like (red wine, sparkling wine, most whites) and what I don't like (Riesling). But if you were to subject me to a blind taste test, I probably wouldn't be able to distinguish the 87 point bottle versus the 95 point bottle, or pick up every note of currant and lingonberry, or quantify the oakiness. I would just be able to say "Yup, that's a Pinot Noir, and I like it. Got any more?"

So while cruising the aisles of Bevmo this afternoon, I came across a $5 off coupon. (I noticed the coupon first, before I even saw what it was for.) The coupon was for a line of wines from the Black Box company. The box claims to keep wines fresh for up to four weeks (as if this box is going to last four weeks in my house) and hold the equivalent of 4 standard wine bottles! After the coupon, this worked out to about $3/bottle! I decided to try their Chardonnay. (They have reds as well, but since the box wouldn't fit in our wine fridge, I thought it would be difficult to get the red to the proper temperature.)

I have to admit that I was very impressed! The wine is delicious and the box is very convenient. It's just like getting lemonade out of an Igloo cooler! It's nice to be able to pour a glass in the evening and not feel like I have to finish the whole bottle before it spoils. I could even dump the box into a pretty decanter and serve it to company without hesitation. In fact, it's much better than the typical swill that passes for house wine in many restaurants.

I give two thumbs up to this wine-in-a-box. Cheers!

Mission: Thanksgiving

(Photo from Better Homes and Gardens, not my dining room table...)

November tiptoed quietly around and snuck up rather quickly this year! Now one of my favorite holidays is almost here, and I’m in full planning mode. I usually host thanksgiving, but we took the year off in 2008 to take the kids to Disneyland. As fun as that was, I’m looking forward to resuming the helm in my kitchen and hosting a fabulous dinner. That means it’s time to start preparing! I’ve been jotting down some ideas and timelines, and thought I’d post them for easy reference. (I've had such phenomenal luck with several of Pioneer Woman's recipes lately, so I'll be giving a few of her dishes a try this year.)

Three Weeks Before:

• Determine the preliminary guest list. I’ll only have around 17-ish guests this year. But if we’re friends, you’re reading this, and you don’t have a better offer, consider yourself invited!
• Start scanning and hoarding coupons for things I know I’ll need to stock up on…chicken stock, spices, baking staples, butter, aluminum foil, etc.
• Make a list of any items I may need to borrow, such as a coffee pot, extra serving dishes, crock pots, roasting pan, folding chairs, banquet table, etc.
• Take inventory of wine stock and replenish if necessary. Bevmo’s 5-cent wine sale ends Monday!

Two Weeks Before:

• Coordinate with guests on what they will bring. My MIL and SIL usually bring some sides and veggies.
• Compile all of my recipes.
• Clean my oven. There’s something down there that gets a little stinky when I turn it on.
• Think about pulling together some decorations. This is one area where I’m sorely lacking. I hang up my wreath on the front door, but I think it might be fun to do a pretty centerpiece or table scape this year.

One Week Before:

• Make the master shopping list. I usually like to do my shopping the weekend before Thanksgiving.
• Dig out table clothes from linen closet. Wash and iron. (I know…I don’t iron my work clothes, but I iron the table clothes I use once a year.)
• Freshen up the house so it is guest-ready: Give the guest bath rooms a good cleaning, hose off the front patio, and commence the slow-moving exodus of toys from the living room to the second story of the house.
• Clean out the fridge and freezer to make room for thanksgiving goodness.

A Few Days Before:

• Take turkey out of freezer to thaw.
• Make the pie crusts, wrap, and freeze.
• Make Butternut Squash Puree and freeze.
• Make a couple loaves of breakfast bread and freeze. My mom and dad always come over early in the morning so my mom can help me. It’s nice to have some pumpkin bread, banana bread, and OJ on hand to feed my morning helpers.

