January « 2010 « Kymlee Is Awesome

Archive for January, 2010

Jan 09

Returning to Normal

So it seems things are starting to return to normal. My brother decided to go back to my sister’s house; of course he had to listen to nearly an hour lecture on how this is his last chance. As the mediator even I had to be careful not to sigh too loudly while on the conference call with the family.

I’m also sending my oldest son home on the red eye tomorrow night. He won’t get home until 6:30 am, but at least he’ll be home to sleep in his own bed.

This also means that my house will go back to being relatively quiet. One kid can only make so much noise, but two or three children exponentially increase the noise level. Honestly, I don’t know how people do it; four and five kids…or in some cases 20. I’d go crazy not being able to quiet spot to think.

Even with all the noise and the craziness of the last few weeks, I’ll miss my boy when he goes back to his dad. He’s smart and funny and it seems like he’s on the road to being someone I might be able to be friends with when he becomes an adult. I’m proud of him and appreciate the great job his dad is doing raising such a fine young man.

But I will relish the quiet when things go back to normal.

0
comments

Posted in My Life, Parenting Balance Children

Jan 08

Today Was a Stressful Day

Today was one of those days. Not the kind you know you’re going to hate. Nor was it the kind of day you hope for at the end of the week.

It started out alright. I had a nice talk with a business consultant and got to the office early. The was a deadline looming and I was hoping I could knock it out and go home early to be with my boys. I was fooling myself. This project was massive and there were lots of tricky things in the preparation.

The project dragged on forever. I worked through lunch, and walked into the house to see my kitchen spilling over with dishes. I needed to get dinner on and help the kid with his science project before sending him home on Sunday.

I may have just left work but I was still working. I just wanted to sit down.

But I couldn’t.

The kid offered to wash the dishes but gave up after only completed half. So set him to work on his science project while I got dinner on. It’s just that he needed help. I didn’t have any notebook paper and he was having trouble organizing his report.

So I had to sit down and walk him through it, while he complained about being hungry. We did however work through his whining to get his assignment done, I got dinner on, cleaned the kitchen and by the end of it I was in a crappy mood.

And I forgot to do my baby step for the day. *sigh*

Oh well. Tomorrow’s another day.

0
comments

Posted in My Life, Parenting Stress Work/Life Balance

Jan 07

He was frustrated, I really shouldn’t have laughed…

The boys had been at the pool and returned early because the little one fell and hit his head. He had been running. He knows better. I gave him the look.

Right away he starts crying about how his brother was chasing him and…Then the brother cuts in with no he wasn’t and suddenly the little is growling, turning red, flexing his little muscles while breathing in big huffs. I was seriously afraid he was going to pop something.

I’ve seen him get all worked up and frustrated because he feels like no one is listening. And with two older boys around who like to play the dozens and make a joke of everything he does because he’s younger, the little has a hard time communicating sometimes.

A few deep breaths later, he wiped away his tears and I gave him my undivided attention so he could speak his piece. As I expected, he began to ramble about the brother chasing him and the uncle laughing at him and no one listens…And crying and huffing again.

He backed into the corner and huffed and puffed and yelled, “Everyone makes me angry!”

I laughed and he shrieked.

I told him I was sorry but he was being ridiculous. His brother had apologized for making fun of him and the uncle for laughing at him. Then I gave him the speech about choosing to be angry or letting the negativity go. He could be happy or he could sit in the corner huffing and puffing and being angry even after everyone had apologized.

And then I walked away.

He came out of the room shortly thereafter and began talking and playing with the other boys like nothing was wrong.

1
comments

Posted in My Life, Parenting, The Boy drama Meltdown Sibling Rivalry

Jan 06

The Stream is Dry

You know the tough thing about writing every day? You need to have something to say? And what if you don’t have something to say? It becomes an exercise in brain dump. Just writing something to write it. Opening the gates and hoping a flood pours out. Unfortunately tonight, my stream is dry and I still have nothing to say.

It would seem that there are some kinks to be worked out during this 365 blogging project. What do you think?

1
comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Jan 05

Clarity Revisited

Tonight was the night to catch up with a close friend and discuss our visions for the year. Last year at this time I was really into this idea of clarity. I was on fire. The only problem is that my vision was unclear. I was grasping for clarity, and that clarity only came recently.

And I just realized it tonight.

It was easy for me to outline my goals. Not just goals for this year, but sort of a vision for what I see in the next two or three years. I grabbed a piece of paper and actually saw a plan.

It was a proud accomplishment after the stark realization that my long term goals had become short term goals and then I had accomplished what I had set out to do. It’s scary to be a goal driven person and suddenly realize that you have no goal.

So I had to come up with some goals.

Not because I needed to be doing something but because while I had accomplished my goals, my vision for my life wasn’t actualized. I knew there was more work to do.

