My Last Post ......of 2006

A short summary of my Christmas holiday:

1.) It IS possible to use seven pounds of butter in less than a week
2.) I am capable of baking and gifting / giving out 20 dozen cookies (six varieties!)
3.) Although I loved baking them, and eating them, I don't want to make another cookie for a while.
4.) Sam is a great cookie quality examiner! So is Michael!!
5.) I love schnitzel!
6.) I love big Ham dinners, even if I have them 3 nights in a row.
7.) Sam loves noisy toys! And what boy doesn't?
8.) Sam also loves his new rocking horse, and blocks, and alligator, and PJ's.....
9.) I love Christmas-time family gatherings
10.) I hate stepping on Christmas tree needles! Argh! YES! We've got a real tree.....for a few more days

That's pretty much it. We're back to work and back to our everyday routine. It was so neat watching Sam figure out there is cool stuff under wrapping paper, and then tearing it to shreds. And watching him gaze at the tree lights, and muching on cookies and candy canes. He is a real joy in our lives!

I hope you all had a wonderful and joyous Christmas! Have a Blessed and Happy New Year! Hoorah for 2007!!!!

Ready? Set? HOLIDAY!

The tree is up, still. Sam has not yet managed to bring it down, thank goodness! We decorated only the top half, so as to remove some of the temptation the play with the ornaments. Well, that was the idea. I spend half of the day saying, "No no, Sam. No touching the ornaments!" and the other half of the day baking cookies among my regular daily stuff.

I've had gifts bought and wrapped since before Thanksgiving, so that has been crossed off my list for a while, now. I've planned how many different kinds of cookies to make, and in what quanities. I'm still busy getting them all made and baked and packaged. We've taken our annual family portrait (for those who are on our card list, keep checking your mailbox!) and put our Christmas cards in the mail.

Now, we're just waiting for the big day! No work, no "official" obligations of any kind....just spending time with family. Eating a BIG breakfast....I'm thinking fried eggs and potatoes, bacon, toast with cinnamon sugar, and coffee (of course). Watching Sam open his gifts. Being thankful for what Christmas Day is really about.

Other than that, all is normal here (if it was ever normal in the first place). Five days to go, and I'm sitting on the sofa with my laptop, relaxing between batches of cookies! Lovely lovely day. Sam and I are going to do a tour of quality control on the current batch of macaroons now that they're cool. We need to make sure they taste just right, you know.

Wishing you all the true Joy and Wonder of Christmas, and a Peaceful New Year!

Turkey, Gobble and Belch! (excuse me)

This week has been most stressful. Between working and my usual daily "mommy" routine, I've had to find time to make and bake food and goodies for various work functions and our own meals. I love cooking and baking, as anyone who knows me will tell you, but I can't wait until tomorrow for a break! Our Thanksgiving celebration is going to be at one of my uncle's homes. Someone else is roasting the turkey and making sides. I have contributed, however, and by more than my presence at the event. Today I am making a chocolate cherry cake, and it is the last of my Thanksgiving holiday culinary effort. A huge sigh of relief will be heard as soon as the cake is iced and decorated ( aprox. 1:45PM CST).

And I give thanks for my place of employment being closed tomorrow, only one of the three days a year we close. And I have the extreme privilege of actually CLOSING the store. Yes, folks, Jen gets to work from 4pm until at least 12:30 am (usually ends up being 1:30am by the time we make final security checks to verify the absence of any lingering non-employees). Eight years running, I have been honored with this same shift the night before Thanksgiving. Tomorrow will be a day of rest for me, I assure you all.

So, now as I wait for my cake layers to cool, I sit here on the sofa, typing to you and watching Sam play with his little truck (brrrrrrrooom bbrrrrrm brrrrrmmmmmm!), I can see it is a day to take a nice walk outside. For the middle of November in StL, it is nearly 60 degrees outside at noontime! Sam and I shall take advantage of this for sure!

Happy Thanksgiving! Eat much, and then some more. And then eat plenty of dessert! And most of all, even if plans happen to fall through or something should not go as expected, be THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE! And in all honesty, we shouldn't need a special day to give thanks for what we have been given, we should be thankful everyday, for every day.

Great Freinds, Great Times!

Well, most of you all know that Amy came to visit over this past weekend, and it was great. I was hoping for a nice few days of weather, and had been slightly dismayed that it was dreary and cold and rainy as we left for the airport to pick her up. Not thinking that she doesn't get to experience a true autumn weather pattern living in So California. So it was really perfect for Amy's visit.

We had so much catching up to do, and places to see, other friends to chat with. We managed to get the high school group together for a mini reunion, which was awesome to see everyone. Especially more so since we managed to actually DO IT! We have a tendancy to be coordinationally challenged. We have become soooo much more mature (hee hee hee)!

I also had a great time being a hostess. Not that I made gourmet meals or anything like that, but it does feel good to invite someone into your home and to your table. I love cooking, too, so that made it that much more special for me.

