Monday, April 27, 2009
I impress myself
I have become the ultimate multitasker. Today, while driving back from an appointment, I was driving a standard while eating sushi and changing the radio station. Talent.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
5 pound german chocolate cupcake
We went to the public market this morning. And I went to my favorite bakery, Jon Johns. And got a german chocolate cupcake that must have weighed at least 5 pounds. I was going to take a picture, but I only thought of I after I had eaten the top off. And I ate it all in one sitting. Now I feel slightly sick. Maybe it is because I have had nothing g of substance to eat today – I had a breakfast sandwich, a cup of coffee, a coke, some banana bread with nuts, and now the cupcake. Ever since I had this baby, I have had the worst diet. Which is not good, since I am nursing. And oddly enough, since nursing started, all I want to eat is sweets. So weird.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Please, I am begging
For the love of God and all that is Holy, TAKE DOWN YOUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. It is April people!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
slightly agoraphobic?
I am starting to wonder if I may be just a little bit agoraphobic. My world is getting smaller and smaller, by my choice, and if given the opportunity, I usually want to be home.
I realized this when I was getting my hair cut this morning. I went to a new hairdresser, here in Irondequoit. And it dawned on me that my bank, my grocery store, my home, my hairdresser, my child's pediatrician, my child's day care, my eye doctor, and now my job are all in the town I live in.
And then I started to think about all the opportunities I have to get out with the world, and I would rather stay home. For example:
going to the movies vs. watching at home = Home
going out to eat vs. take out = Home
shopping at the mall vs. ordering online = Home
going to a crowded amusement park vs. a walk around my neighborhood & reading a good book = Home
going to a friend's house vs. being home with my family = Home
holidays at the family's or at my house = Home
You get the picture. This really hit home (no pun intended) tonight for me though, when we agreed to watch our neighbor (and good friend)'s children when they were at a family wedding. I had to pack my daughter up to go to their house. And granted, it was bedtime. But she had an amazing day today, all giggles and smiles and jumping and climbing. And then she was miserable when we left, she was miserable when we were there, and she was miserable when i finally decided to leave and drive home. And the minute I took her out of the truck and started to walk into the house, she stopped crying and calmed right down. She knew she was home.
So, this begs the question.... is this getting to be a little bit of agoraphobia or am I just being overly sensitive?
I realized this when I was getting my hair cut this morning. I went to a new hairdresser, here in Irondequoit. And it dawned on me that my bank, my grocery store, my home, my hairdresser, my child's pediatrician, my child's day care, my eye doctor, and now my job are all in the town I live in.
And then I started to think about all the opportunities I have to get out with the world, and I would rather stay home. For example:
going to the movies vs. watching at home = Home
going out to eat vs. take out = Home
shopping at the mall vs. ordering online = Home
going to a crowded amusement park vs. a walk around my neighborhood & reading a good book = Home
going to a friend's house vs. being home with my family = Home
holidays at the family's or at my house = Home
You get the picture. This really hit home (no pun intended) tonight for me though, when we agreed to watch our neighbor (and good friend)'s children when they were at a family wedding. I had to pack my daughter up to go to their house. And granted, it was bedtime. But she had an amazing day today, all giggles and smiles and jumping and climbing. And then she was miserable when we left, she was miserable when we were there, and she was miserable when i finally decided to leave and drive home. And the minute I took her out of the truck and started to walk into the house, she stopped crying and calmed right down. She knew she was home.
So, this begs the question.... is this getting to be a little bit of agoraphobia or am I just being overly sensitive?