I started asking myself: what’s next?

And tonight, I had clarity. About my health, educational, career and creative future. I wrote it down and made it plain. I made the goals measurable and attainable. I even gave myself deadlines for things needing deadlines.

A year ago this was a slog but tonight it was a breeze.

Maybe it was time for me to be clear about my goals this year.

0
comments

Posted in My Life Balance Introspection Spirituality

Jan 04

Potatoes Au Gratin

Phew! This posting something every day thing is tough and I’m only one week in. I have no plan for how I’ll keep things going. I just plan to write. Since I’ve been cooking my ass off all weekend…I’ll give you another recipe.

That’s right folks: Potatoes au gratin. I sweat potatoes never tasted so good. Mind you, I’ve had au gratin before. What I made last night far surpassed my expectations. Again, recipes are meant to be tweaked and played with; the more you play, the more you enjoy…as I’ve recently discovered.

Without further ado…

Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients
2 lbs russet potatoes (cut into 1/4″ slices)
2 cups of heavy cream
2 shredded Parmesan
1/2 an onion (slice julienne)
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt & pepper

Directions

In medium sauce pan, warm cream, garlic, and thyme
In 2-quart arrange potatoes in overlapping pattern in sprinkle cheese, salt, pepper and onions. Make two or three layers, leaving top layer uncovered.
Pour cream mixture over potatoes.
Bake uncovered for 1 hour, sprinkle more cheese over top and bake until golden brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes.

I kid you not, these potatoes were insane.

0
comments

Posted in Food Potatoes Au Gratin Recipes

Jan 03

Go Outside!

I love my boys but they are noisy. Granted that’s what kids are supposed to be…

Most of the holiday season, I’ve had a quiet house, boys at their respective grandparents and all. Since New Year’s Eve, I’ve had three: the boy, the kid and the brother.

So for the past few days, I’ve had all three boys. And damn if they aren’t energetic and rowdy and loud.

Actually, I screwed up when booking the kid’s flight back to ATL so he’s going to be here a week longer than expected. The brother got into some trouble with my sister and she decided she’d had enough, tagged off to me, after I agreed to take him for the weekend; so it looks like he’ll be here for a while.

But today I was at my wits end and when we returned him after church, I sent the boy and the kid outside. Oh sure they complained about it being hot and whined about being bored and wanting to stay in the house. I wasn’t having that though…Hell, they’ll be lucky if I let them back in the house before dinner time.

I bet they’ll think twice about rough housing and talking all loud in my house for the next day or so. Especially if I remind them that they can go outside for that.

I don’t expect silence but I do expect them to use inside voices and not bounce off the walls. And if they want to play or talk all extra loud…

They can take that shit outside.

1
comments

Posted in My Life, Parenting, The Fam Balance Children Going Mad

Jan 02

Meatballs and Spicy Sausage Marinara

When David was here, he made what he called his “meatball dinner.” Nothing but your typical spaghetti and meatballs, sans the spaghetti. It was good, and tonight I made it my way.

Meatballs and Spicy Sausage Marinara

Ingredients
3/4 lb. Pennette (small penne pasta)
1lb ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 Tbsp fresh parsley
2 Tsp crushed garlic
1 large egg
1 jar traditional or basil pasta sauce
2 spicy Italian sausage links, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/4 cup bread crumbs (one slice of bread toasted and crumbled)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, garlic, parsley and egg. Add bread crumbs. Mix well.
Form mixture into 1″ balls
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in 2 qt sauce pan. Brown meatballs and sausages.
Add pasta sauce. Simmer on low for an hour
20 minutes before sauce is done, cook pasta according to package.

I served the sauce over the pasta with Parmesan cheese and a little toasted some Na’an bread for dipping. The boys ate it up voraciously. A simple yet crowd-pleasing meal.

And you know I loved it when the boys all cheered my cooking. I’m really starting to enjoying making my own food.

0
comments

Posted in Food Crowd-pleasers Recipies

Jan 01

Fearless: A Powerful Martial Arts Lesson in Sportsmanship

The only thing I knew was that Jet Li was in it, that was enough for me to want to see Fearless. I don’t know what I expected. I had been looking for House of Flying Dagers; something epic and beautiful. What I got in my selection was beautiful, not for the landscape or the elaborately romantic plot.

Fearless was a vulnerable true story of Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia Huo Yuan Jia (Li) and his spiritual journey in which he learned the true meaning of honor and sportsmanship at a tragically high price.

As he became a more famed master, Huo Yuanjia’s pride grew. Slowly his pride became his fall. In his thirst for fame and championship, Yuanjia eventually had to face the lesson he hadn’t heeded as a child; winning at all costs is not winning at all.

This movie is thrilling, heart breaking, inspiring and vulnerable.

And absolutely epic.