Food For Thought

     

       I was cooking today (pasta fagioli soup for lunch and grilled steak with veggies for diner), and I got to thinking about all the time I spend in the kitchen. I'm usually up early in the morning and with the exception of Sunday, I make breakfast every morning. This usually takes 20-45 minutes to prepare depending on what I want to make, or special requests made.

 

Gabe and Joe love pasta fagioli soup.

         My work day begins at 11AM, and lunch usually consists of whatever was leftover from the day before, or soup of some kind. During my lunch break I start preparing dinner, putting together the salad, and putting the main course in the oven of if required. All of this is made a little easier by the fact that on Sundays I dice up all the veggies I'll need during the week and put them in little zip lock bags ready to be used at a moments notice. I also prepare all my marinades for the week, so all I really have to do is throw everything together. However this still adds up to a lot of time in the kitchen.

       I do have some cop out meals I turn to for a quick fix if I'm too tired, sick, or working late. Chicken salad, black bean quesadillas, avocado salad, pancakes, (who doesn't love breakfast for dinner), but for the most part I find myself spending a lot of time to ensure my family is eating healthy meals. I am always on the lookout for a healthy and quick recipe that is sure to please, but this is a lot easier said than done. I have some of Rachel Ray's 20 minute meal recipes which I turn to for fast efficient dinners, but I'd love to have some more options.

      It isn't easy working from home, taking care of Gabe, and putting three meals together every day. I find myself exhausted some days wishing I could just feed everyone ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner. I love to cook, it's very relaxing to me and I love to see the smile of approval on Gabe's face as he rubs his tummy and says, "So delicious mommy", but sometimes mommy is just plain tired.

       I've decided to scour the internet and recipe books looking for fast meals that can go from conception to table in under 20 minutes. I'll post some of my favorites in case anyone out there is facing the same problem. Less time in the kitchen equals more time with our loved ones!

If anyone out there has any recipes they count on for fast healthy meals please post them in the comments section, I'd love to try them out.

A Boy and His Dog

        

       I've always loved dogs and for most of my childhood we always had a dog at home. It comes as no surprise that now that I've started my own family we have a family dog, Einstein. I firmly believe it is important for kids to have a pet, it teaches them responsibility and compassion, and a dog can be a great pet for a child. While Gabe is too young to take on any serious responsibility when it comes to Einstein, he does point out when it's time to fill his bowl with food or water. We take him on long walks together, and Einstein loves nothing more than to lay down next to Gabe while he is playing.
      
       It has been such a pleasure watching my little man learn to interact with his dog, and seeing that special bond form. They've become the best of friends and it's given Gabe more confidence to go out and explore the world around him. Einstein never seems to mind that Gabe can be heavy handed, or that his hugs feel more like a death grip, and in return Gabe looks the other way as Einstein samples his leftovers. They've become conspirators with Einstein nudging Gabe towards the kitchen when he sees something coming out of the oven, and Gabe whispering to Einstein to go get his leash so I'll take them both outside.

      I love watching them run around outside together, Gabe laughing loudly and Einstein obediently at his side. Gabe is in a pirate phase and he wants to bury very penny he finds, declaring it his treasure. Einstein loves this game since digging holes is one of his special skills, and they have treasure buried all up and down the trails. Of course later on when Gabe insists that Einstein find his treasure so they can dig it up, more hilarity ensues.

The start of Gabe's treasure path, his pennies buried all up and down the trail.  

     I look forward to watching Gabe and his loyal companion grow up together, watching that bond strengthen. I imagine all the adventures they will have as Gabe gets older, going fishing, hunting, and exploring the world around them. It brings a smile to my face watching them both now, fast asleep, Gabe in his bed and Einstein on the floor right beside him.

       I am thankful for this wonderful dog, who found us and burrowed his way into our hearts to become part of our family. He lights up Gabe's life and is a calming influence on the rest of us. Indeed he is living up to his name quite nicely and has been a great addition to the family.

Einstein, our beloved companion 

      

An Un-Perfect Day

 

       It naturally follows that after a wonderful perfect day, comes an un-perfect day, it's like a law of nature or something. Joe's day off from work turned into another day home because he came down with a cold, which in turn means there's a mess of tissues and cups surrounding him on the couch. Now I am not some kind of monster, who would ignore her loved one while he lies in feverish misery, but this could not have come at a worse time.  I am working on a major project at work, and had several teleconferences scheduled throughout the day. I work from home, and while that makes things a little easier with Gabe, I do still need a modicum of peace and quiet to get some work done.

       Even though Joe is sick and laying prone on the couch, when Gabe and him get together the noise level rises to 100, and loud crashes and bangs ensue. So this is what you could hear in the background while I virtually attended meetings at work:

"Baby...I need OJ please!"

"I'LL GET IT DADDY!!"  Followed by the crash of juice spilling everywhere when Gabe tried to pour it into a cup.

"Mum, daddy sick need happy birthday cake now".  I completely ignore this request, which to Gabe suggests that he must get the cake on his own. He accomplishes this by reaching in and grabbing a handful of chocolate cake and taking it, dripping chocolate the whole way, to daddy.

"Look Daddy tricks!" Followed by a giant crash, but since I heard no cries I didn't get up to investigate.

"I NEED TISSUES AND CHICKEN SOUP PLEASE". Shortly followed by, "I'm still hungry, can you make steak babe?"

"Mommy, love daddy make steak please. Or how about cookies mommy?"

