Cookbook writing

Ok, so fiction is out for now and cookbook is in.  I know, I know, make up your mind already.  I just wasn't invested in fiction the way I should have been and when Scott mentioned cookbook, it just sounded so much more interesting to me.  I mean really; food meets writing.  What else do you need?  Anyway, I decided to do a camping cookbook for families.  It will be called Car Camping Cookbook:  A Family Guide to Making Great Meals in the Great Outdoors.  Right now I'm trying to get a list of delicious sounding foods and then I will go to work trying to devise a recipe for each of them.  I ordered a few books from Amazon on cookbook writing to hopefully help me along a bit.  I never finish anything, but I'd really like to finish this.  I'm not quite sure of the steps needed to do it and if I ever do finish it, I don't know anything about the publishing industry so it may never happen, but I will still try.  S'more anyone?

Alex's birthday party is coming up a week from Saturday.  We're doing a bowling party this year and I've decided to make t-shirts for all the kids. I need to get working on them this weekend.  Hopefully it won't be too difficult.  It's supposed to snow/sleet/freezing rain anyway, so this should give me a good indoor project.

On a final note, is it spring yet?  I am so ready for warmer weather, if just to get outside more.  I'm getting so excited for camping this year.  Andrew will finally be old enough to go and not be too much trouble (even though we have already camped with him once).  We have a camping trip planned for Spring break and I'm hoping to plan another one for Memorial Day weekend.  Maybe Stone Mountain?  Spring and summer can't get here fast enough.  Unfortunately it's still January, but a little wishful thinking never hurt anyone right?

Frustration

Ack.  I am so frustrated with Nicholas and kindergarten.  He just can't seem to get focused no matter what I try.  His teacher is on him like no one's business.  I get an email at least twice a week, sometimes more, talking about all his problems and how he's behind in school.  Sometimes I feel like she doesn't like him and picks on him more than she should.  I always thought he was so smart; now I'm starting to wonder if maybe something's wrong like ADD.  I'm not sure what to do to fix it any more.  One word sums it up; frustration.

For the love of food

Or the lack there of as my five year old would be quick to point out in his not so subtle ways.  Dealing with a picky eater is definitely not what I signed on for when I decided to have children.  My husband and I love food; all food.  Heck, trying new foods is one of my favorite pastimes.  It's a wonder I don't weigh a thousand pounds.  Alex is following in our footsteps with food.  He's not as adventurous as we are, but what three year old is?  He tries most everything and that's the best I can ask for.  Andrew is a bit too small to have an opinion yet.  He tries everything, but somethings do pop back out I will admit. 

Nicholas though, has recently developed a knack for saying Yuck and Disgusting, before he even knows what something is.  You just say, for example, we're having hashbrown potatoes and before I even get through saying it he declaring, "disgusting!"  "You don't even know what's in it", I tell him.  To which he replies some mumbo jumbo about how he's had them before and didn't like them then.  To which you reply that's impossible because you've never made this recipe before today.  He sits at his chair pushing the plate at you like if it gets to close to him, it may actually jump out and bite him.  I finally find myself losing my patience and telling him he can't have any more smoothie unless he tries a bite of his potatoes.  He finally breaks down and tries a piece.  And wouldn't you know it, Mikie likes it!  I believe his explanation was that his tongue changed from the last time he tried it and now it's good. *roll eyes*.  Hopefully this is just a phase, because it's never easy to hear that all your hard work is disgusting and yucky.

Hilton Head

Well, we just got back from yet another fun filled weekend in Hilton Head visiting my parents.  It's never a dull moment when we go down there; probably why I enjoy it so much.  It's definitely made moving to the East Coast worth while.   The trip down was uneventful; Andrew did a bit of fussing, but that's typical for the under one crowd.  The first night we were there, Drew threw up everywhere.  And threw up, and threw up, and threw up.  I was really worried about him, but he seemed to pull through and was eating fine again by the next day.  Then the boys flooded the toilet.  Oh joy of joys.  It leaked through the ceiling and the guilt trip was on.  I know that after being around my mother for 35 years, I should get her, but she still manages to push my buttons with her continuous guilting over the act.  In the end we apologized to each other though and all was good.  I guess I really am my mother's daughter.  Anyway, even though I'm glad to be back, I have to say I enjoy going down to visit my parents.  It's nice to feel like a kid again, even it's only for a few short days.

