My Ode to Cheese

Cheese, Cheese, good for the heart, the more you eat, the more you ....wait, that was beans....(I know now the song is going to be stuck in your head; that was kinda the point)

Anyone that knows me, knows I love cheese.... A coworker and I were talking yesterday about grocery shopping on a budget and she said that she didn't think she could grocery shop on a budget because she is a cheese connisuier.  She is always buying specialty cheeses which depending on the kinds of course, could be rather expensive.

I "think" I might be a cheese connisuier too.  I have never met a cheese that I didn't like.  Well maybe just one: bleu cheese and it's not that I don't like it but rather I prefer not to eat it.  If it was the last cheese on earth I would probably eat it though.  There is just something about "moldy" cheese that I just don't care for. Which is kinda funny when you think about it because what is cheese?  In general terms, cheese is curdled, fermented milk. 

Fun Trivia:  Did you know that there are 670+ types of cheese in the world? 

How many cheeses can you name?  How many different kinds have you tried? What is your favorite?

Mine:  Feta Cheese!

Yours,Mine & Ours

Noooo, I am not talking about kids or the movie...I am talking "To Do Lists".  Do you have these?  Do you have them broken down accordingly?  Or is that just me?

Ok, maybe I am a bit neurotic, some might even say "anal" (not really liking that word) but you get the point...and I do have one....

When I make our "To Do Lists", Chore List, Task List, whatever you might call it...I break it down between Yours (husbands), Mine & Ours (what we do together).  The funny thing "Mine" is typically much longer.  Why is that?  Remember, I am definetly not "superwoman" so I definetly don't try and do it all (or do I?) Maybe that is the problem? 

Here is a typical "To Do List" in our household these days:

Yours

1. Spot clean carpets
2. Change Cat Litter
3. Go through old tshirts
4.  Clean car

Mine

1.  Clean top of refridgerator
2.  Go through kids clothes
3.  Sweep/Mop Floor
4.  Clean car
5.  Laundry, Laundry and more Laundry (is there ever an end in sight?)
6.  Organize kids toys
7.  Go through old papers/shred
8.  Mail pictures to grandparents
9.  Ohh, send pictures toWalgreens to print otherwise there will be no pictures to mail to grandparents

Ours

1.   Take stuff to Goodwill
2.   Pick up backyard
3.   Winterize yard

Ok, so you catch my drift.  Womens often high expectations of themselves I think is the "real" problem... Something I know I need to work on and do (sometimes).

Several of the things I have on "Mine" "Yours" could just as easily do so why do I load myself up and give "Yours" only a handful of tasks?  Not too mention, "Yours" would do them, no problem. 

Is it because we "think" we can do them better?  Faster? Maybe but unless we "delegate" and at least let "Yours" try we won't know for sure...Maybe "Yours" can clean the top of the refridgerator better. Maybe "Yours" can go through the kids clothes, faster ("Yours" probably could because I am too sentimental and would want to keep everything).

Why do we exhaust ourselves?  Don't answer that....

But from here on out, you can bet "Yours" is going to have more on the list.  Sorry love.

Who Would Have "Thunk?"

Obviously somebody did...In this case, this idea comes from my friend, Erika E. 

At the recent Women's Retreat I attended, we shared time saving and cost saving ideas.  One of the ideas Erika E. shared with me after we were talking about our "love" of Starbucks coffee and their breakfast sandwiches, but not so in "love" with the hit to our pocketbook was, how to make your own breakfast sandwiches, just like Starbucks. 

Who would have"thunk" to cook eggs in a muffin tin in the oven?  The eggs come out perfectly round to fit like a glove on a toasted english muffin.  Add a slice of cheese, ham or canadian bacon, wrap in a papertowel and microwave for 30 seconds AND you have breakfast.

**Cook at 325 for 12-18 mins and make sure to spray your muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray**

In Erika's case she makes several of these on the weekend, puts them in ziplock baggies and freezes them for a "grab-n-go" breakfast during the week. No more swinging through the drive thru.

In our house, I also made a few with out the yolks since my "mid"  man T does not like egg yolks.

These have become quite the hit in our house these past couple weeks.

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater....

Occasionally, I cheat...on dinner that is...Monday night, things were a bit hairy to say the least in our household.  I even actually came home from work early but it was still a bit hectic....Anywho, since my weekend was even "more" chaotic than Monday, I didn't get a chance to grocery shop...What is a mom to do for dinner for her family?  Drive Thru?  Pizza?  Nah, that would require leaving the house with all the kids in tow...or paying top dollar for delivery...definetly not in our budget for the week...

I threw together a hodge podge of "italian" items and made Pasta Soup. 

"Cheaters" Pasta Soup

(1) Jar of Ragu (or you can use a couple cans of tomato soup or tomato sauce and add your "own" seasonings)
(1) Jar of Water
(1) Diced Zuchinni
(1) Diced Onion
Sausage (or other meat you might have on hand)
Noodles (again any kind will work; I used elbow macaroni because that is what I had)

Throw everything but the noodles in the crock pot.  Cook on high for 3-4 hr.  The last 30 minutes throw the noodles in.  You want the noodles to be "al dente" rather than fully cooked and mushy.

Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  3-4 hrs

Add a side salad and some garlic bread and there you have it.  Dinner is served!

Women's Retreat

 I recently returned from a Women's Only weekend retreat in Lincoln City.   As much as I struggled with the "mommy" guilt leading up to the weekend I am glad I went... It was definetly food for my soul and I didn't realize how much I needed it until I was there! 

But man did I feel guilty right up until I got into my friends car to leave...I mean I was leaving the children (18yr,12yr,3yr & 5 months) behind for my (capable) husband to care for, for a whole weekend.  So many things crossed my mind leading up to the "big" event... How would he be able to do it without me?  Would they have three square meals while I was gone? Would they get baths?  What about clean clothes?  Don't even get me going on, "What if he forgets to change K's diaper? (often enough)"

In the end, the house didn't burn down, the kids ate, their clothes were dirty but I am sure that was because it was 6:30 pm on Sunday when I returned (ohhhh yes, we milked the weekend right up until dusk).  Heck the kids, they barely even noticed I was gone; husband on the other hand....I think he might have a better appreciation for how much "I" (woman in general do EVERYDAY)....Now the house looked like a tornado hit it (that would be Hayden)...but I learned something from the retreat that I put to use the second I walked through the door....IT'S OK IF THE HOUSE IS A MESS (sometimes).  Life is too short to cry over spilled milk (the cat will lick it up anyways).  It is now time to sit back, relax and spend some time with my husband and kids.  They missed me!  They truly missed me....(maybe just a little bit).

In closing, one of the "wiser" woman at the retreat  said it best, "Womans Lib, sure wasn't liberating, now was it? Now we are not only expected to work in the home but also outside the home."    So often we find that we try and be everything to everyone at all times and we often fail miserably...at something.  I mean really can we be good---perfect at everything?  Can women *now* truly have it all?

What do you think?