       My entire day revolved around cooking some kind of a snack or other every hour, and cleaning up a giant mess. I love my family like crazy, but today I just wanted to run way. I couldn't get any work done, and had to sign out of an important meeting because the noise level and insanity had become unbearable. I almost lost my shit, but instead opted to leave for 40 minutes and head to the gym to work out the frustration. Then I came home and baked cookies. Now its almost 8PM, Gabe is fast asleep, Joe has fallen into a cookie coma, and I get to relax with a glass of wine and all the episodes of  Warehouse 13 I want to watch. And the cookies, lets not forget the cookies.

A Perfect Day

      My definition of a perfect day has changed dramatically since Gabe entered our lives. Before Gabe a perfect day usually involved sleeping late and going some place with Joe that most likely involved food and cocktails. Now a perfect day is one where things go smoothly, Gabe eats everything I set out in front of him, we get to enjoy a leisurely stroll along the trails, or pretending to be pirates on an adventure, and I can have dinner ready and on the table at a reasonable time. Oh and a long shower, as opposed to my usual five minute race against the clock to make sure Gabe doesn't do anything crazy. On those rare perfect days, when everything goes just right, and dinner and dessert are ready to go, I feel like Martha Stewart and Wonder Woman all rolled into one.

       Today was one of those perfect days where everything went just right. I awoke to soft kisses on my face, and the gentle whisper of  "Wake up. Crêpes please mommy".  It didn't matter that it was six in the morning and I could use more sleep, that gentle pleading was enough to have me up and making strawberry crêpes in no time. Once breakfast was done I got to sit in the living room with my little man watching the latest dinosaur documentary on Amazon Prime, and enjoying some delicious crêpes. I love listening to his ever expanding vocabulary as he names the different types of dinosaurs and tells me all about his pretend adventures with them.

       After breakfast we built a fort, and I was a helpless captive as Gabe ordered to "walk plank now!". We played together for a few hours before Joe woke up an announced that he had the day off. This was met with shouts of "Daddy go park, get sneakers, lets go go go!". So off we went to through the trails and to the park to feed the ducks. All in all it was a splendid day, one filled with laughter and joy. I loved every minute of it.

                                  Gabe driving happily through the trails to the park.

      The importance of enjoying every moment we have with our loved ones was made clearer to me later in the evening when I spoke with my mom. She tearfully informed me that one of our relatives was diagnosed with cancer, and is undergoing treatment. In that moment every memory I had with this relative flashed before me. I remembered watching her get ready for a night out, and being fascinated by her beauty rituals. I love this woman, whom I rarely ever see but so fondly remember, she is family, and knowing she is going through this is heartbreaking.

       It is also a reminder that none of us knows what the future holds, or when our time will come. It is important to hold your loved ones, appreciate the time you have with them, and express that love whenever possible. I know that hearing that news made me cry, but it also made me appreciate my family and the time I get to spend with them. There are no truly perfect days, we have to create them for ourselves. The future is uncertain, the past already gone, but the present is a gift. So go out there and enjoy every minute of life and all the beauty it brings with it.
     
     

A World of Wonder

      I made several New Years resolutions for 2014, and one of them was to finally do something about my desire to write, to put my words out there for others to read. I decided to start a blog, and the only thing left was to choose what type of blog it would be. Since I'm a new mom who just moved her family half way across the country (New York to Texas), in search of a better life, I figured I'd start with that. All that was left was to think of was a title for my blog. Being a fan of Lewis Carroll, and as bewildered and enchanted by motherhood as Alice was by Wonderland, the name came easy enough.

      Through the looking glass. That's exactly what I feel like I fell through ever since Gabe's big eyes met mine when they put him in my arms. It has been an amazing and wondrous journey.

The day my life changed forever 10/20/2011

 



One filled with laughter, delight, frustration, tears, visits to the doctor and loud sounds. That's the one thing I learned fast, if you have a boy (specially one who likes to scale walls, or "do tricks" ) get ready for a lot of breathless moments, and loud crashes.

      While it may seem like just yesterday when they placed him in my arms, two years have passed, and in those two years this little man has changed my life, and engulfed me in the purest love I've ever known. He lit a fire in my soul (and under my ass) forcing me reevaluate my priorities, and get started on providing him the best life possible. He changed Joe (Daddy) as well, from a determined bachelor, into a family man who can spend hours playing with his son on a Saturday afternoon.

      It was because of Gabe that we drove away from New York, the place that was home, to Texas and towards our future. It seemed like a crazy move to many at first, but we knew that here we could give Gabe the life we wanted for him, and give ourselves a fresh start as a family. God must have been on our side, because this was the best decision we could have made. Life in Austin, Texas is better than we imagined, and seeing Gabe run around outside everyday, exploring the outdoors with a happy smile and dirty hands, is proof enough that we made the right decision.

                                           Enjoying the pool at our apartment complex

                                                                  Joe LOVES Texas.

       I won't say it was easy, because it wasn't, but six months later we are settled into our new lives. We both have jobs we love, a beautiful home, and time to go out with Gabe and explore the beauty of Texas. I was able to put my degree and past work experience to use, which landed me a fabulous job with an amazing company. I work from home which means Gabe can stay home with me, and we don't lose the quality time I've come to cherish. Of course it also means that sometimes while I'm working, and on the phone, you can hear the wild shouts of  "I'm a GIANT T-Rex ARRRGGGGGHHH". But hey that's life with a two year old.



                                                              Gabe's first pony ride

     I am grateful everyday for Gabe and all the wonder he has brought into our lives. I will strive to be the best mom I can be, and not pull all my hair out in the process. I look forward to the future and the little adventures that everyday life with Gabe brings.