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
addicted
I recently read an article about how stay at home moms and new moms are becoming addicted to the Internet, mostly because it is their link to the world outside of the house. I can totally see this. But what is more interesting is that psychiatrists are considering this to be a diagnosable mental illness. I wonder how many people I know would be diagnosed besides myself....
http://www.parenting.com/article/Mom/Work--Family/3-Reasons-Moms-Are-Addicted-to-the-Internet
(and yes, Parenting magazine has become my periodical of choice these days.)
http://www.parenting.com/article/Mom/Work--Family/3-Reasons-Moms-Are-Addicted-to-the-Internet
(and yes, Parenting magazine has become my periodical of choice these days.)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
so unprofessional
I am so unprofessional. Really. I had a job interview scheduled for this morning at 11:45. Then yesterday, i got a call for an interview at 1:00 for the job I actually want. So, I called and rescheduled the first one for Wednesday. I feel pretty stupid about it, but at the same time, I want the other job more. Of course, it reminds me of the bad resume I saw recently on a friend's site (http://www.zieak.com) and how unprofessional people are. I have to admit, if I was the hiring manager, i would think twice about hiring me.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Martha's gone ghetto
Since day time talk show hosts have become my new best friends, I have noticed a thing or two.
First - it appears that a good majority of the shows are Harpo productions - meaning Oprah Winfrey. She has seriously cornered the market....
Secondly, Martha Stewart. I wont lie, I have always been a fan of Martha. Love her or hate her, the woman can cook and craft. However, recently, I have noticed that her show has gone a bit ghetto. She had Keenan Thompson from SNL on yesterday, today she has on the rapper Q Tip, a few weeks ago she had on Snoop Dogg and also Ludacris. I think Diddy may have been around there too.
Something is wrong with day time television when Keenan Thompson is stamping fish on tshirts and Ludacris is failing at making origami while she makes fun of them. Something is just not right.
First - it appears that a good majority of the shows are Harpo productions - meaning Oprah Winfrey. She has seriously cornered the market....
Secondly, Martha Stewart. I wont lie, I have always been a fan of Martha. Love her or hate her, the woman can cook and craft. However, recently, I have noticed that her show has gone a bit ghetto. She had Keenan Thompson from SNL on yesterday, today she has on the rapper Q Tip, a few weeks ago she had on Snoop Dogg and also Ludacris. I think Diddy may have been around there too.
Something is wrong with day time television when Keenan Thompson is stamping fish on tshirts and Ludacris is failing at making origami while she makes fun of them. Something is just not right.
Monday, March 2, 2009
be careful what you wish for
so all I wanted was to stay home with my baby girl when I was faced with returning to work. Since being laid off (you know, the other day...) all I can think about is getting another job. Apparently there is no way to be satisfied.
In truth, i haven't even looked at our budget to see if I could stay home. I suppose it would be entirely possible with cutting back, but would I really want to just pay the bills only? I suppose I like the ability to buy things when I want them. Not that I am a gigantic spender by any means, but I like to not be broke all the time.
I have applied for 11 jobs since being laid off on Thursday. Now, whether or not I get a call is another story. We shall see.
In truth, i haven't even looked at our budget to see if I could stay home. I suppose it would be entirely possible with cutting back, but would I really want to just pay the bills only? I suppose I like the ability to buy things when I want them. Not that I am a gigantic spender by any means, but I like to not be broke all the time.
I have applied for 11 jobs since being laid off on Thursday. Now, whether or not I get a call is another story. We shall see.
Monday, February 23, 2009
looks like we made it....
we made it through our first day... my baby girl's first day at day care and my first day back at work. I wont lie, it was serious trauma. i cried the whole way back to work. But once I was there, it was pretty much back to normal, I had an 8 o clock meeting. I am only doing half days this week, and then next week it is back full time. But, she did great when she was there, and I managed.
I will say this. having a kiddo means schlepping around A LOT of stuff. I had the diaper bag, my giant pump (in its own bag), my shoes, my breakfast (and eventually lunch too), my purse, and of course the baby. Along with winter coats and boots. Thank God I was only travelling across the street!
hopefully tomorrow will go as smoothly. now she is asleep as I write this, and soon it will be bath and hopefully bedtime. I dont want a long night, i am more tired than ever.
I will say this. having a kiddo means schlepping around A LOT of stuff. I had the diaper bag, my giant pump (in its own bag), my shoes, my breakfast (and eventually lunch too), my purse, and of course the baby. Along with winter coats and boots. Thank God I was only travelling across the street!
hopefully tomorrow will go as smoothly. now she is asleep as I write this, and soon it will be bath and hopefully bedtime. I dont want a long night, i am more tired than ever.
