Thursday's Foodie Fun

Amuse-Bouche
Ok, are you ready for a bit of a snobby term?The term amuse-bouche is used often in fine dining for a small treat from the chef.
Here's what Food Lover's says:[ah-mewz-boosh] French derivitive for appetizer, typically referring to a small one or two bite portion to tickle tastebuds.

The National News as seen by a 4 year old

First of all let me start by saying that I would prefer if my 4 year old never saw the national news however the other morning it was unavoidable.
Almost every morning before I jump in the shower I put on PBS in case my little guy wakes up and come into our room. Earlier this week I forgot to turn the TV on and when he came in he turned it on himself. Unfortunately, it was on the national news. I was in the shower and trying to finish as fast as I could to keep him from seeing something he isn't ready to see-- which is almost everything! So here is our conversation while I'm in the shower and he's watching the news. (Thankfully he only caught the 5 minute recap of today's news):

W: Mommy, there was this car with wires and stuff and then it BLEW UP just like fireworks! (He loves fireworks so this was very exciting to him.)

M: Wow buddy. I'm trying to hurry so I can turn on Clifford for you.
(I think he just saw a car bomb- lovely! Hurry, hurry conditioner. Get out of my hair!)

W: Mommy, today in Dallas there's a storm. In Dallas there's going to be fog and a rain storm.
(Thank goodness we're onto a safe subject!)

W:Mommy, there's a baseball man who won a big giant trophy.
M: That's because he won the Home Run Derby. (So glad I paid attention to ESPN last night.)

So in my 4 year old's mind the news is about fireworks, weather and trophies. I wish it was that simple.

Wednesday's Foodie Fun

The only time I've used allspice is in making apple pies! So what's it really all about?The pea-size berry of the evergreen pimiento tree, native to the West Indies and South America, though Jamaica provides most of the world's supply (allpice is also knows as Jamaica pepper). The dried berries are dark brown and can be purchased whole or ground. The spice is so named because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Store in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months. llspice is used in both savory and sweet cooking.

New Feature

I graduated with an Advertising and Marketing degree. I have never had a job in Advertising or Marketing. Surprise, surprise-- I wonder how many people have jobs directly related to their degree.

My first job out of college was with a restaurant. In New Orleans it's about as "old line" as you can get. This whole new world was incredibly fascinating to me and I fell head over heels. When I have more time I can elaborate more, but until then that gives a little background on why I'll be adding a daily foodie term.

Webster defines foodie as a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads. I think it bit more than that. I think it someone who enjoys learning about food and cooking skills and trying new food.

My husband and I love to cook, more so bake. We enjoy learning about food so I thought I would share this love and add a daily foodie term to enlighten you all. I hope you enjoy (and learn)!

Perspective

I had a crazy week last week. It wasn't until I was on a plane thousands of miles over the US that I could put it into perspective. I sat their on the plane alone in silence-- those two things rarely happen for a Mom. I could finally just zone out and reflect on my week and I couldn't help but chuckle.

All caught up in my week I dwelled on my frustration with our prediatrician and figuring out what virus my little one had. That was shortly followed by a trip to the Emergency room for stiches. Monday morning brought a diagnosis of strep throat and that was topped off with a tire blow out and a dead car battery. This is the way it always goes before trying to go out of town.

What initially set me into a frustrated frenzy morphed into a comedy of errors. Before heading out of town Thursday I headed into the office to do a bit of work. When asked how I was doing I responded with a chipper, "I'm great!" All the time thinking, after this week it's got to get better!

I headed to the kitchen to get a much needed cup of coffee. I'm usually not brave enough to tackle the coffee machine but I figured, what the hell. I changed the filter, poured the coffee in and hit the button.

A few minutes later I returned to check on it. It was getting late and I was needing my caffeine. I walked in behind our office manager to hear her say, "What the heck happened here? Someone forgot to put the pot on the burner!"

You can imagine how I felt. I wanted to crawl under the table! She turned around and looked at me and there was no denying the truth. I just fessed up.

We both let out a huge belly laugh and started to clean. Not before she shared my "moment" with anyone nearby.

It seemed like the perfect ending to my week. It gave me a chance to just stop and laugh at myself.