And Amy got to meet Samuel. Our little bundle of energy, who showed Amy he can scream and wail just as well as he can be cute and giggly. Thank God the terrible twos are only a phase. He had a great time feeding Amy popcorn, and making her his master creation, sock tea. His imagination is growing by leaps and bounds!

And alas, Tuesday came so quickly, and it was time for Amy to go back home. The weekend went by too fast. It was great to catch up and see Amy again. Our lives have taken us in vastly different directions, but at our cores, there are parts of us that have remained the same, that we recognize in eachother and identify with. And although we live in distinctly different places, and haven't seen eachother in over three years, we have kept our friendship alive and well; an accomplishment I am proud of!

Amy, thanks for visiting us and my new little family. We had a wonderful time; I only wish it was longer. We will have to return the favor someday and go to visit you. Hopefully, it won't be another three years before we meet again. But since life is unpredictable, thank goodness for letters in the mail, e-mail and BLOGS!

Lazy Days

Okay, so we've sent our laptop to my brother-in-law to see if he can fix it...after all, he's the one who built it. So it may be a few more weeks til we get it back.

According to Michael, I made an awesome spice cake yesterday. He even said I may have outdone myself this time. Recipe may be posted here soon, when I have more time to type.

Sam is growing, growing, grwoing! He now drinks from a real glass (no sippy cups for this lad!) and doesn't spill.

My sister Andrea is closing on her home tomorrow, and then the painting fun begins! They plan to move in on Saturday! WOOO-HOOOOO!

And now the new season of MARTHA is starting, so I must watch!!!! And then its playtime outside for Sam. Rain puddles abound + one active puddle-jumpin' little boy = GREAT FUN!!!!

A [Not-so-Brief] Brief Update

Well, I have been very busy, picking up extra hours at work, running over to Mom's to do laundry(our one dryer in the building is out of service--a month now), and general day to day stuff.

So, a brief update:

Item 1: As some of you all know, I have been designated to train new cashiers at work. My latest adventure has been training Princess. Yes, laugh if you must. I do, but to myself. How could you do that to a child? I just don't get it.

Item 2: Said trainee confesses to me, after I filed her tax forms, that her husband gets paid cash, so they don't need to pay taxes on his income. And then, out of the blue, asks how we find out if someone is stealing. Big, major, flying-in-my-face red flags here!!!!! This was only her second day, and she's asking how we catch thieves! Hello!!! Anyway, after training session #2, I immediately phoned my supervisor with my suspicions. She agrees with me, but we have to wait and see if she does anything.

Item 3: Spent day off #1 doing laundry at Mom's for like, 6 hours. Sam doesn't nap if we're not home. He'll just lay there and scream. So I ended up with a cranky Sam, and Michael ended up with a cranky Jen AND Sam. Sorry Mike, love.....

Item 4: Day off #2 (next day) I did absolutley nothing that wasn't relaxing, except for diaper changes. It was wonderful, and it even rained most of the day! Near perfection. After dinner we, all three of us, watched the "Sea Hawks". Old B&W movie with Errol Flynn. He is a handsome devil! Wooo-Hoooo! Sam discovered he likes Kettle Corn. All around good day.

Item 5: TODAY..... grocery shopping. I like it, I hate it. I shop at my place of employment, so everyone stops to chat and play with Sam, so it takes me two hours to complete my trip. Unloading groceries in the Midwest August heat and humidity, a 22 pound boy in one arm, two bags of food swinging from the other. Four trips in all, back and forth between the car and our apartment. Needless to say, afterwards we had lunch, and as soon as Sam went in for a nap, I crashed my lazy butt on the sofa! I still need to put half of the groceries away (canned goods and such), and then its my turn to make dinner for my coworkers. I have to get going on that and be at work by 5pm.

Okay, so it wasn't so brief! Anyhow, I can't wait til tonight's over. Princess and I are paired up again tonight, and I don't know how I'll be. I watch her like a hawk, trying not to be obvious, paranoid she might try something with the cash drawer. Stress I do not need! Whatever, I have a wonderful husband and son to come home to, even if they'll be asleep when I get back.

On a different note, has anyone heard of LimeWire? It's a music-file sharing program. I've only heard a few people talking about how cool it is, but would like some input from people I know and trust. If you've used it, let me know how you think it is (ease-of-use, safety issues, etc.) Thanks a bunch!

A Little Something to Look Forward to

It has been a very hectic week. Terrible storms and an entire metropolitan area with out power. Being at work, which was transformed into a dark, stinking warehouse full of rotting food, throwing hundreds of thousands of said stinking, rotting food away. A dear friend who's husband died very suddenly a week ago today, feeling her pain, comforting her as my heart bled for her.

And now, a bit of a break. A few calm, semi-relaxing days. Most of the area has power restored, and it is now safe to drive around without worrying about fallen tree limbs and electrical lines over roadways.

We determined that we lost over $175, 000 of perishable food from my store alone. Multiply that by 20, and you get the monetary loss of my company. We've been cleaning and restocking over the last day or two, so now we are almost back to normal.

My friend who lost her husband is getting back into a bit of normalcy, and is returning to work late next week. She is still unsure about the future, but she knows she must get on with day-to-day life, as normal as possible.