Friday, February 20, 2009
oh...no wonder...
cookbooks make you fat. I collect cookbooks. you do the math.
Per the LA Times
'Joy of Cooking' or 'Joy of Obesity'?
In the classic cookbook, published since 1931, changes in ingredients and serving sizes have led to a 63% increase in calories per serving in 17 of the recipes, a study shows.
By Jeannine Stein February 17, 2009
Restaurants get a bad rap for serving gargantuan portions of food and contributing to Americans' expanding waistlines. But what if something in your home were equally guilty? Something as innocent as . . . "Joy of Cooking"?The classic cookbook, first published in 1931, has done some girth-expanding of its own, a study has found.
More calories
Published as a letter Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the report examined 18 classic recipes found in seven editions of the book from 1936 to 2006. It found that calorie counts for 14 of the recipes have ballooned by an average of 928 calories, or 44%, per recipe. And serving sizes have grown as well.Take beef stroganoff: In the 1997 edition, the recipe called for three tablespoons of sour cream. The 2006 edition calls for one cup.Then there's waffles: In 1997, the basic recipe made 12 six-inch waffles; in 2006, the same ingredients made about six waffles.
Overall, the scientists found, changes in ingredients and serving sizes led to a 63% increase in calories per serving in 17 of the recipes between 1936 and 2006."When we talk about obesity, people like to plant the source of the issue on away-from-home dining," said Brian Wansink, the study's co-author and director of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab. "But that raised the thought in my mind: Is that really the source of things?. . . . What has happened in what we've been doing in our own homes over the years?"Wansink and co-author Collin Payne, assistant professor of marketing at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, said they wanted to quantify how home cooking had changed, but knew that doing it anecdotally wasn't scientific. So they turned to cookbooks, settling on "Joy of Cooking" because of its history and the fact that it had enough recipes carried through all editions.In addition to beef stroganoff and waffles, recipes chosen for analysis included macaroni and cheese, goulash, Spanish rice, brownies, sugar cookies and apple pie.Wansink said similar calorie increases were found in other enduring recipe books such as the "Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book."The study found that some of the added calories in the dishes came from a substitution of ingredients -- extra meat instead of vegetables, for example. Back in the day, meat was expensive, so less of it was used, he said.In other recipes, Wansink said, sauces were added, or more butter or sugar, or extras such as nuts and raisins. "They're now there for a little more excitement," he said.Cultural shifts may have also had an effect on recipe ingredients and portion sizes, Wansink added. Families have gotten smaller, so a dish that once was consumed by eight people is now consumed by four.And because sizes of dinner plates have grown over the years, a standard 2-ounce portion of pasta can now look diminutive.Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, a Roseville, Calif.-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Assn., said she was surprised by the findings."I would have expected that with the increasing awareness of nutrition, the calories would have been lower or stayed the same," she said.Beth Wareham, editor of the 2006 edition, is not losing sleep over the study."It's such a tiny number of recipes. It's really a non-event," she said.She said that the book has become more healthful overall, booting out many processed foods in favor of fresh ingredients. The 2006 edition has a chapter on nutrition written by Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health.In putting together the latest edition, writers and recipe-testers used their common sense in terms of ingredients and serving sizes, Wareham said -- and they figured readers have some common sense of their own."We give Americans credit," she added, "for knowing that eating a brownie is not as good as eating a plate of whole grains and vegetables."jeannine.stein@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-joy17-2009feb17,0,7687368.story
Per the LA Times
'Joy of Cooking' or 'Joy of Obesity'?
In the classic cookbook, published since 1931, changes in ingredients and serving sizes have led to a 63% increase in calories per serving in 17 of the recipes, a study shows.
By Jeannine Stein February 17, 2009
Restaurants get a bad rap for serving gargantuan portions of food and contributing to Americans' expanding waistlines. But what if something in your home were equally guilty? Something as innocent as . . . "Joy of Cooking"?The classic cookbook, first published in 1931, has done some girth-expanding of its own, a study has found.