So what I really learned last week was:

1. The next time my little one is running fever just suck it up and keep her home even if she breaks the fever in the middle of the night

2. Enjoy that this ER visit only meant 2 stiches because I'm sure there's more to come

3. My 16 year old driving habits die hard and curbs still jump out

4. Car batteries generally last 4 years and trying to carry a new one through Costco while pushing a stroller reminds me why God gave me (birthing) hips

5. Always buy Road Hazard coverage on your new tires-- it saved me a load!

6. The coffee maker requires a pot to catch the coffee. An accident like this also lets you know which way the floor leans. The coffee made its way straight across the kitchen. It was everywhere!

7. I have a wonderful husband who took great care of our kiddos while I got to go to Houston to celebrate with a dear friend an exciting new chapter in her life!

Title

I drug my feet for quite a while getting this blog started and part of it was coming up with a name. I toyed with a couple of ideas, but one day I was having a conversation with my my best friend and the two words Graceful and Chaotic seemed to stand out in our conversation about life & parenting.

The more I thought about it the more I felt connected to them and the more they seemed to speak to me. I feel like I am still on my journey to figure out who I am. I'm not sure if I will ever really know for sure. That's OK with me. I believe that my life is a journey and each stage, phase and adventure changes me, improves me and challenges me.

From the moment I knew I was pregnant parenthood became a huge part of my journey. And with parenthood comes chaos. It's not that I can't keep things straight, it's that there's so much to keep straight.

Let me just think for a second to what runs through my mind, esp. on a Monday morning:

Can I shower before the baby wakes up? If she wakes up fussing will she wake her brother?

If I hurry and shower, maybe I can get makeup on before they wake?

Did I remember to buy more waffles and those stinking animal plates he likes? Shoot, maybe he'll want one of my Weight Watcher's muffins. That's fine beause it's faster, but they leave a millions crumbs. The time I spend sweeping takes up the time I saved.

Did I remember to wash my face in the shower? Too late, I hear her crying.

Did he brush his teeth before we came down for breakfast? If I hurry and run up I can grab my blow dryer and curling iron before they notice. That way I can finish getting ready downstairs.

I know I shouldn't give them this much TV in the morning, but at least I can get everything done.

Did the bottles get made last night? Are they dated? I can't forget to write the tuition check.

Do they both have a change of clothes in their bag? Does she have enough baby food in her bag?

Crap, we didn't talk about what's for dinner tonight. Maybe I'll stop at the store on the way home.

Please don't spit up on me now that I'm dressed! My wardrobe is still minimal since I had you!

Are you kidding me, I just changed you, how can you have another dirty diaper!

Thank goodness we bought the shoes with velcro so I am relieved of that duty. I hope that we don't slow his learning how to tie his shoes by doing that-- who cares, the darn things are on and velcroed!

Almost time to go. Let me grab my bag and purse and the baby and make my first trip to the car. If I don't take her she'll be crying by the front door.

I can't leave her crying at the front door. The new neighbor across the street will think I'm a horrible mother. I need to go introduce myself and come up with some sort of charming excuse for being a grumpy, cranky person in the morning.

On to the second trip- school bags, tuition check in the side (don't forget to put it in the box at school) and baby.

Shoot, I forgot to grab my frozen lunch. Come on buddy, turn off the TV and get in the car (repeated 3x with my voice escalating each time). You see why my neighbor may think I'm nuts.

Alright bud, jump in and put on your straps (3x). Let's see how long it takes you--1, 2, 3.....

Do you see what I mean? Just a bit of chaos.

This only gets me into the car! I usually forget to put the check in the box, but they know by now where to find it in the bag.

Now on to work! Seriously?

So then there comes in the Graceful part. I try to pull it together and seem calm, rational and put together. There's no need for the world to know that I just barely got out of the house, it's only 8:30am and I feel like it should be noon!

I've babbled on too much to elaborate this time, but I'll touch on the gracefulness another time.

Girl Talk

So how much girl talk is enough? I don't mean the normal chit chat about kids or whining about housework. I mean the real nitty gritty stuff. K and I were talking about this subject yesterday. We work together and in a normal work week we probably spend more time together than we do with our families. So there isn't much I don't know about her and vice versa. I'm OK with that. I'm pretty much an open book. If I wasn't I couldn't write this.

