Lost My Mind

I have been working extremely hard at keeping my newly designed routine for 2010 in both my personal and business life....and it was going pretty well until yesterday.  It started with my morning routine when I decided just a quick shower would do, no fancy clothes, no makeup, and well....the kids and I skipped breakfast.  Probably was not a good idea!

The day went straight down hill from there.  I felt out-of-sorts and just could not keep my focus or routine going.  It began with walking out of the house, closing the door behind me, the kids already in the car, and no keys in hand.  Yes - all the doors into the house were locked and there I stood in the freezing garage with two kids angry at me because now they were going to be late for school.  I called my husband, he drove home quickly to rescue us, and off to school we went.

After school, I drove to pick up the kids as usual, parked in the lot and waited.  My daughter came out and got in the car as usual....and then we sat and waited for my son....and we waited....and we waited....and we waited...until my daughter went to check on where he might be.  But before continuing her trek into school, she returned to the car and stated, "doesn't he have basketball today?"  Well, if I were paying attention to my usual schedule, and did not steer off course, I would have certainly remembered the routine.  Yes, he was in basketball practice.

While making dinner, my daughter asked what we were having, and my reply was a Potato Lasagna...a vegetarian dish.  My daughter's reply, "why are you cooking bacon then?"  My reply, "I guess it isn't vegetarian lasagna after all."  This was one of those "Pam-ism" moments that so many of my friends and family members know me to do so well.

There you have it!  Day six of 2010, my new routine, and how steering off course can cause all sorts of confusion.  Lesson learned -- stay with my routine because it is a good thing!

 

Eat Your Vegetables!

At dinner this evening, I decided to create a new rule for my kids at the last minute, which went over not all too well. So I added a bit of incentive. Starting Jan. 1st, I implemented chore schedules and an allowance plan for both kids. You see, I am really bad at keeping track of this stuff, and even worse at allowing anyone to do anything that I know I can do much better. So basically, I have created a lesson for my kids, and therapy for myself. To help convince my kids they really do need to start trying their vegetables, I told them each night at dinner they have to taste at least one vegetable, and that this is also part of earning their allowance. Tonight we had green beans. My kids are like most other kids, if it is green, then it does not taste good.

My son decided he might want to take advantage of the new rule and negotiate a deal with me. In a calm, and very lawyer-like fashion, my son said, "if I eat all the beans do I get a raise?" Without hesitation, I stated, "If you eat ALL the beans on your plate, I will double your allowance this week." Do you think he ate them, you betcha. My daughter, however, is not convinced anything green is worth any money and chose to eat one.

I might at least have a 50/50 chance to change one child's eating habits, but I might go broke in the process.

New Year's Eve Menu

Appetizers and Drinks:
Juice of a Few Flowers (Barefoot Contessa Bake to Basics Cookbook)
Vegetables and Ranch Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip with Ranch Crackers

First Course:
Baked French Onion Soup
Italian Salad (Paul Newman's Italian dressing, shaved Parmesan cheese, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, proscuitto, gourmet cherry tomatoes, and croutons)
Butter Flake Dinner Rolls

Main Course:
Pan Seared Red Peppers and Asparagus
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Bacon Wrapped Filets and Portabello Mushrooms
Steamed King Crab Legs
Boiled Lobster Tails
Twice Baked Potatoes
2001 Stone's Throw Sonoma Reserve Merlot
2004 Rudolf Miller Eiswein

Dessert:
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Haagen Dazs Amazon Valley Chocolate Ice Cream