Last week, mid-week, I felt like I was drowning - totally overwhelmed by LIFE. You see, I'm a pretty positive person and I feel that God has blessed me with a very positive outlook on life... most of the time. Life for me, most of the time, is rainbows and roses - but lately I've felt a bit overwhelmed. My part-time job feels like full time in that my workload is abundant and I have not felt caught up in a long time. A large part of me loves that - it's very exhilarating to be mentally busy all day long - engaged in exciting work, but lately, it has spilled over into my personal time. I'm up early on the computer before the kids get up - I'm logging back on when Brooke takes her nap and then every evening I'm on the computer again swimming in data and emails. It's just a busy season and I know the stress part will die down as my projects wind down for the year. BUT... regardless, I have felt overwhelmed.
So, I come home from work to three children. Three sweet, adorable children who, quite frankly, drive me nuts sometimes. And just as work has been crazy lately, so have my three sweet, adorable children. At times, I have imagined myself in a t.v. commercial where I am the frumpy mom in the kitchen trying to unload the dishwasher or put food on my kids' plates - and one is tugging at my pant leg, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" - the other is saying, "Mom, sit with me and help me with my homework - I want you to sit with me..." and the other is begging to ask someone over to play - they have school projects, tests, laundry that needs washing, mouths that want to be fed, papers that need to be signed.... wait - that wasn't imagined - that is my life! What I have imagined or daydreamed about is me being able to pause the commotion (with a remote control), look up and say, "Calgon, take me away!" Remember those commercials? What I wouldn't give for a box of Calgon, a tub, some hot water and an hour of peace and quiet.
Matt took notice - perhaps my nightly, "We need to get away for 24 hours - I need a break from life as we know it" hit home because the sweet man that he is... he emailed me last week on Thursday, writing, "Let's get away on Saturday for the night." Oh... I could have cried tears of joy right there at my desk. He made all the childcare arrangements (thank you, Mimi and Papa!) and canine arrangements (thank you, Mimi and Papa!) and off we went. We dropped off the three amigos at 11:30 on Saturday and headed downtown where we checked into the Ritz - we got a fabulous deal. I suppose that's what you call a STAYCATION - and it was everything that it's cracked up to be.
We enjoyed just about 24 hours of peace and quiet- and fun conversation with each other! So much of our conversation lately is either WITH our kids or ABOUT our kids - nice to know that after 12 years, we still enjoy being with each other. Oh, to dine leisurely - to enjoy several glasses of wine with nowhere to be...to take a nap for several hours and wake up at dinner time - it was just what we needed. It was like life took a deep breath for a moment - just enough air to keep us going.
On Sunday, we rolled right back into sports, 2 year old running around, Sunday cookout, homework, 2 year old running around, social studies project, 2 year old running around...but I felt that I could handle it all after our break. I highly recommend to all my married friends - a night away.
Back to life - back to cooking... what is trending right now in our house?
Kale
Kale, kale and more kale.
We are all totally digging kale chips. I know that I have blogged about kale before - but if you haven't gone out and bought a bag of cut kale, get in your car when you're finished reading this and buy yourself some kale. I've been buying the big bag of cut and washed Kale. I pour about 4 cups onto a cookie sheet - drizzle with olive oil and salt - and then bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (I like mine really crispy). It's fabulous! Aside from the tiny little kale pieces showing off in my teeth, it's easy! (now if I could just get into the habit of checking my teeth before I start smiling at someone...I'd be better off. Side note - two years ago, I went to a Christmas party alone. Brooke was an infant, Champ was sick and Matt stayed home with the kids. I ate and laughed and smiled my way through the evening. It was the first time I had gotten dressed up since Brooke was born and I was feeling good! I got home and looked in the mirror and much to my horror, I had a big black bean plastered against my left front tooth - as if I was dressed up for Halloween or something. Why didn't anyone tell me? Better to tell than not to tell, folks - so now, if I ever notice something like that, I tell the person.). All that is to say, enjoy your kale but check your teeth.
We had a neighborhood cookout a couple of weeks ago and I tasted the most wonderful corn dish. I was sitting at the table getting to know some neighbors - having a nice quiet conversation, when I slowly lifted my spoon, filled with this corn something or other, to my mouth - and the second it hit my taste buds, I wanted to jump up and down and praise the Lord above that something so great exists here on earth. I finished the little scoop on my plate and went back for a second helping - only it was gone. Guess I wasn't the only one who realized how delicious it was.
My neighbors shared recipe and it might be the easiest little side dish/dip you'll ever make!
Here are the ingredients:
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| Frozen corn, cream cheese, butter, garlic powder, salt and pickled jalapenos
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Thaw out the corn (the recipe calls for frozen white shoepeg corn - I was not patient enough to locate this so I bought a medley of white and yellow corn) and let the cream cheese and butter get to room temperature. Then mix together cream cheese and butter until creamed together. Add 2 TBS milk, a little garlic salt (I only had garlic powder, so I used that and then put some salt in on top of that), and chopped/diced jalapenos (to taste). Add the corn and mix it all together.
Bake it at 350 degrees until nice and bubbly.
Doesn't that look scrumptious!!? It was really really good. I like a lot of spice, so I went a little heavy on the jalapenos.
Here is the recipe:
Corn Dip
1lb bag frozen white shoe peg corn* (you could probably use canned as well)
1 block cream cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4 Tbs butter*
2 Tbs milk
chopped/diced jalapenos
Let butter & cream cheese soften at room temperature. Then mix together. Add milk, garlic salt, & jalapenos. Mix all together. Add corn. Put in oven @ 350 degrees until nice & bubbly. Serve as a side dish or as a dip with Frito's!
**if you buy the frozen corn with butter, then do not add butter.
Your call to action: Book a night away with your loved one. When you get back, make tacos and corn dip! That's making life easy for yourself!
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