More calories
Published as a letter Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the report examined 18 classic recipes found in seven editions of the book from 1936 to 2006. It found that calorie counts for 14 of the recipes have ballooned by an average of 928 calories, or 44%, per recipe. And serving sizes have grown as well.Take beef stroganoff: In the 1997 edition, the recipe called for three tablespoons of sour cream. The 2006 edition calls for one cup.Then there's waffles: In 1997, the basic recipe made 12 six-inch waffles; in 2006, the same ingredients made about six waffles.
Overall, the scientists found, changes in ingredients and serving sizes led to a 63% increase in calories per serving in 17 of the recipes between 1936 and 2006."When we talk about obesity, people like to plant the source of the issue on away-from-home dining," said Brian Wansink, the study's co-author and director of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab. "But that raised the thought in my mind: Is that really the source of things?. . . . What has happened in what we've been doing in our own homes over the years?"Wansink and co-author Collin Payne, assistant professor of marketing at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, said they wanted to quantify how home cooking had changed, but knew that doing it anecdotally wasn't scientific. So they turned to cookbooks, settling on "Joy of Cooking" because of its history and the fact that it had enough recipes carried through all editions.In addition to beef stroganoff and waffles, recipes chosen for analysis included macaroni and cheese, goulash, Spanish rice, brownies, sugar cookies and apple pie.Wansink said similar calorie increases were found in other enduring recipe books such as the "Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book."The study found that some of the added calories in the dishes came from a substitution of ingredients -- extra meat instead of vegetables, for example. Back in the day, meat was expensive, so less of it was used, he said.In other recipes, Wansink said, sauces were added, or more butter or sugar, or extras such as nuts and raisins. "They're now there for a little more excitement," he said.Cultural shifts may have also had an effect on recipe ingredients and portion sizes, Wansink added. Families have gotten smaller, so a dish that once was consumed by eight people is now consumed by four.And because sizes of dinner plates have grown over the years, a standard 2-ounce portion of pasta can now look diminutive.Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, a Roseville, Calif.-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Assn., said she was surprised by the findings."I would have expected that with the increasing awareness of nutrition, the calories would have been lower or stayed the same," she said.Beth Wareham, editor of the 2006 edition, is not losing sleep over the study."It's such a tiny number of recipes. It's really a non-event," she said.She said that the book has become more healthful overall, booting out many processed foods in favor of fresh ingredients. The 2006 edition has a chapter on nutrition written by Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health.In putting together the latest edition, writers and recipe-testers used their common sense in terms of ingredients and serving sizes, Wareham said -- and they figured readers have some common sense of their own."We give Americans credit," she added, "for knowing that eating a brownie is not as good as eating a plate of whole grains and vegetables."jeannine.stein@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-joy17-2009feb17,0,7687368.story
Sunday, February 8, 2009
use your imagination
pretend you have a light colored carpet in your living room. And you are going to be having about 30 people over for a little luncheon party get together celebratory kind of thing. But you want to save money and have it be as easy as possible to prepare since you wont be around in the morning to get things set up. So would you get pizza and run the risk of people getting it on the carpet, or would you spend more money and get subs?
Saturday, February 7, 2009
death and taxes (ok, no death...just taxes)
Can i just say I love doing my taxes? I get so much satisfaction from doing them myself, and I get even greater satisfaction when we get a decent return. I wasn't sure when I was going to be able to get them done, but was able to get it all done this morning. a fabulous start to my weekend!
Friday, February 6, 2009
return to the dark side
I made my official return to work plans. Boo. Hiss. Yuck.
The day care called me on Wednesday, and they let me know they had an opening sooner. Originally, they were not going to be able to take my little girl until March 13th. But they had an opening sooner. When you ask? Any time I wanted. (I want to never send her...)
So I called my boss. I will be going back to work on the 23rd of February. That week I will work only half days (more for my sanity than for anyone else) and then starting in March it will be full time again.
I am so sad and devastated. I think what makes it harder to deal with is that my mother in law will be coming for a visit the week before I go back. She is visiting from Florida. So really, that week with my daughter will not be about me and her. She will be all consumed by grandma, as she should be. My mother in law actually leaves that Monday morning. Which really leaves me only next week with her before she is with someone else all the time.