And tonight, dinner with an old friend. Riddhi, I've been so looking forward to hanging out with you again, and eventhough its something small and simple, it has brought me out of my "funk" and brightened my entire week.

It is so neat that a seemingly easy, uncomplicated thing such as spending a few hours with a dear friend can make such a difference in one's life. Even getting a letter in the mail, or an email out of the blue from a friend means so much. If there is someone out there that you have sort of lost touch with or haven't heard from in a while, drop them a line, give them a call. It just may make a world of difference!

Jen's a Slob and a Bum!!! :the week in retrospect

So, I was supposed to be on vacation this past week...It all looked bleak when I noticed last week Friday that I had been scheduled to work....My supervisor forgot about my vacation time, and half-heartedly made me a bargain. I worked Sunday and today, and she would take care of Monday through Friday. It was all fine and dandy unitl I realized yesterday that it was unpaid! It was suppoed to be a week of PAID vacation, a vacation that I had marked on our planning calendar at work. It had been marked since mid-January. How unprofessional of her to forget!

Luckily we had not planned to go out of town, or much of anything. I just wanted a paid week off work, to sit around and play and be free. I had really intended to use this week to catch up on my scrapbooking stuff. I've got a pile, a growing pile, of photos, various papers, stickers, patterned pinking shears, and albums. For instance, our guestbook from our wedding reception is a scrapbook. Guests signed and wrote on various pages, and my plan was to insert photos from the reception, the cards that were attached to wedding gifts, etc. It is still unfinished. Those who know me know I have the tendency to suffer from acute procrastination from time to time. The past two years have been just that. Now to the wedding pile I've added Samuel's stuff (baby books & the like). I did not one thing toward accomplishing anything other than being a bum.

Is that so wrong? I mean, my days are filled with Samuel and his interesting games he makes up, diaper changing, and cleaning, cooking, laundry. All of which I fully accept as mine. But I wanted a break....so Sam and I, almost every day, spent a good hour at the park, came home for lunch, and then we both took naps. I'm talking two hours of sleep, here, folks, in the middle of the day. No cleaning up, no laundry. I did cook dinner, and tidy up before bedime, but I was a major slacker compared to my usualy daily activities. AND FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK!!!!!!!!

It felt so good. Last night, the last night of my un-paid vacation, we drove over to Ted Drewes. For those not familiar with this St. Louis establishment, it is the place to get the best frozen custard in the universe! I am currently addicted to the Heath Bar concrete. Sam also had his first taste. Mike shared a bite of two of his butterscotch with extra butterscotch concrete. It was love at first taste!

Anyhow, it's time to get back to reality, and to get back into my routines. Bills are sitting here, laundry's calling my name, and dinner needs cooking. The part I hate most about vacation is when its over. *sigh* Back to the grindstone, eh?

An Upcoming Week of Milestones

*sigh* It is upon me. On Monday, 24 April, my son will be one year old. It is an important milestone, something Michael and I have been looking forward to for, well, a year. When we were struggling with sleepless days and nights, "When he's a year old or so, we'll be able to sleep through the night, ALL of us". Or when Sam had crying fits for no apparent reason, "when he's a year, he'll have outgrown this". Well, he has outgrown so many of the infant attributes that once got under our skin at times. Luckily, the sleep and crying issues didn't last too long. But within the last few days, whilst making birthday preparations, I've gotten to think that I should have enjoyed more the little "annoyances". He's been walking for almost three months, literally his first steps of independence. Every day he takes steps to become his own person; these steps will someday be strides. I'm always trying to look ahead, perhaps too busy looking ahead that I've missed something that I'll long for. I suppose it's just a matter of being a parent, wanting to hold on to a little, helpless baby, even if they've grown. I want to enjoy all the little things while they're here so that I can remember them so I won't need to hold on. I'll be able to remember, appreciate the journey for what it is, and let Sam grow to be the strong and intelligent man I know he can become.

Another milestone that is quickly approaching is our second wedding anniversary on Thursday, 28 April. It's going to be an exciting and busy week. Mike and I have both taken vacation from work for the week, so we'll have nothing planned but FUN! Whoa, that sounded so dorky and geeky. Have I turned into a sitcom yet? HA!

So, enough about the philisophical, worry-wart that I can be. I work in grocery, so I always have my eyes open for new products. If you haven't found Coca-Cola Blak, keep looking and try it. I've found Dr. Pepper Berries & Cream. I like the Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper, so I figure this may be another great combo. It was okay at first, but as I continued to finish the bottle, I liked it less. It's just got an odd taste after a while.

Another product I like is Muir Glen's fire-roasted diced tomatoes (canned). They have a good sweet, roasted flavor that adds a great twist on chili recipes and homemade sauces. I'm not sure if any other brand makes fire-roasted tomatoes. Muir Glen is the only label I've found here in St Louis. If anyone else knows of another brand, let me know...

Well, I've only got a few minutes left on the battery here, so I should wrap this up. Yeah, oh, Happy Earth Day.