So, how much do you spill? How far do you go? Do you share the details? Start the conversation? After a great deal of alcohol you may get me to agree or disagree with something or give you a simple yes or no. Under no circumstances would I freely offer info. I just can't really cross that bridge. Maybe the problem is that most of my girlfriends know my husband too well. I think I also know their husbands too well and those thoughts or visuals are just not neccessary. I may have trouble holding a conversation without a smirk or wondering eye.

On the flip side, what about guy talk? How far does your husband go? Do you know?

I know without a doubt that my husband is as tight lipped as they come. I find that so respectful. I know he's been poked and prodded for more details, but he holds firm. Now don't get me wrong. By no means am I a prude who doesn't enjoy a little juicy gossip or a good deep down belly laugh or giggle....Just as long as it's not on my account.

So here's my thing. Isn't your imagination so much better than reality sometimes? I love that no one knows those details about me. A tight lipped devilish smirk is always so much more fun. Let them guess and wonder. They think they know...but do they really know?

Things I Love (One of Many)

I think I am a bit of a stationary snob. I love paper! I love stationary, invitations, note cards, journals, you name it and I'm a sucker for it. My friend Sarah goes one step further and loves expensive wrapping paper. The kind that they sell in square sheets in the stationary stores. I don't go that far, but selecting my little ones' birthday invitations is quite an affair!


So, I just thought I'd share a few websites and companies. Some of these are recent finds and others are absolute favorites. The web is such a huge place with tons of companies so these are just a few, but feel free to share any goodies!


1. www.printpattern.blogspot.com/
I came across this website when I was looking for another company. I love all their quirky finds! It's a UK company so the fabrics and cards and paper they find are mostly European companies.

2. www.wearefamilydesign.co.uk/
I found this company while I was on the Print Pattern Blog. The design behind the blog title is from their art. I am usually a little more traditional than this and I consider their designs contemporary. Anyway, I am a cupcake lover so I really liked their cupcake art.

3. www.scriptura.com/
I LOVE this store. Scriptura is a store located in my home town of New Orleans. I once worked in the wedding/catering/hospitality industry. My favorite brides used Scriptura. I was ensured that they had fabulous taste if they worked with the staff there. Check out their site. They have incredible paper and note cards and invitations and everything in between! Their New Orleans products are awesome!

4. www.r-nichols.com/
R. Nichols is so cool! I found his work at Scriptura. They have been huge supporters of his during his career. Mr. Nichols even has a New Orleans line of paper. You have to check out his stuff. His artwork is clean and sleek and very stylish. The story of his inspiration is great-- esp. if you're a teacher. For those of you in Orlando, please check out his store and let me know what you think.

5. www.cathkidston.co.uk/
I can't quite remember how I stumbled on the Cath Kidston site,but I just find their stuff so charming. Some people may think it's a little Grannyish, but I think it's sweet. I like their aprons, their bags and their stationary. I was so excited I actually found some note cards at a local Barnes and Noble.

6. www.tinyprints.com/
I really fell in love with this company when I was in search of a birth announcement for my daughter. It was so easy to design my own card using one of their templates. I was also really impressed with the quality of the card. Ever since finding out that I was having a girl I have dreaded going through some sort of princess stage. (I guess I'm still going through a Princess stage, but you know what I mean.) Well, TinyPrints actually carries some princess-ish invites that I don't find completely offensive. I LOVE the ice cream party ones and the one with the candy on it. (Can you tell what makes me weak?)

7. www.polkadotdesign.com/
This is a newer site for me. What I love the best on their site is the line called Three Designing Women. I have been wanting to buy a personalized stamp for a while. One like picture above. I just can't decide which one and what to include. One just for me or for the family or for work? Until I decide I just keep continuing to admire them. When I found this site I just fell head over heels for the Three Designing Women products. When you go to the site click on Stamp Embosser and you'll have the option to go to the product line. The announcements and gift tags are my favorites.