Don't get me wrong. I am in awe of this day care. they have amazing staff, a great curriculum in every classroom, and it is across the street from my house. I cant ask for better. I am impressed with them and I know she will do very very well there. It is just I never knew how hard it would be to face leaving her. I haven't been away from her for more than an hour in the last 8 weeks.
I have turned into a total sap. I guess kids will do that to you. I guess one good thing is that I will save a lot of vacation time this way, which I can then take later on. (If we all still have jobs then...)
The day care called me on Wednesday, and they let me know they had an opening sooner. Originally, they were not going to be able to take my little girl until March 13th. But they had an opening sooner. When you ask? Any time I wanted. (I want to never send her...)
So I called my boss. I will be going back to work on the 23rd of February. That week I will work only half days (more for my sanity than for anyone else) and then starting in March it will be full time again.
I am so sad and devastated. I think what makes it harder to deal with is that my mother in law will be coming for a visit the week before I go back. She is visiting from Florida. So really, that week with my daughter will not be about me and her. She will be all consumed by grandma, as she should be. My mother in law actually leaves that Monday morning. Which really leaves me only next week with her before she is with someone else all the time.
Don't get me wrong. I am in awe of this day care. they have amazing staff, a great curriculum in every classroom, and it is across the street from my house. I cant ask for better. I am impressed with them and I know she will do very very well there. It is just I never knew how hard it would be to face leaving her. I haven't been away from her for more than an hour in the last 8 weeks.
I have turned into a total sap. I guess kids will do that to you. I guess one good thing is that I will save a lot of vacation time this way, which I can then take later on. (If we all still have jobs then...)
Monday, February 2, 2009
super miserly superbowl
So, I am on a serious pay off our debts so I can stay home kick lately.
We were having some friends over for a low key Superbowl party, and the guys wanted to get Country Sweet for dinner. Which in all fairness, they get like once a year now. (When we were younger, we used to get it once a week.) So the wives agreed that this is what we will eat.
One morning last week, at about 3am, I got a brilliant miserly idea. We will buy frozen chicken fingers, frozen french fries, and Country Sweet sauce, and I will make my own for a fraction of the price.
It was really good. The chicken fingers tasted EXACTLY the same. No difference what so ever. Even our picky eater guest thought they were good. The fries - well, there is something to be said for fries that are actually fried. But they were good enough.
But the best part was the fact that the cost of the entire 8 pounds of french fries (we didn't use all of them) and the 4 pounds of chicken was the same as if my husband and I purchased 2 dinners from the restaurant. Approximately 20 buckaroonies for an entire super bowl party.
I feel proud of my miserly self.
We were having some friends over for a low key Superbowl party, and the guys wanted to get Country Sweet for dinner. Which in all fairness, they get like once a year now. (When we were younger, we used to get it once a week.) So the wives agreed that this is what we will eat.
One morning last week, at about 3am, I got a brilliant miserly idea. We will buy frozen chicken fingers, frozen french fries, and Country Sweet sauce, and I will make my own for a fraction of the price.
It was really good. The chicken fingers tasted EXACTLY the same. No difference what so ever. Even our picky eater guest thought they were good. The fries - well, there is something to be said for fries that are actually fried. But they were good enough.
But the best part was the fact that the cost of the entire 8 pounds of french fries (we didn't use all of them) and the 4 pounds of chicken was the same as if my husband and I purchased 2 dinners from the restaurant. Approximately 20 buckaroonies for an entire super bowl party.
I feel proud of my miserly self.
Friday, January 30, 2009
I am a blogging slacker
So, I have been a total slacker with this blog. It started off so well. And I used to write about all the things I cooked. Well, I barely cook anymore. And then I wrote about being pregnant, and I am not that anymore either. And I don't want to make this all about my kid either.
Yesterday, i forgot my own phone number. I was responding to a message on my cell phone from one of my girlfriends. When I was leaving her the message, I said to call me back on my home phone, and when I started to give her the number, I drew a complete and total blank. And that was it, I just told her, " I don't know, I forgot my phone number, you can call the cell".