The Day Before:

• Order pizza for dinner. It’s going to be a busy night, and I won’t have time for a ‘regular’ meal.
• Take pie crusts out of freezer to thaw.
• Take butternut squash puree out of freezer to thaw.
• Make the mashed potatoes. Place into a large casserole covered with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare turkey brine.
• Chop bread for stuffing and let it dry out a bit.
• Prepare stuffing and place in crock pots overnight.
• Prepare dinner roll dough. Allow it to rise for a couple of hours, then refrigerate in a large bowl.
• Remove the bag of innards from the turkey cavity, rinse it thoroughly, place it in brining bag, and add water and brining solution. I usually store my turkey in an ice chest, because my fridge is pretty full at this point.
• Prepare pies (apple and pecan). My dad is contributing a pumpkin cheesecake this year, in lieu of pumpkin pie!
• Set the table(s). I’ll have 2-3 tables set up for eating, and one long banquet table set up in the kitchen to place all of the food on, buffet style. Prepare butter dishes and salt and pepper shakers for each table.

Thanksgiving Morning:

• Remove the turkey from the brining bag, rinse thoroughly, place on a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. If using a meat thermometer, don’t forget to insert it before placing in the oven.
• Remove mashed potatoes from fridge in the morning so they’ll be room temperature by afternoon.
• Remove dinner roll dough from fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
• My obsession with the Outlander series and Claire’s daily life in Colonial America has led me to consider not wasting a single part of the turkey this year. I just might attempt giblet gravy, and I’ll definitely have a recipe on hand for turkey carcass soup.
• Have some munchies out to tide over the company while dinner is wrapped up. Maybe a veggie tray and some Chex Mix.
• Prepare a big jug of iced tea and set up a drink station in the laundry room with glasses, an ice bucket, bottled water, sodas, wine, and a corkscrew so guests can help themselves to drinks without getting in the way of kitchen proceedings.

That’s about all I have so far. Feel free to share any tips or suggestions you have to make the day go smoothly. I’m trying to think of ideas to get the kids involved and provide fun activities, without them getting in the way and making things more difficult. Ideas?

Happy Fall!

Whew! What a weekend! I think one of my favorite things about the fall is all of the enjoyable outdoor family activities. We’re all thrilled to be outside, and there seems to be no shortage of fun things to do.

On Friday, I took the afternoon off work and volunteered for Elliot’s Fall Festival at school. I manned a booth with another mom, and we were in charge of helping the kids fill gloves with candy corns and popcorn to make “witches hands”. I had a blast with the kids, and I especially loved watching Elliot in her element. It is very gratifying to see how she is positively thriving in school!

We got an early start on Saturday for Elliot’s first official soccer game. (I’m proud to report that our Comets earned a 3-1 victory!) Joel actually stepped up to play the roll of coach for their game, so I got to watch both of them hustling up and down the field. She may not be the star of the team, but she puts her heart into the game and tries her hardest. I just don’t think I could be any prouder of her! After the soccer game, it was the event we’d all been waiting for: The great SPAM Cook-off of 2009. This is sure to become an annual tradition for both of our families! While neither of us took home the grand prize, I will concede that Bill’s maple and habanero SPAM Puppies were pretty tasty. Our SPAM Breakfast Cups were good fresh from the oven, but after a few hours in the ice chest, they just didn’t hold up too well. We certainly had the highest score in presentation, though. Just look at those baskets! (On a side note, did you know that SPAM is over $4/can? Why on earth do people buy processed, canned meat that is more expensive than just about any fresh meat? I don’t really get it, but the contest was certainly fun!)

Of course the kids got to enjoy some of the fair amusements after the SPAM-off. The girls enjoyed a few rides, and my little Ethan rocked the basketball shoot! He wanted to play SO badly, and I figured he had no chance of sinking a basket (those things are all rigged, right?) Well, we head up to the booth and the carnie (that’s probably not PC, huh?) hands him the ball and tells him he can stand a little bit closer to the hoop. He probably thought my 3-year old had no chance….but it was nothing but net! Ethan made his “basick” and earned a new Batman ball.
After all of this, the kids barely had enough energy to trick-or-treat, but they managed to put on their adorable costumes and hit the streets for some candy. My mom made their costumes again, and, of course, did an amazing job. For the first time, Ethan actually got to pick out his own costume (I’ve always ‘encouraged’ him to pick something I wanted.) So he decided he would be Batman for Halloween and Spiderman for Christmas. I guess we’d better get started on making the Spiderman costume now…
Elliot was a HSM cheerleader. She’s pretty obsessed with that movie, and I fear she’s developing unreasonable expectations of what high school is actually like.
Naturally, Sunday was pretty relaxed. We just tried to recover from our busy Saturday (and from eating SPAM, of course…) Happy Fall!