8. www.swoozies.com/
I LOVE this store!! There is one right near my office and I swear I could find a reason to buy something every time I'm in there. Swoozies is great for a treat for yourself of a sussy. (Suh-see: an unexpected gift or present) I love to buy gifts and this store is perfect. I have a friend who tried to inquire about opening one, but they don't franchise. Check it out and see if there is one near you because it is worth a look.

So, that's it. Check these sites out and enjoy!

Straight Forward

How much do you tell someone who is about to become a Mother? How much do they need to know? When I was pregnant I read a good bit and thought I had a pretty good handle on what was about to happen. As all of you know, no book or website can prepare you. Can anything really prepare you?

I love being a Mom. It wasn't always that way and I'm OK to admit that. I can remember laying in the hospital bed after my son was born. He wouldn't latch on and it seemed that he was crying SO much. They took him to the nursery to give us some rest. I would lay in the bed and hear a nurse coming down the hall, pushing a cart and I would secretly think, "Please don't be mine, please don't be mine!" I felt overwhelmed and exhasted and unprepared. My anxiety the day we were leaving the hospital was almost crippling. Despite being exhausted I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking, "What am I going to do with him when I get him home?"

My first night home was a Saturday. That Sunday morning I awoke with only a few hours of sleep under my belt. A dear childhood friend who already had 2 littles one called and said, "Happy Mother's Day!" I broke down in tears and responded, "this is horrible." I thought, what in the world did I do? I have no idea what I am doing? My world seemed so small and so confusing and so overwhelming.

It took me almost a year to accept Motherhood. I will do another entry on that, but I had an identity meltdown-- quietly-- so I thought.

So, I have a friend who is about to have her first child on her own. She is one of the reasons I really decided to write. We have had a number of conversations about motherhood. All of them completely straightforward. Mostly humorous to lighten her mood.

I reached out to her earlier this week as she started her last week before Motherhood. She thanked me for my honesty and recounted several stories I had told her. I had forgotten about some of them. I was tickled that they had stuck with her. I shared raw moments with her that sometimes we are too afraid to reveal.

My baby girl is 10 months old. Four years later and 2 babies later I can laugh at my 1st Mother's Day meltdown, my need for a formula making tutorial (despite the written instructions on the can) and frantic call to a friend with my first infant suppository experience. Don't we all need to know that someone else struggled the same way? No matter how old we are- doesn't it give you comfort that you're not alone?

I often listen with attentive ears when someone speaks about their teenagers angst or toddlers potty training issues. I often think,"So glad I'm passed that" or "Oh crap, I'm going to have to deal with that". Either way, I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one.

You know you're dying to ask-- what do you mean formula-making tutorial. The same friend who called with her Mother's Day message was blessed with my frantic phone call. I was at the end of my breast feeding rope. I had enough! I decided to go with the formula. The problem was that I was so rattled I thought a phone call would be easier than reading the instructions. I frantically called and said, "How do I make formula?" Of course her response was, "Did you read the back of the can?" Again, we're going on minimal sleep here-- just give me the damn details! She did and my child ate-- what else can I say?

Getting Started

I have been dragging my feet on getting this started because I wanted it to be just right. I kept thinking that I would come up with just the right plan of attack. Tonight I decided to just blow caution to the wind and just jump in with both feet.

Hi, my name is E and I think I'm addicted to blogs. No really, I think I'm just nosey by nature and I like to blog hop and make entries on my family blog as well. My family blog is not on here because this one is separate. This one is just for me. What's that like? Something just for me? I think any other Mom can relate! This is a place for me to write and vent and ramble (like right now).

So, as I've said, I'm a Mom. I'll also a million other things. I spend 90% of my day in the Mom/Wife role and the other 10% daydreaming about the other parts of me. I wouldn't want life any other way, despite occassional whinning to the contrary.
I am a 30 something mother of two. I have started this for my own personal space to write and improve my writing. After all, I have been letting that journalism degree go to waste. I also welcome others to email with comments or commentary on something I've written or something on your mind. If I find it pleasing I am happy to post in and give you total credit.

So, welcome, please enjoy this journey with me. I am a full time working mother of 2 with a very flexible schedule and an even more patient husband. I live in Atlanta by way of New Orleans and will continue to share more as we go.