I did my "25 random things" about me on my facebook page. And I have been thinking about what to write all week long. I find it sad that I seriously have to contemplate these things.
I am sick of being cooped up in the house, but I am so loathing going back to work. And sometimes I wonder if I am in jeopardy of losing my job by being out. I know they cant lay me off when I am on maternity leave, but once that is over and I take vacation time...then it becomes risky. Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance to be a stay at home mom, I would but I know we cant afford it right now.
I would give anything to stay at home. I never thought I would. But now that I have this little Jr Mcnugget, I want nothing more. So all of our funds are going to pay off bills. that is the end of it. The more debt we can pay off, the closer I am to staying home. And of course saving 6 months income. Although, I would seriously have to consider what would happen to my retirement.....
Yesterday, i forgot my own phone number. I was responding to a message on my cell phone from one of my girlfriends. When I was leaving her the message, I said to call me back on my home phone, and when I started to give her the number, I drew a complete and total blank. And that was it, I just told her, " I don't know, I forgot my phone number, you can call the cell".
I did my "25 random things" about me on my facebook page. And I have been thinking about what to write all week long. I find it sad that I seriously have to contemplate these things.
I am sick of being cooped up in the house, but I am so loathing going back to work. And sometimes I wonder if I am in jeopardy of losing my job by being out. I know they cant lay me off when I am on maternity leave, but once that is over and I take vacation time...then it becomes risky. Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance to be a stay at home mom, I would but I know we cant afford it right now.
I would give anything to stay at home. I never thought I would. But now that I have this little Jr Mcnugget, I want nothing more. So all of our funds are going to pay off bills. that is the end of it. The more debt we can pay off, the closer I am to staying home. And of course saving 6 months income. Although, I would seriously have to consider what would happen to my retirement.....
Friday, January 16, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Things are getting better
So things are getting better. Dairy very well could have been the culprit, but it is still hard to tell. At the same time I started to cut out dairy, we also started elevating her crib mattress, keep her much more upright most of the time, and some other measures. So I cant say for sure. But I do miss my cheese.
We went to the mall today with grandma. Of course, she did good until she had to get back into the snowsuit and the car seat. Screaming bloody murder through the mall, and in the middle of JC Penney, while she is going bezerker, an old man stops us to oogle and laugh about her screaming. Urgh. So irritating.
People have told me that strangers stop us because she is a cute baby, that if she was ugly they would look and keep walking. And that people in general like babies. However, I don't like people.
We did get a really stinking cute outfit at Children's place though.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
cheese is the enemy
I think my kid may have reflux, and the only thing that I consistently eat is cheese and yogurt. seriously, i hope that is the reason for the constant projectile vomiting and constant crying.
If that isn't the cause.... then I just don't know.
If that isn't the cause.... then I just don't know.
Friday, January 2, 2009
alone
I went to the grocery store today. Alone. For the first time in 3 weeks I left the house without my child in my sight.
Everyone tells me "make sure you get some you time", "make sure you get out of the house and do things alone". I have to tell you - I hated every single minute of it. I hated not being around my kid. Not seeing her. Not hearing her. Not knowing what she was doing.
I even called my husband in the middle of shopping to ask what she was doing. She was asleep. Seriously. That is all I missed - sleep. Something that happens almost all day long.
I am pathetic. But I cant help it. I have 2 short months, then I go back to work, and then suddenly 12 years will have gone by and I will have no clue what happened to the time.
I am pathetic, I know. And I never knew I could be this sappy. But alas, it has happened.
Everyone tells me "make sure you get some you time", "make sure you get out of the house and do things alone". I have to tell you - I hated every single minute of it. I hated not being around my kid. Not seeing her. Not hearing her. Not knowing what she was doing.
I even called my husband in the middle of shopping to ask what she was doing. She was asleep. Seriously. That is all I missed - sleep. Something that happens almost all day long.
I am pathetic. But I cant help it. I have 2 short months, then I go back to work, and then suddenly 12 years will have gone by and I will have no clue what happened to the time.
I am pathetic, I know. And I never knew I could be this sappy. But alas, it has happened.
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