We're supposed to have nice weather here, so the boys and I may attempt to find some outdoor time today.  We shall see how it goes.

Looking for purpose

As a stay at home mom, I feel like I'm constantly looking for purpose.  Don't get me wrong.  I know that raising three boys is a perfectly legitimate purpose, really I do.  But sometimes after telling someone to put their shoes on for the four hundredth time and finding you use the word potty way to often to describe your forays to the bathroom, you begin to realize that maybe it couldn't hurt to find another hobby outside your children.  That's where writing comes into play (ok, and sewing and decorating, as well and yes it's not technically a hobby, but also shopping).  I realize that I have an issue with commitment, but despite this I really want to work on becoming a better writer.  I've always wanted to write my own novel, even though I know it would probably be fairly sophomoric when finished and the only person that would ever enjoy reading it would be me.   To top it off, I have no idea what I would write about, although after living in this neighborhood for a year now, I definitely see some potential in a few thoughts (you really have to live here to fully understand; hence the story idea). 

I've taken a writing class in the past and really enjoyed it.  I also think about NaNoWriMo every year when it comes time, but don't ever end up doing it because it's such a tough time of the year to be investing that level of time into a hobby.  But what I'm wondering, is how hard it would be to attempt to write a page a day for a year and in the end come up with what would hopefully be a somewhat mildly entertaining novel or at the very least, a sense of accomplishment that at least I committed myself to a task and finished it.  So what do you think?  Should we get started? :)

Projects for the new year

So I'm looking forward to getting started on the projects for the new year.  Alex and I went to buy paint for his room today- a nice blue grey color.  I'm hoping to use it in his bedroom and in the downstairs bathroom.  We're going to paint some letters in different colors on his walls after painting blue. I'm also hoping to finally get the circles painted on Andrew's wall.  I plan to buy a space saver for the downstairs bathroom as well.  Alex and I are going to share the sewing room.  After we get rid of the extra chair up there and get the room painted, we'll set it up a bit better than it is now.  I'm also hoping to work on the deck a bit more this summer, although I suppose it will depend on how the deck and water heater hold out.

I'm finally starting to feel settled in North Carolina and see a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm hoping to get a bit more involved in "non neighborhood" activities this year as well.  I'm going to try and start up a book club outside the neighborhood and I've also joined a couple new groups; a natural living group and a MOMs group through church.  We have a couple of fun trips planned this year as well.  We're taking a camping trip in April, maybe another in June, a trip to Vermont in June/July for our 10 year anniversary, another trip back up to Delaware most likely in August, and perhaps a family trip of some sort for Christmas if we head to Phoenix again.  I'd love to take a trip back to Texas at some point as well.  We'll have to see how it goes with Andrew.

Winding down

It looks like we're going to survive Christmas and New Years.  We just got home today from a fun two days in Wintergreen with the clan.  There were eight kids and six parents.  And despite being outnumbered, things went pretty smooth.  The kids all had fun together as did the adults.  There was a good amount of snow on the ground which both Alex and Nicholas were excited about.  Nick went sledding on Thursday and had a fun time.  The best part of the whole thing for both boys was their new boots.  We didn't think we'd be able to find any, but I ended up scoring a couple pairs last minute at a local consignment shop.  Andrew was his joyful self as usual.  He had a rough night the first night, but made up for it the following night when he only woke up once. 

Now we have two more glorious days of vacation to recuperate before heading back to the grindstone.  Tomorrow we are moving the bottom bunk into the sewing room for Alex.  He is going to share the bedroom with me; half for him to sleep and half for me to have as a sewing room.  He'll still have all his "things" in the other bedroom; he'll just sleep in the sewing room.

I was trying to think of a resolution for New Years as we were driving home today.  I'm still not sure about a definitive one, but I do know that I want to resolve to extend myself more outside the neighborhood.  I'm starting to do this by joining the MOMS ministry at our church.  I'm hoping that it will help me to meet a few more people that aren't in the cocoon of Providence Plantation.  I'd still love to find more people that are interested in starting a gourmet club here.  I think it's going to be easier said than done.  We really had a unique and wonderful group for that back in Texas.  I also want to do some more small things to our home.  I'd like to change out the door knobs slowly this year, maybe paint the bathroom; well both bathrooms and perhaps change out the light fixture in the boys bathroom.  Not very exciting I know, but it's a start.